Honoring Our Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day

For all its flaws, America is still the most noble super-power on the planet — using its power, for the most part, not for empire or greed, as the Left asserts, but to defend freedom. Today we honor our recent fallen, including Army Spc. Jeffrey Nichols, of Granite Shoals, Texas, who was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, May 1 when his vehicle was hit by a makeshift roadside bomb.

The Western Left is wrong and cruel to assert that Nichols and thousands like him died in vain — even as they agitate to effect an abrupt pullout of American power from Iraq which, like it did in Vietnam, could lead to mass slaughter and despotism. Take some moments to view the stories of our recent fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan, and say a prayer for their families. Americans and the people of Iraq, Afghanistan and countless foreign lands across the globe owe our fallen fighting men and women a debt of gratitude for paying the ultimate price in defense of the liberties that we take for granted every day. — Peter LaBarbera

Fort Polk soldier killed in Baghdad

The Associated Press, May 2, 2008

FORT POLK — A Fort Polk soldier was killed in Baghdad yesterday when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Army Spc. Jeffrey F. Nichols, 21, of Granite Shoals, Texas, was a field artilleryman assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, according to a news release by Samantha Evans, public information officer with JRTC & Fort Polk.

Nichols enlisted in the Army in September 2005 and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Okla. He was assigned to Fort Polk in December 2005.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

Nichols is survived by his wife and son, of Marble Falls, Texas, and his mother, of Granite Shoals.