GI SPECIAL 5E12:
[Thanks to Dennis Serdel, Veterans For Peace, who sent this in.]
“He Didn’t Understand Exactly Why They Were Over There”
“Nobody Explained It To Them”
Area Soldier Dies From Enemy Fire In Iraq
“I think the Army is good, it’s definitely made them men,” Lonna Bevel said. “Of course I’ll probably be at the White House steps, Pentagon, whatever to keep these two from going to Iraq, because I don’t think I can support that anymore.”
04/24/2007 Shanna Sissom, City Editor; Midland Reporter-Telegram
ANDREWS -- A U.S. Army soldier and Andrews native was killed by enemy fire in Iraq over the weekend, his family confirmed Monday.
Cpl. Ray Bevel, 22, was killed Saturday in Baghdad by an improvised explosive device while on unmotorized patrol, his father Jerry Bevel said. The soldier’s wife, Brooke of Odessa and his parents were notified by the military Saturday night, the family said.
“It’s such an unreal, unexpected, terrible experience that it takes time to sink in,” Jerry Bevel told the Reporter-Telegram. “It is by far the worst experience a father, or a mother or a wife, could go through.”
Ray Bevel’s stepmother Lonna said the family has been relying on their faith since receiving the tragic news.
“I am so very, very proud of him, words cannot describe how proud I am of him,” she said. “Our faith got us through him going to Iraq and it’ll get us through his dying. I just know it will.”
Ray Bevel, a 2003 Andrews High School graduate, was promoted from the rank of private first class to corporal posthumously and had planned a career in the Army, his family said.
“Up until he joined the Army, he really didn’t have any ambitions and that’s the great thing the Army did, it gave him ambitions and he felt like he was accomplishing something, and he had great pride,” Jerry Bevel explained.
“I believe in freedom ... I believe in this great country and great democracy, so when the commander-in-chief says we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it and support his decision, right or wrong,” Jerry Bevel said. “That’s the principles our country was built by and that’s what my son died for.”
Jerry Bevel said he and his son had discussed the dangers in Iraq.
“Sure we talked about what could happen,” Jerry Bevel recalled. “He’d call after going through an experience that shook him up and we’d just tell him, ‘Ray, God will get you through this’ and I kept telling him to stay focused.” Despite his grief, the father said he believes God has a reason for his son’s untimely death.
“What irritates me and his biggest frustration and theirs is they’re just not allowed to fight, because they cannot return fire unless they can positively ID who shot and so at nighttime they can’t fire,” Jerry Bevel explained. “That’s a fact and one I don’t like; basically what they do is they walk around and hope they don’t get killed, and unfortunately for us, it happened to him.”
Lonna Bevel recalled their last conversation with Ray, in which they discussed what he called “ghost-fighting.”
“His last comment when he called on Thursday was he felt like they were at war with ghosts because apparently they hide and you never know when something’s going to happen,” she said.
“He didn’t understand exactly why they were over there and nobody explained it to them why we were over there.”
Ray Bevel’s two brothers also are serving in the Army, his stepmother said.
“I think the Army is good, it’s definitely made them men,” Lonna Bevel said. “Of course I’ll probably be at the White House steps, Pentagon, whatever to keep these two from going to Iraq, because I don’t think I can support that anymore.”
Ray Bevel brings the area death toll to eight. They include Pfc. Clayton Henson of Midland, Army Spec. Robert Arsiaga of Greenwood, Army. Spec. Brian Baker of Midland, Lance Cpl. Chad Bales of Coahoma, Marine Cpl. Daniel Amaya of Odessa, Army Spec. Damian Garza of Odessa and Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal of Pecos.
IRAQ WAR REPORTS
Occupation Attacks Car Bomb Factories:
Resistance Counterattacks Take Out Two More Baghdad Bridges;
“They Have Actually Pushed Back,” U.S. Spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver Said
5.11.07 Associated Press
Twin car bombers struck police checkpoints at bridges in Baghdad on Friday just hours after a series of U.S. raids on car bomb networks around the capital killed four suspected insurgents.
“They have actually pushed back,” U.S. spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said, referring to the insurgents. “We’ve been saying this all along, the enemy is determined.”
The car bombers struck about 6 p.m. The driver of a sedan waiting in a line of cars at a police checkpoint near the old Diyala Bridge blew up his vehicle, partially collapsing the span, police said.
About two minutes later the driver of a large fuel truck barreled toward a second checkpoint at the nearby new Diyala Bridge and set off his explosives, police said. The bridge was also damaged, and firefighters struggled to extinguish burning police and civilian cars that had been driving across during the attack.
The blasts sent smoke billowing over the Shiite Zafaraniyah area of southeastern Baghdad.
“Suddenly I heard a big explosion, and a huge fire rose from the checkpoint,” said Abdullah Khalaf, who was selling sheep by the side of the road when the fuel truck raced past. He ran with his son to the checkpoint and saw the truck and three cars on fire, he said.
“I saw one wounded woman asking for help while she was trapped inside a damaged car and three wounded policemen on the ground,” he said. “There were pools of blood and pieces of flesh.”
The bombings at the bridges, which cross the Diyala River, a Tigris tributary, killed 11 police officers, and wounded 26 police.
Texas Soldier Killed In Balad
Pfc. Larry L. Guyton, 22, of Brenham, Texas, died from injuries suffered on May 4, 2007 when a road side bomb detonated near his vehicle in Balad, Iraq. Guyton died on May 5. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team at Fort Hood, Texas. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, Fort Hood)
Texas Soldier Killed In Baqubah
Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, of San Antonio, died May 6, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an explosive detonated near their vehicle. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. (AP Photo/Fort Lewis Public Affairs)
Texas Marine Killed In Anbar
U.S. Marine Master Sgt. Kenneth N. Mack, of Fort Worth, Texas, was killed in Al Anbar province, Iraq, May 5, 2007. Mack was assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II MEF, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (AP Photo/Mack Family)
New Mexico Sgt. Killed In Baqubah
Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, 28, of Sandia Park, N.M. was killed May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq, by a road side bomb. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. (AP Photo/Fort Lewis Public Affairs)
Utah Soldier Killed In Baqubah
Cpl. Michael A. Pursel, 19, of Clinton, Utah, was killed May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq, by a road side bomb. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. (AP Photo/Fort Lewis Public Affairs)
Georgia Sgt. Killed In Baqubah
U.S. Army Sgt. Jason Harkins, from Clarksville, Ga., was killed in an explosion, May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq when an explosive detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. (AP Photo/Courtesy U.S. Army)
Nebraska Soldier Killed In Baqubah
Cp. Matthew L. Alexander, 21, of Gretna, Neb., was killed May 6, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq by a road side bomb. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, fort Lewis, Wash. (AP Photo/Fort Lewis Public Affairs)
SSgt. Killed In Baqubah
Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, 23, was killed May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq, by a road side bomb. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. (AP Photo/Fort Lewis Public Affairs)
Kentucky SSgt. Killed In Baghdad
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Hamlin, 24, of London, Ky. died May 4, 2007, in Baghdad after a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle. (AP Photo/United States Army)
U.S. Soldier Killed In Diyala, 9 Wounded
05/11/07 Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
A Multinational Division-North Soldier died as a result of injuries sustained from an explosion while conducting combat operations in Diyala province. 9 other Soldiers were also wounded in the incident. 2 Soldiers were later returned to duty
Marine Killed In Anbar
5/10/2007 HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND Casualty Reports 07-01-03C
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - A Marine assigned to Multi National Force-West was killed May 9, while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province.
U.S. Soldier Killed In Diwaniyah
5/10/2007 HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND Casualty Reports 07-01-03C
BAGHDAD – An MNC-I Soldier was severely wounded by small arms fire at approximately 5 p.m. Thursday in Diwaniyah. The Soldier was evacuated for treatment at the Coalition hospital in Baghdad but later died of his wounds.
U.S. Soldier Killed in South Baghdad
5/10/2007 HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND Casualty Reports 07-01-03C
BAGHDAD – While conducting combat security operations in a southern section of the capital, a Multi-National Division – Baghdad patrol was attacked with small arms fire, killing one Soldier May 10.
