Friend/Mentor dead in Fallujah

[YTNUKLR]

When I was in 7th grade, I had a peer counselor named J.P. Blecksmith (James Paul Blecksmith). Nice, honest, a real man. He had good grades, worked his butt off, and played Varsity Football for 3 years. (He was a Quarterback.) He made All-C.I.F. He ran track, set the school record in the 100m (10.6sec) and the 200m (22.1sec) and the 400m (50.2sec), and he put shot.

But, first and foremost, he was a patriot. Upon graduation from Flintridge Prep (a small, good private high school) he went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he played for them. He graduated with honors in 2003.

After Sept. 11th, he signed up for active duty in Iraq in the US Marine Corp. He was deployed in Fallujah as a 2nd lieutenant several months ago, and I, being only 12 when he graduated, did not follow up on his status.

I learned all about it November 12th, incidentally the day of my last high school Football game.

On Thursday, Nov. 11, he was ambushed and shot in his back in the Al Anbar province of Fallujah. He died in a dusty street, thousands and thousands of miles from home. He was only 24 years old.

I really needed to let everyone know just how close to home this hits, because it had not, before I heard about him. Hopefully this means something to you Pelicans. Take care of each other. Take a moment of silence, for J.P. (and for everyone else).

Look at all the others.

[84porsche]

Sorry about your personal loss. I thank him and all of the other soldiers out there defending our rights.

[Don 944 LA]

Sorry for the loss of your friend and mentor...

As a former service man, I know the feeling of patriotism and fight for the common good. Wether or not I feel that they should be over there or not, I recognize his extreme sacrifice. My thoughts go out to his family in this difficult time.

Don

[azasadny]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[makaio]

My condolences. I know what it is like to loose close friends, it never gets easy.

[BillyIdaho]

Wow. That one hit close to home for you.

Very sorry for your loss.

[Zeke]

That is an extremely well written and touching tribute.

And, the death of your friend just plain sucks.

I will take the moment you asked for to reflect on this tragedy. God bless his soul.

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally posted by YTNUKLR
Take care of each other. Take a moment of silence, for J.P. (and for everyone else).

Look at all the others.

.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...done.

Thanks - time to check the little ones now.

[speeder]

Your friend's death, (and that entire list), is heartbreaking. Sorry to hear about it, sounds like he was an extraordinary person.

[KevinP73]

I heard the story of your friend and mentor on the late news last night. It's brought the war a touch closer for me because now, someone I've met (you) has lost a friend over there. I couldn't say that before.
I'm real Sorry for your loss.

[YTNUKLR]

Thanks for the support guys, it helps. Troubling week.

[Joeaksa]

Another vet who is sorry to hear about your loss. Will say a prayer for him and his family tonight...

Joe A

[kach22i]

Sorry for your loss, take care.

[pwd72s]

Scott, Thanks for bringing this to my attention. As long as you and others remember JP, he'll be with us! I'm saddened that now it's your generation suffering the losses of war.

[Sarah]

That is a huge personal loss for you....i'm so sorry to hear this. Just by you posting this you have show what an honor it was for you to have had him in your life and i'm sure many other people feel the same way about him as you do. My niece's husband goes back in a few months for his 2nd time there...