Ballfields Dedicated to Fallen Enfield Marines

A pair of U.S. Marines with very similar names but completely different backgrounds will be forever linked together in the hearts of the people of Enfield.

The park adjacent to the Mark Twain Congregate Housing Center on South Road was rededicated Saturday morning as the Veterans Memorial Athletic Complex. After a procession to the flagpole and a brief ceremony, the two baseball fields at the site were then dedicated to the memories of Gunnery Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan and Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson.

Jordan, who moved to Enfield with his family shortly before deployment to the Middle East, became Connecticut's first casualty in the Global War on Terror, when he was killed in action during the battle for An Nasiriyah, Iraq on March 23, 2003. He was 42 years old.

Johnson, a lifelong town resident who graduated from Enfield High School in 2005, was just 19 years old when he was killed in action in Iraq on Sept. 3, 2006.

Family members of both fallen Marines were on hand Saturday to unveil signs dedicating Jordan Field and Johnson Field.

Jordan's widow, Amanda, was accompanied by their son, Tyler.  "This is very overwhelming," she said. "Tyler and I have had a lot of time to reflect on the meaning of life and Phillip's life in general. His greatest passions in life were his son, then the Marine Corps and sports. He played every sport there was, and he was going to become a professional bowler when he retired from the Marine Corps. He played baseball, football, darts, anything competitive, so this is very fitting for him. I know he's smiling at this right now. There couldn't be a more fitting tribute than baseball for him; he absolutely loved it. When we lived at Camp Lejeune, he actually coached tee ball and Little League when we had no children. Everybody would say, 'which child is yours on the team' and he didn't have one. That was what he loved to do."

Johnson's father, Lou, spoke of the interweaving of Enfield's past, present and future.  "Monuments and dedications like the ones today help pass on the baton of pride in the past, patriotism for the present and faith in the future that will help guide Enfield as she makes her way to the next set of memories. A town with a past as rich as ours, that raises its young to see a name on a wall and ask questions about the person behind that name, has invested much to secure her future," he said.

Enfield Mayor Scott Kaupin presided over the ceremonies, which included honor guards from the Enfield Police Department, the John Maciolek American Legion Post 154 and the Tanguay-Magill American Legion Post 80. The Fermi High School marching band performed "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless America" and "The Marines Hymn".

Lori Gates, founder of Enfield Hooah, a web site devoted to supporting our troops, was the primary organizer of Saturday's event.  "When we think of the brave men and women who have given their lives for us, and apply the meaning and responsibility of the words duty, honor and sacrifice to ourselves into our own lives, we pass a small piece of Phil Jordan and Phil Johnson onto the next generation, and that is how we can try to commemorate their lives," she said. "Gunnery Sgt. Jordan and Lance Cpl. Johnson may not be visible to our eyes, but they are here, because we carry them with us. They are now Enfield's Angels In the Outfield, and they are remembered."

1st Sgt. Ben Grainger, a retired 24-year Marine Corps veteran, said, "Gunnery Sgt. Jordan and Lance Cpl. Johnson had dreams, and they made those dreams - they dreamed of being Marines. But their dreams were much bigger than just being Marines. They dreamed as all Marines have done since 1775 until today - of keeping harm from America's door. They dreamed of these kids here never knowing the evils and dangers that roam the rest of this world. They dreamed of providing a country where we were all safe under the umbrella of the red, white and blue flag that flies here above us today. They dreamed of this and they fought for this. They provided that umbrella of protection for the kids here today, so they can continue to dream."

Johnson's mother, Kathy, and Amanda Jordan unveiled a plaque set in stone at the base of the flagpole, dedicated to the two Marines. The families then made their way to the respective baseball diamonds, where a group of Little Leaguers were set to begin a Memorial Day tournament. Marine Lance Cpl. Joe Titus, Johnson's cousin, threw out the first pitch at Johnson Field, then Tyler Jordan tossed the first pitch at the field named after his father.