Amazing work on this cake, the dress blues and cover are spot on.
My heart breaks for this mother and her family. My DH and I both served in the Marines. It never gets easier knowing another one of your brother or sisters came home paying the ultimate price. May peace be with them in these horrible times. As the Marine Corps hymn goes, he is know guarding heavens streets.

From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in ev'ry clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job--
The United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

mkolmar, thanks for posting the words. I believe it is every Fourth of July that I watch one of the ceremonies from D.C. on PBS. They play every military hymn and I always crank the volume up because they are very uplifting songs. I know, I'm a little weird, but those songs are the greatest! I also like to listen Army Ranger cadences on CD (hubby is Army).

I would love to have cadences on CD! I used to love calling cadence when I was in the Army!

Once again I have wept uncontrollably when viewing this cake. I don't know exactly how to express why it moves me so much, except to say that I see the faces of a thousand servicemen and women as I view it. "Heart" is visible in every detail of the cake and it goes beyond being just a cake. I have a 21 yr old son and the thought of losing him.... well, my heart cannot handle the thought.

To each of you who have a service man or woman in your family or among your friends -- may God bless each of them and please let them know that there are many of us out there who pray for them each night and ask for their safe return to their families. My family attends the Veteran's Day parade each year just so we can hold up our poster that includes picutres of family members who served in the armed forces and we always includes a huge THANK YOU poster to honor those who served.