Pride and pain at soldier's farewell

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Wearing a dog-tag printed with her son's image, Linda Ferrara stroked the American flag draped on the coffin of US Army Captain Matthew Ferrara, the first New Zealander killed serving in the Afghan war.
It was folded and handed to her in front of 1000 mourners gathered at his funeral service in California yesterday.
Mrs Ferrara's brother, Defence Minister Phil Goff, said his family took pride in the news that Captain Ferrara was being considered for the Silver Star, America's third-highest award for bravery.
But this, just like his posthumous promotion from lieutenant, brought little comfort as they bade him farewell with a 21-gun salute.
"We'd trade in all of the medals and all of the accolades to have him back today," Mr Goff said.
Captain Ferrara, 24 and known as Matty, was remembered at a service at the Rolling Hills Covenant Church and later at a military commitment ceremony at Green Hills Memorial Park.
The US-born New Zealander had dual citizenship and was close to his 12 Kiwi cousins.
He graduated from the elite West Point Military Academy in 2005.
He was killed alongside three Afghan soldiers and four American soldiers while on a foot patrol in the eastern Afghan city of Aranus on November 9. The nomination for the Silver Star referred to a battle two weeks earlier.
Captain Ferrara was one of four brothers serving in the US military. Two brothers spoke at the funeral, as did Mr Goff, and some of the dead soldier's friends from West Point and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
Mr Goff read an excerpt from a letter written by Linda and Charlie Manning, whose only son, Leonard, was killed in action in East Timor in 2001.
"The courage and determination to make a difference that young men like Leonard and Matthew live and die for inspires us to live life to the fullest, making the most of every moment we have."
Mr Goff also read a message from New Zealand's commanding officer in Afghanistan, Colonel Brendan Fraher, who said fellow soldiers understood the risks and reality of serving in a war zone.
New Zealand soldiers stood side by side with American colleagues along the route to the flight line at Bagram Air Base as Captain Ferrara and his fellow soldiers "began their final journey home".
Mr Goff received a hand-written letter from US President George Bush, who had indicated he would also be writing to Linda and Mario Ferrara. He wrote of his "determination to make sure his death will not be in vain".
Mr Goff found the playing of The Last Post particularly hard. "I've heard it a thousand times but never for anyone as close to me as Matty was."
Each household in Mr Goff's extended family had hanging on a wall a picture of an uncle called John, who had been killed in action in 1944. That relative's sacrifice as a 19-year-old had been remembered for generations.
"We never imagined, in our children's generation, that sacrifice would be called on again," Mr Goff said from California.
The funeral took place as New Zealand announced a two-year extension to troop deployments in Afghanistan, committing till September 2009.
 
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