A mission of honor

Jeremy P. Amick, News Tribune

Monday, November 12, 2012

The loss of a loved one can be challenging under any circumstance, but when it involves a child, the the grief can be much more intense.

But for Jamestown resident Dale Deraps, such a loss has served as an inspiration to honor the memory of all servicemembers who have been killed in action.

A 2005 graduate of Jamestown High School, Deraps’ son, Leon, followed in the footsteps of his father when he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2004, still a senior in high school.

In February 2006, shortly after completing his initial training, Leon was deployed to Iraq. Three months later, on May 6, 2006, he was killed in the Al Anbar Province while engaged in combat operations against enemy forces.

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