Mary Ellen Bell fondly remembers the baby brother her mother brought home from the hospital 26 years ago.

He was a frolicky, friendly, funny child whose face always held a smile his oldest sister adored. She said the only time in his life when he didn't smile was in a photograph as a toothless third grader.

He grew up to be a strong, family man for whom she was more like a mother than an older sister. She remembered the man who doted on his son, helped his wife through college and always put service to his country as a priority.

She was proud of his decision to join the United States Army because she had been an soldier in the Army herself, but she doesn't like to remember the day Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Orlando Thompson of Branchville was killed — Sept. 18, 2003 — in an ambush near Tikrit, Iraq.

With an honorary pictorial tribute to soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq now under way in Washington, Bell said she is nonetheless pleased that her brother's death has not been forgotten.

Thompson's portrait is among 1,327 images of soldiers in an exhibit titled "Faces of the Fallen," which opened to the public at Arlington National Cemetery on March 23. The 6-by-8 inch images of the soldiers are mounted on steel rods which include a label with the soldier's name, hometown and date of death.

The exhibit includes portraits of those killed through Nov. 11, 2004, and will be on display until Veterans Day. The artists, who received no money for their work, have promised to give the portraits to relatives after the exhibit closes.

"I don't think people should forget. These are photos of someone's father, mother, daughter, sister or brother, and each portrait has a life and story behind it. It makes me feel good that someone is caring because we still have service people being killed over there," Bell said via phone from Macon, Ga., where she works at a children's hospital.

She and her husband first found out about the exhibit from a television news report and were anxious to see Thompson's picture.

"I went to the Web site (facesofthefallen.org), and they had a canvas of him there. I thought that was nice, especially since his birthday was March 22. I thought it was admirable for them to do things for the soldiers ... . Everybody should realize the ultimate sacrifice that they made so that we can live in our country and do whatever we want to do and so that they can try and promote democracy in a country whether they want it or not," Bell said.

Five other soldiers from The T&D Region who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are also featured in the national exhibit, including Orangeburg native Pfc. Vorn J. Mack, 19, who drowned in the Euphrates River on Aug. 23, 2003.

His wheelchair-bound mother, Cheryl, has also perused the "Faces of the Fallen" Web site for a glimpse of her son. She said she was able to access the site with the help of one of her younger sons Alexander, 18.

While she is not able to travel to Washington, she appreciates the fact that she can use the computer to access what she considers a fitting tribute to her son and other fallen soldiers.

"If I can't do one thing, I can do the next thing. I appreciate it a lot that they're putting the picture up there. They're not forgetting. That's important that he served his country, and I'm happy that they're recognizing the fallen soldiers. That gives them a little dignity and pride. They died for their country, and it's a good thing," Mack said.

She is currently making her own scrapbook containing pictorial memories of her son. She said she wants future family members to remember him and the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country.

"I want them to recognize him and be proud of him. I try to collect as much as I can," Mack said.

Bell said she and her family are also collecting an increased sense of family unity, especially after the deaths of their brother and mother, who died within five months of each other.

"You have your good days and bad days, but it did bring us closer spiritually. We just take it one day at a time. We call each other every other weekend, and we always say we love each other. We're not going to sweat the small stuff because life is too short," Bell said, noting that along with the pictorial tribute, her brother's memory will be kept alive in his siblings' hearts.

"We're all proud of him. We wish he was here, but he's not. We're just going to carry on his name and make sure that his wife and son are taken care of. I just feel good that I made his life happy. I had a good 26 years with him," Bell said.

* T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemcrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534.

You must be logged in to comment.