The Captain’s Journal » The Ultimate Sacrifice

Ernie Pyle

Ernie Pyle's timeless wartime columns ...

Overwhelming Melancholy

No July 4 hot dogs with the Iranian Mullahs ...

Obama’s Message of Weakness

Mark Steyn, U.S. sclerotic and ineffectual, declining into societal dementia ...

Can the U.S. Trust Sharif?

Nicholas Schmidle asks some hard questions about Nawaz Sharif ...

The CIA’s War with Obama

The CIA's war against President Bush was motivated by ass covering, or by political…

NSA Chief to Head Cyber Command

NSA Director Keith Alexander, a three-star general, is expected to earn a fourth star when he…

NSA Chief to Head Cyber Command

NSA Director Keith Alexander, a three-star general, is expected to earn a fourth star when he…

British Muslims Assisting Taliban

Providing electronic devices for IEDs ...

Hizballah gets away with murder - again!

Police watched from a distance and did not intervene ...

Victor Davis Hanson on the Middle East

Been there, done that in the Middle East ...
Matt Sanchez on DADT

Matt Sanchez - repealing DADT would be a disaster.

Ralph Peters on Afghanistan

Too much U.S. largesse has created corruption in Afghan government.

Obama’s Language Suggests Bad News for America’s Security

Dan Riehl weighs in on language, thinking and security from terrorism ...

U.S. Seeks Ship to Move Arms to Israel

The U.S. is seeking to hire a merchant ship to deliver hundreds of tonnes of arms to Israel…

Baitullah Mehsud’s Hit List

Sharif brothers on Baitullah Mehsud's hit list.

Russian Military Lies

No Georgian destruction of Tskhinvali, contrary to lying Russian claims.

New York Sun on Nuclear Iran

Nuclear yield within six to twelve months.

McNeill See Long Fight in Afghanistan

McNeill ties length to Pakistan tribal region, likely to be protracted anyway.

Munitions Seized in Sadr City Operations

Multinational force press release on Sadr City operations and seizure of weapons and munitions.

MEMRI: Interview of Baitullah Mehsud

"We will fight them to the end."
Pakistan Rejection of War on Terror

War on terror not popular with Pakistani population.

Upgrade for U.S. Facilities in Southern Iraq

U.S. presence expanding Southward in Iraq.

Iran Vows No Halt in Nuclear Program

Its full steam ahead for Iran.

Iran Continues to Supply Weapons into Iraq

And SECDEF Gates continues to press this issue.

Defense Think Tank Ties to Terror

Pajamas Media exclusive: how your tax dollars fund terror.

American Teacher Executed by Taliban

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Graduate executed in Afghanistan.

Afghan Winter Takes its Toll

Nearly 1000 dead from harshest Afghan winter in 30 years.

Attacks in Baghdad Fall

Attacks in Baghdad down 80% according to Iraqi Army.

W. Thomas Smith, Jr: Defense Spending Crisis

Lack of appropriate defense spending a grave situation.

Israel: Iran Seeking Nuclear Weapon

Olmert claims Iran still on target to construct nuclear weapon.
Odierno Back to Pentagon

Promoted to Army Vice Chief of Staff. Well deserved.

‘Lawyerizing’ the War

Must read on Israeli Army shame and lawyer happiness with war against Hezbollah.

Libyans Joining Jihad in Iraq

Libyans joining jihad in increasing numbers.

Maliki’s Opportunity to Rebuild Iraq

How relevant will Maliki be to Iraq's future?

Gains in Anbar Permanent

Maj. Gen. Gaskin: "The positive trends are permanent."

General Abizaid on Maliki

Abizaid questions whether Maliki can bring unity to Iraq.

More on Operation Lion Pounce

From the Multinational Force, more on Operation Lion Pounce.

The U.S. Loses an Ally

An important ally in Iraq has been assassinated.

IDF to Show U.S. Nuclear Data on Iran

Israel to show Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff nuclear intelligence on Iran.

Iraqi Cabinet Extends Mandate for U.S. Forces

Cabinet approves proposed agreement with U.S.
The Case Against Women in Combat

Prof. Kingsley Browne on his new book.

Iraq at Culminating Point

Major General Robert Scales: "Outcome is irreversible"

U.S. Military Needs Larger Slice of GNP

Mullen says military needs larger slice of GNP to modernize.

Anbaris Demand Payment

For siding with the U.S. against al Qaeda.

Terrorist Bride

Terrorist poses as bride. Ugh!

De-Ba’athification Headed for the Rocks

Legislation in trouble.

Al Qaeda Rolodex Found

Al Qaeda documents discovered near Syrian border.

Shame in Britain

Shameful people jeer disabled veterans in swimming pool.

Saudi Jihadist in Iraq Tells His Story

Saudi jihadist in Iraq tells his personal story.

Shi’ite Tribal Leader: Evicting Iranian Regime Only Solution for Iraq

Concerning Iranian meddling and Quds.
Happy Thanksgiving Baqubah Update from Michael Yon

Michael Yon breaks bread with General Petraeus.

Iraq: What Went Right?

Ralph Peters on the advancements in Iraq.

Al Qaeda Probing Hezbollah in Lebanon

War between al Qaeda and Hezbollah.

Thousands of TBI Cases Off-the-record

Traumatic brain injury not recognized.

Army Gets New Precision Anti-Armor Weapon

Ballistic Sensor Fused Munition.

U.S. Electronic Surveillance Monitored Israeli Attack on Syria

High intensity electronic warfare.

Operation Lion Pounce Nets Iranian Weapons

Iranian weapons are a sign of continued Iranian meddling in Iraq.

U.S. Deploys New Night Vision

U.S. forces in Iraq are using a high-resolution, thermal/infrared sensor system.

Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia

Washington Post profiles AQI (al Qaeda in Iraq, or al Qaeda in Mesopotamia).

U.S. Vulnerable to China’s Arsenal

Taiwan may not be as secure as we would like to think.
Extremists Fuel Anti-Women Violence in Basra

Be thankful your daughter isn't be raised in Basra.

Be Thankful Our Soldiers are Fighting a ‘Just War’

Pastor discusses rules of engagement and sacrificial U.S. deaths.

Reduction in Violence Surprises Even U.S. Commanders

In counterinsurgency (COIN), patience is a virtue. But violence has decreased so fast in…

22 Jun 2008

The Ultimate Sacrifice

BY Herschel Smith

1 year ago

Some of our warriors have given the ultimate sacrifice in the service of America in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In the picture below (h/t Tony Perry, credit AP), the casket of Marine Sgt. Michael T. Washington arrived Thursday at a funeral home in Auburn, Washington. He was based out of Twentynine Palms, and died supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Now notice further the Marine standing in the doorway saluting. It is his father, Michael W. Washington. The picture leaves us without words, except to reiterate prior prayers and condolences.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

It is because of such men we are free. Semper Fidelis.

**** UPDATE ****

Jim Spiri writes to say “In all my travels and all the photos I have ever taken, none has been more powerful than the photo you have shown today. There are no words left. It is the strongest photo I have ever seen.”

Marine Corps, Warriors

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