thedrifter
10-09-07, 07:11 AM
At war in Iraq, Marine honors victims of tragedy at home
RUBÉN ROSARIO
TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
Article Launched:10/09/2007 12:01:00 AM CDT
The 13 U.S. flags, all of them tightly folded in three-point military style, rested on a table Monday in a conference room at the Red Cross office in Minneapolis.
The folding ritual, I was told, dates to the three-corner hats in vogue at the time of the American Revolution.
The symbolism of the number 13 - the figure most culturally associated with misfortune as well as the number of stars on our nation's first flag - was not lost on me Monday morning.
A typed note was placed and secured by rubber bands on each folded flag. Each note said the same thing, though each was individually addressed to a different posthumous honoree:
"My name is Nathan (last name omitted) and I am a 1st Lieutenant with the United States Marines Corps, serving in Al-Anbar, Iraq. As a fellow Minnesotan and graduate of the University of Minnesota, I want to pass (on) my most sincere condolences on your loss and let you know that the country is thinking and praying for you and your family in this tragic time."
Sounds like a military missive to families of a soldier killed in combat. Actually, these are the sentiments expressed by a 27-year old Iraq combat vet to the families of the 13 people who lost their lives in the Interstate 35W bridge collapse more than two months ago.
There are random acts of kindness. This one was deliberate. This one, if you need a Hollywood descriptor, could be coined "Flags of Our Fallen.''
But whatever and however you spin this, do call it something special - a soldier in the midst of the flaring conflict in Iraq who took time to remember a tragedy close to home.
"To think, what this young man did, while he himself was in harm's way,'' said Ron Engebretsen, the husband of Sherry Engebretsen, one of the 13 bridge victims.
"This does help in our grief,'' he added. "And what better way than an American flag, the symbol of our nation, to honor the victims?''
Nathan asked that his last name be withheld because he is engaged in a sensitive military assignment that could place him as well as family members here in potential jeopardy.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. At the time, he was attending the University of Minnesota and working as an intern with the Hennepin County Attorney's Financial Litigations division.
"I was interested in the military and serving my country,'' said Nathan, who comes out of Marine central casting - clean-cut and dripping with a patriotism that would sound unabashedly hokey if not for his earnest demeanor.
Assigned to support a Marine battalion in Iraq that is based out of Hawaii, Nathan was taken aback when he got an e-mail from a family member telling him about the bridge collapse. As a Minneapolis resident and college student, Nathan has many times traversed the bridge that collapsed.
"I was planning to fly a flag for my family members,'' recalled Nathan. "But I decided that instead of doing that, I would fly a flag for each of the victims.''
He went to the nearest base commissary in Iraq and purchased 13 flags at $14 a pop.
The lone Minnesotan among his immediate 22-member outfit and overall 90-member division, Nathan said he had no trouble enlisting help and support from colleagues.
"They understood, as I did, that this was not just about Minneapolis or Minnesota, but it was something that affected the whole nation, even among us in Iraq," Nathan said.
He flew the first flag on Aug. 1 - the day of the tragedy here but the second day in Iraq - in honor of Julia Blackhawk. He raised the last flag on Aug. 13 for another victim, Scott Sathers.
Nathan, who recently wrapped up his second tour in Iraq and has plans to attend business graduate school at the U's Carlson School of Management, did not want to make a big deal out of his gesture.
He mailed the flags before his arrival here. He contacted Red Cross officials to see whether they could help him mail the flags to the families. The Red Cross folks thought this deserved much more recognition. The overwhelming majority of the families agreed.
They showed up yesterday, wounds still fresh, the grieving still very much alive.
Joy Blackhawk, Julia's mom, was the first to come up to receive the flag in honor of her daughter.
"I appreciate what he did," she said later in the hallway after the ceremony. "He has become a part of us all.''
Many of the male relatives who came up to accept the folded flags gave Nathan a sturdy handshake. Some whispered in his ear.
"I appreciate your service to our country,'' one was overheard saying.
A handshake did not cut it for most of the women. They gave the flush-faced and visually moved Marine a tearful hug. There were not too many dry eyes in the room.
This event could have easily backfired for the Red Cross as an unnecessary publicity stunt. It did not. Nathan's gesture was heartily appreciated by most of those who lost loved ones in the collapse, even if the wounds are still fresh.
"I don't know why he decided to do this, but I can say that I truly thank him for thinking of us," said the wife of Artemio Trinidad Mena, 29, of Minneapolis, a produce truck driver.
Said the rest of the note:
"This flag was flown on ... for the entire day. I have flown a flag every day for every person lost in the tragedy in hopes that it will serve as a symbol of hope and love from our nation.
"My condolences to your family."
Nothing more need be said.
Ruben Rosario can be reached at rrosario@pioneerpress.com or 651 228-5454.
