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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Bush's Last Days in Office: Met with Famlilies of Operation Redwing |
| 2009-02-08 |
| H/T Lucianne.com Earl Fontan has received tons of invitations over the years. But a recent one trumped them all. In early January, Earl and his family were asked if they could attend a White House reception in honor of Fontan's fallen son, Jacques. Jacques, a Navy SEAL, was killed in Afghanistan four years ago during a rescue mission, Operation Redwings. The MH-47 Chinook helicopter carrying Jacques and 15 others was shot down by enemy fire on June 28, 2005. "They were participating in a very dangerous mission deep in the mountains of Afghanistan," Houma resident Earl Fontan said. "When the Chinook crashed there were no survivors. It actually took them over a day and half to recover them because the weather was so bad." While his son was honored by the Navy for his heroic act, Jacques' family didn't gain an audience with the outgoing commander-in-chief, George W. Bush, until Jan. 14. According to Fontan, Bush had just returned from Norfolk, Va. for the christening of an aircraft carrier named after his father, George H.W. Bush. While there, he made a special trip to see the nearby Navy SEALs headquarters where he was reminded of the story of the worst loss of Navy SEALs in U.S. history. "I guess it touched him so much that he decided he had to meet with the families before leaving office," Fontan said. After fielding a request to attend a White House reception less than a week before the inauguration of President Barack Obama, Fontan said he and his family didn't have much time to make travel arrangements. "It wasn't easy, but there was no doubt in our minds that we were going to go," he said. The experience was a bit overwhelming, Fontan said. After gathering in the same room where Bush made his farewell address to a small number of friends, staff and invited guests from around the country a few days later, Fontan and other family members of the fallen SEALs and Army Night Stalkers that participated in the mission were treated to a personal address from the former president. Fontan found it particularly interesting that Bush made a point to come up to him and shake his hand following his short speech. "I guess he saw me wearing my son's Navy trident," Fontan said. "I was wearing a dark suit, so it really stood out. He shook my hand and told us he'd meet up with us in private later on." Jacques family spent the rest of the afternoon meeting with dignitaries like former Secretary of State Condolezza Rice, Vice President Dick Cheney, the admiral of the Navy and many more. "It didn't seem real," Fontan said about the once-in-a-lifetime experience. "Everything they did for us was first-class all the way, including the food." Fontan, who works offshore as a chef, wasn't prepared for what greeted him at the White House's elaborate buffet set-up. "It was amazing," Fontan said. "Words can't describe it." The family was one of the last to meet privately with Bush. Although he isn't sure what the name of the exact room he met Bush in was, he said he felt at ease. Along with thanking him for his son's service to the country, Bush offered his sincerest condolences and told them that the decision to place his son and others in harm's way wasn't taken lightly. "I told him that my son wanted to fight terrorism and he believed Afghanistan was at the root of that problem," Fontan said. "While he's not the best orator when it comes to speaking in front of large groups, I found him to be so warm and pleasant to talk to in a one-on-one setting. You could tell that he hadn't lost his southern graces during his time in the White House." Before he left, Bush gave him a special medallion with his signature on one side and the Presidential Seal on the other. Fontan said he's glad that his son's memory has been celebrated at so many Navy functions and now by the former president. When the incident occurred, it felt like the world had ended for Earl Fontan. After spending many years serving his country as a fire-control specialist, among other titles, Jacques was about to call it quits at the 10-year mark when fate intervened. "They didn't want to lose him so they allowed him to try and become a SEAL," Fontan said. Fontan added that his son had tried previously to become a Navy SEAL only to be denied because his position working with electronics was so needed by the Navy at the time. After graduating from the intensive program, Jacques participated in operations in Kosovo and elsewhere. His final mission at the age of 36 summed him up best. "He knew the situation and was more than ready to assist in whatever way he could," Fontan said. "For someone who was in to individualized sports growing up, I find it amazing that he became one of the best of team players someone could ever imagine during his time as a Navy SEAL." Jacques had a number of close friends, including former PGA professional golfer and New Orleans native Kelly Gibson, that spoke at his memorial that took place only weeks before Hurricane Katrina struck. "It was a tough time for all of us," Fontan said. "I was living in New Orleans and ended up getting flooded out of my home shortly after burying my son. I work with Sonoco so that's how I came to be in Houma." While closure never truly comes to a parent that loses a loved one, Fontan credits the Navy for keeping his son's spirit alive. "They've been great to us," Fontan said. "He was a great man, father and husband that all of us miss tremendously. I'm just glad that no one's forgotten what he did for the country he loved so much." |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #2 Compare that with some of the stories that come out of the Obambi White House. We have lost a major leadership battle. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-02-08 21:38 |
| #1 Sherry, I thank you personally for posting this. Chief Fontan's sister (second from the rght in the photo in your article ) worked with me for a number of years and I had the honor of meeting Chief Fontan. Chief Fontan left behind a daughter who has become an eye-poppingly beautiful young Cajun girl who drives around with her father's dog tags on the mirror of her car. Her story of the meeting with President Bush is here. "He was a normal guy - not what you'd expect at all," Fontan said of Bush. "He was laid back, personable. It was like talking to any other person. He was laughing, a real gentleman. He gave us all kisses on the cheek. He was so sweet. "He asked me, 'How's your time been here?' He talked with my family and asked me my major. I got a little teary-eyed at one point, and he gave me a big hug and said, 'I'm so sorry for your loss.' And he said, 'I made those decisions that I thought were best for the country.' " Bush also found time for gentle humor. "Jourdan told him she really loved Washington and was thinkiing of moving there," said Juli St. Martin, Jourdan's mother and Jacques' ex-wife. "He said, 'The boys are in trouble, then.' She said he was down-to-earth, a nice guy." Class. Nothing but class. |
| Posted by: Matt 2009-02-08 15:53 |