Army Brig. Gen. Robert Ashley, International Security Assistance Force deputy chief of staff of intelligence; British Lt. Gen. Adrian J. Bradshaw, ISAF deputy commander, and Marine Gen. John R. Allen, ISAF and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan commander, stand at attention during the Memorial Day wreath laying May 28, 2012, at ISAF headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan. The wreath was dedicated to fallen U.S. service members and the families who were left behind. (Army of the Czech Republic photo by Warrant Officer Frantisek Stein)
Memorial Day 2012: Letter From Fallen Marine William Stacey Read Aloud To Troops -- International Business Times
On Jan. 31, U.S. Marine Sgt. William Stacey was traveling through the Helmand province in the southern part of Afghanistan -- his fourth deployment to the country -- when suddenly, a homemade bomb exploded, killing the 23-year-old from Redding, Calif. Stacey had been prepared for this kind of tragedy, having already written a letter to his family that would be opened in the event of his death, which explained why he fought.
On Monday, Marine Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander and leader of the NATO coalition currently in Afghanistan, read Stacey's heartrendering letter aloud during a Memorial Day service in Kabul. He read it to honor Stacey's memory, as well as all of those who died in Afghanistan since the war started back in 2001.
"Today we remember his life and his words, for they speak resoundingly and timelessly for our fallen brothers and sisters in arms," Allen said.
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