Sad day in Louisiana
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Sad day in Louisiana
This is the most we, as a state, have lost in one day since Korea.
wwltv.com
Bodies of six Louisiana soldiers arrive home
02:29 PM CST on Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Doug Simpson / Associated Press
BELLE CHASSE -- Amid silence except for the sobbing of family members and commands to military pallbearers, the bodies of six Louisiana soldiers killed in a bomb blast in Iraq were returned to the state Wednesday.
One by one, the six flag-draped caskets were removed from an Air Force cargo plane and loaded into separate hearses as family members watched from a nearby hangar at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base near New Orleans.
The six were killed January 6 in the first of two deadly bombings that took the lives of eight members of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard. In both attacks, bombs blew up heavily armored vehicles.
There were no speeches.
"They trained together, they fought together, they went to war together, they died together. The families wanted them to come home together," Hunt Downer, assistant adjutant general in the National Guard, told reporters before the plane arrived.
The six who returned were Sgt. Bradley Bergeron, 25, Staff Sgt. Christopher Babin, 27, and Sgt. Armand Frickey, 21, all of Houma; and Sgt. Warren Murphy, 29, of Marrero, Sgt. Huey Fassbender III, 24, of LaPlace and Sgt. 1st Class Kurt Comeaux, 34, of Raceland.
All but Comeaux received posthumous promotions.
A soldier from New York also was killed in the blast, which military authorities said was probably set off by insurgents using a remote electronic detonator. Brig. Gen. John Basilica, commander of the 256th Brigade, has said the soldiers were on a mission to suppress the insurgents' ability to launch rocket and mortar attacks.
Four days after the six were killed, two other Louisiana guardsmen died in a similar attack. They were Sgt. Robert Sweeney III of Pineville and Staff Sgt. Bill Manuel of Kinder. Their bodies have not yet been returned.
Full media coverage was allowed at the Wednesday arrival, including photographers and television news crews -- an exception to a Pentagon edict generally banning media coverage of America's war dead as their remains arrive. The Pentagon has cited privacy concerns, but critics have accused the government of censoring war coverage.
The National Guard said Wednesday's coverage was authorized by the families of the six soldiers.
"The families have a lot of grieving to do and we grieve with them," Gov. Kathleen Blanco told reporters after attending the ceremony. "We appreciate them, we love them and we remember them in our prayers."
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
wwltv.com
Bodies of six Louisiana soldiers arrive home
02:29 PM CST on Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Doug Simpson / Associated Press
BELLE CHASSE -- Amid silence except for the sobbing of family members and commands to military pallbearers, the bodies of six Louisiana soldiers killed in a bomb blast in Iraq were returned to the state Wednesday.
One by one, the six flag-draped caskets were removed from an Air Force cargo plane and loaded into separate hearses as family members watched from a nearby hangar at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base near New Orleans.
The six were killed January 6 in the first of two deadly bombings that took the lives of eight members of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard. In both attacks, bombs blew up heavily armored vehicles.
There were no speeches.
"They trained together, they fought together, they went to war together, they died together. The families wanted them to come home together," Hunt Downer, assistant adjutant general in the National Guard, told reporters before the plane arrived.
The six who returned were Sgt. Bradley Bergeron, 25, Staff Sgt. Christopher Babin, 27, and Sgt. Armand Frickey, 21, all of Houma; and Sgt. Warren Murphy, 29, of Marrero, Sgt. Huey Fassbender III, 24, of LaPlace and Sgt. 1st Class Kurt Comeaux, 34, of Raceland.
All but Comeaux received posthumous promotions.
A soldier from New York also was killed in the blast, which military authorities said was probably set off by insurgents using a remote electronic detonator. Brig. Gen. John Basilica, commander of the 256th Brigade, has said the soldiers were on a mission to suppress the insurgents' ability to launch rocket and mortar attacks.
Four days after the six were killed, two other Louisiana guardsmen died in a similar attack. They were Sgt. Robert Sweeney III of Pineville and Staff Sgt. Bill Manuel of Kinder. Their bodies have not yet been returned.
