And on and on it goes
Jan 10, 2008 by
libjpn
I had stopped reading the Remembering Andrew thread because it seemed to be nothing but people who had found Andy's last post and felt moved to express themselves, of which there is nothing wrong, but that 3rd or 4th hand mourning seems to me to be like white noise in the background. However, I woke up this morning, and looked down it and found this
comment that I put below the fold, not only for the regulars who might not have seen it, but with a few thoughts.
The comment begins
Posted by: Frank and Jane Buzzard, Bryan, Texas | I first note that I think there has been no mention of the fourth casualty. Perhaps he was with another unit. But, linking this to my previous post, I now find comment to be palpably different from the others. It is like you have an old photograph of someone you have a deep connection to but is now gone and you go to where it was taken and it looks as if everything is changed, but you realize that something is exactly the same as it is in the picture.
In September, the documentary filmmaker Errol Morris wrote about going to see where what has been acknowledged as one of the canonical early war photographs, and his posts about it came to mind when I read this comment, after the tears had passed. Anyway, it is something I note for the ObWi regulars who may have missed it.
Comments
Jan 10, 2008, 08:54:24 OCSteve wrote:
I understand what you’re saying about the 3rd or 4th hand mourning, but I’ve found it worthwhile to try to read every single comment. Every so often a relative or friend pops in. Andrew’s dad commented earlier yesterday thanking hilzoy again.
http://obsidianwings.blogs....
One of the last right now is from a friend of the Caseys.
Most of the strangers’ comments do blend together though as most people’s reaction seems to be nearly identical. I do hope to manage to read every single one though.
Of the fourth casualty, yeah I’m curious. He wouldn’t seem to be from Andrew’s unit.
Sounds like the memorial service is shaping up but there are still questions on the exact date/time.
I had to jump into the political thread today just as a distraction – to stop thinking about this for a while.
Jan 10, 2008, 14:02:33 Ugh wrote:
LJ - how would you translate Kabushiki Kaisha into English?
Jan 10, 2008, 14:29:01 libjpn wrote:
I'm not good at the technicalities of the terms, but something like a publicly traded corporation, I think. I don't know if a a company is incorporated, that means that its shares are publicly traded, but it is something to do with being able to buy and sell shares. I suppose because there are wrinkles in the law, it is translated as K.K. sometimes, though how that relates to Ltd, Inc. and all those others, I'm not really sure.
Jan 10, 2008, 14:35:48 Ugh wrote:
Thanks.
Jan 11, 2008, 09:19:33 libjpn wrote:
Thanks for giving me a poke to keep reading. There are a number of gems in the comments, and I found this one
http://obsidianwings.blogs....
astonishing because not only did Andrew talk to us after his death, he has been able to get people to talk back.
Jan 11, 2008, 09:33:56 hilzoy wrote:
It's worth going on reading, I think.
Meanwhile, the mail has become my enemy. Andy thought that there were certain appalling lacunae in my knowledge of movies, and while he held off trying to rectify them for a while, since I was making my way through B5 and he had no wish to interfere with that, I had recently finished B5, and also Band of Brothers, which he had sent me for Christmas.
Since he died, several DVDs have arrived, along with Jonah Goldberg's stupid book, which I ordered because he thought no liberal would actually read it, being content to assume that they knew its comments, and in a moment of madness, I said: well, <i>I</i> will. It came a couple of days ago.
Also, I am acquiring a new sympathy with all those people who want to direct press coverage about them. I haven't done that many interviews -- I sort of regret Fox, but I wasn't in any shape to do that at the time -- but the one thing I have said in every interview, since it's the one thing I want someone to print, is: It was an honor to be his friend. No one has.
But it was.
Jan 11, 2008, 21:35:59 marbel wrote:
Your friendship obviously ment a lot to him too. I'm sure he had a good time deciding which things to sent you and though receiving them hurts because it confronts you with the vacuum he left I hope it will also bring in mind the fun he must have had anticipating you seeing them. So in a way every package is proof that you gave him a specific amount of nice time, which is something to feel happy about.
The confrontations with how much you miss him must be hard though, and I greatly admire all you do in his name and for his legacy.
((((((((((((( Hilzoy ))))))))) [<- virtual hug]
Jan 11, 2008, 22:04:43 OCSteve wrote:
Hilzoy: I’ll just echo marbel. I thought your NPR interview was great BTW. It was great to actually hear your voice, although obviously I wish it were under different circumstances…
Jan 11, 2008, 22:22:28 OCSteve wrote:
BTW, somewhere in all those comments I saw a mention that Andrew’s field ceremony may have been recorded. If anyone ever gets wind of that being posted online please let me know.
