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FOSTER HOMES NEEDED FOR SEVERAL CATS NOW!!! We are currently in need of foster homes for some of our cats. If you are able to help please fill out the on-line application. If you can't foster, think about Sponsoring a Pet. |
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In Loving Memory to Cpl. Kevin "Jack" Dempsey
As the coffin of Corporal Kevin J. Dempsey was lifted from the hearse and carried toward its final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery yesterday, dozens of Marines raised their right hands in a salute, a final gesture of respect for a man who had given his life to save his comrades. On November 13, 2004, Dempsey, 23, had been team leader of a Marine foot patrol in Iraq's Anbar province. When the troops discovered an improvised mine -- a buried bomb attached to a cell phone -- Dempsey took charge of clearing the other Marines from the scene, according to First Sergeant William S. McCoy of the Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center in New Haven, Connecticut. He saved at least seven of his comrades before an enemy detonated the bomb, killing Dempsey and another Marine. "Whoever did it was watching when it happened," McCoy said. Dempsey -- better known as "Jack" because he possessed the same toughness as the legendary boxer -- was assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Most recently, he had hailed from Monroe, Connecticut, where his mother, Barbara, and sister Jennifer live. He was a graduate of New Canaan High School, a football star who told friends and family of his dream of joining the Marines. "He wasn't afraid of anything," said Pete Barrella, a school security guard who often chatted with Dempsey. Barrella said he paid special attention to Dempsey, knowing he had overcome the hardship of his father's death at a young age. "He was a tough kid, a quiet kid," he said. Although Barrella had told Dempsey that he would make a good Marine, the security guard did a double take when Dempsey strode up to him last year in his Marine uniform. Gone was the adolescent in baggy pants he had once known; in his place was a man with a firm handshake and an assignment to fight in Iraq. His was the sacrifice of a man who had a history of serving as a protector of those around him. As a child, Dempsey was quick to defend children who were being bullied and rescue stray animals, those who knew him said. Monroe Mayor Andrew J. Nunn said that after Dempsey's death, there was an outpouring of recognition and support in the town. Some residents made meals for Dempsey's family; others donated to charities in his name. The local Red Cross honored him with a hero's award. Hundreds of his classmates and friends turned out for his funeral at St. Catherine of Sienna in Greenwich, Connecticut, and he was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery nearby. But on Tuesday, his coffin was disinterred and brought to Arlington, so that he could receive a military funeral and be buried alongside thousands of other war heroes. His grave is near that of another Marine who died in Iraq the same day, in another incident, McCoy said. After the service, each of the Marines and other service members in attendance approached the coffin. One by one, they bid a final farewell to their comrade. "It's meaningful that he is coming to Arlington," said Representative Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), who visited Dempsey's family after his death. "He was very proud of being in the Marines." To the Marine Corps, he was Cpl. Kevin J. Dempsey of Monroe, Conn. To a lot of people in the state that now mourns his death, he was Jack. Jack the wrestler. Jack the football player. Jack the New Canaan High School graduate. Jack, who enlisted with the Marines not long after 9/11. Kevin "Jack" Dempsey, 23, died Saturday in an explosion in Al Anbar Province in Iraq - the latest in a list of troops killed this month in that province, where the U.S. has been waging an all-out assault on the remaining insurgents in Fallujah. The Department of Defense says at least 38 U.S. troops have died and almost 300 have been wounded in the occupation of the city west of Baghdad. Dempsey was in the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, attached to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The day after Dempsey died, Army Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. forces in the war, spoke with troops in Fallujah, saying that the city was under control. He said the last few pockets of insurgents were being pursued, and they would be knocked out to the last man. That brand of tough dialogue matches the tough, dedicated Marine that friends describe Dempsey as being. Following, is a quote from a letter from Barbara Dempsey, the very proud Mother of Jack Dempsey: "He always stood up and fought for the underdog - literally, whether it was a playground, a school yard or a street corner. He was there to protect and do what was needed and right. He continues to be a beacon in my life." The members of CAPS are also proud of Jack Dempsey, and honored to have the privilege to pay homage to this fine young man who respected all of God's creatures, always doing whatever he could to help homeless animals. We honor Jack for his sacrifice for our freedom, and ask God's blessings be with his Mother and sister. "Through this perpetual memorial honoring Cpl Kevin "Jack" Dempsey, CAPS is assisted in providing immediate medical care to help needy animals. The members of CAPS greatly appreciate this thoughtful tribute to a hero who fought not only for the liberty of the Iraqi people and the safety of our nation, but also the welfare of all animals."
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