Full media coverage was allowed at the Wednesday arrival, including photographers and television news crews -- an exception to a Pentagon edict generally banning media coverage of America's war dead as their remains arrive. The Pentagon has cited privacy concerns, but critics have accused the government of censoring war coverage.
The National Guard said Wednesday's coverage was authorized by the families of the six soldiers.
"The families have a lot of grieving to do and we grieve with them," Gov. Kathleen Blanco told reporters after attending the ceremony. "We appreciate them, we love them and we remember them in our prayers."
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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This breaks my heart as well. This could well have been my niece's ex-husband. He served in Iraq for 14 long, very trying months. I will keep their families in my prayers. Locally, people are still holding monthly vigils for captured, feared dead, Keith Matt Maupin. His family continues to believe he will come home someday, alive.
I wish we could bring them all home - safe and alive.
Mary
I wish we could bring them all home - safe and alive.
Mary
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Miss Mary wrote:This breaks my heart as well. This could well have been my niece's ex-husband. He served in Iraq for 14 long, very trying months. I will keep their families in my prayers. Locally, people are still holding monthly vigils for captured, feared dead, Keith Matt Maupin. His family continues to believe he will come home someday, alive.
I wish we could bring them all home - safe and alive.
Mary
He's been missing for a LONG time. I had forgotten about him. He went missing around the time that contractor from Mississippi(Thomas Hamill) was captured(he eventually escaped).
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- southerngale
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Brent wrote:Miss Mary wrote:This breaks my heart as well. This could well have been my niece's ex-husband. He served in Iraq for 14 long, very trying months. I will keep their families in my prayers. Locally, people are still holding monthly vigils for captured, feared dead, Keith Matt Maupin. His family continues to believe he will come home someday, alive.
I wish we could bring them all home - safe and alive.
Mary
He's been missing for a LONG time. I had forgotten about him. He went missing around the time that contractor from Mississippi(Thomas Hamill) was captured(he eventually escaped).
It's been over 9 montsh now Brent. The town (Batavia, OH) he grew up in is east of Cincinnati, in the next county over. The Cincinnati area has rallied around this family for vigils, prayer services, but nothing compared to how Batavia has consistently supported his family. There are yellow ribbons all over Clermont County/Batavia as you drive thru. Many ribbons on cars also. At his former HS alone, there are posters, ribbons, signs saying we love you Matt (he goes by his middle name). There recently was another vigil held and an article in the paper. I'll try to find it.
Here's an entire archived section on Matt. The recent vigil/article held at the Peace Bell in Newport, KY is probably listed among the numerous links via this section.
http://www.wcpo.com/specials/2004/maupin/
Mary
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- GulfBreezer
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What is so confusing about Matt Maupin is you have conflicting news reports. In my community, yellow ribbons and his picture are posted everywhere - where he grew up, at his former HS as I posted, on cash registers at many establishments. Each time I pay for gas, there's his picture at our local BP or Shell.
I came home a week ago, mentioning his name. Jim said a few weeks ago, it was announced he is declared dead now. I hadn't heard that! The Army officially said they think the fuzzy beheading video is Matt (it was first thought to be him, but now they say it's him for certain?). But I can't find any articles or links to support this statement. Jim can't remember where he heard it either or read it.
So it is confusing. I will pick up the People magazine.
All I know is if his family hasn't lost hope, then how can the rest of us? If they believe he's going to come home alive, then we must believe that too.
Mary
I came home a week ago, mentioning his name. Jim said a few weeks ago, it was announced he is declared dead now. I hadn't heard that! The Army officially said they think the fuzzy beheading video is Matt (it was first thought to be him, but now they say it's him for certain?). But I can't find any articles or links to support this statement. Jim can't remember where he heard it either or read it.
So it is confusing. I will pick up the People magazine.
All I know is if his family hasn't lost hope, then how can the rest of us? If they believe he's going to come home alive, then we must believe that too.
Mary
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sunny wrote:I will also pick up a copy of People. Oh man, if they did that to him...
On the archived Matt Maupin site I gave a link for, are over 1600 posted messages for his family to read. A recent one mentions his 'murder' so there's a man that heard this report too. Lindaloo keeps up with news like this. Perhaps she can find a link to confirm or deny the Gov./Army thinks that video is Matt now.
Mary
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