Honoring Norfolk’s Current Military Men
The son of Celia and Tom McGowan, Master Sgt. Thommy McGowan II, age 35, has served in the Air Force for 17 years. With the 17th Airlift Squadron, he is redeploying to Iraq the day after Christmas. This is his fourth tour on the front lines. He has four children, one brother, Matthew, of New Hartford and one sister, Catherine, of Norfolk. A close look at this photo reveals a small stuffed animal in Thommy’s right hand (it’s a moose!). His mom says that it goes with him on all his missions, and that “it shows a softer side of some of the men and women who are serving our country”.
The son of Marilyn and Jim Harrington, brother of Jessica and Rebecca, Sgt. Matthew Harrington, age 27, is an Airborne Ranger with the 82nd Airborne Division, Special Operations. He has been in the military for three years. Matt is pictured here with his parents on his return from his first tour of duty in Afghanistan. He was subsequently deployed to Iraq, to return on December 4, but his tour has been extended to March,2008.
Four families share their insights
By Linda Childs
Lest we forget, as we sing the seasonal songs of “good will to men” and the New Year turns, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan grind into their fifth and seventh years respectively.For almost 200,000 American families, these have been months and years of worry and sacrifice, as sons and daughters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers are sent away to places most of us only know about from the evening news. Among those whose children have gone off to war are four Norfolk families. We honor their commitment and their sacrifice, as we lift our voices in prayers for “peace on earth” before another new year grows old.
IS2 James (Jamie) Stotler, Jr., age 35, son of Sandy and Jim Stotler and brother of Jill Hall and Jared Stotler, was called back to active duty from the Naval Reserve two months ago. Until his recall, he taught history and coached soccer in Portland, Connecticut, where he lives with his wife and fellow teacher, Michelle Gustafson. He arrived in Iraq the first week of December and is stationed at the Basrah Air Station with the Multi National Division-South East, as a United States liaison with the British military. The throne in the photo is in Al Faw Palace in Baghdad’s Green Zone, headquarters of Multi National Corps-Iraq.
Sgt. Chris Goodall, pictured with his mom on his return from Iraq in November, is the son of Pat and George Dyer, brother of Karen. At 24 years old, he has been in the Army for four years and is presently stationed at Fort Campbell, Tennessee, where he lives with his wife, Crystal and their 20 month-old son. He has already served one tour in Iraq, and in March of 2008 he will be deployed to Afghanistan.
