NYT, p 1, w/ pics: Deadly Week Ends in Tears for the Fallen [View All]

[DeepModem Mom]

Deadly Week Ends in Tears for the Fallen
By MONICA DAVEY

Published: April 15, 2004


ROOKFIELD, Wis., April 14 — In a small town near Dallas, people lined the streets and waved flags for a funeral procession for Sgt. Gerardo Moreno of the Army. In Bradenton, Fla., Bach and Brahms were played in honor of Pfc. Christopher R. Cobb of the Marines, who had played the violin in high school. In Memphis, friends and family met for a viewing of Capt. Brent Morel of the Marines, whose relatives say he died fulfilling a mission he believed was worthwhile.

And here in the Milwaukee suburbs, family, friends and even strangers grieved over the death of Specialist Michelle M. Witmer, and some expressed anger at the prolonged sacrifice that had been demanded of her National Guard unit.

"At this point, I want to just go over and bring her home myself," an anguished Marie Galonski said of her own daughter, Specialist Juliana Bruening, who is in Specialist Witmer's unit and trained alongside her. "They said Juliana would be home in a year, and every time you turn around, it's another delay. Now I'm terrified and angry. The way I'm looking at this, this should have never happened to Michelle."

Although President Bush declared major combat over almost a year ago, last week was the deadliest yet for Americans in uniform. The Department of Defense identified 64 service members who died in the week that ended on Saturday. Until then, the highest toll had come many months ago, not long after the start of the war last March, in a week when 50 Americans died....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/15/national/15SOLD.html