Letter from Iraq
Mr. Peperium
Some fathers point to their fathers as models for their sons. Some search the pages of history books for examples of courage and character. I just point to the boy who grew up next door. What follows is an email from that boy who is now a man and leading other men in Iraq. You can tell he's a good officer because he's always thinking of those men first.
I tried to hint that something bad had happened with my platoon from my last email. If you didn't know, we were the soldiers in Southern Iraq that got hit the other night. We were escorting a convoy north to Kalsu where I have been before. SGT_____ and I were pushed out way in front of our convoy to be an early warning if the enemy was to make contact. SGT_____ and his crew were taking the lead and I was close behind in overwatch. He stopped short of an overpass because he thought he saw something and his gunner scanned it with his thermal lights. He came back saying it was nothing and continued moving, those would be the last words I heard from his mouth. His vehicle was hit right in front of me with a multiple array EFP. A nasty weapon that I am sure the Iranians are supplying due to the fact these are military-grade weapons, not some amatuer weapons made in a basement. I immediately tried to make communications with him to no avail. My gunner was looking through thermal sights and said he saw the gunner jump from the turret and the driver get out. Prior to this I have talked to one of my Senior Staff Sergeants who has been hit by 5 different IEDs and said when you are close it doesn't sound loud at all, audio exclusion. The blast sounded no more than a pop and since I was moving blacked out and under night vision the blast didn't seem that big. I thought everyone would be fine. My vehicle immediately pushed past to pick up security on the far side and I got out and ran to the hit vehicle. The penetrators must have hit the spare fuel cans because when I got to it, the whole truck was in flames. I have never seen anything like it and I was not prepared to see the wounds my soldiers had sustained. And I certainly was not confident in my ability to treat them, my medic was on route. SSG_____ was the next man on the ground, my senior scout. I am their leader, but I would follow this man to the pits of Hell...He went to the burning truck, SGT_____ was still inside. I pray he was killed on contact because we were unable to get him out. SSG_____ jumped in the burning vehicle with total disregard to his own safety. The ammunition in the vehicle was cooking off (the fire was setting off the bullets) I don't know how he didn't get more injured than the burns he got. I pulled a vehicle forward to shield the casualties, my medic and myself from the rounds. SSG_____ caught on fire while trying to pull SGT_____ from the vehicle and had to get out. We tried as hard as we could but the weight of the overhead armor fell against his door...we tried everything, we just culdn't get him out.
SGT_____ was killed in action on 19 May 07. He had been in my platoon since I was assigned Platoon Leader back almost 2.5 years ago. He was the model sergeant and one of my "go-to" guys. He will be greatly missed by myself as well as the platoon. He leaves behind a 2 year-old son and wife.
PFC_____ was wounded in action. He was the gunner and received terrible wounds to his face. The last report was that he was in stable condition and was evaced to Germany. He will no doubt have months if not years of surgery to rebuild his face and recover.
SPC_____ received lacerations to the neck and will be fine. I'm sure PTSD will be a problem for him.
I'm getting kicked out of the computer lab now, know that we are doing well but please keep my soldiers in your prayers...
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