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Beloit Daily News October 28, 2003 Those who died in Iraq memorialized
By Judy Hatlen-JacksonDaily News correspondent
SHARON _ Every day, the war in Iraq marches across the TV screen, but the casualties, men and women who have died in the war, float by in an anonymous blur. They are nameless ghosts aching to be remembered by the nation they died trying to defend.
Chet Borowski, a psychotherapist who lives north of Sharon watched the TV coverage of the war, wondering about the number of casualties, and their names. It didn't seem right to him that to the country they had died to defend, they remained non-entities.
``This news was buried,'' Borowski said. ``Every time we lose a man or woman, that should be the lead story. If I am frustrated by it, I can only imagine that the families feel left out and abandoned.''
Finally, Borowski found that the CNN.com Web site had a casualty list that was updated daily. The list included the soldier's name, age, hometown and cause of death. Beside each name was a small photo, but where none was available, there is a silhouette. Borowski said he was struck by the information and wanted to find a way to put it before the public.
So, Borowski set to work cutting and pasting these listings onto 8-by-11-inch sheets of paper and having each sheet laminated. Each panel includes 10 to 12 names. He stapled the panels to a sheet of black plywood which stands about 11 feet high and stood it up by the entrance to his driveway. There are now more than 30 panels.
On each side of the wall are the flags of the coalition forces in Iraq, the United States, Great Britain, Denmark, Spain, Australia and Poland. All except Australia and Poland are flown at half-mast, since only they have yet to suffer deaths in Iraq.
Next to the memorial, a small table holds two loose-leaf binders. One is a ``guest book,'' for visitors to sign. The other holds stories of heroism from the war, with the most recent being added at the front of the book.
``Telling the stories is what makes us human,'' Borowski said.
Borowski has other plans to honor the fallen soldiers and their families. Next year he plans to invite all the families to visit the memorial. This will be an opportunity for families who have lost loved ones to connect, cry, tell stories, mourn and remember, Borowski said.
In the near future, Borowski hopes to have sympathy cards printed up with a photo of the memorial on the front. These will be sent to the families as their loved ones appear on the casualty list. They will say ``Thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice,'' Borowski said.
``I just want to bring attention to the men and women that are there,'' Borowski said. ``This is the ultimate service _ to die for a cause whether you believe in it or not _ to have that courage and that loyalty.''
The memorial can be seen at N1190 Peters Road, between Sharon and Darien.
Chet Borowski, a psychotherapist who lives north of Sharon watched the TV coverage of the war, wondering about the number of casualties, and their names. It didn't seem right to him that to the country they had died to defend, they remained non-entities.
``This news was buried,'' Borowski said. ``Every time we lose a man or woman, that should be the lead story. If I am frustrated by it, I can only imagine that the families feel left out and abandoned.''
Finally, Borowski found that the CNN.com Web site had a casualty list that was updated daily. The list included the soldier's name, age, hometown and cause of death. Beside each name was a small photo, but where none was available, there is a silhouette. Borowski said he was struck by the information and wanted to find a way to put it before the public.
So, Borowski set to work cutting and pasting these listings onto 8-by-11-inch sheets of paper and having each sheet laminated. Each panel includes 10 to 12 names. He stapled the panels to a sheet of black plywood which stands about 11 feet high and stood it up by the entrance to his driveway. There are now more than 30 panels.
On each side of the wall are the flags of the coalition forces in Iraq, the United States, Great Britain, Denmark, Spain, Australia and Poland. All except Australia and Poland are flown at half-mast, since only they have yet to suffer deaths in Iraq.
Next to the memorial, a small table holds two loose-leaf binders. One is a ``guest book,'' for visitors to sign. The other holds stories of heroism from the war, with the most recent being added at the front of the book.
``Telling the stories is what makes us human,'' Borowski said.
Borowski has other plans to honor the fallen soldiers and their families. Next year he plans to invite all the families to visit the memorial. This will be an opportunity for families who have lost loved ones to connect, cry, tell stories, mourn and remember, Borowski said.
In the near future, Borowski hopes to have sympathy cards printed up with a photo of the memorial on the front. These will be sent to the families as their loved ones appear on the casualty list. They will say ``Thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice,'' Borowski said.
``I just want to bring attention to the men and women that are there,'' Borowski said. ``This is the ultimate service _ to die for a cause whether you believe in it or not _ to have that courage and that loyalty.''
The memorial can be seen at N1190 Peters Road, between Sharon and Darien.
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