Michael G. Mihalakis, Army National Guard Specialist -- Rest In Peace

Michael G. Mihalakis, 18

Army National Guard, Specialist
Based: Fairfield, Calif.
270th Military Police Company, 49th Military Police Battalion, 100th Troop Command
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: December 26, 2003
Baghdad, Iraq
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: San Jose
High School: Milpitas High (Milpitas)
Burial: Cedar Lawn Memorial Park, Fremont, Calif.

As his assignment in Iraq neared completion, Army National Guard Spc. Michael Mihalakis e-mailed his instructors at Cuesta College near San Luis Obispo and asked them to hold him a place in their spring classes. His unexpected overseas adventures were coming to a close, and he was ready to renew his quest for a business degree.
"He was already planning the next phase of his life," his mother, Diana, said from the family home in San Jose. "He went out to discover himself and to grow and to have experiences. The last time I talked with him, he felt he had done those things."

Read more about Specialist Michael G. Mihalakis here, here and here.

I Need An iPhone 4

Vulgarity alert.

Obama Supports Shinto Shrine at Pearl Harbor

Emperor Self-Worship

As part of his general antagonism toward most things American, and toward all things Arizonan in particular, Obama offered his usual platitudinous, preachy and clueless reasoning for supporting the building of a Shinto shrine on the sacred ground of Pearl Harbor, in his home state of Hawaii:

Mr Obama expressed his support for the shrine, which will replace a building damaged by the attacks, at a White House meal celebrating the annual Shinto Autumn or Harvest Festival (Aki Matsuri, or Niiname-sai).

He said: ‘Let me be clear: As a citizen and as President I believe that Shintists have the same right to practise their religion as everyone else in this country.

‘That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community centre on private property in Pearl Harbor, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.’

Obama said it is important to honor those Kamikaze pilots spiritual devotees who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and those Nipponese haunted by the memories of their friends who didn’t come home from the war.

Shinto, the original Religion of Peace

Mayor Bloomberg and Fareed Zakaria would undoubted agree with pResident Obama on the Cordobaesque Shinto Shrine slated for Pearl Harbor.

Fernando Baxter Hannon, Marines, Pfc -- Rest In Peace

Fernando Baxter Hannon, 19

Marines, Private 1st Class
Based: Camp Pendleton
3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 15, 2004
Fallouja (near), Iraq
Engaged
Gender: Male
Hometown: Wildomar
High School: John Marshall Senior High (Los Angeles)
Burial: East Kern Cemetery, Mojave, Calif.

Sitting in their small, humble home in Mojave, Calif., it's hard for the Hannon family to talk about Fern, as they called him, without smiling or laughing, even in their grief.
"He just glowed," said his sister Sonya.
Even as a broad-shouldered man, standing 6 feet 3, Hannon could still fold himself into the arms of his much shorter mother.
She remembered how he would rest his head on her shoulder and promise that he would see to it that, one day, she would not have to work.

Growing up with three older sisters and a younger brother made him a compassionate and warm person, who rarely raised his voice and was generous with his affection, his family said.

His sisters also passed down a love of baking from scratch and watching soap operas, his sister Alicia Tovar said.
During his calls home from Iraq, Hannon would needle his sister for updates of "The Young and the Restless," but he would whisper so the soldiers waiting behind him for the telephone could not hear, Sonya Hannon said.

Hannon's fiance, Ruth Ponce, 21, remembered him as an unassuming young man who wooed her without knowing it. … "He would laugh with his whole spirit," she said. "I'm just glad we found each other."

Read more about Marines, Private 1st Class Fernando Baxter Hannon here.

Another Bitter Gun Owner Spotted Today

Yeah, bumper sticker of the day on a pickup truck in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Son of Marilyn and Dan -- Ben Quayle

Barack Obama is the worst president evah.
Another reason why we love Arizona.

Janelle F. King, Army, Medic -- Rest In Peace

Janelle F. King, 23

Army, Private
Based: Ft. Polk, La.
115th Combat Support Hospital
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 14, 2008
Baghdad, Iraq
Engaged
Gender: Female
Hometown: Merced
High School: Rancocas Valley Regional High School (Mount Holly NJ)
Burial: Ft. Sill Post Cemetery, Lawton, Okla.

