Articles 3.9.2005
The Colorado Springs Gazette has an article on the four 1-9th soldiers killed in Ramadi on 3.4.2005. Capt. Sean Grimes, Sgt. 1st Class Donald W. Eacho, Cpl. Stephen M. McGowan, and Spc. Wade Michael Twyman were killed when and I.E.D. exploded near the up-armored Humvee they were riding in.
The Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, New Jersey Star Ledger, and Oakland Daily Press, MI have articles on Capt. Sean Grimes. Capt. Grimes enlisted in the Army Reserves out of high school, and later enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps while studying nursing at Michigan State University. He was serving as a Physician's Assistant in Iraq. Capt. Grimes was 31 years old.
The Appleton, WI, Post-Cresent and Racine, WI, Journal Times have articles on Sgt. 1st Class Donald W. Eacho. Sgt. 1st Class Eacho joined the Army a year out of high school, and had served for 17 years. He grew up in Wisconsin. His wife and two sons live in Watertown, NY. Sgt 1st Class Eacho earned the prestigious Army Soldier's Medal (awarded for heroism not involving conflict with the enemy) in 2003 when he climbed into the wreckage of a smoldering car accident in Pennsylvania and rescued a 4-year-old girl and her grandfather. Sgt 1st Class Eacho was 38 years old.
The Baltimore Sun, WPVI News, Deleware Online and WBOC News (with video report) have articles on Cpl. Stephen M. McGowan. Cpl McGowan was a combat medic with the 1-9th, and had joined the Army about 3 years ago. He volunteered to deploy to Iraq from Korea. Last fall, he asked his family to send toys for Iraqi children in lieu of Christmas gifts for himself. Cpl. McGowan had a scheduled R&R leave around Easter. He was 26 years old.
The North County Times, CA, NBC San Diego, and San Diego Tribune have articles on Spc. Wade Michael Twyman. Spc. Twyman joined the Army two years ago. Prior to that, he had been preparing for a career in law enforcement, following his father (a retired Fire Department Chief) and brother (a county Sheriff's deputy) into public service. He had worked at a detention facility and as a sheriff's deputy in Arizona before enlisting. Spc. Twyman was 27 years old.
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KOAA News has a brief article on the Purple Heart ceremony held at Ft. Carson this week. The report says 50 soldiers received Purple Hearts.
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The Gaylord, MI, Herald Times has an interview with wounded 1-503rd soldier Pfc Derrick Harden. He is steadily recovering at Walter Reed Hospital. He has troubles using his arms and fingers, had right leg below the knee, and has one more skin graft surgery scheduled. He hopes to start his 30-day convalescent leave at the end of March, and says ""I'm fine. I'm the little joker here. I'm always putting cracks on someone and always making someone laugh." Pfc. Harden also describes his memory of the 1.17.2005 car bomb that wounded him and Pfc. Nicholas Herrman, and killed Staff Sgt. Thomas Vitagliano and Spc. George Geer.
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NBC News has a long article with the 2/5 Marines in Ramadi describing an ambush and long firefight with insurgents in Nov 2004. This was the ambush during which Cpl. Mark O'Brien was wounded. There is also a short video clip showing the damage to the humvee described in the article.
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A couple of Stories discuss the transition as the 1/5 Marines take over from the 2/5 Marines. A 3.7.2005 Marine Corps News Article follows the 1/5 5th Civil Affairs Group as they traveled with the 2/5 4th Civil Affairs Group on a visit to two schools. According to the article, this patrol started the "Relief in Place" for the 2/5 Marines, indicating the turnover process has begun. A 3.8.2005 article reports on 1/5 Marines reenlisting in Ramadi. Several Marines took advantage of reenlistment incentives to stay in the military, but waited to do so until in Iraq, because the large bonuses are then tax-free.
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A U.S. Marine Corps press release indicated that Iraqi soldiers searched a hospital in Ramadi to investigate possible insurgent activity. An IED was found in the hospital parking lot in Dec 2004, and an ambush was conducted from the hospital in Dec 2004. The Iraqi soldiers were supported by the 2/5 Marines, who did not enter the hospital. A separate USMC Press Release reports that the 6 hour search found no evidence of insurgent activity, and says that "During no time in the operation was the hospital staff impeded from performing their duties."
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A Department of Defense news briefing with Gen. George Casey, Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq, mentions actions in Ramadi: "The insurgency ebbs and flows. We have sustained a very good level of pressure on the insurgencies, from Fallujah all the way up through the elections, and we continue to put pressure on them in Mosul and out in the Ramadi area, between Hadithah and Ramadi there. The level of attacks, the level of violence has dropped off significantly since the elections. Last week was the lowest level of attacks since April. Now there have just been some additional attacks today, so I mean -- so it ebbs and flows. As I said, they still retain the capability to do damage and to do violence in the Sunni areas of the country." A DoD News Article summarizes the press brief and says "fforts to help the Iraqi people transition to a constitutionally elected government by the end of 2005 are on track, insurgents are failing in their efforts to break the will of the Iraqi people, and Iraqi security forces “are doing a magnificent job,” the U.S. general in charge of coalition forces in Iraq said here today."
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AP Photographer Bilal Hussein is still in Ramadi. The newest photos show insurgents in Ramadi with the following caption : "An insurgent carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher takes up position in Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold 113 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad in Iraq Wednesday, March 9, 2005. Iraqi soldiers sealed off the roads leading to Ramadi on Wednesday and insurgents roamed the city streets, causing shops to close and the streets to empty of civilians fearing possible clashes." (Note: this is the first mention of Iraqi toops sealing off roads)
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Other articles from the region:
- AFP: US troop checkpoints are a daily peril in Iraq
- AFP: US general: 140,000 Iraqi troops trained
The Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, New Jersey Star Ledger, and Oakland Daily Press, MI have articles on Capt. Sean Grimes. Capt. Grimes enlisted in the Army Reserves out of high school, and later enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps while studying nursing at Michigan State University. He was serving as a Physician's Assistant in Iraq. Capt. Grimes was 31 years old.
