Memorial Day is a solemn day of reflection about those who have given their lives to ensure our freedoms, For me, this means honoring my former student, Corporal Jonathan Castro. Photo credit: US Army.
Memorial Day: For many, this end-of-May holiday marks the beginning of summer vacation, bringing with it sunny days, a break from school responsibilities, the chance to sleep in late, and time to have tons of fun. Many use the extended weekend to enjoy a quick trip to the river, spend a day at the beach, plan a family barbecue, or indulge in a baseball game with friends. For teachers, the three-day weekend offers an opportunity to rest up before that final push that ends the school year. But while indulging, it’s important to remember the true purpose of the holiday: Remembering and honoring the men and women who have paid the ultimate price in order that the rest of us may enjoy our freedoms.
For me, whenever Memorial Day rolls around, one of the soldiers I remember and honor is US Army Corporal Jonathan Castro.
When he was my student in my Language Arts class for seniors at Centennial High School in Corona, California, Jonathan Castro stood out for me, mostly because he was the son of my fellow teacher and friend. But he would have been memorable in his own right. He was intelligent, studious, and ambitious, which are characteristics that any teacher appreciates. But, in addition to this, his interactions with me were always polite, he was a good buddy to the fellows, and he treated the girls with respect, which are characteristics everyone can appreciate.
When he graduated in 2001, Jonathan declared his intention to pursue a career as an engineer. His parents were willing and able to pay for his college education, but the young man wanted to spare them the expense and make his own way. He declared his intention to join the US Army before enrolling in college. He wanted to pay for his own education through the GI Bill. So the summer after his graduation, he enlisted, signing up for a three-year stint. That was just before the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent US invasion in Iraq.
Jonathan was 21 years old when he was sent to Mosul, Iraq, with the 73rd Engineer Company, 1st Brigade, 25thInfantry Division. On December 21, 2004, the young warrior sat down with his buddies to eat his lunch at the Army dining tent on base. As he was dining, a suicide bomber who had infiltrated the base undetected entered the tent and detonated the explosives strapped to his body. The resulting blast immediately killed 22 people, 18 of them American soldiers. One of them was Jonathan Castro.
Jonathan was laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery. Frankly, the service offered little in the way of closure or comfort to the fallen soldier’s family and friends. I was only his teacher, but I felt, and I still feel, the loss in a profound way. And I can’t even begin to describe how the death of her only child devastated his family.
Memorial Day, 2021, marks the seventeenth year that memories of this remarkable young soldier have dominated my thoughts. I contemplate the awesome courage of our warriors, the widespread ravages of combat, the staggering waste of life on both sides, the so-called glory of war, and the enormous gratitude I feel to those who are willing to suffer the sacrifice, not only the men and women in the military, but also their families. The phrase “Thank you for your service,” which we utter so often to the survivors, doesn’t even begin to compensate for such a gift.
To read more about Jonathan, see this article published by the LA Times.
