Journal: Tony Amato, Marine dad

[thedrifter]

Journal: Tony Amato, Marine dad
Name: Tony Amato of Massapequa Park, N.Y.
Son: Cpl. Anthony P. Amato is in the Marine Corp and deployed with the USS Kearsarge. He is currently serving in Iraq.

http://www.pilotonline.com/military/images/tony&family.jpg

Pictured in photo left to right: Tony; Anthony; Anthony's girlfriend, Laura; Tony's wife, Sheila; and son Joseph. The photo was taken at Parris Island graduation.




11:34 PM May. 8
May 9, 2003
Hello my friends.

I sat down today, and re-read my journals. Yes, I am applying for Sainthood! As I read them, I realized that there was a common thread through out most of them. This common thread is support. Not only for my son, but also for all of our Troops. It wasn’t intentional, it just happened, and I am glad it did. I realize that things are winding down, and that most combat operations are over. However, that is no excuse to stop supporting our fine men and women. Our level of support should be as high, if not higher then ever, especially with so many homecomings planned. We should also NEVER FORGET those who gave their lives in defense of this great nation.

I have several stories to tell. First, let me tell you about my wife’s trip. She attended a conference on the West Coast. It is common practice to wear a name badge at such events. There were about 40 members attending this segment, of which my wife is one. All 40 members wore yellow ribbons on their badges in honor of my wife, and to show support for my son. By the time the conference was over, everyone else at the conference was saying that they wished they thought of it. Also, my wife gave each of these members a post card from the area with my sons APO address on it. Every one of these members wrote a message of support, and mailed these cards, so that my son will get 40 post cards supporting him, as well as his follow soldiers. I can just see his expression as he reads these 40 messages. It will certainly improve his moral, as well as his buddies.

Now for my story. My wife teaches at a local high school. She has one student who is both deaf and blind. He does very well; in fact he is mainstreamed in regular classes. This remarkable young man, with my wife’s assistance, also plays the cymbals, and bass drum in the band. Last night was the high schools spring concert. The finale for the band was the Stars and Stripes Forever. Can you guess what they did? Yep, they dedicated the song to my son, as well as all of our troops. But that’s not all. They invited me to play the snare drum part as a guest musician. So, here we have the Stars and Strips Forever dedicated to my son, and both my wife and I playing with the band. I have to tell you, that was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The only thing that can top this, is meeting my son’s ship when he comes home. I can’t put into words how I felt. I can tell you that I played the entire song with a lump in my throat the size of a golf ball.

At the conclusion of the song, we received a standing ovation that lasted one minute. To stand there, and listen to all of the applause and cheering not only for the band, but for my son, and all of out fine men and women in the armed services was inspiring. If anyone needed an example of pride in our troops, and especially pride in being an American, this was it. To top it off, when they printed the program, under Stars and Stripes Forever, is a message explaining the dedication of the song, and our guest appearances.

This, my friends, is what we must continue to do for our troops. The protesters here and in Iraq are not going to stop, so why should we? Every single man and woman who went to Iraq to defend and protect us, and this great nation, did so with the knowledge that they might very well have to give up their life in this defense. The very least we can do, in return, is show them how much we appreciate their efforts, and sacrifices. We must continue to show our respect, and admiration for these fine men and women, and pray that they come back to us with the knowledge of a job well done, and the eternal thanks of a proud nation.

Until next time,

Semper Fi

Tony Proud father of a US Marine







12:23 PM May. 4
Greetings to all.
As I have mentioned in past journals, I receive a huge amount of e-mail from my readers. I cherish each and every letter, & I have answered every one. Occasionally, I receive a letter, poem, story, or passage. It is always a pleasure to publish these in my journals. It gives me the chance to spread the word of support and admiration for all that our Armed Services are doing for us. It also spares you from reading my attempts at journalism! .

One of my readers sent me a poem. It is beautiful to read, and is unique in that it was written by a Marine In Iraq. It was written to his father, and he asked that it be spread throughout this great land of ours. I consider it an honor and a privilege to post this poem in today’s journal. It is the least I can do for a Marine who is willing to give his life 24/7 so that we can remain a strong and free people.

Without further rambling, the poem follows. As with “The Things They Carried,” it needs no further explanation, and says it all.

THE MARINE

We all came together, both young and old. To fight for our freedom, to stand and be bold. In the midst of all evil, we stand our ground, and we protect our country from all terror around. Peace and not war, is what some people say, But I'll give my life, so you can live the American way. I give you the right to talk of your peace, to stand in your groups, and protest in our streets. But I still fight on. I don't *****, I don't whine, I'm just one of the men who is doing your time. I'm harder than nails, stronger than any machine, I'm the immortal soldier, I'm a U.S. MARINE!!

