Soldier From Miami Drowns in Baghdad

[Judi Lynn]

Soldier From Miami Drowns in Baghdad
The Associated Press
Published: Oct 5, 2003




MIAMI (AP) - An Army soldier from Miami has drowned in Baghdad, the Department of Defense said Sunday.

Pfc. Charles M. Sims, 18, drowned on Friday, defense officials said. Sims was assigned to the 549th Military Police Company in Fort Stewart.

The U.S. Central Command said Friday that a soldier assigned to the 1st Armored Division soldier drowned in a swimming pool, but it could not be determined Sunday night if Sims was that soldier.

Military officials in Baghdad said Sunday that they had no information if the 549th was assigned to that division. (snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031005/APN/310050839

[izzie]

1. This is one odd story.

:freak:

[Scurrilous]

2. Sad story.

According to the Miami Herald:

"He was a good swimmer,'' said his mother, Andreta Hester, 39. Evidently, he choked on some candy. When they cleared his passage to do CPR, he had some hard candy in his throat."

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/6943027.htm

[Zech Marquis]

3. ?

I'm not so sure what to think here--this Army soldier, who like every singleArmy soldier has gone through drown proofing--although that involved during combat and/or field opeartions--and he drowns with some candy in his throat?

Ok a swimming pool, but still...very sad, and still quite odd...

[TNOE]

4. Wasn't there another "drowning" last week too?

This can't be same one I don't think. Weird.

[inthecorneroverhere]

5. too wierd

That is too wierd. It's not like people from Miami are unfamiliar with the water. Even if he never went to the beach (???? it's very close and thus not expensive to get there from Miami) and didn't have a pool, certainly he must have had access to a pool at school, the Y, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or friends' places. Pools are a lot more common in South Florida than about anywhere else other than maybe LA or San Diego.

I remember as a child being told to not eat anything ir chew gum while swimming. Folks took me to someone else's pool (in Calif.) to learn to swim because a relative drowned years ago. Local organizations did pool parties for low-income kids in the summer.

I'm a landlubber myself and never became much of a swimmer, but I do know not to eat or chew gum/have hard candy while swimming.