Sometimes it really is a small world

Or at least smaller than we think.

I walked over to Arlington National Cemetery this morning with a friend. We headed out to Section 60 to visit and pay our respects to our fallen who have most recently been laid to rest at Arlington. There are familiar names that have been there for a while that I remember for one reason or another. Medal of Honor recipient Ross McGinnis. Major Douglas A. Zembiec. Capt Brian Letendre.

Today I noted a new name: Lance Corporal Noah M. Pier. I noted it because someone had placed a large photo of LCpl Pier next to his headstone. He was a good looking young guy, but it was the exuberant grin that made me look twice at his name. I thought, "Someone is going to miss that grin." And so much more.

When I was home later, I was reading Memorial Day posts on-line, including some at my favorite blog, The Mudville Gazette. The most recent addition to the Dawn Patrol - Mrs. G's special contribution to the blog and blogosphere in general - included a link to an article on some recently fallen Marines. The caption on the photo mentioned Lance Corporal Noah M. Pier:

Lance Cpl. Jeffrey P. Grivois, a fire team leader with 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, wears a metal bracelet to honor his friend, Lance Cpl. Noah M. Pier, who was killed in action in January and has a road in Nawa named in his honor. Grivois is currently serving at Patrol Base Meinert, named for another fallen Marine from Bravo Company, and both Meinert and Pier's photos are displayed at the post's entrance. Grivois, 21, is from Ocala, Fla. Photo by Sgt. Brian Tuthill.

Small world.

Here's a little bit more about this Marine. See what I mean about that grin?

Godspeed, Noah.


P.S. The photo reminded me of this post that Greyhawk highlighted today, too.