Remembering

Today, once again, we remembered our fallen hero, SSG William Ryan Fritsche.  He was my nephew and I am so proud of him.  We gathered at the Martinsville Post office to share in the receipt of a marble memorial stone.  Below is the explanation of it written by my sister, Ryan's mother.  I can't do it justice so I'll let her tell the story.  I'm just proud to be a part of a family and community that cares enough to still support us after 4 years.  God Bless America and God Bless Martinsville and Morgan county.  They mean so much to us. 

Thanks to a soldier at Ft. Carson, Colorado named John Francis and the US Army, this 55/60lb marble memorial stone that was created by an unknown person or entity to mark the entrance of OP Fritsche in the mountains of Afghanistan near the Pakistan border has arrived at the post office in Martinsville to find its final resting place i...n Ryan’s home town.
John’s scout unit was sent to OP Fritsche in 2009 to search for enemy Taliban. The soldiers found this stone wrapped up laying in a building in a place that you can only be air dropped in or fight your way on foot up the rugged mountain side. They had no idea who had it made or how it found its way to such a remote place but they cleaned and mounted it at the entrance of OP Fritsche in honor of a fallen brother that they had never met.
In 2009 OP Fritsche and Camp Keating were both brutally attacked and the US lost 8 young men that day. Both bases were ultimately destroyed and abandon, but John’s First Sgt ask that the stone be brought back to safety with his unit.
July 27th marks the 4th anniversary of Ryan’s death. John has made it possible for the stone to arrive in Martinsville in memory and honor of that day.
Roger Coffin of Martinsville who is charge of the Morgan County War Memorial Park said it would be an honor for the stone which has traveled so far to find a permanent home in the War Memorial Park.
We invite anyone who would like to share this moment in memory of Ryan to meet with us at the Post Office at 1pm when we pick it up. Bette Nunn from the Reporter-Times and Roger Coffin will also be there.
Thank you and God Bless you John and First Sgt Hill for making this possible.See More