The Helmand River hero

Images courtesy: Sgt. Mark Fayloga

July 30 was a sad day at Patrol Base Jaker in the Nawa district of Helmand province, Afghanistan. With a raw mixture of dust and tears on their faces, Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force gathered to bid farewell to Sgt. Joe Wrightsman. Marines like Lance Cpl. Michael Barnhouse, who said Sgt. Wrightsman, 23, "was like a dad to us," spoke repeatedly of the volunteer warrior's ferocious commitment to the men and women serving beside him.

While Sgt. Mark Fayloga's report has many moving quotes from Wrightsman's fellow Marines, the presence and words of Nawa's district governor strike me as extremely important. As you may have read on The Unknown Soldiers last month, Wrightsman reportedly drowned trying to save an Afghan officer from the raging Helmand River.

"His dedication will stay forever in the history of Afghanistan and will be remembered forever by the people of Nawa," said Haji Abdul Manaf, the Nawa District governor, during the memorial service.

Americans certainly need to hear Sgt. Wrightsman's story, especially since crushing Taliban remnants and protecting civilians in the volatile Helmand province is a major key to securing the south and winning the war in Afghanistan. But for civilians being brutalized by the Taliban, blown up by al Qaeda, and fed misinformation by Afghanistan's enemies, hearing this story is essential. Despite barely being able to swim, this Marine dove into the Helmand River to save an Afghan in need. Even though both men tragically drowned, the hand Wrightsman extended is a symbol of America's nine-year effort to defeat terrorism and help Afghans protect themselves after our mission is complete. Hopefully, Abdul Manaf and other local leaders use every means at their disposal to spread word of this hero's actions.

At home, the national media predictably failed to pick up on the importance of Wrightsman's deeds or a military career that included two previous deployments to Iraq, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and a posthumous promotion to sergeant. Yet KOMO-TV in Seattle has set a shining example for journalists around the nation struggling to cover the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After learning that John Wrightsman could not afford to attend a memorial service for his son in Jonesboro, Louisiana, where the Marine's mother lives, the station began raising money for the trip. In about a week, generous viewers donated over $4,000, which will help the elder Wrightsman and four additional family members make the long journey. The grieving father told KOMO that instead of only being able to take a government-paid trip to the Washington, D.C. area for his son's burial at Arlington National Cemetery, he can now mourn alongside more friends and relatives in Louisiana.

"I'm sorry that anything had to come out like this, but it's a huge relief," said John.

Like Haji Abdul Manaf, who is pictured below at the Patrol Base Jaker ceremony, John Wrightsman will soon salute this Marine in person. Thankfully, a local news outlet and its compassionate viewers stepped up to help his family reunite during difficult times. If journalists at the national level abandoned their unspoken competition to see which news program can most closely resemble Entertainment Tonight, we might be on to something as a wartime nation. Like the drowning Afghan officer, Gold Star military families often need someone they barely know to reach out during their time of crisis. KOMO's efforts live up to the example set by this selfless Marine.

When I make my next visit to Arlington National Cemetery in the fall, my first stop will be the resting spot of Sgt. Joe Wrightsman. I will then kneel beside the grave of Maj. Megan McClung to make sure she hears about this fellow Marine resting nearby. It's painful to think about all the talent, intelligence, and potential America has left on foreign battlefields since September 11, 2001. Hopefully, the story of the Helmand River hero convinces some Afghans that they can trust American troops and feel comfortable asking for help.