On January 24th 2009 a Marine humvee was struck by an IED in Afghanistan’s Farah Province.
There were three Marines from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines riding inside. The driver, L/Cpl Julian Brennan, 25 of Brooklyn New York, was killed. Cpl. Kenneth Bowen of Saline Michigan who was riding in the shotgun seat, suffered second and third degree burns on 44% of his body and a shattered ankle. In the gunners position, L/Cpl. Kevin Preach of Bridgewater Massachusetts, lost both of his legs, his left hand, and was severely burned over 45% of his body. L/Cpl Preach and Cpl. Bowen were both evacuated to Germany, and eventually to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas.
L/Cpl. Brennan was buried February 2nd in Arlington.
He was from an anti-war family, but had begun to feel a call to serve after his grandfathers funeral in 2005. Lt. Col. James C. Brennan was a Marine during WWII and had won the Navy Cross on Iwo Jima. Out of his company of 330 men, 28 survived. At his funeral Julian had kissed his grandfathers coffin. He joined the Corps two years later. L/Cpl. Brennan’s funeral made history for the Corps.
He was the first junior enlisted Marine to be buried at Arlington with full military honors. The honors of an an escort platoon, drummers from “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, a casket team, a firing party and a bugler were until recently reserved only for officers, Medal of Honor recipients, and senior enlisted.
Cpl. Bowen has been in a drug induced coma since his arrival at Brooke. The doctors recently allowed him to regain consciousness long enough to see his mother and say “Oh Mom, this is bad isn’t it?”
L/Cpl. Preach’s mother said that “He’s lost his legs. He’s lost his hand. He’s seriously burned. He’s very burned. It’s not even day-to-day, it’s really hour to hour.”
While L/Cpl. Preach, who always wanted to be a Marine, fought for his life, his younger brother Daniel followed in his footsteps, pushing through the Crucible with the 3rd Recruit Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island South Carolina. Despite his brothers severe condition, Recruit Preach refused to be released from boot camp, and instead continued through the torments of the Marine Corps rite of passage.
Lance Corporal Kevin T. Preach, USMC, died of his wounds on Saturday February 7th at 2315 Eastern Standard Time. He was 21.
While it may be to late for prayers for L/Cpl. Preach, Corporal Kenneth Bowen still clings to life at Brooke. Cards may be sent to Brooke Army Medical Center, Marine PATT -Cpl. Kenneth Bowen, 3851 Roger Brooke Dr. Ft. Sam Houston, TX 78234.
As always, donations can be made to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund (IMSFF), 825 College Blvd, Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside CA, 92507, or call their offices in Quantico at 703-640-0181 if you have any questions about donating in honor or memory of a particular Marine.
The war is not over, our troops are still fighting, bleeding and dying. Keep them and their families in your prayers.
"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union..."And from a speech on September 16, 1859, in Columbus, Ohio, Lincoln said:
"I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, or intermarry with the white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they can not so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."Revisionist Historians and Social Progressives take note.
Mr. Obama called Ms. Collins and Mr. Specter, as well as Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, another Republican expected to support the deal, to acknowledge they were acting against pressure from their party and, one official said, to thank them for their patriotism in helping advance the bill at a critical time. -- Just One Minute
So this guy, a community organizer, a career liberal, the most inexperienced and unready president ever, who more than likely never even thought about serving his country by joining the military, defines Patriotism as not being opposed?
I wonder if he considers the 11 Democrats who voted against him/his bill to be unpatriotic?
Following Leon Panetta’s confirmation hearing Thursday, several reporters approached the CIA director-designate in the hallway outside room G-50 in the Dirksen Building.
There, CongressDaily reporter Chris Strohm — upon asking a question — was physically restrained by a man who accompanied Panetta at hearings both days.
Strohm, when reached by phone Friday, said he was unsure of the man’s role.“I felt this hand grab my right arm and push me aside,” Strohm said.
By his account, Strohm told the man, “Please don’t touch me” more than once. Eventually, the man let him go.
Tim Starks, a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, said he witnessed Strohm approach Panetta and ask a question, just before the man began “grabbing him by the arm and moving him away.”
“I said to the guy, ‘That’s not the way you do it,’” recalled Starks.
Starks said that he’s covered the CIA for years and had never seen a reporter strong-armed that way before, adding that the agency is typically respectful of journalists.
Reflecting on the incident, Strohm played it down somewhat, saying that he’s “had worse happen” while reporting.
A staff assistant at The Panetta Institute said they are not addressing any media inquiries before Panetta’s confirmation. The White House declined to comment.
After today’s hearing, there was no similar incident: Panetta briefly answered questions from reporters.
