Father of fallen GI speaks out for war

Sgt. Gary Lee Reese of Ashland City lost his life in Iraq a week and a half ago. Like most other military dads, Reese's father has strong feelings about the war, as well as the people protesting it.

Lee Reese's picture is prominently displayed in his family's living room. Even though the war killed the 22-year-old Army National Guard sergeant, his father Gary Reese is still a staunch supporter of America's fight for freedom.

"Unfortunately, it's a war," said Gary. "And freedom's not free. [There's a ] very high price to pay for freedom. The type of things that were going on in that country were just atrocities. Somebody's got to stop it."

As the war in Iraq lingers, anti-war sentiment is growing. Support is building to bring american troops home. But this Ashland City father who, by all rights, should be soured on the conflict isn't about to switch to the anti-war side. Lee would want it that way.

"He believed in what he was doing, and I believed in what he was doing," said Gary. "And nothing's going to change that belief."

Gary says his son was well aware of the dangers in defending his country. Lee was eager to serve - but also eager to come home. Just six weeks shy of the end of his deployment, Lee died when he inadvertently drove his armored Humvee over an explosive device.

"Spreading the seeds of freedom" is how Lee described his duty. Now the grieving father says it's the duty of American troops to forge ahead.

"If we don't do it now, it's like a cancer," said Gary. "It's going to grow. And someday our children will pay the price."

Services for Sgt. Lee Reese are slated for 1 pm Saturday at the National Guard Armory in Ashland City. The young soldier will be cremated.

Also on Saturday, family will gather for the funeral of Staff Sgt. Asbury F. Hawn. That service begins at 2 pm at Smyrna First United Methodist Church. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church - a controversial church in Topeka, Kansas - have notified city leaders that they plan to demonstrate outside Hawn's funeral.

Brent Frazier for News 2 at 10 pm
8.24.05

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