As I read about the lives of the Marine and two sailors we honor today—Lance Cpl. Shawn V. Starkovich, Chief Petty Officer Patrick L. Wade, and Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey L. Chaney—I was overwhelmed by how fearlessly they led their lives. They were young, but they crammed so much living into their few years among us.
Their lives brought back to me the wise words of the Shawnee warrior Tecumseh, who counselled people to live their lives in such a way that they could face death, whenever it comes, with no fear and no regrets. It’s impossible not to have regrets about a life that ends too soon. But these three men had no other cause to feel regret. They truly lived their lives to the fullest and strived to be the best people they could possibly be.
Follow me below the fold to read about the inspiring lives of these three men. (My favorite quote from Tecumseh is there as well.)
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and
Demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life,
Beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and
Its purpose in the service of your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,
Even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and
Bow to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and
For the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks,
The fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no living thing,
For abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts
Are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes
They weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again
In a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
~ Tecumseh
The three exceptional men we remember today epitomized what Tecumseh preached. They lived without fear and without regrets, in service to their country, experienced so much joy in living, and they died as heroes.
Shawn Starkovich
DoD reports:
Lance Cpl. Shawn V. Starkovich, 20, of Arlington, Wash., died July 16 in Al Anbar province, Iraq. His death is under investigation.
Starkovich was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Tecumseh would have found a kindred spirit in Shawn Starkovich. Shawn’s own words sum up his amazing attitude toward life:
Some talk it, I live it, some walk it, I go full throttle with no regrets, nothing to look back and be sorry for. A hardcore soul filled with love, positivity and peace of mind. No boundaries, no worries. If your not living life like me, your missing out. Push yourself to the end, till your dying days.
He did live it. "Adventurous" is the first word people use when describing Shawn, and his adventurous spirit and love of life seem to have emerged early. He took up skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing; motorcycle and automobile racing once he was old enough to drive; and, for a change of pace, saxophone playing. His mother, Kelly Starkovich, told the HeraldNet, "He liked living on the edge with those sports. He loved anything fast." His father, Jim Starkovich, shook his head and made excuses about why his son could always beat him in car races. His best friend, Chentelle Smith, said, "He was probably the most adventurous of my friends. I could really count on him for something original."
So it wasn’t much surprise when Shawn decided, at age 17, to join the Marines. He was still in high school when, with his parents’ permission, he enlisted in February 2005 (and he graduated early from Arlington High School to do so). His parents were concerned, but they knew Shawn really wanted to do this, so they supported his decision. His father, Jim Starkovich, told the Seattle Times, "It was his decision to go in and become a man. I was very proud of him for making that decision." Ultimately, Shawn trained to become a field wireman, and for his service, he was awarded a Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal.
It wasn’t really much surprise when Shawn decided to seek the assignment to Iraq that many others might not have wanted. "He reasoned it wasn’t worth being in the Marine Corps if he couldn’t fight for his country," his mother told the HeraldNet.
But it was a horrible, stunning surprise when Shawn died on July 16, during his first deployment to Iraq. His MySpace site continues drawing shocked, devastated messages from friends and family members who cannot believe that such a brave, adventurous spirit can be gone. Yet a tribute from his friend Kylie Brown reminds us that he lived and died true to his creed: no regrets. She writes, "I asked you if you were worried about going to Iraq and you said 'Nah not worried, I can't wait, its what I joined for, if I wasn't going over there I'd feel worthless in the marine corps.'"
Shawn’s friends and family remember him now as they try to come to terms with his death. HeraldNet reports:
"It takes a tough person to be in the Marine Corps, but he (also) was such a gentle person," Kelly Starkovich said.
(snip)
His openness and sincerity made him popular, (his friend, Chentelle) Smith said.
(snip)
"He made friends with bums on the street," Smith said. "He was always one to make friends with whoever was there.
"When people say that somebody has lived their life to the fullest, I know it's cliche, but he seriously did a lot in his 20 years," Smith added.
It's the unfinished plans that have made Shawn Starkovich's death particularly hard, Smith said.
They won't be able to go motorcycle riding to celebrate her new motorcycle license.
They won't get the tattoos they planned to get once he returned from Iraq.
"He was my Shawn," Smith said. "I'm still shaking to this day. I still can't believe he is gone."
