I am
proud to be from a state where our Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen, and Marines
are still adored and respected...
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I
received this writing and photos by e-mail from
two dear friends in south Texas approximately
three months ago. One of them has tried
relentlessly, but unsuccessfully to have this retraced back to the
Lady who wrote it. I feel very strongly, this
young man should have this shown around the world,
in his honor.
If
anyone viewing this knows how to contact this
Lady, please let me know, so she can be given full
credit for it, or remove it, if she asks it to be
removed.
This
has not been altered in any way except, the
resizing of the photos, to fit this page
uniformly. |
What follows
is a message from Vicki Pierce about her nephew James'
funeral (he was serving our country in Iraq):
I'm back,
it was certainly a quick trip, but I have to also say it
was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
There is a lot to be said for growing up in a small town
in Texas.
The service itself was impressive with wonderful flowers
and sprays, a portrait of James, his uniform, his awards
and ribbons, his boots. There was lots of military brass
and an eloquent (though inappropriately longwinded)
Baptist preacher.
There
were easily 1000 people at the service, filling the
church sanctuary as well as the fellowship hall and
spilling out into the parking lot.
However, the most incredible thing was what happened
following the service on the way to the cemetery. We
went to our cars and drove to the cemetery escorted by
at least 10 police cars with lights flashing and some
other emergency vehicles, with Texas Rangers handling
traffic.
Everyone
on the road who was not in the procession, pulled over,
got out of their cars, and stood silently and
respectfully, some put their hands over their hearts,
some had small flags.
Shop
keepers came outside with their customers and did the
same thing. Construction workers stopped their work, got
off their equipment and put their hands over their
hearts, too. There was no noise whatsoever except a few
birds and the quiet hum of cars going slowly up the
road.
When we
turned off the highway suddenly there were teenage boys
along both sides of the street about every 20 feet or
so, all holding large American flags on long flag poles,
and again with their hands on their hearts.
We
thought at first it was the Boy Scouts or 4F club or
something, but it continued .... for two and a half
miles. Hundreds of young people, standing silently on
the side of the road with flags.
At one
point we passed an elementary school, and all the
children were outside, shoulder to shoulder holding
flags ... kindergartners, handicapped, teachers, staff,
everyone. Some held signs of love and support.
Then came
teenage girls and younger boys, all holding flags. Then
adults. Then families. All standing silently on the side
of the road. No one spoke, not even the very young
children.
The last
few turns found people crowded together holding flags or
with their hands on their hearts. Some were on
horseback.
The
military presence...at least two generals, a fist full
of colonels, and representatives from every branch of
the service, plus the color guard which attended James,
and some who served with him ... was very impressive and
respectful, but the love and pride from this community
who had lost one of their own was the most amazing thing
I've ever been privileged to witness.
I've
attached some pictures, some are blurry (we were
moving), but you can get a small idea of what this was
like. Thanks so much for all the prayers and support.
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