by
Vicki Warne (Anderson)
Married with two; 10 years in. The day after the DoD
press release, local media can be counted on to start filling in details. But it
is the original DoD announcement that establishes the basics: When and where did
he died, exactly how to spell his name and a few other things.
Name: Jesse
J. Grindey
Hometown:
Hazel Green, Wisconsin
Rank: Staff
Sergeant
Service:
United States Army
Combat
theater: Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan
We know that he died two days ago, on Monday. We know
that Jesse will arrive in
Dover mid-afternoon today. But we don’t know what
happened. Sometimes the initial release says “improvised explosive device” or
“small arms fire”, but this time just that he “died”. And now two press reports
says something about an army investigation.
The duration of this conflict demands a lot of
our guys and the nature of counter-insurgency makes them especially vulnerable. Three
weeks ago some Korans that had been used to smuggle messages inside a prison
were accidentally disposed of by burning, which set off country-wide rioting.
And two days before Jesse died, another staff sergeant like Jesse in nearby location lost
his grip and killed 16 innocents.
But those things really don't matter – the glory of
Jesse's service rises from our great cause, not the way he died*. Europeans came
to the New World where we created what has become the oldest constitutional
republic. We set an example of Democracy and Capitalism. And we gained the
strength to enable us to return to the oldest parts of the Old World to help
establish liberty and justice for all.
The weather here in northeast Illinois is softening. I
look forward to a nice motorcycle ride to honor a great American war hero from a
small town in southwest Wisconsin.
http://patriotguard.org/Forums/tabid/61/postid/1752419/view/topic/Default.aspx
by
Vicki Warne (Anderson)
Jesse died 9 days ago and I understand that the arrival escort went well: 35 fire trucks and 120 motorcycles. Tomorrow I travel to Hazel Green for the wake and funeral mass. I'm in the middle of a cold -- haven't gotten more than two hours of sleep at a time for three days now -- and it is going to rain all the two days. So I will pack-up all my drugs and take the car. After all, as Eric Kuhn is wont to say, it's not about the ride.
Also, another photographer was given full access and he captured some great images.
back to ALL MISSIONS
*I have since learned that he died of "natural causes".