Spittin’ Anger Quenched by Tears

On June 28, 2007, U.S. Army PFC Cory F. Hiltz died at the hands of Islamo-fascists when the vehicle in which he was riding was struck by an IED in Baghdad. Twenty years old. Today Cory was buried with honors. My wife and I joined hundreds to remember Cory’s life and to support his parents, long time friends of ours. His father is a former partner of mine.

Approaching the church, my sadness turned to seething rage as I caught sight of eight females in their early twenties demonstrating on a corner adjacent to the church. They were trampling upon American flags thrown on the ground as they held signs aloft calling Cory’s parents immoral. To tell you the truth, I can’t quote the exact verbiage, but I can tell you that there was no other message on the signs. My wife exclaimed that she would like to spit on the women. My own inclinations were far more violent.

As I sat through Cory’s funeral service, Major General John Custer’s words soothed as if a balm had been applied to a festering sore. General Custer explained the long history of Cory’s 12th. Infantry Regiment and mentioned that when the 12th. saluted the American flag, they always said, “Love for Country.” My tears quenched the flames of anger that burned in my gut leaving me emotionally spent and returned to a sense of undying gratitude for Cory’s service to his country.

After eight months in-country, Cory returned home on leave for 15 days. When he stepped off the plane, the waiting entourage saw that he walked taller than when he left. Cory returned to family and friends a man having left his youth behind. Cory said that he was glad to live in America, and his family and friends learned that he was not jaded by the horrors of war. And though he did not want to return to war, Cory told his family that he was willingly to return because he “made a commitment.” That commitment was: to the buddies in his unit; to his family; and to his country. Two weeks after retuning to Iraq, Cory died with four of his buddies.

As I write this blog, I am having a difficult time imagining how much lower can a person sink then to attack the parents of a deceased adult child for a decision he made to support his country by joining the military service. The very freedoms that Cory’s efforts were meant to secure were used with the specific intent to emotionally injure his parents. Thanks to the Pasadena Police Department, it is believed that Cory’s parents did not witness the unbelievable actions of these embarrassing excuses for Americans without a scintilla of human compassion.

Thank you Cory Hiltz for standing tall for the American ideals that enables me to have the freedom to write this blog. It is the same freedom that allowed others to insult your parents. Your father fought crime beside me on the streets of America, and I love him for it. But, you paid the ultimate price of freedom, and I thank you. It is a debt that I can never repay.

Note: The photos are of a community display in the City of La Verne, California.