General John Kelly speaks from broken heart at memorial's dedication

General speaks from broken heart at memorial's dedication
At the unveiling of a Camp Pendleton monument, Marine Gen. John Kelly shares the sorrows of the grieving. His son, a lieutenant, was killed in Afghanistan.
By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times
June 6, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — After writing scores of condolence letters, Marine Gen. John Kelly thought he knew something about the pain of having a son killed during war.

Then his own son was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2010 and Kelly found the pain more scorching and paralyzing than he had ever imagined. But it also gave him an unbreakable bond with other family members of the fallen.

And so on Thursday, near the end of his speech at the unveiling of a memorial to 89 Marines and sailors from the 5th Marine Regiment killed in Afghanistan, Kelly made a personal offer of regret to the Gold Star family members in attendance — regret from someone who has suffered the same loss.
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