Heroes...Alive and Dead

[MinutemanCO]

Tremendous act of honor on Prusak's part. My question... why didn't those who observed the scene help confront the piece of garbage woman who stole the man's $20? She needed to be detained and police called.

[American Patriot]

Most people, MMCO do NOT want to become involved in any sort of confrontation - including yours truly. A couple of years back my wife and I were sitting in the ER - had to take her in for stomach pain and puking. (She wound up in the hospital too and it scared the hell out of me).

This guy came running out of the back area and started screaming at a couple of random old people who weren't even connected to him apparently. All of us sat, probably in shock, watching this guy. No one did anything. No the people in ER, not the techs, nurses, docs, even a security guy sat there like a lump on a log.

When the creep wound up to punch the old guy, I stepped in and grabbed his arm - he swung again. THIS time I spun him around and the security guard FINALLY got off his fat ass to assist. We took the guy down. The guard said, "I got him" and started using the radio.

Next thing I know the guy has kicked the guard or something and run out of the place.

Took the Police Department to track him down and bring him back inside.

Guess he was off his meds.

But even I sat there. I was with my wife, and didn't want to leave her, she was sick.

[Ryan Ruck]

Hoorah Marines!

Camp Pendleton Marines Helping Out With Make-A-Wish

Jorge's Wish from Michael Kroh on Vimeo.

[Ryan Ruck]

Frank Perconte, 1917-2013

Joliet man was among 'Band Of Brothers'

October 26, 2013


World War II veteran Frank Perconte, left, became famous after he was portrayed in the miniseries "Band of Brothers" by the actor James Madio, right.

Frank Perconte was a decorated Army veteran who parachuted into some of the most famous battles of World War II. Decades later he gained his own measure of fame when his service was immortalized in the popular book and miniseries "Band of Brothers."

From then to the end of his days, Mr. Perconte would get letters from people around the world, thanking him for his heroism and bravery, said his son, Richard.

"But he always said, 'I'm not the hero, the heroes are the ones who were left behind,'" his son said.

Mr. Perconte, 96, was the oldest surviving member of Easy Company, part of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles" Division. He died Thursday, Oct. 24, at his home in Joliet.

A memorial service is set for Monday, but Richard Perconte said there are no plans to talk much about the war or the fame that came late in his father's life. "Other people remember him as a hero, or for the series, but to us he was a wonderful father and grandfather, and that's what I'll remember," he said.

Mr. Perconte was born March 10, 1917, in Joliet to Joseph and Mary Perconte. He enlisted in the Army on Aug. 17, 1942, with his friend Herman Hanson. "They'd seen paratroopers in a clip at the movie theater and decided that if they were going to be drafted soon anyway, they wanted to serve in an exciting, top-notch outfit," Richard Perconte said.

They were among the first soldiers assigned to Easy Company, upon whose exploits "Band of Brothers" was based.

"I think they got a little more than they bargained for," his son said.

With his comrades in Easy Company, Mr. Perconte made a harrowing jump into Normandy before U.S. forces landed on the beaches on D-Day, his son said. He saw action in the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden and was wounded by a German sniper in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, the largest and costliest battle of the war for the U.S.

But he quickly returned to the front for the occupation of Germany.

After the war, Mr. Perconte worked as a train operator in Gary, then as a postman in Joliet, a job he held for about 30 years, his son said. He rarely talked about the war, though "if you asked, he'd be honest," his son said.

The only exception was during annual Easy Company reunions, when the men opened up to each other and Richard Perconte would listen, "enraptured."

"They went through so much together, it really formed a lifelong bond. They really were a band of brothers," Richard Perconte said.

It was rare for someone to recognize Mr. Perconte or thank him for his service, but when the miniseries came out in 2001 that changed, Richard Perconte said. Suddenly Mr. Perconte was a public hero. He and his son went to the premiere in France with executive producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and also attended the Emmys, Richard Perconte said.

James Madio, the actor who portrayed Frank Perconte in the series, watched the premiere with him.

"It's incredible how these guys operate, because the minute the show ended, the first thing he asked was why he didn't see enough of his best friend, George Luz. He wasn't worried how he looked, he was worried about the guy who was at his side throughout," Madio said.

Madio and Mr. Perconte became close friends, and a few years after the release they and some of the men Mr. Perconte served with went to Normandy on the anniversary of D-Day.

Afterward they retraced Mr. Perconte's route through Europe. It was the first time Mr. Perconte had returned to many of the battle sites, but Madio said Mr. Perconte remembered the events of more than 60 years earlier vividly, even pointing out the window from which a sniper had shot him in Bastogne.

When they stopped in Eindhoven, Netherlands, a town Perconte helped liberate, he was greeted by a crowd of children thanking him with cards on which they'd drawn paratroopers falling from the sky, Madio said. "They were truly looking at him as a hero, and it was a beautiful moment."

Richard Perconte said his father had an infectious, outgoing personality. The humility with which his father handled his sudden fame, and his courage in dealing with adversity, set a great example for his family, he said.

"He always kept his feet on the ground. His approach was that it had been their job and they were well-trained to do it," Richard Perconte said.

Even though Mr. Perconte wasn't the type to seek attention, Madio said he was happy that the film garnered some acclaim for the old veteran. "I think it was owed to him," Madio said. "He deserved it."

Mr. Perconte is also survived by a sister, JoAnn Clennon, and two grandsons. His wife, Evelyn, preceded him in death.

Visitation is set for 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday at Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home, 1500 Black Road, Joliet. Mass will follow at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus, 604 N. Raynor Ave., Joliet.

[American Patriot]

Brian Kolfang Jr. – USAF Veteran

November 12, 2013 by American Patriot
Please pass the word on this young man.

