Posted on 09/23/2007 7:46:56 AM PDT by paulat
Unexploded Rocket-Propelled Grenade Impales Army Private in Afghanistan By RUTH REISS
[snip]
One RPG skidded past Lt. Mariani's vehicle. All of the vehicles had to quickly get out of the "kill zone." But before they could get to safety, two rockets hit Pvt. Moss' Humvee.
Staff Sgt. Eric Wynn, 33, the soldier in the front passenger seat, felt one slice through his face. Moss remembers the truck practically lift up. He was thrown up against the Humvee and then moved to return fire.
"I smelled something smoking and I looked down ... and I was smoking," he said.
Wynn turned to tell Moss where to fire and saw the tail fins of the RPG sticking out of Moss' side.
Roughly the length of a baseball bat, an RPG travels at the speed of a bullet. At the front end is the warhead -- a large grenade. The detonator and fuel are contained in the shaft. On the back are its fins, pieces of metal that stick out like legs on a camera tripod. The RPG is the weapon of choice for many of the world's guerillas.
Luckily for Moss, the company medic Spc. Jared Angell, 23, who the soldiers call "Doc," was in his Humvee
[snip]
A Human Bomb The RPG that had plowed into Moss' lower abdomen stretched from one hip to the other. If the RPG went off, it would kill everyone within 30 feet of him. Yet Angell stayed close, bandaging his wounds and stabilizing the weapon so that movement wouldn't cause it to explode.
Moss was still fully conscious, so Angell ordered him to not look down at the injury. He didn't want Moss to panic.
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Prayers lifted for all of them...
ping
Please go to the link and read the whole story. It is well worth it.
ping for an incredible story! The video is unbelievable.
I did go to the ABC (ugh)story and read it as you suggested and cried through the whole thing. What a courageous story of bravery and guts. Anyone who cannot believe in God after reading this story has no hope in this life or the next. I couldn’t help but think of those evil bastards at Moveon.org who went out of their way to smear the military and their commanders. God take those evil monsters and throw them in the garbage heap of hell. They just cannot comprehend the selflessness of our soldiers or the love they show their wounded. God bless them!!!!
I’m speechless!!!!!!
Thank you SO much for the ping.....back to finish the article I go.
God bless our military men and women!!!
Goosebumps from one end of my body to the next. This story has an ending that only God in Heaven could provide.
A NOT so gentle reminder to PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS!!!!!!!!!
Logan’s Prayer Warriors...this is NOT your typical ping...
You’ve probably been pinged to this more than once, if so, I apologize. PLEASE read the whole article...and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember our military in your daily prayers!!
Didja see this one? Please read the whole article...
These are REAL men.
Just .... Damn is right!
“Does anyone remember the ARVN soldier with the mortar round stuck in him that was removed by American doctors in a field hospital?”
In fact, I remembered that and was going to post something about it myself. One minor correction. It was a 40mm grenade fired from a grenade launcher and not a mortor round.
Most exploding ammunition have fuzes that require certain things to happen before they arm. The 40mm grenade had to rotate a number of times prior to arming. The soldier was struck at close range and it was highly likely that the grenade had not armed and would not explode. Still, anything is possible when it comes to fired ordnance and it was possible that the grenade could have exploded. Most likely the RPG has a similar safety device which is why it did not detonate.
These safety devices are there to make sure that the ordnance travels far enough from the firing position that when it does detonate, it will not harm those firing the weapon.
Thank you BG...I think you felt, as I did, that this was not a “usual” story. Thanks so much for your ping!!
PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO!
BTTT
I highly recommend going to the original story link and click on the inset photo caption, Saving Private Moss, to see a slide show of his life and recovery.
All the rescue team broke safety protocols and risked their own deaths or dismemberment to save this man. The loyalty among the troops is a witness to the God they believe in as they face the ultimate price of freedom every day in the field; and for many, endure years of disability afterwards.
Read and take pride in our America.
bttt your post and this story!!!!
..but the link in post #35 does ...it has the video.
Ping!!!....something good for a change!
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