Photo By Spc. Benjamin Fox | Capt. Mitchell Gronewold, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd...... read more read more
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By Pfc. Ben Fox
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Circled in front of a small building beside the movie theater on Forward Operating Base Warhorse was a small group of Soldiers, waiting to honor their fallen friend.
"Gauthreaux Internet Café" reads the top of the sign above the entrance to the small building. Inside, computers line two walls on either side, and above those computers are pictures that bring to life the memory of a fallen Soldier.
Sgt. Jay Gauthreaux, the fallen Soldier who is honored with the café, was killed in action Dec. 4 in Baqubah, Iraq.
Just inside the building on the wall to the right, is a letter from Gauthreaux's mother, Faye Crawford. In the letter, she shares encouraging thoughts about Gauthreaux and what he lived and died for.
"Some people would think that a mother would be bitter that her son was killed... but she was actually the opposite of that," said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Lee, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
"She was very proud that her son was here, doing what he loved to do," said the Zanesville, Ohio native.
Sgt. James Redick, native to Asuncion, Paraguay, said it is often hard for family members to cope with their children dying.
"I know it is hard for them to understand when we go, but it is our decision that we are in the Army," said Redick.
Lee explained that the café was a way for others to know Gauthreaux the way his friends did.
"I think it was important that we leave some kind of memorial behind so that... people can know a little bit more about him and see what kind of person he was," said Lee.
"When we dedicate a building, it is something that stays on so that people can know about him," said Redick. "Especially how we felt about (him)."
The internet café was chosen as a memorial to Gauthreaux, known by his friends as "G," because of the job he had in the Army, said Lee.
"Since G belonged to the brigade (communications shop), we thought it would be appropriate to have something communications related," he said.
The building was an internet café before it was named and re-opened, but it wasn't in very good shape, said Lee.
"When we first took this place over, it was in pretty bad shape," Lee said. "You just walked in and it felt dirty."
All of the old wood was stripped out, and they were issued new computers, he said.
With the games and books that people can use while they are waiting on computer access, the room was meant to be a comfortable place, said Lee.
"We also want it to be a fun place; somewhere Soldiers can gather and be together," said Lee. "People can come and relax in an environment where they don't have to worry about work or their mission."
When the ceremony was over, the café was opened for Soldiers to relax and enjoy the memory of Sgt. Jay Gauthreaux.
| Date Taken: | 01.25.2002 |
| Date Posted: | 01.25.2007 13:55 |
| Story ID: | 8940 |
| Location: | BAQUBAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 176 |
| Downloads: | 55 |
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