Soldiers pays tribute to 507th dead

[Evanauto]

Empty helmets placed on the barrels of M-16s sat in front of smiling photos of nine members of the 507th Maintenance Company. A posthumously awarded Purple Heart was draped on the upper right hand corner of each picture frame.

The soldiers, killed in an ambush near Nasiriyah in Iraq last month, were mourned by about 5,000 people at Friday's ceremony, which spilled over into two other locations at Fort Bliss that were equipped with video and audio feeds.

Col. Frederick L. Hudson, the post chaplain, asked the families to rely on their faith and assured them their sons and daughter were "bridges to peace" in the Iraq conflict.

Hudson assured the families that their loved ones didn't die alone and spoke of Pfc. Jessica Lynch, another member of the 507th. When told the group rescuing her from an Iraqi hospital were American soldiers, the prisoner of war replied, "I am an American soldier too."

"We are American soldiers too, and we are here to take you home," Hudson said.

The nine killed in action were Sgt. Donald R. Walters; Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, of El Paso; Pvt. Brandon U. Sloan, 19, of Bedford, Ohio; Pfc. Howard Johnson II, 21, of Mobile, Ala.; Spc. Jamaal R. Addison, 22, of Roswell, Ga.; Spc. James M. Kiehl, 22, of Des Moines; Spc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, of Tuba City, Ariz.; 1st Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy, 38, of Cleveland; and Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, of Pecos.

Howard Johnson Sr. called his son "my soldier, my hero." He said that when his son reached the Middle East he asked the family to send him a camera so he could capture the strangeness of his new surroundings.

"He was excited about it," Johnson said. "So I'm proud that he was doing something he was excited about."

Spc. Joshua DeMoray, who served as an usher, didn't realize that Walters, his friend, was among those killed in action until a practice for the ceremony Thursday, when he recognized his face among the nine photos.

"I just got back in country last week," DeMoray said after the ceremony. "I didn't know he was one of them."

DeMoray said Walters, whom he met at Fort Bliss, was "energetic, always willing to do whatever the mission called for."

God bless the dead. Now if this war didnt happen some of our 18-25 wouldnt be gone.

*sniff*

[bumcheekcity]

so basically you copied and pasted a very alrge article about soldiors mourning their dead, which happens and wee know it?

i will find the house adress of the next person that copies sand pastes a gigantic article for no reason whatsoever except to increase their point total and i shall personally stick a cat somewhere where they wouldnt want a cat stuck.

and then you ca post the article 'Strange Man rams cat in Irritating Shite's Arse' and everyone will be happy.

except the cat

[TheShrike]

bum-
Dude, lay off of it.

evan-
'tis a sad post. I'm just glad that the death toll is still low.

[Slizor]

Another fine example of American lives being worth more than Iraqi lives.

[TheloniousMONK]

At 4/12/03 02:43 AM, bumcheekcity wrote: i will find the house adress of the next person that copies sand pastes a gigantic article for no reason whatsoever except to increase their point total and i shall personally stick a cat somewhere where they wouldnt want a cat stuck.

And I will find the home address of the next person who posts another topic for no reason whatsoever except to be a jack ass and increase their point total, and I shall personally... Ahhhh, what the hell, you get the point.

[Evanauto]

At 4/12/03 02:26 PM, jazz_mazter wrote: And I will find the home address of the next person who posts another topic for no reason whatsoever except to be a jack ass and increase their point total, and I shall personally... Ahhhh, what the hell, you get the point.

nice job jazz man, much respect

[Jimsween]

At 4/12/03 06:37 AM, Slizor wrote: Another fine example of American lives being worth more than Iraqi lives.

So were supposed to care more about the Iraqi's that our own people?

[TheEvilOne]

At 4/12/03 06:37 AM, Slizor wrote: Another fine example of American lives being worth more than Iraqi lives.

It's sad when anyone dies, but isn't it sadder for you when the one who died was close to you?

What's so bad about paying tribute to our own dead?

[Commander-K25]

At 4/12/03 06:37 AM, Slizor wrote: Another fine example of American lives being worth more than Iraqi lives.

To each, their own. It is for the Iraqis to mourn their dead and for us to mourn ours.

[MarijuanaClock]

I don't care, they knew what they were doing when the signed up.

[implodinggoat]

At 4/13/03 02:30 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: I don't care, they knew what they were doing when the signed up.

This is true, although its still rather disturbing that you can show such apathy for the loss of human life merely because they were fighting a war that you disagreed with.

I don't care if you hate Bush but extending that hatred to dead soldiers is pretty fucking low.

[implodinggoat]

At 4/13/03 02:36 AM, evilkate wrote:
Way to show respect to the people that died with the intentions of preserving the country that has babied you your entire life, ingrate.

Actually hes a damn dirty Canadian.

[karasz]

At 4/13/03 02:34 AM, implodinggoat wrote:

At 4/13/03 02:30 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: I don't care, they knew what they were doing when the signed up.

pretty much yeah... although you couldve said it with a little more tact...

This is true, although its still rather disturbing that you can show such apathy for the loss of human life merely because they were fighting a war that you disagreed with.

apathy is the easiest way to not have to deal with things...

I don't care if you hate Bush but extending that hatred to dead soldiers is pretty fucking low.

how come? why does it matter if you dont respect the dead?

At 4/13/03 02:36 AM, evilkate wrote: Way to show respect to the people that died with the intentions of preserving the country that has babied you your entire life, ingrate.

how is dieing when you are invading a country protecting the US? and again i ask the previous question... why does it matter if you dont respect the dead?

[implodinggoat]

Respecting the dead is just a matter of class. I would like some respect when I am departed thus I give those who have gone before me the same.

