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Obama salutes fallen Irish American soldier

Somber scene at Dover Air Force Base

By
NIALL O'DOWD,
IrishCentral.com Publisher

Published Thursday, October 29, 2009, 8:16 AM
Updated Thursday, October 29, 2009, 11:14 AM

 

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Salute to the fallen: President Barack Obama salutes the coffin of Irish American soldier Dale Griffin who was killed in Afghanistan this week
Salute to the fallen: President Barack Obama salutes the coffin of Irish American soldier Dale Griffin who was killed in Afghanistan this week

President Barack Obama has attended the removal of fallen Irish American hero Dale Griffin.

As originally reported by IrishCentral.com, Obama's decision to attend the removal of American soldiers at Dover Air Base draws a clear line in the sand between this administration and the Bush administration.

President Bush refused to allow filming of soldier's coffins returning and was never present when the bodies were flown back.

Last night President Obama broke with that policy in a poignant fashion as he attended the removal of 18 soldiers at Dover.

The family of Irish American Army sergeant Dale R. Griffin had agreed to let the media film the heartbreaking return of their son.

A 29-year-old soldier from Terre Haute in Indiana, Griffin died along with several other soldiers after their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan this week

His mother Dana said Griffin, a former wrestling champion, had joined the Army immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Dana had spent the past month volunteering in a local project to make blankets to send to U.S. servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

October has been the worst month for Americn casualties in the eight-year conflict with 53 deaths,
 

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