Three from Minnesota

This is the memorial in Morris, Minnesota for LT Jason Timmerman, SSG David Day and SGT Jesse Lhotka. It was built from donations throughout Westen Minnesota of money, material and time.

Army Command Sergeant Major Erik Arne emailed us recently inquiring about ordering 475 customized HeroBracelets. Each bracelet was to have the names of three of his soldiers, 1LT Jason Timmerman, SSG David Day and SGT Jesse Lhotka.

All were killed on the same day: February 21, 2005.

I asked CSM Arne about these men and he sent me this piece from Militarycity.com.

"The date of 21 February 2005 has been etched into the small communities of Western Minnesota, such as Appleton, Marshall and Morris, for all eternity. For it was on that day that the lives of three young, brave men from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery, were sacrificed for their country and their comrades half a world away.

On that morning 1st Lt. Jason Timmerman, Staff Sgt. David Day and Sgt. Jesse Lhotka were conducting what was supposed to be an ordinary mission. The mission turned out to be anything but ordinary.

First Lt. Timmerman, Staff Sgt. Day and Sgt. Lhotka were traveling in the 2nd Echelon of Charlie Company on mission. They had departed the company area at approximately 7 a.m. First Lt. Timmerman and Staff Sgt. Day were in the same Humvee with their driver. Sgt. Lhotka was in another Humvee, with his driver and gunner, that lost control somehow, left the road and began to roll, injuring two soldiers. The small convoy stopped and did what it was trained to do, provide security around the scene and begin assisting the

injured. Staff Sgt. David Day, the squad leader of most of those on the scene, did exactly what he was trained to do, take care of his men. After a medevac was called in, the first injured soldier was carried to a

helicopter. The second soldier was being carried on a stretcher by 1st Lt. Timmerman; Staff Sgt. Day, Sgt. Lhotka and a soldier from another unit who had also stopped to provide security. As they carried the soldier across the road towards the helicopter an explosion occurred within a few feet of the group. Three soldiers from Western Minnesota died that morning and two others were seriously wounded."

This story has touched us very much. The 475 HeroBracelets, bearing the three soldiers names have been delivered and will be going to members of the unit, their families and friends. Our condolences goes to all of them.

There is a new video of these three Soldiers on the 1-151 Field Artillery Website at http://151fa.com