Shawn leaves behind his parents, Kelly and Jim Starkovich, his sister, Jamie, his grandmother, Kay Starkovich, and countless friends. You can see a picture of Shawn here.
Rest in peace, Shawn Starkovich. May your brave and adventurous spirit roam free forever, and may you finally find the ultimate wave to surf. Semper fi.
Patrick Wade
DoD reports:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two sailors who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died July 17 as a result of enemy action while conducting combat operations in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq. The two sailors were assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eleven, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
Killed were:
Chief Petty Officer Patrick L. Wade, 38, of Key West, Fla.
Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey L. Chaney, 35, of Omaha, Neb.
Pat Wade grew up in Manawa, Wisconsin. He loved fishing and canoeing in Bear Lake and the Wolf River, wrestling, track, football, and hunting deer and turkey with his older brothers, Bob and Gary. Pat was always close to his brothers. When Gary joined the Marines and Bob joined the Air Force, he was determined to follow them into the military. After graduating from Little Wolf High School in 1987, he quickly enlisted in the Navy. His brother, Gary, told the Winona Daily News that Pat wanted to become a Navy SEAL. "'He just liked the adventure and the challenge,' the brother said. He didn’t make it but figured the next best thing was the explosives disposal team'."
The tragic death of his brother Bob in a helicopter accident in 1993 renewed Pat’s commitment to the Navy, and he chose to become a career military man. His brother Gary told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online that Pat "liked what he was doing and he believed in what he was doing":
What he was doing as an explosives technician took him all over the world ... During his career, the younger Wade had been everywhere from the Middle East to the Far East, cleared debris from the second space shuttle explosion and trained with German Navy divers recovering munitions from World War II, Gary Wade said.
"He even worked with a dolphin during the space shuttle operation," he said.
The Navy also provided Pat with the opportunity to meet his future wife, Kari, a sailor who was working on surveillance planes at the time. The two were married in 2003. They have two beautiful daughters, a 3-year-old named Noel, and a 10-month-old named Esme.
Pat was deployed to Iraq in May. On Tuesday, he was out on assignment when his vehicle encountered a bomb. He survived an initial bomb blast, and he and his crew started searching for other bombs. He and a colleague, Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey Chaney (see below), were killed as they attempted to detonate these bombs safely. His brother Gary told the Winona Daily News that the Navy informed them the explosion left a crater 40 feet long and 6 feet deep.
Pat’s distraught 70-year-old mother, Shirley Wade, who has now lost two sons while serving their country, could barely speak when asked about Pat: "He was a very outgoing young man. He enjoyed the service and his family. I just really can’t talk about that."
Gary Wade summed up what he considered to be most important about his brother:
"He loved what he did. He was a good friend, a good brother, a good uncle. He was a good man," the brother said. "He believed in what he was doing and he believed that he was accomplishing his mission." (Winona Daily News)
"He was always a good person, a positive person, always smiling and always trying to motivate you," Gary Wade said. "I'm very proud of my brother." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online)
Pat Wade is survived by his wife, Kari, his two daughters, Noel and Esme, his mother, Shirley Wade, and his brother, Gary Wade. You can see a picture of him here.
Rest in peace, Patrick Wade. May your adventurous and faithful spirit explore the wonders of the cosmos forever.
Jeffrey Chaney
In many ways, Jeff’s story is like that of the comrade with whom he served and died, Chief Petty Officer Patrick Wade (see above). He had an adventurous spirit, and he dreamed early of joining the Navy.
Jeff graduated from Bellevue West High School in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1990. In 1993, he decided to join the Navy. It didn’t disappoint him. His sister, April Chaney, told Omaha.com, "(He) loved the Navy; he just loved everything about his job. He was always talking about it." His many assignments included a three-year stint as a recruiter, where he was so successful that he even managed to convince his brother, Randy Chaney, to enlist. His mother, Connie Chaney, told the Journal Star, "At an awards ceremony, they called him the Tom Cruise of recruiters. He sold something that he loved." Omaha.com notes that his 14-year Navy career also gave him the opportunity to meet "Mikhail Gorbachev and former President George H.W. Bush while working with the Secret Service at Bush's 80th birthday celebration...he also worked with the Secret Service checking areas for explosives in the most recent presidential election, and he met both President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry."
