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.

[r9etb]

The new Mrs. Smith planned it all; even Bill's parents didn't know.

Sounds to me like the Smith family is very lucky to be joined by this fine young lady. God bless her.

[U S Army EOD]

Things are much different now. They no longer use the MK 1 Mod 0 pipe wrench for most of the render safe procedures. Also you don't have in the units guys who were military police in the Korean War when they were only 12, Rangers when they were only 15, and one guy who had a secondary MOS as a hangman in your units like I did.

Much better character now. In fact I bet they don't even do the DOFA anymore.

[gatorbait]

They no longer use the MK 1 Mod 0 pipe wrench for most of the render safe procedures

When I visited the kids at Ft Polk, one of them said.,"Oh wow,you're from thepipe wrench days! " When I asked about rollouts, none of them had heard of it.

I went home feeling ancient.

[U S Army EOD]

I always heard that the roll out was perfected by Polish EOD. One guy holds the fuze, the other guys unscrew the bomb.

[U S Army EOD]

Roy Kaiser was the 12 year old and Charlie Clark was the 15 year old ranger.

[gatorbait]

always heard that the roll out was perfected by Polish EOD. One guy holds the fuze, the other guys unscrew the bomb.
Yeah , but it's disgusting what they do in the fuze well..

[U S Army EOD]

I tried the fuze well but never could fit it in. I had to settle for the recessed baseplates on the 2000 pounder GPs.

[gatorbait]

I tried the fuze well but never could fit it in. I had to settle for the recessed baseplates on the 2000 pounder GPs.


Needle d**k HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA