Recently a customer purchased a flagpole and American flag from us, but it wasn’t until I saw the photographs and video footage of this flag did I realize what it was truly standing for.
Our main website has a Virtual Wall of Honor, where we post not only names and information about soldiers, but really any information their friends or family members want to say about them. Over the years I’ve managed to get quite a few stories that touched me deeply and made me realize there’s never too much honor you can give a soldier. Unfortunately not a lot of people have gotten to hear these stories, see the faces of our brave soldiers and learn just who we’ve had fighting for our freedom. Now, I’m hoping to share some of these stories about these brave soldiers with you as often as I can so you can recognize the bravery and honor I’ve had a privilege to hear about.
I want to tell you about Justin Ryan Whiting. Justin’s father was kind enough to share not only his sons story, but also photographs that should be honored and seen by those who appreciate everything our Military does.
From Justins father Randy….
Justin working as a medic
Justin was a US Army Green Beret “Special Forces” Medic. He served three tours in Iraq. He got out of the Army for about six months but went back in because he missed it and felt he was needed there. Justin grew up on my farm in Hancock, New York. It was a dairy farm for many years. I now raise beef cattle – my barn burned in 1991. Justin was a true outdoorsman. He loved to hunt, fish and trap as well as work on the farm. The flag was raised on Memorial Day of 2009. It sits along the rolling hills of NYS Route 97 overlooking the farm. We constantly get comments of what a beautiful and inspiring sight it is. After Justin’s death there was little that could ease my sorrow. Since I raised this flag the sight of it always makes me feel better.
Here are some photos and a video Randy sent of the American flag memorial on his farm:
Below is part of the eulogy that Justins Team Captain wrote:
….. Justin was a true patriot, evident by his two tours in Iraq and his decision to re-enter the Army to go back to combat with his buddies. Justin’s character embodied the finest and noblest qualities of our great nation that he held so dear, and died defending. Being able to stand beside people like Justin was what made me proud to wear the Green Beret.
Justin had spent the last three months in Iraq working to help build a democracy and to make this country a better place for those who have never known freedom. His efforts in this noble cause ranged from training Iraqi soldiers, to treating sick civilians and leading Iraqi troops during combat operations. …… Justin was killed instantly when his vehicle was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device, which also wounded two other Soldiers in his vehicle. His final moments were spent in laughter and camaraderie, as so many moments with Justin were, and he died surrounded by his friends.
In the time that I knew Justin, he quickly became one of my favorite people. Few Soldiers ever matched Justin’s remarkable work ethic along with his keen intellect and constant desire to excel. With his tremendous personality and charisma, Justin could have succeeded at anything in the world. He chose to be a Soldier; to serve America with dignity and pride, and to apply the simple values of hard work, dedication, and patriotism, to earn the respect and admiration of everyone who knew him. To know Justin was to love him. He was one of the finest young men I have ever known and his prowess as a Soldier and a medic placed him in a class by himself Justin was a tremendously hard worker, a man who met challenges head on, wasn’t afraid to do the right thing no matter what the circumstances, and who loved, above all, being amongst his teammates. He made everybody around him a better person.
The front of the headstone
The back of the headstone
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