Calls for Pennsylvanians to Pray for Fallen Soldiers and Their Families
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today
issued the following statement after he ordered Pennsylvania state flags be
flown at half staff through Sept. 11 in honor of the seven National Guardsmen
killed this week, and all 92 Pennsylvanians who have lost their lives fighting
the war on terror. Adjutant General Jessica Wright and Command Sergeant Major
Donald Shiner joined Governor Rendell to honor each of the men who died.
"Just a little while ago, the Pennsylvania National Guard released the
names of five Pennsylvania Guardsmen who were killed in action in Iraq. This
is in addition to the two whose names were released two days ago, making a
total of seven.
"These seven men were young. They were middle-aged. They were black. They
were white. They were policemen, and they were firefighters, Wal-Mart store
managers, youth counselors, recent high school graduates. Some were husbands
and fathers. All were beloved sons, and all were Pennsylvanians. Six of the
seven belonged to the Alpha Company of the 91st battalion of the 111th
infantry headquartered on Southampton Road in Philadelphia. The other was a
member of the 2nd brigade combat team of the 28th infantry. That was the team
that General Wright and I went down to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to
participate in their departure ceremony, this June 26. The 28th infantry
division sent 4,100 Guardsmen to the Fallujah area of Iraq.
"This is an enormous tragedy for Pennsylvania, and I am ordering that all
state flags throughout the commonwealth be flown at half-staff from today
until the end of the day, Sept. 11, 2005. Our normal policy has been to fly
the state flags at half-staff in the county where the Guardsmen are from, but
a tragedy of this dimension, in my judgment, warrants the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania flags to be flown at half-staff throughout the commonwealth.
"I know that all 12.4 million Pennsylvanians join me in expressing our
deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of these seven brave men. The
Guard and General Wright will do everything we can to ease what has to be an
incredible burden that these families are going to undergo in the days and
weeks and months ahead.
"And I want to close by asking all Pennsylvanians tonight, before they go
to bed, to say a prayer for these seven men and their families, to say a
prayer of thanks for the 3,100 Pennsylvanians, the Pennsylvania National
Guardsmen and women, who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the 500 who
are also deployed in Kosovo and other places in the global war against terror,
and to pray for the safe and swift return of all 3,600. This is a great
tragedy for the state and a difficult moment for all of us."
Brahim J. Jeffcoat, 25 - Youth Counselor, Philadelphia
Kurt E. Krout, 43 - Wal-Mart Store Manager / Marine Veteran, Spinnerstown
Nathaniel E. Detample, 19 - 2004 Pennsbury High Graduate, Morrisville
Francis J. Straub, 24, Philadelphia
Gennaro Pellegrini, Jr., 31 - Philadelphia Police Officer, Philadelphia
John Kulick, 35 - Whitpain Township Fire Fighter, Montgomery County
Ryan Scott Ostrom, 25, Liberty
CONTACT:
Chuck Ardo
717-783-1116
SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.state.pa.us
CONTACT:
Chuck Ardo, Pennsylvania Office of the
Governor, +1-717-783-1116
|
