The Real Meaning of this Fourth of July Holiday

Graham - Author, Amateur Writer, Blogger, and Photographer

This July 4, 2008, I want to re-post a bulletin I posted some time ago. I hope it reminds us all that there have been so many people who gave their entire (and often, short) lives here on this earth for our freedom.

Thanks to those of you who serve and are my contacts here especially JTR.

May Each and Every One of You Have a Very Happy and Safe Fourth of July Holiday!

And May All Your Travels Be Safe Ones!

Warmly,

Graham

PLEASE CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO POP OUT PLAYLIST (right click and open in a new tab, click on “LAUNCH PLAYLIST”, then return to this tab). The music adds to the message.

I was struck today by the memory of 2nd Lieutenant James J. Cathey today when my Todd posted a picture of his body being unloaded from an American Airlines Jet to send him on his final journey home after faithfully serving our country.

His life ended serving our country on August 21, 2005. He was only 24.

I remember seeing the image in the magazine in which it appeared some time ago. I couldn’t find the magazine to scan the image but after enough googling, I found the image and the photographer, Todd Heisler.

Here is the image:

And the text that appeared under the photograph:

When 2nd Lt. James Cathey’s body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine’s casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as one of the most powerful in the process. “See the people in the windows? They sit right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what’s going through their minds, knowing that they’re on the plane that brought him home,” he said. “They’re going to remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. And they should.” © 2005 Rocky Mountain News

Quite fitting that he should be carefully placed on board that American Airlines Plane in their red, white, and blue livery. And then removed in full view of starboard passengers as his family looked on.

Feeling the need to hug her husband and express her grief, this is as close as she gets to his body. The people on the tarmac were speechless as many shared her pain.

But what I remember most about the story was that his wife, pregnant and devastated, asked to sleep next to her husband as he lie in state at the funeral home. I saw this image in my mind and remembered it is what touched me the most.

His wife is viewing their family pictures on a laptop. A small collection of pictures for a couple so young.

Per military requirements, two officers were present throughout the night. No one (to my knowledge) ever denied Mrs. Cathey the right to spend one final evening with her husband even if it was as he lay in peace as his soul prepared to make a final journey home.

Here, Mrs. Cathey places a picture of the most recent ultrasound photograph, confirming they were expecting a son, on her husband’s chest inside his casket.

Her son will never know his Daddy but will always be surrounded by a nation that was caught speechless by the power of these touching and moving photographs:

2nd Lt. James J. Cathey’s Body is prepared for final viewing:

Mrs. Cathey, presses her belly against the casket of her husband for the one last virtual bond between Father and Son…

Officers practice folding a flag the night before the funeral. This would be the first time these two men would have to fold a flag for presentation to the family. They had to get it right. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the last time that such a burden would be placed on them.

Jeff Cathey, Father of James, seeks comfort in the embrace of another Officer:

THE OBITUARY:

Sarah Ovaska, Staff Writer
A Camp Lejeune Marine died Sunday in an explosion in Iraq, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Second Lt. James J. Cathey, 24, of Reno, Nev., was killed near Al Karmah, Iraq. He had been in Iraq since mid-July and was on his third mission, said Caroline Cathey, his mother.
He leaves behind his wife Catherine, pregnant with the couple’s first child, and a 9-year-old daughter, Stacy, who lives in Nevada.
“This was just the beginning of their life together, Caroline Cathey said about her son and his wife. They had been married for a little more than a year.
James Cathey served with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune.
Cathey, who grew up in Reno, finished high school early to join the U.S. Marine Corps. He had wanted to be in the Marine Corps since he was a young boy, his mother said.
He went into the Marine Reserves to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and anthropology.
In his free time, Cathey enjoyed hunting chukar, a game bird in the pheasant family, tying flies for fly fishing and shooting skeet, Caroline Cathey said.
He will be buried in Nevada.
In one of his last calls to his mother, he told her he was impressed with Iraqi society. Caroline Cathey asked for support of military personnel still serving in Iraq.
(News researcher Lamara Williams-Hackett contributed to this report.)

And finally a bittersweet gift for Christmas 2005:

Dec 26, 2005 1:34 pm US/Mountain

War Widow Finds Christmas Gift In Newborn Son

Bill Stuart
Reporting

(CBS4) DENVER A woman who lost her husband in the Iraq war gave birth to their son a couple weeks before his due date. The early Christmas present brought hope and joy after a year of war and tragedy.

The baby will never meet his father. The father will live in this Christmas gift, sent to comfort grieving hearts on earth.

“I’ve been kind of afraid that once I had him I would get even more upset about Jim having passed away, but having him has actually helped me,” Katherine Cathey, a widow and mother said.

Second Lt. James Cathey, Katherine’s husband, died one month after he arrived in Iraq. He was killed instantly when he entered a booby trapped building ahead of the Marines under his command. Two days later, his wife Katherine learned that their baby would be a son.

Before Jim was buried, Katherine Cathey spent the last night with her husband. When she closed his coffin, she placed an ultrasound picture of their baby over his heart.

The baby was not due until Jan. 1. Early in the week before Christmas his mother and grandmother felt something was not right so they went into the hospital.

