Posted on 10/06/2007 7:52:53 AM PDT by txzman
Mourners recall Colo. soldier's compassion By Howard Pankratz The Denver Post
Luke Milam was a 1999 graduate of Columbine High School in Jefferson County. (MIlam family)The soldiers came today and praised a man who died caring for his brothers.
From the commanding general of Marine special forces to a senior chief hospital corpsman, Luke Milam was honored for being a "warrior" who fought bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the 6-foot-4 Milam was far more than a Navy corpsman who became an excellent combat soldier, they said. He was also an exceptional human being driven by compassion.
And in a Littleton church, several hundred people learned why Luke Milam was so compassionate.
On April 20, 1999, Milam, a senior at Columbine High School, lost his buddy, Isaiah Shoels.
Milam usually ate lunch in the high school cafeteria and went to the library to study. But on that day, he changed
Luke Milam of Littleton was killed in Afghanistan. (Milam family)his pattern and left school at lunch time to take care of a sick dog at home. When he returned, he found chaos at the school and was stopped from re-entering.
"Luke was devastated by the shooting and the loss of his good friend and workout partner Isaiah Shoels," his friend Rusty West said. "After attending Isaiah's memorial service, Luke came home, sat in the dark with his mom and cried, saying that he was done going to memorial services and talking about the shooting," West said at Milam's funeral at Littleton United Methodist Church today.
"He had first blamed himself for his friend's death, for not being in the cafeteria, for not saving people, for not knowing what to do, but had come to the realization that he did not have the skills or the knowledge to have made a difference."
At that point, West said, Luke Milam vowed to go into the Navy, become a corpsman and prepare himself so "he would never be in that position again," West said.
Milam died on Sept. 25 during a battle between coalition and Taliban forces near the city of Musa Qula, an opium-poppy growing area of Afghanistan.
And at the service, Major General Dennis Hejlik, the commanding general of Marine special forces told Luke's parents, sister and two brothers what a special guy Milam was who was always there for his fellow soldiers.
Hejlik had gotten to know Milam in Iraq.
The general had first seen Milam and his platoon when they walked into a tent following three days of fierce combat, the grimiest, dirtiest Marines he had ever seen, he said.
They dropped their gear with a thud, sat down for some chow, but before they took a bite, the men grasped hands and "gave thanks to the Lord," Hejlik said.
In Iraq, Milam was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery after his platoon came under savage attack. He pulled injured soldiers from burning vehicles, arranged a defensive perimeter and fought off the attackers, Hejlik said.
In 2006 Milam was honored as being one of the best soldiers in U.S. Marines Forces Special Operations with the "Operator of the Year Award."
"God bless you for your son," Hejlik told the Milam family. "We can never replace him. I knew Luke personally. He was an absolutely marvelous guy. He was huge and he was humble."
Ken George, a senior chief medical hospital corpsman, who had known Milam throughout his career, said that Milam "was loved by everyone out of respect for him as a person first, as a proficient warrior and more importantly as a brother."
"It wasn't about Luke, it was about his brothers. His sense of duty was profound and his passion for the job drove his proficiency both medically and tactically.
"Luke was special — a special son, brother, friend. A special sailor, a special American, a special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman," George said.
"We love you brother."
Although I hate to read stories like this, at the same time I am glad we have them. RIP brave soldier.
God bless this fallen warrior and his family - We’ve lost some of the best among us......Their sacrifices are changing the world for the better. Only a select few will ever accomplish or take part in such enormity.
Warrior Spirit, you died conserving the fighting strength. Rest easy.
God bless him and his family. Thank the Lord for young men such as these... and the families that support them.
Thanks for posting.
Did you see the Hitchens piece on Lt. Mark Daily?
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/11/hitchens200711?printable=true¤tPage=all
We have one of Luke’s comrades, Gary Dawes laying in Bethesda right now in ISU and I would ask that while praying for Luke keep Gary and the other members of the Marines Special Ops who are in Afghanistan in your prayers.
Thanks for letting us know - will keep Gary in our prayers.
Prayers for Gary Dawes going out as well.
sailor
Thanks. He was one of the positive reactions from the Columbine tragedy. May God bless and keep him.
May his family be assured that his efforts were valiant, and will not be forgotten.
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