So stand in my shoes, and leave from your home. Fight for the people who hate you, with the protests they've shown. Fight for the stranger, fight for the young, so they all may have, the great freedom you've won. Fight for the sick, fight for the poor. Fight for the cripple who lives next door. But when your time comes, do what I've done, for if you stand up for freedom, you'll stand when the fight's done.

Written by Aaron M. Gilbert-© March 23,2003 USS Saipan, Persian Gulf

Many thanks to the reader who brought this to my attention. I appreciate them taking the time to write.

Until next time,

Semper Fi

Tony


11:25 PM May. 1
My friends.
There have been more and more reports of protests against this nation, but especially against our troops who serve with courage, and a commitment towards protecting and preserving our freedom, and a way of life that only Americans can enjoy.

It is time to turn up the fires of support for our troops. The following is re-printed from a book written by Tim O’Brien called The Things They Carried. It is the opening paragraphs, and needs no further explanation.

Please read on…. And reflect.

The things they carried....

They carried P-38 can openers and heat tabs, watches and dog tags, insect repellent, gum, cigarettes, Zippo lighters, salt tablets, compress bandages, ponchos, Kool-Aid, two or three canteens of water, iodine tablets, sterno, LRRP- rations, and C-rations stuffed in socks. They carried standard fatigues, jungle boots, bush hats, flak jackets and steel pots. They carried the M-16 assault rifle. They carried trip flares and Claymore mines, M-60 machine guns, the M-70 grenade launcher, M-14's, CAR-15's, Stoners, Swedish K's, 66mm Laws, shotguns, .45 caliber pistols, silencers, the sound of bullets, rockets, and choppers, and sometimes the sound of silence. They carried C-4 plastic explosives, an assortment of hand grenades, PRC-25 radios, knives and machetes. Some carried napalm, CBU's and large bombs; some risked their lives to rescue others. Some escaped the fear, but dealt with the death and damage. Some made very hard decisions, and some just tried to survive. They carried malaria, dysentery, ringworms and leaches. They carried the land itself as it hardened on their boots. They carried stationery, pencils, and pictures of their loved ones - real and imagined. They carried love for people in the real world and love for one another. And sometimes they disguised that love: "Don't mean nothin'!" They carried memories for the most part, they carried themselves with poise and a kind of dignity. Now and then, there were times when panic set in, and people squealed or wanted to, but couldn't; when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said "Dear God" and hugged the earth and fired their weapons blindly and cringed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and God and their parents, hoping not to die. They carried the traditions of the United States military, and memories and images of those who served before them. They carried grief, terror, longing and their reputations. They carried the soldier's greatest fear: the embarrassment of dishonor. They crawled into tunnels, walked point, and advanced under fire, so as not to die of embarrassment. They were afraid of dying, but too afraid to show it. They carried the emotional baggage of men and women who might die at any moment. They carried the weight of the world.

THEY CARRIED EACH OTHER

God bless our troops. Semper Fi Tony


continued........

[thedrifter]

6:36 PM Apr. 28
April 28, 2003
Today’s journal is dedicated to my Guardian Angel. Yes, I believe in them. I also believe that they come in different forms. This Guardian Angel is named Patricia, and she is earth-bound. Let me explain. My wife and I have been terribly uninformed concerning my son, his unit, where he is, what he is doing, is he all right, etc. Ever since the war started, we have been in the dark, and have been unable to obtain any information. This all changed when our Guardian Angel Patricia entered our lives. We met Patricia through these journals. After reading them, she e-mailed me because she felt her husband and my son are in the same unit. Sure enough, she was correct. This was when Patricia the person, became Patricia the Guardian Angel to a very concerned family on Long Island. You see, Patricia is a Key Volunteer with the 2nd MEB. A Key Volunteer meets on a monthly basis with the Colonel’s wife, and other Key Volunteers. Any information concerning the unit is then passed down to the families assigned to these wonderful volunteers. These volunteers are our support. Sometimes, as in our case, they are the only official support and source of information we have. Anyway, Patricia “adopted” us as one of her families. She has been an absolute Godsend. We receive several e-mails a week from her, keeping us updated on the progress of my son’s unit. She is always, and I mean always there to answer any questions we might have. Her information and support has been priceless. Up until the time we met our Guardian Angel, my wife and I have felt like we were in some type of dark hole. During those weeks prior to connecting with Patricia, it was if a dark cloud covered us. We had no information concerning the 2nd MEB, and no letters from our son. As soon as Patricia entered our lives, the cloud started to lift. As we learned more and more about the 2nd MEB, we realized that our son was not only doing his job, but that he was safe, and as was the case of all of our troops, performing with courage, honor, and commitment to complete their assigned tasks. Thanks to Patricia, the light at the end of the tunnel could be seen.

