…Then
his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
to
fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For
when we come home, either standing or dead,
to know you remember we fought and we bled
is
payment enough, and with that we will trust
that we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
The
experiences of one Patriot Guard Rider:
Adam
Novak, Prairie
du Sac, WI
Robert
Newton, Creve Coeur, IL
Christopher
Boyd, Palatine, IL
Kevin
Oratowski, Wheaton, IL
Echoes
of Vietnam
Westboro
update
SecDef
on Marine casualties
420th
Trans. Co., Ft. Sheridan, IL
Frederik
Vazquez, Melrose Park, IL
patriotguard.org
was down three weeks.
Anibal
Santiago, Elgin, IL
Justus
Bartelt, Polo, IL
Joseph
Dimock II, Wildwood, IL
Christopher
Antonik, Crystal Lake, Il
patriotguard.org
is down again.
Glen
& Nathan Nofsinger, Bartlett, IL
Gary
Smith, Grayslake, IL
Gunnar
Hotchkin, Naperville, IL
James
Hunter, Waukegan, IL
Justin
Cloe,
WDC,
Memorial Day, 2010
ALNC,
Memorial Day, 2010
Jason
Lawalton, Forreston, IL
patriotguard.org
was down for a week.
This
is what killed Tom Wortham.
Thomas
Wortham, Chicago, (Chatham), IL
Paul
Bartz, Waterloo, WI
Paint
your nail, go to jail.
Trial
began Monday.
Curtis
Swenson, Rochester, MN
Robert
Rieckhoff, Kenosha, WI
Joseph
Olbinski, Marengo, IL
Joshua
Birchfield, Westville, IN
Bravo
Company, again
League
of the Righteous, again
I
chose to do a very stupid thing.
Kyle
Wright, Romeoville, IL
Jamie
Lowe, Johnsonville, IL
Jacob
Meinert, Fort Atkinson, WI
Lora Hunt wore clear nail polish today.
Robert
Howard, Waco, TX
Albert
Ware, Chicago (Pullman), IL
Ken
Nichols, Chrisman, IL
Jason
McLeod, Crystal Lake, IL
Nidal
Hasan, the Depths of Hell
Francheska
Velez, Humboldt Park (Chicago), IL
Michael
Pearson, Bolingbrook, IL
Jared
Stanker, Evergreen Park, IL
Devin
Michel, Stockton, IL
Chris
Rudzinski, Rantoul, IL
Joey
Braun,
Chris
Shaw, Markham, IL
Matthew
Martinek, Genoa, IL
Greg
Bowman #2
Robert
Wienger #2
Jon
Dreymann, Algonquin, IL
Bowe
Bergdahl, Ketchum, ID (not dead)
(POW since June 30,
2009)
Derwin
Williams, Glenwood, IL
Steven
Drees, Peshtigo, WI
Paul
Smith, East Peoria, IL
Luke
Saczek, Lake in the Hills, IL
Anita
Zaffke, Lake Zurich, IL (not
military)
16th
PSYOPS Battalion, Fort Sheridan, IL
Robert
Weinger, Wauconda, IL
Christopher
Abeyta, Midlothian, IL
Norman
Cain, Oregon, IL
Simone
Robinson, Robbins, IL
Schuyler
Patch, Kewanee, IL
Jared
Southworth, Oakland, IL
Roberto
Andrade, Phoenix, AZ
Matthew
Medlicott, Waukegan, IL
Kevin
Grieco, Winfield, IL
Nick
Casey, Canton, OH
John
Penich, Beach Park, Illinois
Christopher
Bartkiewicz, Canton, IL
Leonard
Gulczynski, Carol Stream, IL
Anthony
Mihalo, Naperville, IL (2004)
Anthony
Mihalo, Naperville, IL (2008)
David
Badie, Rockford, IL
Robert
LeClair, Kankakee, IL
Mitchell
Young, Fayetteville, NC
Pruitt
Rainey, Burlington, NC
Jack
Otto, Racine, WI
Travis
Hunsberger, Nappanee, IN
Dawid
Pietrek, Bensenville, IL
Howard
Marshall, Lombard, IL
our
friend from Westboro
Blake
Evans, Rockford, IL
Christopher
Frost #2
Keith
Nurnberg #2
Robert
Ochsner, Beach Park, IL
Christopher
Frost, Waukesha, WI
Albert
Bitton, Rogers Park (Chicago), IL
Julianna
Gehant, Mendota, IL
David
Schultz, Blue Island, IL
Keith
Lloyd, Milwaukee, WI
Timothy
Hanson, Kenosha, WI
Jason
Lemke, West Allis, WI
Dariusz
Sadkowski, Mount Prospect, IL
DeWayne
White, Country Club Hills, IL
Christian
Skoglund, Racine, WI
16th
PSYOPS Battalion, Fort Sheridan, IL
432nd
CIVAFF Battalion, Green Bay, WI
Jason
Lee, Fruitport, MI
Joe
Vanek, Elmhurst, IL
Ashley
Seitsma, Dekalb, IL
Joshua
Brennan, Madison, WI
Rachel
Hugo, Monona, WI
Dale
DeVries, Elmhurst, IL
Nick
Patterson, Rochester, IN
Greg
Bowman, Princeton, IL
Keith
Nurnberg, Genoa City, WI
Randol
Shelton, Schiller Park, IL
Derek
Dobogai, Fond du Lac, WI
Phillip
Brodnick, New Lenox, IL
Justin
Penrod, Danville, IL
Andrew
Lancaster, Stockton, IL
Michael
Wiltz, Downers Grove, IL
Matthew
Zindars, Watertown, WI
Joshua
Maginn, Kenosha, WI
Tom
Bernardy, Zion, IL
Eric
Lill, Bridgeport (Chicago), IL
it is my duty to my Country to love it
Eric
Palmer, Maize, KS
Karen
Clifton, Decatur, IL
Albert
Hajduk, Libertyville, IL
Michael
Pittman, Davenport, IA
John
Sligting, Round Lake, IL
Robert
Liggett, Urbana, IL
Ben
Desilets, Elmwood, IL
Daniel
Courneya, Nashville, MI
David
Kirkpatrick, Upland, IN
Nicholas
Riehl, Shiocton, WI
Robert
Basham, Kenosha, WI
Oliver
Lambert, Gurnee, IL
Daniel
Zizumbo, Elsdon
(Chicago), IL
Louis
Kim, Orland Park, IL
Kevin
Landeck, Wheaton, IL
Matthew
Grimm, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
William
Newgard, Arlington Heights, IL
Christopher
Swanson, Lincolnwood (Chicago), IL
Jason
Denfrund, Gurnee, IL
Evan
Bixler, Racine, WI
Jack
Valentine, Zion, IL
Rhett
Schiller, Burlington, WI
Edwardo
Lopez,
Ryan
Haupt, Franklin Park, IL
Jonathan
Rojas, Hammond, IN
Aaron
Seal, Elkhart, IN
Allen
Rioux, Zion, IL
Robert
Paul of Skokie, IL
Jacob
Ortiz of Camp Douglas,
WI
Shaun
Novak of Two Rivers, WI
Timothy
Mackenzie of Elmhurst,
IL
Adam
Servais of Onalaska, WI
Ryan
Jopek of Merrill, WI
Daniel
Crabtree of Akron, OH
Jeffrey
McLochlin,
Ryan
Cummings,
Caleb
Lufkin,
Shane
Mahaffee,
Edward
Davis,
Philip
Martini, Lansing, IL
Antoine
McKinzie,
Nyle
Yates of Grand Ledge, MI
A
SOLDIER'S CHRISTMAS
The
embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside
the snow fell, a blanket of white,
transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My
eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The
sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
but I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My
soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
and I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
a lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A
soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What
are you doing?" I asked without fear
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
“Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve;
you should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For
barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
to the window that danced with a warm fire's light
then he sighed and he said "It's really all right,
I'm
out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It’s
my duty to stand at the front of the line,
that
separates you from the darkest of times.
“No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
“My
Gramps died at '
then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.
“My dad stood his watch in the jungles of '
and now it is my turn and so, here I am.
“I've
not seen my own son in more than a while,
but my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.”
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
the red white and blue…an American flag.
"I
can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home,
“I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,
“I
can carry the weight of killing another
or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers
“who stand at the front against any and all,
to insure for all time that this flag will not fall.
"So
go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But
isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
“It seems all too little for all that you've done,
for being away from your wife and your son."
Then
his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
“to
fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
“For
when we come home, either standing or dead,
to know you remembered we fought and we bled
“is
payment enough, and with that we will trust
that we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
© Poem Copyright December 7, 2000
by Michael Marks
Website words & photos ©
Donald E. Russ
deruss at msn dot com