Never Forget

Christmas in America is always one of the happiest of times of the year. We gather with good friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate the season. Today, I was thinking how great I feel and how excited I am for our Christmas with our family.

Then I read the Unknown Soldier blog (noted in the blogs I follow). I immediately thought of Tyler Parten's family. Of course, this blog entry was not about Tyler but about another fallen soldier, PFC Albert Ware. He lost his life serving his country (and not the country of his birth) yesterday in Afghanistan. Here is the blog entry by Tom Sileo:

12-year-old Liberian boy fled to the United States in 1992, as his native country of Liberia was ravaged by a brutal Civil War. Just nine years later, when his new country was forced into a war it did not seek, the brave man signed up to fight for his still young, newfound freedom.

This is the story of Sgt. Albert Ware of Chicago, who died on Friday in Afghanistan's Arghandab River Valley. He was on his second tour of duty in the country. A Pentagon release sent out Tuesday afternoon said the soldier was killed when an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists blew up under his vehicle.

WMAQ-TV reports that Ware lived in the Windy City's Pullman neighborhood with his wife and three children. His name will soon be placed on a memorial close to where his family lives, which stands in tribute to fallen troops.

The NBC Chicago article about Ware has a tragic account of his family's final conversation with the soldier, just hours before his death.

Always generous, the family said Ware was making plans with his father to buy [his mother] a gift in his absence.

"I said, 'OK, call me tomorrow,' which was Friday. And that was the call that I got, which was four guys coming to tell me my son is dead," his father, Thomas Ware, recalled.

"He spoke to each one of us, and we shared our love. It was a normal conversation. I was trying to get from him a list of what his unit needed, because my job wanted to send him a care package," added his mother, Anna Ware.

Thank you, Sgt. Albert Ware, for coming to America and defending it so bravely. You have done an incredible deed for America, Liberia, and a world struggling against tyranny and terror. We will be praying for your family. --Tom Sileo


So later today, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day please PLEASE say a prayer for all of our soldiers serving; their families; the families of the fallen heroes who will never celebrate another Christmas with their loved one; and for our many blessings we receive because of their sacrifice. God bless them and the U.S.A.