We are coming up on July 5th, which is a mix of emotions for me... My wife and I went on our first date 12 years ago to the day. I was nervous as hell, she was the most beautiful girl I had ever met and she actually wanted to go on a date with me. I had never really been that involved with a female before, but I had a different feeling going into this date that it was going to be something different... To make a really long and drawn out drama story short, we fell in love married and have four kids together...
I wanted to have a child with her before I went to Iraq the first time, in case I was killed I wanted her to have something very special to remember me and carry my name, I wanted to make my mark. We ended up having twin boys and I made it home from Iraq. We had a turbulent relationship when I came home, I was drinking a lot, I was trying to wash away a year of pain and loneliness... but I was washing away my family and was so self absorbed that I did not realize the pain I was producing. Anyway, we reconciled, Evie, was pregnant again, and just 11 short months later I was away again for Iraq.
This tour started off rough... We were hitting IED's (improvised explosive device) left and right. We were taking casualties pretty heavy... On July 5th 2005, I was the Convoy NCOIC of 5 vehicle convoy... Our mission was to deter enemy rockets firing into Baghdad and to interdict enemy movements. Little did we know, we would be comprimised... I made the route that we took, and I failed, we were ambushed by an IED that destroyed one of our vehicles taking the lives of two of our good heroes... I will never forget them and their sacrifices to this country. I miss them and hurt for their families...
This was only two of the 22 that I knew or was with when they were killed... So this 5th, walk softly with your head held high, our heroes walk with angels...