November 7, 2013 by John DeMayo
Veterans Administration Back Charges Triple Amputee Brian Kolfage Thousands of Dollars

Senior Airman, Brian Kolfage Jr., the most severely wounded Airman in US history—a triple amputee—was informed recently by the Veterans Administration Debt Management Center that he would be back charged $4825.00. According to the VA, they had been overpaying Airman Kolfage for several years and they want their money back. Senior Airman, Brian Kolfage Jr.
On September 11, 2004, while serving his second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Brian Kolfage lost both his legs and an arm when a 107 mm rocket exploded three feet from the Airman, throwing him into a wall of sandbags. Brian miraculously survived the blast and after eleven months at Walter Reed Medical Center, he returned to serve in the Air Force at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona. Kolfage is no longer on active duty and receives monthly VA benefits compensation for the wounds he received serving our country.
Grave injuries: He was badly wounded in the 2004 attack and had more than a dozen surgeries in the months after
A few months back, Kolfage—who once served on former Congresswoman Gabriel Gifford’s Veterans Advisory Committee and is an outspoken critic of the Obama Administration—received notification dated September 12, 2013 that his file had been pulled and investigated by the VA. After an Arizona background check, the VA claimed that Brian was overpaid, each month, for several years. According to the VA, Brian’s indebtedness—for this alleged overpayment of $4825.00–would require monthly payments of $105 to be taken out of his benefits account until the debt was satisfied.
The VA justification for the back charge stemmed from Arizona court records—the VA claimed—showing Brian was not married and not entitled to the full amount of benefits he had been receiving.

Wedding bells: Kolfage married Ashley Goetz in 2011, saying that it was a ‘dream come true’
Since Brian was in fact remarried, he provided the necessary legal documentation to the VA and was told that an error had been made and the problem would be cleared up and no indebtedness existed. Moreover, the Veterans Administration said there would be no back charge against his benefits. To quote Brian: “They even sent me a document last month [September] saying everything was reviewed, updated and good to go.”
On October 29, 2013, Kolfage received a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Debt Management Center, and Operations Division Chief explaining that his indebtedness balance had been reduced by a $105.00 through a reduction of his monthly benefits.
After several frustrating attempts to contact the VA through the 1-800 number provided in the VA Debt Management Center correspondence, Brian has yet to hear back from anyone about the ongoing reductions in his monthly benefits. After losing an arm and two legs in service to his country, it appears that his government may require Brian to offer his remaining arm to resolve their error.
In my conversations with Brian, one thing is abundantly clear. This man is an unselfish Patriot. Kolfage is not as angry as he is frustrated. His first concerns are for his fellow veterans struggling with an unproductive Veterans Administration, VA backlogs and a system that adds unnecessary stress to the lives of men—he served with—who already struggle with monstrous stresses related to recovery and re-assimilation back into life after combat. They should not have to fight their government for the help the need and are owed.
He is also more concerned about you, then himself. His courage is unimaginable.

Against all odds: Brian Kolfage lost his right arm and both legs in a 2004 attack (and is seen here receiving an award after the attack) but has started a new life, adapting to his limitations
Given his experience with government-administered healthcare, Airman Brian Kolfage is worried about the long-term effects on each and every one of his fellow Americans who will now be forced to look toward their government for Healthcare. Brian feels, and I paraphrase, that Obamacare much like the Veterans Administration is not capable of handling the healthcare needs of an entire nation. He is worried that Americans will be forced to argue with the Department of Health and Human Services and live with IRS enforced back charges and fines for unconfirmed allegations of misrepresentation similar to what he is dealing with at the VA.Personally, I cannot help but wonder if Brian Kolfage’s mysterious file re-evaluation and indebtedness determination was another Obama retribution designed to silence yet another critic. Nowhere in any of the correspondence sent to Kolfage has the VA offered an explanation for their decision to do a random background check on a wounded warrior who has been rebuilding his life. Given his service to our nation, Brian’s life must be well documented at the Department of Defense. So why all the concern now?
For me, this man does not owe a damn thing to anyone. He already gave more than enough. We should be kissing his ass every day, not tormenting him with useless letters and requests for follow up. This is a disgrace. Of all people, why Brian Kolfage?
I would think that the government could find a considerable amount of money to handle any alleged overpayments to our veterans through an audit of President Obama’s vacation travel expenses or the operations at his sanctimonious 501 © (3) tax exempt social welfare group, “Organizing for Action.”
All of this for one hundred and five dollars. Someone needs to be fired.
Note: The VA national benefits case backlog exceeds 750,000. In my state Texas, many veterans wait 365 days for a case determination. In some states, the wait can be as long as 500 days.
UPDATE: Many who have read Brian’s story have emailed us asking how you can help Brian financially. Brian has told us he is grateful for the sentiment, but is pretty much taken care of. However, Brian fears there are other veterans who are not as privileged as him financially that this is happening to, and so he wants to get the word out that if this happens to those who are not taken care of as he is, that something like this could be devastating to them.

Read more at http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/11/ve...fijyxz8UTdL.99

http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/11/ve...sands-dollars/
Related articles

• Combat Injured Triple Amputee Charged $4825 By VA (freepatriot.org)
• Veterans Administration Back Charges Triple Amputee Brian Kolfage Thousands of Dollars (gopthedailydose.com)
• Veterans Administration sends $4,000 bill to triple-amputee Purple Heart recipient, Airman Brian Kolfage, after he spoke out against Obama (aconservativeedge.wordpress.com)
• VA Bills Double-Amputee 4 Grand After He Ragged On Obama (deadcitizensrightssociety.wordpress.com)
• VA Bills Double-Amputee 4 Grand After He Ragged On Obama (youviewed.com)
• Triple-Amputee Air Force Veteran Faces Bureaucratic Mess with Obama VA Dept (gopthedailydose.com)

[American Patriot]

