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| Image: Aaron Clark of Chico.
Died on December 5th 2003 from a bomb exploding near his Humvee. I'm sure we all have a lot of fun planned for Memorial Day. I've had a mix of work-around-the house and fun stuff planned. But today really is about honoring the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that died in the service of our country. I have a picture of myself very similar to that of Aaron Clark above. It was taken when I served in the Infantry during basic training as part of a "yearbook" for lack of a better word. I suspect this photo shows Aaron near the tail end of "basic" but before he entered the world of army life. Aaron's picture takes me back to a time when I was 18 and away from home for the first time. In a real sense I never went home after that picture. California has had 537 service men and women die from 2001 to the present. A searchable database can be found on the LA Times web site (see here). It shows 1 serviceman who died with the hometown listed as Chico. From the LA Times obituary(see here)... For several months, Army Spc. Arron R. Clark gave soldiers serving with him in Iraq his two-week passes, which would have allowed him to visit his mother in Northern California. " Mom, they have babies they have not seen," he explained in letters to his mother, Tamela Lyne Clark, 45, of Chico. "I hope you understand." The 20-year-old Chico native promised his mother he would come home on his scheduled Jan. 8 return to the United States to attend the Army Ranger School. But Clark was killed Dec. 5 when an explosive device detonated next to his Humvee in Baghdad. " He was my only child," his mother said Thursday as she waited in Sacramento for her son's body, which was being escorted home by his cousin, Lisa Herrik, 28, of Chico, who is an Army helicopter pilot stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. It's easy to wrap Memorial Day in the flag and rejoice in the heroic gestures of so many that have died for our country. This year I'd like to give thanks to Aaron Clark and his family who have sacrificed more than anyone should have to. I don't know the family, or this young man. But he went to our schools, drove our streets, and passed his time in our community. And then he died in the service of our country. He deserves our thanks. Here are some other men from our region who gave their lives since 2001... Allen C. Johnson, 31 - Los Molinos Steven J. Walberg-Riotto, 18 - Paradise Micah S. Gifford, 27 - Redding Timothy Craig Kiser, 37 - Redding Casey M. LaWare, 19 - Redding Thomas B. Turner Jr., 31 - Cottonwood |
Think of Locals Today
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Lon
About Me: Fasten your seatbelts for an exhilarating trip through Chico's public policy; I guarantee it's marginally better than public access TV.
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Great entry. I wish the Clark family peace and my humble thanks. . . .
Thanks Jim,
I also noticed that Thomas B. Turner of Cottonwood attended Chico State.
Lon
I remember working with him. He was the NBC Specialist for B CO and I was the NBC Specialist for C CO of 440th SIG BN, 22ND SIG BDE. I remember him as well as the other fallen soldier who died only ten days later. I continue praying for their families as I know the loss never goes away.