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County Salutes The Fallen

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By KEITH MORELLI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

TAMPA - Wrenita Codrington doesn't listen to the news much anymore. She can't bear it, especially hearing about so many troops killed in action this year.

She did join other families Wednesday in a solemn ceremony honoring two of Hillsborough County's fallen soldiers: her middle son, Sgt. Cory Clark of Plant City, killed Aug. 28 in Afghanistan, and Sgt. 1st Class David A. Heringes of Tampa, who died a day later in Iraq.

"As a mother," Codrington said, "I can say there are a lot of hurt hearts in this country. That's a lot of somebody's children to have died."

The ceremony by the Hillsborough County Commission came as the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq this year topped the total for any year since the 2003 invasion.

Commission chairman Jim Norman's voice broke as he presented plaques to the soldiers' families in the commission's chambers. After the ceremony, the families went across the street to Joe Chillura Courthouse Square, where they viewed the memorial to Hillsborough soldiers killed in combat since Sept. 11, 2001.

County government flags will be flown at half-staff today and Friday to honor the solders' ultimate sacrifices. "We would not be sitting here today in a free country if not for the sacrifices of these young men," Norman told the Clark and Heringes families.
Codrington said later Wednesday that she doesn't fully agree with having troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I understand 9/11," she said. "I understand our pursuit to bring peace and safety to our own ground. But, whether we should be in Iraq or Afghanistan, well, in my opinion, I'm not seeing the point in it."

Clark, a 25-year-old father, grew up in Plant City and graduated from Durant High School. His decorations include a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, and he is survived by his wife, Monica, and four children. Clark served two tours of duty in Iraq before being sent to Afghanistan.

Heringes, 36, graduated from Leto High School in 1989 and was decorated with more than a dozen medals, including a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He is survived by his wife, Shannan, two children and his parents, who live in Spring Hill.

Since July 2003, Hillsborough commissioners have held ceremonies honoring 29 fallen soldiers from this area who were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Monday, with six U.S. troops killed, was one of the deadliest days in weeks, military officials said, taking the year-to-date count of U.S. troops killed in Iraq to 853. The worst previous year was 2004, when 849 troops died.

In all, 3,856 U.S. troops have been killed since the U.S.-led the invasion of Iraq.

Information from Reuters news service was used in this report. Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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