wrbones
05-19-03, 12:25 PM
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=8054786&BRD=2311&PAG=461&dept_id=482260&rfi=6
Father-son Marines have emotional connection with Desert Storm, war in Iraq
By Jim Wagner, Staff Writer May 19, 2003
jim_w@newsitem.com
Norm Manney has a decorated walking stick he created during his service in Desert Storm in 1991.
A braided cord is wrapped around the five-foot long piece of wood, but the end hangs loose, symbolic of “unfinished business” from that war.
When Manney’s son, Shane, returns from the war in Iraq this summer, the two Marines will mark the completion of the job.
“My son told me that when he comes back, we are going to tack the end of that string to the stick,” said Norm Manney, a gunnery sergeant during the first Gulf War.
The stick is an important piece of a father-son relationship that has been built upon service to country. Cpl. Shane Manney, a 1998 Shamokin Area High School graduate, decided already in junior high school that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.
He didn’t know he would do that in a literal sense — right to the Middle East.
While the two have a close connection, mom has had plenty of worry. But the entire family is bolstered by faith.
“We just have faith in God that he will help us get through this,” said Debbi Manney. “When Norm went off to Iraq the first time in 1991, it was very encouraging to see Shane be very strong with his faith.”
Shane, who resides in Richmond with his wife, Rebekah, is a machine gun section leader with Echo Company 2/25 out of Harrisburg. He shipped out to Iraq in late March from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
n A wooden journal
In 1991 when Norm Manney first set foot in Saudi Arabia, before the start of Operation Desert Storm, he took a piece of wood from a bunker that was being built and began to carve a “journal” of his service.
“I just took my pocket knife and started to work on it while we were headed to Kuwait,” said Manney, now retired from the Marine Corps.
The stick features hundreds of small dots on one side at the top, signifying the number of artillery rounds fired by his unit during the ground war. Four larger dots on the other side at the top represent the days of ground war for Manney’s unit.
The stick also features a Bible verse and the logo of his unit, India Battery 3/14 out of Reading.
When Manney left the war to come home, he attached the braided cord to the stick, but left the end hang loose. He didn’t know then, of course, that his son would be part of the effort to finish the job.
The Manneys are planning a huge party for the “tacking-down” ceremony when Shane arrives home, which they hope will be in late August, depending on the situation in Iraq.
n A mother’s worry
Debbi Manney said she had the same feelings about her son going overseas as she did when her husband shipped out in 1991.
“I just felt like I couldn’t do this again,” she said.
She talked about how, during Desert Storm, it was Shane who helped her get through the day-to-day tensions. This time, her husband lends the support.
Norm Manney, however, would gladly serve again.
“I asked to get back into the Marines,” he said. “They were looking for volunteers to come back and help to support the effort.” His application to return to active duty is pending, but has not been acted upon.
While not hearing directly from their son since the war started, the Manneys have received letters written on cardboard boxes.
“We got a glimpse of him in an article sent out by the Marines when his unit was preparing meals outside of Nasiriyah,” said Deb Manney.
Shane’s unit also had an embedded reporter with it, so the Manneys could keep up to date on day-to-day activities. They have an extensive scrapbook of articles both from the Marines news service and the embedded reporter.
In addition to the unfinished business Shane and Norm Manney have with their stick and the war, they also share a philosophy about faith and love of country.
“When I was shipping off the first time, I told Shane that whatever happens, it is God’s will,” said Norm Manney. “If we put our life in God’s hands, he will take care of us.”
Last December, just before Shane was reactivated, he gave his father the same message.
“He told me that whatever happens, it is God’s will,” Norm Manney said.
Father-son Marines have emotional connection with Desert Storm, war in Iraq
By Jim Wagner, Staff Writer May 19, 2003
jim_w@newsitem.com
Norm Manney has a decorated walking stick he created during his service in Desert Storm in 1991.
A braided cord is wrapped around the five-foot long piece of wood, but the end hangs loose, symbolic of “unfinished business” from that war.
When Manney’s son, Shane, returns from the war in Iraq this summer, the two Marines will mark the completion of the job.
“My son told me that when he comes back, we are going to tack the end of that string to the stick,” said Norm Manney, a gunnery sergeant during the first Gulf War.
The stick is an important piece of a father-son relationship that has been built upon service to country. Cpl. Shane Manney, a 1998 Shamokin Area High School graduate, decided already in junior high school that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.
He didn’t know he would do that in a literal sense — right to the Middle East.
While the two have a close connection, mom has had plenty of worry. But the entire family is bolstered by faith.
“We just have faith in God that he will help us get through this,” said Debbi Manney. “When Norm went off to Iraq the first time in 1991, it was very encouraging to see Shane be very strong with his faith.”
Shane, who resides in Richmond with his wife, Rebekah, is a machine gun section leader with Echo Company 2/25 out of Harrisburg. He shipped out to Iraq in late March from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
n A wooden journal
In 1991 when Norm Manney first set foot in Saudi Arabia, before the start of Operation Desert Storm, he took a piece of wood from a bunker that was being built and began to carve a “journal” of his service.
“I just took my pocket knife and started to work on it while we were headed to Kuwait,” said Manney, now retired from the Marine Corps.
The stick features hundreds of small dots on one side at the top, signifying the number of artillery rounds fired by his unit during the ground war. Four larger dots on the other side at the top represent the days of ground war for Manney’s unit.
The stick also features a Bible verse and the logo of his unit, India Battery 3/14 out of Reading.
When Manney left the war to come home, he attached the braided cord to the stick, but left the end hang loose. He didn’t know then, of course, that his son would be part of the effort to finish the job.
The Manneys are planning a huge party for the “tacking-down” ceremony when Shane arrives home, which they hope will be in late August, depending on the situation in Iraq.
n A mother’s worry
Debbi Manney said she had the same feelings about her son going overseas as she did when her husband shipped out in 1991.
“I just felt like I couldn’t do this again,” she said.
She talked about how, during Desert Storm, it was Shane who helped her get through the day-to-day tensions. This time, her husband lends the support.
Norm Manney, however, would gladly serve again.
“I asked to get back into the Marines,” he said. “They were looking for volunteers to come back and help to support the effort.” His application to return to active duty is pending, but has not been acted upon.
While not hearing directly from their son since the war started, the Manneys have received letters written on cardboard boxes.
“We got a glimpse of him in an article sent out by the Marines when his unit was preparing meals outside of Nasiriyah,” said Deb Manney.
Shane’s unit also had an embedded reporter with it, so the Manneys could keep up to date on day-to-day activities. They have an extensive scrapbook of articles both from the Marines news service and the embedded reporter.
In addition to the unfinished business Shane and Norm Manney have with their stick and the war, they also share a philosophy about faith and love of country.
“When I was shipping off the first time, I told Shane that whatever happens, it is God’s will,” said Norm Manney. “If we put our life in God’s hands, he will take care of us.”
Last December, just before Shane was reactivated, he gave his father the same message.
“He told me that whatever happens, it is God’s will,” Norm Manney said.