SACRED GROUND
Monday Afternoon November 13, 2006
Photos of the tree as well as Don "Gunny" Inns nailing a special dog tag John gave him to the tree.

The dog tag is inscribed as:

U.S. MARINES
BEIRUT, LEBANON
OCTOBER 23 1983
SEMPER FIDELIS

Significance of the dog tag:

Several years ago John sent me a set of customized dog tags. The accompanying note simply said that he always wore his and that I would know what to do with mine. After seeing the ghastly images of the accident scene online I knew what to do.

I later learned that only 3 of John’s personal effects survived the crash: a pocketknife, a BVA coin, and his dog tags. One contained John's personal information; the other was identical to the tags he sent me. Knowing this, in my mind that big old Oak morphed into another Bradford pear tree.

- Don “Gunny” Inns