Universal Free Press

FREE SPEECH FOR FREE PEOPLE

Combat Injured Triple Amputee Charged $4825 By VA

Posted by Corey Pepple

Senior Airman, Brian Kolfage Jr. was recently informed by the Veterans Administration Debt Management Center that he’s being back charged $4825.00. According to the VA records, they have been overpaying Airman Kolfage for several years and they want the money repaid.
On September 11, 2004, during his second deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Brian Kolfage lost both his legs and one arm when a rocket exploded three feet from him. Kolfage receives VA benefits in compensation for the injuries he received serving our country.
Kolfage—who is a vocal critic of Obama’s Administration—received a notice dated September 12, 2013 that his file had been selected for an investigated by the VA. The VA claimed that he had been overpaid for several years. According to the VA, Kolfage’s over-payment was $4825.00 and would require a monthly payment of $105 from his future benefits until the debt was settled.
The VA claimed the reason for the back charge was because Arizona court records show Kolfage was not married and not entitled to the amount of benefits he had been getting.
Kolfage was indeed married, so he provided the necessary documentation and was told the problem would be corrected. The VA said there wouldn’t be any back charges against his benefits.
On October 29, 2013, Kolfage received a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Debt Management Center, and Operations Division Chief stating that his indebtedness had been reduced by a $105.00 through a reduction of his benefits.
After numerous attempts to contact the VA by phone, Brian hasn’t heard back from anyone about the continuing reductions in his benefits.
Kolfage’s only concerns is for his fellow veterans struggling with the Veterans Administration. No one should have to fight their government for the help they need and are owed.
Kolfage does not need your financial help, but he fears there’s veterans who are not as blessed financially that are experiencing this. Kolfage only wants to get the word out. If this is happening to other veterans, this could be devastating to the less fortunate. Please share this story.

http://universalfreepress.com/combat...ed-4825-by-va/

[American Patriot]

Triple-Amputee Air Force Veteran Faces Bureaucratic Mess with Obama VA Dept

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by Matthew Boyle 11 Nov 2013 10 post a comment
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been hassling Airman Brian Kolfage, a retired Air Force veteran and purple heart recipient who lost both his legs and part of one of his arms in a rocket attack when he served in Iraq in 2004, Breitbart News has learned.

Kolfage was on his second deployment with the U.S. Air Force serving in Balad, Iraq in August 2004, when—on Sept. 11 that year—a rocket landed just feet from him. “It was basically an artillery round, like being shot by a tank,” he said in an interview on Thursday evening with Breitbart News. “The thing landed like right next to, like two feet away from me, and it blew off my legs instantly and my hand.”


He was unconscious for some time after that, including while he was transferred to Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, MD. “Everybody thought I was going to die,” Kolfage said.


But Kolfage survived the attack; he is the most severely wounded airman to survive any war in American history. “I was at Walter Reed for about a year,” he said. “After I left Walter Reed, I continued my job with the Air Force but as a civilian down here at Davis-Montham Air Force Base [in Tucson, AZ]. I was a base security manager for two years.”


After some time at Davis-Montham Air Force Base, Kolfage retired from the military to return to school to pursue a degree in architecture. He graduates in a couple months. From the VA, he receives a monthly check. “I am retired—medically retired,” he said. “Once I retired, they give me what is called a disability compensation. It’s basically blood money for what happened to me. I get a monthly check, I get it for life no matter what. If I die, my daughter and wife get it.”


Kolfage was married before sustaining his injuries, and those who receive such checks get an increased amount if they are married. In early 2011, however, he and his first wife divorced. “I was in a previous marriage and I got divorced,” Kolfage said. “I was in another relationship because my divorce dragged on for a couple years, so when I got divorced I was remarried a couple months later. This was in 2011—my divorce was finalized in 2011 and I got remarried in 2011.”


On Sept. 12, 2013, Kolfage received a letter in the mail from the VA indicating that the agency conducted a random investigation into his background and found out that he was divorced in early 2011. “Pima County Superior Court online records indicate that you divorced [his ex-wife] on January [date in 2011],” the letter, which Kolfage provided to Breitbart News, reads. “We propose to remove [his ex-wife’s name] as a dependent effective February 1, 2011, the first of the month following the date of your divorce. We propose to reduce your benefits from February 1, 2011 as follows.”

The VA then included a chart that laid out how the agency planned to charge him about $4,800 over the course of the next several years to make up for the discrepancy. The letter mentions nothing about how Kolfage was remarried just a couple months later, so it appeared to be a mistake. Kolfage then worked with a representative from the VA in Phoenix to solve the discrepancy.

“So, someone randomly did a background check on me and found out I was divorced,” Kolfage told Breitbart News. “And I guess they compared it and they thought I was getting overpaid for X amount of years — early 2011 until now. So that’s where that came up. I sent them all the stuff back and was like, ‘No I was married again soon after that,’ and I sent them my marriage certificate. And I said that ‘if you guys did a background check on me you would have saw that I was married as well.’"


"My local VA in Phoenix, the guy I was responding to there was real helpful," he said. "I sent my stuff in and a couple days later they sent my stuff back, and then he said, ‘You need this and that and that,’ and so I sent it in.”


After dealing with that local representative, Kolfage said he received another letter from the VA admitting they made a mistake and that it was all straightened out now. “At the end of all that, everything was finalized,” Kolfage said. “I received a letter saying it was good to go. I tried to find the letter but I can’t find it. But basically it said everything was quashed and that I wouldn’t have to pay any money and that it was taken care of."


"The one where they said it was over, I read it and was like ‘cool.’ And I chucked it," he explained. "I looked forever and I’m kind of pissed [that I can’t find it]. But I have every other letter.”


Later, on Oct. 29, 2013, Kolfage received a third letter from the VA. This letter indicated he still owed the more than $4,800 to the VA—and that the discrepancy had not, in fact, been fixed. Kolfage has tried calling the VA again to deal with the issue to no avail; the 1-800 number, he says, “doesn’t allow you to talk to anybody.”


“It just tells you they’re really busy and to call back another day and hangs up on you,” Kolfage said. “That’s what I’ve been dealing with and I’m just kind of sick of it.”


Phone calls and voice mails from Breitbart News into the VA’s national press office regarding Kolfage’s case have not been returned days later.


Kolfage said that while he is close with his congressman Rep. Ron Barber (D-AZ)—he had served as a volunteer to help now former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ), whom Barber replaced after she she was wounded—he is tired of big government problems and decided to speak up publicly about the matter.


“I really don’t know but the VA is so mismanaged there’s no telling whether it might be just someone clearly slacking on their job,” Kolfage said. “But I really don’t know of any other veteran that uses their military rank and picture and speaks freely on stuff like me. So, I’m sure they’re aware of me and I’m sure someone is like ‘Who is this guy talking?’ But I really don’t know.”


About Obama, Kolfage told Breitbart News that he is “not a fan at all.”


