"It's about Valor, Honor and Respect."
Posted on 05/30/2022 8:03:21 AM PDT by bitt
The following is Marine Lieutenant Colonel Strobl's account of escorting the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. It's a long and beautifully written and it deserves to be read in it's entirety. It's about Valor, Honor and Respect. Thanks to Jarhead Dad for sending it to me.
23 Apr 04 – The enclosed article was written by LtCol M.R. Strobl USMC who is assigned to MCCDC Quantico, VA and served as the officer who escorted the remains of PFC C. Phelps USMC from Dover AFB, DE to his home. PFC Phelps was assigned to 3d Bn, 11th Marines – an artillery unit functioning as a provisional infantry battalion during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 2. PFC Phelps was killed in action from a gunshot wound received on 9 Apr 04 during combat operations west of Baghdad. He was buried in Dubois, WY on 17 Apr 04.
Chance Phelps was wearing his Saint Christopher medal when he was killed on Good Friday. Eight days later, I handed the medallion to his mother. I didn’t know Chance before he died. Today, I miss him.
Over a year ago, I volunteered to escort the remains of Marines killed in Iraq should the need arise. The military provides a uniformed escort for all casualties to ensure they are delivered safely to the next of kin and are treated with dignity and respect along the way.
Thankfully, I hadn’t been called on to be an escort since Operation Iraqi Freedom began. The first few weeks of April, however, had been a tough month for the Marines. On the Monday after Easter I was reviewing Department of Defense press releases when I saw that a Private First Class Chance Phelps was killed in action outside of Baghdad. The press release listed his hometown—the same town I’m from. I notified our Battalion adjutant and told him that, should the duty to escort PFC Phelps fall to our Battalion, I would take him.
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"It's about Valor, Honor and Respect."
It’s a great DVD featuring Kevin Bacon.
It’s a great DVD featuring Kevin Bacon.
We watched that.......cried my eyes out. I still think of my friends from long ago that I grew up with and lost in VietNam. God rest their sweet souls.......;(
Thanks, I didn’t know about the movie..
it’s on Amazon Prime,
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Chance-Kevin-Bacon/dp/B003URYMX6
and on IMDB, which is free on some cable companies
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1019454/
and on Appletv
https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/taking-chance/umc.cmc.4u3z9f3jbt27sk7deh21ivtil
and on Hulu
https://www.hulu.com/movie/taking-chance-d73e8bb9-09ce-41f8-b2ea-63305c4219d9
Thank you for posting this, and, for the ping.
Some gave all.
I never read the story before but I did see the movie and from what I recall, the movie stayed true to the story.
Can’t get thru that story without a couple of boxes of tissues.
Semper Fi
I had the honor to have the film introduced by LtCol Strobl himself a few years ago. He is a civilian Marine now (SES):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Strobl
Very meaningful film.
Thank you for creating this fitting thread for Memorial Day.
For those who do not know the story or have not watched this movie, I encourage you do to so.
My utmost gratitude and reverence for the lives lost serving this nation ~ lyby
The movie on Amazon Prime is great.
A great great movie.
Posted some of article and link on twtter, now posting link or two to the movie. thanks for links.
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