Fallen hero returns home
Marine Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni returned home to SoCal today.
Unfortunately, both Lance Cpl. Centanni, 19, and Marine Sgt. Major Robert Cottle, 45, both from Yorba Linda, were killed in Afghanistan on March 24 when a roadside bomb exploded and mangled their patrol vehicle.
My wife and I both went to the Los Alamitos Joint Training Facility today for the "Hero's Ceremony" that was open to the public. Lance Cpl. Centanni was brought home by one of Connie Kalitta's aircraft [God bless Connie and Kalitta Air for their wonderful support of our fallen soldiers].
There was a huge crowd made up of both active and retired military, the general public, police and fire personnel from all over the area. There was also a huge contingent of Patriot Guard Riders that followed the funeral procession out of the base and accompanied the procession all the way to the funeral home in Fullerton.
This was one of the most patriotic gatherings I have been to in quite awhile.
Although I never knew Lance Cpl. Centanni, Sgt. Major Cottle, or their families (they're from the neighboring town to where we live), this hit close to home and the ceremony had some special meaning for me because the Los Alamitos JTF is now the home of my old National Guard unit, the 40th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized).
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Centanni and Cottle families. Both men were true American heroes.
