thedrifter
05-05-07, 02:25 PM
Tragedy forges bond between families
By MARION CALLAHAN
The Intelligencer
It was a call Jannette Manion had to make.
One mother to another, both of whom lost sons in Iraq this week.
“I had to reach out,” Manion said at her Doylestown Township home minutes after she spoke with Nancy Umbrell. “Nancy told me if I hadn't called in 15 minutes, she would have called me.”
Nancy's son, Army Lt. Colby Umbrell of Doylestown Township, died Thursday in Musayyib, Iraq, after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Jannette's son, Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, died four days earlier when he was shot by a sniper during a combat operation in Iraq. They were both 26.
At the end of their conversation, Jannette Manion expressed her wish to get together.
“Of course we will,” Nancy Umbrell responded. “We're family.”
Photo collages of Travis Manion filled his family's living and dining room, chronicling the life of a man who brought so much joy to others, his father, Thomas, said: Manion cradling his infant niece, Maggie Rose; Manion in full uniform with his mother at his sister's wedding. Manion, as a child, at his first wrestling tournament. And then there is a photo of Manion, beside another uniformed man, not a Marine, but an Iraqi soldier beside whom he worked, lived and fought in the weeks before his death.
Manion was part of a transitional team embedded with Iraqis in the Anbar province of Iraq. The day he was killed, he led three Marines and three Iraqi soldiers on a mission to track down a sniper who “had been wreaking havoc” on a nearby village.
“He knew it was dangerous, but he knew it was something that had to be done,” Manion's father said.
On Friday, Thomas Manion talked about the last few moments of his son's life:
“... Travis was out on patrol with the Iraqi team and some Marines, and they were searching for a sniper who had been out in the area. ... Someone led them to believe there were some insurgents in a building. They went in to clear the building. When they came out and walked back to their vehicles, a corpsman was shot by a sniper. Travis and the major pulled the corpsman to safety. As they were doing that, one Marine from another vehicle jumped out to run to help, and he was shot as well. And Travis went out to pull him back to safety.
“... They were almost surrounded. It was a trap. Insurgents went onto the rooftop, and a pretty heavy gun battle ensued. ... Travis stepped out in front and started firing at where the gunfire was coming from. ... The last thing the major saw was that Travis had shot his grenade launcher toward the enemy, and I think he was reloading when he was shot by the sniper ... they got him back to the med station in Fallujah ... by that time he couldn't be revived.”
Thomas Manion said the sniper whom his son was seeking that day is still out there. “Marines went looking for him a day later. ... Marines are still fighting out there to find him and make sure he can't continue doing what he's doing.”
Manion was the only Marine to die on that mission. The two other Marines whom Manion dragged to safety survived.
“By all accounts, (Travis) was looking after his corpsman and Marines, and like we all expected, he was leading from the front,” Thomas Manion said. “If he was out there with Iraqis or Marines ... he felt a huge sense of responsibility to be a leader. That is just who he was. ... In reflecting on his life, I'm so proud of his makeup and what he did for others. In a lot of respects, he was all about helping others. ... And he really believed in his country. It's great we have young men like that willing to put their lives on lines to protect us. Travis is one of many over there. There are so many others like him, and I wish the rest of the country understood about what these guys are doing and why they are doing it.
“Losing a son creates such a void. ... He was my best friend. I miss talking to him, but we keep saying, "We want to do what Travis would do.' And that gives us strength. He's not around, but he's still giving us strength.”
Casey Umbrell, Colby's sister, sat beside the Manion family Friday night at a vigil hosted by the community.
Looking at the crowds surrounding both families, she said: “I hope this support is not a one-week thing. I hope people feel the importance of this for a long time. ...
“My brother was 110 percent behind what we are doing over there, and he was so proud of the mission and the soldiers he served with,” said Casey, who still does not know the details of her brother's death. Casey's boyfriend is scheduled to leave for Iraq this week.
“It may take a while, but people will realize the good that's happening over there,” she added.
The support from the community, she said, was “wonderful.”
But even more touching was the call her mother received from Jannette Manion.
“We all want to get to know them,” said Casey, minutes before Travis' uncle Chris Manion comforted her with an embrace. “Having the support from a family who knows exactly what we are going through will make us all twice as strong.”
Staff writer Christina Kristofic contributed to this report.
Marion Callahan can be reached at (215) 345-3166 or mcallahan@phillyBurbs.com.