“They got a heartbeat when they put the monitor on but they weren’t sensing that he was moving at all,” Katherine said. “I was very scared.”

Doctors rushed Katherine into the operating room.

“They all for the most part knew I had lost my husband and I couldn’t go through losing the baby too,” Katherine said.

After an emergency caesarean section, James Cathey Jr. (Jimmy, for short) arrived strong and healthy. He was an answer to so many prayers.

“I just looked at his face and that’s when I started crying because I thought he’s so beautiful,” Katherine said. “I really feel like Jim has watched over me and the baby a lot.”

Jim was the kind of son who would make any family proud. He graduated from CU with honors in just 3 years. He led his men by example. He had a sense of humor and he had a sense of honor. Although he never got the news, he knew in his heart that this baby would be a boy.

“His dad was such an amazing person that if he’s anything like his dad he will be an amazing person too,” Katherine said.

Jimmy also has an amazing mother.

“She’s been so strong,” one relative said. “She’s been an inspiration to all of us.”

Katherine Cathey, a widow before her first wedding anniversary, has a true Christmas gift.

“When Jim would sleep, he did this funny thing with his lips and the baby does the same thing,” Katherine said. “I felt, in a way, like I had him back kind of. He makes me really happy. So happy that you cry.”

Katherine has made a separate peace far from the battlefield that took her husband and Jimmy’s father before his time.

“I’m at peace knowing that my husband loved me very much and I loved him very much,” Katherine said. “We brought a child into this world. He’s a miracle and he’ll be something that will bring joy to my life for the rest of my life.”

2nd Lieutenant and Mrs. James j. Cathey:

SOME OF OUR MOST RECENT FALLEN SOLDIERS:

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Graham – Author, Amateur Writer, Blogger and Photographer

Graham – Author, Amateur Writer, Blogger, and Photographer

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I never speak out on the war but these images, coupled by the recent headlines that we have lost over 4,000 people in this war bothers me. I am numb. It hurt as much today to see these picture as it did in 2005 when this happened.

I have friends that served in the war. I know people that are there now. And every day I ask why. I won’t express my opinion other than to say that I hurt for the people that hurt as their loved ones, their daughters and sons, wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country – their lives.

The response I have received from so many people has been overwhelming. This was shared with many people – without my knowledge but any of you are free to repost it.

The most touching replies were from those people in uniform themselves. More than once I received replies stating “You put this soldier in tears”. That is touching. If I can move one person to try and make sense of all of this and make a difference in a soldier’s life, then I have finally done something good for the day.

You may keep writing – your words move me and I will reply to everyone.

And for those who asked about sending add requests, the last name code is Kslc. I never wanted to publish that information, but having friends and former family who served, I don’t want to deny any one the right to stay in touch – including the three myspace soldiers who were already friends of mine here. All three of you who serve our country have a special place in my heart. I can’t and don’t always write but I do pray and each of you are in my prayers.

Tonight I went to Mass for Reflection and Had an Opportunity to Photograph the Church I grew up in. It has been completely renovated and is full of warm colors. I love going there. It’s hard to believe this was once a very dark cold Blue and Brown Interior that scared me as a small child.

After researching this, I found myself caught in the middle of it all – feeling lost. I needed to go to Church tonight and reflect. Sunday morning was just too far away…

Some Pictures and My Thoughts On What I Saw…

This Is The Painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary above the Altar with Angels painted by an Artist at the turn of the century:

This Is The Painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary above the Altar with Real Angels That Are Now In Heaven:

It Does Make Me Think About How Serious All of this really is when I started looking at just a few of the 4,000 faces and reading just a handful of all the loved ones these dear people left behind.

I can only nod and lower my head in disbelief. And keep praying.

PLAYLIST:

Many don’t agree with war. I don’t. I won’t elaborate to avoid controversy.

I couldn’t sleep tonight. If my not sleeping and researching this until I found the pictures that moved me to tears over two and half years ago (and did the same thing this evening) can move others to say stop the killing of the innocent – OUR innocent soldiers, then maybe I have done some good some where.

But it is also a time to remind people that our soldiers need care packages on a regular basis. There are many web sites that suggest package items as well as give advice on how to carefully pack such boxes. Other sites will sell you a pre-made care package and mail it to the soldier of your choice. There are also links to lists of soldiers who need packages who don’t have families that are able to send things to them.

My suggestion to finding this information is to google the following words:

“care packages to soldiers”

And your options will be endless. Thanks on behalf of all who serve our country for thinking of these women and men throughout the year and not just the holidays.

One final note, some of my contacts here are religious and a few are not. For those of you who are, keep these special women and men in your prayers daily. Even if you don’t support the war, you should support our troops.

Warmly,

Graham

The Professional Photographs of the Cathey Family were all taken by Todd Heisler (Pictured Below) who generously shared these touching photographs with news agencies and individuals around the globe:

TO VIEW MORE OF THE FACES OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS:

http://www.legacy.com/Soldier/home.aspx
This was written (except where quoted from other sources) and posted by Graham on myspace. Your feedback can be sent to:

myspace.com/bestwings

Graham:

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