3 Members Of Ft. Lewis Stryker Brigade Killed In Iraq

KOMO1000 News ^ | 12/08/03 | KOMO Staff

[1stFreedom]

>>Anyway it doesn't change my attitude about the dummycrats obstructionist tactics and giving aid and comfort to enemy combatants

It's hard for others to understand, but most in the military know what it's about. Fight for the country, fight for what you believe in, but it may cost you your life. Some things are worth fighting for.

By taking the fight to the enemy, your wife's gradson prevented the fight from happening here, preventing more WTC incidents (or worse). He did not die in vain, and many will live because of his sacrifice.

One could wonder how an accident is a sacrifice, and to them I say: every part of the military takes the fight to the enemy. The cooks help take it there, the MP's, the chaplains, the truckers, etc. It takes an army, the whole army, to fight the battle -- not just guns and tanks and action on the front line.

I for one am extremely grateful that my son will be safer because of our boys taking it to the enemy. I witnessed the towers on fire and collapse (from White Plains NY in an 11 story building). I saw the "missing person" flyers and photos of beautiful people killed in the towers. Never again. We take the fight to the enemy to prevent another 9/11. This is what your wife's grand son did, and let her know that my little boy is safer.

My condolences to you and your wife and her Grandson's family.

[Travis McGee]

Damn. What a loss.

[Darksheare]

Thanks for putting the pics up.
For many, they are just faceless names that mean nothing.


Form up soldiers, move out.
Rest in peace where the angels keep.

[dts32041]

Damn these soldiers are looking younger all the time, I look at the generals and i remember a few as LT's.

[archy]

Damn. What a loss.

You wish to God you could have been there. Maybe one of them could have been pulled out in time if there'd just been another pair of arms or two around. Maybe all of them.

Thank God they don't have to worry about things like that anymore.

-archy-/-

[Travis McGee]

It's the totally unexpected fluky stuff that'll git you. Damn shame.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you, archy.

The third Soldier was Spc. Christopher J. Rivera Wesley, 26, of Portland, Ore.

I wasn't able to find a picture.

You wish to God you could have been there.

Like this?

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[archy]

Thank you, archy.
The third Soldier was Spc. Christopher J. Rivera Wesley, 26, of Portland, Ore.
I wasn't able to find a picture.

This isn't a real great one, but....

[archy]

You wish to God you could have been there.

Like this?

Well, no, as it turns out; not unless I had a cutting torch along. They were locked inside, like prisoners.

Condemned prisoners.

Officer Says Troop Door Was Locked On Overturned Stryker

December 11, 2003

By KOMO Staff & News Services

TACOMA - A rear troop door on one of two Army combat vehicles that overturned and fell into an Iraqi irrigation canal had been unintentionally left padlocked, the unit commander says.

Three of the 19 soldiers inside the two Strykers died and a fourth was injured, but the padlock did not prevent anyone capable of escaping from doing so, Col. Michael E. Rounds told The News Tribune of Tacoma for a report published Thursday.

The Department of Defense on Thursday identified the dead soldiers as Staff Sgt. Steven H. Bridges, 33, of Tracy, Calif.; Spc. Joseph M. Blickenstaff, 23, of Corvallis, Ore.; and Spc. Christopher J. Rivera Wesley, 26, of Portland, Ore.

They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based at Fort Lewis near Tacoma.

Brigade officials said eight to 10 shots were fired Wednesday night at soldiers guarding the accident site on a road northeast of Ad Duluiyah, Iraq. No one was injured and the soldiers were unable to find whoever fired the shots.

Divers were summoned for an attempt on Thursday to recover weapons and night vision devices that are believed to be in the murky water, officials said.

The accident occurred Monday night when an embankment collapsed. Two Strykers landed upside down in the canal with only their wheels above the surface.

At least one soldier was saved by a squad leader who re-entered his submerged Stryker and pulled out two soldiers, officials said.

One of the two was revived through cardiopulmonary resuscitation and is recovering in an Army hospital. The other died, as did two soldiers in the other Stryker.

There were few obvious signs of damage to the Strykers, but "there is significant water damage to the inside, and that affects the electronics," Lt. Col. Joseph Piek said. "The vehicles will have to dry out, and then we'll have to examine the damage from the water."

The rear hatch door in one of the submerged vehicles was locked to protect against theft while the vehicles were in a northbound convoy from Kuwait, and a vehicle commander forgot to remove the lock before going on patrol, Rounds said.

