The Concert

2008 Features

Bonds of Battle

On this year’s National Memorial Day Concert we will highlight the powerful bonds forged by buddies on the battlefield and pay tribute to the support and sacrifices of their families.

Acclaimed actors Denis Leary, Gail O’Grady and Caitlin Wachs will share the story of Staff Sergeant John Faulkenberry and PFC Chris Pfeifer and their wives, Sarah and Karen, who became friends during their training in Germany. John and Chris ended up fighting together in remote northeastern Afghanistan, part of a tight twelve-man team of soldiers placed in the most dangerous region of our Nation’s most dangerous war.

John Faulkenberry and
Chris Pfeifer in Afghanistan

SSG John Faulkenberry said, “You go to war to serve your country, but when you get there the most important thing is to get you and your battle buddies home alive. There’s no choice, no second guessing, no hesitation in what you have to do.”

In the course of a fierce firefight following an ambush John was wounded and Chris Pfeifer helped him to survive. Three weeks later Chris was hit by a sniper and brought back to the states, his wife Karen nearly ready to give birth to their first child. Though critically wounded himself, John asked his wife Sarah to go to the Pfeiffer’s aid. Not long after, Chris became one of America’s fallen heroes. Sarah Faulkenbery was with Karen during Chris’ death and baby Peyton’s birth. Now the Faulkenberrys are helping Karen and Peyton survive, providing them a home and emotional support.

Theirs is one of countless stories of caring, sacrifice and devotion that occur among battle buddies. Soldiers often return home changed people, having seen and experienced things their families stateside cannot even imagine. Military families who have lost loved ones can become isolated in their grief, feeling that those around them do not care, not knowing how to reach out for assistance. In these cases, battle buddies can be the most comfortable and comforting allies, offering unspoken understanding of the sacrifices of war and sharing the burden of grief.

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, the needs of soldiers, their families and the families who have lost loved ones remain a concern for the nation. The National Memorial Day Concert website shares some resources for those who want to offer help and those who need assistance. Visit the Healing & Support section to find out more about how you can:

• Support our troops.
• Reach out to the wounded.
• Help grieving families.
• Get support if you have lost a loved one.
• Share what has helped you bear your grief.
• Find practical information and assistance if you are a soldier, a military family or veteran.
• Read other powerful stories of veterans and of those who have fallen.

On our site you can also share your story or a remembrance of a loved one or a friend who died in one of America’s conflicts.

Chris Pfeifer in Afghanistan

REFLECTIONS

"I was privileged to serve with Eddie for two years on various islands at Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan until malaria cut him down and he was returned stateside. Eddie passed away recently. You won't find his name in the history books, for he won no Congressional Medal of Honor, but as one who knew him for 39 years, I would like to suggest a simple lettering on his gravestone: "Hero." Sleep well, good buddy, and those of us who are left will never forget you."

C.E. Anderson
MI