American Flag photo courtesy of John McGauley.
Today, a fine soldier is being laid to rest at Lindenwood Cemetery.
From the Department of Defense:
(November 17, 2010) – The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Kevin M. Pape, 30, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died Nov. 16 in Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
The funeral is at 1:00 pm at the Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral on Winchester Road. If you are so inclined, turn out along the funeral procession route which will leave the funeral home, proceed down Winchester Road to Bluffton Road to Broadway to Main out to the Cemetery. Show your support for Sgt. Pape, his family and friends and our great Country by lining the funeral route and quietly paying your respects. Take a flag with you.
The infamous group from Westboro will be in town and protesting. Frankly, their protest site, as defined by a City-issued permit, is so far removed from the procession that they won’t even be noticed. In my honest opinion, don’t feed into the coldness of their hate by protesting them, instead, show the warmth of love and respect by lining the route and honoring an American who gave his life so that this great Country of ours might go forward. At the end of the day, it won’t be the protesters that will be remembered, but rather those who paid respectful tribute along the way. That’s how we live in Fort Wayne – that’s how we wish to be remembered. Â People like those from Westboro Baptist don’t deserve a response.
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