I saw this blogger on one of the cable news channels over the weekend and recalled that he was kind enough to link to my return to the blogosphere not long ago so I thought to return the favor and send some traffic his way. So go ahead and hit it and let’s see if we can’t get his traffic up. Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 1337 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (2) | Permalink
This post is filed under: All Things Blog
A soldier in Iraq writes a letter to the woman he loves back home, his wife. Read it now. That’s an order.
Dear Dawn,
A friend of mine went to visit you last week. I met this friend when I first arrived here in Iraq. I am a soldier, as you know, fighting to free this country from a horrible regime. I have seen many terrible things in my short time here. Many people are homeless and poor. They live in fear and poverty, struggling for a better way of life. My friend was starving and thirsty when I first saw him. His wife and family had been killed by the Iraq army and he was forced out of his home. Our meeting was by chance. I was on a patrol and had to stop my vehicle at a checkpoint; it was there I first saw him. He was on the side of the road searching for food and water; I gave him both. He followed me to our base camp where we talked, laughed, ate and drank together. He visited me every day for over a month. During those many visits we talked. I told him about the United States and about North Carolina, where we live. He never said very much during our conversations, he just listened in awe as I spoke.
When was the last time you stopped to listen, really listen, to the birds sing? Soldiers tend to listen to ‘em all the time. Sgt Hook out.
Hotel Tango Grok.
Posted by Hook @ 0311 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (3) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Americana & Army Times
The Daily Brief: A Military Blog Written With Intelligence And Purpose linked with
How do you say I love you?
Marine Corporal Jeffrey B. Starr, on his third tour of duty in Iraq, died this past May from small-arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
This past Memorial Day dealt me a blow with which I am strangely unable to deal.
Shortly after rolling my grill out to the front of my house for a neighborhood party in remembrance of the day, I got a call from my sister telling me that her son, my nephew, U.S. Marine Cpl. Jeff Starr, had died as a result of hostile fire while on patrol in Ramadi, Iraq. She asked that I go to be with Jeff’s sister, a medical student about two hours away from San Diego. I was numbed by the call. He was, after all, going to be home in just two weeks.
This was Jeff’s third tour in Iraq; he was there for the battle of Baghdad at the beginning of the war and fought in Fallujah during his second tour. Two weeks ago, he turned 22.
CPL Starr had written a letter to his girlfriend and left it on his computer to be read in the event of his death. Blackfive brought us the story and a copy of the letter a while back.
Marine Corporal Jeffrey B. Starr was featured in the NY Times this past week in a piece about the latest “milestone” in Iraq. You see, CPL Starr was one of those numbers the Times wanted to tell the world about and they did so by publishing a portion of that letter he had written.
Michelle Malkin points out that the times published only a small portion of CPL Starr’s letter…
Sifting through Corporal Starr’s laptop computer after his death, his father found a letter to be delivered to the marine’s girlfriend. ”I kind of predicted this,” Corporal Starr wrote of his own death. ”A third time just seemed like I’m pushing my chances.”
What CPL Starr actually wrote was…
“Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I’m writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I’m pushing my chances. I don’t regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it’s not to me. I’m here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark.“
I wonder why the NY Times left out the rest of that paragraph? Seems to me that CPL Starr had some pretty important things to say. There is something seriously rotten at the Times and the rat bastards working there probably can’t even smell it. Sgt Hook out.
Tip to Fred.
Posted by Hook @ 0244 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (8) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Soap Box
BLACKFIVE linked with
Role of MilBlogs (so far) in the War on Terror...
This is probably old news but I read about it in the most recent issue of the American Legion Magazine and thought I’d share. It seems that the Navy is building the next generation amphibious transport docking ship of which one will be named the USS New York. This will be the fifth time a US Naval vessel has been named New York, the first was commissioned in 1776 by General Benedict Arnold. What makes this one of particular interest is the unique material that will be used in contructing this warship.
Steel salvaged from the World Trade Center wreckage will be used in the construction of New York. The shipyard and Navy inspected the steel and found that it was of sufficient material strength so that it could be incorporated into the bow stem of New York.
“We’re very proud that the twisted steel from the WTC towers will soon be used to forge an even strong national defense,” said New York Gov. George Pataki. “The USS New York will soon be defending freedom and combating terrorism around the globe, while also ensuring that the world never forgets the evil attacks of September 11, 2001 and the courage and strength New Yorkers showed in response to terror.”
The brand new assault craft with a capability of carrying around 800 marines and equipment is to be named the U.S.S. New York, in tribute to the almost 2,800 people who died in the attacks of September 11 2001.
The steel is set to be shipped to Northrop’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for construction to begin in the middle of next year. The 684-foot ship should be ready for service in 2007. The ship will have the motto “Never Forget”.
The recycled steel from the Twin Towers, if it meets quality standards, will be used to form the ship’s “stem bar”. That is part of the ship’s bow, where the vessel cuts the water.
What a fitting symbol of our nation’s resolve. Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 2128 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (4) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Americana
Texas Gal over at Redneck’s Revenge has a nice tribute up for the American Soldier. Thanks TG. And if you aren’t reading Redneck’s Revenge regularly, you ought to.Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 2026 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (2) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Army Times
KABUL, Afghanistan (Army News Service, Oct. 25, 2005) – The top enlisted Soldier in the U.S. Army visited Afghanistan Oct. 11 to discuss soldier issues with Afghan National Army senior noncommissioned officers.
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston met with two of the ANA’s highest NCOs and discussed themes universal to every nation’s soldiers.
Afghanistan is a success story. One we don’t hear about often, but one that grows more successful with the passing of each day. I happen to know a Command Sergeant Major of the Afghan National Army and he constatnly talks about how far his country has come since the U.S. and coalition forces removed the taliban from his country. Oh, and he uses the term “my country” often and with a hint of pride behind it. Something very new for Afghans.
Preston told the two sergeants major that he has seen a lot of improvement in the ANA since he started visiting Afghanistan. Shamsadin agreed and said, “We’re not perfect, but we get better every day. It takes time.”
Preston said, “We’re not perfect either. When we have problems, we fix them.” He said it’s all about making progress. “It’s like football. In football, you try to move the ball down the field.
“You should be proud of all you’ve done. There will be days when it’s hard. You might ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ It’s worth it when you look back on all you’ve done for your soldiers.”
If the sergeants major are comparing notes, let there be little doubt that the Afghan National Army is on the right path. Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 0244 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (2) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Army Times
Soldiers and Dogs. Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 1349 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (6) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Now That's Funny
Just A Girl linked with
Creamy Wins!Not Exactly Rocket Science linked with
The Dogs of War
It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it — there is no substitute for victory.
-Douglas MacArthur
Via Buck Sargent.
Posted by Hook @ 1239 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (0) | Permalink
This post is filed under: History
Matt has a lump in your throat letter up over at Blackfive that underscores what I was illustrating in the post below.
I have said it before and will say it again. It is a privilege to be here taking care of these troops. Are they all heroes? They certainly are more so than any athlete back home will ever be. There is a higher standard though even here. I was honored by seeing him in person last night.
Go read the whole letter. That’s an order soldier! Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 0201 zulu | Comments & Trackbacks (1) | Permalink
This post is filed under: Heroes
