PGR July 7, 2006
Cpl. Ryan. J. Clark, 19, of Lancaster, Calif., died on June 29 in the Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of injuries sustained on June 17 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. Clark was assigned to the 40th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany.

The services were at Joshua Memorial Park in Lancaster, California.
I counted 65 bikes.



We lined up outside the church, holding the American flags, making a passageway for the casket, the color guard, and the family. When the family exited the church and saw all of the PGR standing at attention, the emotion was overwhelming. I was thanked by a number of family members as they passed me.



We then followed the family out to the area where the service was to be held. It was over 100 degrees, but that did not matter. At that moment in time the only thing that mattered to me was
Cpl. Ryan. J. Clark, 19, of Lancaster, Calif. I looked over the crowd of mourners and realized that the average age of the people there was under 20 years old. The first funeral I attended for a friend of mine was when I was 40.



God Bless the family and friends of
Cpl. Ryan. J. Clark, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this ceremony.