MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - A Marine from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment slides his hand down a pair of dog tags as he hangs them upon the pedestal on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, June 06. A total of 119 Marines and sailors who hung dog tags of fallen heroes wore black shirts that read, “All gave some. Some gave all. In memory of our fallen brothers.” (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Bragg) (Photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Bragg)
Born and raised in Eagan, MN, Daniel Robert Olsen seemed to have worn an array of hats in his young life. He sampled many sports... enjoyed karate, scouts, and 'lightly' teasing his two sisters. He was part of the drum line at Eagan High, was a valued worker at Camp Snoopy, and volunteered in the children's program at church. He liked being a part of things, especially helping others, but very much avoided the limelight. Having consideration for the military, Daniel enlisted in the Marines on his 18th birthday, and while it was hard for his parents, Wayne & Gwen Olsen, to watch him go, they supported his decision 100 percent. The challenges and brotherhood of the Marines suited him well. In January of 2007 he left for his first tour in Iraq.
On April 2nd, 2007 Daniel was shot and killed by a sniper while protecting a critical position at the police station in Saqliwiyah, Iraq. Daniel's commanders described him as, "A silent professional; reserved, modest and efficient. He was at the forefront of every one of his missions and had demonstrated proven courage under fire."
His amazing near photographic memory was a regular asset to his squad. His mother related to me that while they had some idea of this ability they didn't know the extent... like memorizing the serial #'s of all the soldier's service weapons in his platoon of over thirty! In a letter, Navy Medic Dirk Ellena wrote, "Daniel was the sweetest infantry saw-gunner I ever met." His parents state that their only son "was kind to, and respected everybody." I was honored to paint him in his Marine dress uniform.
Portrait sponsored by: - Hoff Funeral Service - St. Charles, MN
Cole was special among black Labrador retrievers who died in battle to save others. His parents were black Labrador retrievers and both were champion field trials dogs, a sport in which the dogs need to make specific and complicated retrievals as directed by their owners. Cole spent his last days sniffing out IEDs (improvised explosive devises) in Afghanistan.
Cole’s owners, Steve and Brittney Tull of Dover Delaware, bought him for $3,000 because Steve wanted to try and see what it was like to train a dog to compete in field trials. However, Steve’s training partner moved away while in the middle of training Cole and so Steve decided to contact Bob Agnor, a friend who works for K2 Solutions Inc., in North Carolina, a firm that trains dogs to sniff out IEDs.
Cole was sent to North Carolina where he met Corporal Brian Holm, his new handler and combat engineer. “We clicked real well. He just kind of responded to what I did,” Holm recalled in a telephone interview from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twenty Nine Palms, Calif., where he is based. Trainer and trainee graduated in February and Cole was made Sergeant Cole, USMC. Marine dogs hold a rank one level above their handler’s.
On Cole’s first mission in Afghanistan, he detected an 80-pound IED. There were two other dogs in the platoon. One dog had one find, one dog had zero finds. Cole was our go-to dog. He was finding IEDs every mission in October,” Holm said.
On October 14, 2010 Cole was on a mission to sweep an area known for kite-string pulled IEDs. “It was known for kite-string, command-pull IEDs,” Holm said. Those explosives are tripped by an insurgent hiding nearby who pulls the string when the target is close.
A Marine closest to Cole had a mine detector with him. Cole was 50 feet ahead of the Marine and there was no sign of kite strings. Cole looked over his shoulder when the insurgent pulled the string. “Cole was probably not even 3 meters from the IED,” Holm said. All Holm knows is that if Cole had not taken the hit, the Marine with the mine detector was next in line.
“Brian chose to bury him,” Holm’s wife wrote to Tull. “He buried him where the incident occurred. He wanted him to be there because that’s where he became a hero.”
A decorated United States Marineveteran, a San Diego police officer… one man known for a final act of goodness that still touches the hearts of strangers, 2 years after it occurred. Jeremy Henwood was murdered in August of 2011 as he sat alone in his police vehicle. But it’s what he did just before then that captured the public’s attention, and is cause for us to remember. The US Marine and Police Officer
Officer Henwood was a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He returned to the US from a tour in Afghanistan, and two tours in Iraq. He was a Marine Reservist, and an officer of the San Diego police department for 4 years. He had a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, and was commissioned as a officer in the USMC in 2000. Upon returning from the Middle East, he joined the San Diego Police Department.
He survived the deadly life in Iraq and Afghanistan, only to be brutally shot while sitting alone in his police car at the age of 36.
“Jeremy’s death struck every officer throughout the country. Every one of us felt that vulnerability because that could have been and still could be anyone of us. He was shot not because he was Jeremy Henwood. He was shot because he was a police officer in a marked police car.”
A final act of kindness Just three short minutes prior to his death, the officer was captured on video surveillance tape doing in a remarkable act of kindness. DaveonTinsley, a young boy whom he did not know, asked him for 10 cents. The boy did not have quite enough money to buy a cookie, so Henwood opened his wallet, and his heart, to share three cookies.
During the conversation, Henwood asked Daveon what he wanted to be when he grew up. He responded, “An NBA Star.”
Officer Henwood told him he’d have to work hard to do that, and walked out the door. Three minutes later, he lay dying of gunshot wounds.
Daveon said that the officer was “real tall” (at 6 ft 3 in). He sadly remarked that having a “good guy” suddenly murdered shortly after his encounter was “crazy.” But it was one act of kindness that affected Daveon’s life forever. US Marine Jeremy Henwood – a legacy of kindness
That week, a thousand residents of the San Diego neighborhood where Officer Henwood was killed turned out to honor his life in a candlelight vigil. His funeral was attended by both US Marines and Police officers from all over the nation. In August of 2013, a movie that honored Jeremy’s life and those of other fallen officers, called “Heroes Behind the Badge,” debuted in San Diego, California.
Jeremy Henwood was more than physically “real tall.” In this holiday season, we should remember his name and his actions, never forgetting the way he lived his life. He was tall in spirit and in heart. 2011 was the “end of his watch,” but not the end of his legacy.
Marine Lance Cpl. Adam F. Wolff Died June 20, 2014, Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom 25, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died June 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C
Marine Staff Sgt. David H. Stewart Died June 20, 2014, Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom 34, of Stafford, Va., died June 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Meis, 20, of Bennett, Colo., died March 17 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Meis was a machine gunner with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. Meis joined the Marines in January 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan with Operation Enduring Freedom in January of this year. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
