thedrifter
05-04-07, 06:36 AM
Following in his father’s footsteps
Dad served two years in 1/9, now his son is a member of reactivated ‘Walking Dead’
CHRISSY VICK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
When Birch Abraham joined the Marine Corps in 1982, he never imagined that 25 years later his son would follow in his footsteps.
But Abraham recently made the journey from Seattle to be with his son as they both made history as part of 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. The “Walking Dead” was reactivated during an April 19 ceremony at Camp Lejeune.
Birch Abraham was one of many former Marines at the ceremony who reminisced about their former glory days. Pfc. Benjamin Abraham, his son, represented one of four companies of Marines training to carry on the 1/9 legend and fight the war against terrorism.
“Words can’t describe what it’s like to be here,” Birch said after the ceremony. “I am just blown away by the providence of God.”
Birch served two years with Charlie Company, 1/9 as a machine gunner.
And when Benjamin, 18, joined the Marine Corps last year, Birch never thought there was a possibility he could join the same unit, as it was then deactivated.
But he did.
After boot camp, Benjamin went to infantry school at Camp Pendleton, Calif., just as his father had, and then wassigned to the same unit and even the same company.
“I was pretty excited,” Benjamin said. “Not many kids are best friends with their dad and spend that time with them, so it’s awesome to be a part of that with him — the challenge of being a Marine.”
When Benjamin first heard he was going to Camp Lejeune, he was not happy because it is so far from home. But after speaking with his father, both realized the rarity of going into the same company after graduating the same School of Infantry.
“My dad is my best friend and now I’m in the same military and unit and company as he was, doing the same stuff he did,” Benjamin said. “That’s very cool.”
Birch said he couldn’t be prouder of his son.
“I’m very proud of him — so proud of him I have to watch out that I don’t dote over him,” he said with a laugh. “I want Ben to know who he is, what he can accomplish and what he can do with his life.”
That was something Birch said he learned in the Marine Corps.
“Back then I was kind of just a rough kid looking to be able to put my mark on something,” he said. “There is no question I gained leadership abilities that I used in law enforcement when I got out.”
Birch, who served seven years in the Marine Corps, said the 1/9 reactivation gave him a “tremendous amount of satisfaction and pride” for his unit.
“If God were to walk up to me and say I could trade that time right now for an Ivy League bachelor’s degree I’d say no — a thousand times no,” he said.
Birch, who deployed during the invasion of Grenada and served during a war in Nicaragua, went on to work on SWAT teams in Washington state and then started a successful small business in Tacoma, Paintless Dent Removal. He hopes Benjamin will learn the same skills and come back to use them with the family business.
Ben, the second of four children, said that is his goal too.
But for now, his unit faces a deployment, possibly sometime next year.
“I wasn’t going to go to college because school wasn’t for me,” he said. “I don’t regret joining at all because I’ve done so much more than so many kids my age have done.”
Benjamin says he joined during a time of war knowing that he can make a difference.
“If I had to, I’d rather die knowing that I did something with my life at such a young age than just staying in my little kiddie corner in Washington and wishing I had done something more with my life,” he said.
Though proud of him, Birch said it is difficult for any parent to know his son is facing battle.
“For me to sit back and watch my son doing it takes a tremendous amount of faith,” he said. “I have to have faith in God for whatever God has in plan for us, but it is not easy.”
He is proud of all young people who are brave enough to make that commitment.
“Whenever I see them in restaurant, I want to buy them dinner,” he said. “And for it to be my son — signing up in a time such as this — I just can’t believe the courage.”
Benjamin said he is honored to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Now we can go to church on Memorial Day and do colors together in our dress blues,” he said. “We’ll go out to dinner in our dress blues and it’s pretty cool because my dad is my best friend.”
Ellie
Dad served two years in 1/9, now his son is a member of reactivated ‘Walking Dead’
CHRISSY VICK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
When Birch Abraham joined the Marine Corps in 1982, he never imagined that 25 years later his son would follow in his footsteps.
But Abraham recently made the journey from Seattle to be with his son as they both made history as part of 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. The “Walking Dead” was reactivated during an April 19 ceremony at Camp Lejeune.
Birch Abraham was one of many former Marines at the ceremony who reminisced about their former glory days. Pfc. Benjamin Abraham, his son, represented one of four companies of Marines training to carry on the 1/9 legend and fight the war against terrorism.
“Words can’t describe what it’s like to be here,” Birch said after the ceremony. “I am just blown away by the providence of God.”
Birch served two years with Charlie Company, 1/9 as a machine gunner.
And when Benjamin, 18, joined the Marine Corps last year, Birch never thought there was a possibility he could join the same unit, as it was then deactivated.
But he did.
After boot camp, Benjamin went to infantry school at Camp Pendleton, Calif., just as his father had, and then wassigned to the same unit and even the same company.
“I was pretty excited,” Benjamin said. “Not many kids are best friends with their dad and spend that time with them, so it’s awesome to be a part of that with him — the challenge of being a Marine.”
When Benjamin first heard he was going to Camp Lejeune, he was not happy because it is so far from home. But after speaking with his father, both realized the rarity of going into the same company after graduating the same School of Infantry.
“My dad is my best friend and now I’m in the same military and unit and company as he was, doing the same stuff he did,” Benjamin said. “That’s very cool.”
Birch said he couldn’t be prouder of his son.
“I’m very proud of him — so proud of him I have to watch out that I don’t dote over him,” he said with a laugh. “I want Ben to know who he is, what he can accomplish and what he can do with his life.”
That was something Birch said he learned in the Marine Corps.
“Back then I was kind of just a rough kid looking to be able to put my mark on something,” he said. “There is no question I gained leadership abilities that I used in law enforcement when I got out.”
Birch, who served seven years in the Marine Corps, said the 1/9 reactivation gave him a “tremendous amount of satisfaction and pride” for his unit.
“If God were to walk up to me and say I could trade that time right now for an Ivy League bachelor’s degree I’d say no — a thousand times no,” he said.
Birch, who deployed during the invasion of Grenada and served during a war in Nicaragua, went on to work on SWAT teams in Washington state and then started a successful small business in Tacoma, Paintless Dent Removal. He hopes Benjamin will learn the same skills and come back to use them with the family business.
Ben, the second of four children, said that is his goal too.
But for now, his unit faces a deployment, possibly sometime next year.
“I wasn’t going to go to college because school wasn’t for me,” he said. “I don’t regret joining at all because I’ve done so much more than so many kids my age have done.”
Benjamin says he joined during a time of war knowing that he can make a difference.
“If I had to, I’d rather die knowing that I did something with my life at such a young age than just staying in my little kiddie corner in Washington and wishing I had done something more with my life,” he said.
Though proud of him, Birch said it is difficult for any parent to know his son is facing battle.
“For me to sit back and watch my son doing it takes a tremendous amount of faith,” he said. “I have to have faith in God for whatever God has in plan for us, but it is not easy.”
He is proud of all young people who are brave enough to make that commitment.
“Whenever I see them in restaurant, I want to buy them dinner,” he said. “And for it to be my son — signing up in a time such as this — I just can’t believe the courage.”
Benjamin said he is honored to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Now we can go to church on Memorial Day and do colors together in our dress blues,” he said. “We’ll go out to dinner in our dress blues and it’s pretty cool because my dad is my best friend.”
Ellie