I found out about the sad news Monday evening when my co-worker came in to work at 10pm at the group home. I wasn't sure who it was, so I went to prayer Tuesday and prayed for whoever it was with folks from my local church. No one knew the names until the local news reported it starting at 11am till the evening. When I went to pick a youth I mentor at Chokio-Alberta High School on Tuesday afternoon, I noticed the KARE-11 News helicopter in the Morris Airport. I knew then that a Morris casualty has been known to the media. I would later find out the names of the "fallen soldiers" when I watched the 5 o'clock news on KSTP...footages
David Day: A police officer always there to help you
Richard Meryhew and Jim Adams, Star Tribune
February 23, 2005 DAY0223
MORRIS, MINN. -- Sandy Thorstad's heart sank when her son-in-law stopped by the house late Monday and broke the news. Three National Guardsmen from western Minnesota had been killed in Iraq, he told her, and one of the victims was rumored to be a hometown boy: Staff Sgt. David Day.
Thorstad, a local florist, turned on the radio and TV, "but there was nothing on the news."
Anxious, she drove by the house where Day grew up and where his parents still live. "There was a ton of cars there," she said softly, "so I knew."
By Tuesday afternoon, most of the city's 5,100 people knew it, too. Day, an Eagle Scout who left home to become a cop in St. Louis Park, was dead. For many, the news was difficult to comprehend.
"It's like there really is a war out there," Thorstad said, "and it really can happen to the guy next door."
David DayCourtesy KstpAt the home of Day's parents, David and Vicki Day, relatives and friends gathered to offer support. On the sidewalk sat a planter with two U.S. flags stuck in the dirt. Several roses and a ribbon lay nearby.
The family issued a statement to thank people for their support. "Right now they would appreciate some quiet time without media interruption," Stevens County Sheriff Randy Willis said.
While family members consoled one another, a community comforted itself with memories:
Sgt. Day 4 days before his death.Of Day the boy, who played Little League baseball and loved to skateboard and worked his way up to Eagle Scout.
Of Day the teenager, who worked in the produce section at the grocery store and successfully led an effort to overturn a ban on driving snowmobiles to school.
Of Day the character, who enjoyed a good joke or a story.
After graduating from Morris Area High School in 1998, Day, the youngest of three children, attended vocational school in Alexandria and spent summers working as a community service officer in Morris.
"He was one of those people everybody loved," said Jim Beauregard, the city's police chief. "He was always there to help you and help anybody else."
Before Day's National Guard unit shipped out in October, Day proposed to and married his longtime girlfriend, Amy Gulbrandson, who grew up in the nearby town of Donnelly.
The story goes that when he proposed, Day gave Gulbrandson a car -- and a surprise.
"She thought she was getting a car, and then she opened the glove box and found an engagement ring," said John Luse, St. Louis Park's police chief.
Day and others in his unit, which included about 40 members from around Morris, kept in touch with Joan Donovan's fourth-graders via e-mails.
On Tuesday, Donovan teared up as a counselor told the Morris Area Elementary School students what happened. At day's end, she found a note from a student on her desk.
"Dear Mrs. Donovan," the student wrote, "I know you'll get through this today."
Inside St. Louis Park police headquarters, officers wore black strips across their badges. Day was a patrolman for less than a year before his Guard unit was sent to Iraq. As a community service officer in 2002, he worked his way up doing mundane jobs -- writing parking tickets and going after stray dogs. "He had an extraordinary work ethic," Luse said.
Said Robin Day, an aunt who lives in Howard Lake, Minn.: "He's a great kid and always has been a favorite person of a lot of people. He was a great advocate for justice and honesty and really a man who was loved."
Staff writer Chuck Haga contributed to this report. Richard Meryhew and Jim Adams can be reached at statenews@startribune.com.
"David Day Memorial Service at the Elementary School Aud."-Saturday, February 26th of 2005
I came early around 6:40p for the 7pm service, which I didn't expect to be packed right away. I had to be seated upstairs in the balcony, which was an interesting new perspecitve as I"ve attended church service here for 9+ years.
A picture of one of the attendees holding a candle during the lighting ceremony, which people lighted one of anothers together. I thought this was a memorable moment as the mood was quiet and peaceful. Just seeing people light one another's candle reminds me how we need to encourage another in times of challenges in life. Lighting one another up can be encouraging!
A picture of the many candles on stage seen from the upper balcony. It was a beautiful sight!
Funeral Procession (sp?)