I wish I had the skill as a writer to adequately express my appreciation for all that Patricia has done. There are no words I could use, stories I could tell, or accolades I could give that would even come close to expressing how much I appreciate what this Angel has done for my wife and I. Her help and support have been priceless. I could never repay her for all she has done. The only thing I can do is use my little corner of the journalistic world to publicly thank her for all she has done. I know it’s not much, but until we actually meet, it is the best I can do.

With all the thanks and appreciation I can muster,

Semper Fi

Tony








4:08 PM Apr. 24
April 23, 2003
Greetings all. I had originally planned to talk about the media’s coverage of all of the anti-American and anti-U.S. troops demonstrations taking place in Iraq. It seems that every time you tuned in to a news channel, there was some kind of demonstration against the brave men and women of our armed forces, or our country. In one interview, a “high up” Iraqi was saying that it was great that Saddam was gone, but if only it could have been done by any country other than the U.S. What a slap in the face, and an insult to all Americans, to our Armed Forces, and especially to those who gave their lives to secure the freedom and independence for such an ungrateful and unworthy people. Well, it seems that either the media has changed its focus, or the demonstrations have lessened. Less and less attention is being paid to these demonstrations, and more attention is being paid to coverage of all of the various efforts being undertaken to restore Iraq, and turn it back to its people.

So, I have a more important item to share with you. I finally received a letter from my son, which I would like to share with you. Before I do this, I need to relate my worst fear concerning my son fighting in this war. Although I have always worried about physical injury, or even death, the psychological impact of this war on my son scared me more. As a Marine, I knew he was well-trained, well-equipped, and highly motivated. I knew that this would lessen the chance of physical injury, but would not do much to protect his “mental well being”. I worried night after night about Anthony being changed, and not being the “Anthony” I knew & loved when I said good-bye last Dec. 26. What would he be like when he got home? Would these changes be temporary, or permanent? Would he be withdrawn, depressed, angry, on edge, etc.? Physical injuries heal fairly quickly. Psychological injuries can last a long time, and sometimes won’t heal at all. Anthony definitely livened things up for us as parents. We had good times, and bad times. But I would not want to see him changed one iota. So now you know my biggest fear concerning my son.

Now on to the letter. The letter was dated April 1. We received it on April 21, three weeks after it was written. What follows is the first paragraph, word for word:

“Well, good news & bad news. Good, I’m alive. Bad, I’m in a Kuwaiti hospital, and I’ve lost my left leg. It sucks, but could have been worse. HA, April Fools. That was just plain sick, huh.”

That one paragraph triggered every emotion know to man. Shock, disbelief, denial, relief, anger, & then, understanding. It took about one minute for all of these emotions to come, and go. I know what you are thinking, how could he joke about such a thing? How could he scare his parents half to death? You have to know Anthony to understand why he did what he did. One of his finest attributes is his sense of humor. It is also one of his most endearing characteristics. He loved to “get his parents.” He would use flimflammery, trickery, slight of hand, snookery, and out and out practical jokes. He once installed a program on my wife’s computer which enabled him to do such things as turn the desktop upside down, change icons, fool with background, in effect make her computer act like it had a virus. Imagine working at your computer, and all of a sudden everything is upside down. It was really funny. Before he left, we spoke of some of my fears that he would not come back the same Anthony. He assured me that he would come back the same kid. As more time went by without us hearing from him, the tone of some of our letters might have started to leak out the worry and concern we were feeling, even though we always try to keep our letters upbeat.


:08 PM Apr. 24
Anthony must have sensed our concern. He did the only thing he could do to show us that he was OK. What Anthony did was the quintessential Anthony. It was his way of saying, “Look, I haven’t changed, I’m the same kid you have always loved. I’m safe, well, and doing my job the best I can.”
You know, he’s right! That one paragraph showed me that Anthony is still “Anthony” in spite of all of the horrors of war he has witnessed and experienced. What greater gift can a child give to his parents than to say "Hey, I’m OK, I’m still me, don’t worry". Anthony went on to say that the 3/2 was OK, and that they had captured an Iraqi military base.

Unfortunately there was one member of his unit who was killed in action. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain his family must be feeling, and I send them my deepest sympathies on their loss. Anthony went on to tell us about all the packages he has received.

He also commented on the large number of camels and mules, and that he tried to ride one. His next comment - “They kick hard!” That’s Anthony!

More comments followed concerning lack of showers, (he loved the baby wipes we sent), changes of clothes, TV, computers, etc. His last line was “Be safe. Keep your head up. I’ll keep my head down. Love ya, A”. That’s an Anthony line. By the way, around the house we just call him A. Thank you for allowing me to share my son’s letter with you. I now feel confidant that Anthony will not only be coming home well, and hardy, but that Anthony will be coming home “Anthony”. Here’s wishing that all of our “Anthony’s” come home “Anthony”.

