Marines find bodies of four American soldiers

The New York Times via The Houston Chronicle ^ | March 29, 2003, 12:21AM | Unattributed

[mel]

Well, I guess it is the Elizabeth Smart syndrome again. How many other girls were missing during the same time as Elizabeth?

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

You most certainly will have me praying. I did not hear this, and perhaps you know them?

No matter...this poor family.

Puts one's "problems" in perspective.

[mel]

But, I think there has also been much angst over the other two (that I know of) female soldiers.

[EternalVigilance]

Sister of Captured GI Dies of Disorder

Saturday March 29, 2003 1:00 AM


PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (AP) - The sister of an Army sergeant captured by Iraqi forces died Friday of a rare neurological disorder.

The parents of captured U.S. Army Sgt. James Riley stood silently outside their suburban Philadelphia home as a military spokesman confirmed the death of Mary Riley, 29. She died at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, where she had been in a coma since Jan. 23.

The family, in a written statement, said they hope their son keeps his ``faith in God, his nation and himself'' if he finds out about his sister's death before they are able to contact him.

James Riley, 31, of Pennsauken, was one of five U.S. soldiers captured when Iraqi forces attacked an army supply convoy around An Nasiriyah. He was seen Sunday on Iraqi television broadcasts.

Riley was with the 507th Maintenance Co., part of the 111th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, based at Fort Bliss, Texas. He enlisted in the Army after graduating Pennsauken High School in 1990.

Riley's parents, Athol and Jane, scheduled a private funeral for Mary, who would have turned 30 on April 23.

[mware]

I have been out of reach of a radio and tv all day. What is this news of the Marines finding some bodies? Was it the ones shown on TV last Sunday???

[EternalVigilance]

It is still unclear to me. The reporting sucks.

If you find out, let me know.


Two more of our guys killed in Afghanistan:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/879249/posts

[cyborg]

I think this whole situation is TERRIBLE. Meanwhile, there are people STILL protesting this war. I hope all the POWs are found alive. This is awful. I guess Gloria Steinem and the rest of the feminazi brigade are happy now. Whereas women used to be the 'spoils' of victory, now they get slaughtered in the same 'fox hole' as the men. Support yes.. front line combat...no way, esp. with children, esp. a single parent!

[cyborg]

Not to detract from the original topic, but there were LOTS of girls missing. I have very strong opinions on that. You can FReep mail me if you want. I think the discussion is still going on the 'smokey back room'.

[hnorris]

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2003/n03292003_200303291.html From: Press Service By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 29, 2003 -- The remains of American troops have been discovered in southern Iraq near where paramilitary forces loyal to Saddam Hussein have been accused by the Pentagon of executing U.S. service members after they'd surrendered. U.S. Central Command spokesman Air Force Maj. Gen. Victor Renuart told reporters today in Qatar of the situation developing in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. He said a U.S. mortuary affairs team is en route to the site. He said he couldn't tell reporters whether the remains belonged to troops who'd been involved in the March 24 engagement in and around the city. Several service members are listed as missing after that action, in which Saddam-aligned irregular forces attacked a U.S. supply convoy that had gotten lost. The Iraqis quickly paraded some U.S. captives on state-run television. The videotape also showed some dead American troops, who'd been positioned for the camera. Some senior Pentagon leaders who'd viewed the tape, including Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, believe it's possible the dead troops were executed with shots in the head after they'd surrendered. The mortuary team "will conduct normal levels of investigation," Renuart noted. "We will also approach it from the aspect to ensure that there were no war crimes committed that may have caused their deaths. We'll have a full forensic evaluation as well." The Iraqis currently hold five U.S. prisoners of war taken from the March 24 action, plus two American helicopter pilots seized in another incident.

[Brian Allen]

<< Before we were just doing our jobs. Now we are determined to kill those who murder defenseless POWs.

May God have mercy on our soldiers in harm's way. >>

Amen. May His blessings and His grace follow our every Warrior.

And may His Justice be delivered to our every enemy. Being Iraqi gets more dangerous by the minute.

[X-FID]

"I've always been an advocate of women joining the Army at any level they choose," said Johnson, a 20-year Army veteran. "Women have proven their worth in the military. I don't have a problem with women even being combat soldiers."

Maybe Johnson would like to be protected by women who may have babies at home, but I think men are much better equipped for the job, and empircal data supports this from day one.

[EternalVigilance]

Thank you for that update.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Thanks, CL. I understand your point and acknowledged these singular aberrations in my first posts, but make no mistake, these women are only aberrations.

Proponents of your basic arguments, like those on the Left trying making the case of the normalcy and commonness of homosexuality, cite data from a small pool of references and project skewed estimates cooked up from their own assumptions. A case in point is the specious estimate of 10% homosexual populations estimates based on the flawed Kinsey report, while numerous alternative data exists that suggest real numbers more in the range of a magnitude less (1-2%).