[karasz]

At 4/13/03 02:47 AM, implodinggoat wrote: Respecting the dead is just a matter of class. I would like some respect when I am departed thus I give those who have gone before me the same.

At 4/13/03 02:47 AM, evilkate wrote: Because they died with the INTENTION of preserving the US. And it matters because them BEING DEAD, they can't really defend themselves. And I agree with the goat person that it's extremely low to associate your anti-war sentiments with NOBLE soldiers. They died respecting their country and they deserve respect.

well to both of you i must say... ok... i asked a question and got actual answers i must say im quite impressed i didnt get flamed for asking the questions...

[karasz]

well evilkate ur right about that...

[MarijuanaClock]

At 4/13/03 02:34 AM, implodinggoat wrote:

At 4/13/03 02:30 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: I don't care, they knew what they were doing when the signed up.

This is true, although its still rather disturbing that you can show such apathy for the loss of human life merely because they were fighting a war that you disagreed with.

I don't care if you hate Bush but extending that hatred to dead soldiers is pretty fucking low.

No you see if it were hatred I'd be glad to see them dead. This right here is what we call apathy. In other words I am completly indifferent to their deaths.

It's war, what did you expect? They're not exactly handing out lolly pops out there

[MarijuanaClock]

At 4/13/03 02:36 AM, evilkate wrote:

At 4/13/03 02:30 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: I don't care, they knew what they were doing when the signed up.

Way to show respect to the people that died with the intentions of preserving the country that has babied you your entire life, ingrate.

One) I'm Canadian

Two) they died for nothing. Not to preserving American, it's instituion, it's way of life, or it's freedom at anyrate. Perhaps america's cost to fill up at the gas staton.

[bumcheekcity]

At 4/13/03 06:49 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: No you see if it were hatred I'd be glad to see them dead. This right here is what we call apathy. In other words I am completly indifferent to their deaths.

It's war, what did you expect? They're not exactly handing out lolly pops out there

trulely true. people forget that these people [soldiors] will shoot and feel no sadness for people they may have shelled or just shot in the chest. you join the army and you know you have to kill

i think a good metaphor if giving someone a guna dn telling him to shoot that arab walking down the street. the arab hasnt done anything to either of us personally, but some arabs that are in power are currently doing bad things to other arabs.

if you shoot him, you are called a hero. he is put in a body bag and forgotton. if he gets out a gun and shoots you. he is a cold blooded murderer in the worse way. the arab will be executed or taken to Guantanamo Bay or a POW camp while you will be givn heros burial for going to shoot someone.

its not the perfect metaphor, but i think it sums up somethings. correct me on any of my mistakes.

[Slizor]

So were supposed to care more about the Iraqi's that our own people?

*sigh* Way to go and make a bizarre extreme out of what I just said.

It's sad when anyone dies, but isn't it sadder for you when the one who died was close to you?

If I remember the story, there were 9 people killed and 5'000 people showed up. Now a large majority of the people would have pretty much nothing to do with them apart from their country. Which is just plain bullshit.

What's so bad about paying tribute to our own dead?

There's nothing wrong with that, but there should be "equality of death."

[MarijuanaClock]

At 4/13/03 02:47 AM, evilkate wrote:
Because they died with the INTENTION of preserving the US. And it matters because them BEING DEAD, they can't really defend themselves. And I agree with the goat person that it's extremely low to associate your anti-war sentiments with NOBLE soldiers. They died respecting their country and they deserve respect.

The intention? What a load of bollocks that is. Invading Iraq won't make America any safer.

And since when is killing professionaly considered noble? It's a job, nothing more.

They don't deserve respect, for what being killed? 222 times as many people die daily, no one gives a shit about them. I certainly don't care about 9 american soldiers who were killed in a war that was not necessary for the defnece of their nation.

[bumcheekcity]

At 4/13/03 06:58 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: The intention? What a load of bollocks that is. Invading Iraq won't make America any safer.

in fact, invading Iraq has made Amerfica less safe. youve gained a lot of powerful enemies.

And since when is killing professionaly considered noble? It's a job, nothing more.

do we mourn in this way when a member of the mafia dies? i dont think so.

[Evanauto]

At 4/13/03 10:21 AM, bumcheekcity wrote:

At 4/13/03 06:58 AM, MarijuanaClock wrote: The intention? What a load of bollocks that is. Invading Iraq won't make America any safer.

in fact, invading Iraq has made Amerfica less safe. youve gained a lot of powerful enemies.

Like who? Who have we pissed off that wasnt pissed off to begin with?

And since when is killing professionaly considered noble? It's a job, nothing more.

do we mourn in this way when a member of the mafia dies? i dont think so.

When John Gotti died, i didnt mourn but you havta think, damn that dude was badass.

[bumcheekcity]

At 4/14/03 01:41 AM, Evanauto wrote: Like who? Who have we pissed off that wasnt pissed off to begin with?

the iraquis. 50% of the british public. the french. the spanish public

[NEMESiSZ]

Yay, let's pay tribute to everyone who gets lost because they take a wrong turn; thus - failing to follow the giant column of tanks.

Seriously, the POWs in the 507th were idiots...we give these guys cyanide pills for a reason...

[bumcheekcity]

At 4/14/03 09:50 PM, NEMESiSZ wrote: Yay, let's pay tribute to everyone who gets lost because they take a wrong turn; thus - failing to follow the giant column of tanks.

*Grins* For, like only the second time scince I came to this board, I agree with you. People mourn about killers [soldiors] in war but not about the people in car crashes. I always wondered why.

Seriously, the POWs in the 507th were idiots...we give these guys cyanide pills for a reason...

Larf.