The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Carterville honors fallen son

CARTERVILLE - Hundreds of children from nearby schools, wearing a spectrum of red, white and blue, quietly waited along Division Street in Carterville to honor a fallen son of Southern Illinois.

Their silence forced a somber air on the funeral procession of Sgt. Benjamin Smith, a 24-year-old Marine killed in Iraq on Sept. 22.

"That's what any soldier would want - to know he died for his country and he has a turnout like this," said Army Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Nicks, 34, from Carterville, who stood with his family to pay tribute. "It means a lot to us, to give him the respect and honor because he gave his life."

Smith was killed in combat after enemy forces attacked the al-Anbar Province, near the Syrian border, said Bob Church, a former Marine and spokesman for the family. Smith was on his second tour of duty with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment.

As the far-off sound of bagpipe music approached, those along the procession route, young and old, turned their heads to the north.

Their quiet turned to silence. The 11 lined-up police, standing at attention outside their squad cars on Division Street, turned to look.

The bagpipe's haunting sound echoed from the brick walls of Carterville's patriotically decorated downtown. The only other sounds were the humming of the squad cars and the clanking of ropes against metal flagpoles, from which the Stars and Stripes were flying at half-staff throughout town.

A lone snare drummer led the way.

She was followed by two files of Marines and a horse-drawn casket, shrouded in an American flag. Tears fell from the faces of some bystanders as the funeral attendees slowly walked by in the procession.

The Carterville High School football teams and cheerleaders were waiting in uniform at Elles Avenue when the lone snare drum passed.

Smith was a 1999 Carterville graduate, and an offensive lineman and a defensive lineman for the Caterville Lions. Head coach Dennis Drust was an assistant coach when Smith was a student.

"It's just a great honor that he served our country," Drust said. "These kids could be in that position very soon in their young lives."

The procession was scheduled to loop through the high school parking lot, giving students a chance to give respect. It entered the cemetery from the north, where Marines gave a 21-gun salute.

Prayers were said, more tears were shed, and with all the regal formality of a Marine's funeral, the flag was presented to the family of the deceased.

The bagpipe player, Michael Hall, an SIUC senior in history, played "Amazing Grace." Marine Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Timothy Lumpkin played taps on trumpet.

Smith was buried five days before he was supposed to come home.

 

 

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