Semper Fi
Posted on 05/07/2002 9:26:14 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
SAN DIEGO — Hundreds of U.S. Marines gathered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in late January to pay their respects to Staff Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan, a helicopter mechanic killed in a crash in Afghanistan. Now, Morgan is being honored again.But this time Hollywood extras are standing in for the real Marines as Morgan is featured as a real character in an episode of the WB's "7th Heaven" (airing at 7 tonight).
Why this unusual blend of fiction and reality? One reason, according to series creator Brenda Hampton: to honor the more than three dozen members of the armed services who have died in the U.S.-led fight against terrorism. (The names of those killed in Operation Enduring Freedom will be scrolled on-screen at the end of the episode.)
Another reason is that Hampton thought that highlighting the real-life details of one of the dead would put a personal face on all of those who have lost their lives in the war.
"Those people who have volunteered to go over and who volunteer in our armed services ... sometimes their deaths don't seem real. They become merely news reports that we hear in passing," Hampton said. "I randomly chose one person and decided it would be better to honor one then none."
That person is Morgan, a 24-year-old from the rural Northern Californian town of Willits who married his sweetheart two weeks after graduating from high school and left for boot camp a month later.
In "The Known Soldier" episode, the youngest member of the family in "7th Heaven," Ruthie Camden (Mackenzie Rosman), becomes acquainted with Morgan through an e-mail correspondence school project.
Through Ruthie, the Camden family soon comes to know Morgan. They learn that he's the father of a 4-year-old son, Alex, and that he and his wife, Teresa, are expecting another child. They hear about what he misses (Teresa's homemade enchiladas) and what he doesn't (pickles, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes).
In photos Morgan sends to Ruthie, the Camdens see real images from his life: Morgan feeding cake to his new bride at their wedding, hugging Teresa and Alex, and posing in his dress blues with Teresa at the annual Marine Corps ball.
The Camdens are devastated when they learn of Morgan's death in a helicopter crash during a resupply mission.
The details are true to his life. Morgan volunteered to go to Afghanistan in mid-November having only returned from an overseas mission in September. He left on the day before his wife's birthday, telling his worried mother that he was "just going to do his job."
On Jan. 20, Morgan was flying aboard a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter when it crashed due to mechanical failure outside of Kabul. Five aboard survived. Morgan and Staff Sgt. Walter "Trae" Cohee of Mardela Springs, Md., did not.
The death shattered Morgan's family. Teresa Morgan now faces raising the couple's children alone. Morgan's mother, Mary McKim, having previously lost a child to SIDS, grieved anew. His father, Joe, still struggles with the loss. "To a degree we still feel like we're in shock," he said.
In the Hollywood account, Morgan's death leaves a circle of sadness as well. The Camdens honor Morgan at a memorial led by Ruthie's father, the Rev. Eric Camden (Stephen Collins), who praises Morgan not only as a military hero but as a loving father and devoted son.
Blurring the line between fiction and reality, Morgan's real family appears at the "7th Heaven" memorial, as did several members from his Miramar-based helicopter squadron.
"It took me a little bit to think, 'Do I want to do this or not?'" said Teresa Morgan. "And then I realized that it's totally worth it, that my husband totally deserves it."
The Hollywood-produced tribute is a first for the Marine Corps, which gave its blessing to the show after being convinced that Hampton's motivations and intent were genuine. The Corps even arranged for a real Marine color guard to participate in the television memorial.
The Camdens further honor Morgan by doing charitable acts in his name: laying flowers at a military cemetery, handing out American flags and thanking veterans for their service, including real vet and guest star Ernest Borgnine.
Hampton said she tried to keep the focus on Morgan's sacrifice.
"I didn't want it to be, 'Look at this family. Look at how great they are,'" Hampton said. "I wanted it to be, 'Look at this man. Look at how great it is that he and others serve in our armed forces.'"
Semper Fi
I saw this episode last night. I was pleasantly surprised at the heartfelt honoring of this Marine, his sacrifice and those of his family.
Love of God, love of country, love of family...what an unusual program.
Very true...which is why you'll never see it on the likes of abc/cbs/nbc...
I believe they did a good job presenting our military in a positive light. It was good to see that WB didn't try to create some "balance" like the big three would have done.
I WON'T BACK DOWN (Tom Petty)
No, I won't back down
No, I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of Hell,
but I won't back down
I will stand my ground,
won't be turned around
I will keep my world from draggin' me down,
I won't back down
No, I won't back down
Hey, baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey, I will stand my ground
No, I won't back down
Oh, I know what's right,
I got just one life
I will keep this world from pushin' me around,
I'll stand my ground
No, I won't back down
Hey, baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey, I will stand my ground
Hey, I will stand my ground
And I won't back down
And I won't back down,
no I won't back down
The character of Ruthie Camden (brilliantly played by youngster MacKenzie Rosman) is not the youngest of the Camden children. The fictional Camdens had twins a couple of seasons ago.
Was "the colonel" (the mom's father, played by Peter Graves) in the episode?Yes he was. After researching the fate of the Martine, he flew across country to tell Ruthie of the Marine's death.
The episode even had a cameo by Ernest Borgnine aas a vet that just received his first 'thank you'.
I remember that! I practically yelled, "it's about time!!" (I didn't actually yell it; I don't look good with no arms. *G*)
Another WB program that I love is Gilmore Girls. It has one major flaw that I try to overlook -- Loralei is a DemonRat and she is indirectly influencing that brilliant daughter of hers to be an ineffective, whiny DemonRat as well! Hopefully, Rory's brains win out in the end, and she registers as a Republican!
Her grandparents appear to be Republicans (although horribly stereotyped to the stuffy country-club type) so maybe there's hope.
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