Many Turn Out to Honor NW Defense Contractor Killed in Afghanistan

Dane Paresi was a contractor with Xe, formerly known as Blackwater, after serving 27 years in the U.S. Army.

(VANCOUVER, Wash.) - At least 63 people with the Patriot Guard Riders showed up on a windy and cold night that even had the threat of ice rain, to form a flag line to welcome home another of our heroes, Master Sergeant Dane Paresi.

Master Sergeant Dane Clark Paresi US Army (Retired) of Fort Lewis Washington was working with US forces when he was killed in a suicide attack 30 December 09 at Camp Chapman in the Khost province of eastern Afghanistan.

He was one of two XE/Blackwater employees, the other five Americans killed in highly publicized attack were CIA agents.

Dane Paresi served 27 years on active duty, and was a veteran of both the 1st and 3rd Group Special Operations serving in over 6 overseas tours.

These include Mauritania, Philippines, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, Southeast Asia,Kenya and Afghanistan to name a few and was awarded and earned the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, NATO Medal, Combat / Expert Infantryman's Badge, Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, Driver Mechanic Badge.

MSG Paresi leaves behind a wife, two daughters, mother, father, 5 siblings and many many friends and brothers and sisters in arms that are honored to have been part of his rich life.

Homecoming for Dane Paresi, killed in the Afghan War. IraqWarHeroes.org was
there to photograph this solemn occasion

Members of the Patriot Guard who began gathering in the freezing weather sometime before the The Delta plane rolled in at about 10:40 p.m. Q Madp of IraqWarheroes.org was on hand to record the event for the family.

As the flag draped coffin started down the ramp after exiting the plane at 2253, a grieving woman leaned over the coffin and took hold of it.

A local Army Honor Guard then intercepted the coffin at the bottom of the ramp and carried it over to the waiting hearse with airport fire trucks in the background and the firefighters standing in front of the rigs.

The family then returned onto the shuttle that brought them to the tarmac and after exiting the gate, passed through a remaining flagline.

The PGR riders stood tall and fast, and to another side were some Port of Portland Police standing in honor of Dane Paresi.

Madp counted at least 16 police vehicles, from different agencies that helped escort our hero to Evergreen in Vancouver.

He says Dane Paresi's sacrifice is one of many for Americans serving in the wars overseas, in civilian roles.

Most are not recognized as the government does not announce them, instead leaving those duties to the individual companies, like XE/Blackwater, and they typically don't send information out about their losses.

Services for Master Sergeant Dane Clark Paresi US Army (Retired) of Fort Lewis Washington will be held this Saturday.

Q Madp is a person who has dedicated his life to preserving the integrity of those who have died fighting for their nation overseas. This is a person who has wrapped his entire life around his efforts to preserve the legacies of people who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as during other conflicts. He doesn’t think their deaths should go unrecognized, and he is right.

Q is a photographer and he has his work cut out for him as the self-appointed unofficial photographer of NW military funerals. He travels to services and he is constantly on the move. When he isn’t driving or shooting pictures, Q spends his time researching combat statistics and adding names to the vast list that he hopes will eventually include every American lost in the combat theaters and every other allied soldier as well. His Website is easy to remember, IraqWarHeroes.org is a place of memories for thousands of families who have lost a loved one.