Jordan C. Pierson News Release for the US Dept. of Defense
 Jordan C. Pierson Corporal,United States Marine Corps |  |
| NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense No. 819-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 2006 Media Contact: (703) 697-5131/697-5132 Public/Industry(703) 428-0711 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Corporal Jordan C. Pierson, 21, of Milford, Connecticut, died August 25, 2006, while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Plainville, Connecticut. Media with questions about this Marine can call the Marine Forces Reserve at (978) 796-2839. 28 August 2006: A Milford, Connecticut, Marine has made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. 21-year-old Corporal Jordan Pierson of Milford died while fighting in Iraq. Tonight, Pierson's family is speaking out about their son's life. Pierson's death had touched the whole community and tonight his parents are speaking out about the loss of their son. 21-year-old Jordan Pierson was killed in action in Iraq on Friday. The Marine Corporal had been injured back in June and already had already earned a Purple Heart. He just returned back to his unit. Pierson graduated from Foran High in 2003 and put off attending the University of Connecticut so he could serve his country. His parents say in recent phone calls home he was talking more and more about his return. "We are immeasurably saddened by the loss of our son Jordan who was called home before he had the opportunity to enjoy all that life has to offer but we find comfort in the memories we treasure," says Eric Pierson, father. "The last phone call I got a part of the Jordan I know, putting it all into the mission so he could get home," says Beverly Pierson, mother. His mother says that Jordan was due back here in Milford in just 60 days. A tree in front of Milford City Hall that is lit to honor servicemen and women has been darkened until after Pierson's funeral. Governor Rell also ordered flags to be lowered to half staff until Pierson's funeral. Arrangements have not yet been made for the funeral, but the family says they will bury him in Arlington National Cemetery. Mourning a Marine killed in Iraq 28 August 2006 Nearing the end of a grueling tour of duty in Iraq, Marine Corporal Jordan C. Pierson was looking forward to returning home and was already making plans to go skydiving. The 21-year-old Milford man never made it. Pierson was killed Friday during combat operations in Al Anbar province when he was struck in the shoulder by small arms fire while on a foot patrol, according to the Marines. "We're here to honor Jordan's memory and revere his sacrifice," said his father, Eric, as the family gathered Monday in the backyard of their home. Pierson was awarded a Purple Heart after he and another serviceman were hit with shrapnel earlier this year when a grenade exploded near them. His unit arrived in Fallujah in late March and was scheduled to return in late October of this year. Pierson, who spoke to his family nearly weekly by telephone, said in his most recent conversation that he was looking forward to coming home and continuing his college studies, his family said. The plans for skydiving were typical of a man who enjoyed riding a motorcycle and playing paintball. "He was a kid who took a lot of risks. He lived life to the fullest," said his mother, Beverley. Pierson and other Marines would sometimes spend 24 hours at a time on a mission in heat that reached 125 degrees, his family said. "It was a serious mission and it was a draining mission," Beverley Pierson said. Pierson will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, his family said. Funeral arrangements have not been made yet. "If you learn anything from Jordan's example, you will have learned that he gave of himself and how will you give of yourself today," his mother said. Pierson, a 2003 graduate of Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Plainville. He was the second Marine from the 25th Regiment to be killed this month. Lance Corporal Kurt Dechen, 24, of Springfield, Vermont, was on a foot patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, on August 3,2006, when his unit came under fire and he was shot. Thirty members of the military and two civilians with Connecticut ties have died since March 2002 in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pierson's profile on MySpace.com mentioned the Marine Corps several times. He said his staff sergeant was a hero, and he wrote "Marines 4 life" at the top of his page. A tree in front of Milford City Hall that was lit to honor servicemen and women will be darkened until after Pierson's funeral, Mayor James Richetelli said. Lights on the tree were lit the day the Iraq war began in March 2003. The mayor ordered flags at half staff. Governor M. Jodi Rell also ordered flags to be lowered until Pierson's funeral. Pierson, a student at the University of Connecticut who postponed his studies to serve in Iraq, is survived by his parents and his 11-year-old brother, Ethan. Pierson, who was not married, was studying business and considering a minor in psychology, his father said. Kathy Hart, a neighbor, said Pierson always talked about joining the military. "I think he wanted to go over there and do the job that needed to be done," Hart said. Hart remembered a boy who was always running across yards with a big smile across his face. "He always had that smile," she said, fighting back tears. 