I received this e-mail from my son Scott in February 2004. His childhood friend was overseas fighting a war that I couldn't comprehend. My own son would shortly depart for that foreign land. My knees were raw from kneeling and praying. "Please bring these boys home safe and unharmed." Several of my son's buddies chose to fight for the very freedom's we take for granted. Or at least they thought that was their mission. I knew they would all be men once they returned. Boys to men in the hot flash of a gun's firing. How changed they were would not show until the darkest moment in the night, when the nightmares start and the day couldn't come swiftly enough. The perilous pushing of morals to one side as they march out to do the deeds of men. It was in the very midst of this upheaval that I received this letter.
I feel blessed that all 'my boys' came home, secretly scarred in their own way, but for the most part when we gather as family does, they are unharmed, they are happy. They are among the lucky ones.
From my e-mail box:
This is a powerful message from my best friend. I was hangin’ out with him only a week and a half ago while he was home on R&R. Please have him in your prayers as well as the rest of my brothers and sisiters in Iraq. This is real. Scott
***
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today I had the sadness of attending the 5th memorial since I have been in Iraq. The reason I am writing about this to you all is because I want to tell people about this so I don’t keep it all balled up inside of myself. So in other words you all are very important to me and so I am leaning on all of you.
Three days ago my camp was attacked with rockets. Fortunately I was not here for the bombing. I was off at another camp turning in ammo. For the day I was to turn in ammo I had gotten into an accident and so the group I was with had to stay the night there and come back the next day. Well the next day we had to go pick someone up from another camp. When we got there the individual that we were supposed to pick up was not ready to leave, so we stayed for an extra hour so he could ride back with us.
When we arrived to the gates of our camp is when we were told about the bombing. The attack had just happened five minutes before we had arrived. See if it werent for my accident and then the Major not being ready when he was supposed to be, I would have been in that attacking. For the rocket hit there very tent I would have been in that day. Fortunately I wasn't because of those incident I wasn't in the camp at all.
But, unfortunately there were people in the area of the attack and in the tent. Total there were seven people with minor injuries taking shrapnel in various parts of the body. One had his shoulder ripped off but he is doing fine he has full capability of his hand. Only two were able to return to duty the rest went onto Germany for more surgeries to remove the shrapnel, and for rehabilitation. They will not return to combat duty they will return to Fort Hood and await for our return in March.
The sad part of this day was that there were more then seven casualties, there was one more. His name was Staff Sergeant Turner, he died a few short hours after the attack occurred. I knew this man, for I am saddened for we have lost such a great man. He had been in the military for 18 years. He was Christian, and he showed it everyday in every way. He took great care of his soldiers, and made sure everything with them was more then good. Unfortunately we are not the only ones suffering his loss, for he is leaving behind a wife, and two children. This man went to great extent to make sure his family was taking care of. He rode a bicycle to work everyday just so the money he would have spent on a vehicle went into an account for his son so he could go to college and not worry about the money.
This man will be missed by more people then he could think of, for he touched everyone he associated with. Please take a minute to think there are more SSG Turners out here giving the biggest sacrifice of all... for our country, for our freedom, for our families. Please read and understand this to honor this man and the sacrifice he made for our country. Let people know what really goes on out here. Thank you for your time, and remember things happen for a reason, because that’s the way God planned it.
Thank you, and God bless America.
Love,
Spc. Caleb Michael Monroe
***
No comments:
Post a Comment