Pray for Thomas Hamill - brave captured American Patriot.

http://www.news-leader.com/today/0411-Marinescon-60328.html ^ | 11 April 2004 | TomasUSMC

[TomasUSMC]

Mr. Tom Hamill was captured when his convoy was attacked by Muslim guerrillas. He showed great courage and patriotism when interviewed immediately after being captured he said, " Our convoy was attacked, thats all I'm saying."

Militants threatened to kill American hostage Thomas Hamill, 43, of Macon, Miss., who was the latest in a series of kidnappings in Iraq.

[GeronL]

Ping lists??

[Travis McGee]

Pray for an Easter Miracle for Thomas Hammill...

[cardinal4]

Mr. Hammil has our family's prayers..

[Travis McGee]

And all the other hostages, for whom we don't even have a name yet...

[onyx]

Pray for an Easter Miracle for Thomas Hammill...





Absolutely.
Prayers for his safe release.

More information on him here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1115271/posts

[wardaddy]

Indeed. A big prayer.

Just got home from services myself.

I fear for this fellow

[Travis McGee]

I can only hope he gets an Easter miracle. He needs it.

[no dems]

I will pray for him. I believe in The Lord and the power of prayer. However, to call him a "BRAVE PATRIOT"? The guy was over there working for a Haliburton subsidiary making mega bucks. Give me a break.

[TomasUSMC]

Some folks say:"However, to call him a "BRAVE PATRIOT"? The guy was over there working for a Haliburton subsidiary making mega bucks. Give me a break."


How sad that some people think working for Haliburton makes you not brave or not a patriot. OH Wait, if you work for even a SUBSIDIARY of Haliburton, makes you not brave and not a patriot.

Definition of Brave:

Etymology: Middle French, from Old Italian & Old Spanish bravo courageous, wild, probably from Latin barbarus barbarous
1 : having courage : DAUNTLESS

Definition of Patriot:

Etymology: Middle French patriote compatriot, from Late Latin patriota, from Greek patriOtEs, from patria lineage, from patr-, patEr father
1 : one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests

Definition of Coward - Someone who supports our enemy by criticizing our brave patriots behind their back when they can not defend themselves.

Cowards need not pray for the Patriots of the land of the Free and the home of the BRAVE.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

Bravo. I love your post! I wonder how many people might've refused an employer if they had to be sent over to Iraq?

Praying for Thomas and his safe return. There aren't too many experiences more terrifying then the one he is currently undergoing. He is a patriot and a hero!

[hmmmmm]

I've seen 2 pictures of this brave man; the first just after he was captured and the terrorists had their photo op with the Australian Broadcasting Co. crew, the second in a thread here on FR. This brave man has shown nothing but steely determination and something else, perhaps, defiance. In neither picture has there been a sign of weakness. I pray he's released soon or that we release him soon and that in either instance he is able to exact his own personal revenge (whatever that may be).

[Coop]

Sending prayers heavenward.

[PatriotEdition]

Is there an official site to post prayers and well wishes for Hamill?

[TomasUSMC]

You can post anything you want for Mr. Hamill here if you wish.

[4integrity]

Thank you for this post. I have been praying so hard for GOD to protect Mr. Hamill. I will continue to pray for him and his family until he is released safely.

[hawm4]

As a fellow Mississippian, and ever more a fellow American, my thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Hamill as well all the others.

[TomasUSMC]

Here is more information on Thomas Hamill - May God Bless him.

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- Thomas Hamill's neighbors in Macon, Mississippi, knew all too well about the hard times that drove the gentle family man to sell off his dairy herd and take a high-paying but dangerous job in Iraq, where he has been missing since he was abducted last week.

"This is a small town. It hits us hard. God bless him, he's just trying to make a living for his family," said longtime resident Marion Gilbertson.

Hamill fought hard to keep the dairy business that had been in his family for three decades, working long, exhausting hours to pay off loans to the Merchants & Farmers Bank, friends said.

But he needed to find a way to raise his two young children and pay for heart surgery needed by his wife, Kellie.

He sold his cows and milking equipment, and last September the 43-year-old volunteer firefighter signed on to drive a fuel truck for a year in Iraq for up to $120,000, tax free.

Last Friday, he was captured by gunmen who attacked a convoy. They threatened to kill Hamill unless U.S. troops stopped attacking the city of Fallujah by a Sunday morning deadline. The deadline passed and there has been no word on his fate.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Looking for updates. Desperate prayers for Thomas Hamill. This is heartbreaking.

[ExSoldier]

I'm sorry for this guy, but if I'm going into a war zone like this hell hole; then I've just gotta know that there's a big "BULLSEYE" painted on my back! I'd give him the exact same advice I give to women who seek my instruction for the FL CCW permit: NEVER, get into the car in an abduction attempt! I don't care if the goon has a gun on you already. At worst, if you fight back you get killed, but at least you get to make the choice and you go out with dignity and maybe take some with you. You get into the car and you're just as dead but it's likely to be a terrible and useless death. Never get into the car!