28 August 2006: Jordan Pierson, the Marine reservist killed during an insurgent attack in Iraq, was a young man grounded in faith who lived life to the fullest and believed in the mission he was pursuing, his parents said during an emotional press conference Monday. "He had a strong sense of belief in what he was doing," his father, Eric Pierson, told a gaggle of reporters and camera crews assembled in the backyard of the family's Whalley Avenue home, adding that his son loved the Marine Corps and felt he was part of a "band of brothers." Pierson, 21, was killed in action near the city of Fallujah on Friday. A rifleman in the 1st Battalion 25th Marines, Charlie Company, Pierson took fire while on patrol and was hit by a bullet from an enemy-combatant's assault rifle, possibly an AK-47. He was evacuated to the Fallujah Medical Authority and pronounced dead at 12:12 p.m. later the same day. The bullet entered Pierson's shoulder, but likely did extensive internal damage, said Sergeant Peter Walz, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesman. "We do not have the autopsy report, but [the AK-47] is a lethal weapon; that's why it is banned in the U.S." With remarkable composure and her husband by her side, Beverly Pierson described her son as a risk taker who "had a tenacity for life. He put his whole being into it and decided not to listen to the limits of other people." She urged mourners to remember Jordan as a role model, and not to dwell on his death. "Grieve," she said, "but do not get stuck in it." She also challenged others to follow her son's lead and "make a plan to do something for someone else." Pierson, who had lived in Milford for 12 years, was scheduled to return home in roughly 60 days. He was looking forward to life as a civilian, his mother said, adding that he planned to resume an education he had put on hold to join the Marines. Pierson wanted to pursue a business degree at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, his family said. A 2003 graduate of Foran High School, Pierson was a paint-ball enthusiast and avid video and computer gamer who always had an interest in the military, his father said. A caption under his photograph in his high school yearbook says: "There is no future, The future is now. So make the most of it Foran." In the Marines, Pierson was a leader who had a talent for lifting the spirits of the men around him when they were down, said his commanding officer. His unwavering belief helped those who questioned their faith and mission in Iraq. "Cpl. Pierson had been a bright spot in his platoon, in a place that can take the softest of hearts into a void of darkness," First Seregeant Ben Grainger said in a eulogy published in the FallujahCourant.com, a Web site updated by the Marines in Camp Fallujah. "Even when the gloom of combat reached deep into a man's soul, Corporal Pierson could bring the Marine back to a sense of purpose, a sense of why we were here and that was making a difference," he wrote, adding that Pierson was destined to be a leader in the Marines. Pierson's military decorations attest to the descriptions of selflessness and courage provided by Grainger and the Pierson family. Pierson was awarded the Purple Heart after being injured in a previous insurgent attack in which a grenade exploded and pelted him with shrapnel. After recovering from his wounds, he returned to combat this spring. He was also awarded the Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal. The Piersons have not made funeral plans for their son and said they are waiting for the body to be returned by the Marines. They will hold a local service at Calvary Alliance Church on Orange Avenue and bury their son in Arlington National Cemetery. Asked whether Connecticut had any plans to honor Pierson, State Senator Gayle Slossberg said, "It's a little early for that. We're taking it day by day." The city, meanwhile, continues to mourn Pierson's death and will most likely provide a permanent memorial in the near future, said Mayor James L. Richetelli. "We're a city of 53,000, but we're all individuals," the mayor said. "We've lost one, we all hurt and we all hurt for [the Pierson family]. But the community has really come together like it always does and that makes me proud. In the weeks ahead, we'll decide how we are going to honor his memory in a permanent way." |
Family Shares Memories of Marine Killed in Iraq