I rode my bike to main street to watch the procession of David Day around noon Thursday, March 4th of 2005. I was captivated by the number of police squad cars representing cities from all over the state (Twin Cities, Hancock, Alexandria, etc..) lined up from 7th to 5th (2 blocks long!). They began moving after 10-15 minutes, which a Army helicopter (later found out Governor Pawlenty was on board) slowly flew above the same route ahead of the procession on the ground. During all this, I watched above to see another helicopter, which was from KSTP (Channel 5) filming the entire procession to Assumption Catholic Church. I never seen anything like this before, which was very emotionally sad and remorseful. Behind the squad cars was David Day's body being carried inside a white vehicle (?), which followed by 2 tainted window vehicles carrying the family members and relatives. Folks that lined up the streets would drop a colorful rose on the street right before the vehicle carrying Day drove by. It was still silent as onlookers walked away from the procession route and headed to the funeral service at Assumption Catholic Church. I wasn't able to attend the funeral as I had to work. I ended up watching the footages Thursday evening...
Final funeral held for Guard soldier, Updated: 03/03/2005 08:26:04 PM (KSTP)
"MORRIS - From Rochester to Rogers, Shakopee to St. Paul, a procession of police cars lined the streets of Morris Thursday to pay homage to one of their own.
Led by a Black Hawk Helicopter, the law enforcement officers were there to show there solidarity with the St. Louis Park Police Department, which lost officer David Day last month while he was serving in Iraq.
A hearse containing Day's flag-draped coffin followed the procession, which traveled through town for 30 minutes from the funeral home to Assumption Catholic Church.
Day, along with Sgt. Jesse Lhotka, 24, of Alexandria, and 1st Lt. Jason Timmerman, 24, of Tracy, were killed by a roadside bomb blast on Feb. 21 near Baghdad. All three were with the Montevideo-based 151st Field Artillery unit.
"He deserves us to show that we respect him for what he did," said John Bueckers, of the Maple Grove Police Department, who made the trip to Morris
"We wanted everyone to know that we care," said resident Sherry Tiegs, who watched the procession. "This is a pretty big deal."
Funeral services for Timmerman and Lhotka took place earlier this week.
Charlie Co. back in Morris Sunday 11/30/2005 (Morris Sun Tribune-Wed, Nov 30th of 2005)
"The troops are scheduled to arrive in Minnesota on Sunday Dec. 4. There will be a "Welcome Home" parade on the main street of Morris when they arrive. Also, there will be a "Welcome Home" ceremony on Sunday at 7 p.m. at the PE center on the University of Minnesota Morris campus. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to attend. More information will be released as it becomes available. Once home, Charlie Company, like Alpha Company troops two weeks ago, will be among the first troops returning from Iraq to participate in a newly developed reintegration program. "
Charlie Home 12/7/05 (Morris Sun Tribune)
"Monday’s ceremony was a festive affair and much more crowded since all of Charlie Company’s “Tigers,” as their commander, Capt. Troy Fink called them, and their families and well-wishers packed into the PE Center. The fall 2004 send-off at UMM was for the 50 Morris-area soldiers.
The troops heard from Maj. Gen. Larry Shellito, Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard, Maj. Gen. Rick Erlandson, Commanding General of the 34th Infantry Division, Lt. Col. Alan Koeckeritz, Commander of the 1-151st Field Artillery, Fink, First Lt. Kelly Wasberg, batallion chaplain, and First Lt. Phillip Buddy Win, chaplain candidate.
Brenna Vick, Josh Fischer and the Morris Area High School Wind Ensemble performed.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty arrived about an hour late, but was on hand to congratulate the soldiers after they received medals for their service in Iraq.
Reflections and Appreciation of America from a Filipino-American (descendent of Filipinos involved in WWII that happened 60+ years ago)
I was in the third row from the front on Monday, Dec 5th of 2005 for the Welcoming of Charlie Company. My friend Tim, Cory, and I watched with interest as we sat behind some state politician and military officials (Tim aggressively led both of us to the front to get a good seat in the already packed gym before the event started). We got excited to see one of the National Guardsmen, who we know well from our local church. He didn't see us when we clapped and called out his name as he walked by after receiving an award individually with others one by one on the stage. After the event, Cory had the rare opportunity and privilege to meet Governor Pawlenty after standing besides a guardsman he knew. I waved Cory to take a picture of him with my digital camera phone. He came home excited as he boasted share his autograph ("Cory, you are the man"); calling everybody with my cell after the event!
