The following eulogy
was written by Army SPC Derek McKinney,
in honor of his friend Justin.
SPC JUSTIN B. SCHMIDT
"During the six years
I knew Justin, we shared a lot of great experiences
along with some bad ones, of course. When I first met
Justin it was after his 18th birthday, my brother Matt
actually introduced us. From that point on we established
a great friendship that took us from Manatee Landscape
Services as young adults to Wellcraft Marine and most
recently the United States Army. We shared a lot of
good times from Palma Sola Causeway to Ybor City to
West Palm Beach to Livestock in Zephyrhillls and everywhere
in between.
When I first met Justin he was young
and didn't really know exactly the path he wanted to
take into the future, but over the course of our friendship
he grew into a responsible and respectable young man.
When we decided to enlist in the Army together along
with two other friends, we became closer not only as
friends but as soldiers. Even though we were not in
the same unit, not even the same division we still stayed
in touch. He was stationed in Western Germany near France
and I was stationed in Eastern Germany near the Czech
Republic and we still managed to visit each other. Last
spring I remember telling Justin that my unit would
be deploying and he told me that his unit was not. As
it would turn out he went and I stayed in Germany. However
I would end up deploying to Iraq as he was to be finishing
up his tour. As a soldier you learn to appreciate the
smaller things in life especially after being in a third
world country. Now that he is not with us today and
in a better place, I value the time that we did spend
together especially when he took his R&R leave and
visited me in Bamberg along with his finance, Stephanie
Kohler. It was at this point I knew that he had his
plan together for what he wanted in life and how to
accomplish it.
Although he did not get the chance to
accomplish all of it, he was definitely on the right
track and I believe that the Lord had another mission
for him. It is with the utmost respect and deepest sincerity
I say, Rest in Peace my friend, my fellow soldier, my
brother. You will not be forgotten."
FOR
THE FALLEN
by Laurence Binyon
With proud thanksgiving,
a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill;
Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs
to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall not grow old,
as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with
their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables
of home;
They have no lot in our labor of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires
are and our hope profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall
be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkenss,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
"I am proud to be the mother
of Justin and will forever carry him
in
my heart for all eternity."
--Lenore Roberts
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Justin Bryan Schmidt,
born May 13, 1980 at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida;
assigned to 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery
Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany;
killed in action April 29, 2004 Baghdad, Iraq.
Visit his memorial
at Fallen
Heroes Memorial
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