Friday, July 20, 2007

Gene Lamie laid to rest

Earlier yesterday, mourners gathered to say goodbye to another Southern son, Army Sgt. Gene L. Lamie of Homerville, Ga. Family members said that there was little doubt that Lamie was going to join the military.

"He grew up with a soldier's heart," his brother, John Lamie, told the Florida Times-Union last week.

His mother, Linda Lamie, agreed. "My son served his country. He was a soldier at heart. His biggest concern was to get the people under him home."

Lamie, 25, died July 6 in Iraq of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle. Pfc. Le Ron A. Wilson, 18, of Queens, N.Y., was also killed. Lamie was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Ga.

More than 50 mourners followed Lamie's flag-draped silver coffin to his grave site. He was the 350th member of the military killed in Iraq to be laid to rest at Arlington.

Lamie's wife, Dara, was presented with a folded flag, as were his father, Eugene M. Lamie, and mother.

Lamie's brother John Lamie, a Georgia National Guardsman, served in Iraq and spoke with his brother after his own squad suffered casualties.

"He told me we were soldiers," John Lamie told the Times-Union. "We were meant to do what we were doing."

From the Washington Post

Related Link:
Gene L. Lamie dies 'of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle'