Our American Patriots

 PAYING TRIBUTE TO OUR ANCESTORS, COMRADES & FRIENDS

Specialist David J. Lane, United States Army

Our friend and comrade Army Spc. David J. Lane of Emporia, was killed Sept. 4 by a roadside bomb outside Camp Rustamiyah in eastern Baghdad, Iraq. David and two other soldiers were killed by the bomb while patrolling in a Humvee.  Many of you remember David from the time he spent reenacting with the Eighth Kansas Volunteer Infantry. He began reenacting with us in 2003 and was active for several years. “The kid just loved history,” said Darren Biggs in a recent interview with The Emporia Gazette. David’s mom, Maria Lane, agreed. “He loved school. History was his favorite subject,” said his Mom in an Emporia Gazette interview. “The Civil War was one of his favorites. He did a lot of re-enactments before he got into the Army.” David was buried September 13 at Forest Hill Cemetery east of Emporia. Nine members of the Eighth Kansas and U.S. Sanitary Commission were present for the funeral. The Eighth Kansas carried the national colors and its battle flag during the ceremony, which also was attended by several hundred members of the Patriot Guard.  At a ceremony in Emporia earlier in the morning, David’s mother and father, David Lane, were presented Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Good Conduct medals by Gen. Robert Durbin, commanding general of the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley. David also was posthumously promoted from private to specialist.  Military grave-side honors were conducted by Fort Riley soldiers, and Durbin presented the American flag draped over David’s casket to his mother.    

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius asked that flags statewide be flown at half-staff on the day of David’s funeral.  “We join Spc. Lane ’s family, friends and neighbors in mourning their loss, and we honor the sacrifice, service and bravery of David Joseph Lane.”  David's mother told The Gazette that “always and forever, though, [David] wanted to be a soldier.” Several years ago, Maria said in the interview, doctors put a titanium implant in David’s ear to correct a hearing problem. “He was able to get into the Army,”  David  joined the Army in February 2006.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Division, 4th Infantry  Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley. David was born April 3, 1987, in Mesa, Arizona. He died September 4, 2007, in Rustamiyah, Iraq. 

  In Memory of Spc David J. Lane  (1987-2007) 

"Guardian of the Republic"

 

Darren Biggs wrote the following  poem and read it at David Lane’s grave side service.

 

“A Fallen Soldier”

I was an American soldier who like many others

went to war and proudly served my country,

but I didn’t come home on my own accord,

for you see, I died in battle.

 

You may agree or disagree with this war.

I died to give you this right.

Also, I died so others may know this right.

 

When I was here, I was young & full of life.

 I was always testing myself to see what I was made of.

So now I ask a test of you, to see what you are made of.

 I ask only one thing of you: to not forget.

 

Please do not forget my buddies who are still in harm’s way,

for you see,

I can’t be there now to watch their backs so harm will not come to them.

 

Oh, how I will miss them.  For you see,

we were family and in our family we defend and support each other.

 

They were my brothers and sisters,

and if you loved me, love them, too, support them,

look after them in my absence, for they will always be a part of me.

Sincerely yours,

 

A Fallen Soldier

 

P.S. Tell Mom I love her.