thedrifter
03-16-08, 09:00 AM
Lt. Col. Christopher Woodbridge's letter to the Camera
Lt. Col. Christopher Woodbridge was Evan Morgan’s battalion commander at the time of the attack on his Humvee. In this letter to the Camera, Woodbridge recalled the day of Morgan’s injuries, and the effect it had on him personally:
Here is what I remember most about Cpl Morgan — the quiet courage to get the job done even in the most hazardous situations.
Cpl Morgan was from Weapons Company 1/7 which had been organized into 3 Combined Anti-armor Teams (CAAT Platoons) for the deployment to the Al Qaim area of western Anbar province for OIF-II-2 (August 04-March 05).
The CAAT platoons had the majority of the battalion’s HMMWVs and therefore had the majority of the tasks associated with convoy security, and mounted patrolling. Consequently they had the most attacks with IEDs.
Very early in the deployment the company lost its company commander and a platoon commander KIA and during the weeks that followed several other Marines from the company were killed and grievously wounded by IEDs, mines, and RPGs. Despite these painful and traumatic events Cpl Morgan and the Marines in his CAAT platoon never lost their nerve and never hesitated to take on any mission assigned.
When he was wounded Cpl Morgan’s section was providing security for a resupply convoy from the battalion’s main position at Al Qaim to another Company’s position in the town of Husaybah. To minimize the threat of IEDs, the convoy moved through the open desert avoiding roads and built-up areas.
After crossing a junction of improved roads, Cpl Morgan’s vehicle hit a double or triple “stacked” landmine (a technique used by insurgents to make the mines more powerful). The vehicle was an armored variant HMMWV with additional home-made armor plating bolted to it—especially the undercarriage. This field expedient measure probably saved Cpl Morgan’s life and spared the other Marines in the vehicle more serious injury, but the force of the blast appeared to be directly under the left front wheel adjacent to Cpl Morgan’s seat. The other Marines and Navy corpsmen with Cpl Morgan’s section immediately rendered first aid to him, applying tourniquets to stop the bleeding from his severely injured legs. This sailor and Marine performed these lifesaving tasks in and around Cpl Morgan’s vehicle without stopping to sweep the area for more mines—two of them were decorated for their bravery. Cpl Morgan was medevaced by the battalion’s attached US Army reserve air ambulance detachment (“Lonestar Dustoff” from Texas).
When he arrived at the battalion’s Navy Shock Trauma Platoon and Forward Surgical Suite he was still conscious and I distinctly remember him giving a “thumbs up” to the in-flight medic as he was taken off the aircraft. He was medicated and lost consciousness shortly after.
My SgtMaj, the battalion XO, the Chaplain and I all stayed with him while he underwent surgery to stabilize him before he was evacuated to the hospital at Balad—his legs had to be amputated and he had serious injuries to his right arm and one eye. Within a few days he was back in the states being treated at Bethesda and Brooke Army Medical center in Texas.
Of course he can’t remember any of this but all of us prayed a lot while he was in surgery and I remember taking turns holding his “good” hand while they prepped him for movement after the surgery.
We followed his progress through the casualty reporting system and reports from the battalion’s rear party throughout the remainder of our deployment. After we got back to 29 Palms in March 05, my SgtMaj visited him at Brooke AMC.
The SgtMaj reported that his rehabilitation and physical therapy was proceeding well and that Cpl Morgan was being fitted for his prosthetic legs. The SgtMaj told me that Cpl Morgan had joked with the doctors asking if they could make him taller with his new legs.
This is my definition of courage and fortitude, and I’m still proud just to have been in the same unit as heroes like this.
Ellie
Lt. Col. Christopher Woodbridge was Evan Morgan’s battalion commander at the time of the attack on his Humvee. In this letter to the Camera, Woodbridge recalled the day of Morgan’s injuries, and the effect it had on him personally:
Here is what I remember most about Cpl Morgan — the quiet courage to get the job done even in the most hazardous situations.
Cpl Morgan was from Weapons Company 1/7 which had been organized into 3 Combined Anti-armor Teams (CAAT Platoons) for the deployment to the Al Qaim area of western Anbar province for OIF-II-2 (August 04-March 05).
The CAAT platoons had the majority of the battalion’s HMMWVs and therefore had the majority of the tasks associated with convoy security, and mounted patrolling. Consequently they had the most attacks with IEDs.
Very early in the deployment the company lost its company commander and a platoon commander KIA and during the weeks that followed several other Marines from the company were killed and grievously wounded by IEDs, mines, and RPGs. Despite these painful and traumatic events Cpl Morgan and the Marines in his CAAT platoon never lost their nerve and never hesitated to take on any mission assigned.
When he was wounded Cpl Morgan’s section was providing security for a resupply convoy from the battalion’s main position at Al Qaim to another Company’s position in the town of Husaybah. To minimize the threat of IEDs, the convoy moved through the open desert avoiding roads and built-up areas.
After crossing a junction of improved roads, Cpl Morgan’s vehicle hit a double or triple “stacked” landmine (a technique used by insurgents to make the mines more powerful). The vehicle was an armored variant HMMWV with additional home-made armor plating bolted to it—especially the undercarriage. This field expedient measure probably saved Cpl Morgan’s life and spared the other Marines in the vehicle more serious injury, but the force of the blast appeared to be directly under the left front wheel adjacent to Cpl Morgan’s seat. The other Marines and Navy corpsmen with Cpl Morgan’s section immediately rendered first aid to him, applying tourniquets to stop the bleeding from his severely injured legs. This sailor and Marine performed these lifesaving tasks in and around Cpl Morgan’s vehicle without stopping to sweep the area for more mines—two of them were decorated for their bravery. Cpl Morgan was medevaced by the battalion’s attached US Army reserve air ambulance detachment (“Lonestar Dustoff” from Texas).
When he arrived at the battalion’s Navy Shock Trauma Platoon and Forward Surgical Suite he was still conscious and I distinctly remember him giving a “thumbs up” to the in-flight medic as he was taken off the aircraft. He was medicated and lost consciousness shortly after.
My SgtMaj, the battalion XO, the Chaplain and I all stayed with him while he underwent surgery to stabilize him before he was evacuated to the hospital at Balad—his legs had to be amputated and he had serious injuries to his right arm and one eye. Within a few days he was back in the states being treated at Bethesda and Brooke Army Medical center in Texas.
Of course he can’t remember any of this but all of us prayed a lot while he was in surgery and I remember taking turns holding his “good” hand while they prepped him for movement after the surgery.
We followed his progress through the casualty reporting system and reports from the battalion’s rear party throughout the remainder of our deployment. After we got back to 29 Palms in March 05, my SgtMaj visited him at Brooke AMC.
The SgtMaj reported that his rehabilitation and physical therapy was proceeding well and that Cpl Morgan was being fitted for his prosthetic legs. The SgtMaj told me that Cpl Morgan had joked with the doctors asking if they could make him taller with his new legs.
This is my definition of courage and fortitude, and I’m still proud just to have been in the same unit as heroes like this.
Ellie