It All Begins with a Puppy…or NINE (Part 3)
Hello one and all, and welcome back to the third installment of my introduction to Warrior Canine Connection’s Honor Litter! Are you ready to meet the last three puppies? I have to say that these introductory blogs have been rather difficult to write; photographing the puppies is (of course) an absolute joy, and I LOVE to spend time with them. However, researching the stories of the young men and women for whom they are named continually reaffirms my love for our great nation, but it is very emotional to read such stories of gallantry, of love and loss. It reminds me of a passage my husband shared with me from a book, written in 1943, that he was reading about the young men and women who fought World War II, and I think still applies today:
“The older people of the United States can be content with the young men they have produced and who are now away fighting the war. [They] are astonishingly practical, very realistic and hard-headed in the midst of all the desperations of battle, and when they are asked to volunteer for a particularly dangerous mission they do not become romantics, rushing heedlessly to die for a dear old Rutgers. They examine the situation coldly, all the ins and outs of it, and independently of their officers arrive at decisions which are eminently satisfactory to those concerned both with the prosecution of the war and the nature of the Americans fighting it. They do not let the war down, nor do they let themselves down. They are altogether very sound, good people.” (emphasis mine)
With that in mind, thank you for coming along on this journey with me – I hope you enjoy reading about our last three puppies, and the heroes they are named for.
Derek: An easy-going pup, Derek really likes to learn. There are not to many surprises with him, and he is usually very relaxed and happy to just sit where he is and observe. Smart, loving and ready for whatever is next!
Named for: Army Sergeant Derek McConnell. Derek entered the U.S. Army in January 2009. After completing Airborne training, he would move to his first duty station – Fort Drum, NY. He deployed to Afghanistan in March, 2011. While on foot patrol in the Zahri District in Kandahar, on July 23, 2011, Sergeant McConnell’s unit came across a minefield of pressure-plate improvised explosive devices (PPIED), when one exploded and injured his Captain. Sergeant McConnell rushed over to save his Captain and while doing so, he triggered another two IEDs which cost him both legs and the use of his arm, fractured his skull, and caused multiple internal injuries. After over a year of inpatient treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda MD, (during which he had several life threatening scares including a bout of sepsis), Derek received a hero’s welcome when he returned home to Parsippany, NJ, in late 2012. Looking forward to a lifetime of love, health and happiness, Derek and his high school sweetheart and fiancé, Krystina, entered Operation Tie the Knot: Engagement Ring and Dream Wedding Giveaway. They won an $80,000 wedding. Elated, they began planning their wedding, but sadly, it would never be. Derek succumbed to his injuries while asleep on March 18, 2013. His mother wrote in a public statement, “It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that our hero, Derek, deployed to Heaven today. He fought hard right until the end. He will be missed and never forgotten. Sleep with the angels, my brave, strong boy.” Sergeant Derek McConnell was 23 years old.
Sergeant Derek McConnell
Sergeant Derek McConnell
Derek is always so happy to pose for a picture!
Florence: A little crazy girl! She is the only black female of the litter, and a real beauty. She is happy, full of life and loves to play, but is still very much her own doggie. Florence absolutely loves to pounce and plays pretty rough…she used to get into scuffles with her sibling, Luke. These days she is having a blast with her new yellow lab brother, but has yet to impress her new Jack Russell older brother! I’m sure with her determination and shiny black hair, that she will eventually win him over.
Named for: Lt. Florence B. Choe, a medical service corps officer assigned to Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California. In the days following 9/11, she contacted a Navy recruiter because she wanted to serve her country, and five moths later, she was a commissioned officer. For her first tour, she found herself at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. It was during her time in Bethesda that she meet her future husband, Chong “Jay” Choe – also a Navy Officer. After a whirlwind courtship, he took Florence to a his favorite lookout at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and proposed. They were married on June 21, 2004. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, the couple’s daughter, Kristin, was born. The family’s next tour brought them to San Diego. Feeling like there was more that she could be doing, LT Choe volunteered for a one-year tour in Afghanistan. Serving as a medical administration and logistics mentor to the Afghan National Army, her assignment was to help set up and run a medical station for U.S. troops, Afghan soldiers, and civilians. On March 27, 2009, five months into her tour, LT Choe, along with 2 other U.S. service members, went for a jog on the outskirts of forward operating base Shaheen, near Mazar-e-Sharif. An Afghan Army soldier raised his military-issued weapon and opened fire on the three, fatally wounding LT Choe. Also killed was LTJG. Francis “Frankie” Toner. A third Navy officer was also wounded in the shootings. The Afghani soldier, who was clearly also an insurgent, then turned his weapon on himself and took his own life. LT Florence B. Choe was 35 years old.
LT Florence B. Choe
LT Florence B. Choe with her husband, Lt. Cmdr. Chong “Jay” Choe, and their daughter, Kristin.
Florence is doing her best bat impression!
Gavin: At 5 weeks old, he was showing the greatest memory of the litter – he was learning his training the fastest. It was almost like he would say, “yeah, okay, got that…what else?” His motto seems to be “I can do it!! Let me show you… you don’t even need to say it” ….which means he sometimes gets a litttttle bit ahead of himself. He is very pleasant and consistent, but somewhat more serious than the other puppies – it’s tough being an over achiever! And did I mention he is smart?
Named for: Private First Class Gavin Colburn, a Reservist who joined the Army Reserve for the opportunities it afforded. He wanted to marry his girlfriend and go to collage to study law. Before he left for deployment, Gavin and his 17-year-old girlfriend got engaged. “They had a plan,” said his mother. “She would graduate a year early, they would go to college together. He’d be a lawyer, she a paralegal. They would always be together.” A roadside bomb in Iraq extinguished those dreams. PFC Gavin Colburn was killed when an IED exploded while he was in a convoy – he died a hero. Specialist Michelle Pfister, who also served in the 656th Transportation Company in Ohio, was Gavin’s battle buddy in Iraq, and was in the same truck when the IED exploded beneath them. According to Pfister, PFC Gavin Colburn shielded her, and sacrificed his life for hers. PFC Gavin Colburn was only 20 years old when he died April 22, 2005.
Private First Class Gavin Colburn
Army Specialist Gavin Colburn Memorial Highway
Gavin, are you trying to eat the camera??
“They do not let the war down, nor do they let themselves down. They are altogether very sound, good people.…”
If you know any family members of these brave men and women, please pass my contact information on to them, as I would love to learn more about their loved one and help keep their memory alive.
Now that you have met the Honor Litter and their namesakes, over the coming weeks I will share with you some of the puppies outings, training progression, and, of course, lots of pictures. So please stay tuned!
If you have just started following the Honor Litter with me and would like to start at the beginning, please start here!
As always, I love to hear your thoughts and opinions, please share them below, or on my facebook page!
Until next time, have joy in your heart, a smile on your face, and a dog by your side!
Bonnie
What a beautiful introduction to the final 3 warrior -honor pups. You have captured the essence of these heroes and the pups who will honor them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Bonnie!!! Thank you for not only sharing WCC’s wonderful mission but the stories about the warriors the Honor Litter are named for!! I LOVE getting to know them more personally.
I have been looking forward to this installment, since I am Gavin’s puppy parent! He is an absolute love! It is an honor to be able to help train him for his important mission.
Hi Joey! Sorry to make you wait so long. I really wanted to have more for you about Gavin’s namesake. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a contact for his parents yet. I combed through his local newspapers and military papers and was not able to find any additional pictures or details about him. I will keep trying! 🙂
Thank you Bonnie for honoring the men and women of our military by sharing the stories of The Honor Litter! Each time I read your stories my eyes are filled with tears. Tears of pride that I ‘know’ these warriors and that their sacrifices will not be forgotten :-). XXOO
What a wonderful piece on the last three, putting them all together, makes for a very soulful reading. Learning about the people they were named for makes them all the more special. You did a wonderful job and looking forward to following the training and development. Thank you.
Now I wish Olive had a bigger litter so you could share more stories of heroes and their namesake puppies. Wonderful job, Bonnie, and I can hardly wait for the next installment.
Once again you have brought “Honor” to these Warriors. Thank you for the heartfelt tributes to these men & women and the amazing puppies that are blessed with the names of these heroes… Thank you Bonnie <3 Your photographs bring to life the mission of Warrior Canine Connection. Amazing…
Thank you again Bonnie for blessing us with wonderful stories of the warrior heroes and these adorable puppies! You are making it so much easier for me to deal with puppies growing up….love these angels!
beautiful
it doesn’t matter how many times I read about the namesake heroes behind the honor litter, I always cry. I hope the families find a measure of comfort in these pups—I would imagine that your work will provide solace for them. it makes me proud to know we have this caliber of men and women ready to serve, willing to make the greatest sacrifice. we epws love pictures of “our” puppies and i’m looking forward to your beautimous captures.
with thanks and appreciation,
snuggs
I love your pictures of the Honor Litter and the heartfelt stories of their namesakes. These stories will be remembered as we watch these precious puppies grow up and fulfill their mission. Thanks for the love and compassion you add to your mission.