Q, today I attended a Wreaths Across America ceremony at the local national cemetery. Wanted to share a small but beautiful moment, shared by a an older gentleman from the Marine Corps League detachment #647.
A local 24 year old young man who was U.S. Army active duty was killed as a result of sniper fire in Iraq. Even after he was shot twice in the legs, he volunteered to go first and kick down a door to allow entry into a structure for his fellow soldiers. He cleared the way for them and died soon after as a result of more enemy fire. His fellow soldiers were able to seize the structure and completed their mission…
… The Marine Corps League gentleman who told this story after laying a wreath on his grave said that a few years ago when visiting the grave, he saw a young man sitting on the ground in front of it, and a pair of boots and beret were there. They were the boots and beret of the enemy combatant who killed him. His fellow soldiers took those boots, the beret, and some shards of wood from the door the soldier had breached.
Today those same shards of wood were lying on top of his marker.
Several dozen of us were there to hear the elderly man tell this story, and most of us were weeping.
God bless America, and God bless the United States Marines.