We Shall Keep the Faith
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
by Moina Michael
Spc. Kevin J. Graham
From the Department of Defense:
Spc. Kevin J. Graham, 27, of Benton, Ky., died Sept. 26 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
From The Herald-Dispatch:
The Rev. Jonathan Goodman told The Paducah Sun that 27-year-old Spc. Kevin J. Graham of Benton was honored to serve his country.
...
Goodman says Graham joined the Army in 2007, was married in Washington and had a stepson. The pastor says Graham’s parents brought reports of their son to church often and that members of the church would pray for him.
From king5.com:
According to unit records, Graham entered active duty in July of 2007. In December of 2007, he reported to Fort Lewis.
Sixteen Stryker Brigade soldiers have been killed since deployment to southeastern Afghanistan in July.
From the News Tribune:
Graham's relatives in Benton -- a town of about 4,400 people in western Kentucky -- couldn't be reached Monday. A relative told The News Tribune that Graham's parents were returning Monday from Dover Air Force Base, Del., where Graham's remains arrived stateside.
At the thenewstribune.com, there are several comments from people who know Spc. Graham.
One person left this touching comment:
I'm going to miss you so much buddy... i cant believe this happened.... ill never forget you. thanks for everything you have taught me since i joined the team... Prayers to your family buddy. i love you and im gonna miss you.
From his uncle:
My heart breaks whenever I hear of any of our soldiers' death or injury. I always prayed that these wars would end and all our soldiers would come home. On Saturday upon hearing of my nephew, Kevin's death, I now know personally as a family member of a fallen soldier, how devastating this is for any family. Kevin was a wonderful Christian man with a wife, son and a large close knit family. We have spent three days crying and comforting each other. He told us he loved this country was prepared for this. Unfortunately we are not. Yours prayers are so welcome.
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What You Can Do
There are a number of wonderful organizations out there which could use your help:
* Anysoldier.com
* Operation Helmet
* Fisher House
* Books for Soldiers
* Operation Ensuring Christmas
(big thanks to timroff for the beautiful logo)
About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT)
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind.; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma, Ministry of Truth, True Blue Majority, rb137, JeNoCo, roses, joyful, SpamNunn, blue jersey mom, greenies, twilight falling, Chacounne, SisTwo, monkeybiz, Sandy on Signal, and me, a girl in MI. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but, we believe, an important service to those Americans who have died, and to our community’s respect for and remembrance of them.
If you are interested in volunteering for the series please contact me, a girl in MI, at a_girl_in_mi_101 AT yahoo DOT com
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. We treat these diaries as a place to remember and reflect. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.