Active Unit News

What our families are hearing:
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) Our son is with the 733rd Transportation Co out of PA. From what we hear, he’s in the Tikrit area, but I really don’t know which group he’s attached with. (If anyone knows and could post that info, it would be appreciated, so that I can better figure out what news applies to where he’s at!) From the few emails we’ve received we know he’s busy from sun-up to sundown working on trucks. He’s gotten packages that various people have sent, says the mail to them takes about 2 weeks, whereas I’ve only gotten two letters from him dated the end of April which took a month or more to get to me. He did mention that they’ve received an overabundance of toiletries – especially toothbrushes and toothpaste – and have enough for the next year or so – so asked that we not send any more of those. He did ask for snack items – candy, nuts, cookies, etc., as well as powdered drink mixes and beef jerky; reading materials (although he’s not sure if he’ll have time to read everything); and permithrin for bugs. They’re still in tents and the sand is a pain, but he says his cot is very comfortable!
2) I received a call yesterday from husband with 124th Sig BN. He said they would find out soon when they would be coming home. Morale is low at times due to the slowness of mail and there is some boredem. Once all the equipment is set up all that is left to do is take your shift and read or sleep. Maybe once they are given a return date (or approximate date) the morale will get better. This update is a great way of letting them know we are thinking of them and praying for their safe return.
3) My son is a medic at Ft. Sill with the 1-17 Field Artillery assigned to the 4th ID. My daughter in law got her first letter from him last week and the following day I received one dated April 28th. Mail is slow but this is better than nothing. We have not received any phone calls or emails. We like so many others worry about him all the time. We continue to pray for him and all the men and women fighting in Iraq. We have to place our trust in the Lord. I would like to share with you an article my daughter in law wrote that was published (she has given me permission to share it).It is as follows:
I moved to Fort Sill with my family in Sept. 02. My husband, who is an Army Medic had just returned home from a one year hardship duty tour in Korea. After being home for only six short months he got his orders to be deployed in "Operation Iraqi Freedom". Our son Dawson and I are awaiting his safe return home. The last time I talked to my husband he was pulling out of Kuwait and heading into Iraq. He is attached to the 4th ID unit now serving our country in Iraq. Myself and my entire family are very proud that he is so willing to fight for our freedom without blinking an eye. It is an amazing feeling knowing that so many young men and women are ready to defend our country. I am truly honored to call him my husband. Our son and I miss him so much but we understand his mission and we are willing to make the sacrifice for our country. As my husband said before he left, "This is my job." I ask all of you to pray for the return and the safety of not only my husband but for all of our troops so bravely fighting overseas. Support our troops.
4) I heard from my husband today (5 June) for the first time by mail, and the letter is only dated 16 May, so the mail seems to be picking up. He's a 2LT with Alpha, 1-44 ADA, 4ID--2nd platoon. He said that he got to spend the night in one of the palaces in Tikrit and even used one of the showers there. The children there live in very poor conditions but still wave whenever they go by--he shares a lot of the goodies we've been sending with the Iraqi kids. A real dog-lover, he says it's hard to see all of the flea-ridden strays running around and not be able to pet them. Estimating an October return at the latest, he's already thinking of coming home to catch some UT football games! He was nursing about 60 mosquito bites as he wrote the letter. Consequently, he has asked for lots of high-deet bug spray and calamine cream as well as books, and small packets of laundry detergent. It sounds like the group is moving around a lot, and they really enjoy all of the letters and packages from home.
5) I just wanted to let everyone know that my husband's captain sent his wife an email stating that there has been more attacks on our soldiers (mainly at night). He is with C company 1-66AR from Ft. Hood. He mentioned there were 11 attacks a few nights ago...6 against 4ID units and some against 1-22, 3-66, 3rd ACR and the 1st Armored division. He also said last night there were more attacks along the road going to Samara. That's pretty much all that was in the email. (Ed Note: 1-22 and 3-66 are part of 4ID).
