Bittersweet honor
Soldier remembered at request of Medal of Honor recipient
By Alastair Lee Bitsoi
Navajo Times
SHIPROCK, Sept. 22, 2011
(Special to the Times - Donovan Quintero)
TOP: Charlene Westbrook, widow of the late Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Westbrook, attended a small ceremony in honor of her husband Sept. 15 in Shiprock.
BOTTOM: President Barack Obama presents Sgt. Dakota Meyer with the Medal of Honor on Sept. 15. (AP photo)
Meyer, a U.S. Marine, received the nation's highest military honor Sept. 15 for his effort to save lives during the Sept. 8, 2009, Ganjgal Ambush in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
He charged through enemy fire five times to save 36 lives, including 13 Marines and Army soldiers and 23 Afghan troops.
During that near-death experience, Meyer also discovered the bodies of his comrades, which he carried out while under fire from Taliban fighters.
At Meyer's request, family, friends and community members of his fallen comrades - Marine 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25, of Virginia Beach, Va.; Marine Staff Sgt. Aaron Kenefick, 30, of Roswell, Ga.; Corpsman 3rd Class James Layton, 22, of Riverbank, Calif.; Edwin Johnson, a 31-year-old gunnery sergeant from Columbus, Ga.; and Westbrook, of Shiprock, who died of his injuries a month later at Walter Reed Army Medical Center - gathered for small ceremonies across the United States.
At the memorial ceremony here at Shiprock Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Westbrook's widow Charlene read a letter she wrote in honor of Meyer and her late husband.
"Today is a historical event, for it has been 41 years since a living U.S. Marine has been awarded the Medal of Honor and it's a day that is being honored to the fallen brothers of Sgt. Dakota Meyer," she said with emotion.
"I wish to say to Dakota how proud of him I am that he accepts this high award humbly and graciously," Westbrook said. "Dakota shares this Medal of Honor with the spirit it was earned, out of love, respect loyalty and valor."
The Westbrooks had been together since high school and in her message to her late husband, Charlene said, "You made an impact on so many lives that I continue to receive messages from people saying how you mentored them and that they will never forget you ... our hero ..."
Charlene said she continues to keep the promise her late husband asked privately of her: "If I should not make it home bury me in Shiprock where my grandma is and don't forget about me. Visit me every now and again."
On Sept. 15, she made that special visit again, saying, "I continue to stay with my promise and I will never forget about you, you truly were my best friend ... and most of all the best dad to our three sons..."
At the conclusion of her message, Charlene and two of her sons - Zachary, 22, and Joseph, 16 - were presented the American flag in a flag-folding ceremony conducted by Marine recruiters from Farmington and the New Mexico National Guard.
A 21-gun salute and the Marine Corps hymn were also part of the small ceremony.
Kenneth, 41, was Kinlichii'nii (Red House Clan), born for bilagaana (Anglo), and was the son of Marshall and Ruth A. Westbrook of Farmington.
He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.
Following the memorial ceremony at the cemetery, family, friends and community members gathered at the Shiprock Chapter House for a reception.
"That is true honor," Kenneth's brother Richard Westbrook said at the gathering. "He (Dakota) deserves that medal for bringing our boys home. I thank him from the bottom of my heart."
Richard said the month of October is a "very hard time" for his family because they mourn the loss of his two brothers - Kenneth and New Mexico National Guard Sgt. Marshall "Alan" Westbrook, 43, who died Oct. 1, 2005, in Iraq while on assignment with the 126th Military Police Co.
Despite the bittersweet celebration, Richard was honored by Meyer's request.
"It's an honor because we're a military family, it was our life," Richard said, adding that he hopes one day to shake hands with Meyer. "Yes, it hurts but their sacrifice and sacrifice of all military is for us."
Cindy Castle, along with other members of the Farmington-Four Corners Chapter of Blue Star Mothers, attended the ceremony to offer support to the Westbrook family.
"As a military parent, all of the children all become our children," said Castle, 48, whose daughter Christine is currently serving in the Army. "It makes us heavy in the heart and makes us proud."
About 20 motorcyclists from as far away as Albuquerque rode in the honor run held before the memorial service, which started in Kirtland, N.M., and ended at the cemetery in Shiprock.
"It's very gratifying," said rider Larry Wiles, 65, of Cuba, N.M. "It's the least we can do to honor those who are sacrificing to defend our country."
Charlene, who currently lives in Fountain, Colo., with her three sons, said it was nice being back home for the celebration.
"My husband was real proud of his heritage," Charlene said, adding that she encourages other Navajos to join the military. "He considered himself more Navajo than Anglo and was proud of coming from the reservation."