Brad Arms Memorial Service
The article below gives some details from the memorial service for Cpl. Bradley Arms, USMC, a former student of both Karyn and me, who died in Fallujah last week.
Hundreds attend Marine’s memorial
By Kate Andrews
Charlottesville Daily Progress staff writer
Sunday, November 28, 2004
From the back of the quiet sanctuary came a muted call,
alerting the flag carriers to march forward.
The American and U.S. Marine Corps flags glided to the
front of the church, visible above the heads of the standing
congregation, and were set in their holders.
Saturday afternoon at Trinity Presbyterian Church was a
time of patriotism and remembrance, a time for saying
goodbye to Cpl. Bradley Thomas Arms, who died Nov. 19
in Fallujah, Iraq. The Covenant School graduate was 20.
Hundreds of people - friends from church and school,
retired Marine officers in bright red suit jackets, family
members and Arms’ fraternity brothers from the University
of Georgia - attended the memorial.
In an e-mail sent to family members Oct. 31, Arms wrote
about why he was fighting the war.
Iraqi children often ran to greet him and other soldiers,
while they received “cold stares†from men older than
20, the corporal wrote. Hope for the country lay with
the children, as long as they remained optimistic.
He ended the note with: “Please keep me in your
prayers as this is still a dangerous place.â€
He and another soldier, Lance Cpl. Demarkus D.
Brown of Martinsville, died as the result of enemy
action in Al Anbar Province.
Sgt. Brad Harris was one of Arms’ commanders in
the 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine
Division. He was flying back to the United States
after receiving a shrapnel injury when he heard the
news of Arms’ death. “I said, ‘It can’t be true.’â€
Addressing Arms’ parents, Harris said: “Everybody
there is doing great and doing great things. I was
proud to serve with your son.â€
Eddie Ferris of Palmyra, whose son Nathan served
with Arms, spoke of the young men’s friendship and
their devotion to God.
Right before shipping out of California, Arms asked
Lance Cpl. Nathan Ferris to pray with him.
“No matter what happens on this mission, always
remember Romans 8:28,†Arms told Ferris.
The passage reads: “And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose.â€
Arms’ purpose was to fight for democracy and freedom,
and to live according to God’s will, friends and family said.
But he also had a sense of humor and boldness that
shined through. John Dalton, his best friend since s
eventh grade, recalled a time during their junior
year in high school when he dared Arms to sit between
two strangers at a movie.
He did it, remaining in the seat for a full 10 minutes,
Dalton said as mourners shook their heads with laughter.
E.N. Garnett, Arms’ cousin and a Vietnam veteran,
said he could see a new maturity in the young man
at a family reunion last summer, just before Arms
left for Camp Pendleton in California.
“I’m proud of Brad not only as a Marine,†Garnett said,
“but as a young boy who grew into a man.â€
Arms’ private burial will take place in Albemarle County
this week. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that
contributions be made to the Brad Arms Scholarship
Fund at Covenant School.
Contact Kate Andrews at (434) 978-7261 or
kandrews@dailyprogress.com.
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November 28th, 2004 at 8:32 pm
The service was incredible. So many were there to share the sorrow of this loss. Yet so many sharing together in the hope of the eternal glory of Christ. Many people I saw traveled from distances to hold witiness to this event. Standing room only in the sanctuary â?? people lined all the walls- the fireside room, the lobby, the nursing room and spilling out into the back hallway. Wright Doyle gave the meditation. One of the most awesome and inspiring talks I have heard in a long time. He spoke of the Marine Elite which Brad was one. Then he spoke of Brad as one Elect of God. He spoke of the Marine as one of the best, the proud, and the first to go, the trained, and the safe keeper of others. Then the Elect â?? the Bad needing, wanting, experiencing a Savior where no other good work or deed would do. And Christ giving Brad his orders to come home. We did laugh out loud about some of the stories told to us about this remarkable young man. But all who left from that room, I am sure, also felt the loss of this remarkable young man. I was thankful to be able to attend and to have the opportunity to hug Bob and Doug briefly in the back hallway. It left me with a large respect for Bob and Betty in raising such a respected son. And a challenge arose in our hearts for Melissa & I to do the same for Derek and Patrick. With Gods help and graceâ?¦.
November 28th, 2004 at 8:43 pm
Thanks, Jim, for the first-hand account. Wish we could’ve been there.
November 29th, 2004 at 8:21 pm
To Give Your Life For Your Country,
To Die For A Friend,
To Be With Your Brothers-In-Arms,
No Marine Could Ask For More,
No Marine Deserves Less.
Our Brother,
Your Son,
Corporal Brad Arms,
A Grateful Nation Will Always Remember,
The Marine Corps Will Never Forget,
The Sacrifice Of A Son.
December 3rd, 2004 at 11:54 pm
Although I didn’t know Brad Arms personally, we often prayed for him at school, that he would be safe and have courage and hope. I can’t say that the first prayer was answered as we had all wished, but the latter was certainly proved to us through Brad Arm’s great faith. He had courage, he had hope, and he had a belief in a higher power and a Heaven. And I am sure he is in that place called Heaven right now.
December 4th, 2004 at 9:02 pm
Mark,
You can listen to Brad Arms memorial service on Trinity Pres’ website. http://www.trinitycville.org/
December 4th, 2004 at 9:22 pm
Thanks, John. We already listened to it this afternoon.