Dear America

Dear America,

Tomorrow we will bury one of your sons. He is not the first -- Lexington... the Marne... Corregidor... Normandy... Pusan... Khe Sahn... Khafji... Takur Ghar... Fallujah.... Ramadi... As hard as is it to accept, he will not be the last. It does not matter that you did not know him. It is important that you know his name. Pvt. Reece David Moreno. Age 19 years, 17 days. Killed in Balad, Iraq. Part of the U.S. Army's proud 3rd Infantry Division... 92 Engineer Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade. Son of Regan and Al.

Reece graduated high school early just to be able to enter the Army immediately after his 18th birthday. He has two brothers Luke and Joshua and four sisters, Michelle, Melinda, Amy and Amber. He had a fiancee, Chelsea. Family. All his friends and family said that they loved to hear him laugh... and that he spent a lot of time making them laugh.

The local newspaper offered in an editorial for Reece entitled, "Soldier epitomized America's best"

It's those people who have the moral integrity and fortitude to leave all those dear friends to serve their country in a faraway, hostile place.

And it's those who love life whose passing hurts the most.

As the aircraft carrier skipper in "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" mused after the loss of a key pilot, "Where do we find such men?"

America, to her credit, has many of them, and she can be very proud of Reece Moreno.

The Patriot Guard Riders escorted Reece from Phoenix to Prescott last evening. More PGR will form an honor guard and flag line tomorrow for his service and his burial -- with full military honors -- which will be attended by many. I will be one. I feel it an obligation -- and an honor -- to let Reece's family know that there are many who value Reece's sacrifice. I did not birth this son, but I feel him a son. He served in my son's Division, and they are all brothers. So tomorrow I will honer this brother... this son -- America's son. Later tomorrow evening, the town where Reece lived 18 of his 19 years will light the Court House and Town Square in celebration of Christmas... and in that lighting we will affirm that all that Reece loved and all that he served to defend will continue just as Reece would have wanted.

America, tomorrow we will bury one of your sons. Please take a moment to stop by the Memorial Page and the Legacy Page and leave a message of condolence and support for Reece's family.

Copyright Some Soldier's Mom 2006. All rights reserved.