Semper Fi Tony

continued........

[thedrifter]

11:56 PM Apr. 18
My Friends:
I don’t know if you have noticed, but now that the war is winding down, the media seems to be focusing on the Iraqi people’s response to the United States, and especially to our troops stationed in their country. I am getting increasingly upset over the amount of hatred these people show for our troops, and America. I will expand on this in my next journal. In the meantime, I would like to dedicate this journal to all of our Armed Services, by re-printing a poem by Autumn Parker. You might have already seen this, but if you haven’t, have a box of tissues ready.

"I've Got Your Back!"

I am a small and precious child, my dad's been sent to fight... The only place I'll see his face, is in my dreams at night. He will be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track. I may be sad, but I am proud. My daddy's got your back.

I am a caring mother. My son has gone to war... My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before. Every day I try to keep my thoughts from turning black. I may be scared, but I am proud. My son has got your back.

I am a strong and loving wife, with a husband who had to go. There are times I'm terrified in a way most never know. I bite my lip, and force a smile as I watch my husband pack... My heart may break, but I am proud. My husband's got your back...

I am a soldier... Serving Proudly, standing tall. I fight for freedom, yours and mine by answering this call. I do my job while knowing, the thanks it sometimes lacks. Say a prayer that I'll come home. It's me who's got your back.

--Copyright 2003 by Autumn Parker.

Unfortunately, the ones that really need to read this probably won’t. I just want our troops and their families to know that with each passing day, my love, support, admiration, and thanks grow ten-fold. Maybe the Iraqi people hate our troops, but I, as a grateful American honor, respect, and embrace each and every one of them for restoring freedom and democracy to a people that seem not to care, while protecting our own freedom, and way of life.

Until next time,

Semper Fi

Tony A proud father of a US Marine







12:05 PM Apr. 17
My friends: In my last journal, I spoke about a Support our Troops Rally that I planned to attend last Sunday. In today’s journal, I am going to try and “paint a picture” of this rally, and try and give you a feel of what it was like to be there. Here goes: Those of you who are familiar with Long Island, and the Long Island Expressway will appreciate this a little more. Long Island is comprised of two counties, Nassau and Suffolk. There are at least 100 vol. fire departments in these two counties. Each fire dept. sent at least 2 trucks to the rally. Each truck has at least 3-5 men. Now, these men and equipment have to get to the rally location. Picture the Expressway closed eastbound from the New York City line, (exit # in the low twenties), to William Floyd Parkway, (exit 67). As the convoy proceeds from west to east, more and more trucks enter it. About 3/4 of the way there, you look out the front and back of your truck, all you see, for miles, are fire trucks of every type and description. Just imagine, miles of trucks in front, and miles of trucks in back. Along the route, are people in cars, sitting, standing, waving American Flags, holding up pictures of loved ones fighting in Iraq, clapping, cheering & waving yellow banners and ribbons. Picture Brookhaven Airport completely closed. This is the only place big enough to hold hundreds of fire trucks, and thousands of firefighters. As we pull onto a runway, we pass under an arch made of the extended ladders of two trucks, with the American flag hanging between them. Thousands of firefighters leave their hundreds of trucks, and form a huge horseshoe. In front of the open end of the horseshoe is a stage. Over the stage is an American flag also hanging from an arch made by two extended ladders 100 ft. in the air. In the center of the horseshoe, are 300 family members of soldiers fighting in the war. Hopefully, you can picture the layout. Now for the ceremony. The ceremony was as inspiring and emotional as you would expect. There were many politicians there, giving their obligatory speeches. But these speeches were different. The love and respect these speakers had for our troops and their families glowed brightly. Every speech ended with God bless our troops, God bless our families, and GOD BLESS AMERICA! There were also songs such as "America the Beautiful." The final speaker was a U.S. Army Brig. General (ret). This man was gentle, kind, and could be anyone’s father. However, you could tell, that when necessary, he could be your worse nightmare. He spoke not only of the present, but the future as well. Our loved ones have seen sights that we will never know. They are going to come home changed, in some cases these changes will be forever. We were told to embrace our loved-ones, give them space, have patience, and above all love them. They will adjust, but it will take time.

