Posted on 12/17/2005 11:40:35 AM PST by Williams
This was received and forwarded by my great friend, a patriot who is serving missions in Iraq & Afghanistan. His is not the name that appears on the story, but he checked and confirmed there is a marine sergeant by this name.
"A little girl was sitting in the road, and she just wouldn't budge."
A story from Iraq, as told by a U.S. Marine Sergeant.
As you know, I asked for toys for the Iraqi children over here, and they've come over by the box. On each patrol we take through the city, we take as many of these toys as we can fit in our pockets and hand them out as we can. The kids take the toys and run to show them off as if they are worth a million bucks. We are as friendly as we can be to everyone we see, but especially so with the kids. Most of them don't have any idea what is going on and are completely innocent in all of this.
On one such patrol, our lead security vehicle stopped in the middle of the street. This is not normal and is very unsafe, so the following vehicles began to inquire over the radio. The lead vehicle reported that a little girl was sitting in the road and she just wouldn't budge. The command vehicle told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and everyone waved to her as they drove around.
I soon saw her sitting there, and in her arms was a little toy bear that we had given her a few patrols back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused, and I got out to make sure she was okay. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved over and pointed.
There was a land mine in the road.
Immediately, a cordon was set as the Marine convoy assumed a defensive posture around the site. The mine was destroyed in place.
It was the heart of an American that sent that toy. It was the heart of an American that gave that toy to the little girl. It was the heart of an American that protected our convoy from that mine. Sure, she was a little Iraqi girl, and she had no knowledge of purple mountain's majesty or fruited plains. It was the heart of acceptance, of tolerance, of peace and grace - even through the inconveniences of conflict - that saved our convoy from hitting that mine. Those attributes are what keep Americans' hearts beating. She may have no affiliation at all with the United States, but she knows what it is to be brave and, if we can continue to support her and her new government, she will know what it is to be free. Isn't that what Americans are, the free and the brave?
If you sent over a toy, you took part in this. You are a reason that Iraq has to believe in a better future. Thank you so much for supporting us, and for supporting our cause over here.
Semper Fi, Mark J. Francis GySgt, USMC
(The VFW Foundation, through the partnership with Operation Iraqi Children, has delivered hundreds of thousands of toys to that country in the last 12 months starting in April of 2004.)
Wonderful! Bump!
ping
I think the story, while a very nice one, has been shown to not be true, or at least not proven to be true.
My God. Is this true? Can someone verify the validity/truth of this?
I can only tell you that my friend has been in Iraq in two wars now, and is currently in Afghanistan, and he forwarded it to everyone he knows with subject line "Wonderful Story." So I think it meant a lot to him. I know he has sent me pictures of Afghan children and they appear beautifully innocent.
BTTT
My son is in Iraq now. Story is wonderful to us too. Just not too sure it is true is all.
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/forum/forum_comments/2135/
An old post I found discussing the likelyhood..........
Terry Austin
Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 | 02:02 PM
It's not as implausible as it sounds. I have doubts on this particular story, because of the details (if they weren't supposed to stop because it's dangerous - and it is - then the writer would not have been given permission to stop a second time, in all likelyhood), but this sort of things does happen.
A friend of mine is in Falujah right now, performing duties that include, in his words, overturning rocks and stepping on as many roaches as possible before they scurry to new hiding places. When he was home a few months ago on leave, we talking about what kinds of things to send in care packages. He mentioned all the usual things - boks, candy that can travel well, books, coffee that doesn't taste like motor oil, books, Kool-Aid, books, and, did I mention, books.
But he also mentioned toys. Said they were almost literlaly currency. They make an effort to not solicit information out of kids, under any circumstances. Toys are given to any kids who are nearby, regardless of what they might offer. But some of them do offer information. He had personal experience of a toy that turned in to a cache of rocket launchers
I can report that the Veterans of Foreign Wars have the story posted, with the picture that accompanied my email. I didn't know how to post the picture, and there does not seem to be the claim this is a picture of the actual girl. But the VFW did go with the story:
http://www.vfwfoundation.org/stories_mine.html
I have heard this story a couple of times now and every time I hear it, the story is the same but the names change.
Anything can take place over there.
The American spirit lives on, despite what some politicians say or do.
Tears in my eyes.
Thanks.
This was posted last spring and I think is not true, may be wrong on the true part but I know it was posted about spring of 2005.
It is allegorically true even if it didn't happen exactly this way. As the people of Iraq learn to trust us and to lose their fear of reprisal by the remnants of Saddam's henchmen and the brutal terrorists, they will more and more embrace and aid the liberating heroes from America and her allies.
I'd sure like to think "the Beanie Baby Brigade" played a role in this!
The essence of the American spirit is wrapped up in this story.
We are there to liberate, and to make a people free from suffering and death.
What more noble cause could you ask for?
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