6) My husband is in 104th Military Intelligence Battalion, 4th infantry division from Ft. Hood, Tx. He just called me.. Right now he is in Tikrit, Iraq. This is not his normal place, but today he was able to be there so he could be part of his brother's reenlistment. He said he reenlisted for three more years. He said it was in one of Saddam's palaces, and that he felt he didn't even make enough money to be standing in there, lol, that it was really nice. I am so glad that him and his brother were able to see each other over there! He also told me about one night a couple nights ago, he was in a convoy going back to his camp from Tikrit and they were shot at. He said it scared the hell out of him. He said nobody was hit, just the vehicles. He said and believe it or not, he was the one (I dont remember what it's called) standing with the top half of his body out of the vehicle (the one that mans the gun on the top)!! He said they are no longer traveling at night. Still no more rumors on when they might be coming back home. Sept-Oct has been the talk here. Between August and November has been the talk over there. His camp is hopefully getting phones set up soon. This is the fourth time I have talked to him in the over two months that he's been gone, so needless to say I am so extremely happy right now. Mail is finally coming in to me! I am receiving letters from him everyday almost. He said he thinks the problem was that he was writing 'MPS' on them when he later found out he needed to be writing 'free mail' on them. I dont know if it was a big issue, but the letters that he wrote before he knew this, had the MPS scrached out and someone had written Free Mail on them. He is getting his mail/packages all the time now (up untill a couple weeks ago he hadn't received a thing), looks like the mail issues are finally getting straightened out!
7) My husband is 3-29 FA, 3rd BCT, 4th ID from Fort Carson. I have been getting letters from him. He sounds so good. Said he has been all over and could not tell me much except that they are doing good. Getting our letters and boxes. And that most of the Iraqi people are thankful that we are there. This is the first time we have had to be apart and I am handling it pretty well I think. So thanks again for keeping us updated as best as you can.
8) We received a letter from our son today, June 5th. The letter was written May 11th. Our son is with Bravo Company, 588th Engineers, 4th ID. They are southeast of Al Baquebah. He said things are fine. They were quite busy initially blowing up bunkers and an ammunition dump, however things have slow down. He spent four days with his platoon guarding a crossing of the Tigris river while a unit of reservist built a bridge. Since then the platoons have been rotating guard duty at the bridge, (we assume he ment the 3 platoons of Bravo Company). He asked for the items all soldiers have been asking for: baby wipes(lots of them), toilet paper (the softer the better), Gatorade mix, and reading material.
9) I noticed nobody from 3/66th Armor had responded with any refrence to contact with their spouse/significant other. I did receive a call from my fiancee last Thursday, he is with HHC 3/66 Armor. We only talked briefly he said they are doing fine and are receiving mail/boxes. He said he was surprised that I hadn't received any letters because he as well as the soldiers had been writing daily. So we should receive some things hopefully soon.
10) Our son is a 1Lt, 1-66 AR Company C, 2nd Platoon. They are currently attached to the 101st AB providing heavy armor for their operations facilities at the former Iraqi V Corps military base just outside of Mosul. He called from Kuwait on April 6, Mosul on May 6 and again on May 20. The packages seem to be getting through faster than the letters. He wrote a letter on May 1 and we got it on May 31. His girlfriend has received several letters but all have been out of order - figure that one out!? He has nothing but praise for the soldiers in his Company. They have not had direct combat action yet, although a few tracer rounds whizzed uncomfortably close to their heads while they were riding exposed on the tank during a foray into Mosul on Saddam's birthday ( April 28). He described that night as looking like the fireworks and laser show at Epcot Center in Disney World. Tracers, flares, star-cluster flares, explosions etc.
11) I forgot to tell you a little story my nephew wrote about (4th ID, 1/22). He and some of the other guys got $7 together, went to a local ranch and bought a goat, turkey and chickens. They killed, skinned/took off feathers, gutted and dug a hole and had a Bar B Q. He said they had a great time. I guess they are learning to appreciate the little things including having salt.

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