12:04 PM Apr. 17
The most moving part of the ceremony was as follows: Picture this Brig. General ordering us to attention. A thousand plus firefighters snap to. The general then gives a "face center" command. In unison, 1,000 firefighters, in full dress uniforms, and white gloves turn to face the families. The next command is "right-hand salute." We snap a salute to the families, and hold that salute during the singing of "God Bless America." As a final tribute to our troops and families, the command “light’em up” is given. Hundreds of trucks turn their lights, sirens, and air horns on full blast for one full minute. Picture a husband in full dress uniform, and his wife wearing a blue star, standing in the middle of a runway hugging, and crying. My wife and I will never forget the thousand plus men and women of the fire service who gave up their time on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to show support for our troops, and their families. I have the best of two worlds. I am a volunteer firefighter, and a Marine Dad. We had the choice of standing with our follow military families, or our brother and sister firefighters. We opted for the firefighters, so we too, could show support and respect for our troops, and their families. Until next time, God bless. Semper Fi Tony




10:53 AM Apr. 13
April 13, 2003
Hello everyone.

Well, some good news today. Jessica Lynch is now back on American soil. Welcome back, Jessica! Seven soldiers previously listed as missing in action were found alive and well. It doesn’t get much better than that!

The support that my son has been receiving continues to grow. I would like to share some of this with you. Last Monday, I went into work not in a very good frame of mind. This was probably due to lack of any communication from my son, and some disturbing news from the war front. I was talking with my head nurse about my son, when something she said triggered the release of pent-up emotions. Needless to say, the Amato Dept. of Water opened the dams. Anyway, she wanted to send me home. In order for this to happen, our Labor and Delivery Tech. would have to work 16 hrs. instead of 12 hrs. This wonderful person, her name is Denise, with not the slightest bit of hesitation offered to work the full 16 hrs. As a result I was able to go home 8 hrs. early and get some rest. Thank you Denise. In another show of support, one of my readers e-mailed me and asked if she could send a package to Anthony. I sent her his address, and she sent me back an unbelievable list of items she and her daughter sent. Can you imagine a total stranger doing this? Wow! My sincere thanks to Cynthia and Katie.

Let’s talk about my fire dept. I think I mentioned about the USMC flag flying over all the firehouses, and the group picture of the members of Co. 3 & Co. 5 standing in front of the Marine Corp banner. Well, they are now sending packages out to my son on a routine basis. They have also presented me with a check to help defray some of my son’s bills while he is away. Remember, my son is not a member of the dept., I am. There’s more. I get a call from the Capt. of my Co., telling me to come down to the firehouse, and bring my wife. I could not go down at that time, but stopped down the following day. On both sides of our heavy rescue truck was a huge EGA. The EGA is the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. This symbol is the heart of the Marines, and is given to recruits after they pass the Crucible and becomes Marines. The EGA on the truck is red. Around the bottom of the EGA is a yellow ribbon, engraved with Cpl. A. Amato. To think that these wonderful men & women of the Massapequa Fire Dept., Rescue 3, and Engine 5 would honor my son like this goes beyond words. In addition, today, Sunday, April 13, we are going out to a Support the Troops Rally. They are bringing my wife and the family of one of our members serving in Iraq with them. These guys are willing to give up a Sunday afternoon to show support for my son, and all of the troops. What a great group of people.

I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to all those readers who have sent so many wonderful messages of support. I have been receiving 4-7 e-mails a day from people who have read my journals, offering their support, prayers, and encouragement. Not a single e-mail has been negative, or unsupportive. These daily messages have been a source of comfort for me and my wife. Without this support, a difficult situation would be even harder to bear.

God bless our troops, and all those awaiting their safe return.

Semper Fi

Tony



continued.....

[thedrifter]

11:12 AM Apr. 11
April 10, 2003 My friends: Today’s journal will not be quite as intense as my last one. I know that it might have been upsetting to some of you to read, just as it was upsetting for me to write. No one wants to talk about such a horrible act and crime against humanity, especially if it involves the death of an unborn child. However, we must talk about it, and rise up against those who would commit such an act. If we don’t, than this baby would have died in vain. Enough said. Today’s journal is dedicated to one of my readers. When I started these journals, I never thought anyone would read them. Well, not only are they being read, but I have received responses that brought tears to my eyes. I am so moved by these letters written by you, that I have printed each one, along with my response. These will go into a scrapbook that I will give to my son when he comes home. He needs to know about all of the wonderful support shown by you. What follows is the e-mail from this reader. Remember, I did not write this, although I wish I did. This wonderful person deserves all of our thanks and appreciation for sharing her feelings on a difficult subject. Please note that due to size restrictions this reader's letter will appear as a second journal entry after this one.




