City Pauses to Pay Tribute to Sacrifices of Military
Mayor gives keys to city to 3 who lost limbs in battle

By GREGORY PIATT
The Times-Union

With all eyes on Jacksonville as the Super Bowl hoopla increases, the city took time out Thursday to honor those who have sacrificed on the battlefields, especially those in Afghanistan and Iraq.

While there were references during the ceremony to football -- notably former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman who quit pro football to become an Army Ranger and was killed in Afghanistan -- this gathering wasn't about the Super Bowl, even though it was in the shadow of Alltel Stadium.

"Our ceremony is to honor a greater contest played on unmarked fields in the sky, land and sea by those wearing the cloth of the United States," said Dan McCarthy, Jacksonville's director of military affairs. "Look around, we have veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and now the war on terrorism."

Taps and saluting soldiers, sailors and Marines set the scene as Mayor John Peyton gave keys to the city to three military personnel who lost one or both hands while fighting in the global war on terrorism. The three were brought to Jacksonville for the Super Bowl festivities by Impact Player Partners, a foundation that helps servicemen and women who have lost limbs with the financial, emotional and vocational aspects of returning to society.

Marine Corps Cpl. James Wright, one of the recipients of the keys, said he was overwhelmed by the tribute from the more than 100 people who attended the ceremony in a light drizzle at Jacksonville's Veterans Memorial Wall.

"It's good to see Marines," Wright said.

A "hoo-rah" came from the dozen or so Marines from the Blount Island Command attending the ceremony.

Army Spc. Danielle Green, another key recipient, thanked God for the strength to be able to attend. She also thanked Jacksonville in the midst of Super Bowl celebrations for recognizing servicemen and women in Iraq.

Petty Officer Jose Ramos, the third key recipient, thanked Vietnam veterans who never received the recognition when they returned home.

Some of those Vietnam vets were part of the color guard and dressed in camouflage or were sprinkled throughout those gathered at the wall, which contains the names of Jacksonville residents who died in wars since World War II to Desert Storm.

There were even three men dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms of George Washington's Continental Army. But it was the current active duty servicemen and women that appreciated the ceremony.

"It means a lot at this time to think about the military and to honor those people in Iraq," said Marine Sgt. Ana Harkins, who is stationed at Blount Island.

"It was a fitting tribute, said Army Col. Bob Carpenter of the Jacksonville district of the Army Corps of Engineers. "The ceremony is more special because the mayor has a lot to do during Super Bowl week, and to take time out for the active duty personnel shows that Jacksonville is truly a military town."

greg.piattjacksonville.com, (904) 359-4169