Lieutenant General John Kelly says it all about his boy.

May God Bless Your Boy, General.

-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly LtGen John F [mailto:john.f.kelly4@usmc.mil]
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 10:23 PM
Subject: : My Boy

Family and Friends,

As I think you all know by now our Robert was killed in action
protecting our country, its people, and its values from a terrible and
relentless enemy, on 9 Nov, in Sangin, Afghanistan. He was leading his
Grunts on a dismounted patrol when he was taken. They are shaken, but will
recover quickly and already back at it. He went quickly and thank God he
did not suffer. In combat that is as good as it gets, and we are thankful.
We are a broken hearted - but proud family. He was a wonderful and precious
boy living a meaningful life. He was in exactly the place he wanted to be,
doing exactly what he wanted to do, surrounded by the best men on this
earth - his Marines and a Navy Doc.

The nation he served has honored us with promoting him posthumously to
First Lieutenant of Marines. We will bury our son, now 1stLt Robert Michael
Kelly USMC, in Arlington National Cemetery on 22 Nov. Services will
commence at 1245 at Fort Myers. We will likely have a memorial receiving at
a yet to be designated funeral home on 21 Nov. The coffin will be closed.
Our son Captain John Kelly USMC, himself a multi-tour combat veteran and the
best big brother on this earth, will escort the body from Dover Air Force
Base to Arlington. From the moment he was killed he has never been alone
and will remain under the protection of a Marine to his final resting place.

Many have offered prayers for us and we thank you, but his wonderful
wife Heather and the rest of the clan ask that you direct the majority of
your prayers to his platoon of Marines, still in contact and in "harm's
way," and at greater risk without his steady leadership.

Thank you all for the many kindnesses we could not get through this
without you all. Thank you all for being there for us. The pain in
unimaginable, and we could not do this without you.

Semper Fidelis

John Kelly