Elsberry Marine To Meet The President
4/16/2003 12:38:47 PM

By Alex Fees

(KSDK) — A Missouri Marine wounded in Iraq is scheduled to meet his Commander In Chief today.

Private Adrian Fakes received a White House invitation to Boeing where a presidential handshake will be waiting. But there's a problem.

Adrian was honored in Elsberry, Missouri Tuesday night at an elementary school concert, along with other military members, police and firefighters.

The problem is that the dress blues, the military uniform this Marine would like to wear when he meets his Commander In Chief, the President, are in a locker in Iraq.

Fakes says, “all my service uniforms were put into storage with a buddy of mine’s over in Iraq.”

A year to the day after Fakes entered boot camp, his recruiter in St. Peters, SSGT. Asa Russell is trying to solve that problem, “he doesn’t really want to stand in front of the President in a suit and tie.“

SSGT. Russell’s’ “go-to” tailor in this case is Continental Cobbler Company.

Meanwhile Russell acquired a cover that fit him, and the shoes right off his own two feet.

At the concert, patriotic student singers have a patriot in their midst, and Private First Class Adrian Fakes is moved to tears in his hometown.

As the seamstress finishes sewing the rank insignia on the uniform, Sgt. Russell considers this mission a success.

There was no charge from Continental Cobbler Company.

PFC. Fakes seems to be enjoying, or at least tolerating, his new-found celebrity since he got home to Elsberry, although he says he hasn’t been able to get much sleep since he got back.

He is still recovering from the shrapnel wounds he sustained while in Iraq.

After meeting President Bush Wednesday, Fakes will be honored once again Wednesday night in a special ceremony planned for 6:30 at Elsberry City Park.


Sempers,

Roger