FALLEN GI'S FINAL WISH
Pfc. Min Soo Choi wanted desperately to be an American citizen.
Yesterday, the 21-year-old South Korean native from River Vale received his wish, becoming the first New Jersey soldier to receive citizenship posthumously since the Iraq war began two years ago.
"He had only been in this country for a short while," Sen. Frank Lautenberg said during a funeral service attended by hundreds of people at Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale. "But we all know you loved America."
Lautenberg, along with River Vale and federal officials, pushed to get Choi his citizenship after he was killed on Feb. 26 when a bomb exploded near his patrol in Abertha, Iraq.
"Thank you, Min Soo, and your family for contributing to the well-being of our nation," the senator said as he handed the certificate to the soldier's family.
Choi was the 44th service member with ties to New Jersey killed in Iraq, according to the Defense Department. He will be buried this afternoon at Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
There are roughly 30,000 non-American citizens serving in the military, Lautenberg said. Choi was the 58th immigrant solider killed in Iraq to be awarded citizenship.
Throughout the well-attended service in the high school auditorium, people remembered Choi's humor, charisma, kindness, determination and his pride in serving his country and community.
"We fought for them, he fought for us. We're a band of brothers," said Korean War veteran George Bruzgis, 72.
Choi lived with his family in Bergen County for about sevenyears. After graduating from Pascack Valley in 2003, Choi enrolled at John Jay College of Criminal Justice for one semester before deciding to enlist in the Army. He was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry.
While his family and friends are proud of Choi, they were initially unhappy with his decision to enter the military during a time of war. They spoke about their struggle to understand his death and the nagging question of whether it was in vain.
But while those gathered to honor the soldier may be struggling with the answer, Choi would not have, said Carlos C. Huerta, an Army captain and chaplain.
"If you had asked Min Soo, he would have given a resounding 'No, my life was not wasted,'" Huerta said.
Choi's friend, Ji Ha Lee, said when Choi told a group of friends he was enlisting in the Army, they all began shouting and asking him why.
"But his decision wasn't made on impulse," she said as her voice choked with emotion. "He did not want fear of the impending war to stop him from achieving what he wanted to in life."
He was always there for others, an optimist and dreamer who didn't allow things to stand in his way, Lee said.
"You wanted to protect the people and the country you loved," Lee said to Choi. "And the marks you have left on each and every one of us is like footsteps on our heart."
Throughout the service, Choi's mother sat in the front row of the auditorium, her head bent forward and at times resting on the shoulder of Angela Harris, wife of Lt. Col. Michael J. Harris, Choi's commander in Iraq.
Harris traveled from her home at Fort Stewart, Ga., to be with the Choi family. She said her husband and the rest of the unit in Iraq took the deaths of Choi and Pvt. Landon Giles "pretty hard."
"We are here to honor his ultimate sacrifice, and those who continue to fight a noble cause for his memory," she said before awarding the family engraved dog tags with a photo of Choi.
Among the honors awarded to the fallen soldier were a Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge. The River Vale Police Department also declared Choi an honorary police officer and gave his family a badge.
As each plaque, medal and memento of his son was handed to him, Jong Dae Choi bowed in thanks. Choi's parents do not speak English.
His sister Mirry did not speak during the service, but nodded as condolences were whispered in her ears by the various speakers.
Earlier, as her brother's casket was taken out of the hearse, a grimace crossed Mirry's face briefly. She then glanced at her mother, who was sobbing, grabbed her hand and then looked at the flag-draped casket.
Everyone in the family is struggling with Choi's death, said Maria Oh, a family friend who was present when Army officials delivered the news to the family.
"They hurt so, so much," she said. "I miss him so much. He lived very short, but was a good man."
Oh said Choi's death made the deaths of all the soldiers fighting in Iraq more personal.
"Today I see they died for me," she said. "Not for the U.S., but for me. Every soldier."
She began to cry.
"We in America, have peace because of him."
