As we get older in life we start to losing people that might have different significance to us. We might lose co-workers, class mates or friends that you might know very well or the one you say hey or hello to ever time you passed them by. You might lose love one like a mother, father, sister or brother. But have you ever had an event where you never know or even see the person, nor do you get to hear the struggle of that person try to out run the grime reaper before it catches up with you and takes you away from everything. Only to leave a corpse of what once was a young, strong, full of life, killing machine, Lance Corp Zimmerman.  This is one of my coming of age story in which a man I never knew changed my life in just a matter of minutes.

I was a Third Class Petty Office at the time of this war game incident. I worked in the Operations department where we held all the classified, secret, and top secret material that was off limits to 95% of the vessels. So we had to log all the events that occurred during a twenty-four hour period. I had just started out my shift and I was eager to finish this war game drill, so we can relax for the rest of the day and forget about the fact that we have been off the coast of San Diego for over a week already. I could see cars driving by the 5 freeway going north and south bond all day long.  I yearned to be in one of those cars not caring where the destination, I just wanted to get as far away from this dam vessel as I could.

We where off the coast of San Diego only three miles away from camp Pendleton, running war game drills for our up coming six month deployment for the Middle East. Our objective for the day was landing the Marine on the beach to assault the beach force in the pre dawn attack. But before we could start our invasion on the beach lance Corp Zimmerman suffered a massive heart attack and fell to the ground before he could enter the armored personnel carrier (APC). The drill was still a go, and we started to deploy the armored personnel carrier full of Marine grunts ready to attack the forces on the beach. While all action was going on in the war game front, I had a different kind of job. One that would make me see life in such a different way.

I was in charge of the log book keeping duties during this event so I had to log in all the events that were happening simultaneously. I had to log the grids and times of landing for every APC and the casualties they sustained during this drill. But I also had the responsibility in making sure that I logged all the communication between the medical staff that was in it only battle trying to save Zimmerman life. They would relay reports to our department and we would relay this to our Captain to make sure he was up to date with the situation down in the loading dock. I was the one that was communicating directly with the medical staff. So I had to log all the things that they tried to do to save Zimmerman’s life. I was the one that had to relay to our captain that one of our Marines was dead.

I was told to go to the bridge and give the Captain an updated of the issue down in the loading area. When I walked into the bridge I felt an over whelming feeling of guilt and sadness and I walked up to our captain to inform him the one of our marines was dead. This was the worst news I have ever had to tell anyone in my whole life. I felt like I should have done more to try to help Zimmerman’s life. I had this guilty feeling hang over my head for a few months. This was more than losing a stranger it was like losing a brother that you never knew, but you know you knew his values because you two were serving in the military at the same time. It’s a brother hood that will never be forgotten, that’s why every year during Veterans Day I light a candle and say a prayer for Lance Corp Zimmerman. Hooo Raaaa, brother may your body rest forever, and may memory live on forever!!!