thedrifter
09-07-06, 01:50 PM
A Marine: a leader
JILL KAISER DION, Editor
September 07, 2006
Who was Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson?
He was a hero, according to the Rev. Randall Matthews, who spoke about the fallen Marine at a memorial service at the Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Trumbull Monday afternoon.
Matthews said he spoke to Pierson before he left his Milford home to serve in Iraq.
"I asked him, 'What do you feel?'" Matthews said. "Jordan looked back at me and said, 'I'm afraid.'"
Pierson went anyway, he fought bravely and he died.
"Heroes do what they fear," Matthews said. "That's how we define courage."
A hero and more
There was more, however, to the young Marine who died Aug. 25 during combat operations in the Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Friends and family on Monday described a young man full of life, sometimes testing his parents' patience with his bold endeavors, but always displaying a passion for living, uniqueness and compassion.
"It's not part of God's plan for a father to have to bury his son," Eric Pierson said Monday as he stood behind his son's flag-draped coffin inside the Trumbull Church.
Eric Pierson reminisced about a son who "wasn't about making things easy for his parents."
He talked about his son's dislocated shoulder, a severed toe, a run-in with a pickup truck, a middle school suspension for a drawing depicting military ammunition, which was meant to prove a point his teacher had asked the class to make.
After similar incidents in high school, "Finally he said, 'I'm joining the Marines,'" Eric said. "He understood what he needed, a sense of discipline and order."
Eric said he doesn't understand God's plan right now.
"It would be easy for me to know if he gave his life saving a brother Marine," Eric said. "I will have to wait until I meet my creator to have that answer.
"Goodbye my son," he added.
A leader
Pierson, 21, a 2003 graduate of Foran High School, died in combat just 60 days shy of the day he would have returned home from the war. He was a reservist stationed with the 1st Battalion 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division out of Plainville.
Hundreds of family, friends and officials filed through the Cody White Funeral Home in Milford Sunday to say goodbye to the fallen soldier, the first Milford resident to die in this combat.
Photographs of Pierson from childhood through his adult years painted a picture of a young man cherished by his mother, father and brother and immersed in friends and fun.
Friends recreated that picture in words when they memorialized him the next day.
"He was a handsome young man, interested in the unusual," said Gloria Amendola, a close family friend. "He was very intelligent, that intuitive intelligence that comes when one is wise beyond their years."
She talked about a young man with a heart of gold.
"He was always the first kid out to my car to help me carry the groceries in," Amendola recalled.
She said she was proud of Jordan when he left for Iraq and said the memory of him will remind her to always live a full life.
Michael Amendola said the mere thought of Jordan invokes special memories.
"Jordan and I grew up together," Michael said. "We were partners in mischief at a young age."
He recalled snowball fights, "Nerf" football wars and Jordan's ability to make him laugh.
He talked about Pierson's love for adventure, starting when they were young and riding their "Big Wheels" in Michael's back yard.
"We decided one of us would hold a wading pool just off the outside deck while the other rode the "Big Wheel" off the deck and into the pool," Michael said.
Other friends spoke with similar passion about a young man with a taste for mischief, adventure and passion for life.
"I am and always will be a friend of Jordan's," said Kyle O'Connor, who spoke of Pierson's "goofy boyish grin and his careless, almost embarrassing laugh."
"It was hard not to laugh," O'Connor said. "Watching him hit on girls was pure comedy. He was just naturally funny and a very good person."
Friends talked about Jordan's love of paintball, video games and his white Honda CRX that he liked to drive fast.
"But Jordan was a closet nerd," O'Connor said, describing a childhood friend engrossed in "Star Wars," who excelled at video games, never feeling down when he lost and never boasting when he won.
"But he changed his nerdy ways," O'Connor said. "He talked about being one of the cool kids in high school, and he actually did it.
"Remember his smile," O'Connor concluded. "I'm proud of him."
Faith and maturity
The fun-loving, fun-evoking young man apparently turned into a fun, compassionate leader after joining the Marines, family and clergy said Monday.
The Rev. David McIntyre said Pierson was killed only after making sure his fellow Marines were safe the day he was shot in Iraq. McIntyre said Pierson was at his commander's "right flank," and that he had just checked to make sure his fellow Marines were following orders.
Others attested to Pierson's leadership abilities.
His uncle, Michael Pierson, quoted First Sgt. Ben Grainger, who wrote about Pierson on a military blog shortly after his death.
