You’ve undoubtedly read, seen, or heard that U.S. casualties in Iraq have recently reached 3,000, but what you might not have found reported in the MSM are their names. Well, tune into Echo9er and you’ll find that David pays honor, by name, to every fallen hero who makes the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom, day in and day out.

They do indeed have names, and I look forward to the day that I meet each and every one of them on Fiddler’s Green. Sgt Hook out.

Taps

Halfway down the road to hell,
In a shady meadow green,
Are the souls of all dead troopers camped
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddler’s Green.
-Author Unknown

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Posted by Hook @ 0113 zulu | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Fiddler's Green & GWOT & Heroes

May sound bizarre and over the top, but Gab and I have this little thing we do… we plant seeds every Friday before her father comes to pick her up (sssshhhh… don’t tell anyone - it’s weird - I trust I can share this with you all.) Right now, it’s just beans in egg cartons and we give them a “name”… one for each one fallen. She doesn’t get the whole jist of it yet (thank God, she IS only six). Some of them grow and some do not - we don’t focus on that. She has a garden … and whether the individual plants grow to fruition or not is not important. This gives us time to talk mother to daughter about people who have great value to us… to the US. Kind of corny, I know, but to see a seed sprout is not unlike seeing a prayer answered in a great big world for a little girl.

In the smallest, but most heart felt effort blooms greatness.

God speed and God bless… those who leave us in an effort to protect and those who are left behind by those who do.

Prosperous and blessed 2007 all.

Thank you David… Thank you Sgt. Hook… The losses are great but the growth due to those sacrifices is bigger than all of us.

Love.

Comment by Pixie — 2 January 2007 @ 0508

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Thanks for the info SgtHook. Ironically enough the title of your post caught my eye, because I’m aware of a website that CJ over at A Soldier’s Perspective has started, aptly enough called “They Have Names” to honor our fallen Heroes. I’ll include a blurb from They Have Names here:

ABOUT US
On May 29th, two journalists were killed and one severely injured by an IED in Iraq. Every media outlet in the country seemed to trip all over themselves trying to tell the American people about these “brave journalists”. There were specials aired during prime time, full front page articles on almost every national newspaper and most local papers. And in every single article was this vague and nonspecific notation: “A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi translator also died in the blast.”

Who was this “U.S. soldier”? For days, he endured anonymity for his sacrifice while these journalists whom he’d given his life to protect were paraded throughout the media as martyrs. I made it my goal in life to find out who he was and tell his story. He was not just “a U.S. soldier” to me. He was a brother. He was father. He was a son. And he had a name.

They have names was created to in order to pay proper respects for our fallen heroes. All too often, these Troops are relegated to mere numbers by the press. Their stories are unknown. Their lives are unkown. And their names are unknown. Their sacrifice is impersonal and taken for granted. To many Americans, they are faceless figures. They are not enigmas - They Have Names.

At the time of this writing, over 3000 troops have been killed in Iraq alone. Each and every one of them has unique talents, hobbies, families, and histories. Each of them had a reason that led them to serve in one of our nation’s armed forces. These people are not mere numbers - They Have Names.

This site is dedicated to the memory of CPT James “Alex” Funkhouser, who gave me the motivation to share the stories of our fallen heroes.

You can see what CJ’s accomplished so far at www.theyhavenames.com

Comment by Terri — 2 January 2007 @ 1831

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People cannot be reminded enough that they do, indeed, have names - not to mention lives and families and friends. the numbers game upsets me, because it is so hollow.

Comment by Flag Gazer — 2 January 2007 @ 2004

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I’ve thanked David before for his postings. As I told him, if they’ve fought and given their lives for us (or anyone) surely the least we can do is read those postings. We’ll rarely see or hear this info anywhere else. The numbers game has always upset me too, because it seems to be a snarky way of saying, “See, I told you”.

Comment by MissBirdlegs in AL — 3 January 2007 @ 0246

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Hook.

Thanks, friend.

As I have mentioned before, I feel I have an obligation to at least post the DoD releases. Every once in a great while, I recognize a name, and that name may be the son or daughter of a classmate from High School or someone I new growing up, or even someone from Washington state that I have met or otherwise have a connection. That’s when it gets tough.

I don’t just post the DoD release. I read each and every one of them. I remember what it is to go to a family’s home and make notification of a loved one’s death. I remember the assistance from identification, to funeral and beyond to those families. I remember the grief each and everyone feels. I KNOW what each family of each Servicemember I post goes through because I have been by their side at one time or another.

Thanks for these words. May God Bless and Keep each and every one.

David
aka Echo9er

Comment by Echo9er -- (aka David) — 5 January 2007 @ 0602

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