The pain and pride of war

These were the emotions of Melinda Murley of Alexandria after hearing that her fiancé died in Iraq.

Corporal Demetrius Lamont Rice, 24, of Ortonville died in a military vehicle accident on July 14 while serving as a soldier of the Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry.

He was supposed to come home in October. They were supposed to be married the same month.

Murley, also 24, described her fiancé as a very caring, loving guy who would always help out when he could.

In 2001, Rice all of a sudden decided to sign up for the Army, said Murley, who at the time also lived in Ortonville.

The two were neighbors and had known each other since they were 14 years old. Over the years, their solid friendship turned to romance and they became engaged.

Murley decided to move to Alexandria to go to school for nursing. He was shipped out and stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington.

When Rice entered the Army, Murley thought it would be OK — until they both learned he would be sent over to Iraq.

"I was frightened," she stated. "He didn’t want to go, but knew he had to. That’s what his duties were."

In November of 2003, Rice, an infantry specialist, was sent to Iraq. They stayed connected via e-mail.

After the accident, Army personnel contacted Rice’s mother in Appleton, who in turn called Murley and told her the devastating news.

She added that when Rice was scheduled to return in October, she planned on moving to Washington to be with him.

For now, she plans to stay in Alexandria and continue working at Knute Nelson Memorial Home.

When asked how she feels about the troops in Iraq, Murley said, "I think it’s a good thing. They need to be over there. The people [of Iraq] don’t need to be under that kind of control."

A memorial service for Rice will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 7 at Tabor United Methodist Church in Big Stone City, South Dakota.

Rice is the son of Valorie Rice of Appleton and Raymond White of Chicago, Illinois.

Demetrius is survived by his mother; grandmother, Azzalee Rice; three sisters: Briana, 18; Emily, 11; and Elise, 8; one brother: Justin, 16; aunts and uncles; and many cousins and friends.

Rice, according to his loved ones, enjoyed being with friends, playing X-box and basketball, as well as spending time with his family.

THE PRIDE

Brandon Otte, Staff Reporter
08/06/2004

A second tour of duty, a roadside bombing and an injured soldier returning home has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster, but for one Alexandria family it is a very real story.

Mark and Jane Koski will rest easier now that their son, Lance Corporal Adam Suess, is returning from his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Suess has been in Iraq since February and was scheduled to return home in September. His first stop on his return journey will be Pendleton Naval Hospital in California.

Jane Koski said that Suess was involved in a convoy required to cross the Iraqi/Jordan. She said the convoy was struck when a roadside bomb exploded nearby.

"The driver’s door was just shredded," Koski said. "To this point he’s still lost the hearing in his left ear, but the doctor thinks that should come back."

She said the bomb exploded on the left-hand side of the road just as Suess pulled his vehicle off to the right-hand side of the road,

"He said things didn’t look right." Koski said. "He noticed that the area was more quiet than usual and that the gas station a few miles back was empty. He said the whole area seemed off."

That strange feeling may have saved Suess’ life. The blast that tore the driver's side door of Suess’ vehicle also shot shrapnel that shattered a bone in his finger and caused the hearing damage.

Koski said at first Suess wasn’t sure if he would be returning to the U.S. right away because his injuries weren’t too serious. But because his tour was almost over and his hearing was damaged, he was sent to recuperate in Germany before taking a commercial flight back to the U.S.

"When he called from Germany the other day there was such a sense of relief in his voice," Koski said. "He said the temperature in Germany was around 50 degrees and that it felt so good to have rain rather than sand hitting his face."

After he returned to the U.S., Suess continued to recover from his injuries. Koski said there is a large hole in the eardrum, but doctors think it will heal. His hand is already starting to heal.

Koski said the temperature where Suess’ unit was located in Iraq, north of Baghdad near Falujah, was usually between 120 and 130 degrees. But that wasn’t the only reason for Koski to stress.

The Falujah area has become a hotbed of activity in Iraq and has been the location of several recent attacks on U.S. troops.

"In the last couple of weeks there had been more activity in his area," Koski said. "It’s been hard watching the news and hearing about something happening in that area and not hearing from him for a couple of weeks."

Koski said while it will be good to have her son home, he had mixed feelings about leaving his unit. She said she has gotten used to the idea of him being overseas. Since he first joined the Army he has spent most of his time overseas.

"He enlisted in May of 2001 and since that time he has spent a year in Okinawa, and he went to Iraq last year and again this year," Koski said.

She said she is looking forward to spending time with him and that it was "extremely stressful" having him away for so long.

Semper Fi, LCpl Seuss

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