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View a eulogy for Dominic Rocco Baragona, USMA '82, who passed away on May 19, 2003.

Dominic Rocco Baragona

West Point, 1982

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Telemachus C. Halkias---"Tele" on May 21, 2003:

This morning, Juan Hernandez, C-3, my best friend in the world, called to personally deliver this sad news, instinctively sensing its deeper meaning to me. Whether you knew him as Rocky (his pre- and post- WP name), or by his two A-3 favorites, Cuda and BooBoo, or just plain Dom, LTC Dominic Baragona was a true friend in every sense of the word.

As his 3-time roommate, I had a unique view on Dom that I am glad to say, so many years later, I was able to have. Even though the Army is a small world, it also sometimes has the effect of pulling people apart, and the crossing-of-paths that seems to happen so often with some, many times turns into near-misses with others. This was the case with me and Dom, with whom I last spoke in the spring of 96.

But whether it was weeks or years----acquaintances, friends, company mates and roommates from our cadet years so often withstand the test of time, as many of us found out at our 20th reunion. The long-term durability of that bond is unlike anything we see anywhere else in our lives. At the reunion, there were so many people that I neither saw nor got a chance to speak to, but the locking of eyes across a crowded room and a smiling nod in acknowledgment was really all that was needed. I looked for Dom on that rainy Saturday, but alas, he did not make the trip. My wife was so disappointed; she felt that she already knew him, and several other of my cadet-day-cronies, through my increasingly elaborately spun tales over the years.

I will save my personal reminiscences of Dom for his biographical tribute in the Assembly. Ellen, wherever you are out there, please mark me down for this one. Ive been working on it all morning.


Tele Halkias, A-3
LTC, USA(ret)

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