I don't care if you're military, civilian contractor, security guy or even (gag) a "newsie." There is no excuse for being unarmed. There is no excuse for not having the proper mindset that if you are carrying concealed firepower you must be prepared to use it with total effectiveness in a split moment. Otherwise, don't go. Period. No amount of money is worth putting your hide into a gunsight without at least a fighting chance. Does this hastily thought up wording make any sense? It's been a long day in the classroom. ~sigh~ Come on, summer vacation!

[Eaker]

I don't care if you're military, civilian contractor, security guy or even (gag) a "newsie." There is no excuse for being unarmed.

A civilian contractor would be fired immediately if found to be armed.

I would take the risk and gun-up, but that is just me.

[ExSoldier]

"I would take the risk and gun-up, but that is just me."

Not just you my friend. At some point, especially if this trend of civilians being specifically targeted, more folks are going to run the same risk and "gun up" as you put it. There is an important lesson here. Suppose the military declares that they will "protect" those contractors? Suppose their companies declare they will hire armed guards? Think either one is going to be 100% effective all the time? Of course not! I would be surprised if they had any deterrence effect. You can only be responsible for your own safety. That is true on the mean streets of Baghdad as well as on the streets of your hometown. Unarmed is unable.

[onyx]

I can see that your advice and recommendations
are valid. I also read your page.

Regarding Thomas Hamill, I doubt he had a chance.
and apparently he was unarmed. All we can do for
him now is pray.

*Never get into a car during an abduction attempt*
I'll remember that and pass it along to my children
and g-children. Seriously, I will. I'm not trying
to be a smartie.

[Coop]

A civilian contractor would be fired immediately if found to be armed.

Negative. There are all sorts of contractors over there carrying weapons - as they should be. I'd probably be over there right now if my company didn't have a ridiculous policy of not allowing us to carry weapons. Grrrr.

[Eaker]

Negative. There are all sorts of contractors over there carrying weapons - as they should be. I'd probably be over there right now if my company didn't have a ridiculous policy of not allowing us to carry weapons. Grrrr.

KBR does not allow employees who are not part of security to carry guns. I am copying FReeper Allegra, who is in Iraq, to verify.

Stay safe Coop!!!!

[Barlowmaker]

Why are we taxpayers (through KBR's outsourcing contracts) paying American civilians $120,000/year to drive trucks, and face terrible personal risk, in a War zone? Why aren't Iraqis performing that duty?

[Coop]

I have two friends who just returned from over there, and both said many contractors with them were carrying weapons. And there are reports of reporters packing heat.

[Allegra]

Why are we taxpayers (through KBR's outsourcing contracts) paying American civilians $120,000/year to drive trucks, and face terrible personal risk, in a War zone? Why aren't Iraqis performing that duty?

Mmmmmph....mmmmmmmph...cannot say a WORD.

(There is a good reason, though...)

[Allegra]

A civilian contractor would be fired immediately if found to be armed.

It may depend on who you work for, but Eaker's statement is true for my company. We are strictly forbidden to have a firearm here. Flat out not allowed to so much as touch one.

[Coop]

It may depend on who you work for, but Eaker's statement is true for my company. We are strictly forbidden to have a firearm here. Flat out not allowed to so much as touch one.

I think it must be firm-dependent, because my company - as stated above - has the same ridiculous policy yours does. Stay safe!

[Integrityrocks]

I'm so glad you posted that.

People need to get off the Haliburton thing. We did not go to Iraq for Haliburton. There will ALWAYS be some who profit from war. Its a fact of war. Just like people who made millions selling shovels during the gold rush. The masses were there for the gold... the shovel sellers... just knew a way to make it. Haliburton may be the biggest slime bag on earth (I personally don't know), but the honest wage earners working in the rank and file should not be asked to give up their livlihood and a chance to get ahead because their boss is making a lot of money!

[Allegra]

Are you...here? Where I am?

You stay safe, too. :)

[Coop]

Are you...here? Where I am?

Negs. I withdrew my name from consideration when I found out they wouldn't allow us to defend ourselves.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

Am bumping some prayers straight up to heaven for patriot and hero, Tom Hamill.

May God give him the courage and strength to sustain his suffering in the hands of such despicable enemies.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

More prayers!

[AmericanMade1776]

prayer said...and for all our troops today ..may they all be protected from physical harm and return safely soon!

[testbs]

My prayers and the prayers of my church family are with Tom and all those that are held captive. His face touched my heart when I saw it on the TV. My prayers are with him and his family here at home. His only hope is in our prayers.

[blueskyhigh444]

Thank God Thomas is FREE.

His FACE stole my heart !!!! If he had ONE thing going for him, besides his BRAIN, it was that face! May God get him HOME, to the USA.. Who could have looked at those EYES, and not felt mercy????????

I pray for the others, and families, of the lost.