Pfc. Colton Wesley Rusk USMC

[SidecarDog]

When I read this young Marine's story, it just tore my heart out.

"When a sniper's bullet struck Pfc. Colton Rusk, the first to reach his body was his best friend Eli - a bomb-sniffing, black Labrador so loyal he snapped at other Marines who rushed to his fallen handler. "Eli bit one of them," said Rusk's father, Darrell, recalling the story told to him by other Marines." Orange County Register

Born: September 23, 1990 - Corpus Christi, Texas
Class of 2009 - Orange Grove High School
Enlisted: November 2, 2009
Deployed: September 23, 2009
Killed in Action: December 6, 2009 - Helmand Province, Afghanistan

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/20 ... og-020311/

[100cccer]

Great idea, JD. The War Dogs Memorial should hold special meaning for you and Hercules. Is that painted on your sidecar?

[SidecarDog]

The War Dogs Memorial is on my agenda for Riverside. Tyler and I went to the USS Hornet yesterday. This weekend, assuming the passes are open, the plan is to visit the Kern County site on the way to Death Valley for the annual Airheads Furnace Creek Campout. My return leg is going to be 1,000+ collecting Tonopah, Big Pine, Mt. Soledad and Riverside. I haven't planned the rest yet and may have to upgrade the alternator on the bike to power heated gear for Hercules.

Here's a video link on Eli being handed over to the Rusk family:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXkMMxJ6ur4