King was serving her first tour of duty after joining the Army in May 2007. She was assigned to the 115th Combat Support Hospital in December, and her unit was deployed to Iraq in May.
The eldest daughter of an Air Force official, King was born in Altus, Okla., and lived in California, Panama and Hawaii before graduating from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mt. Holly, N.J., in 2003.
King took to the constant relocation like a "chameleon," making friends easily and getting along with people of vastly different backgrounds, said her father, Brian King, 47, of Severn, Md.

He said his daughter loved being an older stepsister to Alexandra King, 7, and Brian King, 5. "Whenever she came home, she'd tell us, 'Please go out so we can have fun,' " he said. "They would joke around, play, pull out board games -- Chutes and Ladders, Candyland -- and just enjoy each other's company."
Brian King last spoke to his daughter by phone Aug. 13 from the post office where he was preparing to send her a care package. The next day, he got the message that she had died

.....

Baby Girl,
I still remember all the times in the bay me n you would laugh n talk. I miss the crazy things you used to do and the way everyone would get so mad at you when you would come in and be loud and how I would take you back to your bunk and try to bribe you into going to sleep and then we would just laugh. I still can't believe you're gone. You will forever stay in my heart and mind. I Love You!
— Spc. Guerrero
September 18, 2009 at 5:53 a.m.

Visit Army Private Janelle F. King's Guest Book here and read more about her here and here.

Shabbat Shalom -- Jews in Hot Springs

Despite this decline, the Hot Springs Jewish community remains active and vibrant. The thermal waters and the pleasant quality of life still attract Jews to Hot Springs. The remaining congregation House of Israel has 65 member families and a full-time rabbi. While the golden age of kosher hotels and multiple congregations has passed, Hot Springs remains an important center of Jewish life in Arkansas.
Read more here.

Sentence Of The Month from Clifton B. at The Real ABC

The Real ABC?
That would be Another Black Conservative
And here's the sentence'o'the month:

The great Hope and Change that came in like a lion has now gone out like a scam.

Heh. Read Clifton's whole piece here.

Daniel R. Parker, Army, Pfc -- Rest In Peace

Daniel R. Parker, 18

Army, Private 1st Class
Based: Ft. Campbell, Ky.
B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 12, 2003
Mosul, Iraq
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: Lake Elsinore
High School: Lake Elsinore High School (Lake Elsinore)
Burial: Riverside National Cemetery

Family members remembered him as a dedicated young man who never wanted to do anything besides join the Army.
Parker's father, Billy, retired from the 82nd Airborne, family members said.

"He was born and bred in the military," said his mother, Sherri Parker, "and wanted to go in the military since he was 7."
She said that even though he joined the military directly after high school, he always found time to advise and write his four siblings: Dustin, 16; Dalton, 15; Danielle, 10; and Dallas, 6.
Danielle was the last one to receive a letter from her big brother. In it he had promised a trip to Disneyland when he returned.

Read more about Army Pfc Daniel R. Parker here and here.

Matthew K.S. Swanson, Army, Specialist -- Rest In Peace

Matthew K.S. Swanson, 20

Army, Specialist
Based: Ft. Drum, N.Y.
3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: August 8, 2009
National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., USA
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: Lake Forest
High School: Trabuco Hills High (Mission Viejo)
Burial: Cremated

He was this big Army guy. But when he would come home, he was our Matt.
— Traci Swanson, sister


Lake Forest soldier mourned as hero and friend
By ALEJANDRA MOLINA
The Orange County Register story here:

He was the prankster who touched his girlfriend's heart. The attentive listener to his friends. The boy his older sister saw evolve into a courageous young man.


Nearly 100 family and friends gathered at Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary in Santa Ana on Friday afternoon for the funeral of Army Spc. Matthew Swanson.
"Matthew was a solider, a hero, a friend, a brother; his charisma, bravery, passion will always be remembered," said his sister Traci, weeping as she spoke during the memorial for her younger brother.
"What you fought for is bigger than all of us and your bravery will always be honored and remembered," she added.

The Lake Forest soldier, who was injured in Afghanistan in July, died Aug. 8. He was 20.

Services began at 12 p.m. with six Army honor guard members escorting the casket — draped with a U.S. flag — to the Waverly Chapel. Patriot Guard Riders, a group of veterans and non-veterans who attend military funerals, held up U.S. flags as the casket was escorted to the chapel.
Loved ones cried and embraced each other as his sister Traci gave an emotional eulogy of the brother with whom she shared, she said, "amazing conversations."

"One who lived a life in a way someone beyond his years would; I always had such an admiration for Matty," she said.

