Sunday, May 30, 2010
news@vindy.com
MCDONALD
Most people equate Memorial Day with honoring those who fought for America and its freedoms, but David C. Gettings relates to the holiday on a deeper, more personal level.
A large part of that began several years ago with a knock on the door that changed his life forever.
“Four Marines appeared at our door saying our son was killed in small-arms fire,” Gettings told a gathering of a few dozen who attended Sunday’s annual Memorial Day ceremony in Woodland Park here.
Gettings, the Lawrence County, Pa., controller, was guest speaker for the somber 45-minute program to honor and remember military personnel killed while serving their country. Also recognized were those in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Gettings focused his presentation on his late son, Cpl. Albert P. Gettings, a Marine who died Jan. 5, 2006, at age 27 in North Fallujah, Iraq, while performing counter-sniper operations. He had about five months left of his tour of duty.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.