Paintings of fallen Marines come to Cincinnati

[thedrifter]

Paintings of fallen Marines come to Cincinnati
Associated Press - November 14, 2008 3:45 PM ET

CINCINNATI (AP) - Life-size paintings of 23 Marines and service members killed in Iraq are moving from the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus to a Cincinnati museum.

Family members of those killed hope even more people will get a chance to see the memorial in Cincinnati, an area that was home to 6 of the servicemen.

The paintings are of members of the Columbus-based Lima Company that was devastated by attacks in Iraq in 2005.

The wife of 1 of the Marines depicted in the exhibit says she will take her 3-year-old son to Saturday's opening of the display at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Chrystina Kreuter (KROO-tuhr) says she thinks it is important for her young son to be able to look back and realize he took part in the tribute to his father.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Museum Center Exhibit Honors Lima Company Marines
Last Update: 11/14 11:17 pm

An emotionally powerful exhibit opens this Saturday at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Ken Kreuter, of Miami Heights, spent part of his Friday staring at a nine-foot tall painting at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

He couldn’t take his eyes off the image before him.

"I see my son," Kreuter said. "He’s looking right back at me."

Kreuter was focused on a life-size picture of Marine Sergeant David Kreuter, his 26-year-old offspring who died in Iraq in August of 2005.

Sgt. Kreuter is one of 23 Marines depicted in the "Lima Company Memorial: A Remembrance of Spirit & Choice." It opens Saturday following dedication ceremonies at 10:00 a.m.

The Lima Company Marines all died within months of one another in 2005 in Iraq.

Fourteen were killed in August when the vehicle in which they were riding hit an IED.

Sgt. Kreuter and four other Marines from Southwestern Ohio died in the blast.

They included Lance Corporal Chris Dyer, 19, of Evendale and Glendale; Lance Corporal Timothy Bell, 19, of West Chester; Lance Corporal Brett Wrightman, 22, of Sabina; and Lance Corporal Michael Cifuentes, 25, of Fairfield.

Lance Corporal Nick Erdy, 19, of Owensville, was killed in May of 2005.

Columbus artist Anita Miller said the commission for the work didn’t come from Earth. She was moved to help families of the Marines in whatever way she could. The exhibit was her answer.

Miller spent a year getting to know the Marines and their families.

It took another 18 months to actually paint the 23 Marines on nine separate panels.

Families have commented that they can almost feel their sons when they view the exhibit.

"I see the paint as a conduit, so that the men can touch the ones they love again," Miller said.

Kreuter made the connection immediately.

"They’re so real," he said. "That’s a testament to Anita’s skill and really to the inspiration that she had in creating this exhibit."

When he looks at the painting of his son, Ken Kreuter sees the mischievous brown eyes, the mole on his right cheek and the wedding band that David’s wife insisted be added.

David didn’t have the ring with him in Iraq.

"It’s kind of giving him back," Kreuter said. "Many of the families have said that."

"We know they’re not going to be stepping down out of the pictures, but it’s still matter of it looks like they’re right here with us," Kreuter added.

Stopping to dab his eyes with a tissue several times, Kreuter said he was proud of his son and all the Marines who gave their lives for their country.

"In many ways they became closer than blood brothers because of the situations – the dangers they faces," he added. "They depended on each other for their lives."

Asked what he would say to David if he had one more chance, Ken Kreuter replied, "I would ask him, ‘What else can I do?’"

The answer, Kreuter said, is to take care of the troops that come home wounded.

"Our wounded warriors need to have our aggressive efforts to give them the help that they need – the psychological help that they have come to expect and hope for," he continued. "That will help validate what these guys have done."

"I would say, ‘David, we’re working on that,’" the proud father stated. "We’re going to keep pressing for that because the ones who came home need our help the most."

Ellie

[thedrifter]

November 15, 2008


Healing continues for those who knew fallen Marines

By Janelle Gelfand
jgelfand@enquirer.com

Carl Schneider, who was injured while serving in Lima Company, was wearing wristbands in memory of his best friends, Lance Cpl. Wesley G. Davids and Lance Cpl. Nicholas B. Erdy.

Chrystina Kreuter of Mason, 28-year-old widow of Sgt. David Kenneth J. Krueter, was wearing her husband’s wedding ring.

Members of the 478th Army Engineer Battalion in Fort Thomas, who just returned from Iraq in May, came to show their support.

A memorial to 23 fallen heroes was unveiled in an emotional rededication ceremony Saturday at Cincinnati Museum Center. “The Lima Company Memorial: A Remembrance of Spirit & Choice” consists of eight life-size paintings by Columbus-area artist Anita Miller. The portraits represent 22 fallen Marines and a Navy Corpsman from the Columbus-based Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, who lost their lives while serving in Iraq in 2005.

“I try to live my life for the life they couldn’t live,” says Schneider, 25, of White Oak, who was with Davids and Erdy when they were attacked in Al Qa’im, Iraq, near the Syrian border.

“It’s like family. We pretty much did everything together – we patrolled together, we lived together,” says Schneider, now a Xavier University student. “Every time I have a rough day or something, I just look at (the wristbands) and they push me to motivate myself and live my life.”

The mood was deeply personal and emotional, as hundreds of family members, friends and community members witnessed the opening ceremony, and followed a bagpipe processional to the unveiling of the portraits in the Cincinnati History Museum. The 6-by-8-foot panels were arranged in an octagon with the soldiers’ boots beneath them. Family members lit ever-living candles as the paintings were unveiled. Shelves for mementos had family photos, flowers and obituaries about the young men.

Some, overcome with emotion as they viewed the portraits again, seemed to be reliving the moment when they received the terrible news.

“Obviously we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to him, so this is a way for us to heal,” said John Dyer, father of Lance Cpl Christopher J. Dyer, 19, of Evendale.


Ellie