Kelsey Baker, a former Marine, writes about the day last March the remains of her partner and father of their child, USMC Gunnery Sgt. Diego Pongo, were returned to Dover AFB.
Gunnery Sgt. Diego Pongo was highly decorated, with Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device, Purple Heart, two Navy and Marine Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Combat Action Ribbons, the Army Valorous Unit Award, four Good Conduct Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons. (thanks to alienobserver for this list of his commendations)
Not only did she lose the love of her life and father of her child, she just lost faith in her former Commander-In-Chief. Not much I can add except to say how abhorrent Trump is and how hurtful his reported comments are to so many.
My partner, Gunnery Sgt. Diego Pongo, was killed in action in Iraq on March 8 — one of the first two combat deaths of 2020, the first combat death in Iraq since August 2019 and, thankfully, of only eight service members killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan so far this year. His remains were returned to Dover Air Force Base on March 11. The secretary of the Navy showed up to pay his respects at Diego's dignified transfer, as did the commandant of the Marine Corps, Diego’s commanding general, his regimental commander and senior enlisted leaders.
President Donald Trump did not — even though Diego deserved his attention and recognition.
I never really understood why the president wasn’t there that day. It wasn't the pandemic: On the night of March 11, he gave his first address to the nation about the coronavirus, telling most people that their risk was "very, very low." The men who carried Diego's transfer case from the plane didn't wear masks; the people who sacrificed but a little of their time to show their respect for Diego's sacrifice — and that of his family — didn't either.
But now, I guess I know: The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg reported this week, with corroboration from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press, that the president said — many times, in various ways — that people like Diego were “losers” and “suckers” for giving their lives in service to their country.
She wondered why Trump didn’t show up. Now, she says she knows.
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