Cambridge Who’s Who Supports the Troops
Cambridge Who’s Who is dedicated to supporting the men and women who serve our country. In August 2007, Cambridge Who’s Who received a request to support the Welcome Home Festival for the soldiers of the United States Army, Apache Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment who were deployed to East Baghdad, Iraq for 16 months. This special giving opportunity was brought to the company’s attention by employee, Michele LeFurgy whose brother, Specialist Roberto LeFurgy, was among the soldiers returning from Iraq. The Apache Company, now stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany was deployed to Iraq from July 2006 until November 2007.
The festival included the presentation of a memorial to honor the lives of the 43 soldiers of Apache Company lost at war in Baghdad. The memorial was constructed of marble slabs and engraved with the names of the fallen soldiers. “The memorial represents all the soldiers lost at war, the memories and last moments we spent with them,” said SPC LeFurgy. Many soldiers have turned to each other and their families back home for support. The tight-knit group has had little time to recover after the quick stream of losses in their unit including the lives of key leaders.
On December 11, 2007, SPC LeFurgy visited the Cambridge Who’s Who corporate office to personally thank the company for its donation to the festival. He presented Cambridge Who’s Who president, Anthony Cussimano, with a United States flag that was flown on the back of a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle in Sudan City, Baghdad as a sincere token of appreciation. When asked about the importance of receiving support from home SPC LeFurgy said, “Having support from home is the only thing that keeps us going. Knowing we have loved ones waiting for us, allows us to keep our strength through tough times, especially after losing a soldier. And to know that we have support from others besides our families means the world to us.”
Cambridge Who’s Who extends its deepest gratitude to all the soldiers serving around the world including SPC LeFurgy for their hard work and dedication to our country. Cambridge Who’s Who also sends its sympathies to the families and friends of the 43 soldiers from Apache Company who have given their lives during their deployment to Baghdad.
Sources:
1. Stars and Stripes, August 6, 2007: Losses in Iraq hit Schweinfurt unit hard, Zeke Minaya (http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55455&archive=true)
2. http://www.bluespader.org
