A fallen marine

[Master Oil Racing Team]

And I consider you were there Roy. While we were standing there waiting for everyone to arrive, there was a powerful presence. No one was figeting, there was no small talk, and without asking, I think all the others must have felt it too. I think it was something to do with all the hundreds of millions of prayers that have been bestowed upon our men and women in the armed services!........There were so many veterans there of the Viet Nam era that came to pay their respects, I can't tell you how sad I felt. They were there for a comrade and never did one mention the fact that they came home spit on, cussed, had stuff thrown on them. As people were leaving, all were shaking hands and thanking not only the active service member for their service to our country, but to the many veterans today that were there.

[miss argo]

A little over a week ago one of my son Andrew's friends was killed in an ambush in Afghanistan. He was one of six killed. He was hit in the head, neck and pelvis. Colton was a dog handler. His dog Eli refused to leave his side. The Marines had to get a rope around his neck and pull him away to recover Colton's body. His body arrived at Dover a few days ago.

While we don't live in Orange Grove, we call it "our" community. Our official address is in Sandia, but that is on the other side of the lake from where we live. We have many, many friends in Orange Grove. It is a small, tight knit community. The family has been overwhelmed with support to get through these times. Friends have been searching for the last couple of days within a 25 mile radius to find a church large enough for the funeral. Some people thought of the football stadium, but (and most agree) the family didn't want that. All over town are yellow and black ribbons. Yesterday two large refinery scoping cranes lifted gigantic American flags to half mast. One on the north side of town and the other on the south side. It's a small town so you can see both of them no matter where you are in town. They are somewhere around 40 by 60 feet or larger. It is such a devastating thing for a family to lose one so young and with such great promise. The family is trying to have Ike discharged from the Marines and sent to them so they will have a what Colton considered a loving member of his own family sent back to the ones he left behind. It may be at some point I ask members here to intervene with their congressman (congresswoman) to help Ike come home to Colton's parents.

our prayers also go out to his family, our son in law just returned from there