thedrifter
12-26-05, 05:43 AM
Marines happier at home
December 25,2005
BY CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Not everyone has a Merry Christmas.
Take, for example, Cpl. Kyle Gaubert and Lance Cpl. Robert Kelly. The two Marines with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines spent last holiday season in Iraq.
"My Christmas sucked," said Gaubert, a 21-year-old from Baton Rouge, La. "We were on a 7-ton truck that flipped into water. We spent most of the day wet and cold and miserable."
As families across America shop, open presents and drink egg nog, Marines like Gaubert and Kelly don't always have the opportunity to spend time at home with their loved ones.
While both the Marines are home for the holidays this year, there are a number of Marines from Camp Lejeune that aren't. Grunt units 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines; 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines; and 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, are all currently deployed to Iraq.
Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - which includes 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-261 - are floating somewhere in the Middle East with the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group.
Being stateside and able to spend the holidays with family is an easy contrast with last year's "festivities."
Gaubert and Kelly were riding in the back of the truck, on their way to search a house in Karmah, a town north of Fallujah. The weather tried to give them a white Christmas in the desert, but failed miserably. It was sleeting, and it was below freezing.
One of the truck's back wheels slid into a roadside ditch, and the whole thing toppled over. It threw most of the Marines into the water.
"I jumped out," said Kelly, 24, who got himself and all his gear covered in frigid water.
"I was one of only two Marines that didn't get wet," Gaubert said. "I hung on to the side of the truck."
Damp and miserable, the Marines completed the mission. After returning to Camp Fallujah, Kelly said most of the Marines spent time trying to scrounge up dry gear from their company mates.
The only celebrating was a holiday meal - that they were forced to eat in 15 minutes.
"We stuffed ourselves with food and had to go out on patrol all night," he said. "It (upset me). We saw the Army guys sitting there drinking soda and stuffing their faces."
Kelly, who hails from Bethesda, Md., admits he was grumpy, and when he saw someone dressed up like Santa Claus in the mess hall, he "just wanted to punch him."
Contrast that with the Christmas of Sgt. Kenneth Hudson of 1/8. The 34-year-old from Brunswick, Ohio, got to spend last Christmas at home with his family - but he would have rather been in Iraq.
"I got shot, so I spent Christmas at home," he said.
Hudson was wounded Nov. 9 during the assault on Fallujah, one of the largest battles of the Iraq war. They arrived in the city on Nov. 8 and saw minimal combat, but the morning of Nov. 9 dawned with a hail of bullets.
"As soon as the sun poked up, all hell broke loose," Hudson said. "The Trak opened up, and we came out just like the movies - gunfire everywhere."
The Marines crossed a road on their way to a cultural center, which was their first objective. Then Hudson was shot in the hand. The bullet lodged itself in him with such impact that he was thrown back and his rifle was flung in the air.
He was evacuated and eventually ended up back at Camp Lejeune, where he and the other wounded 1/8 Marines wanted nothing more than to be back in Iraq.
"It was killing me," said Hudson, who has deployed five times during his career. "Up to that day, I had never been taken early out of a deployment. Me and the other injured guys just sat back here miserable. It was nice being with my wife and all, but she could tell I wanted to be back there."
Overall, besides a bigger meal, Christmas is like any other day when you're deployed.
"You know you are going on patrol, same as the day before," said Gaubert.
"There is really nothing to look forward to," said Hudson. "Every time I've been on deployment, it's made me appreciate America much more."
All three Marines are thrilled to be home for Christmas this year, even if it does remind them of last year.
"It's a good feeling to be home and see your loved ones," Kelly said. "It will make me think where I was a year ago."
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 229.
Ellie
December 25,2005
BY CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Not everyone has a Merry Christmas.
Take, for example, Cpl. Kyle Gaubert and Lance Cpl. Robert Kelly. The two Marines with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines spent last holiday season in Iraq.
"My Christmas sucked," said Gaubert, a 21-year-old from Baton Rouge, La. "We were on a 7-ton truck that flipped into water. We spent most of the day wet and cold and miserable."
As families across America shop, open presents and drink egg nog, Marines like Gaubert and Kelly don't always have the opportunity to spend time at home with their loved ones.
While both the Marines are home for the holidays this year, there are a number of Marines from Camp Lejeune that aren't. Grunt units 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines; 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines; and 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, are all currently deployed to Iraq.
Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - which includes 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-261 - are floating somewhere in the Middle East with the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group.
Being stateside and able to spend the holidays with family is an easy contrast with last year's "festivities."
Gaubert and Kelly were riding in the back of the truck, on their way to search a house in Karmah, a town north of Fallujah. The weather tried to give them a white Christmas in the desert, but failed miserably. It was sleeting, and it was below freezing.
One of the truck's back wheels slid into a roadside ditch, and the whole thing toppled over. It threw most of the Marines into the water.
"I jumped out," said Kelly, 24, who got himself and all his gear covered in frigid water.
"I was one of only two Marines that didn't get wet," Gaubert said. "I hung on to the side of the truck."
Damp and miserable, the Marines completed the mission. After returning to Camp Fallujah, Kelly said most of the Marines spent time trying to scrounge up dry gear from their company mates.
The only celebrating was a holiday meal - that they were forced to eat in 15 minutes.
"We stuffed ourselves with food and had to go out on patrol all night," he said. "It (upset me). We saw the Army guys sitting there drinking soda and stuffing their faces."
Kelly, who hails from Bethesda, Md., admits he was grumpy, and when he saw someone dressed up like Santa Claus in the mess hall, he "just wanted to punch him."
Contrast that with the Christmas of Sgt. Kenneth Hudson of 1/8. The 34-year-old from Brunswick, Ohio, got to spend last Christmas at home with his family - but he would have rather been in Iraq.
"I got shot, so I spent Christmas at home," he said.
Hudson was wounded Nov. 9 during the assault on Fallujah, one of the largest battles of the Iraq war. They arrived in the city on Nov. 8 and saw minimal combat, but the morning of Nov. 9 dawned with a hail of bullets.
"As soon as the sun poked up, all hell broke loose," Hudson said. "The Trak opened up, and we came out just like the movies - gunfire everywhere."
The Marines crossed a road on their way to a cultural center, which was their first objective. Then Hudson was shot in the hand. The bullet lodged itself in him with such impact that he was thrown back and his rifle was flung in the air.
He was evacuated and eventually ended up back at Camp Lejeune, where he and the other wounded 1/8 Marines wanted nothing more than to be back in Iraq.
"It was killing me," said Hudson, who has deployed five times during his career. "Up to that day, I had never been taken early out of a deployment. Me and the other injured guys just sat back here miserable. It was nice being with my wife and all, but she could tell I wanted to be back there."
Overall, besides a bigger meal, Christmas is like any other day when you're deployed.
"You know you are going on patrol, same as the day before," said Gaubert.
"There is really nothing to look forward to," said Hudson. "Every time I've been on deployment, it's made me appreciate America much more."
All three Marines are thrilled to be home for Christmas this year, even if it does remind them of last year.
"It's a good feeling to be home and see your loved ones," Kelly said. "It will make me think where I was a year ago."
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 229.
Ellie