Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Honoring Their Fallen.

Brad sends in this story, with the admonition that it's a three-hankie one. I think he's got some big hankies if he only needs three.

A community's somber salute to a fallen hero

They took time from their jobs, their classes, their daily lives yesterday -- well over 1,000 of them, some waving American flags -- to pay their respects to Sgt. William Woitowicz, of Groton, as his body was brought home from the war on terror. The decorated 23-year-old member of the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion was posthumously promoted from corporal last week after he was killed June 7 by small-arms fire in Badghis Province, Afghanistan.

Picture 10 got me, big time. If some part of this doesn't move you, well, I can't help you.

That is all.

10 comments:

Old NFO said...

Those ALL got to me... we are losing way too many good young men and women over there.

Bubblehead Les. said...

Yep, what OldNFO said. Glad to see Groton still remembers what "Duty, Honor, Country" means, unlike the Political Elites and MSM in D.C. and NYC.

Skip said...

There may be hope for this republic yet.

Brad_in_IL said...

Groton, Westford, Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Dunstable, etc. all have the same passion when it comes to this sort of thing. For flag day yesterday, I even saw an old 48-star flag displayed proudly.

I have never met the family who just suffered the loss of their young son, but I'm giving very serious consideration to stopping by the wake on the way home from work.

- Brad_in_MA

Rev. Paul said...

What OldNFO said. #10 was a sobering thought, and I hope those who needed to see it, do.

wolfwalker said...

"Picture 10 got me, big time. "

See also no. 14, a fine modern analog of the knights holding their swords as an arch for the Honored One to pass through.

Bravo Zulu, Sergeant Woitowicz.

DaddyBear said...

Damn allergies. Sniff

Weer'd Beard said...

Yep got me too.

Saw a truck with a fallen Soldiers name on the back window while the wife was in a store shopping. I watched every person walking towards that truck hoping the owner would come by while I was there so I could shake his hand, give condolences for his loss, and thank him for his son's service.

Didn't happen, but I wish it had.

Steve said...

I drove through Townsend, Pepperell and Dunstable this AM. I saw the Marine's name on a sign, saw flags at half mast and didn't put it together. Somestimes Mass gets it right despite their politics.

Dave H said...

I think, in spite of what you hear in the news, what most people want is for their kids to come home safe. Sometimes that doesn't happen. And sometimes when it doesn't happen, it's so someone else's kids can come home safe.

One of our kids came home to upstate New York this week, too. Spc. Devin Snyder, age 20, KIA in Afghanistan, was flown in to Rochester and driven to her home town of Cohocton. The hearse bearing her was escorted by State and local police, fire departments, and 150 Patriot Guard Riders. Hundreds of people turned out along the route, holding flags, covering their hearts, and silently expressing the sorrow and gratitude of a nation.

This is America. We say "thank you" here.