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Doug Bascom Remembered
January 25, 2005 2:22 PM
archivesFriends and family members talk about the loss of Marine Corps Sergeant Douglas Bascom, who was killed in combat in Iraq. Eric Whitney reports. [LISTEN]
[Sound from farewell ceremony for 571st Medical Battalion, Ft. Carson, Dec. 9, 2004]
ERIC WHITNEY: About 200 people gathered in a hangar at Butts air field on Fort Carson last month to bid farewell to another contingent of soldiers headed off to Iraq. In this case, it was the 571 Air Ambulance Battalion, heading back for their second tour of duty. Last Tuesday, another 180 Ft. Carson soldiers also headed out. For the families of these soldiers, the war in Iraq isn't just something they see on the news, it's personal, and there are thousands of people in Southern Colorado in the same boat. In November, one Colorado Springs family who lost their son in Iraq shared their story with us.
[Sound from Doug Bascom's memorial video]
WHITNEY: Not long after Marine Corps Sergeant Douglas Bascom was killed in combat in Iraq, one of his buddies made a memorial video and sent it to his parents here in Colorado Springs. Larry and Debbie Bascom cry when they watch it, but show it to me because they want me to know what a fine young man their son was, and to tell everyone else.
DEBBIE BASCOM: When he walked into the room it was like all the molecules in the air just started sparking. He was just busy, and he just loved doing things, and he did, everything was fun to him.
WHITNEY: Doug grew up in a military family. His father, Larry, has been a master sergeant in the Air Force for 25 years, he works at Peterson Field. He says his son never really showed an interest in joining the armed forces. So it was a bit surprising when rambunctious, free spirited Doug came home one day four years ago, announcing he'd joined the Marines. Larry, who's served in conflict zones all over the world, admits he had mixed feelings at first.
LARRY BASCOM: Of course. But I was very happy he joined the Marines. I really thought highly of him for doing that, because that meant that he wanted to serve his country, and that's something that I've always felt was very important, and he felt that was important, too, and I admired him for that. Of course, as every parent, when your child joins a military branch, of course you're a little nervous and worried, because military deals with war.
WHITNEY: In his initial four years in the Marines, Doug never saw combat, though it wasn't for lack of desire. He really wanted to be side by side with his buddies, fighting for America. And when it came time to reenlist, his parents say that he was torn.
DEBBIE BASCOM: We talked him out of the Marines, he had an opportunity to re-up, and we said, "Honey, you need to get out." And he did, because we said "You've done your four years, and you need to get out. We're at war and you could get hurt." He had a wife and he wanted his marriage to work.
WHITNEY: Doug left the marines and took a job in a bank. But he remained in the Individual Ready Reserves, and when last May, the Marines called and said they needed him, he was eager to go. His father, Larry Bascom, says his son really wanted to help win the war on terror.
LARRY BASCOM: And he wanted everybody in the world to have that same freedom we have.
DEBBIE BASCOM: He loved this country to the point where he was willing to give his life so everyone else could have their freedom.
WHITNEY: The Bascoms have four other children, all younger than Doug. They say none of them seem inclined to join the military.
LARRY BASCOM: Not at this time. We've all talked about it, and at there's no indication they want to join the military at this time because there's other things they want to do. And that's fine, if they do want to join, I'll support 'em in that decision, but at this point in time they have not given any desire to join.
DEBBIE BASCOM: I'd have them think twice. Yeah.
WHITNEY: Mom might try to talk them out of it?
DEBBIE BASCOM: I would, I would, only because one child gone is enough.
WHITNEY: It's not just Doug's family who will tell you that their son was something special. Before he went to Iraq, Doug was living in an apartment complex in Oceanside, California. Isabel Segura met him the day her family was moving in. She says the big Marine came to their door and asked if he could help.
ISABEL SEGURA: We were just really amazed because we didn't really get to know our other neighbors for months later, and him we got to know before the first time we even slept in our apartment.
WHITNEY: Seguara and her husband Ralph Shoup, have three young sons, who quickly became friends with Doug. He played games with the boys, listened to their stories and problems and, best of all, according to 13-year-old Nicholas Shoup, let them play with his golden retriever, Jade.
RALPH SHOUP: So before he went away to Iraq, Doug gave us his dog Jade, and she reminds us of him every day, because she's just like him, very outgoing. And after we heard of his death, we renamed her JD, and the D stands for Doug.
WHITNEY: Six weeks after shipping out for Iraq, Sergeant Doug Bascom was awarded a purple heart for a battlefield injury. A few days after that he was killed by an improvised explosive in Al Anbar province west of Baghdad. He was 25 years old.
[Music: "Smoke," by Medeski, Martin and Wood]
Posted by Eric Whitney on January 25, 2005 2:22 PM | Permalink
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