Fallen Marine returns to Valley as families react to bin Laden news
Yakima Herald-Republic
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Members of the Yakama Warriors Associatin salute the casket containing the body of Marine Lance Cpl. Joe Jackson as it is brought into the White Swan High School gym for a funeral service May 2, 2011. Jackson was killed April 24, 2011 while serving in Afghanistan.
YAKIMA, Wash. -- A color guard stood at attention and the motorcycles of the Patriot Guard Riders roared onto the airfield Monday as the body of Marine Lance Cpl. Joe Jackson arrived at the Yakima Air Terminal.
Waiting in the stiff wind, Shawn Marceau reflected on the sacrifice made by his foster son and news the night before that U.S. forces had killed Osama bin Laden.
"It's a relief that there is some justice in light of this," Marceau said.
Jackson was struck by an improvised explosive device early April 24 while marking a trail on a steep slope in south-central Afghanistan.
Jackson's body was taken to White Swan High School, where it was dressed in military uniform prior to overnight services that resume today.
Burial and final services are scheduled to begin no earlier than 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Tahoma Cemetery in Yakima.
Like many military families, Marceau was grateful for the end of bin Laden 10 years after he pushed the United States into two faraway wars that have killed nearly 6,000 troops while wounding more than 43,000.
Denise Mettie said she had a quick conversation with God after hearing the news that U.S. forces had killed bin Laden.
"Initially, I was very happy. Right after that I started thinking I had to ask God if this is the right feeling. We aren't supposed to rejoice at someone's death," Mettie said Monday.
The mother of Army Spc. Evan Mettie, who was severely wounded in Iraq in 2006, found her answer. "I decided, yes, this is the right feeling."
Word of bin Laden's death put a big smile on Evan's face, she said.
Barbie Coleman found out a year ago Monday that her husband, Goldendale native Army Master Sgt. Mark Coleman, had been killed in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan.
Coleman, of Yelm, said she wondered many times whether the United States could find bin Laden.
"I knew we were trying. It is so fitting and such a great one-year mark for Mark to have that happen," she said.
Becky Morrison, whose husband, Army Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence Morrison, was killed in Iraq six years ago, said bin Laden's death means her husband died for a reason.
"I feel good about it. I'm glad he was caught and no longer with us," Morrison, of Yakima, said.
Morrison said she first heard the news while at work late Sunday.
"On my way home I was thinking about it and Larry popped into my head," she said. "I said out loud, 'They got him.' "
Dr. Amr Khalil, an Egyptian-born physician working for Sunnyside Community Hospital, called bin Laden's death good news.
"What goes around comes around," Khalil said.
Khalil, a Muslim who worships at the West Richland mosque, criticized bin Laden for using Islam as an excuse to kill civilians.
"He misused the religion," Khalil said. "If he has a fight with the United States, don't bring innocent civilians into it."
Area military personnel, meanwhile, swelled with pride at the news that a special operations team of Navy SEALs carried out the mission at the walled-in compound near Islamabad, Pakistan.
Capt. Jared Rains, instructor for the Yakima-based Company B, 4th Tank Battalion, said most of the Marines in uniform now joined or re-enlisted because of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
"There are a lot of good men who put in a lot of hard work to get to a point where they caught this mass murderer," Rains said.
"This is a good day for the military to see this come to fruition," he added.
At the American Legion in Yakima, veterans applauded the Navy SEALs who rooted out bin Laden.
"I'm glad that it's finally over," said Post Commander Duane Ramacher. "It's unfortunate they had to kill him to do it."
"I'm proud of our troops for going in there," he added. "We're just going to have to be on (high alert) for a while."
Reflecting on the servicemen who lost their lives in the effort against terrorism, Ramacher said: "Anybody in the military wrote a blank check to America -- God bless our troops."
The news brought out the patriotism in Legion member Gary Hicks. "We've got the best troops in the world," he said. "I think that we are still the strongest nation of all nations. All right, all ready, united we stand."
Navy veteran John Docter said terrorism was struck a big blow.
"I think it's going to hurt everything," he said. "He was the architect behind the attack on the World Trade Center. It's not that he can't be replaced, but it's gonna take a while."
In the Lower Valley at Pioneer Kitchen in Toppenish, Vietnam veteran Gordon Baird said it was long overdue.
"They should have gotten him a long time ago, when they got (Saddam) Hussein," he said between sips of coffee. "Probably somebody else will take over and be just as bad as he was."
* Reporters Phil Ferolito, David Lester and Ross Courtney contributed to this report.
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