A local hero makes his final journey

BY JAMES RADA JR.
Thurmont News Editor

LEWISTOWN, Md. – They rode together for five months in a truck in the heat of western Iraq. On Aug 4, four Marines flew to Maryland from Camp Pendleton where they were recovering from combat injuries to walk with Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins Jr. on his final journey.

Higgins’ former platoon commander, 1st Lt. Byron Owen said, “I watched his back and he watched mine.”

Semper fidelis. Always faithful.

“I know he watches my back still from his post on high,” said Owen.

Hundreds of family, friends, classmates and servicemen turned out on an overcast Friday morning at the Lynfield Events Complex to say goodbye to Higgins.

“One week ago today, I woke up with a funny feeling. I didn’t know what it was,” said Marine Private James Michael Campbell.

What it was was that his best friend, Higgins, had been shot and killed in Al Anbar Province in Iraq on July 27. He was buried with full military honors at Resthaven Memorial Gardens on Aug. 4.

“My brother James was one of the bravest men I’ve ever known; one of the best men I’ve ever known, and he loved this country dearly,” said Joseph Higgins during the funeral.

James Higgins Sr. called his oldest son “majestic.” “He was regal in thought, mind, actions, the way he treated people and his view of the world.”

But it may be the four Marines who rode with Cpl. Higgins in Iraq who will miss him the most. As Owen said, they are part of “a brotherhood that can’t be explained outside of combat.” Besides Owen, the other three are Sgt. Scott Martin, Cpl. Joshua Bates and Pfc. Phillip Grillo.

Though the Marine Corps had been reluctant to allow the four Marines to attend the service because they were listed as wounded, they worked with Deborah Higgins, James’s mother, to get to Thurmont.

Why their insistence?

Some of them credit James Higgins for their being alive.

On April 25, three months before he would be killed, Higgins was driving in a line of trucks in Iraq when a 125-mm tank round exploded under the trucks.

“It engulfed the first two vehicles,” Owen said. “Higgins was in the second vehicle.” Owen was in the first vehicle.

Owen and many of the others in the first two trucks were wounded and knocked unconscious. The first vehicle was burning badly.

“You could see the fire from Baghdad and that was 30 miles away,” Owen said.

“They said they heard the explosions, too,” added Martin, who had been in the second vehicle.

Higgins was still conscious. He saw his comrades in danger and drove his burning truck into the “kill zone.”

“He drove right up next to the truck and put himself between it and shielded them from enemy fire,” Martin said.

He then helped get the wounded to safety and radioed for additional help.

“Because of James, we are here alive today,” Owen said.

For his actions, Higgins received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat V (for valor).

Chaplain Commander Robert McGaha, who officiated at the funeral service, said Higgins followed the teachings of the Bible, which says, “Greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.”

According to his fellow Marines, Higgins seemed to know this almost instinctively, for he did not shirk the duty and he did not hesitate from action.

“He will be remembered through stories that we tell our children and grandchildren,” Joseph Higgins said.