No matter what sort of personality highlights (and you did forget the pirate chicks) one can use to demonstrate the existence of female combatants, I am sure the actual numbers of these ferocious females would be much, much less than a fraction of a single percent - if that. This might plunge further if extrapolated over time and the globe.

In spite of the anecdotal surmising and the handful of examples, whole regiments are seemingly summoned from thin air to defend and support the fictional view that females are somehow marginalized in their contributions to military history. I believe that the desperate feminist effort to advance your essential case is part of the myth-making and cultural reference work that goes on before a society can accept such radical departures from cultural experience or historical sanity.

To your credit, you didn't make reference to Amazons or the lost civilization of warrior maidens like Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. This demonstrates your integrity to be far above that of the usual feminist screeds and I can appreciate that. Thanks.

Nonetheless, because women have been involved in violent conflict as direct participants has nothing whatsoever to do with assumed projections or justifications for Leftist inspired social engineering. Making decisions based on aberration and statistical flyers is the poorest form of policy making when the outcomes are defense, survival and domination of one's enemies. Making decisions based on hoped for outcomes and the best of intentions is the fundamental ingredient for paving projects in hell.

So, my friend, I'm sorry I cannot see any sense whatsoever in your words and I can only see problems. The basic social compact, relational dynamics, operational costs and morale factors are crushing arguments themselves that have been covered already. Note that this says nothing about the ultimate test of aggression and strength.

For a really good examination of this foolish form of social suicide, I'll bet some country like Holland or Denmark or some other socialist morass might provide invaluable examples on the best methods a nation might employ to make women happy and destroy their defensive capabilities at the same time. It is also interesting to note that nations that are aggressive and interested in effective military power never consider such folderol - only liberal Democracies and faltering Republics.

My wife is pretty good with arms and capable of doing whatever needs to be done if the need arises, but she, like other women on this thread, could give a good sermon on what-is-what for the confused and terminally idealistic.

Good tries, but I believe I'll pass on your vision for a more equitable military.

Regards,
WCF

[WorkingClassFilth]

"...why is the blonde any more important than anyone else?"

Good point.

Obviously, for the manifold reasons that myself and others have made, the visceral reaction that a woman in these situations is powerful and would be exceedingly dangerous to introduce into combat dynamics.

As to why the 19 year old blonde girl is the focus, I have wondered myself. The other woman, Sgt. Johnson, is 30, black and a mother of, I believe, two children.

The first item of interest is that the media is the first party to obsess on the young lady. That suggests some level of inexplicable intent on their behalf because, after all, they are the epitome of unbiased reporting and objective fact reporting.

Secondly, my thinking is that FR is a fair cross section of America. For that reason, most posters will be white and most easily relate to an image of a woman that could be a daughter, neice or other relation. The innocence of the age is a very powerful inducement for pity and concern just as it would be for a still younger child. At my age, she really is a child.

Third, I doubt the very easy racist explanation of ignoring the plight of Sgt. Johnson, but I'm sure that there are those that would fly to that explanation first. If I know anything about FR people, I'm sure there are prayers being made on behalf of this lady and her children even as I type these words.

Fourth, if the racial identities, age and family status of these two women had been reversed, I would bet that the largest outpouring of concern would be for Sgt. Johnson. As it is now, I do grieve for her and, especially her kids. At 30, they are probably pretty young. I can't imagine the pain that this is causing them at this time.

God speed all of these people.

[alexandria]

Saw 48 Hrs. tonight, something I normally would have been reluctant to watch. They had a segment that featured Jessica's family.
It was heartbreaking to watch her father struggle to keep his composure but also inspiring as he is confident that she was dedicated to, "getting the job that needed to be done done." Prayers to the families of all.

[goody2shooz]

Thanks for the story. My dad, a WWII vet, said he has heard similiar stories about the Russians.

[goody2shooz]

Thanks for the story. My dad, a WWII vet, said he has heard similiar stories about the Russians.

[Hush]

I hadn't considered the race card at all, to be honest, but it is a valid point. I can understand how a number of the people expressing concern in regards to Pfc Lynch are doing so because they more easily relate to her.

For me, however, it is not a matter of more concern for her than any others. I have seen footage showing Spc Johnson, which makes her fate slightly less obscure than that of Pfc Lynch. For me, that is the dominant factor. It tears at me more that we -don't- know what happened to Pfc. Lynch, but it by no means overrides my concern for Spc. Johnson.

On the same note, this extends to -all- combatants. It is less chilling (for lack of a better word) to consider those combatants who we have seen on footage than those that are simply gone.

I hope I have explained this well enough to make sense.

[wardaddy]

Geez...I hadn't thought of Challenger in a while. I like Frank Howell who did the Indians with flowing white hair