Troops deaths put a heavy toll on A&M

Houston Chronicle ^ | January 26, 2007 | Allan Turner

[Texas_shutterbug]

"Friends say the 14th Aggie to die in war embodied school's sense of duty

More than five years into America's war on terrorism, the routine at Texas A&M University — home of the Corps of Cadets — is well-established. When an Aggie is killed, the school's maroon flag is hoisted in mourning. Then it is lowered, folded and shipped to yet another grieving family.

......

"But the toll has been high. Of the nation's service academies, only the United States Military Academy at West Point has lost more graduates, 51, to the war."

....

""He felt he had a debt to pay to society," McCrea said. "He wanted to give something back to the country. He took a pride in that. ... There's a lot of pride at A&M in knowing that (the military) might be a risk, but we're ready to take that risk. It takes people of a lot of character to step forward to make that sacrifice. That's what Sean represented."

[Texas_shutterbug]

Could we all say a prayer for this Aggie's family?

God bless them in their time of sorrow.

And if you have kids looking for a public university, they might want to consider Texas A&M.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Corps of Cadets info.

[fishtank]

Yeah, College Station is a cow town.

Yeah, the Austin people look down on us as being unsophisticated rubes.

But this is the painful truth (the loss of so many former students is VERY painful to bear) of why Texas Aggies are so proud of their school: Texas A&M loves America in a way that almost no other university can lay claim to.

Class of '84

[100-Fold_Return]

In less than 1 years Mrs. Clinton will stop the wars in Iran, Venezuela and North Korea, so these children won't have to go. /sar

[The_Victor]

Is there an Ag ping list?

[fishtank]

"A plaque at the student center quotes the Bible's John 15:13: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.""

[manic4organic]

My nephew is graduating A&M this year and going into the Marines and flight school. His dad was a Navy pilot. His grandfather was a WWII Frogman.

[Texas_shutterbug]

Don't know. We aren't Aggies, and my kids keep majoring in subjects that send them to other schools, even though they'd love to go to A&M!

[Texas_shutterbug]

Could you bump this a couple of times today? I won't be around too much today if all goes as planned, but I think this deserves to be read.

Thanks.

[Mac94]

Here

[freedombird]

Hey.....wait a minute...

I thought if you went to college, you wouldn't go to Iraq to be killed!!!.....I mean, that's what John Kerry told me anyway......

[GOP_Muzik]

I read an article yesterday about Sean's death, it was heartbreaking.

I think this story covers how we feel about our school and our beloved Corps of Cadets very well. I think Silver Taps is among the finest school traditions ever.

May God look after his family, and keep our fellow Ags from harms way.

btw fishtank, I'm class of '84 as well, Sq. 11.

[patton]

14 from one school - wow.

[Texas_shutterbug]

That's more than the Naval Academy (well, yeah) and Air Force Academy.

God bless those Aggies and their families.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Opposite for us: My dad & mom met at ut, but I went to A&M (NE, 78). Then I was followed by several brothers and sisters. Now, we're out-of-state and my kids completed different schools for their BS's and MS's.

My wife was the first in her family to go to A&M (ChemE, 79) and then SHE was followed by HER brothers and sisters, but none are old enough to have entered yet.

So both sides of the the second generation are marooned, but none of the parents and none of the grandchildren.

[secret garden]

Bump for Texas Aggies. God bless them.