The Military Thread

[hbionic]

I just saw my brother leave before he gets shipped out to Iraq. Its a weird feeling because you don't want to be negative. But for the first time...this war comes home and it becomes real. No longer does it exist only on the internet, television, radio, and street banners...it is here.

I had another brother that was inspired to enlist and he leaves for boot camp in September or October. I feel for my mom...its kind of a twisted feeling for obvious reasons.

I guess its our turn to feel the burden of a family member participating in an active war.

1st brother is supposed to be the last of the troops in Iraq...his deployment is supposed to be through December of 2011. He was supposed to go to Afghanistan...but it was changed to Iraq. He's enlisted as a medic.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Is he a Navy Corpsman or an Army Medic?

[hbionic]

Army Medic.

[shorebird]

Four U.S. soilders killed in Afghanistan on Sunday.

Three of the soldiers were killed in insurgent attacks in the south and east and one was killed by a homemade bomb in the south, NATO officials said. The Taliban has stepped up its campaign of violence in those regions to counter a buildup of international forces.

With the arrival of 30,000 additional U.S. troops this summer for a fall push into Taliban-controlled areas, NATO officials have predicted an increase in violence and casualties. Taliban fighters have spread beyond their traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once-peaceful north.

As the Taliban increases its attacks on troops, it has also killed a record number of civilians, through targeted assassinations, roadside bombs and suicide attacks. The insurgents' methods have grown more gruesome, including a reported stoning death of a young married couple this month -- the first such execution since the Taliban regime was toppled in 2001.

[Seabiscuit36]

Long article, but my wifes Great Uncle was mentioned in this recollection of the Battle of the Bulge {Sgt Datte}
http://www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/None-POW/Robert%20Ringer/Robert%20Ringer.htm

Eventually, all of us made it through for ammunition, but Sgt. Datte had the greatest adventure. He picked up 900 rounds of 105 mm ammunition from  the  7th Armored Division's trains at Sprimont, and while returning ran into the final battle at Parker's Crossroads. He turned back to Werbomont and there turned  east  to Trois Pants and  somewhere along the way joined forces with Lt. Pratt and some trucks of the 590th FA Bn now hauling ammunition for the division. Along the way they were ambushed and the right front tire of my  lead  truck  was  flattened and Pratt's windshield was shot out. A private first class I had court-martialed for throwing a pick away in the  States must have decided I might make  him pay for the trucks, so single-handedly he charged the Germans and created so much confusion on that the trucks were  able  to back  away and the  tire was repaired. Later a fire  fight developed, with some paratroopers coming from Vielsalm to join the  melee.  During this fight Corporals Ekstrom and Cox along with a paratrooper ran between two buildings,  and were greeted  with a burst of fire. The paratrooper was killed, but both my  men were unscathed. Our fabulous luck remained with us. Although shot at many times, not one member was killed or wounded, despite being in the battle from December 16, 1944 until January 25, 1945. In contrast, I had three men wounded in Service Battery, 590th FA Battalion the Sunday after the war was over near Kerbihan, France, while containing the Lorient Pocket.



While still in the area of the fire fight, Sgt. Datte met a British Captain, who turned out to be one of six sent by Field Marshall Montgomery to find out what was going on in the St. Vith sector. Inasmuch as Lt. Pratt had left with his trucks, the British Captain, spent a half-hour with Sgt. Datte while waiting for the road to be opened Into Vielsalm. I always told Sgt. Datte that he talked the British Captain into straightening the line and withdrawing from the 'Goose Egg.' At any rate, Field Marshall Montgomery's decision to withdraw to a new line was the correct decision, because a major part of four divisions could have been captured in the 'Goose Egg,' and without ammunition, would have been 'easy pickings.



At Aywaille, where Datte and I finally got together, we saw four Germans in American uniforms captured by the bridge guards. This was the first that we knew that the rumor was true, and that there were Germans around in American uniforms. They passed within a few feet of us and the only thing I noticed was that one had an overcoat reaching to his ankles. Lucky for us they surrendered Instead of fighting. (See Gen. Manteuffel's remarks in attached letter.)



The story of the escape from the 'Goose Egg' is an interesting one, and although lacking in coordination, it was almost entirely successful. Only a small number of vehicles were lost and 23,000 troops from four divisions were saved to fight another day. It was quite a job sorting units out, since troops came out as they could break off from the fire fights.

Interestingly enough, from reading this article its entirely possible her great uncle served with my grandfather as they were in the same division/battles, wish i had found this prior to both of them passing.  I've been trying to find other articles related to the family, they had all 5 children participate in WWII.  My wife's grandfather signed up for the Navy with illegal paperwork at 16 years old, and went to the pacific theater where his ship was struck by torpedos, and he had to swim to shore.  Just a whole different generation to read and remember. 

[Munson]

Was your wife's grandfather named Quint by any chance?

[Seabiscuit36]

nah, Joe Datte.  Her Great uncle was Charles.  The other brother passed away in the war, dont think he was named Quint though. 

[charlie]

Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain. For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again.

[smeags]

Four U.S. soilders killed in Afghanistan on Sunday.

Three of the soldiers were killed in insurgent attacks in the south and east and one was killed by a homemade bomb in the south, NATO officials said. The Taliban has stepped up its campaign of violence in those regions to counter a buildup of international forces.

With the arrival of 30,000 additional U.S. troops this summer for a fall push into Taliban-controlled areas, NATO officials have predicted an increase in violence and casualties. Taliban fighters have spread beyond their traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once-peaceful north.

As the Taliban increases its attacks on troops, it has also killed a record number of civilians, through targeted assassinations, roadside bombs and suicide attacks. The insurgents' methods have grown more gruesome, including a reported stoning death of a young married couple this month -- the first such execution since the Taliban regime was toppled in 2001.

yeah but at least we got all those nasty WMD's out of iraq.

[shorebird]

AP says billions wasted in Iraq.

A $40 million prison sits in the desert north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million children's hospital goes unused in the south. A $100 million waste water treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets

As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted — more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.

That amount is likely an underestimate, based on an analysis of more than 300 reports by auditors with the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. And it does not take into account security costs, which have run almost 17 percent for some projects.

Wow.

[LBIggle]

and emergency services and funding for schools over here continues to dry up.  you blow the shtein out of a country you have to fix it as we've learned from the past.  why don't they out source jobs over there for the unemployed looking for them here and train people to use the shtein over there.  like were doing with our military training their security forces.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Reading that made me sick.

[shorebird]

^Me too. Our economy is as bad as it's been in most of our lifetimes, and shtein like that is going on.

[Diomedes]

gee, I wonder if there's a connection

[shorebird]

I did another BBQ for the Wounded Warriors again Friday. Lobster tail and Filets. We were at a guys house right on the Chesapeake, the vets were all relaxing, fishing with brand new rods the were donated from a local sportsmans shop. They were catching all kinds of white perch and sea trout that we were putting on the grill. Everything was going great until the Kent Island fire whistle went off. Poor guy in a wheel chair threw himself out of the chair on the ground covering his head up with his hands. Another girl started shaking and looked like she was gonna' pass out. It was fargin' ugly. It took a while for everyone to get it all back together. Makes you think, poor people never, ever really get over whatever it was they went through. I can't imagine.

But, it ended well, they rode a bus to the KI high school football opener were they were honored at halftime. They had a good time and were more than thankful.