Ellie
RUBÉN ROSARIO
TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
Article Launched:10/09/2007 12:01:00 AM CDT
The 13 U.S. flags, all of them tightly folded in three-point military style, rested on a table Monday in a conference room at the Red Cross office in Minneapolis.
The folding ritual, I was told, dates to the three-corner hats in vogue at the time of the American Revolution.
The symbolism of the number 13 - the figure most culturally associated with misfortune as well as the number of stars on our nation's first flag - was not lost on me Monday morning.
A typed note was placed and secured by rubber bands on each folded flag. Each note said the same thing, though each was individually addressed to a different posthumous honoree:
"My name is Nathan (last name omitted) and I am a 1st Lieutenant with the United States Marines Corps, serving in Al-Anbar, Iraq. As a fellow Minnesotan and graduate of the University of Minnesota, I want to pass (on) my most sincere condolences on your loss and let you know that the country is thinking and praying for you and your family in this tragic time."
Sounds like a military missive to families of a soldier killed in combat. Actually, these are the sentiments expressed by a 27-year old Iraq combat vet to the families of the 13 people who lost their lives in the Interstate 35W bridge collapse more than two months ago.
There are random acts of kindness. This one was deliberate. This one, if you need a Hollywood descriptor, could be coined "Flags of Our Fallen.''
But whatever and however you spin this, do call it something special - a soldier in the midst of the flaring conflict in Iraq who took time to remember a tragedy close to home.
"To think, what this young man did, while he himself was in harm's way,'' said Ron Engebretsen, the husband of Sherry Engebretsen, one of the 13 bridge victims.
"This does help in our grief,'' he added. "And what better way than an American flag, the symbol of our nation, to honor the victims?''
Nathan asked that his last name be withheld because he is engaged in a sensitive military assignment that could place him as well as family members here in potential jeopardy.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. At the time, he was attending the University of Minnesota and working as an intern with the Hennepin County Attorney's Financial Litigations division.
"I was interested in the military and serving my country,'' said Nathan, who comes out of Marine central casting - clean-cut and dripping with a patriotism that would sound unabashedly hokey if not for his earnest demeanor.
Assigned to support a Marine battalion in Iraq that is based out of Hawaii, Nathan was taken aback when he got an e-mail from a family member telling him about the bridge collapse. As a Minneapolis resident and college student, Nathan has many times traversed the bridge that collapsed.
"I was planning to fly a flag for my family members,'' recalled Nathan. "But I decided that instead of doing that, I would fly a flag for each of the victims.''
He went to the nearest base commissary in Iraq and purchased 13 flags at $14 a pop.
The lone Minnesotan among his immediate 22-member outfit and overall 90-member division, Nathan said he had no trouble enlisting help and support from colleagues.
"They understood, as I did, that this was not just about Minneapolis or Minnesota, but it was something that affected the whole nation, even among us in Iraq," Nathan said.
He flew the first flag on Aug. 1 - the day of the tragedy here but the second day in Iraq - in honor of Julia Blackhawk. He raised the last flag on Aug. 13 for another victim, Scott Sathers.
Nathan, who recently wrapped up his second tour in Iraq and has plans to attend business graduate school at the U's Carlson School of Management, did not want to make a big deal out of his gesture.
He mailed the flags before his arrival here. He contacted Red Cross officials to see whether they could help him mail the flags to the families. The Red Cross folks thought this deserved much more recognition. The overwhelming majority of the families agreed.
They showed up yesterday, wounds still fresh, the grieving still very much alive.
Joy Blackhawk, Julia's mom, was the first to come up to receive the flag in honor of her daughter.
"I appreciate what he did," she said later in the hallway after the ceremony. "He has become a part of us all.''
Many of the male relatives who came up to accept the folded flags gave Nathan a sturdy handshake. Some whispered in his ear.
"I appreciate your service to our country,'' one was overheard saying.
A handshake did not cut it for most of the women. They gave the flush-faced and visually moved Marine a tearful hug. There were not too many dry eyes in the room.
This event could have easily backfired for the Red Cross as an unnecessary publicity stunt. It did not. Nathan's gesture was heartily appreciated by most of those who lost loved ones in the collapse, even if the wounds are still fresh.
"I don't know why he decided to do this, but I can say that I truly thank him for thinking of us," said the wife of Artemio Trinidad Mena, 29, of Minneapolis, a produce truck driver.
Said the rest of the note:
"This flag was flown on ... for the entire day. I have flown a flag every day for every person lost in the tragedy in hopes that it will serve as a symbol of hope and love from our nation.
"My condolences to your family."
Nothing more need be said.
Ruben Rosario can be reached at rrosario@pioneerpress.com or 651 228-5454.
Ellie