OUR FALLEN HEROES
Tribute to Coalition Casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq

There have been 4,184 coalition deaths -- 3,879 Americans, two Australians, 173 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 22 Poles, three Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians in the War in Iraq as of according to sources.

There have been 729 coalition deaths -- 464 Americans, four Australians, 84 Britons, 73 Canadians, one Czech, seven Danes, 12 Dutch, two Estonians, one Finn, 12 French, 22 Germans, 10 Italians, three Norwegians, one Pole, two Portuguese, five Romanians, one South Korean, 23 Spaniards, two Swedes -- in the war on terror as of November 29, 2007 according to sources. These brave troops were part of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or were part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

This is the most difficult and heart-wrenching information I've ever had the unwanted priviledge of sharing. Yet, as I type each name and look at each face, I also feel the deepest pride I've ever known.

These pages contain the names of wonderful men and women, from all walks of life and from all corners of the world, who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us. They gave all so that we could live in freedom. There is no gift greater that any human being can give to another, or more humbling.

Paying tribute to our veterans and fallen heroes is an honor. It's also a duty. These brave people had only one objective - to serve and protect their countries -- at all costs. And they did.

Thank You!

Let me back up and digress for a moment, to the morning of September 11, 2001.

It was a beautiful morning! Clear, sunny, cool with a slight breeze here in North Carolina. Perfect by all weather standards. Evil is like that. It will take something beautiful and do its' best to defile and destroy it. And on this beautiful Tuesday morning, it was successful. Evil turned this wonderful God-given day into something that will haunt the memories of thousands for decades to come.

September 11, 2001 WAS the day America changed - but not for the worse.

Out of the rubble of the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, rose the true heart of America.

Firemen, Police Officers, ironworkers, medical teams, restaurant and hotel owners, moms, dads, children... so many!... ALL came to donate their time, money and efforts to help their brothers and sisters in their hour of distress and need; the darkest hour many of us will ever face. Most weren't asked... they just came, to do anything and everything they could to help.

These unselfish acts are what make America Great. This is America's heart. And that heart was bleeding on that September day.

However, the horrendous events that took place have only assisted in making us more aware of the evil that has been attempting to destroy our country for many years. The sleeping giant is slowly awakening. May God have mercy on any terrorist who attempts to murder on American soil again, because we won't.

It is vital that you NEVER forget how you felt when the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center with 92 innocent people on board; or United Airlines Flight 175, the second hijacked plane to strike the World Trade Center, plowed into the south tower with two pilots, seven flight attendants and 56 passengers; never forget where your heart was when United Airlines Flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania with 45 people on board; never forget your outrage and disbelief when the towers fell; never forget the Pentagon, with the American flag draped and blowing in a soft breeze from the roof after American Airlines Flight 77 and 64 innocent lives were rammed into its' side...

NEVER FORGET... the attacks on the U.S. DID NOT START SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, but 25 years earlier!
NEVER FORGET... thousands of innocent lives have been murdered, with little or NO retribution.
NEVER FORGET... thousands of innocent lives have been uprooted and destroyed.
NEVER FORGET... thousands of innocents were taken WITHOUT WARNING.
NEVER FORGET... terrorist thugs hide in the shaddows and can't wait to DO IT AGAIN!

ALWAYS REMEMBER... thousands are sacrificing their lives for us! Every Day!
ALWAYS REMEMBER... WE ARE NO LONGER BLIND TO THE TRUTH!  IF we forget again ...

John 10:10 New Living Translation - The Holy Bible
¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; ...

Whether you believe the Bible and its' teachings or not really doesn't matter. The bottom line is: the statement above is true. Terrorists are thieves. They steal, kill and destroy and that IS their ONLY mission!

These pages are dedicated to our Fallen Heroes and their families and loved ones.

When a life is lost, my heart is torn and I grieve with you. You have given and lost so very much. Thank you and God bless you.

My prayer is that hate, and those who cultivate it, will be forever defeated. I know that through your efforts, this world is a better place now than it was yesterday, and will be infinitely better and safer tomorrow.

But a war such as this is like raising children; you birth them, feed, clothe, love and protect them. A parent must guide them through their mistakes and teach them the value of life, integrity, honor and respect for others as well as themselves. Then, and only then, let them go.

We must apply the same principle in Iraq and throughout the middle east. We can't leave these people while they are still learning what freedom really is.

We've seen in our own country what results when parents walk out on their chldren before they're ready. A country like Iraq, left now, would once again fall victim to the dictators and oppressors that surround her. We can't allow that to happen.

Every life is precious and has a God given right to freedom. And the price we're paying is dear, but will ultimately be worth our efforts for the survival and safety of future generations.

"Something attained without effort or cost has no value and in all liklihood gains no respect." We've taken Freedom for granted for far too long and become too relaxed in our own little world.

Butchers like Saddam Hussein and Bin Laden, the Hamas and Hezbollah, exist for the sole purpose of killing Americans and Jews. We can't reason with the unreasonable. It is the duty of EVERY freedom-loving person to fight this evil wherever it is, and to protect those who have become the victims of it's tyranny. The best place to start is at home. It saddens me that the congressional opposition party and many national organizations use these same techniques to instill fear in millions of Americans. Their true agenda is very clear to me -- the destruction of a great nation. America was founded on an inherant belief in a Power mightier than ourselves. That belief has been tested throughout the ages but never moreso than today. United we stand, Divided we fall. May America wake up and unite before it's too late.

God bless our Fallen Heroes for their efforts and their sacrifices, and comfort those left behind. Thank you for our freedom. Let's use it wisely.