Honoring a Fallen Marine

[fontman]

Honoring a Fallen Marine
Springfield, Vermont - August 11, 2006

A Marine from Springfield will be laid to rest Friday.

Lance Corporal Kurt Dechen was gunned down in Iraq last Thursday on his 24th birthday.

Dechen was a decorated Marine who joined the armed forces in October of 2002. He was a member of the First Battalion 25th Marines based in Fallujah.

Dechen was hit by enemy gun fire on August 3rd while battling insurgents in the Anbar Province west of Baghdad. Dechen is the second Springfield native to be killed in Iraq in the past two years.

At his funeral Friday afternoon, Dechen's parents will be presented the purple heart, as well as the Iraq campaign medal, to honor their son's service to the armed forces.

In honor of Dechen, Governor Douglas has ordered all state flags be lowered to half staff.

They should return to full staff at sundown on Sunday.

[thedrifter]

Rest In Peace

Ellie