Jr. wrote the following to me today:
He titled the message: might get you sad so you may want to read it later
"We lost two more guys on the night of the 28th. They were apart of our Eplosive Ordinance Disposal Team (EOD) so their job was to keep us all alive pretty much. They are the guys who go out with us and disarm the IEDs that we find and either blow them in place or bring back with us to blow up in a safe area. They were missing (sic) with a booby trapped IED that was daisy chained (multiple bombs spread out and they ended up setting the IED off. One was killed instantly and the other survived the explosion but our medics were only able to keep him alive for about 30 minutes. He might of had a chance to live but helicopters can't fly during snow storms so we could not get him air lifted to a hospital. We should not have been out there to begin with because something LIKE THIS could have happened... I have seen dead Iraquis and dead Afghans and have even watched one bleed out in my scope until he died and none of it has affected me. Seeing your friends die a horrible death and be there knowing there is nothing you can do for them is the worse feeling in the world. Seeing all their blood, carrying their lifeless bodies, being told by the medic there is nothing we can do for them and covering them up... these memories will haunt me for the rest of my life.
These guys saved our lives a countless number of times and we will forever be in their debt. Staff Sgt. Chauncy R. Mays, 25, of Cookville, Texas and Spc. Christopher G. Stark, 22, of Monett, Missouri."
I wrote back:
"I couldn't wait until later. I have to know.
Crying and my heart is breaking just sitting here in this office trying to imagine what you've seen and been through, and what your friend was going through as he lay there dying - and, I just can't imagine. I think I would want to scream. Lesser things have haunted people... carry it with you, and don't let yourself become immune to it. I'm going to be praying for their families, friends, and you all. Love you."
What else could I have said? Trying to put myself in his shoes, I cry and cry. He is only 3 months into this second tour and he's already seen at least 3 very close friends die in front of him. My heart breaks.
He titled the message: might get you sad so you may want to read it later
"We lost two more guys on the night of the 28th. They were apart of our Eplosive Ordinance Disposal Team (EOD) so their job was to keep us all alive pretty much. They are the guys who go out with us and disarm the IEDs that we find and either blow them in place or bring back with us to blow up in a safe area. They were missing (sic) with a booby trapped IED that was daisy chained (multiple bombs spread out and they ended up setting the IED off. One was killed instantly and the other survived the explosion but our medics were only able to keep him alive for about 30 minutes. He might of had a chance to live but helicopters can't fly during snow storms so we could not get him air lifted to a hospital. We should not have been out there to begin with because something LIKE THIS could have happened... I have seen dead Iraquis and dead Afghans and have even watched one bleed out in my scope until he died and none of it has affected me. Seeing your friends die a horrible death and be there knowing there is nothing you can do for them is the worse feeling in the world. Seeing all their blood, carrying their lifeless bodies, being told by the medic there is nothing we can do for them and covering them up... these memories will haunt me for the rest of my life.
These guys saved our lives a countless number of times and we will forever be in their debt. Staff Sgt. Chauncy R. Mays, 25, of Cookville, Texas and Spc. Christopher G. Stark, 22, of Monett, Missouri."
I wrote back:
"I couldn't wait until later. I have to know.
Crying and my heart is breaking just sitting here in this office trying to imagine what you've seen and been through, and what your friend was going through as he lay there dying - and, I just can't imagine. I think I would want to scream. Lesser things have haunted people... carry it with you, and don't let yourself become immune to it. I'm going to be praying for their families, friends, and you all. Love you."
*
No comments:
Post a Comment