BlackFive

Via Seamus, we have the sad word the Corporal Jordan Pierson was killed in Iraq.  First, the words of the Hartford Courant and then the words of Pierson's First Sergeant in Iraq.

Flags At Half Staff For Marine Killed In Iraq    
           By HILDA MUÑOZ And TINA A. BROWN
               Courant Staff Writers
    August 28 2006, 8:56 AM EDT
   
Flags are flying at half staff today for a U.S. Marine corporal from Milford who died from hostile gunfire Friday while on foot patrol in Fallujah..

Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson, 21, was shot once through the shoulder and died at 12:12 p.m. Iraqi time, according to Lt. Col. Gerald Larghe, commander of the U.S. Marine Center in Plainville, where Pierson's company - Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines - is based.

He became the third Marine with ties to the company to be killed in action since the unit was deployed in March.

Pierson joined the U.S. Marine Corps in December 2003. He was wounded in the arms and legs by shrapnel from an insurgent grenade in May. He was treated at Camp Fallujah and awarded the Purple Heart...

And from his First Sergeant, 1stSgt Ben Grainger, who's letters I've posted here before.  Grainger was hospitalized in Germany and was about to escape by tying 23 bedsheets together when they released him to go back to his company in Iraq....only to find out that Jordan had died:

It’s with a saddened heart that I returned to Charlie Company last night as we have lost a great Marine to the rigors of combat in Iraq, Cpl Jordan Pierson. Cpl Pierson had been a bright spot in his platoon, in a place, that can take the softest of hearts to into a void of darkness. Even when the gloom of combat reached deep in a man soul, Cpl Pierson could bring the Marine back to a sense of purpose, a sense of why we were here, and that we were making a difference. Cpl Pierson was destined not to only be a Marine, but a leader among Marines. He fostered a sense of caring for Marines while still embodying all it meant to be a Marine. Like before, it has sent a tidal wave of mixed emotion throughout the company at a time when we were just getting through the loss of LCpl Dechen. Marines are saddened and angered as they deal with the loss that they know has not only hurt them but his family back home. Marines are here to protect the American family and Cpl Pierson was one who strongly believed in that. That no harm would befall any American as long as he had the title of Marine. He fostered such a positive spirit that it was contagious to all even to an old 1stSgt, a spirit that made people proud to do what they were doing. He carried us all through another day here on many occasions. Another cut has been sliced across the heart of every Marine here; a cut that has hurt deep, but with time will hopefully heal. A cut that will forever remind us of the Marine Cpl Pierson was. A cut that will heal, slowly over time, but we will forever look upon and remember our fallen brother until we are all once again joined and our hearts are finally mended. We miss you Jordan,  Semper Fi

    

1stSgt Grainger

Godspeed Corporal Pierson, godspeed.