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In Memoriam |
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In Memoriam |
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SSgt. Lonny Wells (KIA)
(reprinted from the Amarillo Globe News, November 14, 2004)
Amarillo dad mourns Marine
Staff Sgt. Lonny Dion Wells fulfilled one of his life's dreams 10 years ago when he joined the Marines, and he was soon to be on his way to Amarillo to fulfill another.
The journey to that final dream - becoming a Texas state trooper - was cut tragically short Tuesday when Wells, 29, was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, making Wells the second Marine with Amarillo ties killed this week in Iraq.
"Since he was a little kid, he always wanted to be in the Marines," said Wells' father, Larry Wells. "It was either that or become a state trooper."
Lonny Wells never lived in Amarillo, but he was planning on moving to the area when he got out of the Marines early next year.
Larry Wells, who moved to Amarillo from Pittsburgh four years ago, said he was looking forward to being near his son, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren until the two Marines stepped onto his front porch Tuesday night.
"When the Marines showed up last night, I just said, 'Don't come here. Don't come here,'" Wells said as he choked back tears. "When two Marines show up at your door, and your son is in the Marines, you know it's got to be bad news."
The Marines delivered the news that left Wells shaking and barely able to talk above a whisper: His son was killed by an explosion during the invasion of Fallujah.
The Marines had not confirmed Wells' death late Wednesday. First Sgt. Landon L. Foster in Amarillo refused to comment or give a statement for publication.
Lonny Wells joins Staff Sgt. David G. Ries on the list of military personnel with local ties who have died in Iraq. Ries, whose parents live in Amarillo, was killed Monday by an explosion in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
In the hours since the delivery of the terrible news, Larry Wells has been walking around in a daze, thinking about a son who died too young.
Lonny Wells was an athletic, friendly kid growing up in a Pittsburgh suburb, although his fanaticism for the Dallas Cowboys didn't go over too well in the Steel City. Wells, who had a sister and a brother who also joined the military, was a good student and played football and baseball.
"He was a good kid who'd do anything for anybody," Larry Wells said of his son. "That's just the way he was."
Lonny Wells joined the Marines 10 years ago and loved the Corps, although he was set to get out next year. Larry Wells said his son was immensely proud of being a Marine.
Larry Wells started getting nervous for his children when his daughter, who had joined the Army, was sent to Iraq. Wells has experience in the military, and he didn't like what he was seeing in Iraq, even after his daughter came back home because of an injury.
"I was in the Navy, over in Vietnam," Wells said. "That's all Iraq is too, another Vietnam."
Lonny Wells wrote letters back to his father but often would not tell him what part of Iraq he was in, so his dad did not worry too much. The last letter came two weeks ago.
Wells said his son and many other Marines were concerned about the direction the war was taking, but they were ready to do their duty and fight for their country.
Now that Lonny Wells' war is over, the duty falls to his father to gather his children and travel to Pittsburgh, where they will lay the fallen Marine to rest.
"It just tears you apart," Larry Wells said. "You never dream of anything happening to your kids. You figure you're going to grow old, and they'll bury you. You never think you'll have to turn around and bury them."