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David F. Day—January 2006 Shipment Honoree
Army
SSgt., 25, of Saint Louis Park, Minn.; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 151st Field Artillery, 34th Infantry Division,
Minnesota Army National Guard, Montevideo, Minn.; killed Feb.
21, 2005 when an improvised explosive device detonated as he
was assisting injured soldiers in his command in Baghdad. Also
killed were Army 1st Lt. Jason G. Timmerman and Army Sgt.
Jesse M. Lhotka.
Day
‘found his way with duty, honor and courage’
Source:
Associated Press and MilitaryCity.com
Army
Command Sergeant Major Erik Arnie talked about Staff Sgt.
David F. Day at a flag-pole dedication ceremony in his honor
on July 9 during Pioneer Prairie Days in Minnesota. — Ed.
The
date of 21 February 2005 has been etched into the small
communities of Western Minnesota, such as Appleton, Marshall
and Morris, for all eternity. For it was on that day that the
lives of three young, brave men from Charlie Company, 1st
Battalion, 151st Field Artillery, were sacrificed for their
country and their comrades half a world away.
On that morning 1st Lt. Jason
Timmerman, Staff Sgt. David Day and Sgt. Jesse Lhotka were
conducting what was supposed to be an ordinary mission. The
mission turned out to be anything but ordinary.
First
Lt. Timmerman, Staff Sgt. Day and Sgt. Lhotka were traveling
in the 2nd Echelon of Charlie Company on mission. They had
departed the company area at approximately 7 a.m. First Lt.
Timmerman and Staff Sgt. Day were in the same Humvee with
their driver. Sgt. Lhotka was in another Humvee, with his
driver and gunner, that lost control somehow, left the road
and began to roll, injuring two soldiers. The small convoy
stopped and did what it was trained to do, provide security
around the scene and begin assisting the injured. Staff Sgt.
David Day, the squad leader of most of those on the scene, did
exactly what he was trained to do, take care of his men. After
a medevac was called in, the first injured soldier was carried
to a helicopter. The second soldier was being carried on a
stretcher by 1st Lt. Timmerman; Staff Sgt. Day, Sgt. Lhotka
and a soldier from another unit who had also stopped to
provide security. As they carried the soldier across the road
towards the helicopter an explosion occurred within a few feet
of the group. Three soldiers from Western Minnesota died that
morning and two others were seriously wounded.
Many of
you did not personally know Staff Sgt. David Day — but you
did. You know of the boys who grew up from this area; playing
ball in the park, riding bikes to the store with a buck from
mowing and excitement on what awaited, swimming and fishing in
the Pomme de Terre, playing cops and robbers throughout the
neighborhood, chasing the fire trucks when they came flashing
by, going to Scout camp; and pretending the enemies of America
were in the backyard and he was an Army sergeant stopping them
in their tracks.
You
know of the young men, desiring to be their own man, going off
to vocational school or college or joining the service or
going to work in the elevator and eventually finding their own
way. You know of the those men finding their sweethearts. Oh
yes, you know Dave Day — but he was more.
Dave
found that serving and protecting was his calling. Whether a
police officer with the St. Louis Park Police Department, or a
soldier in the Minnesota Army National Guard, or a son and a
husband, Dave Day was dedicated to serving and giving back to
those who had given to him. Staff Sgt. Day lived out his
childhood imaginings and found his own way with duty, honor
and courage.
Duty:
an act or course of action required of one by position,
custom, law or regulation. Moral obligation: the compulsion
felt to meet such obligations. These are just a few of the
definitions listed in most dictionaries.
On the
morning of 21 February 2005, Staff Sgt. Day was performing his
duty. More than just the duty that he swore to the day he
pledged the oath to serve his president and country. He was
doing the duties of a warrior. “I will always place the
mission first.” He was out on a mission; helping to protect
and secure the new state of Iraq. He did not hesitate to
accept this mission when the Charlie Company commander issued
it, therefore placing the mission ahead of himself. “I will
never accept defeat.” He did not accept defeat; when one of
his own teams lost a vehicle, he reacted quickly to recover
his soldiers and vehicle and attempted to continue on with the
assigned mission.
