Jeff Fortenberry: “Army Specialist Darren Howe died on November 3 from injuries he sustained in Iraq. The Bradley armored personnel carrier…”

“Army Specialist Darren Howe died on November 3 from injuries he sustained in Iraq. The Bradley armored personnel carrier he was driving struck a roadside bomb outside of Baghdad. The explosion caused the personnel carrier to catch fire. Specialist Howe, who was already severely burned, regained control of the vehicle and drove it to safety. He then moved to the rear and helped pull 13 fellow soldiers to safety. Darren was from Beatrice, Nebraska, a town of 12,000 resting peacefully in the heart of the Great Plains. In an extraordinary tribute, the town mourned together in profound respect for the man who fought so bravely and honorably on its behalf. Lining both sides of Nebraska Highway 77 and Beatrice's downtown district, were hundreds of people holding hands over hearts and American flags. School children from the town's Catholic and Lutheran schools stood respectfully with handmade posters. Shopkeepers, clerks, business owners, the elderly, people with disabilities, seniors from the high school, lined Main Street to pay tribute to the man who graduated less than 3 years ago. Outside the Pamida, the Sack Lumber, and the local hardware store, signs and billboards read ``Specialist Darren Howe: A True Hero.'' What a fitting tribute to a true leader. Darren and his family received his medals, including a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. A rifle salute marked the lowering of his casket into the ground.…”