Unlike Vietnam, many of our GIs are already in their third or fourth combat tours in Iraq. Bush said yesterday that the war will go on while he is President. How many combat tours will our GIs have to endure between now and January 20, 2009?
Here is a local story about one such GI, killed on his second combat tour, a hero by any standard!:
March 22, 2006
ANTOINE J. McKINZIE - 1981-2006
Pike graduate is killed while on patrol in Iraq
Family and friends remember soldier for his hearty laugh, pride in serving country
By Robert King
When Army Spc. Antoine J. McKinzie called home from Iraq last week, he mentioned to his stepfather how glad he was that his unit had received a new armored Humvee.
But while patrolling the streets of Baghdad on Tuesday, McKinzie was manning the machine gunner's position on the Humvee's roof -- unprotected by the vehicle's armor.
When the unit came under attack, McKinzie, a 2000 graduate of Pike High School, was fatally shot. He is the fifth soldier or Marine from Marion County to be killed in Iraq.
McKinzie, 25, was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. He had come home to his family in Pike Township at Christmas for a three-week stay. He spoke to his stepfather, Dwight Adams, on the phone a week ago today.
"He was doing great. He had just gotten a big care package from us," Adams said. "He was a big New England Patriots fan, and he had gotten a Patriots hat, a Sports Illustrated, some food he liked and some pictures of the family."
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060322/NEWS01/603220442Pike High School graduate killed in Iraq
His family described Antoine as warm hearted and determined.
His family vowed to keep the Christmas tree up until his return.
Lynsay Clutter/Eyewitness NewsIndianapolis, March 21 - The last time Specialist Antoine McKinzie came home was for Christmas. Stepdad Dwight Adams recalls.
"I told him: already, he had achieved more in 23 years than I had in my life."
As he headed back for his second tour of duty, his family vowed to keep the tree up until he returned. They spoke with him by phone just last week
Now he is returning as a fallen hero. Tuesday afternoon, his stepfather got the knock on the door.
"'The secretary of the Army regrets to inform you,' and then I knew. I walked over to my son and put my arm around him."
http://wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=4665110We bicker a lot among ourselves in DU, but no one would disagree that this war of choice that Bush wanted is a great personal tragedy to families in Iraq, US, UK, Italy, etc.