Honoring a Fallen Marine

by compound complex 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  compound complex

  "Over a year ago, I volunteered to escort the remains of Marines killed in Iraq should the need arise. The military provides a uniformed escort for all casualties to ensure they are delivered safely to the next of kin and are treated with dignity and respect along the way." -- Lt. Col. Michael R. Strobl

  Last night, I viewed an HBO movie called Taking Chance. I've seen many war movies that left me in various states of emotional and mental conflict. This particular film has no action sequences depicting the horrors of war. Any action having taken place in Iraq has been described by fellow Marines and friends of Private First Class Chance Phelps, killed in action outside Baghdad.

  What touched me as events unfolded was the honor, respect, and dignity afforded those fallen in battle. During the deceased's entire journey home, he was accompanied by a uniformed escort. The remains were slow saluted at each move from one conveyance of transport to another. Workers and others along the route -- at airports and on whatever path the fallen took -- would stop and put their hands over their hearts. Many were crying, asking the escort to pass on their heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family. Ordinary citizens knew; they didn't need to ask.

  My heart is still lodged in my throat . . .

  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-050123strobl-story.html
  
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  Giordano

  Agreed.......... it is a beautiful moving movie.

  Unfortunately Chance and thousands of others need not have died if Bush had half a brain in his head. Afganistan was enough to make his point that you don't attack this country and expect to get away with it....instead of finishing that war he's goes needlessly into Iraq.

  Vietnam 65,000 dead a couple of hundred thousand wounded for what?

  And then this:

  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/aug/09/martinkettle1

  Aug 8, 2000 - On the eve of his election in 1968, Richard Nixon secretly conspired with the South Vietnamese government to wreck all-party Vietnam peace talks as part of a deliberate effort to prolong a conflict in which more than 20000 Americans were still to die, along with tens of thousands of Vietnamese and ...

  Nixon was afraid that a peaceful settlement would ruin his chance to be President. Citation: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/31/opinion/sunday/nixons-vietnam-treachery.html

  Unfortunately what Chances family had to go through is but one story out of well over a quarter of a million needless deaths.
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  compound complex

  Your post is very much appreciated, Giordano. Thank you.

  There is so much bad that goes on behind the scenes, and that for political gain. I was not aware of the circumstances you wrote of. I am both enlightened and saddened.

  Again, my gratitude.
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  Giordano

  CoCo I prize your contributions to the forum from the day I arrived here.

  Thank you for caring.
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  stillin

  There is an event for Wounded Warriors in my area every year. It's huge. There is about a 70 mile route that the convoy takes with a motorcycle contingent of at least 200 bikes, local police and fire squads.I know several who ride their bikes in it. I also know a couple of the organizers on a business level and I have utmost respect for them.

  The entire route from the airport is lined with stopped traffic, both sides if the road, including me. I'm not waving a flag but I am totally moved by the sense of respect for those who have served. I mean moved on the inside....

  Patriotism isn't always an evil thing. Sometimes it's shallow, sometimes it's way deep.
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  jwleaks

  Last week we commemorated ANZAC Day in Australia for our fallen dead and those who served in battle.

  "Lest we forget."

  http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4835651.htm
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  zeb

  semper fi
  
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  smiddy3

  movie called Taking Chance.Thanks CoCo ,I will look out for it .

  I often wonder about the people who take their freedoms of today for granted would be if the Axis powers had won the war ,under those systems their is no way on earth we would be enjoying the freedoms we do enjoy today.

  We would do well to read the history books of the atrocities of the Nazis and the Japanese during and before WW2

  The Rape Of Nan KIng by the Japanese in China for example .

  I wonder also of the JW`s who gloss over all of the wars sanctioned by Jehovah in the old Testament and they never seem to imagine that their were many , thousands ? of deaths of Israelis Jehovah`s people under the Theocracy of Jehovah`s rule .

  The fact that their were deaths is brought out in the account of David who sent the husband of Bathsheba to the front line where he knew he would be killed .

  And thanks for the link jwleaks I think we will hear a lot more about this campaign in the future here in Australia.
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  jwleaks

  smiddy3 - you're welcome for the link.
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  carla

  "semper fi"-