Fort Bragg soldier killed in Baghdad ( # 2395 )

[leftchick]

:cry:

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/433241.html

An Army Special Forces soldier based at Fort Bragg was killed in Baghdad.
Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema died Tuesday when he came under fire during combat, according to a Defense Department news release.

He was born March 28, 1979, in Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated from Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, Mich., according to the Special Operations Command. He entered the Army as an infantryman on Jan. 11, 1999.

Herrema was posthumously promoted to Sgt. 1st Class. He was also posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

[uppityperson]

1. Thank you for the picture

pictures bring it home.

[leftchick]

8. I know...

I rarely see the photos in the AP reports and never in the DOD releases. Once in a while on yahoo, but they are usually of the funerals. :(

[uppityperson]

10. a picture is what got me to camp casey last yr, 19 yr old kid

that did it. UPJr is 18 soon

[leftchick]

12. I wish I had the photo handy

but I do not. Last Fall at the DC protest I met a Gold Star mother with Cindy's group. She wanted a photo of my sons holding her poster of her dead son. OMG, did I cry! I hugged her and took a photo of her with her baby on that poster. The sadness has no words. :cry:

[Botany]

2. Blessings and prayers for his soul and his family & friends

Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema :patriot:

How many more George, how many?

:cry:

[babylonsister]

3. R.I.P., Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema.

:cry:

[ncrainbowgrrl]

4. Thanks for posting.

These soldiers are not just numbers. They had people who loved them and cared about their safety.

This particular soldier was just eight months older than me- almost to the day. :cry:

[leftchick]

9. He just had a birthday!

god this is all so sad it is over whelming. :cry:

[Erika]

5. As Cindy Sheehan asks

for what? What is the reason?

[llmart]

6. Our flags have been at half-staff......

so often here in Michigan it's starting to be ridiculous raising and lowering them all the time. Friggen Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice have all the blood of these soldiers on their hands.

[EFerrari]

7. Thanks, leftchick.

They all look like babies.

[0007]

11. Add one more to the pile

Grass Bush

Pile the bodies high in Austerlitz and Waterloo Iraq
Shovel them under and let me work--
I am the grass; bush; I cover all.

And pile them high in Gettyburg Baghdad
And pile them high in Ypres and Vedum Mossoul and Al Fallaujah

Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?

I am the grass bush.
Let me work.

Carl Sandburg


Support the war - Donate a Son a daughter
The GOP working for a better America
God Bless America

[Erika]

13. Good looking Boy

So very sad.

[deadparrot]

14. RIP.

...

[seemslikeadream]

15. HOW MANY MORE GEORGIE, HOW MANY MORE?

Rich Man's War Lyrics


Jimmy joined the army ‘cause he had no place to go
There ain’t nobody hirin’
‘round here since all the jobs went
down to Mexico
Reckoned that he’d learn himself a trade maybe see the world
Move to the city someday and marry a black haired girl
Somebody somewhere had another plan
Now he’s got a rifle in his hand
Rollin’ into Baghdad wonderin’ how he got this far
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone when he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year now and he’s still there
Chasin’ ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

When will we ever learn
When will we ever see
We stand up and take our turn
And keep tellin’ ourselves we’re free

Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwing bottles and rocks when the tanks would come
Ain’t nothin’ else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin’ ‘bout livin’ in fear all your life makes you hard that way

He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

Steve Earle

[Roland99]

16. The highest monthly death toll for US soldiers ALL YEAR!

:mad:

[Flagg]

17. This is turning into a fucking genocide

Hey, Matt and Trey.

2396 dead American soldiers.
Countless thousands of Iraqi cicvilians slaughtered.

Why don't you "parody" that, assholes ?

I think San Fransisco and Al Gore can wait.
Oh wait, you already did. How insightful.

There's a fucking WAR CRIMINAL sitting in the oval office right now!
SAY SOMETHING!

[ananda]

18. That's sad... Also,

the security officer at my school is being called to Kuwait from the reserves.

Didn't I read that the army was being deceptive about Kuwait, really planning
to send them to Iraq?

The officer seems happy to go because he'll be making more money because
of his rank... but I wonder if he really knows what he's in for.

Well, anyway, he's well liked and will be sadly missed regardless. We made a
big card for everyone to sign and a money tree.

Sue

[ShortnFiery]

19. He was "a gem" for the military ...

Special Forces, Staff Sergeant, Airborne, Air Assault, etc. etc.

The LOSS of these highly skilled troops will put our sons and daughters in more danger when the draft hits, if they are replaced with desk jockeys.

We are in a world of hurt and this soldier's death highlights how tragic it is to lose such highly trained quality troop for an immoral and illegal war. What a waste. :cry: