Troops gift fallen Iraq War solider's son a memento from his service

James was killed by an IED in Iraq in 2004. His son, Bradley James, was just 6 months old and never got to know his father.

So for Bradley's 18th birthday, he wanted to visit Fort Bragg to see where his father lived and trained.

On Friday, James' fellow soldiers went to the unit's basketball court, named in honor of James, and met Bradley to deliver the surprise gift.

Many soldiers in the 2-505 Parachute Infantry Regiment will never forget Jan. 27, 2004. It was the day three soldiers from the unit were wounded, and three others lost their lives.

One of them was James, and in his ruck sack was something special: A bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne.

"Well, this was something the officers did where they had carried a bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne," said Command Sgt. Maj. (R) Jim Miller. "And this was not known by anybody but amongst the officers and their own manner of promoting their own esprit de corps and cohesion amongst the officer corps in the battalion."

Miller was given the bottle at his retirement and given one more mission: Make sure the son of their fallen comrade gets the champagne when he's older and can understand his father's sacrifice. Friday was that day.

"It's humbling and nice to know, because in the back of your mind, you don't want to believe that people have forgotten about something," Bradley James said. "And to find out that there are all these people who are there to support you is just a fantastic thing to know."

Bradley James is too young too drink, but even if he were, he knows the significance of this bottle and is figuring out a plan for its future.

"It's important, and I just don't think that it's something that should be wasted," Bradley James said. "So I think if anything it will be something that I hold onto and remember for the rest of my life."