Kansas soldiers make ultimate sacrifice in Iraq

Memorial Day takes on added resonance during war.

It’s no longer just barbecues and a day at the lake, the way it seemed during the comfortable days of peace. Instead, it’s a time when Americans take time to remember those who have given their lives in the service of their country.

You don’t have to be for or against the war to recognize the nobility displayed by 27 Kansans – not including 65 soldiers from Fort Riley – who have died in Iraq.

Memorial Day is about the sacrifice made by Army Sgt. Jake Butler, the first Kansan to die in the war in Iraq, whose father traveled halfway around the world to keep a promise to his son. It’s about the sacrifice made this month by Marine Lance Cpl. Jose Marin-Dominguez Jr., a naturalized citizen born in Mexico, who left Liberal to serve his country.