Dad of fallen Marine being honored

[darrels joy]

Dad of fallen Marine being honored
By ADRIANA JANOVICH
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC


He already had one tattoo, the first names of his wife and children on his upper left arm encircling their last name: Sides.

After his son was killed in Iraq during hostile fire, John Sides began adding to his collection.

Among his son's personal effects, sent home after his death, was a sketchbook full of designs of future tattoos the young Marine wanted to get. The 22-year-old lance corporal already had one arm covered, and was planning to finish the other "arm sleeve" before he was killed.

Dustin L. Sides died last May 31, the first serviceman from the Yakima Valley to perish in the war. Since then, his father has gotten a few tattoos: a gold star on his left forearm, the ghost of a Marine on his right forearm with the words "my son, my hero," a dragon, a lucky 7 and dice, a piston and rod, a Japanese character meaning "painful."

The 48-year-old has a total of nine new ones now. And he plans to keep getting more "till my arm's covered, I guess. (Dustin) had a sleeve; I have to."

Today, though, John Sides is being honored for the work he does, not the work he's had done. He and his wife, Nancy, Dustin's stepmom, are headed to Seattle, where Sides will receive a Golden Tennis Shoe Award from Sen. Patty Murray at a luncheon at the downtown Westin Hotel.

The awards have been given annually since 1995 to people who've made a difference in their communities. This year, three people from around the state are being recognized, and the guest speaker is former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

"It's an honor," Sides says. "But I didn't do anything to deserve it. I just did what I thought was right to make my son proud."

Murray learned about Sides during a February visit to the Yakima headquarters of Bravo Company of the U.S. Marine Corps 4th Tank Battalion, said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dan Rybicki, spokesman for the unit.

She learned that Sides organized a motorcycle and car show-and-shine, with a poker run and prizes, last fall. Money raised from the benefit, held at West Valley Junior High School, went to the Dustin Sides Fallen Marine Families Memorial Fund, which Sides set up to help families of local servicemen and women who have been killed.

So far, Sides has used some of the funds to make shadow boxes, lined with red felt, to display photos, medals and the American flag, for families of fallen servicemen and women. (He's made 11 so far.) He also plans to set some aside for college scholarships.

"He's a leader," Rybicki says. "He did it on his own; no one twisted his arm. I think that's admirable. Not many folks do that. It's completely unselfish."

Sides wants to make the fall fund-raiser an annual event. Plans for this year's are already under way.

"Our son will be gone every year, so we should do it every year," Sides says.

He's not done with tattoos, either. Sides has an appointment to get more ink on May 31, the first anniversary of his son's death.

? Contributions to the Dustin Sides Fallen Marine Families Memorial Fund can be dropped off or mailed to the Yakima Valley Credit Union, 401 Tieton Drive, Yakima, WA 98902.