My walk this morning was dedicated in honor of Marine Sergeant Morgan Strader from Crossville, TN. He graduated Cumberland County High School with the class of 2000. He joined the United States Marines in July 2000. He served with the 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Sergeant Strader was serving his tour of duty in Iraq and was killed in action on November 12, 2004, while fighting in the second battle of Fallujah. He died while protecting his platoon and the convoy his platoon was escorting.
On April 19, 2013, the Tennessee State Legislature passed Public Chapter No. 482. In the text of the legislation a the bridge on U.S.Highway 70 in Cumberland County was designated as the “Sgt. Morgan W. Strader Memorial Bridge” in recognition of the life of valor and death in combat of Sgt. Morgan W. Strader, United States Marine Corps, who made the ultimate sacrifice on November 12, 2004, while serving his country in Fallujah, Iraq.
His awards included: Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and National Defense Service Medal.
My walk this morning went very well. Could not ask for a better day to walk in. I went and visited Marine Sergeant Morgan Stader’s memorial downtown at the Soldiers Memorial Park. Let us never forget him.