Honor:
personal integrity maintained without legal or other
obligations;
“I will
never quit.” He certainly did not quit just because something
had gone wrong — he obligated himself to carry on as did the
rest of his squad from Company C to set up security around the
perimeter of the scene and help his comrades.
Courage: Some say that courage is the lack of fear. I say
courage is having fear, but knowing and understanding your
fear — using it to motivate you and knowing how to put it
aside when duty calls. Staff Sgt. Day certainly overcame any
fears when he assessed the situation and reacted in a way to
assist his men. “I will never leave a fallen comrade.”
It is
right that we pay tribute to Staff Sgt. David Day and place a
memorial within his community — but not just as a reminder of
a boy, a man, a son and a husband, but that of a servant with
duty, honor and courage — to those he loved dearly and those
he served bravely.
I am
honored and proud to be a part of this event. And to Amy,
David and Vickie — on behalf of the 1st Battalion 151st Field
Artillery, the community of Morris, the state of Minnesota and
the Army National Guard, the St. Louis Park Police and friends
— thank you for letting all of us know Dave.
He will
be forever remembered!
Minnesota Towns Honor Fallen Soldier
MORRIS,
Minn. — Two by two, a procession of 110 squad cars with lights
flashing drove slowly and silently through this western
Minnesota city. A Blackhawk helicopter flew over the
procession, flying low enough to create a stir of dust. And
when a white hearse carrying Staff Sgt. David Day drove by,
people laid down pink, red and peach roses on the streets of
Morris in tribute to a Minnesota soldier who laid down his
life last week in Iraq.
Day,
25, a Morris native who was a St. Louis Park police officer,
was one of three members of the same Minnesota National Guard
unit who were killed Feb. 21 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
Separate funerals were held earlier in the week for 1st Lt.
Jason Timmerman of Tracy, and Sgt. Jesse Lhotka of Alexandria.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and first lady Mary Pawlenty attended all of
the funerals.
After
the procession passed Thursday, the crowd dissipated, leaving
a line of roses behind them. “It kind of just overwhelms you,
there’s so much support here,” said Carolyn Smith, who held an
American flag.
Day,
the youngest child of David and Vicki Day, was remembered as a
hardworking, good-humored and courageous young man.
An
estimated 1,000 people packed Assumption Catholic Church for
Day’s funeral. Their ranks included more than 250 law
enforcement members from 70 agencies, including 65 from the
St. Louis Park Police Department, which swore in Day in
February 2004, and the staffs of the Morris police and Stevens
County sheriff’s departments. Day had also worked as a
community service officer in Morris. Seating and
closed-circuit televisions were set up in the church basement
and at St. Mary’s School to accommodate the large numbers.
The
Rev. Alan Wielinski shared family stories about Day and
reiterated that Day had “laid down his life for his friends.”
The three soldiers were killed while coming to the aid of
injured comrades. “The selfless service of David, and
countless other soldiers like him, gives witness to some of
the very best of human qualities: courage, faithfulness,
selflessness, steadfastness, loyalty and love unto death,” he
said.
Stevens
County Sheriff Randy Willis said Day was a “great kid.”
“A lot
of people are liked. A lot of people are respected. But it’s
hard to be both,” Willis said. “He pulled it off.”
Capt.
Kirk DiLorenzo of the St. Louis Park Police Department worked
with Day for two years. He stood on the church steps while
Day’s coffin was brought in and out. “All of the officers are
heartbroken,” he said.
Day
married his longtime girlfriend, Amy Gulbrandson, 12 days
before his deployment in October. Sgt. 1st Class James Howe
was Day’s first sergeant and knew Day for about five years.
“He’s not only a good soldier, but a good individual, a great
person,” Howe said before the funeral. “The kind of guy you’d
want your daughter to marry.”
Before
the procession, Brian Brummond, of Morris, spoke of his “very
hard emotions.” His son, Joshua, 23, is in Day’s unit — the
Montevideo-based 151st Field Artillery — and was assigned to
gather the personal belongings of Day, Timmerman and Lhotka to
be sent back home. “He said it was one of the hardest things
he’s had to do,” Brummond said.
—
Associated Press
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