huge sacrifice

[RICHARD]

‘HE JOINED ... TO PAY BACK A LITTLE’
One of the first two U.S. casualties in Iraq included Jose Gutierrez, an immigrant from Guatemala who lived in California. The 22-year-old Marine lance corporal was killed in ground combat on Friday.
An orphan who grew up on the streets while Guatemala was enmeshed in civil war, he found a new family when at age 14 he traveled to the United States by train, foot and bus. He enlisted partly to thank the United States for his new life, said his foster brother, Max Mosquera.
“He joined the Marines to pay back a little of what he’d gotten from the U.S.,” Mosquera said. “For him it was a question of honor.”


THIS STORY was reported in the local papers.
Gutierrez had traveled close to 1,400 miles to come to the US.
he was a few days short of making his one year anniversary in the marines. One story, from a neighbor, was that Gutierrez observed her doing yard work. He asked her if he could lend a hand and spent the next 6 hours working on the yard for her.

another quote from a local paper was about his service to his adopted country, paraphrased here, 'he joined the marines to give back to the country that have given him so much, when he came here with so little'.

he left the country of his birth during time of war to serve his new country in a time of war.

i think back to being 14 and it makes me ashamed and sad for growing up so spoiled.

god bless him.

[Pam]

Richard isn't that the truth. I think most of us who call ourselves Americans must also admit we are probably spoiled as well. Life has been good and it is because of the huge sacrifices of those who have gone before that we can say that.

I received the following e-mail this morning. It lists our POWs and suggests that one special POW be remembered in our prayers each day. It sort of takes me back to the Viet Nam days when we wore our POW bracelets and focused our prayers on that special person whose bracelet we wore, while still praying for all those in harm's way in a more general way.

Please pray for the following POW's currently being held in Iraq.

Chief Warrant Officer 2, David S. Williams, 30, of Orlando, FL;
Chief Warrant Officer 2, Ronald D. Young, Jr., 26, of Lithia Spring, GA
Army Spc. Joseph Hudson, 23, of Alamogordo, N.M.;
Army Pfc. Patrick Miller, 23, of Park City, Kan.;
Army Spc. Shoshana Johnson, 30, of Fort Bliss, Texas;
Edgar Hernandez, 21, supply truck driver, of Mission, Texas, rank unknown;
Army Sgt. James Riley, 31, of Pennsauken, N.J.

We need prayer to support and lift up our troops. Pray for our leaders as
well as our soldiers. Pray for peace.

Print out a copy of this list ? or choose one or two names and place them
with a Post-It note somewhere you will see it and pray for them throughout
your day.

Please feel free to add names to this list and pass it on?.

God Bless America!

[mugsy]

Thank you both for bringing this war home. It's amazing how much more some immigrants give to this country. It sure hits home how spoiled I am. Pam, I will keep these men in my prayers.

[Soledad]

Wow. He sounds A LOT like my uncle. Poor guy.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Prayers are being sent to all the men and women who are being held captive and also to all the men who have died in action, U.S. and British. We are fortunate to have wonderful friends like the British.
Jackie, Perry and Miss Daisy

[Chinadoll]

*tears*
Prayers for those men and their families. May God be with them.

[Dakota's Mommy]

*tears*

I know what you mean! I feel the same way.

Thanks for all the support and asking others to pray and think of us military families, especially the ones who have been become POW's or have died for this. It means so much to the troops and their families, trust me, I know and I see it every day with others as well as myself.

And yes, I do feel awfully spoiled thinking of how people live in other countries such as Iraq where they aren't free! It's so weird to me to think that somebody over there doesn't live like me. I guess maybe to some of them, the thought of freedom scares them, but to me, it's weird to think that they can't live like that because of the way their country has been. So foreign to some of us, huh!

[RICHARD]

FROM THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS.

Ventura mom mourns death of Marine son


By Grace Lee
Staff Writer

VENTURA -- The flame from a single white candle cast shadows Tuesday on pictures of Marine Sgt. Michael Bitz and the twin babies he never knew as his mother learned details of his battlefield death in the Iraqi desert.

"I see," Donna Bellman said into the receiver as she was being told about the final moments in the life of her son, killed by Iraqi soldiers Sunday in an ambush near An Nasiriyah.

"I had a feeling that's when he was killed ... I knew he was killed there."

Bellman's voice broke as the emotions welled up while listening to a friend relay information from a television report.

Bitz, a Hueneme High School graduate and father of four, including a twin boy and girl born a month ago, was among nine Marines killed in the ambush. The 31-year-old sergeant had been assigned to the 2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion in the 2nd Marine Division. Also killed was Marine Cpl. Jorge A. Gonzalez, 20, of Los Angeles.

-----------------------------------------

Bitz never got to see his twins, he was shipped out before they were born.

i hope the protesters think about him when they go home to see their families, altho i kinda doubt it....they are too busy using their
freedom of speech, a freedom insured by people like Bitz.

god bless him

[Dakota's Mommy]

Thank you for sharing Richard! That's so sad! But you're right, those protesters don't think about things like that!

[sammi]

-----------------------------------------Quote: Richard
Bitz never got to see his twins, he was shipped out before they were born.

i hope the protesters think about him when they go home to see their families, altho i kinda doubt it....they are too busy using their
freedom of speech, a freedom insured by people like Bitz.
god bless him


So sad. Well said Richard

[Soledad]

Um...most protesters are extremely concerned about the lives of our soldiers and the Iraqis. Let's not make assumptions about people we don't knowl.

[RICHARD]

here in so cal a woman set up an red white and blue awning in her front yard so people could stop by and sign a book for the soldiers and pick up red, white and blue ribbons to wear (that she made by hand).

she told the reporter that it was neither a pro or antiwar statement-she was merely supporting the troops.

the reporter closed the piece by saying the neighbors 'were not talking to her because they thought her actions were pro war'.

nice to see the antiwar faction is so understanding and caring and willing to support the troops!!!

lol.

[Soledad]

I guess you're right, Richard. I guess the actions of a few people can be reflective of millions. You're so wise.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Soledad
I guess you're right, Richard. I guess the actions of a few people can be reflective of millions. You're so wise.

nope never claimed to be wise, but i find no solace or promise in tossing around the quotes of a war criminal and to properly acknowledge his military rank is downright puzzling!

[Soledad]

I guess I don't understand why someone would quote a pop star and think it was in anyway insightful or revealing.