Traci talked about their movie nights, their camping adventures, and cried as she remembered the flower he gave to her that he picked from a mountain in Afghanistan.
"Over the past 20 years I don't think he has ever given me such a beautiful gift. It gave me validation that he was thinking of me while he was out there," she said.
"He was truly proud to be in the Army," she added.
Five of his closest friends, including his former girlfriend, also spoke. They laughed and cried, remembering pranks he would play on his friends, music he would play on his guitar, and how they would just talk about life over a cigar.

The song "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton played as the casket was escorted out by the Army guard. Three volley rounds were shot by an Army rifle team followed by the folding of the flag. The flag was given to his mother, another to his father, and a third was passed on to his sister.
A reception was held at Solano Park, where Swanson would spend a lot of his time while at home.
Swanson sustained injuries during a vehicle rollover accident on July 19 in Logar Province, Afghanistan.
The soldier had returned home to visit in June and left on the Fourth of July, his father Jeff Swanson said. He mourned the loss of his son, but said he was glad Matthew died doing what he wanted to do.
"He always wanted a job where he was making a difference. He's a hero in more ways than one," Jeff Swanson said, adding that his son died for his country and that his organs will be donated. "In his 20 years, he accomplished a lot."

In a statement, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called Swanson a "dedicated soldier who selflessly worked to defend the values that our country was built upon."
Swanson joined the Army after graduating from Trabuco Hills High School in 2007. He was deployed to Afghanistan in January as a member of the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, N.Y.

A member of the military honor guard presents Ana Lara, the mother of U.S. Army Specialist Matthew Swanson, with the flag that covered his casket at his funeral Friday morning at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana.

Read more about Army Specialist Matthew K.S. Swanson here and here.

Clayton D. McGarrah, Army Specialist -- Rest In Peace

Clayton D. McGarrah, 20

Army Specialist
Based: Fort Bragg, N.C.
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
82nd Airborne Division
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: July 4, 2010
Arghandab, Afghanistan
Married
Gender: Male
Hometown: Harrison, AR
Burial: Maple Leaf Cemetery in Harrison

In a letter read at the service that McGarrah wrote to his wife, Emily, upon his deployment, he first joked about getting a much-needed vacation. Then he said, “I’m going to miss you very much. I’ll be home before you know it. Today marks our one-month anniversary.”
McGarrah wrote the letter June 7. He was killed July 4.

Speakers told a packed Faith Assembly of God Church in Harrison that McGarrah lived a very full life, spending time with his wife, parents, siblings and many nieces and nephews, hunting and vacationing.
The Rev. Arlis Thrasher said McGarrah, who went by the nickname Clayboy, had two goals: marriage and military service.
“He got those,” Thrasher said, and noted that much of the service — filled with country songs and slideshows of family photographs — had been planned by McGarrah and his wife before his deployment.
“Just in case,” Thrasher said.
Thrasher told the mourners to consider July 4 a day to remember McGarrah’s life, not just the bitter memory of his death.
“Our lives are like a mist that appears over these Ozark valleys,” Thrasher said. “Don’t waste another minute of the life you have.”

Clayton D. McGarrah is survived by his wife, Emily McGarrah, and his parents Michele and Orville McGarrah.

Read more about Army Specialist Clayton D. McGarrah here, here, here, here, and here.

Michael E. Tayaotao, Marines, Sergeant -- Rest In Peace

Michael E. Tayaotao, 27

Marines, Sergeant
Based: Camp Pendleton
7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 9, 2007
Haditha, Iraq
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: Sunnyvale
High School: Fremont High (Sunnyvale)
Burial: Dearborn Memorial Park Cemetery, Poway, Calif.

Tayaotao joined the Marine Corps straight out of high school in 1998.
He was an explosive ordnance disposal technician, a job that he sought because of the challenge and the risk.
"He did the training, and he found that he liked it because it was more challenging," said his mother, Heidi Tayaotao of Ridgecrest. "He knew it was risky -- but that's what he liked."

His mother … said the military told the family that her son was defusing bombs to clear the way for a military convoy when he died.
"My understanding is that he was able to clear all of them until there was only one left, and then something happened," she said.
Cpl. Ben Eberle, a Marine spokesman at Camp Pendleton, said such jobs are strictly volunteer. "You can't just come into the Marine Corps and have that job," he said. "You move into that job after serving in another field."

