I read this little, barely noticeable buried blurb in Thursday's newspaper (that by the way, hardly deserves to bear the title 'news' since it gets thinner and less informative on a regular basis) about a quilt that was at the Infantry Museum through Saturday. I wanted to go on Friday to see it, but got waylaid with another project, so knew I HAD to get down there today, or miss my chance.
The Quilt was not more than 5 feet in width, but about 20 feet long. Depicting a 'representative' from every state, a service person who had been killed in Iraq. Each square had a tiny, GI Joe size fatigue jacket with the face of that service man or woman, most were OD, but the ones for Marines were jungle camo. print, and Navy had dark blue blouses. Each of those service people, mostly Army, but several Navy, and about six or eight Marines: was depicted with a photo/likeness of that individual as a school kid. Included in the state by state listing were the name, rank, hometown, comments by friends and family of the most memorable thing about each of the young people who has died in the war. If the fatigue jackets had been empty, or even with the faces of young adult warriors, it would have been touching: but seeing those children's faces, knowing they were all somebody's son or daughter was heart-wrenching. Lives of those left behind changed forever with loss.
I don't know the background of the quilter, but do know there is a story: behind the service records and loss of life of each one of these young people, there are families and friends who will never forget, and always grieve.
I just recently read a book by Jim Brady: "Why Marines Fight", that was basically interviews with fellow veterans. Brady served during Korea, and talked at length to a number of Marines from the Korean era to Iraq, from enlisted to Pentagon bras, in an attempt to identify and better understand why they choose/volunteer for that particular branch of service. There are as many reasons as there are Marines: but the general consensus of why they do what they do so well is training and a desire to support their comrades. The interviewees all said they felt successful in their military assignments because they believed they were so well trained to carry out the mission, and their determination to not 'let down' fellow Marines. Those men who were to the left and the right when they were in foxholes, pinned down in fire-fights, piling off landing craft onto the beaches or slogging through the jungles. In situations of insurmountable odds and unlikely success, they could not, would not quit. Brady didn't put it in so many words, but I would say: character and grit.
Another book I recently accidently read: "Final Salute" about the men who do the gut-wrenching job of going to tell families that their loved ones have been killed. It follows several Casualty Duty Officers as they spend time with families of fallen warriors, helping them sort through the process of making funeral arrangments, making all the decisions they are forced to face. I think this one should be required reading for every officer, and every individual serving in Congress and the Pentagon: to better understand the true cost of sending someone else's sons and daughters into danger.
After we saw the quilt, and went to the IMAX, we spent a couple of hours wandering through the exhibit halls at the Museum. I could spend a week there and not really be finished, not get all the info. read and everything in the displays thoroughly studied. I wish I had known to ask my dad about his service when he was alive, but do not know if he would have been willing or interested in talking about things that happened well over fifty years ago. Sad that I belatedly became curious and interested in military history.
I understand the quilt is 'on tour' and will be at the GA state capitol building next week.
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