Totally cool “A Little Taste of Independence” cake by 17 And Baking

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Before I begin this post, let me just take a minute to say Happy Columbus Day and also remind everyone that my big, massive, huge, super spectacular birthday giveaway ends tonight at midnight EST. So get those last minute entries in while you can- there’s over $200 worth of prizes at stake!

Now on to more somber things. Military Monday is something I’ve been doing for a while around here, and I have to credit Yoyo over at TOPSTITCH with the idea. She asked me to do it with her back in May, and since that first post I’ve proudly done 17 Military Monday posts. Each week I post a picture I find on the internet of a beautiful patriotic cake or pastry and more importantly, I list the names of soldiers who have died serving our country.

I think it’s important we remember and honor our troops, both those still serving and those who served in the past as well as those who died in the line of duty. I hope this MM idea catches on with more bloggers and people on Twitter until everyone does it.

Paul C. Alaniz, 32, Marine Captain, Jan 26, 2005 Corpus Christi, Texas
Brian D. Bland, 26, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Newcastle/Weston, Wyoming
Jonathan Edward Etterling, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Wheelersburg, Ohio
Michael W. Finke Jr., 28, Marine Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Wadsworth/Huron, Ohio
Travis J. Fuller, 26, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Jan 26, 2005 Granville, Massachusetts
Timothy M. Gibson, 23, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Merrimack/Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Richard A. Gilbert Jr., 26, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Dayton/Montgomery, Ohio
Lyle L. Gordon, 30, Marine Captain, Jan 26, 2005 Midlothian, Texas
Kyle J. Grimes, 21, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Northampton, Pennsylvania
Tony L. Hernandez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Canyon Lake, Texas
Brian C. Hopper, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Wynne, Arkansas
Saeed Jafarkhani-Torshizi Jr., 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Fort Worth, Texas
Stephen P. Johnson, 24, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Covina, California
Sean P. Kelly, 23, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Pitman/Gloucester, New Jersey
Dexter S. Kimble, 30, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Houston, Texas
Allan Klein, 34, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Clinton Township, Michigan
Timothy A. Knight, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Brooklyn, Ohio
Fred L. Maciel, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Spring, Texas
James Lee Moore, 24, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Roseburg, Oregon
Nathaniel K. Moore, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Champaign, Illinois
Mourad Ragimov, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 San Diego, California
Rhonald Dain Rairdan, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Castroville/San Antonio, Texas
Hector Ramos, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Aurora, Illinois
Gael Saintvil, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Orlando/Orange, Florida
Nathan A. Schubert, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Cherokee, Iowa
Darrell J. Schumann, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Hampton, Virginia
Dustin M. Shumney, 30, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Jan 26, 2005 Benicia/Vallejo, California
Matthew R. Smith, 24, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 West Valley City, Utah
Joseph B. Spence, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Scotts Valley, California
Michael L. Starr Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Baltimore, Maryland
Jonathan W. Bowling, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Patrick, Virginia
Karl R. Linn, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Chesterfield, Virginia
Jesse W. Strong, 24, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Irasburg, Vermont
Christopher L. Weaver, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Fredericksburg, Virginia
John Daniel House, 28, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Jan 26, 2005 Ventura, California
Kevin M. Luna, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 27, 2005 Oxnard, California
Jonathan S. Beatty, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 27, 2005 Streator, Illinois
Orlando A. Bonilla, 27, Army Captain, Jan 28, 2005 Killeen, Texas
Stephen A. Castellano, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 28, 2005 Long Beach, California
Charles S. Jones, 34, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 28, 2005 Lawtey, Florida
Joseph E. Rodriguez, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Las Cruces, New Mexico
Mickey E. Zaun, 27, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 28, 2005 Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
Michael S. Evans II, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Marrero, Louisiana
Christopher J. Ramsey, 20, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Batchelor, Louisiana
Jonathan Ray Reed, 25, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Krotz Springs/Opelousa, Louisiana
Lyle W. Rymer II, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 28, 2005 Fort Smith, Arkansas
Andrew K. Farrar Jr., 31, Marine Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Weymouth, Massachusetts
Lindsey T. James, 23, Army Sergeant, Jan 29, 2005 Urbana, Missouri
Barbara Heald, 60, Dept. of the Army Civilian, Jan 29, 2005 Stamford, Connecticut
Edward E. Jack, 51, Navy Lieutenant Commander, Jan 29, 2005 Detroit, Michigan