The Fort Atkinson newspaper, the Daily Union, reported that “the Fort Atkinson-based Wisconsin Army National Guard Troop A of the 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry were welcomed home Saturday after a year-long deployment”.

 

Daily Union photo by Ryan Whisner

 

 

These happy residents had no way to know that one of their neighbors had been injured a few hours earlier in an explosion northwest of the city of Kandahar in the south of Afghanistan.  The next day, Sunday, when these happy residents were looking at the photo above in their newspapers, one family from their neighborhood would receive a visit just after lunchtime from carefully dressed and somber Marines to learn that Corporal Jacob Meinert had died from his injuries.

 

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

 

The next day, an ISAF press release told of the other Marine who had been on patrol with Jacob:

 

2010-01-CA-40-0781
For Immediate Release

KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 11) - An ISAF service member was killed today in an IED strike in southern Afghanistan.

 

http://www.isaf.nato.int/en/article/press-releases/isaf-casualty-3.html

 

 

The Marine was first incorrectly identified as Mark A. Juarez, 22, of Bakersfield, California.  The Pentagon corrected its error after two hours.  He was in fact Mark D. Juarez, 23, of San Antonio, Texas.  Both Lance Corporals, only their middle initials were different.

 

Ruper Hamer, 39, a British journalist and father of three also died from that IED near the ISAF patrol base in Nawa.  British photographer Philip Coburn, 43, was seriously injured and was evacuated with Jacob.

 

Two Marines and the British reporter died fom that Saturday attack 70 miles west of Kandahar.  (Three other Marines survived with serious injuries.)  Jacob was not counted in the ISAF report above because he didn’t die on the scene.  He died in the Blackhawk helicopter that was taking him and the photographer to the big British base called Camp Bastion near Lashkar Gah, 60 miles west of Kandahar.  The ISAF made no comment about that, but the Pentagon did:

 

 

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

No. 019-10
January 11, 2010

 

 

 

DOD Identifies Marine Casualty

 

 

                The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

 

                Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Meinert, 20, of Fort Atkinson, Wis., died Jan. 10 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

 

                For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the Marine Corps Base Hawaii public affairs office at 808-257-8838.

 

 

After a weekend of celebration in Fort Atkinson for those who had just returned from Afghanistan alive, Jacob’s neighbors turned their thoughts to one who would soon return otherwise.

 

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

 

Jacob graduated from Fort Atkinson High School in late May, 2007.  In early November, 2007 I was passing through Fort Atkinson and stopped at the Black Hawk Tavern.  Their windows predicted correctly, “Jefferson is goin’ DOWN” in the Fort Atkinson Homecoming football game. 

 

 

I observed “annual training” at Fort McCoy in the summer of 2008.  When I passed through Fort Atkinson on my way home, I got this photo of the Spanish American & Great War memorial in McCoy Park.  Jacob must have seen this statue many times.

 

 

Jacob participated in the concert and marching bands, jazz band, pep band and played in the combo that accompanied Fort Atkinson's show choir.  The 10-year principal of his high school Jeff Zaspel says, “He did come back to visit us not too long ago and stopped by to say hi to some of his teachers.”

 

 

"He was a young man of honor," said Fort Atkinson Schools Superintendent James Fitzpatrick whose son was Jacob’s classmate and later joined the Army.  He lived in Fort Atkinson for only the last three years of high school.  Until he was 15, Jacob lived in Racine.  His fifth-grade photo follows:

 

 

10 years old, he is second from the left, front row, at the arrow.  Then his mother and step-father moved.  His sister and two step-brothers continue to live in Fort Atkinson, though his father still resides in Racine.

 

Jacob enlisted in July, 2007 and served a tour in Iraq.  He re-trained and then re-deployed, one month ago, to Afghanistan.  Tuesday evening, he returned to American soil at Dover AFB in Delaware.

 

Luis M. Alverez

 

 

Fort Atkinson prepares.  A Fort expatriate reflects.  Jacob Alexander Meinert obituary.

