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thedrifter
09-05-05, 01:44 PM
Monday, September 5, 2005
Pride on display at rally for troops
Hundreds go to Reid Park to praise those fighting in the war on terror.
MARY BUSTAMANTE
mbustama@tucsoncitizen.com

At Reid Park on Saturday morning, bagpipes players and a marching band performed for the families of local troops who have died in the Iraq war.

The families spoke to more than 500 people at a 90-minute "Support America/Support Our Troops Rally" about why their loved ones made the sacrifices they did and how proud they are of them.

"When I told my husband I wished he didn't have to go back to Iraq when he was going to be deployed for a second time, he told me, 'Honey, I not only have to go back, I want to go back.' " He told her he needed to be a part of the effort to rid the world of terrorism, not just for their unborn son, but for his wife as well.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Robert Zurheide Jr. never saw his namesake, Robert Paul Zurheide III, now 16 months old and toddling at his mother's side as she spoke at the rally. Zurheide was killed a few days before the boy was born in April 2004.

But Zurheide's mother, Evelyn, told the flag-waving crowd, "I know my son is looking down on us and smiling and is very proud of all of us."

The rally was recorded so dozens of DVDs could be sent to the troops in Iraq. Showing them this support will mean so much to them, said local radio celebrity Alan Michaels. Proceeds from T-shirt sales and donations at the event were going to cover production costs.

"The troops need to know that our country is not going to let them down while they are doing their job and keeping us free," Elena Zurheide said.

Michael Lucero, father of Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Lucero, who died in November in an explosion near Fallujah, held a sleeping 2-year-old Joey Jordan LePes on his shoulder as he addressed the crowd. Joshua saw his son only once, on Christmas the year before last.

"He's safe today because of what his daddy did," Joshua's mother, Tina Lucero, said of her grandson.

Another Lucero sibling, Antoinette, will leave for the Marine Corps on Nov. 7. Zurheide also has a brother in the Marines.

Michael Lucero pointed to the pictures of three local soldiers killed in the war and said each "died bravely, and each saved lives while doing it."

Army National Guard Spc. Chris Lively, surrounded by this wife and four young children, rose slowly from his wheelchair to tell the crowd he had come home for a few days but was going back to San Antonio, Texas, soon for more treatment of wounds he received in Iraq.

He had a message: "Every burn victim, every amputee, everyone I've ever spoken to said if they could, they would go back and fight. Rallies like this make us believe more in what we're doing."

He said he hopes his young sons will follow in his footsteps.

"This one is going to be in Special Forces," he said of one of his sons. And of another, "He's going to be my helicopter pilot."

Booths at the rally had paper and pens for people to send messages to the troops, buy T-shirt or read letters and see photographs of soldiers in Iraq.

Children with fathers and uncles in the war led the Pledge of Allegiance and sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Freedom Star."

Eighty-two-year-old Helen Anderson Glass, a World War II Navy veteran clad from head to toe in red, white and blue, gave away "Support Our Troop" ribbons and talked of her brother, who died in World War II, and her grandsons, who participated in Operation Desert Shield.

Marcia Gossman said she came to the rally to show her support and counteract some of the negativism in the media. She has no relatives in the war, "but we're all Americans and should try to support each other."

Adriana Moerkerken took her daughters, Monica, 4, and Melina, 3, who were clad in posters front and back.

"We cut out pictures from an Air Force magazine," she said. "Their dad was deployed in 2002. I think we should show our support regardless of what side of the war we're on, or what our politics are. It's the troops we're here for."

The only protest came from a handful of people holding signs at a park entrance, saying "Support Our Troops - Bring 'Em Home," "The War is a Lie," "Feel Safer?" and "What Leadership?"

"When a patriot sees his country being misled, it's his duty to say something. It's no time to shirk," said protester Frank Sanzo. "It's real important to support our troops. We need a strong military ... but it's up to us citizens to see to it that our government doesn't misuse the troops' sacrifice."

The signs were met with honks and occasional yells of support or disapproval.

Ellie