Sgt. Jessica Housby mourned, buried
Tuesday, Feb 22, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Illinois House also held a moving memorial service for Sgt. Housby last week.
On a knoll overlooking the Rock River Valley, Sgt. Jessica M. Housby was laid to rest Saturday at a service attended by friends, family, fellow comrades-in-arms and top military and government officials from the State of Illinois.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn told the assembly of civilians and solemn ranks of soldiers that the 23-year-old Rock Island soldier, the first Quad-City woman killed in the Iraq War, exemplified the best tradition of service to her nation.
“Jessica is a true hero. She is among those who are proving that by serving in a dangerous place,†he said.
More than 250 mourners attended the 20-minute service at Rock Island Memorial Park Cemetery, where the Rev. Msgr, Dale Wellman of Sacred Heart Church, Moline, delivered the rite of committal. An honor guard snapped to attention, riflemen fired salutes and a bugler sounded “Taps.†[…]
Quinn… noted that 86 members of the armed forces from Illinois, including 11 members of the Illinois National Guard, have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since the war began two years ago.
Let’s try to keep any comments respectful and not turn it into a war debate. There are times and many other places for that.
- Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Feb 22, 05 @ 8:07 am:
Since you raised the issue of the debate about the war, maybe you should create a thread to discuss it.
It’s not like we’re having a substatiative debate in the national media about why President Bush did invade Iraq.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 22, 05 @ 9:33 am:
Our prayers go out to the family of Jessica Housby. She gave the utimate sacrifice to her country. We will always be thankful for people like her and pray that our children are brought home and taken out of harms way.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 22, 05 @ 12:40 pm:
“Their’s was not to ask why, their’s what but to do and die”
-Charge of The Light Brigade
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 22, 05 @ 8:02 pm:
I only raised the issue to prevent it from coming up. There are about a trillion blogs out there that deal with the Iraq war debate. Not too difficult to find them.