thedrifter
08-18-09, 06:30 AM
Former Marine's son has dream fulfilled
8/17/2009 By Pfc. Walter D. Marino II , 2nd Marine Division
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. —
Joseph DeBacco is a nine-year-old boy with big dreams of being a Marine. But those hopes, after a two-year battle with terminal cancer, seemed far from reach until his father, former Marine Cpl. Mike DeBacco, made a call to an old friend.
Fourteen years had passed since they worked together, but when Mike called long-time friend Maj. Dave Burgess, his son had a chance to live his dream. Burgess arranged a tour of Camp Lejeune, N.C. for Joseph who is fighting rhabdomyosarcoma, a tumor that originates particularly in the skeletal muscles, and his family.
“I was honored,” said Burgess, a maintenance operation officer, with 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. “He’s my friend and Marines take care of each other–that’s what we do.”
Joseph got to see an AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter, a MV-22 Osprey, ride Amphibious Assault Vehicles and fire various weapons at the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer.
“My favorite thing to do was ride the AAV’s,” said Joseph. “I really liked everything. I saw what it was like to be a Marine and I got to see what my dad did.”
Mike, a former AAV mechanic, explained it has been a life long dream of his two sons to see and do what their dad did as a Marine.
“This whole experience has been great for the boys, they’ve never seen an AAV before,” said Mike, with a proud smile. “It’s been these boys’ dreams to be Marines. They talk about it all the time and if there not playing [video games], there pretending to be Marines. It’s all they do.”
Using the same vehicles Mike worked on, Lance Cpl. John Mckenzie, AAV crew chief, from 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, drove Joseph and his family around the waterways of Camp Lejeune.
“It’s rare that we take people out,” said Mckenzie. “He’s probably not going to have this opportunity again and I felt privileged to take them out on the water. I think they had a great time, they were smiling the whole time.”
After the tour of Camp Lejeune, Mike said he was happy his boys walked in a Marine’s shoes, and more importantly a young boy fulfilled his dream.
For more information on the II Marine Expeditionary Force, visit the unit’s web site at www.iimefpublic.usmc.mil.
http://www.marines.mil/_layouts/getthumbnail.aspx?ImageUrl=http://www.marines.mil/units/marforcom/iimef/PublishingImages/090814-M-3612M-001
Ellie
8/17/2009 By Pfc. Walter D. Marino II , 2nd Marine Division
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. —
Joseph DeBacco is a nine-year-old boy with big dreams of being a Marine. But those hopes, after a two-year battle with terminal cancer, seemed far from reach until his father, former Marine Cpl. Mike DeBacco, made a call to an old friend.
Fourteen years had passed since they worked together, but when Mike called long-time friend Maj. Dave Burgess, his son had a chance to live his dream. Burgess arranged a tour of Camp Lejeune, N.C. for Joseph who is fighting rhabdomyosarcoma, a tumor that originates particularly in the skeletal muscles, and his family.
“I was honored,” said Burgess, a maintenance operation officer, with 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. “He’s my friend and Marines take care of each other–that’s what we do.”
Joseph got to see an AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter, a MV-22 Osprey, ride Amphibious Assault Vehicles and fire various weapons at the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer.
“My favorite thing to do was ride the AAV’s,” said Joseph. “I really liked everything. I saw what it was like to be a Marine and I got to see what my dad did.”
Mike, a former AAV mechanic, explained it has been a life long dream of his two sons to see and do what their dad did as a Marine.
“This whole experience has been great for the boys, they’ve never seen an AAV before,” said Mike, with a proud smile. “It’s been these boys’ dreams to be Marines. They talk about it all the time and if there not playing [video games], there pretending to be Marines. It’s all they do.”
Using the same vehicles Mike worked on, Lance Cpl. John Mckenzie, AAV crew chief, from 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, drove Joseph and his family around the waterways of Camp Lejeune.
“It’s rare that we take people out,” said Mckenzie. “He’s probably not going to have this opportunity again and I felt privileged to take them out on the water. I think they had a great time, they were smiling the whole time.”
After the tour of Camp Lejeune, Mike said he was happy his boys walked in a Marine’s shoes, and more importantly a young boy fulfilled his dream.
For more information on the II Marine Expeditionary Force, visit the unit’s web site at www.iimefpublic.usmc.mil.
http://www.marines.mil/_layouts/getthumbnail.aspx?ImageUrl=http://www.marines.mil/units/marforcom/iimef/PublishingImages/090814-M-3612M-001
Ellie