COMMUNITY GRIEVES FOR SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ

Two more Arkansas families are grieving over the loss of their loved ones. Staff Sergeant Billy Joe Orton of Carlisle and Staff Sergeant Stacey Brandon of Hazen were both killed over the weekend when their base camp was attacked in Taji, Iraq.

Both soldiers were assigned to the 39th's Support Battalion Headquarters in Hazen. Driving through the town, you could find rows of yellow ribbons tied to trees. Family and friends of the soldiers say they are relying on each other to get through this tough time.

SSG Orton's mother, Dorothy, lives in Hazen. She can't believe her son is dead. She says, "That's how I got it in my mind, that it's not real, he's just gone away right now, but I know it's not true." Dorothy Orton says her son was married and had three young sons. They live in Carlisle and are all having a hard time with the news.

Another soldier, SSG Stacey Brandon also leaves behind a wife and two young children. Friends say SSG Brandon was a good Christian man who will be missed.

Specialist James Carter, who is also from Hazen, survived the attack. His family says he has a broken arm and shrapnel wounds. Russell Raper, SPC Carter's stepfather, says he is doing well and their thoughts and prayers go out to all the soldiers families.

Capt. Arthur L. Felder from Lewisville and Chief Warrant Patrick W. Kordsmeier of North Little Rock, both with the 39th, were also killed over the weekend.

We mourn the loss of your Arksansas warriors.

Adding my prayers to others for our Soldiers, their families, hometowns, their Arkansas National Guard and 1st Cav fellow warriors, and friends.

~* Defense Officials Identify Casualties *~

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2004

The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died on April 24, in Taji, Iraq, when mortar rounds hit their camp. The four Soldiers were assigned to the Army National Guard’s 39^th Support Battalion, 39^th Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Cavalry Division, Hazen, Ark. Killed were:

* Capt. Arthur L. Felder, 36, of Louisville, Ark.*

* Chief Warrant Officer Patrick W. Kordsmeier, 49, of North Little Rock, Ark.*

* Staff Sgt. Billy J. Orton, 41, of Humnoke, Ark.*

* Staff Sgt. Stacey C. Brandon, 35, of Hazen, Ark.*

Captain Arthur "Bo" Felder

LEWISVILLE SOLDIER AMONG THOSE KILLED AT BASE CAMP FOR 39TH

Military officials have notified the family of a second Arkansas soldier killed in a rocket attack in Iraq. The attack occurred Saturday at the base camp of Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade.

According to the Banner News newspaper at Magnolia, *Captain Arthur "Bo" Felder* of Lewisville was among four brigade members who died in the attack. The newspaper spoke with family members, although the Department of Defense had not yet released the names of those killed.

Felder was 36 years old. He had served in the National Guard since 1986, the year after he graduated from Lewisville High School. He attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia and later transferred to East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas.

~*~

Billy Joe Orton

Staff Sergeant Stacey Brandon

COMMUNITY GRIEVES FOR SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ

Two more Arkansas families are grieving over the loss of their loved ones. 41-year-old * Staff Sergeant Billy Joe Orton * of Carlisle and 35-year-old * Staff Sergeant Stacey Brandon * of Hazen were both killed over the weekend when their base camp was attacked in Taji, Iraq.

Both soldiers were assigned to the 39th's Support Battalion Headquarters in Hazen. Driving through the town, you could find rows of yellow ribbons tied to trees. Family and friends of the soldiers say they are relying on each other to get through this tough time.

SSG Orton's mother, Dorothy, lives in Hazen. She can't believe her son is dead. She says, "That's how I got it in my mind, that it's not real, he's just gone away right now, but I know it's not true." Dorothy Orton says her son's wife and their three young sons live in Carlisle and are all having a hard time with the news.

Another soldier, SSG Stacey Brandon also leaves behind a wife and two young children. Friends say SSG Brandon was a good Christian man who will be missed.

~*~

Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Kordsmeier

ROCKET ATTACK KILLS ARKANSAS SOLDIER

Sunday the family of Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Kordsmeier confirmed the 49-year-old Army soldier had been killed during an attack on the 39th Infantry Brigade's camp in Taji, Iraq.

Kordsmeier was from Little Rock and served in the Army National Guard for more than 30 years. His family says he passed up retirement to serve in the war in Iraq.

His son and daughter spoke with us on Sunday and told us how much their father meant to them and how much our country meant to their father. Jason and Jennifer Kordsmeier now say they are trying to deal with his loss by helping their mother cope.

Jennifer said those whose loved ones come home should hold them and thank them for all they've done.

The details of Kordsmeier's death have not been released. His family says funeral arrangements will be made once Kordsmeier's body is returned to the U.S.

Arkansas Soldier Killed In Early Morning Attack

An Arkansas soldier stationed at Camp Cooke in Iraq died Saturday after sustaining injuries in an early morning attack.

* Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Kordsmeier, 49, * served in the Army for 25 years. He was up for retirement right before the U.S-led invasion into Iraq but asked for an extension, his family said.

Details of the attack are sketchy, but military officials confirm Camp Cooke was hit by rockets Saturday Morning.

Camp Cooke is the base for Arkansas` 39th Infantry Brigade.

~*~

Dear All,

My friend at Camp Cooke directed me to these posts about my brother-in-law, Chief Kordsmeier. I wanted to thank all those who have expressed support for Patrick's service, our family and the 39th.

Patrick wished only to serve those he called "my guys," all the men who trained with him, worked with him and depended upon his doing his job supplying them with the goods and gear they need to do their jobs. He wasn't about to stay home when his people were in a fight.

We cry for losing him, but understand he was right where he meant to be.

Godspeed to the 39th.

20 posted on 04/27/2004 1:10:40 AM EDT by goldenarts

~*~

~* Arkansas Army National Guard *~

39^th Support Battalion, 39^th Brigade Combat Team

1^st Cavalry Division

~ Some gave all ~

One of Staff Sergeant Billy Joe Orton's sons is a student of mine. Quite honestly, the family is in denial. The son that I know has not missed any school and acts almost as if he doesn't know what's going on. Part of this is probably that he is only in 6th grade.

THe whole situation has the faculty here pretty upset.

Of course, nothing brings a war home like your own dying. There is a small but vocal group of folks here that are doing everything they can to use these local boy's deaths as an anti-war weapon - going around town spouting off about how Bush is killing our boys for nothing but oil. Unfortunately, the ringleader is another of my band parents. She even has her daughter now spouting off about it -

About the only part of this woman's argument I agree with - we are where we are now in Iraq because of GW's daddy. He didn't have the balls to finish the job when he had the chance. Today's Iraq is the perfect example of what happens when you don't take care of a problem when it first becomes an issue. Put a simple band-aid over a festering sore and all you do is hide it. The sore will get far worse and be much harder to cure later.

How many millions (billions) of $ did Saddam give to terrorists around the globe in the little more than a decade after his daddy's failure?

How many of the terrorist supporting nations would have thought twice about supporting same-said terrorists if we had taken care of business the first time?

But all that being said - going to Iraq with or without official recognition of WMD possession was the right thing to do. If we leave without finishing the job started - we will again be dealing with this hell-hole and it will be even more costly in both money and life than it is today.

God be with our troops and give our leadership the wisdom and courage to do what needs to be done, even if that means pissing off the Euro-queens and surrender monkeys.

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