10/15/06

A few hours ago a memorial ceremony for Sergeant Gene H. was held. He died protecting us.

He died 3 days ago. Not only protecting the freedom of the United States, and freedom for Iraq. Specifically this day, he died protecting our very lives on this camp.

3 days ago, a couple hours before sunset, around 50 bad guys, in a coordinated attack, started lobbing somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-18 mortars and rockets our way. It was amazing that they were doing this, as they usually just fire one, at the most two, and run.

This time they kept firing one after another. During this melee, one of the mortars hit close to a troop transport bus on the camp, and severely wounded 6. Luckily, although a couple are still in serious condition, they are all still alive.

All the strykers, buffalo's etc mounted up, and rolled out the wire to take the fight to them. The bad guys had placed IED's around the roads outside the wire before they started their assault. It was during this time out on the roads looking and fighting these bastards is when SGT Hawkins vehicle rolled up on an IED. He worked here as an IED hunter making the roads safe for others. He was out hunting IED's during this time, but sadly someone got the drop on him with one and he was killed.

The fight lasted a couple hours. By the time it was over, between our guys, IG's and the IP's, around 15 of the bad guys were killed, and the rest had been captured.

A day or so before our attack, we heard that Camp Falcon had also been attacked. One of the mortars hit their ammo dump which caused more explosions. Although not all that close to their ammo dump, many hooches were destroyed. By the grace of God no one was in them at the time and they suffered no casualties at all during their attack.

Yesterday, we were told intel was intercepted, that indicated they were going to be coming at us again last night.

Although everyone had their battle rattle on all day long nothing transpired. Late in the evening it came over the radio that we could stand down from constantly wearing our vests and helmets. However, we were instructed to keep them at arms length.

There has been a lot more patrols in the past 3 days, and even more air activity. We saw a predator flying around yesterday and I didn't realize they were so loud. The predator was a good distance away, but we could hear the EEEEEEeeeeeeeeeee of it's engine in the air like it was right next to us.

A damn stryker can get real close behind me walking on the road, and I can't hear it until it is practically right on top of me.

Even Blackhawks flying around are quieter than that thing was. Nevertheless, it does make you feel a little safer I guess.

It's been 3 days now since the attack, and Sergeant H. was killed...

Almost 1/2 of Sergeant H.s' unit has already redeployed home, their tour here finished. Those of his unit that remained, were tying up loose ends, and completing necessary training for the new unit that replaced them.

To give you some insight to Sergeant H.s' character, and to let you know what kind of man he was. I will tell you what a soldier told me after the memorial.

Sergeant H. could have been home already.

He gave his seat up to leave a few weeks ago, to another soldier in his unit that was having family problems, so the other soldier could get home sooner.

Sergeant Hawkins continued on with training their relief and final missions. The mission he was killed on, would have been his last.

3 more days from now...the heart wrenching part of it all...
Sergeant H., would have been boarding a plane to go home to his family for good, his very Honorable tour complete...

He was a good man and a hero to us on this camp, he won't be forgotten...