It will be extremely difficult to watch, but something you’ll never forget. It’s a tradition developed over many years and many wars – a tribute to the fallen by their comrades in arms. The battlefield cross, etc. The roll call is where you lose it completely. After calling out the name of each soldier in the unit and getting a hearty “Here, First Sergeant!” – the First Sergeant then calls out the name of the fallen three times, waiting for a response after each. (Details vary from unit to unit.) It’s incredibly moving.
Jan 11, 2008, 22:22:41 libjpn wrote:
I hate to ask the about the mundane, but are you going to be ok with the bandwidth costs? You said how many people were visiting the site, so I'm just a bit worried.
Jan 11, 2008, 23:15:58 marbel wrote:
Oh, LJ smart thinking. I always forget because I never exceed with my little blog and little sites.
Do you pay everything for this blog too? I'd be happy to chip in (going Dutch so to speak ;) )
Jan 11, 2008, 23:46:57 Jesurgislac wrote:
Yeah, me too - I'd be happy to contribute for here and ObWing.
And so as not to distract from the Captain Casey fund, but also because I think this is an in-house issue, I'd like to make this regulars-only.
Jan 12, 2008, 01:27:59 OCSteve wrote:
Count me in.
Now that the service has been nailed down, I also want to do something in terms of having an arrangement delivered.
Jan 12, 2008, 02:04:01 libjpn wrote:
This site, it's no problem, and we are well within the traffic, so thanks for the offer, but we're fine.
Jan 12, 2008, 04:05:16 ActuallyJakeB wrote:
Likewise, I'd be happy to chip in if you're getting some bandwith penalties.
Jan 12, 2008, 04:32:59 hilzoy wrote:
I haven't heard anything about bandwidth penalties, but luckily,I think I can probably handle them more easily than I could handle trying to work out the details of how other people could chip in. But thanks a lot -- that, and the response of everyone, means a lot, and while I don't really want to speak for Andy, I think it would have meant a lot to him too.
Hugs back to everyone.
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Major Andrew Olmsted was killed in Iraq last week. He had written a piece for his blog to be posted if he died. it is a moving piece to his family and the nation he served and paid the ultimate sacrifice to. I read it and was moved to tears.
Now the very personal and overwhelmingly moving fact to me ...My son, Capt Aaron K. Buzzard, MD, US Army, treated Maj Olmsted, Capt. Thomas Casey and the other two wounded unit members. The ER team fought desperately to save them. Here is what Aaron wrote in his Iraq week 9 update about this very sad incident:
"One of the last traumas of the days was very tough. 4 Americans were shot by snipers on patrol. One was hit in the chin and the bullet passed right through his face and neck without hitting anything major. And if that is not unbelievable enough, one of the other soldiers was shot in the back of his neck (right-to-left). His wound also was just meat and the bullet did not hit any major structures. It was just mind blowing that both men will survive and do OK. Unfortunately the other 2 soldiers did not survive. One of them died in-flight from multiple gun shot wounds and the other soldier died in the ER from the same. We tried for a long time to get his vital signs back, but he was just too seriously injured. It was my first time to witness a combat related death in person. Once he was pronounced, the entire ER became incredibly quiet and the chaplain read a prayer and then performed his last rights. His body was then draped in an American flag and we all came to attention and saluted him as his body was rolled away.
Unfortunately, the soldier with the neck wound had to listen to our whole effort and the prayers that followed. He was very rave and just starred at the ceiling, but you could see how it affected him. Imagine what must have been going through his mind; he was just shot in combat and came as close as you can to being killed, he was in terrible pain and he had to listen to a member of his unit being read his last rights and being rolled away covered in a flag. When people talk of courage-I think of these soldiers who are on patrol and on the front lines here in Iraq, in past wars and of this young man. They all know what can happen to them yet they put on their armor, pick up their weapons and stare death in the face every day.
I also wonder if we would have the courage to do the same if we were placed in the same situation. I tell myself I would, but after seeing what can happen and the pain that it causes the families back home, I wonder if I really could. At least I have the luxury of being able to ponder the what-ifs in my relatively safe office yet most soldiers here do not and I ask you to remember that, I know that I will. The next time you see a soldier, please take a moment to say thank you and to acknowledge the sacrifice that these young men and women are making by knowingly and willingly placing themselves in harms way to try and make a difference here and in the world."
CPT Aaron K. Buzzard, M.D.
Flight Surgeon, US Army
Emergency Physician
Fort Hood, Texas
The two soldiers who died being treated by my son and the great ER team were Major Andy Olmsted and Capt Thomas Casey. Two other wounded soldiers in the same unit made it.
Please honor Andy and Thomas by reading what Andy had to say in case he died serving his country--the website above. Then pray for their families. Then be thankful we have such brave and committed Americans fighting for our freedom. Then never forget the sacrifice of every man and woman who has given their lives to protect our way of life against Islamic terrorists who declared this war on us--not vice versa. And finally remember and thank EVERY military member you see who has gone in harms for us.
God Bless them all....
Frank and Jane Buzzard