Posted on 02/06/2008 7:45:50 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Marine Cpl. Sean Stokes was almost pathologically reluctant to accept praise, even though his courage on the battlefield saved fellow Marines' lives and was chronicled in a book.
He might have been embarrassed, then, by a ceremony at Camp Pendleton Wednesday awarding him the third-highest award for combat valor.
But Stokes wasn't there to receive his Silver Star, awarded for his actions during the battle of Fallujah in 2004. The Northern California native was killed last summer during his third tour of duty in Iraq, two weeks after learning he would receive the medal.
Stokes, who died at age 23, appears to be the lowest-ranking Marine since the Vietnam War to receive such a military honor, according to Camp Pendleton officials.
He was a private when he helped save the lives of several Marines during the November 2004 battle.
His Silver Star citation credits him with “extraordinary heroism in the face of extreme danger.”
He dodged automatic gunfire to kill several insurgents and rushed to the aid of several platoon mates, even though he'd been severely wounded by a hand grenade, according to the citation.
During Wednesday's ceremony, his family and fellow Marines described Stokes as a modest guy who was uncomfortable in the spotlight.
“He was never a man who easily accepted public recognition,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Watson, the commander of the Third Battalion, First Marines.
Virginia-based military historian Patrick O'Donnell was embedded with Stokes' unit during the battle of Fallujah and wrote a book titled “We Were One,” which chronicled the exploits of Stokes and other members of his platoon.
“The more that I dug into the story, the more that I knew that Sean needed to be recognized for what he did,” O'Donnell told the crowd.
O'Donnell said he was “absolutely devastated” when he learned Stokes had been killed July 30, 2007, after stepping on a roadside bomb.
“It was like an ice pick through the heart,” O'Donnell said.
Stokes, whose fiancee was a Marine staff sergeant, was supposed to leave the Marines after his second tour but extended his commitment so he could deploy with his battalion a third time.
Stokes' father, Gary, a real-estate developer who lives near Sacramento, said his son “felt a calling” to remain in the military. To make sure his parents didn't worry about him, he lied and told them he was going overseas but wasn't headed to the war zone.
“The first time we knew he was in Iraq was when the Marines knocked on Gary's door and told him Sean was gone,” said his aunt, Laura Leupp of Spring Valley.
Stokes joined the Marines in 2002 after graduating from Bear River High School near Sacramento, where he played football and baseball.
Stokes' family said he never really worried about dying, even though he'd had so many close calls.
“He'd been through so much,” said his stepmother, Sue Stokes. “He figured he could handle himself.”
Another well-deserved Silver Star.
“He figured he could handle himself.”
Mam, he handled himself just fine.
As a Nation, we are all improverished from the loss of Marine Cpl. Sean Stokes.
As I pray to the good Lord above to help and comfort Marine Cpl. Sean Stokes family, friends and fellow Marines - I also ask the Lord’s help — that I can be the kind of American citizen worthy of such sacrafice.
As should we all.......
Our best give their all, while scum who would spit on them endeavor to drive them out of Berkeley and call them “Baby Killers”.
What a terrible crying shame it is that these people, who our Marines would STILL fight for even though they are spat upon by them, get to live while men like him die.
RIP Marine Cpl. Sean Stokes. America’s finest.
NBC news NY had a segment on this great Marine earlier
Wow.
John Kerry, read this if you want to know what a real hero is like.
ping
RIP hero.
Semper Fi
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