BENTONVILLE — Before May 11, 2005, it was Cpl. Aaron Mankin’s job to tell the story of Marines at the front lines in the Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On May 11, 2005, Mankin became the story. He was severely injured when the 26-ton truck he was riding in was catapulted 10 feet in the air by a improvised explosive device that was designed specifically to attack large vehicles. He received second- and third-degree burns over his face and from his finger tips to his shoulder blades.

“ It’s a story only I can tell, it’s one story from among thousands, ” he told a large crowd gathered at the First Baptist Church of Bentonville, where the third annual Celebrate America was held. “ I’ve been given the opportunity to inherit badges of honor but when I take off this uniform, my scars remain. I will live my entire life as an American who can’t deny what he’s sacrificed. ”

The church auditorium was filled with people but all was silent as Mankin continued his story. He said that just before he passed out from the trauma of his wounds, he saw an angel and he made peace that he would probably die. He didn’t die, however, and 48 hours later found himself recuperating in a military hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

“ But my story is not an account of sacrifice, but of survival, ” the Rogers native said. “ I learned that if it’s worth living for, it’s worth dying for. I’ve become a strong believer that you can’t have a testimony without a test. ”    ….more