Hawaii-based Marines honor four fallen in Iraq (TISSUES Required)

Marine Corps News ^ | Sgt. Roe F. Seigle

[SandRat]

HADITHA, Iraq (May 5, 2006) -- A Marine sat on a collapsible metal chair with several other warriors seated around him and stared at four sets of dog tags, combat boots, rifles and Kevlar helmets.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he slowly let his head drop into his hands. The tears fell, splashing the concrete floor.

This Marine is one of hundreds from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment who are still mourning the loss of Staff Sgt. Jason C. Ramseyer, who was killed two weeks ago in an explosion from an improvised explosive device.

IEDs – roadside bombs used by insurgents in Iraq to target Coalition and Iraqi Forces – are the number one killer of U.S. troops in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count – an organization which tallies U.S. and coalition casualties based off Department of Defense press releases.

In a solemn ceremony at the Marines forward operating base here April 30, the Marines honored four more of their own killed recently during combat operations in Al Anbar Province. Among the deceased are: Sgt. Edward G. Davis, 31, of Waukegan, Ill.; Sgt Lea R. Mills, 21, of Brooksville, Fla.; and Cpl. Brandon M. Hardy, 25, of Cochranville, Pa.; who were killed April 28, 2006, when their vehicle struck and IED.

Cpl. Eric R. Lueken, 23, of Jasper, Ind., was also killed by an IED April 22, 2006.

Davis, Mills and Hardy were assigned to the Camp Pendleton, Calif. – based 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion and were attached to 3/3 for duty. Lueken was assigned to 3/3.

Individual eulogies were read for each of the fallen service members by Marines who served with them.

Many of the Marines sat stone faced and tried to hide their emotions as they reflected on the fallen’s lives.

“These Marines are not heroes because of how they died,” said 2nd Lt. Rajesh Mistry. “They are heroes because of how they lived.”

Some Marines could only offer a few words to describe their fallen comrades.

“Lueken was the kind of guy you could go to and tell how bad your day was and he would make it better,” said Cpl. William Harrison. “It was still registering to me that he is no longer with us.”

Sgt. Jim Coelho, 3rd Assault Amphibious Battalion, worked very closely with Davis, Mills and Hardy.

“The Marines are not laughing and joking with each other like they usually do,” said Coelho. “We were all close; we were all brothers.”

Gunnery Sgt. Jeff Duncan was the platoon sergeant for Davis, Mills and Hardy, and recalled characteristics of each one.

“Each one of them had something different to offer the company,” said Duncan. “Davis we called ‘Manimal’ because he was always lifting weights. Mills could fix practically anything, and Hardy was a good leader who knew his job well.”

Duncan said Davis, who would have been promoted May 1, will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant.

During the memorial, Navy Lt. Paul Tremblay led the singing of a hymn called “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” -

“Eternal Father strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bids the mighty ocean deep, Its own appointed limits keep, O hear us when we cry to thee, For those in peril on the sea.

“Eternal Father grant we pray, To all Marines both night and day, The courage honor strength and skill, Their land to serve the law fulfill, Be thou the shield forevermore, From every Peril to the Corps.”

After the playing of “Taps,” the Marines paid final respects to the fallen and left the makeshift chapel the same way they shuffled in – with solemn faces.

The battalion is scheduled to return to the United States later this Fall.

[SandRat]

Marines and sailors of the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, shuffled into a makeshift cafeteria in Haditha, Iraq, to attend a memorial service April 30, 2006, for four Marines who died recently due to combat operations in western Al Anbar Province, Iraq. A set of dog tags, combat boots, rifles and Kevlar helmets represented each Marine who died. Among those memorialized were: Sgt. Edward G. Davis, 31, of Waukegan, Ill.; Sgt. Lea R. Mills, 21, of Brooksville, Fla.; and Cpl. Brandon M. Hardy, 25, of Cochranville, Pa.; and Cpl. Eric R. Lueken, 23, of Jasper, Ind. Mills, Hardy, and Davis, all assigned to the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, were killed April 28, 2006, when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Lueken, assigned to the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, was also killed by an IED, April 22, 2006. During the memorial, individual eulogies were read for each fallen warrior by Marines who served with them.
Photo by: Cpl. Justin L. Schaeffer

[SandRat]

[Mr. Jazzy]

Lord bless their families, both at home and in the Corps.







K-Bay Marines, Semper Fi.

[Thebaddog]

Can you imagine the strength you have to have to go out and do your job as a soldier in Iraq and then to feel bad for your lost brother and sister soldiers? God bless them all and their families for keeping us safe.

[karbine]

God has graced this nation with such priceless blessings. These wonderful, wonderful young men and women in uniform
serve so selflessly and with so little appreciation from a nation far too self-absorbed. May God have mercy on a people who fail to stand up to evil incarnate as we face in the WOT. There are so few in hollyweird, in western newsrooms, on college campuses worthy of wiping the blood, mud, or tears from the boots of any of our valiant servants in uniform. I worry about our nations future when I see so many disdainful of our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. And we have the largest political party in the land committed to undermining these brave defenders of freedom for their obsession of regaining power. How I wish the spoiled brats of the American left could be sentenced to live in Iran. But then I see the pictures and videos of our uniformed heroes serving so bravely in spite of it all, and then I regain some hope for my grandkids. The price has been so very, very dear.
Though we will never see much of their exploits and sacrificies in the major media or on the big screen, I know that these thousands and thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen will return home stronger and tougher in ways we will never be able to quantify, and help build a better America over the years to come. As WWII cost so many young lives, it fostered a generation of men and women who helped create the great miracle of European and Asian reconstruction and an explosion of American growth. I honestly don't think our 21st century service men and women are any less valiant then our 1940's versions. GOD BLESS AMERICA
Dear God, please hold the families of these special young men in your arms and bring them some degree of comfort in their sorrow.
Greg K Captain, USAR (Ret)

[Mr. Jazzy]

To paraphrase Mitchner:

"Where do we find such men!?!"

We could never make them, they come to us from God.

God gives them to us as a blessing and testament to His love for us and the selflessness we should have for each other.

At least that's the way I feel about it.

[Cindy]

"“These Marines are not heroes because of how they died,” said 2nd Lt. Rajesh Mistry. “They are heroes because of how they lived.”"

YEP.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT