The Department of Defense says Corporal Anthony Mihalo (muh-HAW'-loh) died in combat Thursday, August 14^th in the city of Sargin, in the Hemland province, in Afghanistan. His funeral was Saturday, August 30^th.

Tony was a defensive lineman for Naperville North and graduated in May 2004. In October 2004 he enlisted. In August 2005 he was in Iraq, a member of the 2^nd Battalion of the 7^th Marine Regiment.

Tony returned to Iraq with the 2^nd of the 7^th for a second Iraq tour in March 2007. During his two Iraq deployments he earned three Purple Hearts – that is, he was wounded in combat three times.

Tony had planned to end his active duty service when the 2^nd of the 7^th returned in January of this year. He learned that the 3^rd of the 7^th was short on combat veterans, so in February of this year, he and Lance Corporal Bryan Fisher and three dozen others from the 2^nd Battalion left for Afghanistan with the 3^rd Battalion.

Bryan was wounded by the same IED that killed Tony.

The chaplain of the 3^rd Battalion wrote about his 2^nd Battalion augmentees to Oliver North, who published the chaplain’s words:

I went to the hospital to see [Bryan], the 'E' Co. Marine who was wounded in the IED attack and had the unenviable task of sharing with him the names of the KIA from his platoon that were med-evaced after him. Like any human, he broke down and began to weep at the loss of his friends and brothers-in-arms. We spoke for a bit about loss and grief and how these kinds of events are not something a person 'gets over,' rather, we 'get through' and with God's grace, we learn to cope in a healthy manner.

As our conversation turned towards ways to honor the loss of his friends and his own future, [Bryan] floored me with his plans: “I'm glad I'll be here at Bastion for awhile before I go back to the field. This will give me time to process my re-enlistment paperwork to stay in [2^nd of the 7^th] and then I can return to my guys.”

Here is a Marine who just lost three of his friends, could easily have been No. 4 of the KIA's, and his way of honoring his friends is to re-enlist to stay in the same battalion in order to return to the same place his friends were killed so that he can continue to carry the fight to the enemy. And what's most important is that his actions are not an act of vengeance but an act of love; a way to honor his comrades. He inspires me.

Bryan’s “way of honoring [Tony] is to re-enlist to stay in the same battalion in order to return to the same place his friends were killed so that he can continue to carry the fight to the enemy.”

Tony did the same. A month ago, “his squad was patrolling an alley when they took machine gun fire from somewhere above, his fiancé, Megan Allen, said. [Tony] told his squad to continue on while he returned for one man who had been injured. As he helped carry the man back, [Tony] was hit by shrapnel from an explosive device, she said.

“…Allen said he also received a [fourth] Purple Heart for the Afghanistan injury, something that should have sent him to Germany for recovery. But he refused additional medical services after his initial treatment and was sent back to his squad.

“’He didn't want to walk on an airplane when his buddies were on stretchers,’ Allen said.”

~~~

I was late for the visitation because Kevin had his first Cub Scout meeting and I am his Den Leader. I was an Indian Guide and a Boy Scout, but this was my first Cub Scout meeting. We began with a flag ceremony. I explained to the eight 6-year olds about respect for the flag “and for the republic for which it stands”. I handed-out blank paper so that we could practice flag-folding. And we practiced the Cub Scout Promise that begins:

I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country…

So I drove the 50 miles as fast as I could through the construction on I-294 and then more on I-88 to the church where PGRiders had been standing for hours. My route took me past Naperville North, the high school where I would return in the morning; where Tony played ball; where the Huskies were clashing with Nauqua Valley as I drove past.

I thought about stopping for a picture to document what his old football team was doing as his visitation was taking place, but I decided to hurry along.

~~~

The next morning I did return to the high school and the Huskies were again playing football. The varsity team had won their game by a score of 41 to 19. This morning the JVs met Nauqua Valley on the nearby field.

As we collected in the parking lot, the sounds of Tony’s high school football team could be heard – quite appropriately, it seemed to me.

And then we took our positions. The family would be able to hear the football players as we stood silently in our two parallel rows.

Doug Askren was the Assistant Ride Captain and a friend of Tony’s family.

After the family was inside, we gathered for the briefing.

Al Conradt was our Ride Captain.

He called on Bob Smith for the prayer.

A.J. was there.

Ethan too.

And Loo-Guv Quinn.

(He has given the PGR an award. We should give him one.)

And then these guys. High schools boys wearing pants-that-are-not-jeans and shirts with collars and ties. Huskies with their Naperville North jerseys proudly worn. Tony graduated just months before these players, then freshmen, began their two-a-days. Tony left for Marine Basic Training as they began their first high school football season. Tony earned three Purple Hearts in Iraq before they turned Senior.

The best values of football are also the best values of the military: Perseverance, courage, self-sacrifice.

No sport has more diverse body-types than football because there are many vastly different jobs that must be done for the team to succeed. Linemen must control an area of the field that is certain to be close to the ball on every play. They never handle the ball but they are always near it. Every lineman knows that he must hit hard on every play because the first time he lets up, he lets his team down.

And there is also a profound difference between offense and defense. The offense huddles before each play so that every offensive player knows exactly what is going to happen and what his role is going to be. No defender knows what the offense will do and must be ready for anything. He doesn’t come to the line intending to execute a plan. He comes to the line intent on ferocious reaction.

Tony was a defensive lineman. Undoubtedly that made him a better Marine.

~~~

We straggled into the cemetery. Some of us went to the Harley dealer first, some went to restaurants. We knew we had some time.

Happily, there was yet another football game nearby. We had left Naperville North territory – this was Naperville Central. (The dark green uniforms and yellow helmets are of the Waubonsie Valley High School team.) I understand that the gravesite and the casket orientation were chosen so that Tony could keep his connection to Naperville football.

The entrances to the cemetery are on its east side. The other three sides are demarked by a six-foot chain-link fence. We found Tony’s open grave at the extreme west end of the forested cemetery. Just beyond the fence were the Waubonsie Valley players and just beyond them was the bright open field of play.

Sometimes I attend the service. This time the fellowship of PGRiders was guilt-free.

Here is a paint job worth more than the thing painted.

And here is our newest member and his daughter.

Here, the Naperville Central quarterback is caught going around his left end.

His running back makes up for missing a block by taking the ball.

Running against the traffic, he is behind the Waubonsie Warriors before they know it.

He crosses the goal line at a jog.

We watched them finish.

Then they watched us start.

As it happened, the game ended minutes before the funeral procession arrived.

But we didn’t know it would end in time. The proximity of the field caused concern that the noise of the game might conflict with the interment ceremony. Al sent me to contact the home coach. Coach said he would suspend the game at any time, for any amount of time, if we wanted him to do so.

Even though there had been no conflict, I wanted to thank him for his generous offer.

And that is how I happened to be on the football-side of the fence when Coach had his team take a knee.

He said to his players, “I want you to look at what’s going on over there, behind you.”

The boys looked at the cemetery and the PGRiders and the American flags. That is the moment when I took this picture. Then the coach said a few other things. And then he quoted John 15:14

“Greater love has no man than this: That a man lay down his life for his friends.”

~~~

I then had to get back on the other side of that darn fence. No problem: I rode the half-mile around it, so now I would just ride the half-mile back. Problem: The darn bike wouldn’t start.

No problem: I would just climb over. Well, that was a problem. But with a lot of effort and a little help, I managed.

I took pictures of the honor guard and found my place in the flagline. The service in the auditorium had been relatively long, but the service at graveside was relatively short. The military performed a rifle salute, Taps and flags presentation which was followed by PGR presentations – except that Taps was performed by Naperville Firefighters.

Taps on the pipes is memorable. Then the Marines and other guests filed past the casket leaving one red rose each. Then the lid of the vault sealed the casket and the Pipes & Drums played The Marine Hymn.

The Marine Hymn on the pipes is memorable.

~~~

And with that, I was free to hike the half-mile necessary to reach my bike 100 feet away, call Robin to have her bring the truck and wait. That plan had the advantage that I didn’t have to admit the Harley trouble to the Honda riders and the Star riders.

But there were reasons that Robin could not join me this beautiful day and I was mindful of her other obligations. I talked to Dave and Brenda (SRC & RC, N. Illinois) about my problem. This is their photo from hours earlier.

They remembered the funeral of a Burbank policeman exactly a year ago when the two top cops of Burbank gave me a push-start in that cemetery after I left my 4-ways on. Harley riders have long memories too.

We went to Heritage Harley for a starter relay, but that did no good. I think that the electrical problem stems from having had my handlebars changed a few days ago. Dave & Brenda were leaving for Freeport early the next morning so I called Lake Shore Harley. They sent a truck for the bike and me.

I waited by the football field, now empty except for a forgotten pair of shoes. Like a New Orleans dike, the fence seemed barely able to hold back the forest of the cemetery.

So Tony and I rested. I thought about the coming football season.

He was guarding the streets of Heaven.

photos from Afghanistan

photos from the visitation

photos, high school, portraits

photos, high school, portraits & bikes

photos, high school, bikes

photos at the cemetery

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