Legislators honor Utah's fallen soldiers at House
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]SALT LAKE CITY -- The Dutchers appreciate the honors, the citations, the hugs and hand shakes, but they would rather have their son bursting through their front door with his latest adventure tales.
Jeffrey and Terry Dutcher, of Hooper, were among the families of 15 military men with Utah ties who died in 2007 and were honored on the House floor Friday. Their son, Army Cpl. Michael A. Pursel, 19, was killed on May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq.
"All these honors are wonderful, but we would rather (Pursel) was here," Terry Dutcher said after the ceremony.
Representatives and staff stood to honor the families as they came into the House chambers.
"Today we gather in solemn remembrance of 15 of our sons, 15 brave souls, who made the eternal sacrifice at the calling of their nation," said Rep. Kerry Gibson, R-West Weber.
This is the second year the Legislature has honored families of fallen soldiers with a joint citation from the House and Senate signed by Gov. Jon Huntsman.
Last session legislators honored 11 military personnel who died, including three men who died in January.
It has been almost a year since her son died, and every day "we go home and everyone goes on with their lives," said Terry Dutcher. "It never ends for us. We think others forget, but it's moments like this when representatives and the governor are emotional with you and they feel part of our pain. They remembered our son."
When she or her husband speak of their son, they often shed tears, which others "find uncomfortable. But it's OK to cry. It's a daily routine with us."
They miss their son, but knew since he was very young he would be in the Army, they said.
"There was never a question," Terry Dutcher said.
Many of those who were killed were young and should never be forgotten, Gibson said. They sacrificed their dreams to serve their country.
He talked about the danger that these soldiers faced before they died and said they may have thought before they died, "May this sacrifice make a difference, and may it keep someone else from having to do the same."
"We must never forget that the free air we breathe is the product of the blood they shed," Gibson said.
Gibson's voice filled with emotion as he spoke about the family members. "To this day, they cling to a final letter, an old yearbook, a letter jacket that still hangs in a closet, precious reminders of the loved one who never came home."
Utah soldiers who died in 2007 in service to their country who were remembered Friday in the House:
Army Cpl. ERIC SIEGER, 18, Layton. Died Feb. 1, Buhriz, Iraq
Army Sgt. BRANDON A. PARR, 25, West Valley. Died March 3, Baghdad, Iraq
Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class DOUGLAS C. STONE, 49, Taylorsville. Died March 11, Tallafar, Iraq
Army Spc. STEPHEN M. KOWALCZYK , 32, formerly of Salt Lake City, of San Diego. Died March 14, Muqdadiyah, Iraq
Army Staff Sgt. VIRGIL C. MARTINEZ, 33, West Jordan. Died May 6, Kadhimiyah, Iraq
Army Cpl. MICHAEL A. PURSEL, 19, Hooper. Died May 6, Baqubah, Iraq
Army Sgt. JESSE A. BLAMIRES, 25, West Jordan. Died May 30, Sangin Valley, Afghanistan
Air Force Tech. Sgt. RYAN A. BALMER, 33, Roy. Died June 5, near Kirkuk, Iraq
Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. GLADE F. FELIX, 52, formerly of Salt Lake City. Died June 11, Qatar
Army Sgt. 1st Class NATHAN L. WINDER, 32, Blanding. Died June 26, Diwaniyah, Iraq
Army Sgt. NATHAN S. BARNES, 23, American Fork. Died July 17, near Rushdi Mullah, Iraq
Utah Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer JAMES R. LINDER, 33, West Jordan. Died Aug. 20, in Cedar Valley
Utah Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer CLAYTON BARNES, 30, Payson. Died Aug. 20, in Cedar Valley
Army Sgt. 1st Class ROCKY H. HERRERA, 43, Salt Lake City. Died Aug. 28, Jaji, Afghanistan
Army Staff Sgt. LARRY I. ROUGLE, 25, West Jordan. Died Oct. 23, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
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