To our fallen. (Tea, Eagle Butte, Timber Lake: condo, best, infant)

[Jammie]

OK, is it just me or does the second link about your son not open?

Debey, will you please DM either ElkHunter or myself with the link so we can put the proper link up in your post. I know your post was amended a bit and something may have happened in the transfer, but we can fix it.

[debey]

Oh, Jammie....Yes, my friend, I am very aware of the appreciation, gratitude, and support of our Great Nation , for the men and women who have given their lives, for their (Our) Country. The outpouring of support continues, to this day, from total strangers, to groups of American's forming such groups as
Marine Comfort Quilts
Scroll Saw Portraits
Soldier's Angels
an artist named Michael Regan
many musicans, including Dustin Evans(Wessington Springs native), and Cliff Kinzley(Florida)
and many others, that i can't quite name, right off the top of my head.....
in an earlier post you said you'd attened a funeral, that Gov. Rounds spoke at....was it in Forestburg? or perhaps Parkston?
I am making several scrapbooks, of Gunnar's Life,& the newspaper articles(Including the Washington Post). there is a seperate scrapbook, that contains about 500 sympathy cards, from across the United States. people i've never met.
Where I have hard time, dealing with ''issues'' of this war, are when I see/read of the kids comming home disabled, missing a limb,(or several), PSTD.......and the govt. attempting to revoke the enlistment bonus. WTH..........I just don't understand that.

[Jammie]

In Memory of PFC Gunnar Becker

I'm hoping that the link will work this time. It's definitely worth checking out. What a lovely site you have there, Debey.

Since I remember a bit of the circumstances during your son's death, I can understand exactly how you feel about the government's way of handling things or the abandonment issues.

Gov. Rounds had spoken here at the Corn Palace for the Memorial Service for one of the fallen. He had done an excellent job. The actual funeral was over in Alex. We had been friends of the soldier's family for years and DH used to hang out with him and his brother even though they were much younger.

AND I think the Patriot Guard is just awesome! We're still members even though I can't even ride on a motorcycle. (Not even a moped~spinal issues) But I strongly believe in what they are doing. Those old boys with their flags flying high must be such a comfort for the families.

[ElkHunter]

You need to understand that we went there because we wanted to. We did what we had to so others could sleep in peace.

I have the greatest respect for your son and his buddy's. I am one of the disabled. I only wish I could have done more. I fell short. But I did what I could. I started out in Viet Nam and ended in Desert Storm.

My dad was in the Battle of St Low. WWII. He had a cigar box with his metals and in there was a bullet. When we asked him about it, he said he picked it up on Normandy. We thought he litterally picked it up. We didn't realize that they took it out of him in a hospital in France.

As the saying goes. All gave some. Some gave all. I'm sorry for your loss.

Originally Posted by debey

Oh, Jammie....Yes, my friend, I am very aware of the appreciation, gratitude, and support of our Great Nation , for the men and women who have given their lives, for their (Our) Country. The outpouring of support continues, to this day, from total strangers, to groups of American's forming such groups as
Marine Comfort Quilts
Scroll Saw Portraits
Soldier's Angels
an artist named Michael Regan
many musicans, including Dustin Evans(Wessington Springs native), and Cliff Kinzley(Florida)
and many others, that i can't quite name, right off the top of my head.....
in an earlier post you said you'd attened a funeral, that Gov. Rounds spoke at....was it in Forestburg? or perhaps Parkston?
I am making several scrapbooks, of Gunnar's Life,& the newspaper articles(Including the Washington Post). there is a seperate scrapbook, that contains about 500 sympathy cards, from across the United States. people i've never met.
Where I have hard time, dealing with ''issues'' of this war, are when I see/read of the kids comming home disabled, missing a limb,(or several), PSTD.......and the govt. attempting to revoke the enlistment bonus. WTH..........I just don't understand that.

[GI_Mark]

Debey,
I am a SFC currently deployed to Afghanistan and am getting reassigned in Sioux Falls upon my return in 45 days. I am a Senior Medical NCO. I have treated the sick and injured and have comforted the dying. This is something I take great pride in doing, as I'm sure your son took great pride in doing his job. For people to try to make sense of any of this, is a tall task and words never come close to having the impact so desired by the person speaking them. It reminds me of a letter written by Abraham Lincoln (some question to that actually) that I remember from my days of American History classes in high school and was used in the movie, "Saving Private Ryan"... The letter touched me all those days ago and is still prevalent today. Allow me to share the letter with you and simply say, I am truly sorry for your loss.

Mark...

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln

[ElkHunter]

I am saddened to say, that we have lost another South Dakota vet. I haven't got all the details yet, but as soon as I do, I'll post.

[debey]

His name is Tanner O'Leary
I've been trying to find the DOD News release, but they haven't posted it yet, as far as i can tell.
http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/arti...9&section=news



http://www.keloland.com/news/NewsDet...cfm?ID=0,64203
http://www.keloland.com/news/NewsDet...cfm?ID=0,64200

[debey]

I am also waiting for Legacy to ''open'' his Memorial/Condolance book. I will post this info as soon as I have confirmation.

[debey]

<FONT face="Times New Roman">[SIZE=3]The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.[/SIZE][SIZE=3]The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.[/SIZE]

[debey]

Fort Bragg — An 82nd Airborne paratrooper died of wounds sustained when his mounted patrol encountered a bomb near Musa Qal’eh, Afghanistan, on Sunday.
Cpl. Tanner J. O’Leary, 23, of Eagle Butte, S.D. had served with the 1st Bn., 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team since August 2007.