blivingston@themeridianstar.com
Marine Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee will always be remembered by his family and friends. But thanks to state lawmakers, the memory of his sacrifice will be shared with many other people who travel down Highway 393 in Winston County.
Friday afternoon the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) will dedicate Highway 393 as "Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee Memorial Highway" to remember the fallen Marine who was killed in action during duty in Iraq in March 2007. The ceremony will be at 3 p.m. at Good Hope Baptist Church, 12956 Highway 490 East of Nanih Waiya.
Jerome Lee, Dustin Lee's father and a trooper with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, knows the memorial won't bring his son back. For that and many other reasons the honor is somewhat bittersweet. But he is comforted by the fact his son won't be forgotten and in a roundabout way, the highway dedication is for all who have given the supreme sacrifice in wartime.
"Anything to honor his memory and those of other soldiers is a very good thing," said Lee. "No, it won't replace the loss we still feel and will probably always have to deal with but at the same time it helps us to cope with losing Dusty. It will help us to be more at peace."
Lee said the campaign to name a highway in his son's honor has been in the works for quite a long time. He said his brother and sister-in-law who live in Winston County contacted local and state lawmakers who then took up the torch.
"We are grateful to everyone responsible for this," said Lee. "It is a comfort to us to know there are those who do indeed care about our soldiers, both who have fallen and those who continue to fight."
At first glance the naming of a highway so far from the Stonewall and Quitman areas where Dustin Lee grew up may seem odd but it makes perfect sense to Jerome Lee who is a native of Winston County.
"My dad, who was very, very close to Dusty, still lives near the highway and I own land up there," said Jerome Lee. "I believe this will help my dad come to grips with Dusty being gone. The highway location is fitting."
Bill Minor, Dist. 1 Transportation Commissioner for MDOT said the dedication to Dustin Lee is with the deepest gratitude and admiration for the service he gave to his country.
"Cpl. Dustin Lee was a heroic American," said Minor. "He was an extraordinary soldier, and a beloved member of his family. His loss will always be felt, and his service to this country will be memorialized and commended forever."
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