"Even when the gloom of combat reached deep in a man's soul, Cpl. Pierson could bring the Marine back to a sense of purpose, a sense of why we were here, and that we were making a difference," Grainger wrote.
"Corporal Pierson was destined not to only be a Marine, but a leader among Marines," Grainger added. "He fostered a sense of caring for Marines while still embodying all it meant to be a Marine."
McIntyre said Pierson learned from his parents, his faith and finally the Marines that life wasn't about him but about others.
"Jordan would want us to understand that," McIntyre said.
Eric Pierson said he was proud of his son's maturity.
"The maturity and wisdom that Jordan showed in the last few years of his life give a grieving father what comfort can be available at a time like this," he said. "His journey into manhood began with that decision to join the Marines."
Eric Pierson said his son would have continued to display that maturity when he returned to the University of Connecticut, which he attended freshman year before going to war.
"Had he retuned home he would have been a resident assistant at UConn, shepherding incoming freshmen through the journey he had completed," Eric Pierson said.
A host of dignitaries attended Monday's service, including Gov. Jodi Rell, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Milford Mayor James Richetelli Jr. and Trumbull First Selectman Ray Baldwin.
Monday's memorial service ended with the presentation of three awards to Pierson's family, who sat together in the front row of the church, just beyond Pierson's flag-covered coffin.
Military personnel handed the first award for service to Pierson's father.
They handed the second award, a purple heart, which Pierson earned after being hit with shrapnel in June, to Pierson's younger brother, Ethan, 11.
They handed to Pierson's mother, Beverley, the Gold Star, for injuries sustained Aug. 25 that led to her son's death.
Pierson was buried yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery. Richetelli, Police Chief Keith Mello and Fire Chief Louis LaVecchia were among those in attendance.
Richetelli said a permanent memorial would be established in Milford to honor Pierson. The city will name a city park after the fallen Marine.
"It's actually right behind the Pierson's home," Richetelli said. "We've always known it as the Davenport Avenue playground, although some people call it Green Park.
"In talking to Mr. Pierson, he said Jordan spent many days playing there and just hanging out with his friends," Richetelli said. "Many children still do, including his younger son, Ethan. His father thought this would be a tremendous way to memorialize the sacrifice Jordan made."
Ellie
JILL KAISER DION, Editor
September 07, 2006
Who was Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson?
He was a hero, according to the Rev. Randall Matthews, who spoke about the fallen Marine at a memorial service at the Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Trumbull Monday afternoon.
Matthews said he spoke to Pierson before he left his Milford home to serve in Iraq.
"I asked him, 'What do you feel?'" Matthews said. "Jordan looked back at me and said, 'I'm afraid.'"
Pierson went anyway, he fought bravely and he died.
"Heroes do what they fear," Matthews said. "That's how we define courage."
A hero and more
There was more, however, to the young Marine who died Aug. 25 during combat operations in the Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Friends and family on Monday described a young man full of life, sometimes testing his parents' patience with his bold endeavors, but always displaying a passion for living, uniqueness and compassion.
"It's not part of God's plan for a father to have to bury his son," Eric Pierson said Monday as he stood behind his son's flag-draped coffin inside the Trumbull Church.
Eric Pierson reminisced about a son who "wasn't about making things easy for his parents."
He talked about his son's dislocated shoulder, a severed toe, a run-in with a pickup truck, a middle school suspension for a drawing depicting military ammunition, which was meant to prove a point his teacher had asked the class to make.
After similar incidents in high school, "Finally he said, 'I'm joining the Marines,'" Eric said. "He understood what he needed, a sense of discipline and order."
Eric said he doesn't understand God's plan right now.
"It would be easy for me to know if he gave his life saving a brother Marine," Eric said. "I will have to wait until I meet my creator to have that answer.
"Goodbye my son," he added.
A leader
Pierson, 21, a 2003 graduate of Foran High School, died in combat just 60 days shy of the day he would have returned home from the war. He was a reservist stationed with the 1st Battalion 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division out of Plainville.
Hundreds of family, friends and officials filed through the Cody White Funeral Home in Milford Sunday to say goodbye to the fallen soldier, the first Milford resident to die in this combat.
Photographs of Pierson from childhood through his adult years painted a picture of a young man cherished by his mother, father and brother and immersed in friends and fun.
Friends recreated that picture in words when they memorialized him the next day.
