thedrifter
07-10-07, 05:56 AM
U.S. Role: He Believed it was right: Oklahoma Marine blast victim in Iraq
by: JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
7/10/2007
Marine Cpl. Jeremy David Allbaugh always knew he wanted to be in the military.
"He dressed in fatigues for Halloween. He had camouflaged backpacks for school," his brother, Jason, said.
Allbaugh, 21, was killed in Iraq on Thursday when the Humvee in which he was riding was hit by a bomb buried in the road, the kind referred to as an improvised explosive device or IED, his family said Monday.
The explosion occurred in the al Anbar province of Iraq near the area of Alqaim.
Several other Marines were in the Humvee.
His brother said two remain in critical condition and a third suffered shrapnel wounds.
The Defense Department as of Monday night had not yet confirmed Allbaugh's death.
Three years ago, he joined the Marines even before he graduated from high school in Harrah, east of Oklahoma City.
He was two months shy of his 18th birthday.
His parents, Jon and Jenifer Allbaugh, gave their permission with that combination of support and concern that parents often are asked to give.
"You know that's what they want to do, but it is always a very scary thing," Jenifer Allbaugh said.
"We also knew that if we didn't, he would just do it in two months anyway. So, we supported him."
"You just hope this never happens, but it did," his mother said.
"He loved what he did and he loved his country. He believed what this country was doing. We supported him in that regard."
Allbaugh arrived in Iraq in April.
His mother said the weekly phone calls he made from Iraq gave family a much different picture on what is going on in Iraq than reported in the news media.
"I just wish so bad that the people of this country really knew and understood the sacrifices these men and women are making," she said.
"Most of what they are getting from our media is not accurate. There are a lot of good things being done there. That is not shown. All we see is the doom and the gloom."
In his area, his mother said, Iraqis were starting to take responsibility for their country. "They were getting ready to hand it over," she said.
"They had neighborhood- watch programs started, schools, hospitals, clinics."
His one complaint was the hot weather.
"I just talked to him Tuesday before this happened. He was even saying he was getting to like the Iraqi food," she said.
"I asked him how the Iraqi people treated them, and he said, 'They treat us great. They appreciate what we do.' "
In addition to his parents, who now live in Whitehouse, Texas, he is survived by two brothers, Jason, an Army lieutenant stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Bryan of Crowley, Texas; a sister, Alicia, of Whitehouse; grandparents John and Dorothy Payne of Tulsa, and his grandmother, Peggy Allbaugh of Blackwell.
His uncle is Joe Allbaugh, who managed the 2000 presidential campaign of President Bush and served as Bush's first Federal Emergency Management Agency director.
Tentative funeral arrangements are scheduled for later this week in Blackwell.
Jim Myers (202) 484-1424
jim.myers@tulsaworld.com
Ellie
by: JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
7/10/2007
Marine Cpl. Jeremy David Allbaugh always knew he wanted to be in the military.
"He dressed in fatigues for Halloween. He had camouflaged backpacks for school," his brother, Jason, said.
Allbaugh, 21, was killed in Iraq on Thursday when the Humvee in which he was riding was hit by a bomb buried in the road, the kind referred to as an improvised explosive device or IED, his family said Monday.
The explosion occurred in the al Anbar province of Iraq near the area of Alqaim.
Several other Marines were in the Humvee.
His brother said two remain in critical condition and a third suffered shrapnel wounds.
The Defense Department as of Monday night had not yet confirmed Allbaugh's death.
Three years ago, he joined the Marines even before he graduated from high school in Harrah, east of Oklahoma City.
He was two months shy of his 18th birthday.
His parents, Jon and Jenifer Allbaugh, gave their permission with that combination of support and concern that parents often are asked to give.
"You know that's what they want to do, but it is always a very scary thing," Jenifer Allbaugh said.
"We also knew that if we didn't, he would just do it in two months anyway. So, we supported him."
"You just hope this never happens, but it did," his mother said.
"He loved what he did and he loved his country. He believed what this country was doing. We supported him in that regard."
Allbaugh arrived in Iraq in April.
His mother said the weekly phone calls he made from Iraq gave family a much different picture on what is going on in Iraq than reported in the news media.
"I just wish so bad that the people of this country really knew and understood the sacrifices these men and women are making," she said.
"Most of what they are getting from our media is not accurate. There are a lot of good things being done there. That is not shown. All we see is the doom and the gloom."
In his area, his mother said, Iraqis were starting to take responsibility for their country. "They were getting ready to hand it over," she said.
"They had neighborhood- watch programs started, schools, hospitals, clinics."
His one complaint was the hot weather.
"I just talked to him Tuesday before this happened. He was even saying he was getting to like the Iraqi food," she said.
"I asked him how the Iraqi people treated them, and he said, 'They treat us great. They appreciate what we do.' "
In addition to his parents, who now live in Whitehouse, Texas, he is survived by two brothers, Jason, an Army lieutenant stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Bryan of Crowley, Texas; a sister, Alicia, of Whitehouse; grandparents John and Dorothy Payne of Tulsa, and his grandmother, Peggy Allbaugh of Blackwell.
His uncle is Joe Allbaugh, who managed the 2000 presidential campaign of President Bush and served as Bush's first Federal Emergency Management Agency director.
Tentative funeral arrangements are scheduled for later this week in Blackwell.
Jim Myers (202) 484-1424
jim.myers@tulsaworld.com
Ellie