KevinH78
08-22-2004, 12:19 PM
This is a friend of mine in the Army and his mother forwarded this to me. Some editing has been done to take out certain personal things but other than that, it was typed word for word as he wrote it.
Day 10 July 26th, 2004
We got attacked last night. Harvey and I got up almost simulaneously when we heard that familiar "thump". We were already running for the trucks by the time someone started yelling "incoming"! We watched helplessly as the rounds cam in. There is no way of telling where they are going to land. Harvey and I were the gun team on IRF so we went out into the darkness hoping to find the origin of the mortors. Like the cowards they are, they fired a few rounds from over 5 Klicks away and then dispersed before we got close. Another late night. We got in after 10 Zulu time, which is 2 a.m., and woke up at 0200 Z. Take out at least 1 hr. for a guard shift and there's not much time for sleep. So we try to work in a few hours during the day but it's hard to sleep when in is 130 degrees F. We went into town to ask for into about the attack. We busted a suspicious guy who looked like a photo we had seen. He had a Taliban propaganda cassette tape that he denied knowing anything about. Who know's if we'll get anything useful out of him. The even better thing is he is related to the local mayor. Can you see a problem there?
Another day, another tax free dollar. It is not worth it, you know. No amount of money could compensate for this. I dream about you every night, like an obsession. Everything that is beautiful in my life is there with you. Thanks you for being such a wonderful, driving force behind me. I can't tell you how good it feels to only have positive thoughts of home and no worries normally associated with a long seperation. I feel so warm inside every time I think of your beautiful smile. I would give anything just for on moment with you.
Day 14 July 30, 2004
Where do I even begin? Yesterday was a BAD day. I volunteered to go out on a patrol down to a town a few hrs. from here, closer to the Pakistan border. The patrol was uneventful and the town seemed fine, so we headed back to camp. Almost half-way back an explosion rocked the earth and dirt showered the Humvee. My ears were ringing and my head pounding and we couldn't see anything from the dust cloud. We bailed out and moved to the high ground scanning the mountains for any sign of movement. After assessing the scene, there were no casualties, so we ran the 400 m. out of the kill zone. We radioed in what had just occurred, and then headed back to the IED (improvised explosive device) site to look for anyone who might have remotely detonated the IED. We moved up to the hilltop looking for any signs and spooted 3 individuals about 100 m away and obviously trying to hide. We fired warning shots, and they bolted. Unfortunately, we can't shoot anyone here unless they shoot at us first. We chased them into a nearby village and after searching a few buildings we found them. 3 boys ranging from 10 yrs. of age to 13, who had stashed their 2 AK 47's and were trying to change so we couldn't ID them. In the town we also found 2 more mines just like the 2 that had almost killed us earlier. We destroyed the mines and loaded up the boys and drove back to camp. As if that wasn't enought for a day, less than an hour after I fell asleep, that all too familiar "thud" woke me from a deep sleep. Luckily I wasn't on IRF this time, so I just sat there in the darkness hoping one of the mortors didn't land near me.
Today is another day, and I can only hope it's uneventful. They let me use the sattelite phone the night before last, but I only got the answering machine. It is probably better that way because I wouldn't haqve been able to talk about anything over the phone. I got the two envelopes with the pictures! You look so beautiful with our baby. I can't believe how good you look so soon after. Tyler is growing so fast, and Kylee, I am just speechless. She is gorgeous just like her Mom. I am going to have my hands full.
Hopefully we rotate out of here tomorrow. 15 days out, then 15 days back at camp Orgun-E.
Day 16 August 1, 2004
Well, still no relief. Who knows how long we will be out here. Yesterday, we killed a man. We escorted the local police out to look for bad guys. After searching two towns, we were headed back to camp with nothing, when a group of men in a town we were driving through rapidly dispersed and fled. We immediately dismounted and chased after the fleeing suspects. When the local police open fired on one of the guys about to go over a hilltop. They weren't hitting anywhere even close, so 3rd. squad opened fired and brought the guy down. They guy was unarmed and we don't know why the local police were after him. The guy wasn't dead so our medic began treating him as we loaded him on a stretcher in the back of my Humvee. As we drove in the darkness I heard as the medic started CPR when the guy's heart stopped. 20 minutes later, I delivered him dead to the local police station. It is so weird to see death with no remorse. After cheating death by little more than one second, only days ago, I can only feel that all of those people here should die if necessary for me to live. I will come home to my family.
This little camp we have set up in Southern Afghanistan seems to be a hot spot for action. Hopefully, our command will be fair about the amount of time we spend in this hot spot.