The Appleton, WI, Post-Cresent and Racine, WI, Journal Times have articles on Sgt. 1st Class Donald W. Eacho. Sgt. 1st Class Eacho joined the Army a year out of high school, and had served for 17 years. He grew up in Wisconsin. His wife and two sons live in Watertown, NY. Sgt 1st Class Eacho earned the prestigious Army Soldier's Medal (awarded for heroism not involving conflict with the enemy) in 2003 when he climbed into the wreckage of a smoldering car accident in Pennsylvania and rescued a 4-year-old girl and her grandfather. Sgt 1st Class Eacho was 38 years old.
The Baltimore Sun, WPVI News, Deleware Online and WBOC News (with video report) have articles on Cpl. Stephen M. McGowan. Cpl McGowan was a combat medic with the 1-9th, and had joined the Army about 3 years ago. He volunteered to deploy to Iraq from Korea. Last fall, he asked his family to send toys for Iraqi children in lieu of Christmas gifts for himself. Cpl. McGowan had a scheduled R&R leave around Easter. He was 26 years old.
The North County Times, CA, NBC San Diego, and San Diego Tribune have articles on Spc. Wade Michael Twyman. Spc. Twyman joined the Army two years ago. Prior to that, he had been preparing for a career in law enforcement, following his father (a retired Fire Department Chief) and brother (a county Sheriff's deputy) into public service. He had worked at a detention facility and as a sheriff's deputy in Arizona before enlisting. Spc. Twyman was 27 years old.
===========
KOAA News has a brief article on the Purple Heart ceremony held at Ft. Carson this week. The report says 50 soldiers received Purple Hearts.
===========
The Gaylord, MI, Herald Times has an interview with wounded 1-503rd soldier Pfc Derrick Harden. He is steadily recovering at Walter Reed Hospital. He has troubles using his arms and fingers, had right leg below the knee, and has one more skin graft surgery scheduled. He hopes to start his 30-day convalescent leave at the end of March, and says ""I'm fine. I'm the little joker here. I'm always putting cracks on someone and always making someone laugh." Pfc. Harden also describes his memory of the 1.17.2005 car bomb that wounded him and Pfc. Nicholas Herrman, and killed Staff Sgt. Thomas Vitagliano and Spc. George Geer.
===========
NBC News has a long article with the 2/5 Marines in Ramadi describing an ambush and long firefight with insurgents in Nov 2004. This was the ambush during which Cpl. Mark O'Brien was wounded. There is also a short video clip showing the damage to the humvee described in the article.
===========
A couple of Stories discuss the transition as the 1/5 Marines take over from the 2/5 Marines. A 3.7.2005 Marine Corps News Article follows the 1/5 5th Civil Affairs Group as they traveled with the 2/5 4th Civil Affairs Group on a visit to two schools. According to the article, this patrol started the "Relief in Place" for the 2/5 Marines, indicating the turnover process has begun. A 3.8.2005 article reports on 1/5 Marines reenlisting in Ramadi. Several Marines took advantage of reenlistment incentives to stay in the military, but waited to do so until in Iraq, because the large bonuses are then tax-free.
===========
A U.S. Marine Corps press release indicated that Iraqi soldiers searched a hospital in Ramadi to investigate possible insurgent activity. An IED was found in the hospital parking lot in Dec 2004, and an ambush was conducted from the hospital in Dec 2004. The Iraqi soldiers were supported by the 2/5 Marines, who did not enter the hospital. A separate USMC Press Release reports that the 6 hour search found no evidence of insurgent activity, and says that "During no time in the operation was the hospital staff impeded from performing their duties."
===========
A Department of Defense news briefing with Gen. George Casey, Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq, mentions actions in Ramadi: "The insurgency ebbs and flows. We have sustained a very good level of pressure on the insurgencies, from Fallujah all the way up through the elections, and we continue to put pressure on them in Mosul and out in the Ramadi area, between Hadithah and Ramadi there. The level of attacks, the level of violence has dropped off significantly since the elections. Last week was the lowest level of attacks since April. Now there have just been some additional attacks today, so I mean -- so it ebbs and flows. As I said, they still retain the capability to do damage and to do violence in the Sunni areas of the country." A DoD News Article summarizes the press brief and says "fforts to help the Iraqi people transition to a constitutionally elected government by the end of 2005 are on track, insurgents are failing in their efforts to break the will of the Iraqi people, and Iraqi security forces “are doing a magnificent job,” the U.S. general in charge of coalition forces in Iraq said here today."
===========
AP Photographer Bilal Hussein is still in Ramadi. The newest photos show insurgents in Ramadi with the following caption : "An insurgent carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher takes up position in Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold 113 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad in Iraq Wednesday, March 9, 2005. Iraqi soldiers sealed off the roads leading to Ramadi on Wednesday and insurgents roamed the city streets, causing shops to close and the streets to empty of civilians fearing possible clashes." (Note: this is the first mention of Iraqi toops sealing off roads)
===========
Other articles from the region:
- AFP: US troop checkpoints are a daily peril in Iraq
- AFP: US general: 140,000 Iraqi troops trained
posted by Ryan Kirk @ 6:53 AM
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