Free Republic

Dorothy Oxendine presides over American Gold Star Mothers Inc., a national organization of women whose sons and daughters have died in military service to the nation. (Photo by Mark Abraham) AMERICAN IDENTITY With the Iraq War, a New Generation of Gold Star Mothers BY DELIA M. RIOS More stories by Delia M. Rios WASHINGTON -- As Dorothy Oxendine knows, the most dreaded words a parent can hear are "We regret to inform you ..." She lost her only son, Pfc. Willie F. Oxendine III, to a land mine in Vietnam on May 30, 1968. His death at age 21...

Hundreds of mourners gathered today to pay their last respects to a Royal Marine killed in Iraq. Christopher Maddison, 24, was killed after being ambushed on a river patrol on the Al Faw peninsular near Basra last month. Today's service at St Mary's Church, Scarborough, was being held with full military honours. Fellow Royal Marines carried Christopher's coffin through the picturesque churchyard overlooking the resort's South Bay into the church. Dozens of local people gathered close to the church grounds listening to the service over loudspeakers.

Names of the four US Marines who died in yesterday's helicopter crash: Maj. Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, of Waterville, Maine Capt. Ryan Anthony Beaupre, 30, of Bloomington, Ill. Cpl. Brian Matthew Kennedy, 25, of Houston, Texas Staff Sgt. Kendall Damon Watersbey, 29, of Baltimore, Md. The Pentagon has just released the names of two more US Marines who were killed in Iraq. I'll post as soon as I find that.