Article archive / June 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 10. Source pages: 16.
“In my judgment this is the most sacred of all national holidays, celebrating and honoring those people who have served, and particularly those who have given up their lives in the service of this great nation.”
“I think we can pay tribute to the 9/11 Generation, who has fought the longest war this country has ever fought. And I think they are the new Greatest Generation, to be sure. Never before have so few, fought for so many, and have done that for so long. We not only honor their sacrifice but we honor the sacrifice of their families.”
“And, it gives us the opportunity on Memorial Day to renew our own commitment to America and its values. And also, to remind ourselves that as ugly as war is, and as devastating as the consequences are, there truly are some things that are worth fighting for. And these wonderful Americans who stepped forward and have done that for us, we are truly blessed as a result of it.”
Ret. General Jack Keane on Fox News, 5/28/12
Special care is taken in folding the flag after Memorial Day ceremony at the Task Force Leatherneck headquarters, May 28, 2012. Photo by Master Sgt. Grady Fontana of 1st Marine Division.
Since January 2011, eight Louisiana servicemen have been killed. Here are their names, their hometowns, their units, and how they died.
Spec. Jeffrey L. White, Jr., age 21. Hometown: Catawissa, La. Branch: Army. Unit: 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Incident: Apr 3rd, 2012: Died in Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with a makeshift bomb.
Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, age 32. Hometown: Shreveport, La. Branch: Navy. Unit: East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit. Incident: Aug 6th, 2011: Died in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed.
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, age 32. Hometown: Shreveport, La. Branch: Navy. Unit: East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit. Incident: Aug 6th, 2011: Died in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed.
Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Douville, age 33. Hometown: Harvey, La. Branch: Air Force. Unit: 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Incident: Jun 26th, 2011: Died as a result of injuries suffered from a makeshift bomb on the border of the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Cpl. Matthew T. Richard, age 21.Hometown: Acadia, La. Branch: Marines. Unit: 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Incident: Jun 9th, 2011: Died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Quadi S. Hudgins, age 26. Hometown: New Orleans, La. Branch: Army Unit: Maintenance Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Incident: Apr 2nd, 2011: Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their position with indirect fire in Babil, Iraq.
Pvt. Jeremy P. Faulkner, age 23. Hometown: Griffin, La. Branch: Army. Unit: 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Incident: Mar 29th, 2011: Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Konar province, Afghanistan.
Spec. Christian J. Romig, age 24. Hometown: Kenner, La. Branch: Army National Guard. Unit: Missouri National Guard Agri-Business Development Team IV, Jefferson City, Mo.Incident: Jan 5th, 2011: Died of wounds suffered at Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan when insurgents attacked their unit using a makeshift bomb.
Source “Faces of the Fallen,” and military records, by state. Go to http://apps.washingtonpost.com/national/fallen/maps/states/
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.