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Rolling memorial carries 'Comfort'
Submitted by: | MCB Camp Pendleton | Story by: | Computed Name: Cpl. Tom Sloan | Story Identification #: | 200632184538 |
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(March 2, 2006) -- Karla Comfort received a lot of looks and even some salutes from people when she drove from Benton, Ark., to Camp Pendleton, Calif., in her newly-painted, custom Hummer H3 March 2.
The vehicle is adorned with the likeness of her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division who where all killed by the same improvised explosive device blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December.
For Comfort, having the vehicle air brushed with the image of the 10 Marines was a way to pay homage to her hero and his fellow comrades who fell on Iraq’s urban battlefield.
“I wanted to let people know (Marines) are doing their jobs honorably, and some of them die,” said the 39-year-old from Portland, Ore. “I don’t want people to forget the sacrifices that my son and the other Marines made.”
Leading up to her son’s death, Comfort had received several letters from him prior to his return. He had been deployed for five months, and Comfort “worried everyday he was gone until she got the letters and found out the date he was coming home,” she said.
Marines knocked on the front door of her home in Farmington, Mich., at 3 a.m. with the dreadful news.
“I let my guard down when I found out he was coming home,” she said. “There are times that I still cannot believe it happened. It’s very hard to deal with.”
Comfort came up with the idea for the rolling memorial when she and her two other sons attended John’s funeral in Portland, Ore.
“I saw a Vietnam (War) memorial on a car, and I said to my son Josh, ‘we should do something like that for John,’” she recalled. “He loved Hummers.”
She purchased the vehicle in January and immediately took it to AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., where artist Robert Powell went to work on changing the plain, black vehicle into a decorative, mobile, art piece.
“I only had the vehicle for two days before we took it in,” she joked.
Two hundred and fifty man-hours later, Powell had completed the vehicle. The custom job would have cost $25,000. Out of respect for Comfort's loss and the sacrifices the Marines made, AirbrushGuy & Co. did it for free. Comfort only had to purchase the paint, which cost $3,000.
“I love it,” she said. “I’m really impressed with it, and I think John would be happy with the vehicle. He would have a big smile on his face because he loved Hummers.”
Comfort game Powell basic instructions on what to include in the paint job. But in addition to the image of her son in Dress Blues and the faces of the nine other Marines, there were several surprises.
“He put a lot more on than I expected,” she said. “I think my favorite part is the heaven scene.”
On the left side of the vehicle, a detail of Marines are depicted carrying their fallen comrades through the clouds to their final resting place. The American flag drapes across the hood, the words, “Semper Fi” crown the front windshield and the spare tire cover carries the same Eagle Globe and Anchor design that her son had tattooed on his back.
Comfort received the paintjob free.
“All the support I have been getting is wonderful,” she said.
Comfort decided to move back to her hometown of Portland, and making the cross-country trip from Arkansas was a way for her to share her son’s story. It’s also her way of coping with the loss.
“Along the way I got nothing but positive feedback from people,” she said. “What got to me was when people would salute the guys (Marines). It’s hard to look at his picture. I still cry and try to get used to the idea, but it’s hard to grasp the idea that he’s really gone.”
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Photos included with story: | Marines with 1st Marine Division admire a Hummer H3 that was on display at Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 2. Karla Comfort purchased the 2006 model and had the likeness of her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, who died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, and various images depicting the Global War on Terrorism airbrushed on its body. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., took 250 man-hours to complete and depicts Holmanson and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division who were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. The rolling memorial was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Comfort drove the vehicle from Benton, Ark., to her hometown of Portland, Ore., stopping along the way to display it. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | A 2006 Hummer H3 was on display at Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 2. Karla Comfort purchased the vehicle and had the likeness of her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, who died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, and various images depicting the Global War on Terrorism airbrushed on its body. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., took 250 man-hours to complete and depicts Holmanson and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division who were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. The rolling memorial was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Comfort drove the vehicle from Benton, Ark., to her hometown of Portland, Ore., stopping along the way to display it. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Dog tags belonging to 10 Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, who died in Fallujah, Iraq, in December, hang from the rearview mirror of the 2006 Hummer H3 that belongs to Karla Comfort. Comfort’s son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, was one of the Marines who fell. She had his likeness and the images of the nine other Marines painted on the vehicle. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., took 250 man-hours to complete. The rolling memorial was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Comfort drove the vehicle from Benton, Ark., to her hometown of Portland, Ore., stopping along the way to display it. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Dog tags belonging to 10 Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, who died in Fallujah, Iraq, in December, hang from the rearview mirror of the 2006 Hummer H3 that belongs to Karla Comfort. Comfort’s son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, was one of the Marines who fell. She had his likeness and the images of the nine other Marines painted on the vehicle. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., took 250 man-hours to complete. The rolling memorial was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Comfort drove the vehicle from Benton, Ark., to her hometown of Portland, Ore., stopping along the way to display it. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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 | Karla Comfort had her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, painted on a 2006 Hummer H3. The Marines were all killed by the same improvised explosive devise blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. Comfort visited Camp Pendleton and displayed the rolling memorial March 2. The custom paintjob, which was done by artist Robert Powell with AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., and took 250 man-hours to complete, was a way for Comfort to pay tribute to her son and keep his memory alive. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan | |
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------------------------------------------------------------ Out of every 100 men, ten shouldn't even be there, Eighty are just targets, Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." - Hericletus, circa 500 BC ----------------------------------------------------------- 
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Seasoned Vet
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Now that Awesome!
------------------------------------------------------------ Out of every 100 men, ten shouldn't even be there, Eighty are just targets, Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." - Hericletus, circa 500 BC -----------------------------------------------------------
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Seasoned Vet
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That is outstanding! I hope she keeps an eye on it. I'd hate to see some asshat screw with it.
Make The Voices Stop! - Paracowboy"Oh bother," mumbles Pooh as he chambers another round. CR6 to Cherokeekate - Another poser busted. One shot one kill should be YOUR motto. Or is it MOS?
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Hard Charger
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Sure beats getting yourself arrested as a memorial to your fallen son
"...my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me." He added, after a pause, looking me full in the face: "That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave" General "Stonewall" Jackson
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Seasoned Vet
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skypilot (3/9/2006)
Sure beats getting yourself arrested as a memorial to your fallen sonShe is a mother that takes pride in what her son did and respects him for the choices he's made. It's about him and the others that gave the gave the ultimate sacrifice. It isn't about her and she knows it. What an outstanding Memorial.
Make The Voices Stop! - Paracowboy"Oh bother," mumbles Pooh as he chambers another round. CR6 to Cherokeekate - Another poser busted. One shot one kill should be YOUR motto. Or is it MOS?
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Resident Semi-Permanent Finance Support
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cherokeekate (3/8/2006)
That is outstanding! I hope she keeps an eye on it. I'd hate to see some asshat screw with it.Let em!!! I'd hate to see what happens when they do. The tragic sidenote is that for every Cindy Sheehan (I can't hardly type or say her name without wanting to puke) these a dozen like this that are proud of the children and the sacrifices they have made. But the liberal media... And I'll let it go at that, PT time, and I'll take out my anger on Ardennes.
"He that hath no stomach to this fight, let him depart" - King Henry V "It doesn't matter what you think, you don't get paid to do that."
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