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Family, friends and uniformed men and women paid their final respects to Army Specialist Jameson Lynn Lindskog Tuesday, whose body arrived aboard a chartered military plane at the Livermore Airport.
Lindskog, an army medic was killed when enemy forces attacked his unit in Afghanistan’s Konar Province one week ago yesterday. He was one of six “Screaming Eagle” soldiers killed by small arms fire that day, all of whom were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
He was the son of Donna Walker of Pleasanton and Curtis Lindskog of Livermore. Donna Walker and her husband Matt were at home when an Army chaplain and staff sergeant rang the doorbell to convey the tragic news.
“We send our condolences out to the families of the other five soldiers, as well as the families of all soldiers who have fallen before these brave young men,” Donna Walker said in a message posted on Pleasanton Weekly’s Town Square.
His family had asked that only those specifically invited be on the airport tarmac for the somber 30-minute ceremony, and the media and public honored that request, staying behind the airport fence next to the terminal building.
A public memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30 at the Veterans Memorial Building in Pleasanton, with the time of the service to be announced later.
When the military plane arrived at the Livermore terminal about 11 a.m., a military escort lifted the soldier’s flag-draped coffin onto a wheeled gurney. At that time, Lindskog’s grieving mother and father and their families were invited to pay their respects privately at the coffin.
There were few dry eyes among the 75 or so at the ceremony, many holding flags. They included honor guards and other units of the Pleasanton and Livermore American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, police and firefighters, Blue Star Moms, Pleasanton Military Families and a motorcycle escort. For 10 minutes, except for one small plane taking off, the airport, under sunny skies, was completely quiet.
Then the military escort moved the coffin into a waiting hearse for the ride to Callaghan Mortuary in Livermore. Family members said that following cremation, Lindskog’s remains would be spread across the ocean waters as the young soldier had requested when he joined the army.
Born in 1987, he would have turned 24 years old on May 24, and was scheduled to be deployed back to the U.S. in a few weeks and to go off active duty next year.
“Jameson was an outstanding adult who had a bright future ahead of him,” his father Curtis said. “He was home right after the Christmas holidays and I drove him back to the Oakland Airport on Jan. 14. That’s where I said my last goodbye.”
Specialist Lindskog attended Pleasanton Middle School and his freshman year at Amador Valley High School. In 2003, he transferred to Orion Academy near Moraga, where he graduated in 2005. From there, he enrolled in the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville where he became a licensed massage therapist. He enlisted in the Army and was a medical technician assigned to the 101st Airborne unit out of Fort Campbell, Ky., at the time of his death. He was due to be discharged next year.
Besides his mother and father, he is survived by his half-brother, Kenny Nekotani; his half-sister, Candace Khattab; and his stepfather, Matthew Walker, of Pleasanton.
He received the Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.
His family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, cards or other similar tributes, that people direct donations in Lindskog’s memory to “In Memory of Jameson Lindskog” and address the donations to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6298, PO Box 601, Pleasanton, CA 94566. The donations will be used to benefit those members of the Army who are currently serving and for the benefit of current veterans who are transitioning at the end of their service.
In tribute to Specialist Jameson Lynn Lindskog, the city of Pleasanton is flying all city flags at half-staff for three days through Thursday. Lindskog is the first Pleasanton man killed while serving in Afghanistan.
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On behalf of Pleasanton American Legion Post 237 we send our most sincere condolences for your loss. All veterans feel your loss as former members of the military. We also have loss one of our own. Hopefully, you will find some solace with the respect shown Specialist Lindskog from those who have worn the uniform. Duty, Honor, Country. May you always be honored Spc. Jameson Lindskog for your service and the ultimate sacrifice you gave your country.
I don’t think we can really express how sad we feel. One of our own from Pleasanton. And to Jameson’s family…we are so sorry. But he is very special to his country for his service and for his sacrifice.
On behalf of our family, we would like to thank the Military, the VFW, Pleasanton Military Families, the Warrior Watch Riders, the Livermore and Pleasanton Police and Fire Departments, Callaghan Mortuary, the Masonic Lodges, (please forgive us if we have forgotten anyone) and the countless other organizations that helped to make yesterday as perfect of a day as possible, given the circumstances. To those of you who pulled over in your cars and lined the road, or stood on the sidewalk waving flags, or otherwise showed your support as we drove by, please know that we saw you there and you touched our hearts. Thank you for being there — it meant the world to us.
We were also touched by the many gestures people made, whether it was plucking a rose and leaving it at the mortuary for Jameson, sending a card, making a donation, bringing us goodies to eat, praying for our family, or any of the other many wonderful ways people have thought of to show their love and support. Thank you to our local loving community, and the military community at large. We’ve been overwhelmed by the support and love — it has buoyed during our time of loss, and there are no words that could adequately express how much it has meant to us.
To the woman in the mini-van who cut into the procession and decided to ride with us for a couple of miles, I certainly hope it was an emergency that caused your lack of respect. You separated our family vehicles and forced the procession to stop at the lights and caused quite a bit of heartache and anxiety. We forgive you, but the next time you see a funeral procession, please be more considerate and pull over and wait for them to pass.
Sincerely,
Donna & Matthew Walker & Family
Jameson Lindskog belonged to a small company of heroes, one-half of one percent, of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines who defend our freedom, and he has made the supreme sacrifice for that freedom. We grateful citizens must now stand with his family in their grief and loss, but even as we grieve, must also resolve to demand the nation’s leaders commit our fine sons and daughters only to causes worthy of the sacrifice Jameson made. Precious freedom carries an awful price and Jameson Lindskog has paid it. Rest well, young Soldier, you will not be forgotten.
As a mother of two young boys, my heart aches for you. The connection between mothers and sons is unknown to anyone else. I showed my sons the pictures of your son and the service and explained to them that men like him are what heroes truly are. Not the multimillion-dollar sport stars they so admire. Thank you for sharing your son with our country. We are forever in your debt.
Our thoughts and prayers truly do go out to the families of Jameson. Our son is currently serving in Afghanistan. He has about 54 days left. We will not get to see him till this summer, he will be returning to Ft. Richardson Alaska. His current assignment is a Chaplin’s Assistant and seeing the sadness of this war has been a true challenge for him
God Bless to all who serve and those who have served.
Unbearably sad for his family.
His loved ones must be proud to say they knew him during his lifetime. We did not know him but we marvel at his bravery. Twenty four years is not enough time for this fine young man.
Although our pain can never approach the heartache his family must endure, we think of him all the time. That handsome young man standing in front of that bridge with an irrepressible smile.
May you rest in peace.
As we extend our condolence to the Donna and Curtis, we want to say that you all are in our prayers and may our gracious lord lift his spirit to the highest and be the beacon for all his brothers and sisters still out there fighting for the freedom of humankind. We all need a hero to uplift our spirits understand the real meaning of freedom and democracy. Our lord shall bless his soul and rest in peace. Thanks for sharing the love and sacrifice of your son. May god bless and keep all those serving their country so faithfully.
Thanks you and God Bless
South Asian Samaritans