In Memory of - James W. Cawley

In Memory of Elder James Wilford Cawley

Born Aug. 28, 1961, of Layton, Utah - Died March 29th, 2003, Nasiriyah, Iraq

Courtesy Of The Cawley Family

Marine Reserve Staff Sgt. James W. Cawley, who was killed in Iraq, is survived by his wife, Miyuki, son Cecil, 8, and daughter Keiko, 6, all of Layton. Cawley was a Salt Lake City police officer on the SWAT team.

America First Credit Union has established an account for James Cawley's family. Anyone wishing to donate to the family can do so at any of its offices.

Due to the large number of floral arrangements already received, we would encourage those wishing to express their sympathy to donate funds they would have normally spent on floral arrangements to the children's trust fund.

Utah Marine hailed as peacemaker - Monday, March 31, 2003
By Jennifer Dobner
Deseret News staff writer

Among the seven Cawley siblings, James W. Cawley was the middle child, the quiet brother and the peacemaker.

"He always made the conflicts right," his elder sister Julie Cawley Hanson said Sunday. "He was very cool-headed and very calm. He was a quiet boy, but as he grew to manhood he became a leader of the family."

Cawley, 41, a Salt Lake City police officer and a Marine reservist, was killed in a firefight near Nasiriyah, Iraq, about 4 a.m. Iraq time Saturday, the first Utahn to lose his life in the 11-day-old war.

A staff sergeant for the 1st Platoon, Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Reserve Regiment, Cawley's unit came under fire from enemy forces Saturday. Cawley was killed when he was struck by a coalition-forces Humvee while seeking a secure position out of the line of fire, U.S. Marine spokesman Capt. Shawn Turner said from the Pentagon Sunday.

Today two other siblings, Debbie Seamons and Mike Cawley, joined Hanson in a news conference. They asked people to pray for President Bush, prisoners of war and the safe return of U.S. troops. And they asked Utahns to fly flags at their homes every day until the troops return. They had another message to deliver, too.

"We especially want the driver of the Humvee that struck James to know that we know he was just doing his job," Hanson said. "We want him to feel no guilt."

Cawley's last communication to Hanson, an e-mail, was Feb. 18, an hour before he left Camp Pendleton for Kuwait. In that e-mail, Cawley told Hanson what to do if he died while serving his country. Family members did not discuss those instructions.

"There is a huge hole in our hearts because of his passing," the family said Sunday in a statement released through the Salt Lake police department. "He was a very righteous man and wanted to protect his country. He had a very strong sense of right and wrong. He wanted to protect people from the 'bad guys' and make the world a safer place."

Cawley leaves behind his wife of 10 years, Miyuki, whom he met in Okinawa, Japan, and their two children, Cecil, 8, and Keiko, 6. The family is from Layton. Cawley moved to Utah when he was about 14 years old, Hanson said.

Miyuki Cawley did not attend today's news conference but sent a message through his siblings: "My husband is a great man, best friend and a great father and uncle. I am very proud that he is my husband. Please don't forget those soldiers who fight for our freedoms."

Cawley's funeral will be held next week and will include full military and police honors. The family and the U.S. Marines were still uncertain when Cawley's body would be returned to the United States.

Salt Lake Police Chief Rick Dinse also spoke at today's news conference.

"A hero has been defined as many things," Dinse said. "Today we define a hero as Jim Cawley."

Eleven Salt Lake police officers are on active military duty, and many are in the Middle East.

Growing up in a military family, Cawley understood the sacrifices of war. His father, Cecil Cawley, served in the U.S. Army during World War II and then joined the Air Force for tours of duty in the Korean conflict and Vietnam, Hanson said. From childhood, the son seemed destined to follow in his father's footsteps.

"As a child, James always wanted Army men for every present, every birthday, every Christmas," said Hanson.

Cawley spent 12 years in the Marines at posts around the world before returning to Utah and attending the police academy in 1997.

Soon after the events of Sept. 11, Cawley told his family he expected to be called to active duty, the family said in its statement.

"When America was attacked I knew that I would eventually have to go, and I was filled with a deep sense of sadness," he wrote in a letter to his young children. He told his siblings that his grief over the toppling of the World Trade Center was eased only by going into his children's rooms and holding them tightly as they slept.

His unit was deployed just over one year ago, spending much of that time at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif., before heading to the Middle East.

Cawley couldn't help but note how much his own life echoed his father's.

