REMEMBER LIMA

Ken Kreuter, father of David Kreuter

What a strange feeling, standing face-to-face with my son. I see him looking at me, listening to me as I greet him, ready to speak to me, "Hey, Dad. . ."

It's very quiet. I'm sure he is listening to me talk, but I can't hear an answer. I remember the smile, the casual tone of voice, the easy-going manner. I think of the child grown into a boy grown into a man making his choices and accepting his responsibilities.

They all did that, the Men of Lima Company. They carried out their chosen responsibilities to a fuller extent than most men, under conditions that would test any and all to the extreme. They were Marines, they had an incredibly difficult job to do, and they were determined to do it right. I stand in awe of these men, and wonder if I could have done their job so well.

My son and his buddies surround me, looking at me, looking happy, looking serious, looking to the future. They look so real, so alive, so ready to move on to the next assignment.

But what about the guys who made it home? Some with injuries to heal, all with the pain of losing their friends. They all served together, fought fear and fatigue together, supported and protected each other. This Memorial honors all who served, because hour by hour, day by day, battle by battle, the Men of Lima Company gave their full efforts on every assignment, and carried out their responsibilities as men and Marines.

Just as I watched my son grow and take shape in life, I watched him grow and become life-like in this Memorial, from the early sketches to the final painting I see today. I think of him every day, many times a day, but seldom with the sharpness this image brings. It represents only a small portion of his years, but the pinnacle of his growth and achievement. Face-to-face, I love him, I miss him, I respect him, I admire him.

Laura Kreuter, sister of David Kreuter

A photograph represents one specific instance in a person's life. You know what they were doing, and when they were doing it. These paintings are of no particular moment in time, and therefore give us the ability to create our own story to go with the image. Every day we can come up with a new story for our loved ones and what they are about to go do. It's a comforting way to keep their memories active and alive rather than just reminiscing about a specific moment in time that has long since passed.