A Glimmer of Hope

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood
June 23, Anbar Province

I'm going to need a lot of support from you guys when I get home. I have accepted the fact that any day I'm here could be the day I die. That doesn't bother me anymore. I've come so close to dying on at least 10 different occasions, I figure I can keep my luck, or whatever's working, up until I leave. I've had RPGs fly within inches of me. I've seen the guys they've hit. It blew them to pieces. We literally had to move rocks and debris to find hands, legs and other parts so we could send them home. I've had roadside bombs explode next to me, but they've been placed wrong, so I didn't get hurt [ ... ] I've been shot at countless times, I mean machinegun fire pinging and zipping past me. I had the goggles on my helmet shot.

Ever since the AAV (the s--tty armor[ed] tank-tread troop carrier we ride in) got blown up and I ran through the fire and exploding rounds/rockets/grenade/explosives that were on fire to pull out bodies of guys that I knew were dead, I can't sleep for s--t. Seeing guys with third-degree burns so bad that the skin comes off when you touch them, screaming bloody murder, really has a habit of f---ing you up. [ ... ] Just remember, I love you! And I'm doing everything possible to make sure I come home in September or October or whenever they turn us loose from here. [ ... ]

Love, Travis

Youngblood, 26, a Navy medic assigned to a Marine reserve unit, died on July 21 of injuries sustained in an IED explosion in Hit.

Army PFC. Marc Delgado
Oct. 19, Baghdad