He leaves behind his parents, Mario and Heidi Tayaotao, and his sister, Leah. His younger brother, Vince, died in November [2006].

Vistit Sergeant Michael E. Tayaotao's Guest Book here, and read more about him here, here and here.

1000 Words -- Palin In Kosovo -- From The Archives

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin poses with children that the Alaska Army National Guard teach English to at the Ferizaj/Urosevac community center, Kosovo. The Alaska troops are cur­rently deployed to Kosovo, as part of the United Nations Kosovo force mission bringing stability to the region. Photo by Sgt. Adam-David Pepper

The above photograph, from last July, methinks, was found in America's North Shore Journal. Story and more pics here.

Persian Interlude

H/T to Contentions, yesterday.

HomoCon 2010

We don't hear from DH often around here, or not often enough, but he hit it good again today with this Coulter poster.
Neither one of us, neither DH nor Contento, is man enough to post this on our FaceBook things, because we'd lose most of our friends.
They'd get mad.
They'd click the defriend button.
Don't know why.
This is funny.
Thanks, DH. For this, for being fearless over here, for being a friend, for remembering how to laugh.

Javier Olvera, Marines, Lance Corporal -- Rest In Peace

Javier Olvera, 20

Marines, Lance Corporal
Based: Camp Lejeune, N.C.
2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: August 8, 2009
Helmand province, Afghanistan
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: Palmdale
High School: R. Rex Parris High School (Palmdale)
Burial: Eternal Valley Memorial Park, Newhall

Another American son of immigrants gives his life for his comrades in arms -- and for us.

His brothers said Javier loved swimming, hiking and having carne asada barbecues with family.

Friends and relatives also remember him for his generosity and compassion. His brothers said Javier and a friend were on their way into a Denny's restaurant last spring when a homeless man asked for money. Instead, Javier invited the man to join them for lunch.

"My beloved brother had a good heart," Nery said.

Daniel said that when his brother was deployed, he also frequently shared his care packages from home -- filled with Doritos, candy and beef jerky -- with other Marines and with the Iraqis he met.
After he completed four years in the Marines, Javier had hoped to enroll in college to study law enforcement, his family said.
He was buried Aug. 17 at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall. In addition to his brothers Nery and Daniel, he is survived by his parents, Martha and Francisco.

Here's a Fox News report on Lance Corporal Javier Olvera [our apologies if the video opens with an advertisement...]:



Read more about another of America's finest sons here, with many loving comments here; and visit Lance Corporal Javier Olvera's MySpace pages here and here.

Conrad A. Mora, Army Staff Sergeant -- Rest In Peace

Conrad A. Mora, 24

Army, Staff Sergeant
Based: Joint Base Lewis-McChord
5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: July 24, 2010
Qalat, Afghanistan
Married, 1 child
Gender: Male
Hometown: San Diego
High School: Morse High (San Diego)
Foreign Country of Birth: Philippines

San Diego Union Tribune story on Army Staff Sergeant Conrad A. Mora:

Soldier is remembered as family man, local athlete
BY WENDY FRY, ASSOCIATE STAFF WRITER
MONDAY, JULY 26, 2010 AT 9:29 P.M.

Army Staff Sgt. Conrad Mora’s job in Afghanistan was to clear roads of explosives.
That duty killed him Saturday.
Mora, a 24-year-old from San Diego, was on his second deployment to Afghanistan. He was leading a group of soldiers when their military vehicle ran across a roadside bomb in the town of Qalat. Three other soldiers also died in the attack.

Military life “was his passion,” said his brother-in-law, Christian Lleva. “His passion was serving.”
Mora’s body was returned to Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Monday. His mother, Carmelita, of National City, traveled to Philadelphia to identify his remains, Lleva said.
Mora’s wife, Ann, had moved to Washington state with her husband before his deployment. He also is survived by his 1-year-old son, Christopher; his father, Alejandrino Mora; and his sister, Carmela.
Mora’s family moved to San Diego from the Philippines when Mora was a child, around age 9 or 10, Lleva said.

Mora attended Morse High School and played football there, Lleva said. He also practiced mixed-martial arts such as jujitsu.
His family, particularly his young son, was especially important to him, Lleva said. His mother sent an e-mail to Conrad wishing him a happy Father’s Day last month. And though he was far away from his family and his home, he wrote back one simple sentence.
“You really know how to make me smile,” the return e-mail said.
The last time Mora’s family saw him was in May, when they shared a meal at Goldilocks, a bakery and Filipino cuisine restaurant in National City.
“After dinner we came back here, and we all talked for hours and hours,” Lleva said.