Like Pat Wade, Jeff had originally dreamed of becoming a Navy SEAL. When his eyesight didn’t meet the requirements, he chose to become an explosives technician, deeming it the next best thing to being a SEAL. He was sent, along with Pat Wade and the rest of their unit, to Iraq in May. Jeff’s cousin, Chris Speckmeier, told the Beatrice Sun Daily that Jeff was committed to his mission in Iraq: "Jeff had the attitude that it was his job, he loved his job, and all he wanted to do was his job ... even if it meant giving his life."
And, like both Pat Wade and Shawn Starkovich, Jeff never flinched from doing the job he loved, in service to the country he loved. He was killed in the same explosion that claimed the life of Pat Wade, protecting others by trying to defuse bombs that threatened them.
Jeff’s grieving family can’t imagine life without him. WOWT News reports:
Jeff's sister, April Chaney told us, "Everybody loves him. He loved his job. He was doing what he wanted to do, enjoyed it and everybody loves him."
His mother Connie Chaney said, "I've talked to Jeff a lot since he's been in Iraq and never one time ever did he hang up without saying 'I love you mom.' I'll miss 'I love you mom.'"
Jeff is survived by his pride and joy: his 14-year-old daughter, Brianna; his mother, Connie Chaney; his father, Larry Chaney; his sister, April Chaney; his brothers, Randy Chaney and Jim Eckert; and his girlfriend, Gina Peery. You can see his picture here.
Rest in peace, Jeffrey Chaney. May your adventurous and faithful spirit explore the wonders of the cosmos forever.
A Special Remembrance...
Although IGTNT’s primary purpose is remember and honor those US servicepeople who lose their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, we often take a moment to remember members of the military who made the ultimate sacrifice elsewhere on behalf of their country. Yesterday, DoD reported that the remains of a Marine who served in the Vietnam War--and had been listed as missing in action since 1967--have been positively identified and returned, at long last, to his grieving family.
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Cpl. Jim E. Moshier, U.S. Marine Corps, of Bakersfield, Calif. He will be buried Wednesday in Bakersfield.
On June 11, 1967, Moshier was one of 11 passengers on board a CH-46A Sea Knight helicopter that was inserting forces into Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, when the aircraft was struck by enemy ground fire and crashed. Pilots from two nearby helicopters saw the crash and reported that none of the men on board could have survived. Aircraft flew over the site for several hours, but saw no survivors. A ground patrol attempted to access the site the next day, but could not because of the large concentration of enemy forces in the area. Two weeks later, a reconnaissance patrol was within 25 meters of the crash site, but extensive enemy activity prevented the team from approaching closer.
Between 1993 and 1994, U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted two surveys of the site, and interviewed several Vietnamese citizens who said they witnessed the crash. Two of the citizens claimed to have seen bone fragments while scavenging the site years earlier. The teams found small pieces of wreckage, but no human remains.
In May 2005, Vietnamese officials notified U.S. officials that possible human remains were present at a district security compound in Quang Tri Province. The Vietnamese reported they confiscated the remains and other items, including Moshier’s identification tag, from a Vietnamese citizen in 1996. The remains were then buried in the security compound, but the ID tag and other items had supposedly been lost over the years. Later that month, a U.S./S.R.V. team excavated the secondary burial site in the security compound and recovered a box containing human remains.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of Moshier’s remains. Remains from one of the other servicemembers on board the aircraft, Pfc. James E. Widener, U.S. Marine Corps, were identified in August 2006.
Rest in peace, Jim Moshier. May your spirit roam free forever, and may your family and friends finally find peace and closure with your return home. Semper fi.
In Closing...
As of this writing, Iraq Coalition Casualties reports that 3619 American soldiers have been confirmed killed in action in Iraq, with 9 additional deaths pending notification of the families. The DoD news releases can be found here.
You can help our soldiers. Please consider sponsoring a soldier at TroopCarePackage.com. It doesn’t take much time or money. Just send letters or care packages to your soldier. One of my "adopted" soldiers told me that "mail is gold" for a deployed soldier. A few minutes of your time and one airmail stamp can make a real difference in a soldier’s life. anysoldier.com, Operation Helmet, and Fisher House are also wonderful organizations that provide comfort and care to deployed American soldiers.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Monkeybiz, Sandy on Signal, silvercedes, noweasels, greenies, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, Wee Mama, MsWings, sheddhead, labwitchy, and moneysmith.
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