Saturday, April 12, 2008

April 12, 2008 -- School honors graduate, fallen soldier

BY DAVID KENNARD, The Idaho Statesman

Borah High School grad and fallen soldier Sgt. Michael Lilly received an emotional salute from
his fellow Borah High Lions Friday.

The student body filled the bleachers inside the school's new gymnasium to hear a tribute to the
23-year-old soldier killed in action Monday while fighting anti-American forces in Sadr City
outside Baghdad, Iraq.

"We lost one of our own," said Mike Johnson, former Boise Airport police chief and a Borah
graduate. "He walked the same halls, ate in the same cafeteria, sat in the same classrooms. He
was a Borah Lion."

Family members of Lilly sat quietly among the 600-plus spirited students gathered for the
school's annual Senator's Choice awards.

Prior to the event, the cavernous gymnasium buzzed with highschoolers as floor-to-ceiling
speakers thundered out chest-pounding music in preparation for the awards.

But as an honor guard from the school's ROTC class made its way to the darkened stage,
followed by a marching bagpipe and drum band, the crowd instantly quieted.

Images of the procession bathed in spotlights as it wound its way through the crowd were
broadcast on a giant screen overhead. Later, the screen showed images of Lilly in uniform and as
a Borah High senior during a tribute to the other soldiers from Borah High who have died at war.

Johnson said Lilly's name would be added to the granite plaque honoring the six other Lions who
gave their lives in military service.

"This is the new greatest generation," Johnson said, referring to the Tom Brokaw book honoring
World War II veterans. "They answered the call after America was attacked."

Lilly, a sergeant assigned to 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, died Monday trying to
secure an area used by enemy forces to launch rocket attacks into a military base in Baghdad.

Those rocket attacks took the life of another Treasure Valley soldier, Maj. Stuart A. Wolfer of
Emmett, on Sunday.

Johnson said he was proud of Lilly and he urged his fellow Lions to honor Lilly from the Class
of 2002 as an American hero.

"Lilly had the heart of a lion," Johnson said. "Tonight, the Lion sleeps."

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