He said the family was disappointed he had to deploy to Afghanistan for the second time after having served a year in combat.
“We don’t really have anything to say about it,” said Lleva, a Marine. “If they want us to go somewhere, we don’t have a choice.”
During his six-year career, Mora received six Army Achievement Medals and an Army Commendation Medal, said a public affairs officer with Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.
“Clearly, he was recognized by his leaders for something,” the officer said.

Besides serving his country, he was also passionate about music. “He would rap about anything,” Lleva said. “He could make anything rhyme.”

Mora died with three other soldiers: Sgt. Daniel Lim of Cypress, Spc. Joseph A. Bauer, 27, of Cincinnati; and Pfc. Andrew L. Hand, 25, of Enterprise, Ala.
The battalion deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October.
Memorial service arrangements have not been announced.

Shabbat Shalom -- Levi Hospital, Hot Springs

Leo Levi donated his fortune to form the Leo N. Levi Memorial HospitalAssociation. With this donation, the National B'nai B'rith foundation authorized the construction and maintainance of a charity hospital facility in Hot Springs, Arkansas for the treatment of arthritis.

A century later, this nationally respected arthritis program still utilizes the famous thermal "healing waters" from Hot Springs National Park and offers a large therapeutic swimming pool and state of the art rehabilitation facilities to serve the nation.

Today, Levi Hospital also provides inpatient stroke and orthopedic rehabilitation, The Levi Osteoporosis Clinic, Levi Hospice, psychiatric treatment programs, and "The Caring Place", a three day per week program for Alzheimer patients. 

Roberto Abad, Marines, Corporal -- Rest In Peace

Roberto Abad, 22

Marines, Corporal
Based: Camp Pendleton
Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 6, 2004
Najaf, Iraq
Single, 1 child
Gender: Male
Hometown: Bell Gardens
High School: Bell Gardens High (Bell Gardens)
Burial: Calvary Cemetery, Whittier

The oldest of seven children, Abad often offered guidance to his siblings, his brother said.
"I looked up to him my whole life," said Diego Abad, who joined the Marines in February and is now [2004] in boot camp.
His brother's death, he said, has strengthened his determination to serve. "He would tell me to never give up on anything you believe in."

Visit the Guest Book for Corporal Roberto Abad here and read more about him here.

Roberto Abad, father of deceased U.S. Marine Cpl. Roberto Abad, 22, of Los Angeles, looks out the window after returning from the funeral services of Roberto, whose photographs and mementos are displayed on the altar set inside the family's living room in Bell Gardens, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 14, 2004. Abad was killed in Iraq Aug. 6, 2004. Since May 1, 2003, when President Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq had ended, 794 U.S. soldiers have died _ 585 as a result of hostile action and 209 of non-hostile causes, according to the Defense Department. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The above Abad photo was found here.

Daniel Lim, Army Sergeant -- Rest In Peace

Daniel Lim, 23

Army, Sergeant
Based: Joint Base Lewis-McChord
5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: July 24, 2010
Qalat, Afghanistan
Gender: Male
Hometown: Cypress
High School: Pacifica High (Garden Grove)

I had the good fortune to call SGT Lim a friend for the past 3 years. He was a warrior and leader of men who inspired all those about him to greater heights. His loss is a crushing blow to me personally, and to all those who knew and loved him. I cannot say enough about Daniel or the life he lead. I will never forget you brother, rest in peace.

— Steven J. Davis
July 28, 2010 at 8:25 a.m

Here's the story of Sergeant Daniel Lim from the Orange County Register:

WESTMINSTER — Whether it was tattooing the name of his beloved baby sister on his chest or spending his first Army paycheck on his parents, Daniel Lim never hesitated to demonstrate his devotion to his family.
While recently deployed in Afghanistan, Lim, an Army sergeant, stood in line for hours each week to call his parents. He wanted to reassure them that he was OK. That they had nothing to worry about.
Just a few weeks after he returned home for a break from his deployment, the 23-year-old was killed July 24 along with three other soldiers when their vehicle was attacked by insurgents with an improvised explosive device in Qalat, Afghanistan. 