Aug. 3, 2004
Today, we are going further south within 2 km of the Pakistan border. We are going to stay down there for 3-4 days looking for suspected Taliban truying to sneak across the border. We are taking the same route that my Humvee almost got blown up on. I hope it is uneventful. At over 18 days outside the wire and safety of Oragun-E, we have set a Brigade record. No one else here in Afghanistan from 3rd Brigade has been out this long. Leave it to the Wolfhounds. 18 days with no running water, no showers, no hot food, not even porta-potties. No signs of modern civilization. And the best part is, we have at least another 5-7 more days before we can even hope to go back. I need to get leave soon. I'm going crazy. Every little thing makes me angry. I try to isolate myself as much as possible but it is not easy out here. I'm only glad that I don't really have to rely on these guy to keep me alive. I would be SCREWED. Luckily, I've got Harvey put in my squad. He is having the same problems coping. Well, let the fun of another day begin. I love you and you are in my heart and mind every second of the day.
I'm getting tired of writing the same things. Here I am on another mountain top watching for bad guys. We caught 2 of them yesterday. They took off running when we approached town. With only open desert for a mile or so they ran until they couldn't go any more and we caught them. I like being out here at an OP because it is quiet and I don't have to listen to everybody. We will be up here overnight. We can see people in the mountains just across the Pakistan border. The ironic thing is even if they fire at us, we can't shoot back across the border. They are telling us we are going to be out here for up to another 11 days. Moral is very low. We are all filthy, out of changes of socks, or T-shirts. We bake in the sun all day, and the worst part is that 1st Platoon is back at Oragun-E just relaxing because it is too much work for the command to change us out. Go Wolfhounds!!
8-5-2004
We were just told that we could be out here another 2 weeks. As is to try to compensate for the bad news, they handed out some letters. I just finished reading your letters and postcards. You could never send me too many. The pictured are all that keep me going. I wish you could feel how much I think about you. You talked about all of the "trivial" little stuff in your letter. That I think, is what I miss the most. I wish I could be there to worry about these things with you. And they will still be just as important after I leave here. This place is getting to me, but it has only opened my eyes. We have to SO good at home. I hope I will get leave soon. I need to be with you. I need to come home and relax and get some real sleep, not worrying about incoming mortors.
8-6-2004
Last night we got rocketed. Luckily, no one was hit, but it is only a matter of time before the bad guys get lucky. They were using old Russian 120 mm rockets. You can't hear them beling launched or when they are flying through the air. So if one lands on or around you, it will be a total surprise.
Luckily today I cam back on the hilltop at the OP over watching the rest of the company. Most likely, the bad guys will make some adjustments and attack again tonight. I will be able to see the whole thing, but from out of range position. We don't even understand why we are still in this town. If someone dies here I can only feel it was for nothing and it could have been prevented. Hopefully that won't be the case. What on earth am I doing here?
Day 10 July 26th, 2004
We got attacked last night. Harvey and I got up almost simulaneously when we heard that familiar "thump". We were already running for the trucks by the time someone started yelling "incoming"! We watched helplessly as the rounds cam in. There is no way of telling where they are going to land. Harvey and I were the gun team on IRF so we went out into the darkness hoping to find the origin of the mortors. Like the cowards they are, they fired a few rounds from over 5 Klicks away and then dispersed before we got close. Another late night. We got in after 10 Zulu time, which is 2 a.m., and woke up at 0200 Z. Take out at least 1 hr. for a guard shift and there's not much time for sleep. So we try to work in a few hours during the day but it's hard to sleep when in is 130 degrees F. We went into town to ask for into about the attack. We busted a suspicious guy who looked like a photo we had seen. He had a Taliban propaganda cassette tape that he denied knowing anything about. Who know's if we'll get anything useful out of him. The even better thing is he is related to the local mayor. Can you see a problem there?
Another day, another tax free dollar. It is not worth it, you know. No amount of money could compensate for this. I dream about you every night, like an obsession. Everything that is beautiful in my life is there with you. Thanks you for being such a wonderful, driving force behind me. I can't tell you how good it feels to only have positive thoughts of home and no worries normally associated with a long seperation. I feel so warm inside every time I think of your beautiful smile. I would give anything just for on moment with you.
Day 14 July 30, 2004
Where do I even begin? Yesterday was a BAD day. I volunteered to go out on a patrol down to a town a few hrs. from here, closer to the Pakistan border. The patrol was uneventful and the town seemed fine, so we headed back to camp. Almost half-way back an explosion rocked the earth and dirt showered the Humvee. My ears were ringing and my head pounding and we couldn't see anything from the dust cloud. We bailed out and moved to the high ground scanning the mountains for any sign of movement. After assessing the scene, there were no casualties, so we ran the 400 m. out of the kill zone. We radioed in what had just occurred, and then headed back to the IED (improvised explosive device) site to look for anyone who might have remotely detonated the IED. We moved up to the hilltop looking for any signs and spooted 3 individuals about 100 m away and obviously trying to hide. We fired warning shots, and they bolted. Unfortunately, we can't shoot anyone here unless they shoot at us first. We chased them into a nearby village and after searching a few buildings we found them. 3 boys ranging from 10 yrs. of age to 13, who had stashed their 2 AK 47's and were trying to change so we couldn't ID them. In the town we also found 2 more mines just like the 2 that had almost killed us earlier. We destroyed the mines and loaded up the boys and drove back to camp. As if that wasn't enought for a day, less than an hour after I fell asleep, that all too familiar "thud" woke me from a deep sleep. Luckily I wasn't on IRF this time, so I just sat there in the darkness hoping one of the mortors didn't land near me.
Today is another day, and I can only hope it's uneventful. They let me use the sattelite phone the night before last, but I only got the answering machine. It is probably better that way because I wouldn't haqve been able to talk about anything over the phone. I got the two envelopes with the pictures! You look so beautiful with our baby. I can't believe how good you look so soon after. Tyler is growing so fast, and Kylee, I am just speechless. She is gorgeous just like her Mom. I am going to have my hands full.
Hopefully we rotate out of here tomorrow. 15 days out, then 15 days back at camp Orgun-E.
Day 16 August 1, 2004
Well, still no relief. Who knows how long we will be out here. Yesterday, we killed a man. We escorted the local police out to look for bad guys. After searching two towns, we were headed back to camp with nothing, when a group of men in a town we were driving through rapidly dispersed and fled. We immediately dismounted and chased after the fleeing suspects. When the local police open fired on one of the guys about to go over a hilltop. They weren't hitting anywhere even close, so 3rd. squad opened fired and brought the guy down. They guy was unarmed and we don't know why the local police were after him. The guy wasn't dead so our medic began treating him as we loaded him on a stretcher in the back of my Humvee. As we drove in the darkness I heard as the medic started CPR when the guy's heart stopped. 20 minutes later, I delivered him dead to the local police station. It is so weird to see death with no remorse. After cheating death by little more than one second, only days ago, I can only feel that all of those people here should die if necessary for me to live. I will come home to my family.
This little camp we have set up in Southern Afghanistan seems to be a hot spot for action. Hopefully, our command will be fair about the amount of time we spend in this hot spot.
Aug. 3, 2004
Today, we are going further south within 2 km of the Pakistan border. We are going to stay down there for 3-4 days looking for suspected Taliban truying to sneak across the border. We are taking the same route that my Humvee almost got blown up on. I hope it is uneventful. At over 18 days outside the wire and safety of Oragun-E, we have set a Brigade record. No one else here in Afghanistan from 3rd Brigade has been out this long. Leave it to the Wolfhounds. 18 days with no running water, no showers, no hot food, not even porta-potties. No signs of modern civilization. And the best part is, we have at least another 5-7 more days before we can even hope to go back. I need to get leave soon. I'm going crazy. Every little thing makes me angry. I try to isolate myself as much as possible but it is not easy out here. I'm only glad that I don't really have to rely on these guy to keep me alive. I would be SCREWED. Luckily, I've got Harvey put in my squad. He is having the same problems coping. Well, let the fun of another day begin. I love you and you are in my heart and mind every second of the day.
I'm getting tired of writing the same things. Here I am on another mountain top watching for bad guys. We caught 2 of them yesterday. They took off running when we approached town. With only open desert for a mile or so they ran until they couldn't go any more and we caught them. I like being out here at an OP because it is quiet and I don't have to listen to everybody. We will be up here overnight. We can see people in the mountains just across the Pakistan border. The ironic thing is even if they fire at us, we can't shoot back across the border. They are telling us we are going to be out here for up to another 11 days. Moral is very low. We are all filthy, out of changes of socks, or T-shirts. We bake in the sun all day, and the worst part is that 1st Platoon is back at Oragun-E just relaxing because it is too much work for the command to change us out. Go Wolfhounds!!
8-5-2004
We were just told that we could be out here another 2 weeks. As is to try to compensate for the bad news, they handed out some letters. I just finished reading your letters and postcards. You could never send me too many. The pictured are all that keep me going. I wish you could feel how much I think about you. You talked about all of the "trivial" little stuff in your letter. That I think, is what I miss the most. I wish I could be there to worry about these things with you. And they will still be just as important after I leave here. This place is getting to me, but it has only opened my eyes. We have to SO good at home. I hope I will get leave soon. I need to be with you. I need to come home and relax and get some real sleep, not worrying about incoming mortors.
8-6-2004
Last night we got rocketed. Luckily, no one was hit, but it is only a matter of time before the bad guys get lucky. They were using old Russian 120 mm rockets. You can't hear them beling launched or when they are flying through the air. So if one lands on or around you, it will be a total surprise.
Luckily today I cam back on the hilltop at the OP over watching the rest of the company. Most likely, the bad guys will make some adjustments and attack again tonight. I will be able to see the whole thing, but from out of range position. We don't even understand why we are still in this town. If someone dies here I can only feel it was for nothing and it could have been prevented. Hopefully that won't be the case. What on earth am I doing here?