We Remember the Fallen

"We came upon him sitting in the sun,
Blinded by war, and left. And past the fence
There came young soldiers from the Hand and Flower,
Asking advice of his experience.

And he said this, and that, and told them tales,
And all the nightmares of each empty head
Blow into air; then, hearing us beside,
'Poor chaps, how'd they know what it's like?' he said.

And we stood there, and watched him as he sat,
Turning his sockets where they went away,
Until it came to one of us to ask
'And you're--how old?'
'Nineteen, the third of May.'"
--The Veteran, Margaret P. Cole


MSNBC reported tonight that October has been the bloodiest month in this eight-year war. 54 of our brave men and women are with us no more. The list of Americans who gave their lives is long and sad this time. But they, and their families deserve a few moments that we might ponder their names and pray for their families. Let us remember the fallen.

Maj. David L. Audo / Age 35 / St. Joseph, Ill. / Died of injuries sustained from a noncombat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq / October 27, 2009.

Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury/ Age 23 / Anchorage, Alaska / One of four Marines killed in a midair helicopter collusion in Helmand province, Afghanistan./ October 26, 2009.

Capt. Eric A. Jones / Age 29 / Westchester, NY / Also killed in that helicopter collusion in Afghanistan, October 26, 2009.

Capt. David S. Mitchell /Age 30 / Loveland, Ohio/ Also killed in that same helicopter collusion in Afghanistan/ October 26, 2009.

Capt. Kyle R. Van De Giesen / Age 29 /North Attleboro, Mass. / Also killed in that same helicopter collusion in Afghanistan/ October 26, 2009.

Sgt. Eduviges G. Wolf / Age 24 / Hawthorne, Cal. / Did in wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her vehicle with a rocket propelled grenade in Kunar province, Afghanistan/ October 25, 2009.

Pfc. Devin J. Michel / Age 19 / Stockkton, Ill. / Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit in Zhari province, Afghanistan/ October 24, 2009.

Pfc. Kimble A. Han / Age 30 / Lehi, Utah / One of two soldiers killed when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan/ October 23, 2009.

Spc. Eric N. Lembke / Age 25 / Tampa, Florida / Killed along with Pfc. Han with a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, October 23, 2009.

Sgt. Kyle A. Coumas / Age 22 / Lockeford, Cal. / Killed when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a roadside bomg in Kandahar province, Afghanistan / October 21, 2009.

Lance Cpl. David R. Baker / Age 22 / Painesville, Oh / Died while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghnistan / October 20, 2009.

Staff Sgt. Bradley Espinoza / Age 26 / Mission, TX / Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces atrtacked his vehicle with a roadside bomb in Qwsst, Iraq / October 19,2009.

Pfc. Daniel Rivera / Age 22 / Rochester, NY / Died of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle in Mosul, Iraq / October 18, 2009.

Spc. Michael A. Dahl Jr. / Age 23 / Moreno Valley, Cal./ Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle in Argahndab, Afghanistan/ October 17, 2009.

Sgt. Anthony G. Green / Age 28 / Matthews, NC / One of tw soldiers killed when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with a roadside bomb in Wardak province, Afghanistan / October 16, 2009.

Sgt. Christopher M. Rudzinski / Age 28 / Rantoul, Ill. / Killed when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a roadside bomb near Kandahar, Afghanistan/ October 16, 2009.

Staff Sgt. Chris N. Staats / Age 32 / Fredericksburg, TX. / One of two soldiers killed when enemy forces attacked their vehicle in Wardak province, Afghanistan/ October 16, 2009.

Sgt. Jesus O. Flores Jr / Age 28 / La Miranda, Cal. / One of four killed when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with a roadsidebomb in Kandahar province, Afghanistan / October 15, 2009.

Spc. Daniel C. Lawson / Age 33 / Deerfield Beach, Fl. / One of the four soldiers killed when their vehicle was attacked in Kandahar province, Afghanistan/ October 15, 2009.

Staff Sgt. Glen H. Stivison Jr. / Age 34 / Blairsville, Pa. / One of the four killed in vehicle attack in Kandahar province, Afghanistan / October 15, 2009.

Pfc. Brandon M. Styer / Age 19 / Lancaster, PA. / The last of those four soldiers killed in vehicle attack in Kandahar province, Afghansitan / October 15, 2009.

Spc. George W. Cauley / Age 24 / Walker, Mn. / Died October 10th in Bagram, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle in Helmand province, Afghanistan / October 7, 2009.

Lance Cpl. Alfonso Ochoa Jr / Age 20 / Amona, Cal. /Died while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan / October 10, 2009.

Staff Sgt. Aaron J. Taylor / Age 27 / Bovey, Mn. / Died while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanitan / October 9, 2009.

Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth W. Westbrook / Age 41 / Shiprock, NM / Died October 7th at Walter Reed Hospital in DC of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms in Ganjigal Valley, Afghanistan / September 8, 2009.

"I am sorry for your loss.
Sorry too, for my part in it,
My apathy, my inattention.
Sorry for your loneliness and deprivation.
Your lost childhood. Your pain.
Sorry for the bombs that fell and fell,
For the planes that circle still.
In my name."
--Pamela Hale