On Monday, hundreds of family members, friends and parishioners who had prayed for Lim's safety every week gathered at the Korean Martyrs Catholic Center in Westminster to say their final goodbyes. Burial services took place later in the day at Riverside National Cemetery, where his family received his medals for bravery.
A military guard gathered at the front of the church, while elaborate floral wreaths, a tradition in the Korean community, stood at the entrance. About a dozen motorcycle officers from various police departments lined up in tribute to the fallen soldier. 

Clutching each other, Lim's grief-stricken parents, sister and relatives walked behind the soldier's flag-draped casket as it was brought into the church. Parishioners clad in black sobbed throughout the somber funeral Mass.
"What we should remember of Daniel is that he is a man who gave all, gave all for his family, his sister, his community and our country," said Nicholas Oh, Lim's godfather.
Lim grew up in Cypress and graduated from Pacifica High School in Garden Grove in 2005. His family moved to Yorba Linda about four years ago. 

Lim enlisted April 13, 2006. Last year he was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The battalion deployed to Afghanistan in October 2009. The job of the combat engineers unit was to clear roadways of explosives.

Lim was also remembered as a guy who always thought of other people before himself, especially his comrades. During his recent visit to Orange County a few weeks, Lim said he had to go back to Afghanistan to be with his fellow soldiers. He worried about them.
Michael Chang, 23, of Garden Grove, eulogized his longtime best friend. Chang had attended elementary, junior and high school with Lim, and joined the Marine Corps a year after his buddy joined the Army.
"Everything he did he did to the max," Chang said. "...That overflowed into how much he loved his family."
Lim had shared such a special bond with his sister that he was lovingly dubbed "Mom." Lim, who was seven years older than his sister Esther, often watched over her after school.
He picked her up from school on his bike and took her to the neighborhood store to buy ice cream bars. He helped her with her homework, though he hated to do his own.
"I'm so thankful and proud of you for everything you did for me and everyone else," said his sister Esther, during a eulogy addressed to him.

Esther, who put a copy of the eulogy letter into the casket, promised her big brother that she would always take care of their Umma, mom, and Appa, dad.
Lim is survived by his parents Soon Yeon and Bang Woo Lim and sister Esther.
At the cemetery, an honor guard carried the flag-draped casket holding Lim's body as more than 300 family friends gathered.
A 21-gun salute was fired and taps sounded as the flag was removed from the casket and folded.
Brig. Gen. John Regan handed Lim's mother the folded flag, hisPurple Heart and Bronze Star.
"All of his fellow soldiers in his unit in Afghanistan, from his leaders, to his fellow soldiers and to those who served under him, thought the world of Daniel," said Regan. "He was a hero. We owe our lives and our freedom to heroes like Daniel."
Lim is among at least 56 members of the military from Orange County who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002, according to Orange County Register records.
The other three soldiers killed with Lim were Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Mora, 24, of San Diego; Spc. Joseph A. Bauer, 27, of Cincinnati; and Pfc. Andrew L. Hand, 25, of Enterprise, Ala.

The mother of Army Sgt. Daniel Lim, Soon Yeon Lim accepts the flag from Army Brigadier General John Regan while Lim's father, Bang Woo Lim, grieves at the service for their son held at Riverside National Cemetery Monday.


(Register Staff Writer Mark Eades contributed to this report.)

Contact the writer: 714-796-7956 or epak@ocregister.com

Muslim Coward Nidal Hasan Still Gettin' Paid $6k Per Month...

ABC News reports:

Fort Hood Muslim Thug Nidal Hasan Can't Find a Bank Willing to Cash His Infidel Checks

"You've got all these banks marching in lockstep in a discriminatory manner against Hasan," said Galligan. "It's not like he's charged with any banking irregularities or money laundering. It's just outright discriminatory."

"How is he going to get a fair trial at Fort Hood if he can't even get a bank account?" said Galligan.

... According to Army records, Hasan stands to receive a check for about $6,000 every month. He is also eligible for what the Army calls an "incentive pay" that could be as much as $15,000 annually. Galligan declined to comment on how much Hasan is worth.

Boo fricken hoo.

God Bless America; This is just the kind of anti-diversity backlash he-man General Casey warned us about.

Kyle R. Warren, Army Staff Sergeant -- Rest In Peace

Kyle R. Warren, 28

Army, Staff Sergeant
Based: Ft. Bragg, N.C.
1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: July 29, 2010
Tsagay, Afghanistan
Married
Gender: Male
Hometown: Manchester
High School: Marina High (Huntington Beach)

“He was a hero to this country,’’ Warren’s stepfather, Ed Linta, said yesterday.
And he had a way of putting people at ease, his family said. “He was very friendly, very kind,’’ Linta said. “He made it a point to spend time with everybody in his family before he deployed.’’

