Sunday, December 14, 2008
First day in Iraq
September 18th 2004
I will never forget how terrified I was while being taken to Iraq. My first night was so restless that I fell asleep for a mere thirty minutes until it was time for revelry. At that point I sat and waited for the sun to come up. Come 0500 we went for a shower before our day was to begin and on our way to chow I saw a shooting star. I made many wishes that instant. At 0530 I went and woke up Lcpl David. David and I went to the chow hall and we talked about the hardships we knew were going to be upon us. Come 0730 we had smalls arms fire and many mortars; I think I counted 8 of them. Those mortars hit all around us. That was the first time I experienced war and explosives. At that point many things were running through my mind- Am I going to get shot? Is a rocket going to land around us? I had no idea what was happening. I just prayed the first day of Iraq wasn't going to be my last.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Another journal entry
Jan 28th 2005
Right now its exactly 2143 hrs and I am sitting on my cot listening to my cd player that's infected with the Iraqi sand. Some days it works, and other days it doesn't. It was a cold strange day, the temperature about 45 degrees. Being in Al qiam for election day is absolutely terrible. At about 1030 hrs in the morning I was writing and email to my sister at the MWR. All I hear was boom, boom, boom, crazy amount of mortars and rockets coming down around us. The Iraqi people who were protesting the election were rioting right near the factories. My heart was racing so fast because I was so scared. I am sure we have all had that feeling at one time on our life. I have never seen or heard anything like it before. I was so terrified, I jumped away from the computer and ran to the sea hut were everyone was just sitting there eating Mre's and wearing kevlar and flack jackets like nothing was happening. The storm of raining rockets and mortars continued through out the day. I said to myself, this is an election day that I will never forget. At about 2000 hrs, finally there was silence!! They must of ran out. Well its time to go to sleep and look forward to another day ahead and one day less.
Right now its exactly 2143 hrs and I am sitting on my cot listening to my cd player that's infected with the Iraqi sand. Some days it works, and other days it doesn't. It was a cold strange day, the temperature about 45 degrees. Being in Al qiam for election day is absolutely terrible. At about 1030 hrs in the morning I was writing and email to my sister at the MWR. All I hear was boom, boom, boom, crazy amount of mortars and rockets coming down around us. The Iraqi people who were protesting the election were rioting right near the factories. My heart was racing so fast because I was so scared. I am sure we have all had that feeling at one time on our life. I have never seen or heard anything like it before. I was so terrified, I jumped away from the computer and ran to the sea hut were everyone was just sitting there eating Mre's and wearing kevlar and flack jackets like nothing was happening. The storm of raining rockets and mortars continued through out the day. I said to myself, this is an election day that I will never forget. At about 2000 hrs, finally there was silence!! They must of ran out. Well its time to go to sleep and look forward to another day ahead and one day less.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Another journal Enrty
Jan 16th 2005
Today was a weird day in Al Qaim. We got rocket attacked several of times through out the day but most were off, they have a tendency to miss us. Although one of the rockets landed about 100 feet away from our sea hut and shook the whole thing. Sounded like people were throwing down ply wood. Also felt like I was in a 10.0 earthquake and all I could see move around from the vibration were the little guys on the board game we were playing (Risk). The scariest part about it was it landed next to the fuel tanks that were just across the street, which were next to the Cobra's. At the time we were playing Risk, just got done from a harsh work day and we decided to play a little game to get our minds off this disturbing day. We rushed are flack jackets on and put are Kevlar's on and took cover. Apparently the rocket that hit near the fuel tanks did not explode, but went right into the dirt like 5 feet down. EOD Marines just covered it up and left it in the deep soft soil. It was the safest thing to do. If that rocket was to hit the fuel tanks I probably wouldn't of been able to right this journal entry. I just cant wait to get back , its going to be a relief when we see U.S soil. Other than that Patriots play at 1230 today, and I think they are going to win.
Today was a weird day in Al Qaim. We got rocket attacked several of times through out the day but most were off, they have a tendency to miss us. Although one of the rockets landed about 100 feet away from our sea hut and shook the whole thing. Sounded like people were throwing down ply wood. Also felt like I was in a 10.0 earthquake and all I could see move around from the vibration were the little guys on the board game we were playing (Risk). The scariest part about it was it landed next to the fuel tanks that were just across the street, which were next to the Cobra's. At the time we were playing Risk, just got done from a harsh work day and we decided to play a little game to get our minds off this disturbing day. We rushed are flack jackets on and put are Kevlar's on and took cover. Apparently the rocket that hit near the fuel tanks did not explode, but went right into the dirt like 5 feet down. EOD Marines just covered it up and left it in the deep soft soil. It was the safest thing to do. If that rocket was to hit the fuel tanks I probably wouldn't of been able to right this journal entry. I just cant wait to get back , its going to be a relief when we see U.S soil. Other than that Patriots play at 1230 today, and I think they are going to win.
Friday, December 5, 2008
BOOOOOM !!!! straight from the journal
October 23rd. 2004
First off today was a bad day at 0800. I was talking to Lcpl Smith and we heard a massive earth driving boom. Shook the whole place. We immediately took cover, had no idea what it was. Minutes later found out it was a car bomb that shook the whole soil of Iraqi dusty dessert. We both though it was a rocket attack , but we assumed wrong. Sgt Valetin an EOD Marine told us a Iraqi was coming onto the base( checkpoint), and blew himself up in the car at the front gate. Before they come on to the base they get searched very well. What happen was the insurgents got anxious and was running out of time , knew he was going to get searched and caught, he then "boom" blew up himself and the care, 10 Iraqi police gone. I have never seen a massacre like that in my life, Shrapnel, body parts, cloths shredded and tears of fellow friends of the killed all in the same time. Reality struck again to me and my fellow Marines. Its just weird how I see all this crazy stuff on CNN when I am back in the states and now its happening 100 yards away from me. I then continued my day as if nothing happened. Sometimes it just doesn't settle in my brain.
First off today was a bad day at 0800. I was talking to Lcpl Smith and we heard a massive earth driving boom. Shook the whole place. We immediately took cover, had no idea what it was. Minutes later found out it was a car bomb that shook the whole soil of Iraqi dusty dessert. We both though it was a rocket attack , but we assumed wrong. Sgt Valetin an EOD Marine told us a Iraqi was coming onto the base( checkpoint), and blew himself up in the car at the front gate. Before they come on to the base they get searched very well. What happen was the insurgents got anxious and was running out of time , knew he was going to get searched and caught, he then "boom" blew up himself and the care, 10 Iraqi police gone. I have never seen a massacre like that in my life, Shrapnel, body parts, cloths shredded and tears of fellow friends of the killed all in the same time. Reality struck again to me and my fellow Marines. Its just weird how I see all this crazy stuff on CNN when I am back in the states and now its happening 100 yards away from me. I then continued my day as if nothing happened. Sometimes it just doesn't settle in my brain.
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