Iraq War Casualties Remembered at Illinois Memorial
December 21, 2011
The legacy of the war in Iraq, one of the longest conflicts fought by the U.S. military, has yet to be measured. The cost of that war is visible at a memorial in the midwestern state of Illinois
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To say that retired laborer Mike Farrare is patriotic is somewhat of an understatement. His nickname, after all, is inspired by the war-fighting movie character Rambo.
“One guy told me if they cut me I’d bleed red, white and blue - it’s just the way I am," said the memorial volunteer. "It’s a name I’ve had for about 20 years now. Most people don’t know my real name. They just call me Rambo.”
Volunteering for his country
In the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, Farrare wanted to contribute in some way to the fight against terrorism. Then, in 2003, he heard volunteers were building a memorial near his home in Illinois that would honor U.S. military personnel who died in the Middle East.
“I came over to volunteer because it was my way of fighting terror because I was too old to go into the military at that time,” he said.
Farrare helped build what is now one of the most extensive memorials honoring those who died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles, Illinois lists the names of more than 6,000 men and women who served in the Middle East since 1979, and died in the line of duty.
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