This is the First Marnie to die in OEF was a close family friend from Lakeland, Florida
His mom sent us this from the plaque from this year's service to honor him!
quote from his parents
"Our son was the first Marine killed in action in Afghanistan. The only one out of 2200 Marines that didn't come home. HIS NAME IS CPL RON PAYNE JR. HE was only 23. He was our only son.HE WAS 6'7 AND HAD 9 LETTERS TO PLAY FOOTBALL. AND HE CHOOSE... NOT DRAFTED BUT CHOOSE AT THE AGE OF 18 TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY KNOWING HE MAY HAVE TO GO TO WAR. And I will tell you from the family of THIS Marine......We are so PROUD of you, DUSTIN and PROUD of your parents. We of all people have the right to voice OUR opinion because WE have a stake in this war. WE WHO GRIEVE THE LOST OF OUR SONS....HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE SON'S THAT WANTED TO FINISH THE JOB. My son went to Iraq and VOLUNTEERED ....DID YOU HEAR THAT PROTESTORS, MR UNKNOWN....VOLUNTEERED TO GO BACK TO AFGHANISTAN. He told us WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE GOOD THEY HAVE DONE OVER THERE OR THE HARM THEY HAVE KEPT US FROM HERE IN THE UNITED STATES..BECAUSE THE MEDIA WILL NEVER AIR THAT. So if anyone had a voice it is the ONE WHO ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE.....NOT THE ONE HOME ENJOYING THE FREEDOM THAT THEY DIDN'T FIGHT FOR......SO TO YOU WHO LEFT YOUR NASTY MESSAGE TO A GRIEVING FAMILY... SHAME ON YOU!!!!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO VOICE YOUR OPINION....DID YOU HAVE A SON GO OVER THERE TO GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO DISREPECT THIS MAN'S FAMILY????? I THINK NOT!!!!!! MY SON DIDN'T DIE TO ALLOW YOU TO DISRESPECT HIS MARINE BROTHER'S PARENTS...... NOR DID HE DIE TO HAVE THE JOB HE STARTED END BEFORE IT WAS FINISHED.!!!!!!!
I SALUTE YOU MR DERGA, IF YOU NEED ANOTHER FAMILY WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO VOICE THEIR OPINION AND STAND NEXT TO YOU ....BECAUSE WE EARNED THAT RIGHT....JUST LET ME KNOW....I HAVE FAMILIES HERE IN FLORIDA THAT HAVE LOST THEIR SON'S TOO THAT WILL STAND WITH YOU AS WELL.....!!! I WILL LEAVE MY NAME,,,,,,I WON'T BE A COWARD AND PUT UNKNOWN....BECAUSE I AM PROUD VERY PROUD OF MY SON, WHAT HE STOOD FOR, WHAT HE FOUGHT FOR AND WHAT HE DIED FOR....AND WE WILL BE HIS MOUTH PIECE BECAUSE HE ISNT HERE TO TELL YOU MR. UNKNOWN...."YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!!!!" AND BY THE WAY, THERE WERE 8 OTHER MEN IN OUR TOWN WHO JOINED THE MARINES TO PHYSICALLY TAKE MY SON'S PLACE ALONG WITH MARINE'S LIKE DUSTIN. THEY WOULDN'T GO IF THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR A LOST CAUSE. PEOPLE LIKE YOU OUGHT TO GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND THANK THE LORD YOU HAVE MEN LIKE OUR SON'S WILLING TO GO, WILLING TO STAY AND WILLING TO FINISH THE JOB. THAT'S COURAGE, THATS CHARACTER THATS AMERICA!!!!! THAT IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON!!!!! YOU DO OUR SERVICEMEN HARM LEAVING MESSAGES LIKE YOURS ON THIS FALLEN HEROES'PAGE. DID YOU NOT READ THE TOP OF THE PAGE FALLEN HEREOS, WHY DON'T YOU GO HOME AND GET PACKAGES TOGETHER AND SEND TO OUR TROOPS AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO GO, THEN GO TO THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES AND SAY THANK YOU FOR RAISING A SON OR DAUGHTER WILLING TO FIGHT ON MY BEHALF, AND AFTER YOU ARE DONE WITH THAT.....GO TO THE VA HOSPITAL AND TELL THOSE WOUNDED SOLDIERS, THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR ME AND I WILL CONTINUALLY PRAY FOR YOUR RECOVERY..... YOU WILL FIND THOSE WOUNDED SOLDIERS...IF GIVEN THE CHANCE TO GET OUT OF THAT BED, THEY WOULD GO BACK. HOW DO I KNOW THAT, WE GO AND VISIT THEM REGULARLY AND TELL THEM THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR US!! SO TO YOU UNKNOWN, I HOPE YOU ARE ASHAMED, TO YOU MR. DERGA...WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND WHAT YOUR SON DID FOR THIS FAMILY!!!!
ronpaynefamily@yahoo.com"
FROM THE PROUD PARENTS OF A FALLEN MARINE -AILEEN AND RONNIE PAYNE of LAKELAND, FLORIDA
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