The FReeper Foxhole - Military Related News in Review - Aug. 25th, 2003

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

God Bless America
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U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

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SOLDIER DROWNS IN EUPHRATES RIVER

SOLDIER DIES FROM NON-HOSTILE GUNSHOT WOUND

CONFISCATED, DESTROYED WEAPONS EQUAL SAFER IRAQ

MARINES HELP REBUILD WOMEN’S CENTER

COALITION REORGANIZES DAY-TO-DAY ISSUES

1 AD SOLDIER DIES DUE TO FIRE

SERVICE MEMBER KILLED IN AL HILLAH

SERVICE MEMBER DIES AS A RESULT OF AFGHAN HOSTILE FIRE INCIDENT

WEAPONS, IED CONFISCATED, DESTROYED

ANOTHER "IRAQI TOP 55" IN COALITION CUSTODY

ONE SOLDIER KILLED, TWO WOUNDED IN AN IED ATTACK

ONE KILLED, ONE INJURED AFTER CONVOY FIRED UPON

ONE INTERPRETER KILLED, TWO SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN ATTACK

ANOTHER MEMBER OF "IRAQI TOP 55" IN COALITION CUSTODY

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IRAQ NEWS

Clic on the Iraq banner for more detailed information.

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AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Clic on the Afghanistan banner for detailed information.

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Iraq's 55 Most Wanted - Status Link

DoD News Releases

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Casuality Identification List for the past week from the DoD



August 18, 2003
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Pfc. David M. Kirchhoff, 31, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died on Aug. 14 in Landstuhl, Germany. Pfc. Kirchhoff suffered a non-hostile injury on Aug. 8 and died on Aug. 14.

Kirchhoff was assigned to the 2133rd Transportation Company, U.S. Army National Guard, Centerville, Iowa.

The incident is under investigation.

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August 19, 2003
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Spc. Eric R. Hull, 23, of Uniontown, Pa., was killed on Aug. 18 in Baghdad, Iraq. Hull was in a military vehicle returning from the airport when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Hull died of his injuries.

Hull was assigned to the 307th Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserves, New Kensington, Pa.

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August 21, 2003
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Petty Officer 1st Class David M. Tapper, 32, of Camden County, N.J., died of wounds received in action Aug. 20 in Afghanistan.

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August 21, 2003
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Sgt. Kenneth W. Harris, Jr., 23, of Charlotte, Tenn., was killed on Aug. 20 in Scania, Iraq. Harris was fatally injured in a two-vehicle accident while driving south on the main supply route. Another soldier was also injured in the incident.

Harris was assigned to the 212th Transportation Company, U.S. Army Reserve, Chattanooga, Tenn.

The incident is under investigation.

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August 22, 2003
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin, 38, of Mineral Bluff, Ga., was killed on Aug. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq. Franklin died of injuries sustained by an improvised explosive device.

Franklin was assigned to the 210th Military Police Company, U.S. Army National Guard, Murphy N.C.

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August 22, 2003
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Lt. Kylan A. Jones-Huffman, 31, of Aptos, Calif., was killed Aug. 21 in Al Hillah, Iraq, by an unidentified gunman. Jones-Huffman was on temporary duty with the I Marine Expeditionary Force.

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Defend America. mil Photo Essay - U.N. HQ Bombed in Iraq


CLIC on the pic for the entire essay

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Soldier and guitar bring hope to Baghdad

By Sofia Sanchez, Operational Text Command PAO




An angel in disguise descended upon Baghdad in the form of a guitar-playing soldier last November. Two years ago he was just your typical soldier, anonymous to the world. Since last November, however, Sgt. Christopher Hamre, 30, from Killeen, has been featured in television stations such as BBC and TV Italia and in major newspapers such as The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News and The L.A. Times.

What had made Hamre instantly popular? His heart and his guitar.

Hamre recently returned from Iraq to visit his mother, Lacynda Kelley, who works at the U.S. Army Operational Test Command in West Fort Hood.

A month prior to deployment, the soldiers of 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Ga., were permitted one comfort item to take to the desert. Many chose folding chairs, CD players or propane stoves. Hamre chose his guitar.

“My guitar was actually kind of bigger than what they allowed to carry, but we — the soldiers and I — we sort of snuck it in,” Hamre admitted.

A month after deployment when morale slightly waned, Hamre, of Alpha Company 3-7 Inf. Div, part of Task Force 464, decided to brighten things up and started playing. “The PX wasn’t up, electricity was out, and in the beginning we only received one hot meal a day.” Hamre said the guitar helped pass the time.

