Retired United States Marine Corps Brigadier General Denis Shortal deliverers the keynote address at the 2014 DeKalb County Memorial Day Ceremony.
L/Cpl Scott D. Harper, nicknamed "Boots" since high school, age 21, was KIA on October 13, 2011, from Hostile fire/IED while conducting combat operations in Helmand, province, Afghanistan, and serving as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was a member of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Lejeune, NC. The First Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghanistan National Security Forces to conduct counterinsurgency operations.
This was the second deployment for L/Cpl Harper. He had previously deployed with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division in March 2010.
Scott was a 2008 graduate from Alexander High School in Winston, (Douglas County) GA, and was active in the ROTC program. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in September 2008 shortly after graduation from high school. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in November 2009, and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal in September 2011.
Scott leaves his wife, Angela Harper, his father, Brian Harper, mother Deborah Busbin Staples, his brother, Mitchell Staples, his sister, Amber Staples, a step-brother, Joseph Hulsey and a step-sister, Holly Harpe.
Reprint from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Friday, Oct., 21, 2011: They stood outside in blustery weather, tiny American flags clutched in their small hands, to show their respect for a fallen Marine from Douglas County on his final trip home.
About 600 students at Winn Elementary School spent an hour or so waiting for a motorcade carrying the body of Marine Lance Cpl. Scott "Boots" Harper to pass on its way to a Douglasville funeral home. Like them, Harper had once attended the Litha Springs school, as a first-grader. Now, he was teaching them a lesson about sacrifice..
Thousands of others joined the students along a 1-mile strip of Bankhead Highway to remember Harper and honor him as the lengthy motorcade made its journey.
Standing guard in its own way was the Marine Jr. ROTC honor guard from Lithia Springs High School, which occupied the driveway at Winn. Veterans also turned out to pay tribute to a serviceman who had died on the battlefield.
Scott was buried on October 23, 2011 at Ephesus Baptist Church Cemetery in Winston, Georgia.
PS: Tomorrow is Flag Day, please fly it proudly & if you happen to have 20, fly them too.
Thank you, General Shortal for reaching out to DeKalb to remind us all that Freedom is not Free.
ReplyDeleteHappy Fathers Day and enjoy the Day!