11:11 AM Apr. 11
This is the email from the reader:
''I sent 'Please spare a moment of your time to send an email message of thanks and support to our fighting forces in Iraq by following the URL below. Messages can be routed to soldiers, sailors, and airmen in any service from any state. Pass it along to your friends. It's the least we can do. Thanks http://www.defendamerica.mil/' to my co-workers and one of them responded with: 'May I ask you a question? It is personal and NOT meant to start WWIII? OK? Would you willingly give your child to this war? If I had a child I would not give my blessing. Have at me.' What follows below is my (her) response (to the co-worker). 'I do not want to offend you or start WWIII either. I welcome the opportunity for discussion. I won't even go into the politics of this conflict. Here goes… Not only "would I" endorse my child fighting this war, I already have. I have a nephew in Iraq, on the front lines with the Marines that were ambushed at El Nasarihah this past weekend. Thankfully, he was not injured. My eldest son is currently in Marine Corps basic training, a career choice he made years ago, before 9/11 and the current situation. My grandfather fought in WWII, my father and Dad (step-father is Dad) both fought in Korea and Vietnam. My ex-husband and I both served in the Marine Corps during peacetime and my current husband is also a Vietnam veteran. Just like many other occupations, the military is a proud family tradition. We consider it not only an honor and a privilege to serve our country, but our civic duty as well. We do not take our freedom and rights for granted as so many do. We respect the fact that they were forged with the vision and blood of our forefathers. We honor them by being willing to make the same sacrifices they did. However, we all raised our children to understand that the military is not just any other occupation. They must understand that it is a very structured life, where you must do what you're told, when you're told and how you're told to do it. Many people join because they either were raised with this structure and don't know what to do with themselves without it or have lacked such structure and seek it. They also understand that they could be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. And I don't mean just by giving their life, but also by the potential of taking the lives of others. It is a moral dilemma, indeed. We are taught to believe that the killing of another is the greatest evil deed. But we are also taught that sometimes it is a necessary evil. I tried to explain it to my brother's wife who referred to us as a family of warmongers once. We do not want war any more than anyone else. We would be the ones getting shot at and/or killed! We don't want to die, but we are willing to risk dying for you. We will suffer the loneliness, pain, fear, and the horrors no one can describe or should, in order to protect you, your freedom and your right to not be willing to do the same for us. Not everyone has to serve their country in the risk of dying for it, there are other ways. This is the one we chose. For most, it is simply a career choice; learn a trade, get money for college, not a death wish. Continued below





11:10 AM Apr. 11
Email continued: 'As a veteran who made the same choice, I respect their decision. As a mother, I do not want any child, especially my own, to know the horrors of war. I vowed to God and my children before they were even born to protect them at all costs. I would die and kill to that end. It brings me to tears whenever I think of them being afraid, or hurt or of what they must be prepared to do in order to survive. If I could go in their place I would, without hesitation. But they are younger and stronger and must carry the awesome burden for the rest of us. I will support our troops, my nephew and son because they are in harm's way. They need to know people care about them. It is a fountain from which they draw strength and courage. If there is any shame in what they are doing it is not their's for the one who gives the orders must bear the weight of them. I raised my son to have a conscience and a heart. I know my nephew was raised the same way. They are intelligent and caring young men. I love them and am proud of them. I will support them regardless of the politics that put them there. I hope you will find it in your heart to do the same.' God Bless you and yours. Semper Fi'" Amen. Tony

6:10 PM Apr. 4
April 4, 2003
I thought I had the topic for today's journal all set, and ready to go. This was, however, before listening to a report concerning one of the most heinous, cowardly, despicable, and upsetting acts of terrorism coming out of this war that I have ever heard. I realize that the purpose of this journal is to show support for our loved ones defending our country, and not as a place to vent anger. However there is no way around it. This journal will be short, blunt, and to the point.

As I have previously stated, I work as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at a local hospital. I have spent 13 years of my life working to protect the lives of my patients, both moms and babies, & doing my best to assure healthy outcomes. Today in Iraq, a pregnant woman was used as bait to draw Three of our brave soldiers manning a checkpoint towards a car, then having the driver set off a bomb, killing those 3 Americans. Never, in the history of humanity has there been an act like this. The Iraqi leadership who planned this knew that any American would rush to the aid of a woman screaming, especially seeing that she is pregnant. Where do these bastards get off killing an innocent, unborn child in the name of defending their country? What kind of animals are these people? If they want to blow themselves up in the cause of some kind of crusade, fine. But to kill an unborn child who has no control over its destiny is a crime against God and humanity. Any doubts as to the criminal and inhuman nature of Saddam and his regime have certainly been dispelled. They are ruthless, inhumane and care nothing for the sanctity of human life.

I pray for the soul of this child and hope that God takes this baby into His protective arms. As for the two people responsible for this act, and those leaders who planned and condoned such a terrorist act, may you all burn in Hell for eternity.

To those who might have been offended by this article, and to the Virginian Pilot, for straying away from the purpose of these journals, I apologize. As I stated, this had to be said, and there was no easy way to say it.