Shiocton GI Called Unselfish, Noble
Pfc. Nicholas E. Riehl: AP Photo/U.S. Army via The Post-Crescent
May 1, 2007 Associated Press
A high school coach described the 21-year-old soldier from Shiocton, Wis., who was killed in Iraq on Friday as an unselfish person who was good at everything he tried.
“I’m not surprised he went to serve his country. It doesn’t surprise me he would do something so noble,” said Chad Schmidt, who coached Nicholas E. Riehl in basketball and golf at Shiocton High School.
The Army private first class died in Fallujah from wounds sustained when a roadside bomb detonated near his unit during a combat patrol, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
The coach said he got to know Riehl when he took a basketball camp in seventh grade. He later coached him for three years in basketball and two years in golf.
“He was very talented at everything,” Schmidt said. “Besides sports, he was good at music and art, and a high performer in math. Whatever he wanted to do, he would do well.”
Riehl was named co-most valuable player of the Shiocton basketball team that won the Central Wisconsin Conference his senior season, even though he averaged only nine points per game.
“He was a leader,” Schmidt said. “He did whatever it took to win. He didn’t make mistakes.”
Riehl played also football at Shiocton High and was particularly fond of playing guitar with some of his friends, Principal Kelly Zeinert said.
He joined the Army in November 2005, arrived at Fort Stewart, Ga., in April 2006 and was deployed to Iraq in January, serving as a cavalry scout, said Kevin Larson, a civilian spokesman at the fort.
Riehl was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Stewart, Ga.
“He’s going to be missed,” Schmidt said. “Big time.”
‘A Hero To All Of Us’:
Friends, Family Remember Marine’s Generosity And Spirit
May 02, 2007 By ANDREW LIGHTMAN and VICKI-ANN DOWNING, The Patriot Ledger/The Enterprise
Daniel Allan Callahan was born April 10 and named after two servicemen killed while serving with his father in Iraq.
Daniel is for Marine Sgt. Daniel Tsue, 27, of Honolulu. Tsue was killed in November, 2005, when a bomb blew up under his vehicle.
Allan is for Navy Petty Officer Allan Cundanga Espiritu, 28, of Oakland, Calif., who died in the same blast in Ar Ramadi, a provincial capital west of Baghdad.
Daniel Allan Callahan, 22 days old, carries the name of a third U.S. serviceman killed in Iraq: his father.
Sgt. William J. Callahan, 28, was killed in a combat engagement Friday in the Al Anbar province.
His wife, Amy Callahan of Easton, said her husband loved his Marine comrades ‘‘like brothers.’’
‘‘Bill loved his job,’’ Callahan said in an e-mail. ‘‘He did what he did to keep as many troops as safe as possible.
‘‘He always put those he loved before himself and was the most unselfish person you could ever have met.
‘‘I was the luckiest girl in the world because I was married to him,’’ she said. ‘‘We had something that a lot of people never get to experience. He is and will always be the love of my life.’’
William Callahan, who grew up in Rockland and Hanson, returned to Iraq earlier this year for his second tour of duty.
His job was to dispose of bombs and other explosives. He was good at it.
On Nov. 1, 2005, Callahan disposed of one bomb in Ar Ramadi when a second one detonated directly beneath his team’s vehicle, killing Tsue and Espiritu and seriously wounding the team leader.
Knocked down by the blast, Callahan regained his bearings, put out the flames that engulfed the team leader and helped evacuate the wounded.
To complete his mission he returned to the blast site more than 200 meters away while taking on enemy fire.
In recognition of his actions, the Marine Corps Engineer Association named Callahan its explosive ordnance technician of the year for 2006. The group cited his ‘‘courage in the face of enemy fire,’’ ‘‘willingness to risk his own safety for that of others’’ and ‘‘uncommon resolve to persevere in the face of grave danger.’’
The Callahans were introduced by mutual friends in 1998. They were married in Norwell on Jan. 25, 2003.
They lived at Camp Lejeune, N.C., until he shipped out for Iraq. Amy Callahan returned to her mother’s home in Easton.