Both Strykers landed upside down, leaving about a 6-inch pocket of air inside, enough for those inside to breathe as they found their way out to safety, according to a preliminary report cited by The News Tribune.

Their exit routes were not immediately clear. The Stryker has four roof hatches, one for the driver and an emergency escape hatch about midway along the driver's side.

The injured soldier was moved out of intensive care Wednesday at the 21st Combat Support Hospital in Balad, Iraq, and could return to the unit within three days, officials said.

A memorial ceremony for the three who died is scheduled for noon Friday at the brigade's base camp.

Pvt. Bryan Hall, a sharpshooter, told his mother, Winnie O'Connor, in a call to her home in Vine Grove, Ky., that he was in one of the Strykers and barely survived, The Seattle Times reported Thursday.

In a five-minute call early Tuesday, Hall said he crawled desperately through the submerged vehicle as water gushed inside, finally finding a small pocket of air and tearing off his Kevlar helmet so he could cock his head to keep breathing, O'Connor said.

"He told me that he got air in his lungs and started praying," she said. "He said, 'This is not why I was sent here."'

Hall said other soldiers from the 12-vehicle patrol needed two pair of bolt cutters to free a rear hatch door and get him to safety, his mother said.

Rounds said he and the Army's top commander, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, met with the soldiers involved in the accident.

"They're doing fine," Rounds said. "We've got to see to their needs but at the same time help them get back to the fight. That's what they want."

A three-person team from the Army's Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala., has been sent to investigate the accident.

The brigade left Fort Lewis last month on its first deployment with the new vehicles. The deaths are the first involving any of the 300 medium-weight vehicles, each costing $2 million, since the first entered service about a year and a half ago.

[Humidston]

Thank you, thank you, Archy. My prayers go out for those brave young men and their families. Such sad news whenever we lose one warrior, let alone three!

[Humidston]

Brandon will be added to my Stryker prayer list, dad. It will be an honor to be able to pray for his safe return.

God bless.

[Matthew James]

RIP

[lobo59]

Thank you for the pictures, Joe is my wifes grandson. Unfortunately a really good photo of Spc. Wesley has not been found yet.

Since the story has been out this morning some of the TV stations haven't had pictures, and some have only had one or two here in Oregon.

Bless you all and please remember all of the continueing casualties who serve our nation so proudly and their families in their losses.

[sbct for freedom]

I can,t help my son while he is with the SBCT, but if you or your family need any help please post a message. Our family supports each other in Iraq and we must support each other here. Strength comes in numbers and we all will be with you in the weeks and months ahead. The next few days will be extremely hard, so remember our prayers are with you all. SBCT Dad

[lobo59]

We thank you. Our prayers remember all those families who fear day by day and shudder at each news cast for dread that their loved one may be involved. Best wish to you and yours.

[StrykerMom]

My son is a member of this unit, as well, and called me to tell me that he was not in one of the vehicles that was involved. I am hoping that your cousin was not, either.

[PokeyBS]

Thank you for your reply. I'm assuming Michael was not involved, as his Father has not called us. This does not stop us from worrying about ALL of the brave men and women in this unit. Our hearts go out to all of them and pray for thier safety.

Anita

[sbct for freedom]

If you go to http://www.armytimes.com/channel.php?GQID=show there are a lot of pictures of the 5/20 3-2 SBCT. I hope your family member is on one of them. SBCT Dad

[sumhotchik]

You are right crap. My husband is over there. Those people were in his unit. The news broke on them dying before all of the family members were notified! Can you imagine all of the families waiting around to see if it is THEIR soldier! I don't even know how those wives can deal with the loss of their husband.

[sumhotchik]

My husband is in Alpha Co. with the Ft. Lewis Stryker unit. The news of the three soldiers aired before all of the families were notified. I did not know if my husband was amungst them or not. I cried, I thought of how my life would change, I didn't sleep that night. I prayed for the families, because I knew if my husband was one of them, there were still two other families out there who needed prayers. It wasn't until the second day that it was on the news that I got a call from the unit's FRG leader to inform me that my husbands name was not on the list of the fallen soldiers. When I got that call, I was relieved, and very sad at the same time. I knew that my hurting had stopped, but for three other families, yours being one, the hurting will never stop. I have felt just an ounce of the pain you and your family have and continue to feel. Just know, you are not alone in this. Military families stick together. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless.