By Kevin Dayhoff
Sunday, March 27, 2011 – Monday, March 28, 2011
American flags lined the street at the Eline Funeral Home on South Main Street in Hampstead all afternoon and well into the evening as hundreds of family and friends paid their respects to the family of Staff Sgt. James (Jimmy) M. Malachowski, 25 of Westminster. (Photos by Kevin Dayhoff)
For my past stories:
Posted: 3/22/11 in Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle
Posted: 3/22/11 in Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle
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American flags, friends and family, the Patriot Guard and the governor pay their respects to the family of fallen Carroll County Marine.
Visitation for the family Marine Staff Sgt. James Malachowski held at Eline Funeral Home in Hampstead Sunday
By Kevin Dayhoff
American flags lined the street at the Eline Funeral Home on South Main Street in Hampstead all afternoon and well into the evening as hundreds of family and friends paid their respects to the family of Staff Sgt. James M. Malachowski, 25 of Westminster.
Malachowski was a platoon sergeant with the 3rd Platoon, Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, which is based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
He had joined the Marine Corps in June 2003, after graduating from North Carroll High School.
He was killed in action March 20, 2011, by an improvised exploding device, IED, while conducting combat operations in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Malachowski was on his fourth deployment overseas. He had previously been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom three times with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines. He served in Iraq from March 2004 to October 2004, from July 2005 to February 2006 and from January 2007 to July 2007.
At times, the line of those stopping to pay their respects to the fallen Marine extended out of the funeral home and halfway around the building. Some were friends; some did not know Malachowski but just wanted to show their support for the family and the military. At the end of the line, members of the Marine Corps League stood watch.
In the early evening Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley came to pay his respects to the family. He came unannounced and essentially without any support staff and spent about 15-minutes quietly speaking with the family.
“As often as possible - unless I’m out of state, I come to pay my respects” explained O’Malley.
O’Malley has a reputation for publicly – and privately - supporting the military according to a conversation overheard among several members of the military in the visitation line, who asked to not be identified.
As quietly and respectfully as he entered the funeral parlor, O’Malley left after spending a couple of minutes with other family members.
Outside, members of the Patriot Guard stood silently on the front sidewalk with a large American flags. All day they rotated in and out of duty at the funeral home.
“We’ve been here since the hero was brought in from Dover (Air Force Base,) Delaware around 10:30 this morning,” Sandy Hohne, a ride captain with the Patriot Guard.
“Then we re-grouped (for the visitation) at 1:30. We’ve had over 70 members of the Guard sign-in for this mission,” explained Hohne.
“We’re here at the invitation of the (Malachowski) family… All of whom are Patriot Guard riders,” explained Clayton Gebhart, from Townsend, Delaware - another Patriot Guard ride captain.
Hohne went on the say that she joined the Patriot Guard with the Malachowski family. “This is my 175th mission with the Patriot Guard,” said Hohne. A mission “is a funeral, a welcome home, or a send-off for a member of the military or a firefighter – a first responder... Our mission is to honor the service and protect the family and friends.”
“We have about 1,200 members in the Maryland Chapter of the National Patriot Guard. I joined after the Snyder funeral,” said Hohne, referring to the funeral of Carroll County native Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, whose March 10, 2006 funeral was picketed by “uninvited guests.” The Patriot Guard does not say the name of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church. Instead the Westboro demonstrators are simply referred to as “uninvited guests.”
Kevin Goodman, a Patriot Guard member who stood at the end of the long line of the sentries with flags explained that he had “been here for a number of hours,” as he brushed off questions about the cold. “I haven’t kept track of the time. It’s not important. What’s important is that I be here.”
The sun shined brightly Sunday afternoon, but it was cold as some members of the Patriot Guard stood around the back of a vehicle full of food and hot coffee.
“We’re here no matter the weather,” said Hohne as she talked about the “tremendous support” of the community. We’ve almost never had support like this explained Hohne, except – maybe in Frederick County remarked Hohne as she pointed to the car overflowing with food and drinks from the local Hampstead community.
An unidentified Patriot Guard quickly added, “Well, we are, after-all, in Carroll County,” as they walked by quickly with a piece of chicken from Dean’s Restaurant.
The Saturday before visitation the Hampstead Business Association was circulating a memo for members of the community “to show support for (the Malachowski) family and fellow servicemen during this difficult time. We would like to line Route 30 with American Flags from (St. Bartholomew Church) south… The manager of the Wal-Mart in Hampstead donated 4 packs of 12x18 flags…”
The folks paying their respects and honoring the service and sacrifice of Malachowski came from all over the nation – and indeed, from all over the world.
“God Bless the sacrifice, the service of this great young man,” said one motorist as they passed by the line of flags and touted the horn.
Meanwhile, earlier in the afternoon, Loretta Murphy said as she watched from across the street from the funeral home, “These people are showing support for something… as opposed to being negative.”
“If it’s possible to give any comfort to the family, these men and women can – hopefully provide the family some comfort and give another side to freedom of speech. I guess there are two sides to freedom of speech,” said her husband John Murphy.
The Murphys were there with their grandson, Samuel Woo. Murphy explained “it can be confusing to a child… the First Amendment and all. That’s one of the reasons we brought our grandson, that, and to pay our respects...”
Motioning over the Patriot Guard, Murphy went on to say, “Here’s a group of men and women who showed-up to honor and respect the family. That part is not confusing…”
As the sun went down and the evening wore on, the motorcycle of Robert (Phoenix) Wiseman, a captain in the fire investigation division of the Howard County Fire and Rescue service, stood a silent vigil in the parking lot across the street from the funeral home. A few feet away, Wiseman discussed plans for the funeral on Monday with other members of the Patriot Guard.
Funeral services for the fallen Marine will be held on Monday at 1 p.m. at St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church, 2930 Hanover Pike, Manchester.
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On Sunday March 27 2011 Hundreds paid their respects to the family of Staff Sgt. Malachowski
Kevin Dayhoff - Soundtrack: On Sunday 27Mar2011 Hundreds paid their respects to the family of Staff Sgt. Malachowski http://t.co/nh4zKfD
[20110327 SCE Malachowski funeral visitation]
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