 

 

While the structure can vary, typically a Marine Platoon consists of three dozen Marines.  Some five platoons make a company, so a company of Marines is less than 200 in number, including Navy Corpsmen and staff.  A Marine Company is commanded by a Captain.

 

Captain Thomas J. Grace is the Commanding Officer of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.

 

 

He posted to the condolences forum of the Nitardy Funeral Home:

 

It is with heavy hearts Bravo Company carries on our mission here in Nawa.  Jacob continues to be the driving force for every Marine, on every mission, every time we leave the wire.  The Marines of the Company ask for your continued support of Jacob’s family in these difficult times as we drive on.  I can assure you that the Marines of Bravo Company will not let his sacrifice be in vain.


Semper Fidelis

Capt Thomas Grace & the Marines & Sailors of Bravo Company 1/3

 

“The Marines of the Company ask for your continued support of Jacob’s family in these difficult times as we drive on.”  Yes, we can do that.

 

 

The plan, according to the Daily Union:

 

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at St. Joseph Catholic Church with full military honors.

Nitardy Funeral Home director David Nitardy said visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday at the church.

At the funeral service, five speakers will share remembrances of Meinert, including Fort Atkinson High School guidance counselor Curt Brokmeier, family friends Philip Harrison and Jameson Kammer and family members Mary Lou Mijokovic and Kristin Breheim.

The Blue Stars Mothers of America then will present a gold star banner to Meinert's mother, Krista Edquist.

During World War II, in March 1942, the Blue Star Mothers of America Inc. organization was formed in the United States to provide support for mothers who had sons or daughters in active service in the war. The name came from the custom of families of servicemen hanging a banner called a service flag in a window of their homes. The service flag had a blue star for each family member in the military.

According to tradition, the blue star symbolizes hope and pride; the gold star represents a serviceperson's sacrifice to the cause of liberty and freedom.

Nitardy said representatives of the U.S. Marine Corps will salute Meinert. The casket will remain upfront in the sanctuary. The soldiers will "tabletop" the flag, raising it and extending it above the casket.

A rifle squad outside the building will salute Meinert with a 3-volley salute, a ceremonial act performed at military and police funerals as part of the drill and ceremony of the Honor Guard.

Following the salute will be the playing of "Taps."

Nitardy said that the service will conclude with the folding of the flag and its presentation to Meinert's mother.

"There will not be any clergy aspect to this," Nitardy said of the service.

He said Meinert is slated to be cremated following the service, so there will be no procession to a cemetery.

 

 

I have just returned from Fort Atkinson.  From St. Joe’s.  From their beautiful, new building.

 

The new church has an atrium between the sanctuary and the main entrance.  More than a vestibule, it is a large round and tall space that takes natural light from many directions.  I can imagine the vitality of that grand room as small groups of parishioners gather there following a Mass. 

 

From his name I thought Jacob Meinert might be Jewish – all I know is that he was not a member of this parish, and the service was not religious.  But I also know that Marines and PGRiders were not the only ones watching over him today.  Jesus watched from a large Crucifix above his casket as Jacob was eulogized for all the audience to see during the service.

 

There were six Marines available to stand in the atrium at the head and foot of the casket in ten-minute shifts all through the five-hour visitation.  The four who were waiting their turns are seen here from the atrium door of the sanctuary.  They are standing where they would later move the casket for the service.

 

 

 

 

The Catholics of Fort Atkinson provided more than their church.  When they heard that PGRiders were standing in the cold, one parishioner at Sentry Food Store sent cookies, doughnuts and coffee.  Another at Salamone’s (where Jacob had worked) sent five (really good) pizzas.

 

The Catholics provided dignity, grace and generosity.  The Marines provided structure, confidence and purpose.   The Patriot Guard Riders provided a few flag-holders.  And Jacob provided an example for us all.

 

Photo supplied by Captain Grace.  Internal timestamp is January 20 at 11:00.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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