Paul Rieckoff has a blog up over at HuffPo about the two soldiers who wrote the NYT Op Ed that were killed yesterday in Iraq. He requests keeping these fine men in our memories by making a donation to Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. If you are able to, please consider making a donation:
Two Soldiers Who Wrote NYT Op-Ed Die in Iraq
Posted September 12, 2007 | 01:59 PM (EST)
-snip
Today, it was announced that two of those soldiers have died in a vehicle accident in Baghdad.I was gutted when I heard the news this morning. Like so many other Iraq veterans, I read the paper every day and go directly to names of the dead -- fearfully looking for names I know. Our staff reviews and posts the names of those killed in action every day on the "Honor the Fallen" section of IAVA's homepage, and not one of them is easy. But this news was especially tough for me to swallow. I really looked forward to one day meeting these brave, articulate and thoughtful soldier-statesmen -- or seeing them run for office.
Please keep these soldiers and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Like every troop that dies in Iraq, these men are more than just numbers. They each have a name, a story and a family that must be remembered. Amidst all the politics and partisanship that dominate our televisions and radios, we must always keep in mind that there are real people behind the policy.
Sgt. Omar Mora, 28, of Texas City, TX, the son of Olga and Robert Capetillo, and the sister of Erica Capetillo, was on his second tour of duty and had just become a U.S. citizen. He is survived by a wife and 5-year-old daughter.
Staff Sgt. Yance T. Gray, 26, of Ismay, MT, the son of Richard and Karen Gray, leaves behind a wife and baby daughter.
Please consider making a donation in their memory to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. As soldiers and as citizens, these young men are heroes. Their devotion to our country is an inspiration, and their deaths represent an unspeakable loss.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-rieckhoff/two-soldiers-who-wrote-ny_b_64130.htmlMay they rest in peace.