We are in many ways a family business. Not just here - we covered the Dutch loss a bit over two years ago.
Every loss is personal, but it is important to recall that more often than not, those in positions of power know the importance of their position and the work we do. They know it personally.
No need for me to say more - the email below was sent out to our family; and no more needs to be said.
From: Kelly LtGen John FMore to ponder here.
Date: November 12, 2010 10:23:20 PM EST
Subject: FW: My Boy
Family and Friends,
As I think you all know by now our Robert was killed in action protecting our country, its people, and its values from a terrible and relentless enemy, on 9 Nov, in Sangin, Afghanistan. He was leading his Grunts on a dismounted patrol when he was taken. They are shaken, but will recover quickly and already back at it. He went quickly and thank God he did not suffer. In combat that is as good as it gets, and we are thankful. We are a broken hearted - but proud family. He was a wonderful and precious boy living a meaningful life. He was in exactly the place he wanted to be, doing exactly what he wanted to do, surrounded by the best men on this earth - his Marines and Navy Doc.
The nation he served has honored us with promoting him posthumously to First Lieutenant of Marines. We will bury our son, now 1stLt Robert Michael Kelly USMC, in Arlington National Cemetery on 22 Nov. Services will commence at 1245 at Fort Myers. We will likely have a memorial receiving at a yet to be designated funeral home on 21 Nov. The coffin will be closed. Our son Captain John Kelly USMC, himself a multi-tour combat veteran and the best big brother on this earth, will escort the body from Dover Air Force Base to Arlington. From the moment he was killed he has never been alone and will remain under the protection of a Marine to his final resting place.
Many have offered prayers for us and we thank you, but his wonderful wife Heather and the rest of the clan ask that you direct the majority of your prayers to his platoon of Marines, still in contact and in "harm's way," and at greater risk without his steady leadership.
Thank you all for the many kindnesses we could not get through this without you all. Thank you all for being there for us. The pain in unimaginable, and we could not do this without you.
Semper Fidelis
John Kelly
11 comments:
Another fine Marine falls in battle. Now he stands Post at Heaven's Gates with his fellow Marines who went before him. I hope the Lord provides comfort to his family and his father the General. Always faithful, ever more.
May God Bless him and his family.
<p><span><span>Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping
all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad.
Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace;
strengthen them in their trials and temptations;
give them courage to face the perils which beset them;
and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen</span></span></p>
May the Creator grant them peace in this time of greatest sorrow. It is one thing to put one's own life in harm's way; it is quite another when it is your child who has chosen that same path.
Sal,
Thanks for sharing. As an active duty naval officer that has a son forward deployed, I am reminded of the possible outcome that each of our active duty sons and daughters take on each time they wake in a foreign land.
To Gen Kelly and his family: God bless you and yours during this time. Semper Fi.
Every loss is terrible.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilence.
God bless. Thank you for posting this.
God bless. Thanks for posting this, indeed.
Sal -
For a future Fullbore--track down General Kelly's speech to the SEMPER FI SOCIETY OF ST LOUIS on 13 NOV
2010. You may have it in email, it's being circulated around. Too long to post here, but the final third of it is about the last six seconds of two marines' lives.
Bull Snipe has a comment about the speech in St Louis on November 13, 4 days after his son was taken from his family. Here is the Paul Harvey as reported on a local radio station that was a sponsor of this event. The General was to give this speech to celebrate the USMC birthday and to kick off Toys for Tots. When the folks in St louis learned of his son's death they said they would get another speaker. The General in true Marine fashion told them he had made a commitment and would fulfill it in honor of his son.
To those who haven't read the Nov 13th speech. LtGen Kelly mentions his sons in passing and does not mention Robert's death.
"From the moment he was killed he has never been alone and will remain under the protection of a Marine to his final resting place."
This passage brought tears to my eyes.
God Bless & Semper Fi!
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