When The War Comes Home

New Year's Day, a time that we all look at as a way of starting over or getting another chance. But sometimes in life you dont get another chance.

Smithsburg, MD resident and U.S. Marine Lance Cpl Maung P. "Sam" Htaik was killed January 1, 2011 in the Helmand province of Afghanistan while he was conducting combat operations supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was 20 years old. Below are Sam's parents Hla and Flory Shwe being presented with Sam's Purple Heart during the memorial service.


I was expecting a huge resistance from the funeral home to photograph the memorial service, even though we had written permission from the family. But just the opposite happened, I was given full access to the memorial service. The Shwe family saw the media not as a hinderance but as a source to broadcast what kind of hero their son was. They actually WELCOMED the media and both parents thanked me and the reporter afterwards for covering their son's memorial. That may NEVER happen again in my career.


Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley shown above attended, spoke, and stayed for the entire two hour plus memorial service. A great honor to Sam, his family, and all in attendance.

This was a memorial service not the funeral service. Sam will have a military graveside burial service January 18, 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery. His parents have welcomed The Herald-Mail's request to cover the service. Again, they want to celebrate their son and his good work and see the media as a way helping them to spread the word and good name of their son Sam.

While most of us look forward to New Year's Day as a day off filled with food, friends, and football Sam's family will always feel a bit empty for the loss of their son, brother, and soldier Sam.