A Marine"s Story

September, 2007 - It has been nearly three years since I created this site and I've decided to give it a fresh look. I still miss him everyday but I believe the best way to honour his memory is to live my life to the fullest, as he would want me to do.

Jen

(Written in November 2004, immediately after Dale's death)

Dale is my baby brother and he died on Sunday. I’m not a very good writer but I want everyone to remember him. It’s hard because in my head he is still a baby I can’t really believe that this has happened. I want everyone to know who he was.


If any of you know my family you know that we are a Marine family. My father, Dale Sr., was a Marine and a Vietnam veteran. Dale always wanted to be a Marine too.

Dad suffered from various health problems for most of my life, in part because he was wounded in Vietnam. His health worsened when I was eleven years old (Dale was nine). He lapsed into a coma and when he awoke two or so weeks later he had brain damage and was never the same.

This made life in our family really difficult. Mom had to take care of the three of us kids (I have a younger sister too) plus dad. Dad’s brain damage made him really difficult to deal with and be around. Dale struggled but was able to stay focused because of his dream of being a Marine.

When Dale was sixteen he left school and got his GED so he could join the Marines at age seventeen. I remember when graduated from boot camp he told me it was the happiest day of his life.

Dale was deployed three times, twice to Iraq. Until the last day he always loved being a Marine.


Reporters have told Dale’s story, similar to the one above, but that’s not really important and that’s not really how I want him remembered. Because that’s not a person’s life, that a soldier’s life, and Dale was more than a soldier. So here’s how I remember Dale.


Sunday, September 09, 2007

My Last Emails From Dale

Originally written in November 2004

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 13:12:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: "dale burger" Add to Address Book
Subject: hey jen
To: xxx@yahoo.com

hi jen. cant write much cause im getting ready to go back out in the morning, but i just wanted to say hi and see how you were doing. so hows it feel to be an aunt now. i can't believe rachel is a mom. and moms a grandma. go figure. well if you get a chance write me back. i should be back on a computer in a week or two. take care jen.

your brother,dale


Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 13:33:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: "dale burger" Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: hey jen
To: "Jennifer Burger"

hey jen. well i wasnt one of the seven killed today. but my best
friend mike allred, the guy in almost every picture i have from over here, was one of
them. i found out a couple hours afterwards. i just got done writing a letter to his parents. it was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do. he was the closest thing to a brother i ever had.

I am doing ok though. i just got back from a pretty nasty place. we came out fine,
but there was quite a bit of fighting going on. things are really starting to get
worse around here.

its good to hear that your coming home. i should be home by december or january
if i'm lucky. i really dont want to miss christmas but its looking like im going to.

well jen, i gotta get going. i havent slept in a couple days so i'm about to fall asleep.
talk to you soon, be safe.

your brother,
dale

Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 11:50:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: "dale burger" Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: hey jen
To: "Jennifer Burger"

well things are really starting to pick up lately. not in a good way either.
its good to hear that your home. hows mom doing? keep reassuring her that i'll be ok.
and do me a favor. this isn't something i can tell mom.
if i don't make it, make sure [to take care of our sisters] especially rachel. and make sure mom takes care of herself.
i seriously think she'd lose it if i was killed. everytime i talk to her on the phone
she cries. just make shes taken care of, you know. ok jen, i gotta get going.
i still got work to do. love you and miss you.

your brother,
dale

Posted by Jennifer at 1:13 AM

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