“I mean, I think that he’s like the worst president in a long, long time and he’s destroying our country with his policies and just his whole administration's contempt for the American people,” Kolfage said. “No one in his administration is held accountable for anything and it is just a failure to lead. He’s never led our country. He’s never rallied the House or the Senate to come together and unite on any issues. He just doesn’t want to. He divides the country. He divides our population.”


As for Obamacare, Kolfage said he thinks “it’s horrible.”


“I mean, I’ve been dealing with the VA and you know I see how the VA is,” Kolfage said. “I never had any issues with the medical treatment per se. The care I get is good. But, the process I get sucked down is just horrendous."


"It’s not efficient and the government can’t handle veterans and there’s what, 300 million citizens of the United States? How are they going to handle 300 million citizens in one system that can’t handle a handful of veterans?" he wondered. "Everything’s a bureaucratic hassle with red tape.”


Kolfage added that while the VA “knows I’m missing my limbs,” if he needs “approval” for treatment on any other medical issues, he must “go in and schedule this big appointment and meet with all these doctors and say, ‘Hey I want this.’”


“I can’t call them — I have to go in and face this like huge committee,” he said. “Everything is such a hassle. Now, I have a lot of connections with the VA so a lot of stuff is easier for me. I just think about all the people who don’t have these connections and I basically think they’re getting screwed over. That’s why I really want to — with anything that happens to me at the VA — I want to just push it out so people know what’s really going on.”

[American Patriot]

Triple Amputee Airman Gets Huge Bill from VA after Speaking Out

November 6, 2013 | Filed underMilitary | Posted by SUAadmin



Editor’s Note – The manner in which veterans are being handled by the Veteran’s Administration is unconscionable, yet the VA seems to be getting worse instead of better. here is yet another example of the Obama Administration’s failures and their tendency for payback when someone turns on them.


The stories are flowing daily of the long waits, the terrible service, and an administration that was supposed to be making things better has seen it only get worse. It was supposed to be high on the President’s priority list:

In 2008, President Obama vowed to fix the VA claims backlog. Instead, it grew 2,000 percent in just four years.
When General Eric Shinseki was confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), he pledged to streamline the claims process. The VA promises the backlog will be resolved by 2015.


Yet, after all of these promises, there remain close to 760,000 pending claims and almost 62 percent are in the backlog. (Read more here.)

Now we come to the case of the most seriously wounded Airman in USAF history, Brian Kolfage. A triple amputee who once worked for ‘Gabby’ Giffords and was even invited to the 2012 State of the Union Address, yet now, as a loyal dissenter of Obama, he is seeing serious issues with his compensation. Here is an introduction to Brian, and we encourage you to go to his Facebook site. Here is an excerpt from a recent interview followed by the story:

Brian Kolfage is a former Security Forces Airman-turned Architect. On September 11, 2004, on his second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he lost both legs and an arm after a rocket attack. The 107mm rocket shell exploded about three feet from Airman Kolfage, who was thrown several feet in the air and landed against a wall of sandbags. Still conscious, he began calling for help. Thirty-six hours after being struck by the blast of that mortar, he was airlifted to Walter Reed Medical Center, where his new life would begin.


The fact that no one with his level of amputation had ever been able to walk independently didn’t discourage him. Brian walked out of Walter Reed 11 months after being injured. To this day, he is still the most severely wounded Airman to survive any war.


After leaving the hospital, he continued his service in the Air Force for a time and was assigned to Davis Monthan AFB (Tucson, Arizona) 355 Security Forces Squadron as the Base Security Manager. Brian further gave service to the community by proudly accepting a position on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ Veterans Advisory Committee where he provided crucial, inside information to help the Congresswoman make vital decisions which helped veterans nationally. Additionally, he was invited by the Congresswoman to be her special guest at the 2012 Presidential State of the Union Address when she resigned.

VA sends $4,000 bill to triple-amputee Purple Heart recipient after he spoke out against Obama

From Poor Richard’s News





If you want to see where government-run healthcare gets you, look no further than what the VA is doing to Airman Brian Kolfage after he spoke out against Obama. Our veterans who sustained injuries in combat deserve the best treatment we can give them, but the VA just sent Purple Heart recipient Brian Kolfage a bill for $4,000.
Here’s the letter he just received from the VA:



Kolfman is an outspoken critic of the Obama administration and wants to know why his records were pulled in the first place. He’s written about the whole story on his Facebook page (emphasis mine):

Two months ago I received a letter from the VA stating they over paid me and that I needed to provide evidence proving otherwise. So I mailed in everything showing that in fact I wasn’t over paid what they were stating, hard evidence too. I then get a letter stating its been resolved. Now today I get this letter showing that they are taking money out of my disability compensation that I receive for losing my three limbs… I call the number listed and the automated system says call back another day, WTF, you’re taking my money and you can’t even answer the phones. This is the garbage that so many veterans have been dealing with over the past few years.


And its complete [expletive] that someone can lose half their body for their country then they pull our records to nickel and dime us because the government is broke. After dealing with this for over a month I’ve decided to share my experience. This is exactly why we do not need a full blown government healthcare system run by the IRS, because they will target opposition, they will mess up, and they will take your money even if its by mistake. Then it will take months to even correct it, and this is just the VA, imagine this on a scale 30,000 times larger!


If this is how our nation treats our most severely wounded think about how they’ll treat those who are everyday citizens. The only people who are truly taken care of these days are those who control us and are politicians, they ensure their own are granted every privilege that they can come up with while screwing those who are trying to survive. IS THIS THE CHANGE YOU VOTED FOR? please tell WHY my record was pulled for one thing, and then a background check was done, then my money is being taken… for what? FREEDOM OF SPEECH!?

To his credit, Kolfman makes it clear that his objective isn’t to get any money out of this. He’s not looking for sympathy, just to expose how corrupt the VA is. He turned down one twitter user’s offer to pay for his medical expenses:




Stories like that of Airman Kolfage should send chills down the spine of every American. His story certainly raises the concern that the Federal government might already be using the healthcare system to punish those who speak out.

[American Patriot]

This is bullshit, and what's our country doing about it? Almost nothing.

Obama, you fucker get off your ass and demand this man's release immediately.

