'He understood the price for freedom'

When Lance Cpl. Timothy Poole was just four years old, he told his dad he wanted to be a Marine. He graduated from high school, did the hard work, and realized his lifelong dream of serving his country.

First Coast News in Jacksonville, Florida, reports on the 22-year-old Marine, who was killed on Sunday alongside two brothers in arms.

"Lance Corporal" was his title, but his family called him "Bubba."

In one family photo, Poole is carrying his nieces; in another he is doing his favorite thing, skateboarding.

Poole Sr., who said he hasn't slept since Sunday morning when he was told of his son's death, returned from Delaware Wednesday night.

"When you see it on the news, you don't think about it. But when you see the casket in person, it hits you," said Poole Sr.

I noticed another quote from the grieving father:

"He died serving his country, he died [doing] what he loved to do."

That is almost identical to from this quote, from the mom of Sgt. Daniel Angus, one of the Marines killed in the IED attack.

"He died doing what he loved," Kathy Angus told The Tampa Tribune. "He loved the Marine Corps and he gave his life for it."

Lance Cpl. Poole and Sgt. Angus never would have met if it wasn't for the Marine Corps. Hopefully, in these dark hours, their families can be comforted by the fact that these two heroes, as well as Lance Cpl. Zachary Smith, shared such similar beliefs about service and sacrifice. They were Marines. They were men.