TheAxeman
Well-known member
Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the last time that I ever saw my son Jordan alive. I took this photo of him on Onslow Beach down at Camp Lejeune on March 16th, 2008. He deployed on March 21st and was killed on April 22nd. I had flown down to say goodbye to him and to pick up his truck for transport back to NY. We ended up having a great weekend together, just me and him. We must have put 500 miles on the truck that weekend just driving around, laughing, joking, and doing the stuff that a father and son love to do together....
I was going through some letters I received after his death and came across this one and thought I would share it......Its been a hard journey. I've left the senders name off for privacy reasons.
I didn't really feel comfortable posting this on the website so I figured I would email it to you. I don't know if you are a member of the Haerter family or not but if you could please pass on my message to them. I never got a chance to meet Jordan while he was still living. My job in Iraq was making sure that fallen Marines get home and aren't left in a God awful place like Iraq. Jordan was one of those Marines I helped get back. We weren't sure what happened at first except for that it was a VBIED blast and two Marines were killed. This was not uncommon for us. The rest of the story trickled in little by little. We heard of how Jordan stood his ground and fought. Because of that we were only preparing two flag draped caskets and not 20. Jordan will forever be rememered by me and the Marines of my unit as being a hero. All Marines like to think that they have the kind of courage that he had and in that moment of truth they will perform the same way but no one ever knows. We treated him with great respect as we do all fallen Marines and I carried him onto the plane that took him out of Iraq. Before he left I told him be at peace brother, he would be back home shortly, and that he was a hero we would never forget. War hardened Marines who have seen hundreds of the fallen come through our doors were teary eyed and speachless at how this Marine who was younger than all of us was the bravest man we will ever see or know. I know I will be telling his story to my Marines for a long time to come. I was also very proud to hear that he recieved the Navy Cross, he deserves it. I didn't intend this email to upset anyone if it did. I just wanted you to know two things. We took good care of Jordan and gave him the hero's send off he deserved and treated him with the utmost dignity, reverence, and respect, and that even after he had passed on Jordan continued to inspire Marines with his heroism. It was my honor to help him get home to his family.
Semper Fi
CPL R.
May he forever Rest In Peace.
I was going through some letters I received after his death and came across this one and thought I would share it......Its been a hard journey. I've left the senders name off for privacy reasons.
I didn't really feel comfortable posting this on the website so I figured I would email it to you. I don't know if you are a member of the Haerter family or not but if you could please pass on my message to them. I never got a chance to meet Jordan while he was still living. My job in Iraq was making sure that fallen Marines get home and aren't left in a God awful place like Iraq. Jordan was one of those Marines I helped get back. We weren't sure what happened at first except for that it was a VBIED blast and two Marines were killed. This was not uncommon for us. The rest of the story trickled in little by little. We heard of how Jordan stood his ground and fought. Because of that we were only preparing two flag draped caskets and not 20. Jordan will forever be rememered by me and the Marines of my unit as being a hero. All Marines like to think that they have the kind of courage that he had and in that moment of truth they will perform the same way but no one ever knows. We treated him with great respect as we do all fallen Marines and I carried him onto the plane that took him out of Iraq. Before he left I told him be at peace brother, he would be back home shortly, and that he was a hero we would never forget. War hardened Marines who have seen hundreds of the fallen come through our doors were teary eyed and speachless at how this Marine who was younger than all of us was the bravest man we will ever see or know. I know I will be telling his story to my Marines for a long time to come. I was also very proud to hear that he recieved the Navy Cross, he deserves it. I didn't intend this email to upset anyone if it did. I just wanted you to know two things. We took good care of Jordan and gave him the hero's send off he deserved and treated him with the utmost dignity, reverence, and respect, and that even after he had passed on Jordan continued to inspire Marines with his heroism. It was my honor to help him get home to his family.
Semper Fi
CPL R.
May he forever Rest In Peace.