May God Grant your family that Peace that passes all understanding.
My Family will never forget the sacrifice that you and your family has made to we can sleep at ease each night. - From the bottom of our hearts, we Thank You.
Posted on 11/11/2006 6:47:21 AM PST by SandRat
Today is Veterans Day. It has a special meaning to me both as a veteran and as a father of a veteran who gave his young life (he was 21) believing in freedom for all regardless of nationality. As many of you know, Case, as we called him, was killed in Iraq on Sept. 25.
We will never know what he would have achieved had he not been killed in Iraq, but we do know what he achieved while alive. I remember him always smiling and fun to be around. He was a loyal friend who never hesitated to help others even if it meant sacrificing his own comfort. Very few people knew this shy man who was humble and did not like being the center of attention. He would have been very surprised, as we traveled to the funeral home, to see all of you paying final respect for something he considered his duty. It was a poignant time for me looking out and seeing all of you supporting him in his belief of freedom for all. I clearly remember seeing people who did not know my son sitting in their cars and standing in the streets literally crying as we passed. There will never be words to express our thanks to everyone in the community who came to join our family in honoring and mourning Case. It made me proud not only of my son but of all of you for pulling together during our very hard times, but most importantly for the support you showed toward my son, whom I love more than life itself. I will never forget you, and may not know all the names, but the faces are etched in my mind forever.
Today, we are not only honoring my son, but all the fallen heroes from the past and present wars who scarified their lives so we may voice our opinion and not have to worry about being whisked away by a government as in other countries. We all understand freedom but some of us stand up for it and unfortunately the clich/ is true, “freedom is not free.” Those who gave, as Lincoln said, were their last full measure of devotion. They were not the bigger than life heroes seen in the movies or on television but our sons and daughters from small and large communities.
There are so many I would like to thank personally, to shake your hand, to hug you for your kindness. You will all be remembered and have a special place in our hearts forever. I vividly remember when Pastor Tommy Simpson asked each of those who filled the main Post Chapel to stand — except the family — and had each of you salute Case. This letter is to let every one of you who honored Case know that we, the family, salute you!
With our deepest gratitude,
Casey E. Mellen and the Mellen family,
Maria Mena and Katherine Houston
Huachuca City
sniff- sniff- sniff- this Arizona Casey's Mom is different from the other one sniff- sniff-
God bless this family for their sacrifice.
So do we, sir, and we are forever grateful.
Thanks for sharing this family with us.
It is easy to think of him as a Hero, with parents of this quality.
the other one, is not a mother, she was only a womb, her heart and soul were never involved. my opinion of course.
Nancee
BUMP!!!
BUMP!!!
AMEN!!
Words can not express my feelings.
"Today, we are not only honoring my son, but all the fallen heroes from the past and present wars who scarified their lives so we may voice our opinion and not have to worry about being whisked away by a government as in other countries. We all understand freedom but some of us stand up for it and unfortunately the clich/ is true, “freedom is not free.” "
.. and I can only add to others more eloquent than I, My sincerest thanks for the generosity Americans have shown for, and to .. America.
But I fear .. I fear for what I think so idealistically to be America and her seemingly endless spiral down away from the holy ideals our founders must have felt beating in their breasts as they argued and discussed how to formulate a body politic that was God honoring and as perfect for man as could be without being a theocracy.
" The dark lords have declared WAR on the world of light, we must stand firm in our resolve and LET LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR until the dark lords are utterly defeated."
Personally, I don't think I do damage to scripture nor our heritage by saying, "Amen".
I know! Me either!!
Nancee
Thanks for posting.
Let us BUMP this thread forever!
Nancee
No, it costs everything! God, help this family deal with this massive loss, and help us to appreciate the sacrifices they have all made!
Nancee
BUMP!!!
BUMP!!!
Well said.
Prayers for this family and all the others who have given so much for us.
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