Hamre’s music had a tremendous effect on soldiers’ morale. “After three weeks in Baghdad, my XO was urging me to play all the time. It’s kind of ironic that the XO, who was the strongest advocate against the guitar, became the strongest advocate for it,” Hamre said.

“This is probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Hamre said in retrospect of bringing his guitar. “Here we have kids seeing soldiers wounded, a lot of looting, kidnapping, murders and just general chaos. And in the middle of it all, you’ve got this guy playing a guitar.”

When Hamre’s platoon was charged with taking Baghdad, the guitar rode with him and aided to calm much of the tension and unease. “Everybody was kind of tense. We had sniper attacks. So I just played my guitar, which got everybody kind of relaxed.” It was simply Hamre’s way of telling the soldiers that everybody was going to be all right.

Hamre’s guitar not only became symbolic of hope among the soldiers, it also became symbolic of peace within the local community.

When he started playing his guitar, the locals discovered they were not so different from each other. “We were seen as human beings,” Hamre said. The music helped to shed the myth of American soldiers simply being fighting machines.

Hamre quickly gained a following. “There was this 8-year-old kid named Amad. I call him my adopted son,” he said. “Amad would just come by and hang out with me and the crew after school every day. His mom cooked for the soldiers as a sort of ‘thank you’ for watching her child,” Hamre recalled.

Hamre didn’t imagine how attached he would become to Amad and his family. “I gave him a picture of my children [daughter Ember and son Dylan] and gave him my address. Hopefully one day, he’ll try to get a hold of me,” Hamre stated. “It was like having another family over there. I miss him now. His whole family cried when we left,” Hamre added.

News of Hamre’s guitar playing reached the ears of several TV stations and newspapers situated in Baghdad. BBC TV ran a two-hour segment on the war in the eyes of a child. Amad became one of the main subjects of the BBC piece, and naturally, Hamre had a chance to be on BBC TV as well.

“I was very proud,” Hamre’s mother, Kelley, said. “I feel it was very humanitarian what he did…because it focused the outlook away from what was really happening. Finding the good, no matter what the situation is,” Kelley concluded.

“That picture is him,” Hamre’s mother said about her son’s picture “That is his demeanor…it brought tears to my eyes,” Kelley added. “The picture captured his soul. You never would have thought he was in the middle of a war.”

Hamre said that bringing his guitar doesn’t make him more special than anyone else. “I consider them all heroes,” Hamre said about his soldiers. “Everybody deserves recognition and respect.”

Hamre is nostalgic at the thought of going back. “They’ve already set up a Burger King and a PX, so I guess we’re staying,” he said hopefully. “I can see myself getting sent back there one more time. The Middle East is going to be one of our regular rotations now.”

Not unlike many in the military, Hamre stated this tour greatly enhanced his outlook in life. “I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the little things: running water, electricity, family, getting up everyday, watching the sunrise,” he mused. “It’s really only the little things that make a big difference,” Hamre added.

“There are a lot of things people there did for us that didn’t make the news. Unfortunately, conflict sells.”

“I tell myself, you’ve been given a second chance. We got a lot of close calls over there.” Hamre said. “I got lucky. A lot of people didn’t make it…I couldn’t ask for anything more than being alive.” Hamre also added that people should never forget what many soldiers did in Iraq. “There were really a lot of selfless acts…and divine intervention. We’re lucky to get out in one piece.”

Link

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Select any button below to go to the respective Military homepages for more news and information on our Armed Forces.

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[SAMWolf]

Our Military Today
Welcome Home, Well Done

U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division Spc. Travis Hunt is greeted by his girlfriend after arriving to Fort Stewart, GA Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. The 3rd Infantry Division soldiers who stormed Baghdad and fought guerillas in Iraq's Sunni triangle flew home Monday to their headquarters at Fort Stewart, completing a nine deployment to the Persian Gulf. ( AP Photo/John Moore)


U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division Spc. Lucas Eduards from Garner, N.C. is greeted by his wife Stephanie after arriving to Ft. Stewart, GA Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. Garner, with A Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment, returned with hundreds of other 2nd Brigade soldiers after spending nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (AP Photo/John Moore)


U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division Staff Sgt. Thomas Slago from Los Angeles, celebrates after arriving to Fort. Stewart, GA. Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. Slago, a Bradley fighting vehicle commander with A Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment, codenamed Attack returned with hundreds of other 2nd Brigade soldiers after spending nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom. At left is Cpt. Chris Carter from Watkinsville, GA. (AP Photo/John Moore)