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 Family shares memories of Marine killed in IraqBy John Christoffersen, Associated Press Writer | August 28, 2006 MILFORD, Conn. --Nearing the end of a grueling tour of duty in Iraq, Marine Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson was looking forward to returning home and was already making plans to go skydiving. The 21-year-old Milford man never made it. Pierson was killed Friday during combat operations in Al Anbar province when he was struck in the shoulder by small arms fire while on a foot patrol, according to the Marines. "We're here to honor Jordan's memory and revere his sacrifice," said his father, Eric, as the family gathered Monday in the backyard of their home. Pierson was awarded a Purple Heart after he and another serviceman were hit with shrapnel earlier this year when a grenade exploded near them. His unit arrived in Fallujah in late March and was scheduled to return in late October of this year. Pierson, who spoke to his family nearly weekly by telephone, said in his most recent conversation that he was looking forward to coming home and continuing his college studies, his family said. The plans for skydiving were typical of a man who enjoyed riding a motorcycle and playing paintball. "He was a kid who took a lot of risks. He lived life to the fullest," said his mother, Beverley. Pierson and other Marines would sometimes spend 24 hours at a time on a mission in heat that reached 125 degrees, his family said. "It was a serious mission and it was a draining mission," Beverley Pierson said. Pierson will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, his family said. Funeral arrangements have not been made yet. "If you learn anything from Jordan's example, you will have learned that he gave of himself and how will you give of yourself today," his mother said. Pierson, a 2003 graduate of Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Plainville. He was the second Marine from the 25th Regiment to be killed this month. Lance Cpl. Kurt Dechen, 24, of Springfield, Vt., was on a foot patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, on Aug. 3 when his unit came under fire and he was shot. Thirty members of the military and two civilians with Connecticut ties have died since March 2002 in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pierson's profile on MySpace.com mentioned the Marine Corps several times. He said his staff sergeant was a hero, and he wrote "Marines 4 life" at the top of his page. A tree in front of Milford City Hall that was lit to honor servicemen and women will be darkened until after Pierson's funeral, Mayor James Richetelli said. Lights on the tree were lit the day the Iraq war began in March 2003. The mayor ordered flags at half staff. Gov. M. Jodi Rell also ordered flags to be lowered until Pierson's funeral. Pierson, a student at the University of Connecticut who postponed his studies to serve in Iraq, is survived by his parents and his 11-year-old brother, Ethan. Pierson, who was not married, was studying business and considering a minor in psychology, his father said. Kathy Hart, a neighbor, said Pierson always talked about joining the military. "I think he wanted to go over there and do the job that needed to be done," Hart said. Hart remembered a boy who was always running across yards with a big smile across his face. "He always had that smile," she said, fighting back tears. |
Cody-White Funeral Service
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Marine's Life Celebrated at Memorial Service
Pierson, 21, a 2003 graduate of Foran High School who put off his studies at the University of Connecticut to go to Iraq, was killed Aug. 25 by a sniper in Fallujah, just 60 days before his unit, the Plainville-based Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, was due to return home. 
09/05/2006 Marine's life celebrated at memorial service Phil Helsel , Register Staff
Eric C. Pierson, right, with his wife, Beverly A. Pierson, follow their son’s casket after a memorial service for Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson, who was killed in Iraq. (Peter Hvizdak/Register photos)
"I never knew that, as I looked him in the eye that day, that would be the last time I saw him, but I know I was looking into the eye of a hero."
There was some laughter, but many more tears during the service at the Trumbull church as hundreds of friends, family members and supporters celebrated what was described as his short, but meaningful life. Pierson will be interred Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Pierson’s father, Eric C. Pierson, elicited chuckles from the crowd as he recalled how Jordan was a handful beginning at an early age — "his favorite word was ‘no,’" he said — and how he led a carefree and sometimes mischievous life before joining the U.S. Marine Reserves about three years ago. But just as his family marveled at the responsible, caring and dedicated young man he had become, his life was cut short during a foot patrol.
