Hundreds of people, including family members of Stanislaus County residents recently killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, attended an afternoon event at Lakewood Memorial Park in Hughson.
As the Marine casualty officer for the area, Capt. Donn Puca is charged with notifying the families of Marines who have died in the line of duty.
At Lakewood, he praised the sacrifices of those Marines.
"They pay for our civil rights … with everything their futures might have been," he said. "I'm eternally grateful for that."
Several politicians presented commendations to the families of lost military personnel.
"I love my brother with all my heart," said Mike Simons, brother of Lance Cpl. Aaron William Si-mons. The 20-year-old died April 24 in al Qaim, during his second tour of duty in Iraq. "Though I didn't want him to go back, he wanted to serve alongside his brother Marines. I'll never forget him."
Marsha Gonsalves of Turlock, whose son, Army Sgt. 1st Class Chad Gonsalves, died this year in Afghanistan, admonished the crowd: "This is the land of the free, because of the brave. Let's never forget that."
...a view my neighbors get passing by the house...