We are all devastated by his death and we know he was a true hero
— Nancy Cowden, aunt

Warren was killed when a roadside bomb hit his military vehicle in Tsagay, Afghanistan, according to military officials. His hometown was listed by the military as Manchester, N.H. but he grew up in Huntington Beach, where he attended high school. Family members said he moved to New Hampshire with his mother after graduation. His father, Del Warren, lives in Long Beach.


Read more about Staff Sergeant Kyle R. Warren here, here and here.

Warren was patrolling an area of Tsagay, Afghanistan, on when his military vehicle hit an improvised explosive device, killing him and another soldier, Captain Jason E. Holbrook, 28, of Burnet, Texas.

Adam J. Strain, Marines, Lance Corporal -- Rest In Peace

Adam J. Strain, 20

Marines, Lance Corporal
Based: Camp Pendleton
1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 3, 2005
Ramadi, Iraq
Engaged
Gender: Male
Hometown: Smartville
High School: Nevada Union High (Grass Valley)

I knew Adam since we both entered school of infantry about 2 weeks after we both graduated from boot camp. Ever since that day, due to the first letters of our last names being so close to one another, we had been roommates, rackmates, or hooch mates. He was intensely competitive when it came to matters of Marines, and a compassionate friend when the uniforms were set aside for the day. I spoke at his memorial in Ramadi and will stand up to one statement I said that day until I die - When we were on patrol and Lcpl. Strain was taking up last man in the formation, I felt completely secure in only concerning myself with threats from the front because he had my back. I have thought about him everyday since he was taken from us and he still influences decisions I make to this day. I live life the way he would have wanted us to, the way he would have, taking care of one another.
— Kenneth Voiland, Sgt. USMC
July 29, 2008 at 1:35 p.m

Read more about Lance Corporal Adam J. Strain here.

Cristian Vazquez, Marines Lance Corporal -- Rest In Peace

Cristian Vazquez, 20

Marines, Lance Corporal
Based: Camp Pendleton
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 2, 2007
Rawah, Iraq
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: Coalinga
High School: Cambridge Continuation High School (Coalinga)
Burial: Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Coalinga, Calif.

At the time of his death, Vazquez was making plans to attend college. He dreamed of becoming a doctor so that his mother, a farmworker, could retire from the backbreaking labor of harvesting almonds.

See the guest book for Lance Corporal Cristian Vazquez here; read more about Vazquez here and here.

Jennifer L. Cole, Army Pfc. -- Rest In Peace

Jennifer L. Cole, 34

Army, Private 1st Class
Based: Ft. Campbell, Ky.
426th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: August 2, 2008
Baiji, Iraq
Single
Gender: Female
Hometown: American Canyon
High School: Vintage High (Napa)
Burial: Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, Calif.

Cole, who lived in the Napa County community of American Canyon, enlisted last year after her mother sold the Vallejo, Calif., flower shop where Cole had worked for more than a decade.
"She thought this would be a good time to serve her country," her mother said. "It was a surprise to me."
Cole, a motor transport operator, was sent to Iraq in March. She found Iraqis welcoming, telling her family "they really appreciate what the Americans are doing over there," her mother said. "What we hear on the news is not necessarily true.

In addition to her mother, Candace Gholson, she is survived by brothers James and Jeffrey Cole.

Read more about Army Pfc. Jennifer L. Cole here and here.

Musical Interlude -- Kevin So

Kevin So

Okay, so I moved from California to Arkansas, from Studio City to Hot Springs just days ago, arriving here on the 23rd of July. Took a walk downtown Hot Springs within hours of arrival and the first thing -- very first thing -- I spotted was a poster, one of many around downtown, with Kevin So's pic, noting his upcoming appearance. 
Have to admit I had no idea who So was but figured it'd be a good intro to Hot Springs cafe society night life to go to the Poet's Loft to hear Kevin So.

I wasn't wrongo.

So opened with a Randy Travis song, an homage to Travis, because Travis was playing across town; but with few exceptions So did his own stuff all night, all of it good stuff.

His version of Travis's old hit I'm Going To Love You Forever was as strong as it was sweet -- sweet in a good way. Randy'd be envious, I'm sure. Supportive, but envious.