May God bless those soldiers killed, and may he bring comfort to their families.

Until next time,

Semper Fi

Tony

continued.....

[thedrifter]

:06 PM Apr. 3
(continued from previous post)
Now about me. When Anthony went to Parris Island, I decided that now was the time to show my support for him. So, I had a 20-foot tall flagpole installed in my front yard, so I could properly display our colors and the Marine Corp Flag. Since then, I added a spotlight so I could keep the flags out at night. It really looks nice. Around this time, I was also looking for a new car. So, I found a 1997 Hummer for sale. I know it’s crazy, but what the heck. It’s a military green slantback. Very cool.

When Anthony was stationed in Washington, D.C., I made many trips there to watch him perform in various ceremonies. It was all I could do to keep the buttons from popping off my jacket. Traveling to Washington, D.C., was easy, as I live in Long Island, N.Y. When Anthony was transferred to Camp LeJeune, we stayed in touch via cell phone and e-mail. When Anthony was due to leave for the Persian Gulf, Sheila and I wanted to go to Norfolk to see him off, but Anthony insisted that we not do that. So, as it turns out, Joseph was the last family member to see Anthony before he left. Thank you Joseph. While Anthony was on board ship, we still stayed in touch via phone and e-mail. Once he disembarked in Kuwait, that was that. Our only contact with Anthony since Feb. 13 has been an occasional letter. We have not received anything since the start of the war.

Anyway, what else have I done? I have written letters, and helped my wife with sending out care packages. I work at a hospital, so I wear an ID badge. On that badge, I have a USMC pin with the eagle, globe and anchor. I also have a yellow ribbon attached to the badge. I have placed service flags and yellow ribbons in our front window, Anthony’s bedroom door, my locker door at work, and my computer terminal at my part-time job. I also have an American flag at the nurse’s station where I work.

I have done one more thing, which I saved for last. All you men out there pay attention! Anthony has been a Marine since July 2000. Every since he joined, he has been after me to get a “high and tight” haircut which is the trademark, so to speak, of the Marines. In fact, on several of my trips to Washington, D.C., Anthony and some of his buddies have tried to give me a high and tight by force. These attacks were successfully defended. Well, when it was apparent that Anthony was going to war, I made a promise to myself that on the day the war starts, I would get that “high and tight” in honor of my son. Not only that, I vowed to keep this haircut until he returns. Needless to say, my head created quite a stir at work. It must be scary having a nurse with a high and tight take care of you while you are in labor. Yes, I said labor. I am a labor and delivery nurse. Don’t laugh!

Well, that is it for now. I also just want to say that the volunteer fire department I belong to is now flying the Marine Corp flag for my son. Thanks guys.

Until next time,

Semper Fi

Tony






2:04 PM Apr. 3
April 3, 2003
My Friends:

Before I begin today’s journal, I just want to express my profound joy at the rescue of Pvt. Jessica Lynch. Reports say that she fought until she ran out of ammunition. This so typifies the spirit, dedication, skill, and patriotism of our fighting forces. Recognition should also be given to the joint special-ops team that effected Jessica’s rescue. God bless them all, and God bless the USA.

In today’s journal, I would like to talk about some of the things that I have been doing to show support for my son, as well as all of our brave men and women of our Armed Service. Before I do this, I would like to talk about my other son, Joseph. He and his brother, Anthony, were the proverbial oil and water when they were growing up. All this changed, however, when Anthony became a Marine. Just before Anthony left for the Persian Gulf, he needed to get his personal belongings, as well as his car, out of camp LeJeune. Joseph, rented a truck, drove all the way from Lynchburg, VA to Camp LeJeune to help Anthony. He spent some quality time with Anthony, helped him pack, loaded Anthony’s car, returned the truck at LeJeune, and then drove Anthony’s car loaded with all his personal belongings back to his home in Lynchburg where he will provide safe keeping. I have to tell you, I am just as proud of Joseph and his family as I am of Anthony. In the middle of working, preparing to move, and raising my grandson, both Joseph and his fiancée Diane still found the time to help Anthony. My profound thanks go out to all of them.

(continued in next entry...)


5:51 PM Apr. 1
April 1, 2003
The subject of today’s journal is supporting our loved ones who are serving our country. But first, I would like to take the time to thank all of you who have been reading this journal, and especially those who have sent in responses. Taking the time to write, in spite of all you are going through shows you are indeed special people. Please know that you and your loved ones who are out there protecting our freedom are in my thoughts and prayers. You are my motivation and strength that allows me to write these journals. I am not a professional writer; in fact, writing was my worse subject in school. Thank God for spell-checkers and grammar checkers.

