Article

2005-02-07 Iraq-Jordan

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Sherry 2005-02-07 3:37:41 PM|| || Front Page|| [11133 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sherry, as a New Orleanian I thank you for the post. The sombre side is that the 256th has lost 18 men in the last 60 days, including five young men from Houma, a relatively small town south of New Orleans. (They were part of the crew of the Bradley that was catastrophically destroyed by a very large IED.)

Posted by Matt 2005-02-07 4:01:56 PM|| 2005-02-07 4:01:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 And tomorrow we're gonna throw one helluva party in their honor.

Posted by Matt 2005-02-07 4:24:03 PM|| 2005-02-07 4:24:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Well, Matt -- then I'll be with you at that party!! Tip one for me in their honor -- I've caught a few beads in my lifetime. I know of Houma and growing up in a small town, know of the deep hurt this does to a community.

I'm always so amazed at the creativity of this younger generation. Throughout the years, there have always been talk, "would these kids stand up if they had to?" Not only are they standing up, but they are standing tall, and deserve all the fun they can conjure.

Posted by Sherry 2005-02-07 4:33:01 PM|| 2005-02-07 4:33:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Agreed. One of the really positive stories of the war that doesn't get much press is that another generation of young Americans has been tested, and has passed that test literally with flying colors. They're not only incredibly brave; they're incredibly competent.

Posted by Matt 2005-02-07 4:38:46 PM|| 2005-02-07 4:38:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Many of these kids are MTV brats, raised by TV and video games... and they have performed so courageously and with so much focus it is stunning to me.
And I wholeheartly agree this has been completely under reported by the media too preoccupied with covering Teddy "swim for it" Kennedy

Posted by Capsu78 2005-02-07 4:59:18 PM|| 2005-02-07 4:59:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 I thought the five soldiers were from Thibodeaux and not Houma.

Anyway, the reports I've read are that the 256th has been doing a stand-up job over there, especially in the Mosul/Kirkuk area.

BTW, for those who don't know, I live in Lafayette and work in Broussard; thanks for posting this article.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-02-07 5:51:00 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-02-07 5:51:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Phil, my recollection is Houma, but I may be wrong. How about we compromise on "the Houma-Thibodeaux area"? The Times Picayune has had a good series of article on the 256th.

Posted by Matt 2005-02-07 6:25:36 PM|| 2005-02-07 6:25:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 You mean the Times-Picayune has actually written something interesting?

I'm not used to the idea of a worthwhile newspaper in this state...

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-02-07 7:53:02 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-02-07 7:53:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Normally the TP for national and international news just reprints articles from the NYT, the LA Times and the Washington Post, which chaps me no end, but they actually sent a live person over to cover the 256th.

Posted by Matt 2005-02-07 10:29:43 PM|| 2005-02-07 10:29:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 They're doing actual reporting?

I'll have to check it out.

(BTW, this isn't just a complaint I have about the T-P; there seems to be a severe shortage of decent investigative reporting these days, when it should be in a golden age...)

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-02-07 11:05:27 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-02-07 11:05:27 PM|| Front Page Top

23:58 trailing wife
23:54 .com
23:52 Alaska Paul
23:46 eLarson
23:45 .com
23:29 Classical_Liberal
23:23 PBMcL
23:22 CRazyFool
23:10 Alaska Paul
23:10 .com
23:08 Alaska Paul
23:06 gromky
23:05 Phil Fraering
22:53 jackal
22:47 Alaska Paul
22:46 mom
22:35 Alaska Paul
22:29 AzCat
22:29 Matt
22:14 RWV
22:09 Anonymoose
22:05 Jeamp Ebbereting9472 aka Jarhead
22:05 Frank G
22:03 Jeamp Ebbereting9472 aka Jarhead