Looking for that crossover hit, Kevin? Try releasing your version of that song. Just saying.

Now, I haven't listened to Randy Travis in a long time but I used to listen plenty, and I've not seen him in person yet, but intend to, so I'm glad I didn't know he was in town last night or I might have missed Kevin So. 

So sang for two hours for an audience of about 15 people….

It was, yeah, good stuff. 
Great fun. 

Real music by a real musician.

Sure his politics are more lefterly than mine, but so what? His artistry is, yeah, art.

And though we both like the idea, the concept of having elected a black American president, So may like the Obama reality more than do I; but, as he sang in one song: he'll not judge me and I'll not judge him, for our differences. 
Kind of refreshing, that stance.
And, as he also sang, we stand stronger when we stand side by side.  
Tru, dat.
Hey, I'd side So any day. 

Kevin So stayed around and spoke with his audience after his show. 
I didn't thank him in person last night, but I should have. 
Next time, definitely. 
Hey, I'm now a fan.

Rena Wren,  just back from performing in Venice, CA, with her husband on bass and singing some harmony, opened for Kevin So.
Kevin ended the evening with A Brighter Day:

Kevin So photo by John Mazlish 

Jair De Jesus Garcia, Army Private -- Rest In Peace

Jair De Jesus Garcia, 29

Army, Private
Based: Ft. Hood, Texas
6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: August 1, 2008
Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan
Married, 1 child
Gender: Male
Hometown: Porter Ranch
High School: Birmingham Senior High (Van Nuys)
Burial: Riverside National Cemetery

As a boy growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Jair De Jesus Garcia was drawn to the fine arts, tastes his mother took every opportunity to nurture.
Maria Luisa Avneri regularly would take the boy, her youngest, and his three siblings on trips to museums, plays, concerts and other performances. One of her lasting memories was looking over at 10-year-old Jair in a darkened theater, his face aglow as he took in his first opera, "Madame Butterfly."

In addition to his mother, Maria Luisa Avneri, Jair De Jesus Garcia is survived by his wife, Gabriella; his son, Noah, from a previous relationship; his father, Guadalupe Garcia; his stepfather, Jacob Avneri; two brothers, Ricardo and Eduardo Garcia; and a sister, Celeste Garcia. He was buried at Riverside National Cemetery.

Read more about Army Private Jair De Jesus Garcia here.

Brian F. Piercy, Army Staff Sergeant -- Rest In Peace

Brian F. Piercy, 27

Army, Staff Sergeant
Based: Ft. Bragg, N.C.
2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: July 19, 2010
Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan
Married
Gender: Male
Hometown: Clovis
High School: Buchanan High (Clovis)

A soldier from Clovis who was within a month of completing his Army service was killed in Afghanistan on Monday, July 19, his brother said.

Staff Sgt. Brian Piercy, 27, was killed during a foot patrol north of Kandahar when an improvised explosive device detonated, said his brother, David Piercy.
The Clovis solider, a 2001 Buchanan High School graduate, would have completed his second tour of Afghanistan in about 30 days and was planning to move back to California from North Carolina with his wife, Christina, David Piercy said.
Piercy is the ninth Clovis resident and the seventh Buchanan High graduate to die in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Read more about Army Staff Sergeant rian F. Piercy here and here.

Jaime Rodriguez Jr., Army Specialist -- Rest In Peace

Jaime Rodriguez Jr., 19

Army, Specialist
Based: Ft. Stewart, Ga.
5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division
Supporting: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Died: July 26, 2007
Saqlawiya, Iraq
Single
Gender: Male
Hometown: Carpinteria
High School: Carpinteria Senior High (Carpinteria)
Burial: Santa Barbara Cemetery, Santa Barbara

In addition to his parents and his sister, Elizabeth, and brother, Alex, Jaime Rodriguez is survived by his paternal grandparents, Ben and Eloisa Rodriguez.

I'll never forget the time you spent with our family, I'm so glad Jared brought you home to NY to meet us. When he asked if he could bring an Army buddy home, we never thought you would forever have an impact on our lives. And when we kissed you goodbye we hoped it wouldn't be the last time we saw you, but it was. The thought of you two going to Iraq killed us. The day we learned of your death, was one of the hardest days of my life. You'll forever be in our hearts!! "Mom" Petteys
— Kathlene Petteys
February 28, 2009 at 10:16 a.m

Read more about Army Specialist Jaime Rodriquez here and here.