In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)
(Photo by Michael Maggs, Wikimedia Commons)
On this Veterans Day, we remember 3 soldiers. One died in Iraq, and two died in Afghanistan.
This is the first of 2 IGTNT diaries this evening. The second, to be published by blue jersey mom, will remember the victims of the shooting at Fort Hood.
edit: the Fort Hood diary is now up and can be found here
Spc. Tony Carrasco Jr
From the Department of Defense:
Spc. Tony Carrasco Jr., 25, of Berino, N.M., died Nov. 4 in Ad Dawr, Iraq, of a gunshot wound suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Legacy.com has a guest book for Spc. Carrasco. One person who knew him left this touching comment:
I am lost of words, to express what you meant to our Family. The year and a half that we had the privilege of knowing you and having you as a friend will never be forgotten...You were such a funny and kind person/ Soldier. My kids miss you dearly, as we do too! You will FOREVER be in our heart and much LOVE to your Family! Con Dios estas!
Another left this comment:
You were truly loved by my husband. He was honored to serve with you. He spoke of you often and was truly proud to be your chief. You will always be remembered and deeply missed by all of those who knew you and served along side of you.
From the Department of Defense:
They died Nov. 5 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Killed were:
Spc. Aaron S. Aamot, 22, of Custer, Wash.
Spc. Gary L. Gooch Jr., 22, of Ocala, Fla.
Spc. Aaron S. Aamot
From The News Tribune:
Aamot had been home on leave from Oct. 11 to Oct. 25, and for that his family is thankful.
"The best thing is we were able to see him a couple weeks ago," Matt Aamot said. "Everyone is taking it hard, but we’re Christians, so it’s a temporary interlude until we see him again. Our faith will help us out."
....
I’m pretty heartbroken, but I’m proud of his service," said Matt Aamot, who also served in the military. "We weren’t in a combat zone, but I served in Bosnia in 1996. Aaron was trying to do the same thing we were doing there: Bring folks peace and freedom they’d never experienced. So that comforts me a little bit."
The grief was still setting in for Matt Aamot, who found it hard to believe his little brother was gone.
"I still think of him as a kid, even though he’s 22," he said. "He was a real fun kid. He was great with his nephews and nieces, just easygoing. He was a nice brother. I’m honored to have been his brother."
His brother also spoke with The Bellingham Herald:
"4-H was a big part of his life. Raising and showing chickens at the fair was a big deal for him," he said. "He kind of took after me."
Matt also remembered his brother's skill at baking, particularly blackberry pies. He enjoyed Civil War re-enactments, fighting on the Union side, of course. And he loved remote control anything - cars, tanks, trucks, the works.
"I'll miss having my brother around," Matt said. "He was one of those rough-and-tumble, happy-go-lucky kids."
From King5.com:
Nicole Perry, who owns the Custer County Store, remembers when Aamot was a young boy and he'd come in to buy candy. Perry says when Aamot was home recently, he came into the store wearing combat fatigues.
"He looked all grown up. He was a man now," said Perry.
A town of just a few hundred people, Perry says the Aamot's death has shaken the entire community.
"Everyone here is connected somehow," said Perry.
Spc. Gary L. Gooch Jr.
From The Gainesville Sun:
Gooch, a 2006 graduate of Dunnellon High School, is remembered by family and friends as someone who was always fun to be with.
"Gary was truly wonderful, always getting people to laugh no matter what the situation," his sister Keely Murphy said by telephone on Monday. "Mom, Gary and I were like the Three Stooges."
Murphy got out of the U.S. Army four months ago, having served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Her unit was scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Had she remained in the Army, she said she and her brother would have been in Afghanistan at the same time.
"I am just glad I got out to be here for mom," Murphy said. "She raised a wonderful, wonderful boy. She did a wonderful job."
From The Orlando Sentinel:
On his Myspace page, Gooch made it clear that family was near and dear to him.
"I have many fictional hero's that I like but my true heroes are my family," he wrote. "They keep me sane because I know I'm not the only crazy one out there, and they are always there when it really counts. I love you all! most the time!"
Friends left a stream of messages on his Myspace page, sending condolences and saying their farewells to the soldier.
"I miss you a lot already man...R.I.P." one posting said. Another friend wrote simply, "Bye Gary, love you."
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(big thanks to timroff for the beautiful logo)
About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT)
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind.; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, TrueBlueMajority, JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma, Ministry of Truth, and CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but, we believe, an important service to those Americans who have died, and to our community’s respect for and remembrance of them.
If you are interested in volunteering for the series please contact me, a girl in MI, at a_girl_in_mi_101 AT yahoo DOT com
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. We treat these diaries as a place to remember and reflect. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.