Death Toll In Iraq Comes Home

LCpl PHILIP MARTINI
7/10/81 - 4/07/06

Northwest Indiana Times

Mercury Times

Phil's "My Space" Page

I've added a new counter to my side-bar. It's directly above the counter which tells me how many days we have left to endure the current presidental reign. I feel the two are related, but today is not the day to espouse my particular views on politics and war...or on the politics of war. It's enough to remind you that people are dying....very young people are dying and I wish they weren't.

I wish I didn't feel the need to add the counter - but I do. As always, war touchs everyone and my family has been touched this past weekend. On Friday, April 7, 2006, a member of my family joined all of the other grieving families and friends of the 2354 Americans killed in Iraq to date.

My 21 year old niece's friend, LCpl Philip Marini, was killed in Iraq. I have no details, I'm not sure the details are important. A young boy is dead fighting in a war he believed in and his family and friends are left bereft.

There is not much to say to a 21 year old woman who's lost someone dear. Children should not have to lose their friends. Parents should not have to lose children. Babies should not be called upon to lose parents. Wives should not lose husbands and husbands should not lose wives...not at 21 or 24 or 32 or 41.

I had no explanation to give to Megs.....and the only advice I could offer was to tell her to cry.....and the only consolation she has is knowing that Philip died doing something he strongly believed in....protecting his country.

"Here dead lie we because we did not choose to live and shame the land from which we sprung. Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose; but young men think it is, and we were young. "A. E. Housman

You were very young, Philip, and you were much loved and you will be very much missed.