Sparrowhawk
01-28-04, 10:41 AM
The drifter's post, "Unexplained kill zone"
The story of a Marine's parent seeking the truth about the death of his son in a battle zone.
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=59750#post59750
Made me think, of incident's that happened in Vietnam in a war zone.
I recall an incident where an Air Force pilot was assigned to us on Hill 65 for a while to observe the war from the grunts point of view. While with us, he received a "Dear John, " letter, and went out with a patrol he hadn't been assigned to go with. Somewhere along the way, he pulled his weapon and shot himself. The report said, he had been killed by an enemy's bullet and that was the end of it.
The story Roger posted speaks about a Marine warrior that understood his job, "On a shopping visit to Tijuana just before shipping out for Iraq, Suarez said, his Marine son bought a statuette of a Guerrero Azteca, or Aztec warrior. "
The military reported that the Marine was killed by an enemy's bullet, while a news reporter wrote that the Marine had stepped on a cluster bomblet, quite possibly an American bomblet.
Since then, the Marine's father, Fernando Suarez said, he hasn't received a straight, formal explanation from the military about his son's death.
``Why would they lie to us?'' he asked, quickly suggesting the answer. ``Because they want the American people to believe Iraq is a threat to our security, that all of our soldiers are being killed by terrorists and only terrorists.''
Oh, if he only knew the bond the American warrior shares in battle. In his own personal quest for answers the father has now become an activist for the anti-war effort.
"Suarez refused to bury his son in a military cemetery, declined posthumous citizenship for his son, and lost his job as a printing shop clerk for missing too much work to speak out against the war. "
While I can't begin to understand a father's grief with the lost of his son in combat, I do understand the death of a Marine warrior, killed by the enemy in a battle zone, killed by the weapons of war.
I honor his son, as a Marine warrior. Killed by the enemy's bullet or by a cluster bomb, even if possible it was one of our own. He was a Marine and if I read between the lines here, the Marines of his unit honored him. That, message send home can only be understood by warriors and those that fight by their side.
Was it a lie?
Does it make a difference?
What is Semper Fi?
Just thinking outloud!
Cook
The story of a Marine's parent seeking the truth about the death of his son in a battle zone.
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=59750#post59750
Made me think, of incident's that happened in Vietnam in a war zone.
I recall an incident where an Air Force pilot was assigned to us on Hill 65 for a while to observe the war from the grunts point of view. While with us, he received a "Dear John, " letter, and went out with a patrol he hadn't been assigned to go with. Somewhere along the way, he pulled his weapon and shot himself. The report said, he had been killed by an enemy's bullet and that was the end of it.
The story Roger posted speaks about a Marine warrior that understood his job, "On a shopping visit to Tijuana just before shipping out for Iraq, Suarez said, his Marine son bought a statuette of a Guerrero Azteca, or Aztec warrior. "
The military reported that the Marine was killed by an enemy's bullet, while a news reporter wrote that the Marine had stepped on a cluster bomblet, quite possibly an American bomblet.
Since then, the Marine's father, Fernando Suarez said, he hasn't received a straight, formal explanation from the military about his son's death.
``Why would they lie to us?'' he asked, quickly suggesting the answer. ``Because they want the American people to believe Iraq is a threat to our security, that all of our soldiers are being killed by terrorists and only terrorists.''
Oh, if he only knew the bond the American warrior shares in battle. In his own personal quest for answers the father has now become an activist for the anti-war effort.
"Suarez refused to bury his son in a military cemetery, declined posthumous citizenship for his son, and lost his job as a printing shop clerk for missing too much work to speak out against the war. "
While I can't begin to understand a father's grief with the lost of his son in combat, I do understand the death of a Marine warrior, killed by the enemy in a battle zone, killed by the weapons of war.
I honor his son, as a Marine warrior. Killed by the enemy's bullet or by a cluster bomb, even if possible it was one of our own. He was a Marine and if I read between the lines here, the Marines of his unit honored him. That, message send home can only be understood by warriors and those that fight by their side.
Was it a lie?
Does it make a difference?
What is Semper Fi?
Just thinking outloud!
Cook