Another Jewish Marine KIA

Captain Robert Secher was killed last month in Iraq.

A man who wanted so much to be a Marine that he went to boot camp at 17 is being mourned in Germantown.

Taps sounded at the West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery yesterday for Captain Robert Michael Secher, who was killed by a sniper’s bullet in Iraq.

At Secher’s funeral at Temple Israel, Rabbi Micah Greenstein recalled him as “the best friend you could ever have.”

Major Joe Russo recalled Secher as a Marine who led by example who – as Russo put it – “marched to the sound of the guns and continually asked to get himself into the fight.”

Newsweek recently ran a story that used a collection of emails that Capt Secher had sent to his parents during his tour in Iraq (with his family’s permission).

From the narrative, Capt Secher seems to be a true patriot and the epitome of what is means to be a Marine. I would encourage everyone to read his emails online and pass them onto friends and family. I’m often asked by my own family if I speak to any of my peers in Iraq and if so, what is it like and what is the attitude of the troops stationed there. Capt Secher’s emails are an excellent example of just that. He was proud of what he was doing there, but he didn’t pull any punches on how he thought the war was being executed. It’s an interesting and inspiring read.

You can read the Newsweek article here,

sign a guestbook for his family here,

hear a moving eulogy about him here

and read about his hometown reception here.

Captain Secher’s wishes were that any money sent in memory of him go directly to:

Marines/Iraq Legal Defense Fund

c/o Hon. Victor E. Ramirez

P.O. Box 1255

Solana Beach, CA 92075

or

Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

825 College Blvd.

Suite 102, PMB 609

Oceanside,CA 92057

Semper Fi Captain Secher, your service will not be forgotten.