In low-key service, a final goodbye to soldier
NORWOOD -- The doors to St. Timothy's were opened yesterday morning, allowing sunlight to flood the church foyer. The crowd of more than a thousand mourners hesitated, then rose to their feet.
The coffin carrying Army First Lieutenant Andrew J. Bacevich, killed by a suicide bomber May 13 in Iraq, arrived. And, with their arms linked and their eyes painfully swollen, the soldier's family walked behind him.
"Nine days ago, two phone calls came to the rectory in rapid succession" with news of Bacevich's death, the Rev. John Culloty told the crowd, who included Governor Deval Patrick, Senator John F. Kerry, and former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey. "Each one brought the news we all feared. All of our prayers we had offered for his safe return had not been answered as we had hoped. Our worst nightmare had come true."
As US casualties in Iraq mount, the death of Bacevich, 27, has drawn particular attention because his father has been an ardent critic of what he has called an immoral war and a "catastrophic failure." The elder Bacevich retired as an Army colonel after serving in Vietnam and is now a professor history and international relations at Boston University.
Yesterday, there was no mention of the professor's opposition to the war in a service largely void of the pomp and ceremony that often accompany military funerals.
The light and airy sound of a flute replaced the typical wail of bagpipes. Pallbearers were made up of close family and friends, instead of uniformed soldiers. A handful of neighbors and their children stood outside the church holding American flags, instead of an army of veterans on motor cycles.
From the altar, Culloty spoke of the grace and dignity with which the Baceviches had raised their son.
"Both of you gave Andrew the gift of life, the gift of your love, the gift of faith, the gift of God's example, and the gift of freedom to make his choices and decisions about the course of his life," Culloty said.
The younger Bacevich fought to serve in the military because of the Army's tough stance against asthma, an ailment that plagued him in childhood. Bacevich was forced to leave the ROTC program at BU, but he persevered and kept fit, running the Boston Marathon in 3 hours, 35 minutes.
After graduating from BU's College of Communication in 2003, Bacevich worked as an aide to former state senator Jo Ann Sprague, a Walpole Republican. In 2004, he worked for Governor Mitt Romney, soliciting input on pending bills and preparing briefings for senior staff.
The Army relaxed its asthma restrictions, and Bacevich enlisted in 2005 as a private. He was accepted into Officer Candidate School, despite almost-certain deploy ment to Iraq. He went to war in October and led a platoon in the Third Brigade Combat Team, First Cavalry Division.
"He was a great-looking kid with an infectious smile," Colonel Barrye Price, a close friend who told mourners Andrew Bacevich was a leader with "a desire to chart his own path."
In one of his e-mails to Price, Andrew Bacevich wrote about his future and the possibility of joining the reconstruction team after his tour of duty ended, Price said.
Culloty also mentioned a recent letter Bacevich mailed to his family.
"He looked forward to seeing you all next year when his tour of duty came to end," Culloty said. "Sadly, we will not see him next year."
The organ played "America the Beautiful" as Bacevich's coffin was rolled out of the church.
Andrew Ryan of the Globe staff contributed to this report from Boston. 