"When I was a little boy aged 6, my dad, your Grandpa Cawley, was sent to Vietnam during the war there," the Marine wrote to his son, who is named after his grandfather. "I remember how much I missed him. But being a child, I didn't realize how hard it must have been on him, too. But, unfortunately, I have come to realize just how rough it must have been for Grandpa to be away from his children for a year."

Cawley's children have been "very quiet" since learning of their father's death, Hanson said. But the family remains committed to the U.S. mission in Iraq.

"We were dedicated to the cause, as was Jim," said Hanson. "We understand the sacrifice . . . but when it's your own, you wonder why."

Officers from Salt Lake's police department were also shaken by the loss of their colleague Sunday. Cawley served as a SWAT officer and member of the gang unit.

"This has been very hard for the team," SWAT Sgt. Dave Hoffman said, describing Cawley as a leader who had drive and mental toughness.

Hoffman said that Cawley's military background gave him a strong foundation for the 28-member SWAT team, which trains for intense and dangerous situations, including hostage rescues and arresting high-risk, weapons-packing crime suspects.

"There isn't a door in the world that I wouldn't go through with Jim Cawley," Hoffman said. "I would feel absolutely 100 percent safe and secure. When talking about SWAT officers, that's about the highest compliment you can give."

Salt Lake officers are expected to participate in services for Cawley, Hoffman said.

Joe Oliver writes:
April 3rd, 2003

Jim Cawley (28 Aug 1961-29 Mar 2003) was killed in Nassiriyah, Iraq while hit by a Humvee on its way to a firefight. I have been blessed to have lived next door to Jim for the last 4 years. Jim has always been an open and friendly person in the short time we had to know him. He always tried to recruit me to be a cop and at one time I was seriously considering it, but I decided not to choose that career. We talked a lot and had his family over for diner and BBQ's many times.

After finishing his mission in Fukuoka in the early 80's he joined the marines and was stationed in Okinawa, where he met his Japanese wife. She is a very loving person and neighbor, and a wonderful mother and daughter. Her dad is a retired Okinawa Police officer, so he and Jim had many things in common.

When we moved into the ward he was inactive in the church and had been for several years previous to that. He started coming to church with his kids sometime in the summer of 2000, for a couple of weeks. By then his kids had begun to really enjoy primary. My wife was in the primary presidency in our ward at that time. She asked Jim if we could take his kids to church with us whenever he could not make it. This was a topic up that came up when he told us that he was not going to be able to attend with his new work schedule. At that time, Jim was re-assigned to start working the graveyard shift Saturday nights and our church started at 9AM. He worked at the Salt Lake police dept. There he was also a member of their Gang Unit and SWAT team. He still kept coming to church though, and bringing his kids too, even though he slept through most of Sacrament and Priesthood. At least he had an excuse, whereas others who slept through church didn't. Anyway, then his rotation for Saturday nights ended and he came off and on every week for a while after that. He was assigned to be my home teaching companion, although with his Sunday swing shift schedule I usually would end up going with my wife or (unfortunately) not at all. We only managed to go out together a couple of times over a year and a half period. And then Sept. 11th, 2001 happened. That's when his reserve unit was called up to active duty.

Later, when asked by one of his home teachers, Steve Fry, who also served his mission to Japan, why he came back to church, Jim replied: 'He said that while growing up, his parents always took him to church and he knew that would be good for his kids as well. He also said he knew it would be good for him too.

My purpose in writing is to submit to anyone who served with Jim that remembers him to please send me an email. Send me your stories, news, information, photos, memories, anything you can remember about Jim, so that I can give it to his wife and two children. Even if you just want to say you remembered him, that would be enough. I am sure that his wife and kids would love anything they could hear from people who knew him.

P.S. Jim's sister Julie Cawley Hanson, sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. She told me on Tuesday that President Hinckley had written Miyuki a letter that she was going to receive sometime this week. The whole family has also been invited by President Hinckley to conference this weekend (April '03) and he is going to speak about Jim during the Sunday morning session, just to let you know.

For photos or regular mail correspondence please send to:

Joe Oliver
1982 N 200 W
Layton, UT 84041
801-779-4354

I will make sure the family receives everything sent on Jim's behalf.

Email: senahu1@msn.com

Thanks for your support.

Doug Blackman writes:
March 31, 2003

What comes to my mind is Timothy 2:7-8:

"7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

God Bless America and all who support her, James Crawley's family, and the rest who are left in the desert fighting for freedom!

Domo Arigato Gozaimasu!!

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