"He was a handsome young man, interested in the unusual," said Gloria Amendola, a close family friend. "He was very intelligent, that intuitive intelligence that comes when one is wise beyond their years."
She talked about a young man with a heart of gold.
"He was always the first kid out to my car to help me carry the groceries in," Amendola recalled.
She said she was proud of Jordan when he left for Iraq and said the memory of him will remind her to always live a full life.
Michael Amendola said the mere thought of Jordan invokes special memories.
"Jordan and I grew up together," Michael said. "We were partners in mischief at a young age."
He recalled snowball fights, "Nerf" football wars and Jordan's ability to make him laugh.
He talked about Pierson's love for adventure, starting when they were young and riding their "Big Wheels" in Michael's back yard.
"We decided one of us would hold a wading pool just off the outside deck while the other rode the "Big Wheel" off the deck and into the pool," Michael said.
Other friends spoke with similar passion about a young man with a taste for mischief, adventure and passion for life.
"I am and always will be a friend of Jordan's," said Kyle O'Connor, who spoke of Pierson's "goofy boyish grin and his careless, almost embarrassing laugh."
"It was hard not to laugh," O'Connor said. "Watching him hit on girls was pure comedy. He was just naturally funny and a very good person."
Friends talked about Jordan's love of paintball, video games and his white Honda CRX that he liked to drive fast.
"But Jordan was a closet nerd," O'Connor said, describing a childhood friend engrossed in "Star Wars," who excelled at video games, never feeling down when he lost and never boasting when he won.
"But he changed his nerdy ways," O'Connor said. "He talked about being one of the cool kids in high school, and he actually did it.
"Remember his smile," O'Connor concluded. "I'm proud of him."
Faith and maturity
The fun-loving, fun-evoking young man apparently turned into a fun, compassionate leader after joining the Marines, family and clergy said Monday.
The Rev. David McIntyre said Pierson was killed only after making sure his fellow Marines were safe the day he was shot in Iraq. McIntyre said Pierson was at his commander's "right flank," and that he had just checked to make sure his fellow Marines were following orders.
Others attested to Pierson's leadership abilities.
His uncle, Michael Pierson, quoted First Sgt. Ben Grainger, who wrote about Pierson on a military blog shortly after his death.
"Even when the gloom of combat reached deep in a man's soul, Cpl. Pierson could bring the Marine back to a sense of purpose, a sense of why we were here, and that we were making a difference," Grainger wrote.
"Corporal Pierson was destined not to only be a Marine, but a leader among Marines," Grainger added. "He fostered a sense of caring for Marines while still embodying all it meant to be a Marine."
McIntyre said Pierson learned from his parents, his faith and finally the Marines that life wasn't about him but about others.
"Jordan would want us to understand that," McIntyre said.
Eric Pierson said he was proud of his son's maturity.
"The maturity and wisdom that Jordan showed in the last few years of his life give a grieving father what comfort can be available at a time like this," he said. "His journey into manhood began with that decision to join the Marines."
Eric Pierson said his son would have continued to display that maturity when he returned to the University of Connecticut, which he attended freshman year before going to war.
"Had he retuned home he would have been a resident assistant at UConn, shepherding incoming freshmen through the journey he had completed," Eric Pierson said.
A host of dignitaries attended Monday's service, including Gov. Jodi Rell, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Milford Mayor James Richetelli Jr. and Trumbull First Selectman Ray Baldwin.
Monday's memorial service ended with the presentation of three awards to Pierson's family, who sat together in the front row of the church, just beyond Pierson's flag-covered coffin.
Military personnel handed the first award for service to Pierson's father.
They handed the second award, a purple heart, which Pierson earned after being hit with shrapnel in June, to Pierson's younger brother, Ethan, 11.
They handed to Pierson's mother, Beverley, the Gold Star, for injuries sustained Aug. 25 that led to her son's death.
Pierson was buried yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery. Richetelli, Police Chief Keith Mello and Fire Chief Louis LaVecchia were among those in attendance.
Richetelli said a permanent memorial would be established in Milford to honor Pierson. The city will name a city park after the fallen Marine.
"It's actually right behind the Pierson's home," Richetelli said. "We've always known it as the Davenport Avenue playground, although some people call it Green Park.
"In talking to Mr. Pierson, he said Jordan spent many days playing there and just hanging out with his friends," Richetelli said. "Many children still do, including his younger son, Ethan. His father thought this would be a tremendous way to memorialize the sacrifice Jordan made."
Ellie