Surprise Wedding Gift From Iraq (wedding toast from Iraq, complete with explosion)

WNEP TV ^ | 10/18/2003 | Julie Sidoni

[Born Conservative]

Saturday, October 18, 11:40pm
Surprise Wedding Gift From Iraq

It was a special night for the new Mr. and Mrs.William Michael Smith. They were married in Dunmore Saturday night. But what made the night really special, was the surprise wedding gift from Baghdad.

The place had all the usual wedding suspects: music, food, friends and family dressed in their best. But there was something not there. The groom's brother Jim Smith says, "There's a a big piece of us missing tonight, and that big piece is our brother Ed."

Master Sergeant Edward Smith from Montdale is an explosives expert with the U.S. Air Force. He's been stationed just south of Baghdad since July. But Saturday night, at the wedding celebration of his brother William, Sgt. Smith made a surprise visit.

It was a surprise, months in the making. Sgt. Smith made a video toast. And Air Force officials had to carry the video from the groom's brother to Baghdad, and then Fox News transmitted it to WNEP.

In the video, Bill Smith says from the desert, "Everybody raise your glasses, and I'll raise my cigar and my non-alcoholic Gatorade...A life of years free of tears, good luck, bottoms up, and fire in the hole." With that, a staged explosive went off in the background.

The groom was visibly touched. William tells Newswatch 16, "I wish he was here...and I can't explain how good it felt to see him the day I got married."

The new Mrs. Smith planned it all; even Bill's parents didn't know. Bride, Kerry Smith admits, "Actually, yesterday I thought everybody knew, and I was a nervous wreck! But nobody found out, so I was very happy."

The mother of the brothers, Kathryn Smith, remarked, "Any makeup I had on, I ruined it! I was so surprised, I couldn't believe it." Their father Donald Smith told us,"He (Ed) has a habit of pulling surprises and popping in at a party when he's not expected. I just had a feeling we might see him today."

The family will see Master Sergeant Smith, in person, next month. We're told that's when his tour of duty is over.

[Born Conservative]

They showed the video on the news this morning; Sgt. Smith said his toast and without missing a beat, said "fire in the hole" in a calm manner (as only an explosives expert could). As soon as he said that, a huge fireball erupted in the background-AWESOME!

Although he had to miss the wedding, if anything was "the next best thing to being there", this was it. I got goosebumps watching it!

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

ping

[EODGUY]

Great article....thanks for the ping.

EODGUY

[Born Conservative]

ping

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for the post, BC.

It was a special night for the new Mr. and Mrs.William Michael Smith. They were married in Dunmore Saturday night. But what made the night really special, was the surprise wedding gift from Baghdad...

Hero shortening his poor mother's life, ping! (^;

 Thanks, Tonkin!

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[EternalVigilance]

Great story!

[prairiebreeze]

We're told that's when his tour of duty is over.

Thank you Master Sergeant for your service to your country.

Prairie

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[gatorbait]

See why EOD men, any branch, are the best? !!!
Charles County Crab bttt!

[radu]

This is soooooo sweet!! I'm glad they could pull it off. I got goosebumps reading this.

Gotta say, I loooove Master Sergeant Smith's sense of humor. My kinda guy!! LOL!

Thanks for posting this Born Conservative.
And thanks so much for the ping, RC.

[SAMWolf]

Great post. Thanks

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks for the ping SAM. What a sweet surprise for his brother's wedding. Good post.

[windchime]

Bump!

[avg_freeper]

"fire in the hole"

I found this phrase useful on my wedding night as well.

[U S Army EOD]

You have a great judge of character.

[U S Army EOD]

We also have a Render Safe Procedure called "Drill and Inject", this would also be appropriate.

[blackie]

Perfect story and a prop to FoxNews!

[gatorbait]

Posted by U S Army EOD to gatorbait
On News/Activism 10/20/2003 8:09 AM CDT #15 of 17

You have a great judge of character.
One old EOD guy to another :- )

[U S Army EOD]

If you were EOD then you should know better.

[gatorbait]

If you were EOD then you should know better.


I know much better,.. I liked what this young man did , and , back to it, fire in the hole 3 times.