3 MARINES KILLED, 7 INJURED IN GRENADE LAUNCHER ACCIDENT NEAR AL-KUT

Fox News Channel ^ | April 23, 2003 | N/A

[Illbay]

3 Marines were killed and 7 injured when test firing a new kind of grenade launcher. This happened near the Iraqi city of Al-Kut.

The Marines were part of the First MEU.

[seams2me]

You mean the ooooold times when we had to walk 10 miles, uphill to make a post?

You forgot the three feet of snow, barefoot part...

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I read from your profile you're an Army vet, so what you wrote makes sense to you. But please please don't criticize our dead soldiers, no matter what branch of the military they belong to. They are ALL there for US.

You did catch the God Bless them part? I did not, would not, will not, criticise dead Marines (and if they could they would kick your ass for calling them soldiers, so I know your not a Marine). I suspect I have as many friends and family over there as any FReeper and I pray daily for every one of them. Making fun of each other goes with the uniform and hasn't got a thing to do with my feelings for them.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It may be that new type that is supposed to fire the round above the enemy and explode when it is directly over their position.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It is what I was thinking of, too.

[Redleg Duke]

On your page, Fred, you forgot one key statistic about your home town...2 DNAs.

[NeoCrusade]

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/archives/2002Oct/data/2002Oct12455/

GD Receives $7.2M Contract For STRIKER 40 (MK47) Grenade Machine Gun

A new 40mm Grenade Machine Gun with optronic sight to supplant the Mk19 before the introduction of the 25mm OCSW.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I have to agree with this. The inter-service rivalries are more appropriate for a vastly different time.

Oh good, things are back to normal, you are irritating me AGAIN.

[Mister Baredog]

You mean the ooooold times when we had to walk 10 miles, uphill to make a post?

In the snow.

[dansangel]

Is it my impression or do you just like being a f@rt in an elevator?

I'm so glad I wasn't swallowing anything at the same time I read that.

[JimRed]

Yep, this is just one more example of the lies and misinformation from the Bush Administration since the start of this war. The thousands of body-bags being returned every day, landing at Dover AFB in the dead of night, the mass graves of Iraqi civilians killed by indiscriminate American bombing, and the American oil tankers lined up at the terminal off the coast at Umm Qasr to steal Iraqi oil, continue to go unreported.

You forgot (I sincerely hope) to add < /sarcasm >.

[Aaron0617]

I do think there's more to the story and I hope by this evening we know it.

This evening? good luck. We still don't know the story behind the 4 US soldiers injured with that little girl and the cluster bomb or was it a grenade.

[Illbay]

I'm irritating you because I think inter-service rivalry stuff is not appropriate for time of war?

Go figure.

[Illbay]

Uphill BOTH ways.

[G Larry]

Have you ever left the neighborhood you grew up in?
Did you go to college?
Are you really stupid enough to believe what you wrote?

[cgk]

"You did catch the God Bless them part? I did not, would not, will not, criticise dead Marines (and if they could they would kick your ass for calling them soldiers, so I know your not a Marine). I suspect I have as many friends and family over there as any FReeper and I pray daily for every one of them. Making fun of each other goes with the uniform and hasn't got a thing to do with my feelings for them."

Yes, I caught the "God Bless them part". I quoted you saying it didn't I? In my opinion, it was a disclaimer. Making fun of each other is inappropriate at this time.

No, I am not a Marine. Does that make me less qualified to say that your statement was uncalled for? My calling them soldiers doesn't offend my Marine uncle, nor my Navy father or grandfather. They understand it is my "civilian" way of describing the troops, whether they be Marines, Navy, Air Force, Army or otherwise. From what my Marine friend who is there tells me, they are ALL family.

Telling me my ass would be kicked for calling them soldiers is strange. Did you see my tagline? I pay respect to every Fallen Hero in this war. I was being courteous, hence the "please please" that you quoted me saying. Save your fights for disruptors, and your jokes for times of humor, not tragedy. Please.

[Neets]

I don't think there is more to this story in the conspiratoral sense...unless one wants there TO be more.

I guess you'd have to be experienced in this arena to understand that these things happen, in peacetime as well as during war.

The humour had nothing at all to do with any deaths.

The humour had to do with people who don't trust the government, no matter what.

[nicmarlo]

Illbay = no sarcasm tag required. :)

: )

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

First I resent you telling my how to feel. I make jokes to keep from worrying myself to death. I spent the morning with a friend who's son is with HS Company, Marine LAR Battalion somewhere north of Bagdad and my 20 year old who wants to leave college and join the ARMY (praise be not the damn Marines).

Second I'm always amused, nay pissed by those who tell me what their father and grandfather did when they sat at home. Yes I joke about Marines just like they do about me, and I don't need your permission, I earned the right. For what it's worth, my dad was a Marine SGT. then a Navy Ensign (WWII). My grandfather was an Army surgeon, then an Air Force Lt. Col., the other one was a Navy seaman in WWI. Three of my Ggrandfathers served one a Navy Captain. I am related to two CSA Generals, and Capt. Taylor, 4th Texas Cav CSA. My GGGgrandfather Ralph McGee was in the Texas Revolution, his father David on the muster rolls at Valley Forge.

On Veterans Day I go to three local cemeteries and place American flags on the graves of my Veteran relatives. In one plot alone, Forest Park Lawndale, Houston, I need 11 flags and that is every male there save one great uncle ... by marriage.

This is NOT inter service rivalry, it’s fear, honor and respect for fellow service men.

(COB read this thread and if I'm being ill mannered towards you damn Marines I'll shut up .. maybe!)

[cgk]

"Second I'm always amused, nay pissed by those who tell me what their father and grandfather did when they sat at home"

If you're talking about me, and I assume you are, yes, I sit at home. I have MS, so am not eligible to enlist. Does that make me less qualified to ask you to not disrespect any members of the military? I suppose so, to you. I included information of members of my family as my own "disclaimer" to let you know why I used the term "soldiers." I wasn't patting myself on the back.

In the nuances of those who belong to the military, which I obviously cannot understand as a mere civilian and mother, apparently I need to ask permission of those who do belong, not to criticize the dead. I don't recall asking you to ask MY permission to speak as you did. And I never told you how to "feel." I don't buy into Gestalt, sorry. I merely asked you politely not to make jokes about dead Marines by referring to them as "not smart enough to get into the Army." Did that really merit this much hostility towards me?

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

First, your profile says you sign your posts and your husband doesn't. Taking you at your word, I thought I was addressing your husband, I'm not allowed (old southern mother) to be harsh with females.

Second, again, and for the last time, I was not being critical of the dead. Call me what you will, but please stop saying THAT!

Third, I know Marines pretty well and would point out that I pegged what happened before it was reported, they were fooling around with a captured RPG.

Last, you do not need my permission to say, nor do as you will. I do ask that you allow me the same, and at least try to understand the way I meant my words, coming from my world, and my background.