It was very sad and upsetting to me when I read that someone had taken the memorial on Allen Street ("U.S. soldiers memorial on Allen Street missing," March 17). My best friend was killed in Iraq on Nov. 1. Yes, I was devastated when I received word that he was killed. Yes, I cried at his funeral. What cheered me up was walking by the memorial every day and noticing my friend's name and picture there. Seeing it every day made me realize that people who didn't even know him were honoring his service to our country.