N. Korea detains U.S. war veteran, 85, son says

Foster Klug and Robert Jablon, Associated Press 6:48 a.m. EST November 21, 2013

(Photo: Nicholas Wright via AP)

Story Highlights

• American man pulled off plane last month as he was leaving the country
• Son was he was told dad was questioned harshly by officials before his arrest
• U.S. officials have not confirmed the detention

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean officials detained an 85-year-old American veteran of the Korean War last month as he sat in a plane set to leave the country, the man's son said.


A uniformed North Korean officer boarded the plane on Oct. 26 and asked Merrill Newman, a tourist from Palo Alto, Calif., for his passport before telling a stewardess that Newman had to leave the plane, the son, Jeffrey Newman, said Wednesday.


"My dad got off, walked out with the stewardess, and that's the last he was seen," Jeffrey Newman told The Associated Press at his home in Pasadena, Calif.


It wasn't clear what led to the detention. The son said he was speaking regularly with the U.S. State Department about his father, but U.S. officials wouldn't confirm the detention to reporters, citing privacy issues. North Korea's official state-run media have yet to comment on reports of the detention, which first appeared in the San Jose Mercury News and Japan's Kyodo News service.


The son said that, according to his father's traveling companion, Newman earlier had a "difficult" discussion with North Korean officials about his experiences during the 1950-53 war between U.S.-led United Nations forces and North Korea and ally China. That war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still technically at war. The war is still an important part of North Korean propaganda, which regularly accuses Washington and Seoul of trying to bring down its political system — statements analysts believe are aimed in part at shoring up domestic support for young leader Kim Jong Un.


The detention comes about a year after North Korea detained another American and as the U.S. State Department warns in a formal notice that Americans should avoid travel to the country, in part because of the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention.


North Korea has detained at least six Americans since 2009, often for alleged missionary work, but it is unusual for a tourist to be arrested. The North's secretive, authoritarian government is sensitive about foreign travelers, and tourists are closely monitored. Analysts say it has used detained Americans as diplomatic pawns in a long-running standoff with the United States over the North's nuclear bomb production, something it denies.


Speaking Thursday to reporters in Beijing, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies wouldn't confirm Newman's detention but said, generally, that Washington was working with the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, which acts as America's protecting power because Washington and Pyongyang don't have official diplomatic relations, "to try to move this issue along and of course calling on North Korea ... to resolve the issue and to allow our citizens to go free."


Merrill Newman was traveling with his friend, Bob Hamrdla, who was allowed to return. Hamrdla said in a statement that "there has to be a terrible misunderstanding" and asked for Newman to be quickly returned to his family.


Jeffrey Newman said his father always wanted to visit North Korea and took lessons in the language before leaving on the nine-day trip. Newman said he believed the inspiration came from the three years his father spent as an infantry officer in the Korean War, but said his father never talked about his service.


Jeffrey Newman said the Swedish ambassador had delivered his father's heart medication to the North Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry, but it was unclear whether he had received it.


Despite some recent nuclear diplomacy, tensions remain on the Korean Peninsula after a spring that saw threats from North Korea of nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul. International disarmament talks are currently deadlocked, with North Korea demanding status as an atomic power and Washington refusing to resume the talks until the North makes progress on past disarmament commitments. The North is estimated to have a handful of crude nuclear devices and has conducted three underground atomic tests.


Davies, the U.S. envoy, told reporters that the holding of American citizens by North Korea is a further indication of its lack of sincerity on restarting a dialogue on nuclear issues.


Washington also has expressed worry about the health of American Kenneth Bae, a missionary and tour operator who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after being arrested in North Korea last November for alleged hostile acts.


Jeffrey Newman said he believed North Korea would eventually release his father after realizing that all they have is an "elderly traveler, a grandfather with a heart condition."


"We don't know what this misunderstanding is all about," he said. "All we want as a family is to have my father, my kids' grandfather, returned to California so he can be with his family for Thanksgiving."


Americans celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday next week.


___


Jablon reported from Pasadena, California. Associated Press reporters Channing Joseph in San Francisco and Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this story.

[American Patriot]

85-year-old American veteran detained in North Korea for three weeks: report

Merrill Newman, a veteran of the Korean War, was set to leave the communist country Oct. 26 when he was pulled from his plane. The U.S. State Department has been mum about Newman in particular but has upped its travel advisory in the country, warning Americans to avoid North Korea entirely.

By Sasha Goldstein / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Wednesday, November 20, 2013, 9:16 PM

Merrill Newman had taken to travelling the world after retiring.



An 85-year-old Korean War veteran following a “lifelong dream” to visit North Korea has been detained in the communist country for more than three weeks, according to reports.


Merrill Newman, of Palo Alto, was five minutes from takeoff on his return flight to Beijing on Oct. 26 when authorities boarded the plane, asked the grandfather for his passport and took him off the aircraft, the elderly man’s son, Jeff Newman, told Anderson Cooper on “CNN” Wednesday night.


His father is a “curious cat,” Jeff Newman said of the man’s decision to visit the country, with which the United States has no diplomatic relations.


The State Department on Tuesday even issued an updated travel advisory, warning Americans to avoid North Korea, which reportedly was “arbitrarily detaining U.S. citizens and not allowing them to depart the country,” the San Jose Mercury News reports.


KRT via AP Video

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from right, or other authorities have acknowledged they have detained Merrill Newman.

The warning says that two Americans who entered the country on valid visas since 2009 have been arrested and detained in North Korea.



The State Department has yet to acknowledge or confirm the fact that Merrill Newman, specifically, has been detained.


“We are aware of reports that a U.S. citizen was detained in North Korea,” the State Department said in a statement to the Mercury News. “There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad. We have no additional information to share at this time."


The elderly man traveled to the nation with a neighbor of his at the Channing House, a retirement community in Palo Alto. Bob Hamrdla was allowed to leave the country and called the detainment “a terrible misunderstanding.”


Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old veteran of the Korean War, had entered North Korea legally on a tourist visa and was all set to leave on October 26 when he was apprehended by North Korean authorities.

"I hope that the North Koreans see this as a humanitarian matter and allow him to return to his family as soon as possible," Hamrdla told the newspaper.


North Korean authorities are known to detain and even arrest Americans - but they frequently are Korean Americans, making the detention of Merrill Newman particularly odd, the newspaper reported.


