President George Bush met with Christian Golczynski, son of fallen Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, in the Oval Office, praising the dedication of his father. A fund raising event will be held at Bonefish Grill in Murfreesboro to benefit the boy's Trust Fund on June 30.
Though nothing can replace his father, people of middle Tennessee are doing something to provide for Christian Golczynski, son of the late Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, who lost his life in combat with Iraqi insurgents on March 27.
He was laid to rest in Bedford County with a hero's funeral in Wheel.
According to Mike Goodloe of Murfreesboro, a friend of the fallen Marine, Bonefish Grill in Murfreesboro will host a walk and luncheon on June 30 to honor Golczynski and his sacrifice, and to raise funds for his son.
"The proceeds, 100 percent of the restaurant tickets and other money raised, will go to Christian Golczynski's trust fund that has been set up for his education," said Goodloe.
*snip*
During the Memorial Day weekend, the eight-year-old son of Golczynski met with President Bush in Oval Office, where he was presented with a bracelet bearing his father's name.
Five families who lost members of the armed forces met with the president before traveling with him to Arlington National Cemetery, where Bush placed a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a traditional Memorial Day event.
~~~~
Slain Marine to be memorialized in bronze - January 31, 2008
LEWISBURG -- A bronze bust is to be cast of the late Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, whose mother teaches science at Forrest High School, and she's said she believes the bust should be displayed in Lewisburg where he was raised and joined the Marine Corps.
Where the bust might be displayed was considered Tuesday afternoon during a meeting of the Lewisburg Community Development Committee led by Chairman Edmund Roberts, a close family friend and former business associate of Henry Golczynski, the slain Marine's father.
Elaine Huffines, the Marine's mother and a resident of Motlow College Road south of Shelbyville, said Wednesday that she had asked Mayor Bob Phillips if the bust "could be placed somewhere in Lewisburg since it is Marc's hometown. I just wanted it to be in Lewisburg and so does Heather," Marc's widow.
Discussion among members of the Community Development Committee concluded with a unanimous vote on a motion by Donna Roberts, seconded by Pam Russell, that the bronze bust of Golczynski should be placed in a secure location and that Rock Creek Park does not offer the kind of security that's required.
Complaints of vandalism at the park were heard last year at a city council meeting and vandalism was recognized by the community development committee as a threat to any potential statue for the park.
"Heather was also concerned about it being outdoors," Huffines said during a telephone interview.
Heather Golczynski is raising Christian Golczynski, the son she and Marc had. He's in elementary school in Maryland.
Committee discussion Tuesday also recognized that Marshall County has lost two other servicemen during the war on terror: Todd Edward Nunes, who perished in 2004 while on patrol from his base in Iraq, and; David Hierholzer who died in 2006 during a mission in Afghanistan.
Golczynski, 30, was killed as a result of a gunshot wound while on foot patrol in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq on March 27, 2007. He is buried in Wheel Cemetery in Bedford County.
*snip*
Those busts are produced much in the same fashion as the one of Golczynski. Private donations are received through an organization of Marines.
"It's called Operation Never Forget," Huffines said of the organization of Marines.
"They said it would be ready this spring," she said. "Marc's Marines have been the ones who have pushed this. They pitched in money for it. Marc was a Marine reservist in a unit from Nashville that hasn't lost that many guys."
Fewer than half a dozen Marines in Golczynski's unit have been killed, however, Huffines said, "Marc was the only non-commissioned officer in the group who was killed."
The Golczynski family has "had very little to do with Marc's bust being created," Huffines said. "We have been riding the tail of the comet, so to speak.
"I don't know what to tell Marshall County to do," she said. "But we know that Marc's buddies want to have a celebration for Marc."
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Golczynski, 30, was shot by enemy fire and died Tuesday in Iraq while on his second tour of duty. Golczynski, also known as "Sergeant Ski," was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's Third Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Fourth Marine Division, Nashville.
He had been set to return home by Easter, friends said. In a recent e-mail, the Marine expressed some of his feelings about his service in Iraq.
"We are warriors," he wrote. "And as warriors have before us, we joined this organization and are following orders because we believe what we are doing is right. Many of us volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we started. We fight and sometimes die, so our families don't have to."
