'I Had Such a Short Life'

Things are good. Typical stuff- Bad food, certain individuals keep damaging the water pump, so no water for periods of time. The Devil Dogs [marines] are too stupid to place a guard on it. Amazing dust storms, etc. You know the deal.  Are you able to meet me for a beer in July? Or would August be better?

We have been doing a lot of fox hunting lately [hunting insurgents/terrorists]. The hunting is great. In all, we have probably bagged at least 30. At least other hunters will be safer in other parts of the forest now. You know, from fox attacks and all.  Our very first hunt, we saw the illusive "Great Red Fox" [Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi] but were unable to bag it.  He left a good blood trail though. I think we might get him soon.  Who knows?  Well, I'm off to scour my hatchet.

Steve
P.S. It's a good time to watch Fox News

Langmack, 33, of Seattle, was fatally wounded May 31, 2005, in Qaim by small-arms fire.

Marine Cpl. John Stalvey
Sept. 22, 2005 (journal entry)

Well finally after two weeks I have decided to return to my 'journal' I guess you could call it. After our little overnight roadwatch on Sept. 9 we came back to base for a little R &R just long enough to kick off another mission on Sept. 11. I and the rest of Tm 6 were more than happy to go out and hunt terrorists on this day of sad remembrance. After all, it was one of the biggest reasons we were out here. That day would not be the highlight of what was going to be a 7 day mission. Sep. 12 "Darkside" (our convoy) linked up w/ "Tiger" 4 and 6 (tanks) and moved through the desert to the villages of Sadah and Karabilah. We would sit in our vehicles on a ridgeline and observe. After sitting there for approximately 20 min. we started taking 82 mm mortar fire from the village below. None of the rounds came too close at first, but after awhile they were getting pretty close. One tank passed that a sprocket was broken, towed back to base. Not much longer after the tanks were gone our convoy started taking small arms fire. I was sitting in B4 with my door wide open broadsided to the city when I heard a hail of gunfire coming from the buildings below. For a moment I thought my ears were playing tricks on me until I watched two bullets impact within 5 yards from my seat. We moved our gun truck to the front of the line quickly to support the marines closest to the city.

One was a PFC fresh out of boot camp, so the vehicle commander Cpl. Shirley and I had to calm him down enough to get him to shoot back with his MK19 grenade launcher. After I saw that the PFC was shooting in the right direction I jumped out of the truck behind a berm and looked for a target through my scope. I was way out of range. Our heavy machine guns 'lit up' the buildings pretty well. I am confident we sent at least 5 or more to their grave with no casualties on our side Thank God. Anyway, our boys did an impressive job when it was time to go to work. A truly impressive marine that day was Cpl. D.J. Thomas, my team leader, who killed one insurgent and wounded another with his M40 A3 sniper rifle, and directed machine gun fire onto the target building with the 240G. Five out of the seven days we were out there we received contact, mostly mortar fire. We even had the opportunity to watch Cobras make gun runs down entire streets and shoot Hellfire missiles at enemy pick up trucks. All good stuff, so good I couldn't help but buy myself a Sony DVD recorder to capture this unbelievable footage that is Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Stalvey, 22, of Conroe, Texas, was killed Oct. 3, 2005, by a roadside bomb in Karabilah.

Army Capt. Blake H. Russell
Dec. 17, 2005 (E-mail to his sister)

It's always great to hear you say you're proud of me.  My motivation is the knowledge that you and the rest of our family understand that I'm here for you.  You wouldn't believe how much the Iraqis appreciate what we are doing.  They are just looking for reasons to trust us.  It took a few years for them to realize we are offering them a good deal.  But if I had lived through what they did I would be skeptical too.  It benefits us because it forced the jihadists to fight us here, and it's showing that Islam can exist in a free society.

I am enjoying advising the Iraqi battalion...I'm actually commanding the team.  I get to talk daily to a Colonel who is recognized as the best commander in the division.  He will easily be a high ranking General sometime soon.  He and I get along great and his 9 year old son reminds me of Dylan.  His son has been around for the last few days and when I come over [to the Colonel's house] he drops whatever he is doing and runs to me.  I feel so comfortable over there that I'll stay for hours talking without the least bit worry.  When we are out on the streets I noticed that his personal guards will watch over me if I wander off to see something.  Plus I am beginning to understand Arabic!!!

Russell, 35, of Forth Worth, Texas, died July 22, 2006, outside of Baghdad.

Army National Guard Sgt. John F. Thomas
June 12, 2005 (Letter to his grandparents, who helped raise him)

Dear Granddaddy and Manolita,
I hope all is well when this letter reaches you. All is well with me. I anticipated writing and calling more often. We are extremely busy.

If you don't hear from me for an extended period of time, don't worry. It's just between going on missions and preparing for missions. I need a day to have 30 hours in it. But of course I only have 24 hours. If I didn't have to sleep, eat, and bathe occasionally, I might have some free time. For example, the other day we were anticipating a 12 hour mission. It turned into a 22 hour mission. I am getting paid good, but it is well earned. So far we have only lost soldiers to injuries and family problems. There is a soldier who went home for 10 days to see his newborn. That was 18 days ago now. We are assuming he has no plans of returning. I am doing just fine myself. I am grateful for the opportunity to have a dignified life. I still aspire to go active duty when this mission is over. But first things first. I can't wait to give y'all a hug and see Wa-sa and Sally. I miss Tiger, Blackie, and even Penta as well. Are the new cats still with you? They seemed like they are going to grow up and be good cats. Tell Rudolf I will certainly be able to get him a license plate. I have to bring it. I asked and we can't mail them because it could be stolen. I do see them laying around. Before the year is up, I'll secure one - though I can't read what state it's from. They have the same size and shape as ours. I saw a cat who reminded me of Meo. Except he had his whole tail. I've been keeping up with the Braves in the Stars & Stripes. I notice in the standings they are in the best division in all of baseball. I'm rooting for them to come out on top and play in October. I think maybe they will continue the good work they've been doing for almost 15 years now.

Well I'm always thinking of you and you are always in my prayers. I send my love. And I want you to know that I realize my life would be a lot worse were it not for God's gift of parents like you. I am convinced I have the best in all the world. I'm grateful for your patience and guidance.

Love, John.

Thomas, 33, of Valdosta, Ga., was killed July 24, 2005, by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.

Army Col. Theodore Westhusing
May 10, 2005 (E-mail to his mother and brother)
     
Sorry dear mom, didn't save the note. Tim is a great brother.
     
VBIEDs [car bombs] really are a nightmare. Life is worthless over here to so many. Killing everywhere and always ongoing. So many people don't care and have appeared to have given up. But I won't, I need to be here to help them...... Innocents suffer. Terrible stuff. Kids that would break your heart, and mothers too. We did a squatter removal mission yesterday that just breaks the heart.  Had to fire on a vehicle that wouldn't stop at our checkpoint, wounding the driver.  The people in these temp villages have no were to go and are targets too, so they need to be protected. We try to, the best we can.
     
And the graft and pursuit of money off this thing and all that, it is just pathetic.

Oh well. Only thing to do is drive on and do your best. Love Ted

Westhusing, 44, was found shot to death June 5, 2005, in his Baghdad trailer. The Army ruled the shooting a suicide, but Ted's brother, Tim Westhusing, believes his brother was murdered.

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