Active Unit News

What Our Families Are Hearing From their Soldiers:
Bob Babcock - "Deeds not Words"
President, Americans Remembered, Inc. - http://www.americansremembered.org
President, 22nd Inf Regt Society - http://www.22ndinfantry.org
Past President/Historian - Nat'l 4th Inf Div Assn - http://www.4thinfantry.org
babcock224@aol.com


What Our Families are Hearing from Their Soldiers in Iraq:
1) I received the first letter from my son May 28th, it was dated April 26th. He is with the 1-66th AR and at the time was in Mosul. He wrote, "The people and their life here is heartbreaking beyond description. I’m trying to find some war trophies, but I cannot bring myself to take any thing that an Iraqi citizen could find and sell to buy food. Before we got here the airbase was under daily attack, but the paramilitary have scattered from fear of the Abrams Tank." He ask me to send detergent. He said they are doing their laundry in a water cooler and a .50 caliber ammo can. He also requested more baby wipes, a Game Boy, books and any food.
2) My son is with the 2-8 C company and I received a letter dated May 2 yesterday. The main thing he wrote about was the kids. How happy they are and run out waving their hands. We have a Palestinian grandaughter and he said how cute they are just like she is. The main things he wanted were cigarettes and candy to give to the kids. I had another box ready to go so I ran out and got these things and got the box (as it turned out, two boxes) in the mail.
3) I got a very long letter from my son last week and I will give you some excerpts from it regarding their job if you promise to mention his unit in your mailing. As I said, they seem forgotten (I know they are not, it is just the sensitive nature of their job!!!). This letter is from a Sgt (name withheld per my policy) A Co, 104th MI Bn (the guys who work with the TUAV's or drones used for recon) dated April 26...... ".....The trip to Sadam International Airport took 3 days....The runway tself was pocked with the craters from bombs. We set up our UAV's there and flew some of our first combat missions. It was pretty exciting. We were the first platoon to fly the Shadow 200 over Iraq, as well as this being the system's first live mission. While the flight was up, I was able to explore the airfield with some of my soldiers. We found 3 anti-aircraft guns that had been abandoned with ammo included.....We were at the newly named Baghdad International Airport for 3 days. Soon we were moving still farther north. Our next stop was Tuji Airfield (?spelling). We set up but ended up leaving after only one 5 hour mission......we moved on to a small Iraqi Army camp......We could not stay there since there was no open field or roads to fly from. We ended up closing off a section of Highway 1 to make an airstrip. This earned us some hard looks from the civilians because of the traffic jam we caused......As usual we didn't stay very long on the highway. We flew only one mission then packed up and left for Ulad Airfield near Somara. We caught sight of our first POW's there. Apparantly the airfield had been taken the night before and we were part of the attack (watching it from above). Of course, I was the last one to know about that!! We didn't set up there because our TOC was still moving forward. From Ulad, we moved to Tikrit....We spent one night on the palace grounds before we left for Tikrit South Airfield. We were told the war stage is pretty much over and we are now moving into peace keeping operatons. The other day we witnessed these "peace keeping operations" first hand. We spotted group of nationals with a few cargo trucks looting a known ammo supply depot.The depot is 2 kilometers south of the airfield we are flying from. We tracked them with our UAV for 30 kilometers north and found a small resistance force headquarters. We then called in attack helicopters who took out the trucks and the houses. The general said he had been looking for that particular headquarters for 3 weeks!!!!.....We have been flying regular recon missions at night looking for riots and looting." Besides talking about his missions as much as he could (much of what they do is classified), my son gave a very detailed description of his journey from Ft. Hood to Tikrit. He talked of the plane ride there ("the worst plane ride of my life), getting there to unload equipment and the sights along the road. Several of their trucks were left on the deck of the ship for the journey and were rusted beyond recognition when they received them. The ride through Kuwait and Iraq revealed some interesting things. He talked of the nice areas, expensive cars and pristine highways in Kuwait and compared crossing into Iraq to the crossing from TX into Mexico, a sudden change in the obvious lifestyle! He spoke of the locals in Iraq shouting nice things as they passed, and the children who begged for food and were so happy to receive small parts of the soldiers' MRE's. They saw the incredible sight of the Shiite Muslims on their pilgramage to the shrine, the trip that Sadam had banned for many years...the joy on their faces as they were free to practice their religious ritual for the first time in many, many years!! He spoke of cars on the roads (civilians) that were barely running, one truck rolling down the highway on 3 wheels!! There was the description of a firefight (too much information for a mother to read!!! haha). He described the things they found in Iraqi soldier camps along the way, including stock piles of missles with nothing to launch them from, finding uniforms and supplies and training materials, and describing the airport and the palace. While this was the first letter I have received, it was very LONG and very informative, even if the news was over a month old!!!!! I was quite upset about my son's having to go to war. However, he was confident and felt his call to duty was just another thing in a day's work. He has been in the Army 7 years and felt it was time to utilize his training and to pay back for the good life he has had in the Army. I am quite proud of him. He was hand picked by his commander to be in on the field testing of the Shadow 200 UAV and knows that piece of equipment like the back of his hand. Now he gets to put it to the ultimate test, and I know this is exciting for him. While I want my son back home, I know this experience will benefit him greatly in the future. He will carry the pride of having been there for the rest of his life, and the life lessons he learns will be unique and they will be ones he could not have learned anywhere else.
4) My Son called me by satallite phone last night. He is with the 1/22nd 4th ID.....He sounded well, and said the mail going out of camp was very slow....He told me he sent 5 letters to me, but I have recieved only 1 so far.....Outgoing mail is very slow.... Mail is getting to him in a timely manner,it is taking 2-3 weeks based on what He told me. .....He said it was HOT, and he had no idea how long they would be there....He did tell me they have a mini PX set up not far from where they are.....Needless to say I was glad to hear his voice.....
5) In my son's letter, he requested screens for his electric shaver. The sand eats them up pretty quickly. He also asked for drink mix and snacks....and LOTS of bug spray. I am also taking the lead of my cousin's wife, and sending powdered milk and cereal. She got a HUGE thanks for that from her son's buddies. Other items that have not been mentioned that I send a lot of are eye drops. Anyone who has had LASIK surgery REALLY needs them. Lip balm is another item. Someone mentioned that fly strips are also useful in their camps. The stories about our guys' interactions with Iraqi kids just tug at my heartstrings. I know that our soldiers are filled with compassion for the people they meet who are "innocent bystanders". To think they are laying lives on the line for them in combat is one thing, but to think they are sharing their limited food/water rations is heartwarming! It is just another way to prove that it is in giving that you receive! I am very proud of my son, my cousin's son, ....and of every soldier, marine, airman and seaman who has gone over there to answer our country's call. They are truly proving everyday that the term "Ugly American" is just a fallacy!!!
6) Thank you to the lady who sent info about the 1-68 Armor out of Ft Carson. My son is also with them in C Company. I recieved a letter from him yesterday not dated, but he said they were in Tikrit, said he had his 1st shower in about 3 weeks, He says they have been busy working on tanks and a 5 ton PLL truck, which they towed through Baghdad on the way up. He said they were all ok. He said some of the Iraq people are happy to see them with cheers, other give them dirty looks. He mentioned nothing of getting mail, but wants his sister and Grampa's address.

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