...and it has been just over three years since it happened. The pain and sorrow has not faded. Neither has the guilt of not being there for him. I found him in this video on Youtube the other day. At 2:52 there is his picture, Lieutenant Colonel Michael E. McLaughlin of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team/28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nptA5uj6ZRY

I served with Mike in Battery A 229th field Artillery (now Battery D 229th) 28th Infantry Division "The Bloody Bucket". One day I was digging a pit for the M60 in some very high heat/humidity at Ft. Pickett, Va.when I heard someone grunting behind me as they swung the pick to break up that tough Virginia soil. I figured it was one of the lower enlisted men helping out the "old" vet but imagine my surprise when I turned around to find then Lieutenant McLaughlin sweating his rear end off there with me! That is the kind of officer and man that he was.

http://www.militarycity.com/valor/1456380.html

I am getting a little too emotional about this right now so I am going to go ty some flies. Thanks for letting me share this.