On to today’s subject. There are many ways we can show our support for our troops. I would like to share with you some of the things my wife and I are doing to support our son. First, my wife. She has turned our dining room into an assembly, production, inspection, and shipping dept. By this, I mean the constant flow of care packages being sent to our son. We have, literally buckets of small items ready to be packaged and sent out. These include: sun flower seeds, batteries, soft-packaged tuna fish, razors, single-use cameras, Advil, Skittles, eye drops, deodorants, Altoids, beef jerky, fortune cookies, baby wipes, etc. The list goes on and on. The best things we have found to ship these items in are the priority mailboxes from the post office. They are free and our local post office gives them to us by the case. They come in different sizes, but the videocassette size works the best. We also keep a supply of custom declaration forms at home, so we don’t have to waste time at the post office filling them out. My wife is the absolute best at this. Although I help out a little, she is the driving force that insures that Anthony has a never-ending supply of packages from home. Sheila, my wife, is also the champion letter-writer of all time, sending out at least one, two, or more letters a day. I also write, but not as often.

Another really neat thing that Sheila is doing is keeping a scrapbook which she will give to Anthony when he comes home. It has everything, and I mean everything, related to his being in Iraq. It has copies of all her letters to him and all the letters from him. It has newspaper articles, web articles, e-mails, pictures, & anything you can imagine relating to our son, or the war. It even has copies of the journals I have been writing. Sheila has also been hard at work at her school organizing care packages. The school sent out $60 worth of postage to our son. By this I mean that the postage necessary to send out these packages was $60. God knows what the cost of the actual items was. God bless them all.

Sheila has also been placing yellow ribbons on anything that does not move. Thanks to her, our neighbors have gotten involved, and more yellow ribbons appear daily. Sheila has also made an appearance on the "Today" show, along with five other moms that have loved ones serving our country. They were presented with Service Flags, and Certificates of Appreciation. Sheila also e-mails all of Anthony’s friends, and keeps them updated. She has also been tending to whatever financial matters or correspondence pertaining to Anthony. This includes car insurance, etc. Sheila has even gotten a friend who owns a vending company involved. Needless to say, this has really increased the flow of packages from the states. I am sure that she has done much more to support our son, but it escapes me at the moment.

It looks like today’s journal is longer than I thought it would be, so I will save talking about some of the things I have done for next time.

Till we meet again, God bless you all, and your loved ones.

Semper Fi

Tony


continued.........

[thedrifter]

3:38 PM Mar. 30
March 30, 2003
I thought it might be nice to give some insight as to how my son became a U.S. Marine. While finishing his junior year in high school, he came home one day and announced to my wife and I that he wanted to join the Marines. This was the first time he ever expressed such an interest. He explained to us that he would still finish his senior year in high school, while being a “Poolie” in the Marines and then go to boot camp right after graduation. His one-year as Poolie would count towards his four-year reserve time, thus cutting it down to three years. My wife and I questioned him extensively as to whether or not this was what he really wanted to do after high school. He assured us this is what he wanted so, after meeting with two recruiters, we signed him in. Looking back on this now, our feeling is “My God, what did we do!” Of course, the world was a different place back in 1999. This was pre-9/11, pre-Bin Laden, pre-Saddam, etc. None of us would have ever imagined that our son would be fighting in a war in 2003. Even if we refused to give him permission to join the Marines, he would have done it on his own when he turned 18. In spite of this, pangs of guilt still gnaw at us.

Anthony spent two years at Marine Corp Barracks 8th and I in Washington D.C., as a ceremonial marcher. After that, he was transferred to Camp LeJeune, N.C. From there, he was deployed to the Persian Gulf. At present, he is somewhere in southern Iraq. We have not spoken to him since Feb. 13, and our last letter from him was dated March 9. We have had no contact with him since the war actually began.

One of the most difficult things as a parent to deal with is the lack of contact with your loved one, and not knowing where he or she is. The media has done a good job covering the war. Sometimes too good. In spite of all of this coverage, and information coming out of the war, I don’t know where my son is or what he is doing. This is the hardest thing for me to deal with. He is well-trained and well-equipped so I have to assume all is well unless otherwise notified. I can tell you, it’s not easy.

More next time,

Tony






6:46 PM Mar. 28
Friday, 3/28/03
My name is Tony. My son Anthony is a U.S. Marine currently somewhere in Iraq. I would like to thank Chris for giving me the opportunity to write this journal. We must never forget, nor minimize what our young men and women in the Armed Services are going through to protect and preserve our freedom. By the same token, it is also important for those families of our brave service men and women to be able to express their feelings and emotions during this time of war.

It is my wish, as I am sure it is everyone's, that our loved ones come home quickly, safely, and with the knowledge that we are very proud of them, and the job they are doing to keep America the greatest country in the world.

Until next time,

Tony


Sempers,

Roger