In 59 pairs of boots, a symbol of Minnesotans' sacrifices

At the state Capitol rotunda, the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war was commemorated with words, photos, chimes and the boots that represented Minnesotans who have died in the conflict.

Last update: March 20, 2008 - 12:28 PM

Fifty-nine pairs of combat boots circled the Capitol rotunda on Wednesday, some decorated with family photos or an American flag. Some with just a name tag. At least one had the name removed at the family's request.

The boots represented the 59 Minnesota soldiers who have died in Iraq and were part of a commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the start of the war.

About 100 people gathered as elected officials, Iraq war vets, and others read off a list of names of the dead. Each name was followed by a single chime. Clusters of civilian shoes, representing Iraqi deaths, were placed nearby.

Displaying a photograph of her son that she keeps in her purse, former state Sen. Becky Lourey criticized the Bush administration and warned against possible intervention in Iran. Her son, Army helicopter pilot Matthew Lourey, died in Iraq in May of 2005 when his helicopter was shot down.

"I always wanted everything I said to be something he supported," said Lourey, placing his picture in front of her. Lourey authored an anti-war resolution in March 2003, but only after consulting Matthew.

She said the message of the day is "laden with pain but also with determination. Determination to see that these tragedies are not repeated in places such as Iran."

"I hate it when we don't learn from history," she said. "How is it that we let fear completely annihilate our humanity? Have patience because justice will be done. As a nation, as a people, we will seek atonement for the sins we have committed."

Standing nearby, Mike and Christine Perkins said they felt the need to attend the ceremony. Robert Loffredo, Christine's son and Mike's stepson, recently completed service in the U.S. Army, where he was deployed to Baghdad from January 2004 to June 2005. Loffredo now is in the National Guard in San Diego.

"Any of those boots could have been our son's," Mike Perkins said. At work in Minnetonka, Perkins said he keeps a running tab of U.S. casualties in Iraq to remind others there is a war going on. He puts a sheet of paper with each number of the 3,983 on the wall and has had arguments with co-workers who don't accept that the number is actually that high and that the war actually has been going on for five years.

"Incredible as it seems, there are people who don't believe it," he said.

The ceremony at the Capitol started shortly after noon; and 41/2 hours later, only a few remained as the Minnesota names were read off one more time.

In silent protest to the ceremony, two men emerged with signs that said "Liberate Iraq" and "Support Our Troops,' and stood among the boots. They stayed quietly as the others listened to a flutist in black playing Taps.

The group then gathered up the boots in plastic containers and took them away.

MARK BRUNSWICK