Two Local Soldiers Recently Killed In Afghanistan To Be Honored

Posted Sep 15, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Sep 15, 2011 at 04:34 PM

Speaking of the fallen, national and state flags will be at half-mast tomorrow in Manatee County, Bradenton City Hall and in Tallahassee in honor of Specialist Patrick L. Lay, II of Bradenton, Florida died on August 11, 2011, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

And next week, there will be an honor escort for Chrstophe Marquis, 40, of Tampa, who died in Germany of injuries received in Afghanistan.

Here’s the memo from Gov. Rick Scott:

MEMORANDUM

TO:            Kay Clement

                Division of Facilities and Operations Maintenance

                Richard Shore, Clerk of Court

                Manatee County Courthouse

                Mayor Wayne Poston

                City Hall of Bradenton

FROM:        Governor Rick Scott

                By and through Charles Trippe, General Counsel

DATE         September 15, 2011

RE             National and State Flags at Half-Staff

________________________________________________________________________

Specialist Patrick L. Lay, II of Bradenton, Florida died on August 11, 2011, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Specialist Lay enlisted into the United States Army on June 6, 2009.  He was assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

In recognition of the loss of Specialist Lay, I, Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by 4 U.S.C. § 7(m), as amended on June 29, 2007, and the laws and Constitution of the State of Florida, proclaim and direct as follows:

1.    All State and National flags shall be flown at half-staff at the County Courthouse of Manatee, Florida, and at the City Hall of Bradenton, Florida, on September 16, 2011, in honor of Specialist Patrick L. Lay, II.

2.    The State and National flags at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, shall also be flown at half-staff on September 16, 2011, in honor of Specialist Patrick L. Lay, II.

And here is the info for Marquis’ honor ride:

As most of you already know, Pfc. Christophe J. Marquis, 40, of Tampa, Fla., died Sept. 4 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany,of injuries sustained Aug. 27 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

      We are planning an escort for him and we need your support. He will arrive at MacDill AFB on Tuesday, September 20th, but we do not have an exact time yet. Once again, we would like to have supporters all along the route from MacDill to the funeral home, Wilson Funeral Home in Tampa. I will let you know as soon as I have an exact time and route. Please come out and show this family your support.