May 5, 2007 4:42 AM
Ellie
By MARION CALLAHAN
The Intelligencer
It was a call Jannette Manion had to make.
One mother to another, both of whom lost sons in Iraq this week.
“I had to reach out,” Manion said at her Doylestown Township home minutes after she spoke with Nancy Umbrell. “Nancy told me if I hadn't called in 15 minutes, she would have called me.”
Nancy's son, Army Lt. Colby Umbrell of Doylestown Township, died Thursday in Musayyib, Iraq, after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Jannette's son, Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, died four days earlier when he was shot by a sniper during a combat operation in Iraq. They were both 26.
At the end of their conversation, Jannette Manion expressed her wish to get together.
“Of course we will,” Nancy Umbrell responded. “We're family.”
Photo collages of Travis Manion filled his family's living and dining room, chronicling the life of a man who brought so much joy to others, his father, Thomas, said: Manion cradling his infant niece, Maggie Rose; Manion in full uniform with his mother at his sister's wedding. Manion, as a child, at his first wrestling tournament. And then there is a photo of Manion, beside another uniformed man, not a Marine, but an Iraqi soldier beside whom he worked, lived and fought in the weeks before his death.
Manion was part of a transitional team embedded with Iraqis in the Anbar province of Iraq. The day he was killed, he led three Marines and three Iraqi soldiers on a mission to track down a sniper who “had been wreaking havoc” on a nearby village.
“He knew it was dangerous, but he knew it was something that had to be done,” Manion's father said.
On Friday, Thomas Manion talked about the last few moments of his son's life:
“... Travis was out on patrol with the Iraqi team and some Marines, and they were searching for a sniper who had been out in the area. ... Someone led them to believe there were some insurgents in a building. They went in to clear the building. When they came out and walked back to their vehicles, a corpsman was shot by a sniper. Travis and the major pulled the corpsman to safety. As they were doing that, one Marine from another vehicle jumped out to run to help, and he was shot as well. And Travis went out to pull him back to safety.
“... They were almost surrounded. It was a trap. Insurgents went onto the rooftop, and a pretty heavy gun battle ensued. ... Travis stepped out in front and started firing at where the gunfire was coming from. ... The last thing the major saw was that Travis had shot his grenade launcher toward the enemy, and I think he was reloading when he was shot by the sniper ... they got him back to the med station in Fallujah ... by that time he couldn't be revived.”
Thomas Manion said the sniper whom his son was seeking that day is still out there. “Marines went looking for him a day later. ... Marines are still fighting out there to find him and make sure he can't continue doing what he's doing.”
Manion was the only Marine to die on that mission. The two other Marines whom Manion dragged to safety survived.
“By all accounts, (Travis) was looking after his corpsman and Marines, and like we all expected, he was leading from the front,” Thomas Manion said. “If he was out there with Iraqis or Marines ... he felt a huge sense of responsibility to be a leader. That is just who he was. ... In reflecting on his life, I'm so proud of his makeup and what he did for others. In a lot of respects, he was all about helping others. ... And he really believed in his country. It's great we have young men like that willing to put their lives on lines to protect us. Travis is one of many over there. There are so many others like him, and I wish the rest of the country understood about what these guys are doing and why they are doing it.
“Losing a son creates such a void. ... He was my best friend. I miss talking to him, but we keep saying, "We want to do what Travis would do.' And that gives us strength. He's not around, but he's still giving us strength.”
Casey Umbrell, Colby's sister, sat beside the Manion family Friday night at a vigil hosted by the community.
Looking at the crowds surrounding both families, she said: “I hope this support is not a one-week thing. I hope people feel the importance of this for a long time. ...
“My brother was 110 percent behind what we are doing over there, and he was so proud of the mission and the soldiers he served with,” said Casey, who still does not know the details of her brother's death. Casey's boyfriend is scheduled to leave for Iraq this week.
“It may take a while, but people will realize the good that's happening over there,” she added.
The support from the community, she said, was “wonderful.”
But even more touching was the call her mother received from Jannette Manion.
“We all want to get to know them,” said Casey, minutes before Travis' uncle Chris Manion comforted her with an embrace. “Having the support from a family who knows exactly what we are going through will make us all twice as strong.”
Staff writer Christina Kristofic contributed to this report.
Marion Callahan can be reached at (215) 345-3166 or mcallahan@phillyBurbs.com.
May 5, 2007 4:42 AM
Ellie