SAN MARINO NEWS
By Mitch Lehman, Editor of the Tribune

The harsh realities of the war in Iraq came crashing home to San Marino in the most horrible of ways last week when San Marino resident 2nd Lt. USMC James P. ‘J.P.’ Blecksmith was reported killed last Thursday while leading his unit to battle in Al Anbar Province near Fallujah.

Edward Blecksmith, J.P.’s father, told The Tribune his son was shot by a sniper as he stood on a rooftop directing the fifty soldiers under his command. The bullet struck J.P. just outside his protective flack jacket and the life of one of the most popular and beloved young men in this city’s proud history came to an end when his tremendous heart was stopped by the bullet or a bone fragment that resulted from the impact.

J.P. had celebrated his 24th birthday on September 26 while stationed in Iraq.

An almost unprecedented outpouring of grief has helped soothe the pain of Ed and Pam Blecksmith and their surviving children Christina, 27, and Alex 25. Hundreds of flower arrangements are placed throughout the family’s San Marino home. J.P.’s car has been lovingly parked at the top of the circle drive, with many of his personal belongings locked within.

J.P. Blecksmith was nothing less than a local legend. One of the finest quarterbacks in the history of Flintridge Prep, he led his team into the CIF playoffs in his final two years at the helm. Along with his best friend and fellow San Marino resident Peter Twist, the two formed a lethal passing and catching combination. A 1998 Tribune feature story on the two was entitled ‘Fire & Ice,’ as Blecksmith’s enthusiastic hands-on leadership style was contrasted by Twist’s laid-back on-field demeanor. J.P. was also a CIF-level competitor in track, excelling in the 200 and 400-meter dash events.

Blecksmith took his dream to Annapolis where he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Though used sparingly at quarterback, Blecksmith contributed at wide receiver, excelled on special teams, and even threw an 80-yard pass on an end-around that stands as the longest pass in Academy to not result in a touchdown, and the fourth-longest overall. San Marino residents and followers of Blecksmith throughout Southern California religiously watched the annual Army-Navy football game every December and gleefully reported their findings back to Pam and Ed, who were usually in attendance in person. Standing 6’3” and weighing 225 lbs. – an ounce of fat not to be seen – clocked at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and capable of throwing a football more than sixty yards on a line, Blecksmith’s accomplishments were the stuff of local legend. When asked to describe their dear friend, however, it was J.P.’s remarkable sense of humor that made a distinct impression, second only to his tremendous gift of leadership. It would be fitting, then, that Blecksmith was leading his men into battle while taking his final breaths on earth.

Pam Blecksmith recalled a conversation she had with her son shortly before he shipped out.

“One evening I was talking with him and he just seemed to drift off.” she said. “He became very pensive. I asked him what was going through his mind and he said ‘Mom, I just want to be a good leader. I want to be there for my men and I want to bring them home safely.’”
Peter Twist remembers his friend as larger than life.

“J.P. was Superman,” he said. “He was tall, strong and very athletic. Although genetics helped, it was his determination that made him who he was. J.P. simply was not satisfied being good. In high school before football games, J.P. would lean over to me on the bus and make predictions like, ‘Today I'm going to intercept a pass and run it back for a touchdown,’ and he would do it.”

Twist also appreciated that legendary sense of humor.

“Blecksmith family barbecues were always highly anticipated events,” he continued. “We would just sit back and watch J.P. perform during meal time. His jokes and fooling around would get the entire table in an uproar. It was contagious, and eventually J.P. would start losing it too.”

It was Blecksmith’s appreciation for his fellow man that Twist most admired, a trait that led his friend into harm’s way.

“I think that above all, J.P. just loved people, he said. “I was completely at ease sharing with him my greatest fears or most embarrassing moments. He always understood and empathized. It was this love for people that drew him to the Marines. For J.P., it was the best way to protect us from harm.”

Eileen Pinkerton, a friend since 1985, said J.P. was “every elementary school girl’s crush back at Valentine,” and recalled her final moments in his presence.

“I remember saying goodbye to him; I looked him straight in the eye, gave him a big hug and told him that he was one of the bravest men I had ever known,” Pinkerton said. “He was a man of passion, pride and hope and he loved not only his family and friends, but the great country we live in. He had a beautiful mind, heart, and spirit. He is an American hero.”

Longtime friend Russell Sprunger revealed that J.P. – lovingly known as ‘Mr. Jaeps’ to his friends – was also at home on the stage.

“He was quite the entertainer,” Sprunger told The Tribune. “Karaoke was a favorite among all of our friends, and no evening was ever complete without J.P.’s spirited rendition of a classic rock ballad. Few things are funnier than a 6’3” Marine sporting tight plaid pants and belting out a love song with all his heart. But J.P. could pull it off.”
That gift was tempered by an inner strength that many could look to in times of need.

“As silly as he could be, J.P. was mature and disciplined beyond his years,” Sprunger continued. “He put the people he loved before himself. The loss of J.P. has left me with a pain and emptiness that I know will never go away. Instead, it will serve as a constant reminder of the kind of life that I have the potential to lead, and I believe that everyone close to him will strive to lead a life that is worthy of the sacrifice that J.P. made to keep us safe.”

Robert McKinley, who carpooled with J.P. since pre-school days at St. Edmund’s, recalled Blecksmith as a “born leader.”
McKinley remembered a trip to Costa Rica with a non-profit organization called Peace Works to build a cafeteria for impoverished children.

“Of course, J.P. being the leader he decided to take over the project and added new ideas and ways we could improve the work system as well as the project,” McKinley said. “He always seemed to outdo everyone in everyday life. Whether it was being a better friend, a better athlete, or citizen he seemed to gush American pride. J.P. was an incredible soul with endless potential. He is a hero in my eyes and I will forever remember the man that everyone should strive to live their life like.”

Among Ed Blecksmith’s many treasured memories of his son, one seemed to be spoken with a touch more pride than the rest, yet it might be J.P.’s most anonymous legacy.

At the beginning of his senior year at Flintridge Prep, J.P decided that he didn’t want to be a part of that school’s tradition of mildly hazing the incoming freshmen.

“J.P. said it was hard enough being a freshman and kids didn’t need to be hazed on top of it,” Ed Blecksmith said. “To this day, hazing does not exist at Flintridge Prep. J.P. got rid of it though his actions alone.”