thedrifter
03-17-08, 06:08 AM
Marines march in Boston parade
HEATHER GALE
March 17, 2008 - 1:02AM
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Twenty-two Camp Lejeune Marines marched in the one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the world Sunday, in honor of their fallen comrade.
Lance Cpl. Walter "Wally" O'Haire was an avid St. Patrick's Day fan and a Boston native, friends and family said. He was serving with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, when he was killed in Iraq on May 9. It was his first deployment.
Wally's mother, Maureen O'Haire, lives in Boston and asked that his unit come up to Massachusetts and march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in honor of him.
"(My family) wanted to do something for all the men and women who serve in the war," she said in a phone interview. "Wally loved the parade and I know he would have enjoyed seeing it."
The 22 Marines marched in their dress blues, behind the Marine Corps band and in front of the O'Haire family.
Lance Cpl. Ariel White, 22, of Camp Lejeune, said O'Haire was always big on Boston. To march in the parade is a special way to honor him and make sure he is not forgotten, he said.
"(The group) is very excited and honored to be here," he said.
White said he first met O'Haire during infantry training, and the two ended up in the same platoon and the same squad.
"We went through our whole Marine Corps experience together," he said. "And then we were deployed together."
The unit deployed in early April 2007 and returned Oct. 23, White said.
"Wally was one of those guys that everyone knew and everyone liked," White said. "He had a good heart and knew how to make everyone laugh."
White said he and O'Haire would often hang out after work and he considered him one of his good friends.
"After we would get off work, we would head down to his room and watch TV," he said. "He always made you feel good when you are around him, by asking about family and talking about his family."
White said he could also tell O'Haire loved the Marines.
Maureen O'Haire said she and her late husband always wanted their kids to make a difference in the world.
"He died doing something that he believed in," she said. "We knew and he knew there was a risk, but he wanted to serve his country."
White said O'Haire's father passed away not too long before his son joined the Marine Corps.
"His father always wanted him to do something to make him a better man," he said.
Staff Sgt Brian Mullen, 28, was O'Haire's platoon sergeant and said he had known him since October 2006.
"Wally had more heart than most people I have ever known," he said.
Mullen said being in Boston to honor O'Haire was a very rare and overwhelming opportunity.
"I mean, nearly a platoon of Marines is going to be honoring him by marching in the parade," he said Saturday. "It is an indescribable experience."
Building a bond with the O'Haire family has helped to bring closure, Mullen said.
"It really helps the Marines to see where Walter grew up and see what kind of family he had," he said. "And for the O'Haire family to see the kind of Marines (Wally) was working with."
Mullen said he and the other Marines have created an unbreakable bond with Wally's family.
"Wally can still live on because of us and his family," he said.
O'Haire, who was killed by a sniper attack, was the only Marine to die from Mullen's platoon, he said.
"The way we were attacked, we couldn't help but to take it personally," he said. "We were there for a peace-keeping type mission and with his death it gave us that much more reason to not forget about the nation and the reason why we were there."
Maureen O'Haire said Wally was buried only days before his 21st birthday.
"We still celebrated his birthday this year," she said. "We set off balloons and sang Happy Birthday."
Maureen O'Haire said she has not overcome the grief of losing her son, but she has been able to change her focus.
"I just constantly am saying thank you to everyone who serves," she said. "These are great men and women who make a choice to (serve the country)."
Staying in contact with Wally's Marine buddies, his mother said, also helps her get through the day.
Contact city and county reporter Heather Gale at hgale@freedomenc.com or 910-353-1171 ext. 8464. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com.
Ellie
HEATHER GALE
March 17, 2008 - 1:02AM
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Twenty-two Camp Lejeune Marines marched in the one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the world Sunday, in honor of their fallen comrade.
Lance Cpl. Walter "Wally" O'Haire was an avid St. Patrick's Day fan and a Boston native, friends and family said. He was serving with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, when he was killed in Iraq on May 9. It was his first deployment.
Wally's mother, Maureen O'Haire, lives in Boston and asked that his unit come up to Massachusetts and march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in honor of him.
"(My family) wanted to do something for all the men and women who serve in the war," she said in a phone interview. "Wally loved the parade and I know he would have enjoyed seeing it."
The 22 Marines marched in their dress blues, behind the Marine Corps band and in front of the O'Haire family.
Lance Cpl. Ariel White, 22, of Camp Lejeune, said O'Haire was always big on Boston. To march in the parade is a special way to honor him and make sure he is not forgotten, he said.
"(The group) is very excited and honored to be here," he said.
White said he first met O'Haire during infantry training, and the two ended up in the same platoon and the same squad.
"We went through our whole Marine Corps experience together," he said. "And then we were deployed together."
The unit deployed in early April 2007 and returned Oct. 23, White said.
"Wally was one of those guys that everyone knew and everyone liked," White said. "He had a good heart and knew how to make everyone laugh."
White said he and O'Haire would often hang out after work and he considered him one of his good friends.
"After we would get off work, we would head down to his room and watch TV," he said. "He always made you feel good when you are around him, by asking about family and talking about his family."
White said he could also tell O'Haire loved the Marines.
Maureen O'Haire said she and her late husband always wanted their kids to make a difference in the world.
"He died doing something that he believed in," she said. "We knew and he knew there was a risk, but he wanted to serve his country."
White said O'Haire's father passed away not too long before his son joined the Marine Corps.
"His father always wanted him to do something to make him a better man," he said.
Staff Sgt Brian Mullen, 28, was O'Haire's platoon sergeant and said he had known him since October 2006.
"Wally had more heart than most people I have ever known," he said.
Mullen said being in Boston to honor O'Haire was a very rare and overwhelming opportunity.
"I mean, nearly a platoon of Marines is going to be honoring him by marching in the parade," he said Saturday. "It is an indescribable experience."
Building a bond with the O'Haire family has helped to bring closure, Mullen said.
"It really helps the Marines to see where Walter grew up and see what kind of family he had," he said. "And for the O'Haire family to see the kind of Marines (Wally) was working with."
Mullen said he and the other Marines have created an unbreakable bond with Wally's family.
"Wally can still live on because of us and his family," he said.
O'Haire, who was killed by a sniper attack, was the only Marine to die from Mullen's platoon, he said.
"The way we were attacked, we couldn't help but to take it personally," he said. "We were there for a peace-keeping type mission and with his death it gave us that much more reason to not forget about the nation and the reason why we were there."
Maureen O'Haire said Wally was buried only days before his 21st birthday.
"We still celebrated his birthday this year," she said. "We set off balloons and sang Happy Birthday."
Maureen O'Haire said she has not overcome the grief of losing her son, but she has been able to change her focus.
"I just constantly am saying thank you to everyone who serves," she said. "These are great men and women who make a choice to (serve the country)."
Staying in contact with Wally's Marine buddies, his mother said, also helps her get through the day.
Contact city and county reporter Heather Gale at hgale@freedomenc.com or 910-353-1171 ext. 8464. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com.
Ellie