The Ultimate Price
This time of year always hits hard…but it’s never getting easier. Most look at Memorial Day as a means of store sales, cookouts, maybe a parade or a thank you to a service member. Many say “Happy Memorial Day.” It’s not happy. It’s not ever happy when knowing names on that list….that list that gave the last measure and died in places like Fallujah, Ramadi Iraq, Kandahar, Tawara Afghanistan.
Marine Cpl Ronald R. Payne was just 23, from central Florida and serving his second tour of duty in two years. His story has been told in a song, “When A Hero Falls” by Stephen Cochran, who was there at the time and has paid a heavy price of his own. They served with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. On May 7, 2004 Ron gave up his life to save someone else. He had been a part of the initial invasion that went into Iraq and went to Baghdad. He returned to combat again in Operation Enduring Freedom. That song:
Army Pfc Oliver J Brown was from Pennsylvania and assigned to the 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He was part of a Guard unit “adopted” by a group of Jeff Bates fans when they were called up. Dubbed “Operation Circle of Love” each person was connected with a soldier to send letters, encouragement, packages voluntarily. Although Ollie wasn’t “my soldier” the entire group felt his loss on September 28, 2005 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He signed up with his best friend, as many have.
In the wake, a friend preparing to go to the Marines said he wanted to be adopted. It started as a joke, as many things do. He went to training, and was sent to the Al Anbar province in Iraq with the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division out of Lansing, MI. He hadn’t been there very long when the daily DoD email brought a familiar name. L/Cpl Troy D. Nealey. I read it multiple times. Surely it was a mistake…couldn’t be my Troy. Couldn’t be. Except it was. He’d been there a little over a month when he was killed October 29, 2006. No more teasing him about being from Tennessee (“MICHIGAN!” he would respond when I acted like I forgot where in TN he was…TN was his initials not state.) It had become a joke and he had truly made an impact on everyone he crossed paths with. His story lives on, as does the others with friends and family that will not let their memory leave. He might be surprised how much he’s missed by how many. Maybe not. But so much of life he didn’t get a chance to experience…and never, ever forgotten in this household. He was laid on rest on my birthday, Veteran’s day 2006 and there is not a birthday that goes by I don’t wish he’d give me a jab about getting old. He never got a chance to. July 15 brings a memory…other days bring memories. Jokes, pranks, agriculture…his memory remains in the hearts of many.
The last entry here – Army Sgt Schuyler B Patch, I didn’t know personally, but small town USA Galva Illinois knew he was on his second deployment with the National Guard. Also killed when the vehicle hit an IED was Sgt Scott Stream of Effingham IL in his third deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom, and Capt Brian M Bunting, Owasso Oklahoma and Sgt Daniel J Thompson on February 24, 2009 in Kandahar. So many families, friends affected.
It is not a happy holiday. It is not joyful. And for too many who served with them who came back, but changed from the memories of those days it doesn’t just go away as a final date.
Too many today don’t even see names anymore, stories, memories of the human beings they were in their respective communities. There are too many who are outright disrespectful. Remember them. All of them. Keep their memories alive remembering them…living that they couldn’t do.
Food, Farm, Life Choices 