Apparently there has been some type of contest that has to do with pictures and soldiers. I received the following in an email. I don’t usually forward emails nor do I go to great lengths to get something out there but today is different. Lately, the troops, the war, the families and 9/11 has been on my mind a lot. I think that is probably an understatement and I probably have my Ethics class to thank for that. Anyways, the new thing now is to wear blue on Fridays for our troops and I think it’s a great idea. Anything to let them know we still support them and their families. Here are a couple of pictures and stories. These won first and second place.
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey’s body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of another Marine’s casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: ‘See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what’s going through their minds, knowing that they’re on the plane that brought him home,’ he said ‘They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They’re going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.’
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of ‘Cat,’ and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. ‘I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,’ she said. ‘I think that’s what he would have wanted’