THE WALL OF FACES

Dear Joe, My wife Nancy and I travelled to your grave site on Monday, May 28, 2007. We found you with the help of two kind strangers, Todd and Katie, who gave us directions to the cemetery. It is small, beautiful, set in rolling Michigan farm land, shaded by trees and well cared for. Volunteers had placed American flags at each veteran's resting place, and those flags helped us find your memorial marker. We believe your soul and spirit are celebrating eternal life with God in heaven, Joe, and we believe you know that you were remembered in a special way yesterday. As I had touched your name on the Memorial Wall in Washington, I touched your name on your very own memorial stone in Fair Plains Cemetery and prayed for you. I thank God for the people who have worked to create and maintain the 1st Battalion 1st Marines 1st Marine Division web site (www.1stBn1stMarines.org)where in the Charlie Company pages under "In Memoriam" was listed your resting place with a photograph of your memorial marker - I say "Semper Fi" to our brothers who posted all that information. Also in the Charlie Company "Men of Charlie Company" photographs from 1969 and the picture of you with your 60 mm mortar crew on Operation Pipestone Canyon. Rest in peace, my friend.

"An God said who shall we send.I answered I am here,send me."

Isaiah 6:8

Repos Dans La Paix

Joe, we had a "Michigan connection" - you lived there, and I had been born in Battle Creek. When we met in November, 1969, you were serving in the Weapons Platoon in Charlue Co., 1st Bn 1st Marines 1st Mar Div, and I had just transferred from being an 81 mm mortar FO for Delta Co. to Charlie Co., where I became Fire Team Leader in the 3rd Squad of the 3rd Platoon (our Fire Team included Mike Otto from St. Louis, Harry "Pineapple" Moriguchi from Hawaii, and Prudencio "Tex" Arriaga from, of course, Texas.) We met, Joe, running ops in Duc Ky and La Tho Bac, east of Hill 55. You showed me pictures of your girl, I am sorry I have forgotten her name, you loved her very much and she was waiting for you. I remember relaxing together at "Stack Arms" when Charlie Co. drew a 2 day in-country R&R there on China Beach! Then on December 23rd, we were headed back into Battalion after a short op, and moving toward the "Big Tree" outpost, my Fire Team had point and we had to step through some barbed wire. Several teams made it through without incident, then the Lt. and his radioman and you were behind them Joe - I heard the explosion and looked back, could not see you or hear you, but I heard the Corpsman trying to help you, I don't think you ever knew what had happened, brother. Joe, God bless you and your family, you were a good man, a good friend, a loyal Marine, I pray that you are at peace in heaven, and that you know that you are not forgotten. I have visited The Wall in Washington, D.C., and have touched your name, and hope maybe some day to visit your resting site in Belding. God's peace be with you, my friend.

Although we never met personally, I want to thank you Joel Leslie Cook, for your courageous and valiant service, faithful contribution, and your most holy sacrifice given to this great country of ours!

Your Spirit is alive--and strong, therefore Marine, you shall never be forgotten, nor has your death been in vain!

Again, thank you LCPL Joel Leslie Cook, for a job well done!

REST IN ETERNAL PEACE MY MARINE FRIEND

LCPL Joel L. Cook, USMC

Photo from: http://www.usmcfew.com/0311/inmemoriam

Semper Fidelis, Marine!