Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer

Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer, 28, of Petersburg, Fla.

Sgt. Messer was assigned to 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Dec. 27 in Baghdad of wounds received from an improvised explosive device that detonated near him while on dismounted patrol. Also killed was Pfc. Nathaniel A. Given.
Standing near the casket draped in the American flag, family and friends said their final goodbyes to Army Sgt. Christopher Messer Monday.

Burial services were held at Pleasant View Cemetery in Summerfield Township and included a 21-gun salute and a bugler playing "Taps." About 200 family and friends gathered around the family, who sat under a canopy on the cold, breezy winter afternoon.

Sgt. Messer, 28, was killed in action Dec. 27 while serving in Iraq. He died from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on combat patrol. He was an infantryman assigned to Company D, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment based in Fort Drum, N.Y.
Raised in Dundee Township, he is survived by his wife, Amie, and 2-year-old daughter, Skyle. The family had recently moved to Raisinville Township from Monroe.

Funeral services were held Monday at Bacarella Funeral Home, where the Rev. Harold Raymond, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Ida, officiated. Some family members briefly spoke about Sgt. Messer, including the games they would play while growing up.

"He would laugh without effort ... we all had a lot of fun times together," a cousin said at the funeral home. "Our family was poor in (the sense of) money, but rich in laughter. We have the best memories."

Nearly 400 family, friends and members of local police and sheriff's departments attended the service. The swell of the crowd spilled into the hallway, and many people filled a second room where a speaker system was set up.

Immediate family members, sitting in the front row, wept as "Proud to be an American" and "American Soldier" played during the service. The Rev. Raymond spoke to the crowd about Sgt. Messer's life rather than his tragic death.

"This doesn't have to be the end. He's full of glory and focused on Jesus Christ," he said. "He now has an eternal relationship with the Lord. Trust that he's with the Lord. Don't leave here without hope. I know you ask why, why this had to happen. I cannot answer that. Only God knows why."

The Rev. Raymond held up a laminated prayer card, containing the words to the "Prayer of Salvation," that Sgt. Messer always kept with him. The pastor read some of the prayer, which proclaims faith in God.

"He read it so many times, it's blurred," the pastor said after reading a portion. "Chris had faith and hope. He did not perish. He now has eternal life with his Savior." Following the sermon, Army Gen. Thomas Cole spoke about the fallen soldier.

"He was a fun-loving soldier and a natural leader," he said. "He is an American hero who sacrificed everything he loved so we can live in a free country."

Gen. Cole then presented the Messer family with Sgt. Messer's medals: the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Joining the Army in 2003, Sgt. Messer was serving his second tour of duty when he was killed. He had served from February, 2004, to March, 2005, in Samarra, Iraq.

After he completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment at Ledward Barracks in Germany. In 2005, he was reassigned to Fort Drum, N.Y.

He attended Ida Public Schools and graduated from Dundee Alternative High School in 1997. He is the eighth soldier with Monroe County ties to die in the war. After serving for his country, Sgt. Messer is now serving the Lord, the Rev. Raymond said. "He has been ushered by angels to the presence of the Lord," he said at the funeral service. "His spirit is alive forever." Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer was killed in action on 12/27/06.

Christopher E. Esckelson's mother said she didn't want her son to join the Marines after Sept. 11, 2001. "He just said, 'Oh no, I'll be a Marine. That's what I want to do,'" said his mother, Michelle. "He didn't follow everyone else. He was a leader." Esckelson, 22, of Vassar, Mich. was killed Dec. 28 in a firefight in Fallujah. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Lansing. "He was in a 12-man SWAT team, and in Fallujah. It was definitely front-line stuff. It wasn't guarding the water cooler," said David Esckelson, his father. "My son was a warrior, and that's not just a father talking." Esckelson wanted to be a doctor. He had attended classes at Delta College and joined the Marine Corps Reserve as a way of earning money to pay for school. Esckelson knew the risks, and saw the horror, of war after arriving in Iraq in September. But fear "wasn't in him," his father said. "He was very, very angry to see his fellow Marines injured. He said 'Dad, there's no training they can give you to help you see your fellow Marines blown to pieces.'"

Esckelson, Cpl. Christopher E. U.S.M.C, Vassar, Michigan Age 22, gave his life for his country while defending his fellow Marines on Thursday, December 28, 2006, in Fallujah, Iraq. Christopher was born December 30, 1983, in Saginaw the son of David E. Esckelson and Michelle M. "Mitzi" Lich. He attended St. Michael's Lutheran School in Richville prior to transferring to Vassar High School, graduating in 2002. During high school, he played football for four years at defensive tackle, baseball for four years as an outfielder and catcher and basketball for two years. He was also a member of St. Michael Lutheran Church in Richville and the Frankenmuth Bible Church and had been employed with Zhender's, Abercrombie & Fitch and Wolverine Human Resources. In October of 2002, Christopher joined the US Marine Corp Reserve and then attended Delta College at all three campuses in Bay City, Saginaw and Midland desiring to become a doctor, prior to being called to active duty in April of 2006. He was extremely proud when he became a Marine and he believed 110% in service and dedication to his country. Christopher was an avid hunter and fisherman and he enjoyed camping. He was a "go-getter" and a natural leader. He will be missed by all who his life touched. Left to cherish his memory are his father: David E. Esckelson of Vassar, mother: Michelle M. "Mitzi" and husband Christopher Hill of Vassar, brother: Craig E. Esckelson and girlfriend Heather Curtis and their daughter, Hailee Marie all of Vassar, sister: Kerry M. Esckelson of Vassar, two stepsisters: Rachel and Laurin Hill both of Vassar, Christopher's girlfriend of three years: Samantha Reasner of Owosso, two grandmothers: Esther Esckelson and Esther Lich both of Vassar, special childhood friends that attended St. Michael's: Scott Janson of Reese, Terry Sella of Auburn Hills, Vassar High School friend: John MacArthur, Marine brother: Todd Pirich, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Christopher was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Lawrence Esckelson and Henry Lich. Christopher's funeral service will take place 2:00pm, Sunday, January 7, 2007, at the Vassar High School Auditorium with Pastor Nathan Mains officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery with Military Honors conducted by the United States Marine Corp. Visitation will take place at the Vassar High School Auditorium on Saturday, from 10:00am to 8:00pm with family present to receive friends from 10:00am to 12:00 noon, 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to 8:00pm and on Sunday morning from 11:00am until the time of service at 2:00pm. Those desiring may direct memorial contributions to a special fund set up in Christopher's name. Envelopes will be available at the high school. Friends may share memories, prayers, and stories at the school and online @ www.martinfuneralhome.com Martin Funeral Home, Clark Chapel-Vassar.