I got the News tonight that the Son of an old Grade School Friend, Marine Corps Corporal Jarod Maher of Imogene Iowa was killed in action in Iraq.

I hadn't seen his Father in over 25 years, but if Jarod was half the Man of his Dad, then this world lost one of the best, and Heaven is a far better place tonight.

Take Care

Red

Im overjoyed that such men exist. My heart felt sympathies go out to his family.

Red, my sympathy.

Death is death, and we all get it.

Some fellow students died in another war, which I won't name. You know what it was.

Most of my childhood family has passed on. Not sure if this ever gets any easier. It just gets routine after a while.

And it gets lonlier.

Desparado comes to mind, as does Saints. Several other old timey tunes. Taps.

I am sorry. The glory only goes so far.

Redliner, I am sorry to hear of the loss of your friend's fine son. My family's prayers go out to his loved ones along with our gratitude. Perhaps he was one of the fallen Marines detailed in this story. If you read this you will know that he was treated with the honor, dignity and respect that he was due. From Major Zarnik's account.......

I'm new, so please forgive my lateness, however, may I extend my sincerest condolences to all involved.

As a front-line combat 1st Lt Squad Commander (25 men), I personally know what it means to lose 3 of my men, to write "that letter", and to have one end up POW. It is heart-wrenching, and has haunted me for 43 years.

General Patton once said:
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived."

My I offer the following in rememberance of Jarod:

The Greatest Love
The greatest love I was ever shown,
Was given me by those unknown.

Whose love for all of those like me,
Was given without vanity,
Was given freely without remorse,
Free-flying into the battle course.

With courage fighting our enemy,
So our land would always home the free.

So my own children can live and grow,
My children that they did not know.
Those brave warriors,
Whose lives were lost.
All paying the terrible, ultimate cost.

The greatest heroes, woman and man,
Who gave their lives in a foreign land,
Whose last sight was the desert sand,
All led to glory by God's tender hand.

Never again to see this sweet land,
That they so loved, that they made their stand.
Never again, to take a breath free,

Or to feel the touch of family,
They gave up their lives so that it remained free,
For they so loved this great country.

With pride we stand and voice what we want,
While overlooking soldier souls haunt,
Smiling while children laugh and play,
In freedom growing day by day.

All because of those unknown,
Who's greatest wish was to just come home.

I pray that maybe, when they take their last breath,
That they closed their eyes,
And just before death,
Took the vision to glory,
Of America green,
And smiled when thinking of those unseen.

The greatest love I was ever shown,
Was given me by those unknown.

By Kimm Gant, Member of The Presidential Prayer Team, 3/26/03 www.presidentialprayerteam.org/?id=103

May God Bless Jarod, his family, and America.