'Mission Accomplished': Father fulfills dying wish to see son graduate boot camp Rea

[robgusc76]

Good luck not shedding a tear reading this...

The cheers started at the far end of the parade deck and swelled as families and friends crowded the edge of this storied expanse of asphalt at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
Beyond the thick white rope that held the visitors back, more than 210 newly minted Marines marched past in tight, olive-drab blocks.

As the color guard and the new Devil Dogs approached the reviewing stand, Charles Burns rose from his wheelchair, gingerly lifting legs weakened by a battle doctors say he should have lost months ago. Nothing, not diabetes, heart failure and multiple strokes, could have stopped him.

Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/2012/06/...#storylink=cpy

http://www.islandpacket.com/2012/06/...-fulfills.html

[GamecockUltimate]

Congrats to all the new Marines, i actually thought about them with all the heat, I guess it ended up just before the heat came, but i bet they caught one of those 98 degree days for the final test. Congrats boys. Thanks to all who have served as well

[rolinb1]

Nice find thanks for the post
Semper Fi!

[Gaichon]

Originally Posted by GamecockUltimate

Congrats to all the new Marines, i actually thought about them with all the heat, I guess it ended up just before the heat came, but i bet they caught one of those 98 degree days for the final test. Congrats boys. Thanks to all who have served as well

It ended for that Company, but there are new ones formed for Recruit Training roughly every week. I was at Parris Island May-Aug...tad on the hot side.

Thanks for posting, rob76. Great read.

[spareparts]

Amazing story

[airborne09]

i can remember what it was like leave my wife and 2 yr old daughter,and what it was like graduating with them there.then telling my little girl i had to leave again for airborne school.that was hard.what that kid went through was hell on both fronts.good for him.great story with a great ending.hopefully the father is still hanging in their.

[MEL]

My son-in-law left for Iraq three weeks after his wedding to my daughter and had just found out that his dad's leukemia had returned. He felt so bad leaving with his dad sick, but he had no choice. When he came back for his R&R 6 months later, his dad's health had gone downhill. My SIL battled with himself on whether he should go back or stay at home and take care of his dad, but his dad told him, "Son, you go fight your battle there, and I'll fight my battle here. Your country needs you."

Three months after my SIL got home from Iraq, his father passed away and was given a full military funeral since he served in the Navy. It surely wasn't a great time for my SIL because he felt guilty being away from his dad.