Posted on 10/27/2005 12:36:42 PM PDT by SmithL
NEW FRANKLIN - Joey Ashley played drums and clarinet in the Manchester High School marching band.
On Friday, Oct. 28, during the halftime band show at the Manchester football game against Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, the 1999 Manchester graduate who died in a submarine accident will be honored by the band.
A patriotic halftime show will be dedicated to Ashley, band director Nathan Sensabaugh said.
After Ashley's death, his parents, Dan and Vicki Ashley, donated his clarinet and his quad drums to the high school.
On Friday night, Kelly Robertson, 18, a senior, will play Ashley's clarinet and Nate Duncan, 16, a junior, will play his quad drums, Sensabaugh said.
``We will do a tribute to him,'' the band director said.
ROTC members at the school will present colors in his honor, there will be a moment of silence and the band will play Taps, he said.
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Ashley, 28, died when the USS San Francisco, a nuclear submarine, ran aground in the Pacific on Jan. 8, 350 miles from the ship's home port of Guam. Another 97 members of the 137-person crew were hurt.
A Navy investigation found the accident could have been prevented had leaders and watch teams on the submarine ``complied with requisite procedures and exercised prudent navigation practices.''
Sensenbaugh recalled Ashley was ``a high-energy person.''
``He was very animated on the field and was passionate about what he was playing,'' he said.
Robertson said she was excited to be able to play Ashley's clarinet.
In fact, she liked the way it played and sounded more than her own instrument.
Duncan said it'll easy to spot Ashley's drum harness when he wears it -- it has ``Ashdog'' written on it.
Dan and Vicki Ashley retired this year and moved to Reedy, W.Va.
Joey's brother, Army Pfc. Benjamin Earl Ashley, 21, left last weekend for Kuwait and Iraq.
Pfc. Ashley and his wife, Kati McConnell Ashley, had their first son in July, and named him Bryan Joseph Ashley, with his middle name in honor of his uncle.
Joey Ashley's parents said they will drive to Summit County this week to witness the tribute to their son.
``We will be there,'' Dan Ashley said. ``We are excited.''
Thanks, Eric
Thank God there are still some American patriots left here.
Prayers for a beautiful night for the family's sake and prayers for our fallen hero.
That will be a fitting a tribute. By all accounts, he was one fine man. It's good to see him being honored.
You bet there are still patriots and THIS time, we will not betray them! NEVER AGAIN! We shall drive the anti-Americans back into the shadows of insignificance where they belong; they may leave if they wish and go to whatever glorious county they worship but I'll not willingly hand over this precious way of life to the likes of them ever again--in honor of the Ashley brothers and their brothers (and sisters) in arms.
Which brings up a point: the women in our military put wimpy, cowardly liberal effites and thier ilk to shame.
Amen!
One of my Drill sergeants in Basic was a lady (in every sense of the word). I tell you this: I'd not have gone up against her with less than 100 yard clearance, a M-16A1 on rock-n-roll, with a M203 slung beneath it.
THAT lady was tough as boot leather.
Outstanding..I'd love to see if any of the crew could be there, but being in the yards in Bangor WA that might not happen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.