zDom
Senior Master
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2006
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We buried Camden yesterday.
It was a cold, grey day.
1st Lt. Amos Camden Riley Bock was the son of my managing editor. By all appearances, she is taking his death with much more strength and dignity than I believe I would be able to muster.
Lt. Bock, 24, was from New Madrid, Missouri, a small town of approximately 3,000 people located about 30 minutes south of Sikeston, where I live and work. He is the third casualty from the Misssouri Bootheel.
It was a cold, grey day, yet over 1,000 residents of New Madrid lined the streets from the funeral home to the cemetery, American flags in hand. Young and old. Men and women. Schoolchildren and veterans.
Lt. Bock was among five soldiers reported killed in action from gunfire or roadside bombs on Sunday Oct. 23. A graduate of West Point and a member of the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, he was an Army Ranger and the leader of his Bradley platoon. He was on patrol in Baghdad when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb.
His obituary, in part reads:
"At West Point he was a member of the schools Skeet and Trap Team and the Knights of Columbus and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation. He completed Airborne Assault training in 2003 and in 2005 completed his Ranger training. Currently he was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky., and was a 1st lieutenant. In November 2005, his unit was deployed to Baghdad, where, as a field artillery officer and platoon leader, he was assigned to patrol and combat security operations in the southern part of the city."
In my head, I think we are doing a good thing for the people of Iraq. In my head, I realize to pull out now would place many innocent Iraqi civilians in danger of losing their lives. In my head, the number of U.S. casualties seems low when comparing the number to those lost in Vietnam, in Korea, in the World Wars fought by our fathers, our grandfathers, our great-grandfathers.
But in my heart I feel the Iraqis did not deserve Camden. I didn't know him, really. He was my the son of my boss. I only saw him once or twice in the eight years I've been working here at the newspaper.
I don't think I could bury one of my three sons with a brave face as my boss did. She bore it with grace and dignity. Tears well up in my eyes when I even ponder the possibility of one of my children dying before I do.
In my head, I support our military presence in Iraq. I know Camden did. But in my heart, I wonder: why Camden? Why this bright, upstanding, brave young man? Why did he have to give HIS life for a country that hates us? That doesn't appreciate what we are doing for them?
As of Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006, at least 2,817 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 2,259 died as a result of hostile action, according to the militarys numbers.
This number seems low to my mind when I read it, comparing it to those who died in previous wars.
But when I saw all those people lined up for several miles, bundled against the cold, it seemed like one too many, to my heart.
We buried another American hero yesterday.
I just wish the people of Iraq knew how much this war is costing us, appreciated the sacrifices we have made.
I just wish they would convince me they are worthy of 1st Lt. Amos Camden Riley Bock.
It was a cold, grey day.
1st Lt. Amos Camden Riley Bock was the son of my managing editor. By all appearances, she is taking his death with much more strength and dignity than I believe I would be able to muster.
Lt. Bock, 24, was from New Madrid, Missouri, a small town of approximately 3,000 people located about 30 minutes south of Sikeston, where I live and work. He is the third casualty from the Misssouri Bootheel.
It was a cold, grey day, yet over 1,000 residents of New Madrid lined the streets from the funeral home to the cemetery, American flags in hand. Young and old. Men and women. Schoolchildren and veterans.
Lt. Bock was among five soldiers reported killed in action from gunfire or roadside bombs on Sunday Oct. 23. A graduate of West Point and a member of the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, he was an Army Ranger and the leader of his Bradley platoon. He was on patrol in Baghdad when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb.
His obituary, in part reads:
"At West Point he was a member of the schools Skeet and Trap Team and the Knights of Columbus and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation. He completed Airborne Assault training in 2003 and in 2005 completed his Ranger training. Currently he was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky., and was a 1st lieutenant. In November 2005, his unit was deployed to Baghdad, where, as a field artillery officer and platoon leader, he was assigned to patrol and combat security operations in the southern part of the city."
In my head, I think we are doing a good thing for the people of Iraq. In my head, I realize to pull out now would place many innocent Iraqi civilians in danger of losing their lives. In my head, the number of U.S. casualties seems low when comparing the number to those lost in Vietnam, in Korea, in the World Wars fought by our fathers, our grandfathers, our great-grandfathers.
But in my heart I feel the Iraqis did not deserve Camden. I didn't know him, really. He was my the son of my boss. I only saw him once or twice in the eight years I've been working here at the newspaper.
I don't think I could bury one of my three sons with a brave face as my boss did. She bore it with grace and dignity. Tears well up in my eyes when I even ponder the possibility of one of my children dying before I do.
In my head, I support our military presence in Iraq. I know Camden did. But in my heart, I wonder: why Camden? Why this bright, upstanding, brave young man? Why did he have to give HIS life for a country that hates us? That doesn't appreciate what we are doing for them?
As of Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006, at least 2,817 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 2,259 died as a result of hostile action, according to the militarys numbers.
This number seems low to my mind when I read it, comparing it to those who died in previous wars.
But when I saw all those people lined up for several miles, bundled against the cold, it seemed like one too many, to my heart.
We buried another American hero yesterday.
I just wish the people of Iraq knew how much this war is costing us, appreciated the sacrifices we have made.
I just wish they would convince me they are worthy of 1st Lt. Amos Camden Riley Bock.