After the event, I started to reminisce the whole series of global events. I look back to WWII (60th Anniversary since WWII ended). My dad, grandfather, and great grandfather were directly/indirectly involved in the Pacific War. I started to question myself, what would've happened if the U.S. Soldiers didn't come help fight along-side the Filipinos from Japanese occupation. Yes, the U.S. did aggressively take the Philippines from Spanish colonization during the Spanish-American Way in the 1890's. However, you can't change the past and the series of events that happen for a "reason" that we don't know until later in the future. I've became friends with UMM international students from Japan since I attended UMM in 1995, which I feel we will see fellow Iraqis in our very own backyard someday. My grandfather, who was a prisoner with fellow Americans, served as a cook in the prison camps at the trail end of the infamous Bataan ("Death" March)Walk. My great-grandfather (Spanish descent) died when he fought along with U.S. soldiers when the Japanese were taking over the country in the start of WWII. My dad was only children (around 7 years old) when he witnessed the series of “traumatic” events unfold in his homeland. I look back and ask myself, What if this didn't happen? Would've I had this opportunity, freedom, and lifestyle now as I've grown up here in this country? Yes, we as a nation are facing our own struggles and issues (drugs, crime, racism, greed, etc...). However, we are somewhat better off than many other countries out there that I've directly (e.g. not much access to clean drinking water in Mexico when I visited in 2001, pollution from smoggy condensed city of Manila-Philippines when I visited 2001) and indirectly (e.g. friend from Burma told me that they don't have the freedom of expression, which one can be imprisoned or killed) witness so far in my 28 years of growing-up.
As I've grown-up, I've started to appreciate more of the soldiers (e.g. humanitarian workers, missionaries too!) I've met/meet in the past and present "making a difference" around the world from America (and other countries too). We may not totally agree with everything each group does, but we should acknowledge the existence of our global community to keep existing on our only "livable" planet for future generations. In the 6+ years residing in Morris since graduating from UMM in 1999, I've met several U.S. Veterans from WWII. I've collected stories on personal websites I make for current and future generations, so we don't forget and be more appreciative. We can all learn from each other and we don't have to go too far to do so. Let's continue or start if you haven't done so to getting to know one another- Morris is just a micro community of this large global community, so that we can better understand one another as a human race. Please feel free to personally contact me on how or if you have any feedback. Thank you all in everything you are each all doing to make it better for the "next" generation. We need to work together!
Proud Morris Resident-Sal Monteagudo
(goodnewsmorris@yahoo.com)
Charlie Company return prompts reflections on past 12/14/2005 (Morris Sun Tribune)
By Sal Monteagudo
I was in the third row from the front on Dec. 5 at the Welcome Home Ceremony for the Morris-area National Guard’s Charlie Company. With friends Tim and Cory, we watched with interest as we sat behind some state politicians and military officials. We got excited to see one of the National Guardsmen, who we know well from our local church. He didn't see us when we clapped and called out his name as he walked by after receiving an award individually with others one by one on the stage. After the event, Cory had the privilege to meet Gov. Tim Pawlenty standing beside a Guardsman he knew. I waved Cory to take a picture of him with my digital camera phone. He came home excited as he boasted and shared his autograph ("Cory, you are the man"). We called many people on my cellphone after the event! After the event, I started to reminisce about the whole series of global events. I looked back to World War II. My dad, grandfather, and great grandfather were directly and indirectly involved in the Pacific War. I started to question myself: What would've happened if U.S. soldiers hadn’t come to fight at the side of Filipinos against Japanese occupation? Yes, the U.S. did aggressively take the Philippines from Spanish colonization during the Spanish-American War in the 1890's. However, you can't change the past, and the series of events may have happened for a reason we won't know until later in the future. I've became friends with UMM international students from Japan since I attended the University of Minnesota, Morris in 1995, and I believe we will see fellow Iraqis in our very own backyard someday. My grandfather, who was a prisoner with fellow Americans, served as a cook in the prison camps at the tail end of the infamous Bataan Walk. My great grandfather, who is of Spanish descent, died fighting along with U.S. soldiers when the Japanese were taking over the country in the start of WWII. My dad was only a child, about 7 years old, when he witnessed the series of traumatic events unfold in his homeland. I look back and ask myself, What if this didn't happen? Would I have had this opportunity, freedom and lifestyle as I've grown up here in this country? Yes, we as a nation are facing our own struggles and issues (drugs, crime, racism, greed, etc...). However, we are somewhat better off than many other countries out there that I've visited. There was not much access to clean drinking water in Mexico when I visited in 2001. There was pollution in the smoggy, condensed city of Manila in the Philippines when I visited in 2001. A friend from Burma told me that they don't have the freedom of expression, for which one can be imprisoned or killed. As I've grown-up, I've started to appreciate more the soldiers, humanitarian workers and missionaries I've met and the difference they are making around the world. We may not totally agree with everything each group does, but we should acknowledge the existence of our global community and keeping it livable for future generations. In the more than six years I’ve lived in Morris since graduating from UMM in 1999, I've met several U.S. veterans from WWII. I've collected stories on personal Web sites I make for current and future generations so we don't forget and, hopefully, will be more appreciative. We can all learn from each other and we don't have to go too far to do so. Let's continue -- or start if you haven't done so -- getting to know one another so that we can better understand one another as a human race. Please feel free to personally contact me if you have any feedback. Thank you all in everything you are each doing to make it better for the next generation. We need to work together. Sal Monteagudo is a Morris resident.
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