Posted on 05/24/2005 12:31:54 AM PDT by Swordmaker
Hello all;
The date is 22 MAY 05, and I find myself needing to write again. Before I start, I want to say that I am completely overwhelmed with emotions. A brief history if you will bear with me. Approximately 3 weeks ago, I was contacted by my mother regarding a friend of a friend with whom she had been sending my letters for entertainment purposes I am sure…grin
Anyway, I received an e-mail from some guy whom I had never met named “Swordmaker” asking me if he could print my letters on an online newspaper. I thought it a funny at first, but two days later, I was sent a link, and surprise, there it was. This has been an awesome journey for me. When I first read some of the responses from “Freepers”, I got choked up, and misty eyed (seriously). I couldn’t believe the support that you all have shown. I cannot tell you how this has made me feel. I have shown some of the posts to my soldiers, and they are so full of pride for our Country right now. I appreciate all of your prayers as they are needed and well received. I write this as a precursor to this…..
On Friday, 20 May 2005 at about 2300 hrs, we were heading to the Wolf Brigade Compound to meet with them. There had been several IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices) on one of the main routes that evening, so we (my three trucks) took another, less traveled, rural and small road in the outskirts of outer Baghdad. About four miles into it, I was watching the tail lights of my Commanders vehicle as we were driving blacked out. All of the sudden, an explosion and my Commanders vehicle disappeared in a large cloud of dirt and smoke. I immediately attempted to gain communication with him and his crew and could not see anything ahead of me. After several attempts, he came over the radio and stated that he was up and everyone was alive.
At that time, my truck began to receive automatic gunfire, and my gunner started to engage the enemy. My first truck gave me their report that they were clear. Thinking that they were now ahead of us, and we were split apart, I ordered my driver to shoot through the smoke. He looked at me and said “Sergeant, I can’t see anything”. I told him to act as if it were a NASCAR crash and shoot the smoke. He replied with “roger that” Let me tell you about a bat out of hell. He punched it and off we went. When we got about 400 meters down the road, I saw a vehicles tail lights, and knew that we had caught up with the other two vehicles. As we approached, I only was able so see one set.
After establishing that it was my lead truck, I got a sick feeling in my stomach. I then called to my Commander, and asked where he was. He told me that they were able to pull out of the ditch and head out in the direction from which we came, but now the vehicle could not move and they were in the middle of this road and unprotected.
I immediately turned both trucks around and once again headed into the danger area hoping that there was not a secondary IED. When we arrived at the initial blast site, the visibility was still zero, and we once again flew through the kill zone only hitting a pothole jostle. A few seconds later we arrived at the other truck which was completely destroyed and was amazed that they were able to drive it at all. A quick reaction force was assembled from another unit who was in the area to assist us, and provide an escort back to the Forward Operation Base (FOB Falcon). After taking everyone to the Medical Center for minor treatment, our day was finished.
The following day, we continued mission as usual and took the same road to see the blast site and look for evidence for our Intelligence Section. Here is where your prayers took over for me. When we arrived at the blast site, my mouth dropped. “The pothole” which we ran over at 60 mph was 17ft in diameter, and 8ft deep. The bomb squad had stated that it was a 500lb Russian bomb which was used. The crater was in 1/3 of the road, and right in the path which we were driving.
When we drove over it, I found out later that my Commanders vehicle was in that hole, and we should by all rights have driven into the side of them at 60mph plus. The second time back in that direction, the same path was used (middle of the road) and 2 times we missed the crater driving blind through the smoke and dust. The blast itself took out the entire front end of the vehicle. If the bomber had only waited a fraction of a second later, the explosion would have been center mass.
I also found out that just prior to the incident, the gunner had just lowered his upper body back down inside of the vehicle to ask a question, thus saving his life from both the explosion and shrapnel. After driving around for three weeks in old style HUMVEE’s which only have armor additions placed on the doors, we were given three brand new complete up armored HUMVEE’s that morning.
If there ever were any of my soldiers who did not believe in prayers or miracles…. They do now.
So my new friends, this is not a letter home as my family has not heard yet. This is a thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support and all of your thoughts and prayers. I do have to say, if the Insurgents are right and WE are the infidels then Allah must have had blinked or fell asleep, cause he sure did miss this one.
God bless G.W. and you. Thank you for everything,
Greg (jmpmstr4u2)
Thanks to all you Freepers who prayed for Greg and his men... Don't stop!
Swordmaker
God bless you Greg. Thanks for the note . Prayers still goin' out for all you guys.
Greg, thanks so much for allowing us to read of your experiences and thanks for all that you and your buddies do for this great country.
We love you all and our prayers will be continuing without ceasing.
Tammy
This is more than the power of prayer.
jmpmstr4u2
Letter from Greg... this one will knock your socks off...
Keep those prayers going for Greg, his soldiers, and all of our people in Harm's Way!
Swordmaker
I'll tell this story to my kids. Every night we say our prayers and include our soldiers. The initial "glory" of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq may be over, but many of us know that our men and women are still over there fighting and helping to establish democracy. And God knows.
President Karzai (sp?) was giving a speech in the White House today. He has the same problem with the Afghan press. He said something like: "They just talk about today's problems. They don't make any reference to what life was like only three years ago. We have come so far - but still have a ways to go".
God surely does answer prayers.
Wow! Goose bumps...
I guess....Thanks for sharing this touching story.
Glad I'm already barefoot! WHOA!! What an account this is!!!
Prayers for your safety and the safety of those with you continue daily, Greg. It's times like this that we can see the power they have.
My thanks to you and the others for all your efforts in serving our country.
Thank so much for the ping, Swordmaker!
Thanks to all of you for your service to America. Prayers continue for your safety . Thanks for sharing a "knock your socks" off experience
Thank you for the ping, Swordmaker!
Behold the power of prayer!
God Bless Greg -- and all those who love and support our country!
Thanks for the ping. What an amazing story. I really do believe in Guardian Angels, and it sounds like you had yours that day, Thank God.
Continued prayers for our precious troops, May God continue to bless and protect you all.
Keep up the good work and our prayers will continue to be with you and everyone there in Iraq!
TODAY IS THE DAY I WILL LEAD THE "FREEPER" PRAYER TEAM FOR OUR PRESIDENT,COUNTRY AND TROOPS.
GREG WILL BE ON THE [LIST].
SEMPER FI AND GODSPEED!
bttt
Thanks for the chilling story of our brave warriors under fire. May God bless and watch over them all.
mc
Isn't God amazing, and the power of prayer. I am so happy to hear you are all well. May the Lord continue to hold, all my Heroes, in the Palm of His Hand. May all those who do not know Jesus, in a personal way find Him and realize just how real He is. G, praying for all of you. Martha
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