The coronavirus outbreak is now the dominant story in America.
There is no aspect of American life that has not been affected.
And the U.S. military revealed a sobering truth about the coronavirus.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy sadly announced that New Jersey National Guard Captain Douglas Linn Hickok was the first U.S. service member to succumb to the coronavirus.
“I’m heartbroken by the loss of @NJNationalGuard Captain Douglas Linn Hickok to coronavirus. He was a drilling guardsman and physician’s assistant, originally from Jackson. Our thoughts are with his wife, children, and their family,” Governor Murphy wrote on social media.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper also mourned the loss of Captain Hickok.
“Today is a sad day for the Department of Defense as we have lost our first American service member – active, reserve or Guard – to Coronavirus,” Secretary Esper wrote.
Secretary Esper added, “This is a stinging loss for our military community, and our condolences go out to his family, friends, civilian co-workers and the entire National Guard community. The news of this loss strengthens our resolve to work ever more closely with our interagency partners to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
National Guard Bureau Chief Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel also mourned the Captain’s death, writing:
“I am deeply saddened by the COVID-19-related death of Army Capt. Douglas Linn Hickok, a physician assistant & New Jersey National Guardsman. All of us in the #NationalGuard are grateful for his service to our nation, as a Citizen & as a Soldier.
Our thoughts are with his family & friends. All of us are likely to know people directly affected by this virus in the coming weeks. As our nation fights its greatest challenge in recent memory, we’re all going to need to draw on our inner strength & resilience to win this war & comfort those in pain. We must bring our best selves every day to overcome this as fast as possible for our great country.”
Captain Hickok’s death was a tragedy.
And President Trump warned the nation there could be more to come.
At a White House press briefing, the President cautioned that unless Americans followed the social distancing guidelines, up to 200,000 Americans could perish from the coronavirus in the coming four months.
Governors across the country are using the National Guard to perform vital pandemic response functions and these brave men and women are at risk of exposure to the virus.
So there could be more service member deaths in the weeks ahead.
The coronavirus pandemic will test Americans in the coming weeks.
Americans will be asked to make sacrifices for the good of the rest of their fellow citizens.
President Trump prepared the nation for a bumpy road ahead in the month of April.
But the President and his task force did tell the American people that this outbreak will eventually run its course.
The coronavirus will eventually peak and begin to subside in late April and early May in large parts of the nation which will allow Americans to begin thinking about a return to normal life.
Great American Daily will keep you up to date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
