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A Hero’s Goodbye: Family, Community Honor Fallen Soldier (With Photo Gallery)
June 23, 2013
Hundreds and hundreds of people turned out Saturday to honor Army Staff Sgt. Jesse Thomas, 31, who was killed June 10 while serving in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Hundreds of Patriot Guard members stood guard outside the East Hill Church of God in Christ in Pensacola for the memorial service. An estimated 400 Patriot Guard riders escorted the funeral procession from the church to Barrancas National Cemetery aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola for the graveside service.
Many supporters held signs and waived flags in support for the solider and his family. Rumors were rampant prior to the service that the Westboro “church” would protest the funeral, prompting many to stand outside the service with signs targeting the Kansas hate-group “Westboro Baptist Church” — a controversial “church” that protests at the funerals of fallen soldiers.
“WBC You’re Mean”, read the sign of young girl. “God Is Love”, read a sign held by Father Nathan Monk, a Pensacola priest, as he stood next to an American flag. “Jesus (Heart’s) The Troops and So Does Pensacola”… “WBC The Village Idiots”…”God Loves All” – were just a few of the other signs outside the church aimed at the Westboro “church”.
For a photo gallery, click here.
During the memorial service, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller spoke in tribute to Thomas, as did his brother Darrin Thomas and friend Randae Jordan.
Staff Sgt. Thomas attended Pensacola High School and joined the Army after graduation.
Thomas was assigned to the 39th Transportation Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command out of Kleber Kaserne, Germany. He leaves behind his wife, Michelle, also an active duty member, three stepchildren, and his mother, Irma Oliver.
During his service to his country, he earned numerous awards: Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.
Pictured: The funeral service of Army Staff Sgt. Jesse Thomas Saturday afternoon in Pensacola. Photos by Mark Taylor for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
7 Responses to “A Hero’s Goodbye: Family, Community Honor Fallen Soldier (With Photo Gallery)”
William I commend you on your response above. I also commend you for not playing the Westboro game. As a Commander of a Honor Guard unit for over a decade I have had to deal with their presence at funerals and to include the Vietnam Memorial Wall. It is the most disrespectful thing that could ever happen when people are gathering to mourn and pay tribute to someone who has worn the cloth of their country. It is those same people who wears the uniform of our country who would fight to protect the 1st Amendment under which the Westboro crew exercises their right.
I do not agree with the Westboro people at all because I think they are disrespectful and disruptive to get attention. But I do understand there is a fine line there under the 1 st Amendment to allow freedom of speech and expression. So they have the right but the way to stop this behavior may be to shun them?
This is just my opinion so people please allow me to exercise my 1st Amendment right to express my opinion as well.
One thing that the social media sites that were posting everything did was repeatedly remind everyone that it was about the soldier and his family and urge them not to try to interact with WBC. Most everything I read was urging people to be a blockade for the funeral so that the family could put their soldier at rest peacefully… or at least without the distraction of WBC.
It was heartening to see the area’s community turn out in large numbers to support the family and friends of Sgt. Thomas and to recognize him with the true honor and respect due an American Hero. God Bless America and please protect those who willingly place themselves in harm’s way to ensure us our Freedom. Peace be with all of you.
I realize we have freedom of speech but to protest at a military funeral is simply a way to get attention and I am glad the media here is NOT giving them the attention they want. Bless his family and let this be a happy homegoing for a hero.
may It Be About Our Hero And Not About Them.
>>>I’m of the belief that the Westboro Baptist Church is now saying they will show up just so more people show up to the funerals and stuff. I’m not really sure where these rumors come from though because I check their website and it’s not posted there.
Westboro did send out a press release to area media saying they would be at the funeral, and it’s still up on one of their websites.
The media in the area, NorthEscambia.com included, pretty much had a blackout about Westboro prior to the funeral. We reported nothing about them. I know we and several other media organizations worked hard to determine, to the best of our ability, that they were not going to be in Pensacola in making the blackout decision. This was not to be about Westboro, this was to be about a hero that lost his life in defense of our great country.
To have reported about their idle threat to “preach” at the service would have done nothing more than spread their message of hatred. Like an immature kid throwing a tantrum in the corner, we ignored them.
But Facebook was Westboro’s platform. Over and over people posted a link to the press release on Facebook, which included their vile message of hate.
One large local Facebook page (about 12,000 fans), one that’s usually more into humor than “news”, tried to “report” about the hate group and urge people to counteract — further fueling the Facebook fire. It was a noble effort on their part; they just did not realize how “real” media was handling the situation with the blackout. And they admitted such.
I’m of the belief that the Westboro Baptist Church is now saying they will show up just so more people show up to the funerals and stuff. I’m not really sure where these rumors come from though because I check their website and it’s not posted there. Besides, WBC is about out of money and members and even family members are abandoning that church.