Update; Type 1 Yanks photo being auctioned off in the BST for the Cpl Xiarhos scholarship fund. Thanks guys.
Our little town became closer today, when USMC Cpl. "X" was taken off a charter from Dover AFB, at Hyannis Airport this morning. Nick joined the Corp right out of high school. He felt 9-11's events inspired him to serve.
He and this solemn procession then traversed his town one last time. From beachside, past Dennis-Yarmouth HS, up to the Northside and back down Old Kings Highway to his quaint, old neighborhood. The appreciative thousands lined the flag and yellow ribbon covered main roads of Yarmouth. Nick Xiarhos received the Hero's welcome he deserved and I'm told, it was heartwarming and humbling send off for his family. There wasn't a dry eye to be seen for miles. The epitome of bittersweet.
Thanks to two fellow Marines that sacrificed their own lives, Nicholas and fifty other troops had survived a bombing at an Iraqii checkpoint last year... Six days ago, this young Marine was killed by an IED in Afghanistan.
Redeployed back to the Middle East, Nick's family saying goodbye, along with his dad Steve's message;
Home for Christmas! Cpl. Nicholas George Xiarhos
On Friday, May 15, 2009 under a cerulean blue North Carolina sky, my wife and I watched our oldest son, Marine Cpl. Nicholas George Xiarhos; go off to war in Afghanistan.
Earlier in the week we gathered Nicholas’s three younger siblings together and drove all night from Yarmouthport, Massachusetts to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., to visit with him and his brother Marines and then watch them get on the buses to start their important but dangerous 7-month mission to seek out and clear the enemy out of several vital areas and cities in southern Afghanistan.
Nicholas is 21 years old and is a Class of 2006 graduate of Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. He fought in Iraq last year, and thanks to his brother Marines, returned home safe for Thanksgiving. He now joins fellow DYRHS class of 2006 classmates, Marine Cpl. Andrew Coville and Marine Lance Cpl. John Tibbetts as part of the historic Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Afghanistan. All 3 fought together in Iraq and now in Afghanistan.
We look forward to all of the Marines accomplishing their mission and their safe return this Christmas…that will be the best Christmas present ever!!!
- Steven, Lisa, Alexander, Elizabeth, and Ashlynne Xiarhos
- Yarmouthport, Massachusetts
Semper Fi Marine, and thankyou for making me take stock today.
Hug 'em next you see 'em,
Steve F