Letter: Out of sight, out of mind

0
20

letters_flatTo the editor,

Instead of listing the death toll of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, why not make a weekly section for these men and women who daily make the ultimate sacrifices for the freedom we have.

It breaks my heart to read daily the hardships these heroes endure on their return home. Each one has a story to tell. In allowing them to do this or reading a comrade’s story, it would tell them they are not forgotten or alone. A life might be saved.

One such story I read is about Mike Monsoor.

Mike Monsoor was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for giving his life as he jumped on and covered his body over a live hand grenade, saving the lives of a group of Navy Seals passing by.

During the funeral, the six pallbearers removed the rosewood casket from the hearse. On each side were family members, friends and fellow sailors.

What the group didn’t know at the time was that every Navy Seal, 45 to be exact, that Mike Monsoor had saved were waiting for his arrival. As the pallbearers carried the casket to the grave site, each of the 45 soldiers removed a Gold Trident Pin from their uniform, embedding it forever into the top of the wooden casket, with on solid smack. Following the pinning, each soldier gave Mike Monsoor one final salute.

A Gold Trident Pin is given to each Navy Seal upon successful completion of the 18 weeks of qualification training. With this pin, they are now officially Navy Seals.

It was said that each of the 45 slaps could be heard across the cemetery. This was a fitting end to an eternal send off for a warrior hero.

Jim Miele

Naugatuck