Pierson, who survived a grenade attack in May, was shot once in the shoulder by a sniper and died just after noon Aug. 25. He was the first Milford resident killed since the war began in March 2003.
"What is part of God’s plan in calling Jordan home at this point, I do not know," Eric Pierson said. "I will have to wait until I meet my creator to have that answer. God has given us all a purpose in life, even if that purpose is the ultimate sacrifice for God and country."
Eric Pierson finished his remarks by simply saying, "Goodbye, my son," as he looked down at the flag-draped coffin before him.
A Marine who served in Iraq alongside Pierson said through a eulogy given to the family that the energetic and fun-loving young man had often been a source of comfort for his fellow Marines, especially in times of danger and heartache.
"Corporal Pierson had been a bright spot in his platoon, in a place that can take the softest of hearts into a void of darkness," 1st Sgt. Ben Grainger said in a eulogy from Iraq that was read by Pierson’s uncle, Michael. "He carried us all through another day here on many occasions — We miss you Jordan."
Pierson’s friends said they were honored to have known him, and described Jordan as the most outgoing of their group, sometimes getting into trouble, and known for his goofy smile and distinct laugh.
One friend, Kyle O’Connor, called Pierson a "closet nerd" who liked to play online video games, as well as popping wheelies on his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.
"He was always doing anything for a laugh — watching him hit on girls was absolute comedy," O’Connor said. "The thing that impressed me most was his mannerisms. Honor was always a part of Jordan, even before he joined the Marines ... He inspired his friends to do better."
Another friend, Michael Amendola, recalled how when they were children in Florida, they called 911 and hung up the phone. When police and paramedics showed up at the house, they were both scared, but "afterward we were all smiles because we had pulled off the first of many mischievous pranks."
Most of the stories told by Jordan’s friends were the standard stuff of young men growing up. Nothing by itself was so remarkable, but to those who knew him, those stories are what comes most to mind when they think of their fallen friend.
But after he joined the Marine Reserves, everyone saw the changes. Instead of Pierson focusing on himself, the Rev. David McIntyre said, he worried about others. Just before he was killed, Pierson was promoted to corporal, and as a non-commissioned officer, he would eat last and wake up first to take care of the men under him.
Details about his death are sketchy, but McIntyre said there is evidence that Jordan was killed while making sure that the men in his squad were safe.
"(Pierson’s parents) Eric and Bev had seeded a few core values, and in the Marine Corps they found an exceedingly rich soil," McIntyre said. "Instead of ‘it’s all about me,’ it’s all about others — Jordan would want us to understand that."
Many politicians attended the service, including Gov. M. Jodi Rell; Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn.; U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4; Milford Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr., state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal; and Trumbull First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin.
As Pierson’s casket was carried from Cody-White Funeral home on the Milford Green for the trip to the church, hundreds of people — veterans, Scouts and everyday folks as well — stood in silence, many holding U.S. flags.
The only sound was that of the flapping of the American and state flags against the aluminum pole in front of the funeral home as Marine pallbearers gently placed Pierson’s coffin into a hearse. The hearse was to be escorted to the New York line by 12 police officers on motorcycles from area towns, including Milford, Trumbull, Bridgeport and Orange.
In Trumbull, across the street from Calvary Evangelical Free Church, groups of supporters held banners reading "God Bless All Our Armed Forces," and "Blue Star Mothers & Fathers."
The Marines said that Pierson had participated in more than 100 patrols and 50 raids on enemy positions since his unit was deployed to Iraq in late March. He was wounded by shrapnel May 24, also in Fallujah, after an insurgent’s grenade exploded 10 feet away him, for which he received a Purple Heart. He received a Gold Star in lieu of another Purple Heart for the wound that killed him.
The service ended with the playing of Taps as seven Marines carried the flag-draped coffin to a waiting hearse. The funeral at Arlington will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday.