The 29 Marines and 1 Naval medic who dies in the helocopter crash on the 1/26 were from the Kaneohe Marine base - near where I grew up and where my parents live. It's a gigantic loss for the community.
The Marine base opened it's gates today so people could stop by and there has been a never-ending stream of people bringing flowers to place at the base memorial. My mom says it is an incredible show of support for the soldiers and it has meant a lot to the Marines and their families.
And to those who died, this quote from the memorial at Kohima seems most appropiate:
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today