Newman was an infantry officer during the Korean War and went on to become a finance executive for tech companies, teach and volunteer. Since his retirement, Newman has reportedly taken to traveling the world with his wife. His trip with Hamrdla was meant to last 10 days.


"I said 'why do you want to go to a place that's dangerous, I wouldn't want to go,'" a neighbor told the Mercury News. "His reaction was very relaxed, with a smile. He went just as a fun trip. He wasn't there for any particular reason. They were travelling."

[Malsua]

His life long dream will probably end is a North Korean work camp.

There's a reason people don't put NK on their list of tourist destination.

While I sympathize with his plight, he probably should have gone under GWB; he might have had an administration that was willing to protect its citizenry.

[American Patriot]

I don't have any reason to go visit Russia or Nicaragua, or especially not China.

Been there... done that... left some stuff behind I won't go back for. LOL

Why anyone has a desire to visit a place where they were fighting a war several decades later is beyond me.

[Ryan Ruck]

'It Is My Duty As A Pararescueman To Save Life...'

October 30, 2013

Eight airmen from the 48th Rescue Squadron at D-M were first responders on a 19 vehicle accident involving more than 20 people on Interstate 10 near Picacho Peak, Ariz., Oct. 29, 2013.

Six pararescueman, a combat rescue officer and a communications specialist were driving through a dust storm with reduced visibility after jump training in Eloy, Ariz., when they drove by the accident.

“We were driving down Frontage Road when we saw the pile-up,” said Caleb, 48th Rescue Squadron combat rescue officer. “We noticed there were police on either end, but no emergency, medical or rescue services at the crash site.”

The airmen witnessed an individual from the accident walk down the hill from the freeway and then fall down. They consulted with each other and made the decision to turn around and offer their assistance.

When they pulled over to the side of the road, they talked to a sheriff. Lucas, 48th Rescue Squadron pararescueman, identified himself as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman with seven paramedics and asked if the sheriff needed help.

“The sheriff said ‘Right now, I got three dead and five critical, help as fast as you can,’” Lucas said. “At that point, we completely unloaded both of our vehicles.”

They suited up with helmets, goggles and gloves and headed into the scene with what medical gear they had. The first thing they noticed was fuel leaking onto the road and under vehicles.

“We immediately noticed three or four vehicles with trapped personnel,” said Caleb. “We assessed them and their situations and started getting people out using basic tools and equipment.”

With the Airmen being some of the first on scene, they improvised with knives, crowbars and any other objects they could locate to extract people from their vehicles.

They were on scene about 15 minutes before emergency medical services arrived and 30 minutes before heavy extrication equipment showed up.

They triaged, splinted and provided medical care to more than 20 individuals at the crash scene. Additionally, they provided emotional support to patients.

If you find something that will bring a patient comfort, give it to them, said Lucas. Even just going back and asking ‘How are you doing Stanley?’ brought them comfort simply because their name was not forgotten.

The airmen extracted five people from vehicles, coordinated four medical helicopter flights and organized ground transportation for about six injured individuals. After the critically injured were transported off scene, the airmen collected all of their gear, ensured EMS no longer needed their services and continued back to D-M. Four of the pararescuemen were right out of initial training and had never responded to a real-world situation like this before.

“I’m a Department of Training instructor,” Lucas said. “The fact these airmen just rolled in and got it done, it’s a great feeling to know they are new and they accomplished something like this. It shows them how they can make a difference.”

All the airmen credited their training and experience in allowing them to keep calm and render aid in conjunction with the other authorities at the scene.

“You do all these medical scenarios and train so much, sometimes you wonder, ‘Am I going to know what’s right?’” said Dan, 48th Rescue Squadron pararescueman. “When you get in there and start doing it for real, all your training pays off.”

[Ryan Ruck]

Crew Of USS Dewey Grants Dying WWII Veteran His Last Wish

November 13, 2013

After signing my Pop, EM2 Bud Cloud (circa Pearl Harbor) up for hospice care, the consolation prize I’d given him (for agreeing it was OK to die) was a trip to “visit the Navy in San Diego.”

I emailed my friend and former Marine sergeant, Mrs. Mandy McCammon, who’s currently serving as a Navy Public Affairs Officer, at midnight on 28 May. I asked Mandy if she had enough pull on any of the bases in San Diego to get me access for the day so I could give Bud, who served on USS Dewey (DD-349), a windshield tour.

The next day she sent me an email from the current USS Dewey (DDG 105)’s XO, CDR Mikael Rockstad, inviting us down to the ship two days later.

We linked up with Mandy outside Naval Base San Diego and carpooled to the pier where we were greeted by CMDCM Joe Grgetich and a squad-sized group of Sailors. Bud started to cry before the doors of the van opened. He’d been oohing and pointing at the cyclic rate as we approached the pier, but when we slowed down and Mandy said, “They’re all here for you, Bud,” he was overwhelmed.

After we were all out of the van directly in front of the Dewey, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, Petty Officer Simon introduced himself and said as the ship’s Sailor of the Year he had the honor of pushing Bud’s wheelchair for the day. Unbeknownst to us, they’d decided to host Bud aboard the Dewey, not at the Dewey. And so they carried him aboard. None of us expected him to go aboard the ship. I’d told him we were going down to the base and would have the chance to meet and greet a few of the Sailors from the new Dewey. He was ecstatic. The day before, he asked every few hours if we were “still going down to visit the boys from the Dewey,” and “do they know I was on the Dewey, too?”

Once aboard, we were greeted by the CO, CDR Jake Douglas, the XO and a reinforced platoon-sized group of Sailors. To say it was overwhelming is an understatement. These men and women waited in line to introduce themselves to Bud. They shook his hand, asked for photos with him, and swapped stories. It was simply amazing.

They didn’t just talk to him, they listened.

Bud’s voice was little more than a weak whisper at this point and he’d tell a story and then GMC Eisman or GSCS Why not would repeat it so all of the Sailors on deck could hear. In the midst of the conversations, Petty Officer Flores broke contact with the group. Bud was telling a story and CMDCM Grgetich was repeating the details when Flores walked back into view holding a huge photo of the original USS Dewey.

That moment was priceless.

Bud stopped mid-sentence and yelled, “There she is!” They patiently stood there holding the photo while he told them about her armament, described the way it listed after it was hit, and shared other details about the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

Bud finally admitted how tired he was after more than an hour on deck. While they were finishing up goodbyes and taking last minute photographs, GMC Eisman asked if it’d be OK to bring Sailors up to visit Bud in a few months after a Chief’s board. I hadn’t said it yet because I didn’t want it to dampen the spirit of the day, but I quietly explained to GMC Eisman the reason we’d asked for the visit was simple: Bud was dying.

I told him they were welcome to come up any time they wanted, but I suspected Bud had about a month left to live. Almost without hesitation, he asked if the crew could provide the burial honors when the time came. I assured him that’d be an honor we’d welcome.

Leaving the ship was possibly more emotional than boarding.

They piped him ashore. CMDCM Grgetich leaned in and quietly told me how significant that honor was and who it’s usually reserved for as we headed towards the gangplank. Hearing “Electrician’s Mate Second Class William Bud Cloud, Pearl Harbor Survivor, departing” announced over the 1MC was surreal.

Later that night Bud sat in his recliner, hands full of ship’s coins and declared, “I don’t care what you do with my power tools; you better promise you’ll bury me with these.”

He died 13 days later. For 12 of those 13 days he talked about the Dewey, her Sailors and his visit to San Diego. Everyone who came to the house had to hear the story, see the photos, hold the coins, read the plaques.

True to his word, GMC Eisman arranged the details for a full honors burial. The ceremony was simple yet magnificent. And a perfect sendoff for an ornery old guy who never, ever stopped being proud to be a Sailor. After the funeral, the Sailors came back to the house for the reception and spent an hour with the family. This may seem like a small detail, but it’s another example of them going above and beyond the call of duty, and it meant more to the family than I can explain.

There are more photos, and I’m sure I missed a detail, or a name. What I didn’t miss and will never forget, is how unbelievable the men and women of the USS Dewey were. They opened their ship and their hearts and quite literally made a dream come true for a dying Sailor.

They provided the backdrop for “This is the best day of my life, daughter. I never in my whole life dreamed I’d step foot on the Dewey again or shake the hand of a real life Sailor.”

Without question, it’s the best example of Semper Fidelis I’ve ever seen.

[American Patriot]

Thanks for those Ryan.

[Ryan Ruck]

We've lost two more of the Band Of Brothers...

Pueblo West War Hero, Earl McClung, Dies

November 30, 2013


Earl McClung (right) listens to Pleasant View Middle School teacher Randy Sandoval talk about McClung's experiences during World War II. McClung died Wednesday.

Pueblo West World War II veteran Earl McClung, whose story was told in a famous book and mini-series, died Wednesday.

He was 90.

McClung, who was part Native American and grew up on a reservation in Washington, served as a scout for the 101st Airborne’s famed Easy Company.

His heroics, and those of his comrades in arms, were chronicled in Stephen Ambrose’s book “Band of Brothers.” Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg made the book into an HBO mini-series.

His wife of 76 years, Jean McClung, remembered him Friday as a wonderful man.

“He was real genial and likeable. He had so many friends and so many people who liked him,” Jean McClung said.

“There are still a few of the ‘Band of Brothers’ left. He was one of the last ones.”

The couple had three children and lived in Pueblo West for 15 years.

“He had a good life. I am going to miss him. There are a lot of people that really cared about him,” Jean McClung said.

McClung and Easy Company parachuted into France on D-Day.

He spent nine days behind enemy lines at Normandy.

The unit made one jump at Norway and another into Holland during Operation Market Garden, the unsuccessful gambit by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery to bring the war to a quick end. Operation Market Garden later was made famous by the movie “A Bridge Too Far.”

In the war’s final stages, McClung and Easy Company captured Berchtesaden, home of Hitler’s Eagles Nest. McClung was the first U.S. soldier to enter Field Marshal Herman Goring’s home near the Eagles Nest, although he didn’t realize it at the time.

“We didn’t think we were any different than anybody else,” he said in an article published in The Pueblo West View in 2008.

“But the books and documentaries made us into heroes. We did the same thing that thousands of others did . . . we were just doing what we were told to do.”

Jean McClung said a funeral is scheduled today at 2 p.m. at a mortuary at Montgomery & Steward Funeral Directors.

“We will have his ashes interred at Fort Logan,” Jean McClung said.




'Band of Brothers' WWII Vet "Babe" Heffron Dies at 90

December 3, 2013


April, 2011: Edward "Babe" Heffron speaking to students at La Salle College High School about his experience in World War II.

South Philadelphia native and World War II veteran Edward "Babe" Heffron, best known for the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," which portrayed him, died yesterday at the age of 90.

During World War II, Heffron was a member of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army called Easy Company, often referred to as one of the most revered companies in the history of the U.S. Army.

Heffron fought in several major battles with Easy Company, including the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.

After the war, Heffron visited the families of two fallen soldiers in his company after the three made a pact promising that whoever survived would visit the loved ones of those who died.

"When he came home from the war he made a point to go down to Alabama and visit the family," said Jake Powers, a historian who runs a tour company that traces the progress of Easy Company in World War II. "He said it was the hardest thing he ever had to do in his life and he didn't know how it was going to be received but they accepted him just as if he was their own son."

Heffron continued to live and work in South Philadelphia, impacting the lives of many who crossed his path including City Councilman James Kenney.

"I've known him for a long time and he was a terrific person; certainly a hero," Kenney said. "He was very wise and he kept all of his senses til the end. I mean his brain was as sharp and witty as a thirty year-old. He was one of the funniest, wittiest guys I've ever known."

Powers, who knew Heffron for 30 years, agrees.

"He was the king of the one-liners," Powers said. "He should've had a comedy show."

Heffron and other Easy Company members' exploits were made famous by the 1992 Stephen Ambrose book Band of Brothers, and were later portrayed in a popular HBO miniseries by the same name. Heffron made cameo appearances and was portrayed in the miniseries by Scottish actor Robin Laing. Heffron was also referred to frequently in Ambrose's international best-selling book.

In 2007, Heffron penned his own national best-seller Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends: Two WWII Paratroopers from the Original Band of Brothers Tell Their Story with fellow unit member and Philly native William "Wild Bill" Guarnere as well as journalist Robyn Post.

Guarnere told NBC10 he knew Heffron was from South Philly the moment he saw him.

"I knew he was from South Philly from the way he walked," Guarnere said. "Bing, bang, boom! That's the way he walked!"

Guarnere also shared Heffron's sense of humor.

"You could put a microphone in front of him and Bill together and it would be nonstop radio gold," Powers said. "The two of them are passionate and sincere about their contributions to the war and most importantly the men that they left behind. But they also brighten up the room with just their comments and presence. They never took themselves too seriously because they didn't think they were heroes."

Heffron was one of few surviving members of the famed unit. Easy Company commander Richard “Dick” Winters died in 2011, after suffering through a several-year battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Information regarding Heffron's official cause of death or any impending memorial services have yet to be reported.

"Hopefully he went peacefully in his sleep," Kenney said. "That's what he deserved."

[American Patriot]

Wasn't sure if I should post this... but I think it goes here anyway.

Teenager dies while thwarting suicide bomb attack on school

17-year-old Aitzaz Hasan hailed as hero after chasing away bomber from Pakistani school

Ambulance cars transport the bodies of six labourers who were allegedly killed by Taliban militants in restive Karachi, Pakistan. Photograph: Shahzaib Akber/EPA






Thu, Jan 9, 2014, 18:17
First published: Thu, Jan 9, 2014, 18:12

People in Pakistan are praising a teenage boy who died this week while trying to stop a suicide bomber who was targeting his school.


Local police official said 17-year-old Aitzaz Hasan died on Monday in a remote village in Hangu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.


A teacher at the school told investigators that he saw Hasan chasing the attacker and then saw the attacker detonate the bomb that killed the teenager.


Local resident Miqdar Khan said people in the violence-prone district were hailing the teen as a hero.


The area where Hasan lived is home to many members of the minority Shia Muslim sect who have often been killed by militants who view them as heretics. AP

[Ryan Ruck]

WWII Pilot Bill Overstreet Died Over Weekend

January 2, 2014


Interviewing living legend, Bill Overstreet at Warbirds Over the Beach earlier this year

Former fighter pilot William Overstreet Jr., famous for flying beneath the arches of the Eiffel Tower while chasing a German aircraft during the war, died Sunday afternoon. He was 92. Considered by many a legend for his incredible maneuver, Overstreet’s most famous flight came while in solo pursuit of a German Messerschmitt Bf 109G flying into Nazi-occupied Paris. He maneuvered his plane beneath the arches of the Eiffel Tower, re-igniting the motivations of the French Resistance troops on the ground.

Warbirds News had the honor to meet Bil during the last Warbirds Over The Beach, the full interview can be read here. Bill was active and enjoying air shows and gatherings of WWII veterans through his long retirement, and we were honored that he took the time to sit down and talk to us about his experiences.

Overstreet was honored in 2009 for his World War Two heroics. The French Ambassador presented him the “Legion of Honor,” France’s highest award.

Memorial services for Overstreet will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Second Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, according to Oakey’s, with interment at 1 p.m. Saturday at Evergreen Burial Park. His obituary states that his family requests those attending the memorial service consider wearing something either or both red and yellow, his squadron’s colors, and contributions be sent to the Roanoke Salvation Army ( Source Newsadvance.com).


Extraordinary artwork depicting one of Bill Overstreet’s most dramatic aerial victories, by Len Krenzler of Action Art

[American Patriot]

8-year-old boy rescues 6 relatives from fire, dies trying to save more

By Chris Boyette, CNN

updated 10:45 AM EST, Wed January 22, 2014




Boy dies after saving 6 from house fire


STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tyler Doohan, 8, alerts relatives to an early-morning fire, and 6 escape
• He returns to the mobile home to help his disabled grandfather but dies in effort
• The single-wide trailer had no working smoke detector, fire chief thinks

(CNN) -- An 8-year-old boy was killed in a mobile-home fire in upstate New York early Monday while attempting to rescue a disabled relative inside, according to authorities.


Tyler J. Doohan, of East Rochester, was staying at the home of relatives in the nearby town of Penfield on Sunday night when he noticed a fire in the single-wide trailer, said Penfield Fire Chief Chris Ebmeyer.


As firefighters and sheriff's deputies responded to an emergency call around 4:45 a.m., Tyler was able to wake six other people in the small trailer, including two more children, ages 4 and 6, Ebmeyer said.


Then Tyler went back into the blaze to help his grandfather, who was disabled and would have been unable to get out of the home on his own, Ebmeyer said.
"By that time, the fire had traveled to the back of the trailer," Ebmeyer said. "Unfortunately they both succumbed to heat and smoke."


Their bodies were found together in a back bedroom.


Tyler's uncle was also killed in the fire, his body found in a front room, Ebmeyer said.


Earlier, fire officials had released a mistaken version of the incident, where the grandfather and uncle's locations were switched, due to incorrect information provided by a family member.


"It makes me really proud, it really does, but I just want him back," Tyler's mother, Crystal Vrooman, told CNN affiliate WHAM.


The boy broke away from his aunt outside the burning trailer and ran back inside to try to save his grandfather, she said.


"All I could think about is how he couldn't breathe," she told WHAM.


The pair were found together on a bed in the back room. It appeared that the boy was trying to lift his grandfather from the bed when he was overcome by the smoke and fire, the fire chief said.


Tyler and his grandfather were like best friends, Vrooman said.


"I'm just so grateful that he went with people that he loved," she said. "He didn't go alone."


The cause of the blaze is still under investigation but believed to be accidental.


The conditions of the six survivors were not immediately available.


Ebmeyer said that he didn't think the trailer had a working smoke detector. He lamented that with so many people in one small mobile home, one alarm could have easily woken everyone in time to escape.


The Penfield Fire Company -- a volunteer unit -- intends to create a public service initiative to spread awareness and get smoke detectors out to the public, he said.
Meanwhile, Richard Stutzman Jr., interim superintendent of the East Rochester School District, where Tyler attended fourth grade, issued a statement:


"In bravely and selflessly giving his own life, he was able to save the lives of six others -- and he truly is a hero."

[American Patriot]

That one kind of messed me up for the rest of the day