Encouragement
Semper Fi—A Tribute To An American Hero
© 2011
by
Stephen A. Peterson
Luke Ott, a 23 year old, highly decorated Iraq war veteran, successfully hanged and killed himself just 6 miles away from his home in nearby city hotel. In a page and half letter he left, Luke wrote: “Honey, I love you and our daughter, Holly, with all of my heart and soul. Please, my love, don’t ever blame yourself for what I’ve done. You had nothing to do with it. You are the most loving person I have ever known. I just can’t get these monsters out of my head. As you know, I’ve seen psychiatrist after psychiatrist with no relief! …tell our daughter how much I love her, my family and friends that I love them too. Love, ya! Luke.”
Luke was not discovered for fourteen hours when housekeepers found him hanging in a closet during their cleaning activities. The death shocked the community and the state. Within a matter hours, persons far and wide were stunned by this war hero’s death.
Soon reports poured in about the young Marine from across the nation. Most of the stories the family was completely unaware of. Kyle Franks, a member of Luke’s rifle platoon, told of a night operation during the Battle for Fallujah. Without concern for his own personal safety and life, Luke rushed a machinegun that took the lives of three Marines and that pinned down the remaining members of the platoon. In a matter of minutes, he destroyed the firing machinegun team then captured seven more enemy fighters. He performed all of these tasks without sustaining a single scratch.
A Navy nurse e-mailed the Ott family to tell the story of how Luke rescued an orphanage of children from a mortar attack. She told of him putting babies and frightened young children on beds then pushing or dragging them out to safety then putting them on a truck for immediate evacuation to a nearby military installation. His quick actions saved the lives of nearly two dozen babies and children from certain death. The nurse reported that he even drove the vehicle as rounds fell all around their location. Through it all he never once considered not saving those children even when his own life was at risk.
Luke’s platoon leader telephoned the family to reveal how he sacrificed himself for his fellow Marine during another attack. Following an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack, several Marines were seriously injured. Luke quickly organized a blood drive to get enough blood for the injured Marines. In fact, he was the first in line to give his blood while encouraging others to do likewise. Three Marines Companies gave blood that day providing more than enough units of blood.
High school classmates e-mailed or called the family with stories never before known to them. Following his team’s basketball games just before Thanksgiving in his junior year, a woman at a local convenience store came forward to ask Luke if she could have a little money for gasoline so she might be able to drive herself and her children home. While putting gasoline in her tank, he learned she and her children had no food or money to make any purchases. After filling her tank with gasoline, Luke led her to the store then purchased enough food for her and the children for a week with the money he had been saving to buy himself and notebook computer. When his parents asked him why he never bought the computer, he explained it wasn’t the right time to make such a purchase. He told them that he would buy a computer around Christmas. As far as his parents’ recalled, Luke never said anything about what he had done.
Hours before the memorial service and burial, former classmates, people who Luke had helped in some way as well as fellow Marines present and past made their way to the Ott home to comfort the family and tell their stories. The little community swelled to a population greater than its inhabitants. As Luke’s flag draped coffin was driven through the streets to the little church, the mourners followed the vehicle in a solemn tribute to their fallen hero. As the two rows Marine color guard carefully and with reverence removed the coffin from the vehicle for the slow march for his final tribute.
The Chaplain who served with Luke spoke of his overseas service in brief: “Having observed Luke reinvigorated my service to others no matter who they were. I’d like to thank you, Luke, for letting me see you help those who were without hope, love those who didn’t think someone would show love towards them, and sacrifice what little you had without concern for your own personal well-being. I learned that there really are people out there who really do care about their brothers and sisters. You were the best example I ever knew. Thank you for your life! Semper Fi, Luke!! Semper Fi.”
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 944 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Stephen A. Peterson or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 944 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.