U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division soldiers turn in their weapons after arriving to Hunter Airbase in Savannah, Ga. Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. Harris, with 'Attack' Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment returned after spending nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom.(AP Photo/John Moore)


Unidentified U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division soldiers return from Iraq to Hunter Airfield in Savannah, Ga. Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. The troops with 'Attack' Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment returned after spending nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom.(AP Photo/John Moore)


Family members cheer as soldiers from the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division arrive to Ft. Stewart, GA Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. Troops from 'Attack' Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment, returned with hundreds of other 2nd Brigade soldiers after spending 9 months in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (AP Photo/John Moore)
U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division Spc. Diandrea Harris, 23, from Ozarka, AL., kisses the tarmac after arriving to Hunter Airbase from Iraq in Savannah, Ga. Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. Harris, with A Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment returned after spending nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom.(AP Photo/John Moore)


Susan Ann Cook, niece of returning Ssg. Tomas Slago, tries on his helmet after soldiers from the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division arrived to Ft. Stewart, Ga. Monday, Aug. 11, 2003. Slago and others from A Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment, returned with hundreds of other 2nd Brigade soldiers after spending nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (AP Photo/John Moore)


U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Pfister from Buffalo, N.Y., center, toasts to the return of 'Attack' Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment from the 3rd Infantry Division from Iraq while at a bar in Savannah, Ga., early Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003. The company returned to their base at Fort Stewart, Ga., Monday after a 9 month stint as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (AP Photo/John Moore)


Maj. Gen. Buford C. Blount III is hugged by his wife, Anita, as he arrives at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Blount, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, returned with a planeload of troops and the division colors. His arrival signifies an end of the war for the Army division that led the assault on Baghdad. Soldier at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/Gerald Weaver)

[SAMWolf]

How old is your Hobbit?

[HiJinx]

“There were really a lot of selfless acts…and divine intervention. We’re lucky to get out in one piece.”

That kinda says it all, doesn't it? God Bless these young men and women...they really are the greatest!

Thanks, Snippy, for putting Mondays together!

[SAMWolf]

Morning HiJinx.

Snippy puts a lot of "last minute" work into Mondays making sure it's as current as possible.

[Soaring Feather]

Thanks Sam and Snippy for a great thread everyday.

Jinx, yes indeed, I agree with your comment, there is a power greater than us watching over us.

[snippy_about_it]

Pneumonia isn't a sickness I'd associate with Iraq

You are right on a couple fronts. First how often are all the sicknesses and injuries occurring in the general population here at home? And the press only emphasises the military incidents without comparing it to general population stats.

One thing this pneumonia report doesn't solve is the recent FDIB's we talked about last week.

On the other hand, it was good to see there were no FDIB's in this weeks list.

[snippy_about_it]

I curse Bill Gates on a daily basis. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Ken for the report of Marquardt's death.

Thank you SAM for doing the research and for bolding George Marquardt's statement. It's an important point to be made.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL. Thanks for the offer but we generally live on coffee around here, need to stay alert in the Foxhole. Now on vacations, it's a whole different story.

[SAMWolf]

I wonder if Darksheare has a marquarita recipe? it could e interesting.

[snippy_about_it]

The special boxes will be found exclusively in commissaries worldwide during September, or while supplies last.

Reminder to self; Send an email off to General Mills and get these in regular stores!!!

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks for the Homecoming pictures. Woo-hoo. The second one illustrates how I'd like to welcome them home. :)

But then I can't be knocking everyone over so I guess I would try to contain myself. lol.

[snippy_about_it]

Your most welcome HiJinx. ;)

[HiJinx]

1900 Friedrich Nietzsche philosopher, dies in Weimar, Germany

God, OTOH, is still alive!

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you feather. We're glad you appreciate the Foxhole, our labor of love as I like to call it.

[snippy_about_it]

God, OTOH, is still alive!

LOL. Good one Jinxy.

[snippy_about_it]

I wonder if Darksheare has a marquarita recipe?

Oh my...I don't even think I'd want to try that. I like waking up and knowing only one night has passed, not three. lol.

[snippy_about_it]

Lunch is over and so is my posting marathon. lol.

See you this afternoon.

[CholeraJoe]

I noticed no FDIB's. I can't help but think the others were heatstroke.

[SAMWolf]

See you this evening Snippy.