GI SPECIAL 5B1:
NO MORE: BRING THEM
ALL HOME NOW
US soldiers from the
5-20 Infantry
division carry a
comrade onto a
stretcher after he
was wounded in a
mortar blast on the
outskirts of
Baghdad. (AFP/David
Furst)
"His Mother Blamed
President Bush For
His Death"
"He Needs To Show Up
At Our Son’s Funeral
Service And Everyone
Else’s So He Would
Know How He Is
Hurting Families"
Pfc. Darrell Wayne
Shipp
01/26/2007 Jesse
Bogan, Rio Grande
Valley Bureau, San
Antonio Express-News
HARLINGEN – Army
Pfc. Darrell Wayne
Shipp, 25, had high
octane in his blood
and was the proud
parent of one baby –
his car.
He drag raced at the
San Antonio Speedway
and on public roads,
most recently in his
beloved 2000 black
Ford Mustang. He
rocked in a punk
band at Sam’s Burger
Joint and the White
Rabbit.
When heavy rain
turned the Iraqi
ground to mud, he
relished pounding
through the rough
terrain in a Bradley
Fighting Vehicle,
and when it was
broken down, a
Humvee. Shipp was in
a Humvee when a
roadside bomb ended
his exciting run on
life Wednesday in
Baghdad, casting a
pall of grief and
short bouts of anger
among friends and
relatives in San
Antonio and the Rio
Grande Valley.
His mother Regina,
who works at a
K-Mart, said from
the family’s home
here that she blamed
President Bush for
his death and "for
everybody that has
been killed."
"He needs to show up
at our son’s funeral
service and everyone
else’s so he would
know how he is
hurting families,"
continued his
father, Doyle, a
mechanic. Shipp was
their only son.
His experiences and
interests were on
display around their
home, including a
racing trophy and a
clock beside the
computer in the
living room that had
a little sign next
to it: "Iraq Time."
His parents
frequently
corresponded with
him by internet and
Webcam. "I was on
the computer every
night talking to
him. I’d be up until
four," said his
mother. "If he
wasn’t online, I’d
be waiting for him
to be online."
Shipp grew up in and
around the Alamo
City, attending
school in Marion and
at Roosevelt High
School before
finishing in
Harlingen in 2000.
After graduation he
moved back to San
Antonio, worked as a
used car salesman
and managed the meat
department at an
Albertson’s grocery
store.
Before he joined the
Army in 2005, he was
a waiter at an Olive
Garden restaurant
off U.S. 281.
"He thrived under
stress. He would
laugh at it and had
fun," said Jimmy
Smith, 24, one of
Shipp’s best friends
in San Antonio and
fellow band member
of the group
Celebrate Tuesday.
It’s unclear why he
signed up for the
military, but one of
his four sisters,
Donna Rosales, who
is in the Army
Reserve and may go
overseas soon, said
it changed him for
the better.
"I think it did him
some good," said
Rosales, 23. "He
grew up a lot,
thinking about his
life, thinking about
his future."
Apparently he had
plans to continue
racing. A high
performance clutch
arrived in the mail
earlier this week
that he had ordered
off the Internet
from Iraq and was
still sitting in a
box on the living
room floor of his
parents’ home.
Scheduled for leave
in a couple of
months, he wanted to
supercharge the
engine.
"He thought there
was nothing better
than scaring the
crap out of
someone," said
Smith, who trusted
Shipp as a driver
and described him as
"one in a million,
not because he was
my best friend, but
because he was."
The two used to race
the turnaround at
Loop 1604 and
Nacogdoches. Family
and friends said he
rarely lost, except
for one race with
the Harlingen police
shortly before he
deployed in October.
Smith, who was in
the car that night,
said a Trans Am
pulled up beside
them and the driver
wanted to run. They
screamed to a start
and then to a stop
repeatedly for about
eight traffic
lights.
"The brakes were
smoking, and the
clutch was smoking,
but we won," he
said. When a patrol
car emerged, "we
thought we got away
from them, but they
radioed to someone
else," Smith said.
Shipp spent the
night in jail.
Shortly after, on
his birthday, he was
hugging his family
goodbye as he left
for Iraq.
His father recalled
that moment Thursday
night, standing near
his kitchen counter
covered with
photographs and a
brief casualty
report that only
gave a few details
about the death.
"I just remember him
right here," he
said, reflecting on
that last hug, eyes
welling. "I didn’t
think he was ever
gonna turn loose. He
just kept hugging
and hugging and
crying, and then I
started to cry."
IRAQ WAR REPORTS
Two Soldiers And
Marine Killed In
Anbar
01/31/07 AP
Two soldiers and one
Marine assigned to
Multi-National Force
— West died Tuesday
of wounds sustained
due to enemy action
in Anbar, according
to a statement.
One Soldier Killed,
One Wounded In Salah
Ad Din Province
01/31/07 Multi
National Corps Iraq
Public Affairs
Office, Camp Victory
A Task Force
Lightning Soldier
was killed Wednesday
as a result of
injuries sustained
while conducting
combat operations in
Salah ad Din
Province. A second
Soldier was wounded.
Catalina High School
Alumnus Dies In
Iraq: Leaves Wife,
Daughter
Russell Borea
01.24.2007 By Carol
Ann Alaimo, Arizona
Daily Star
The Army took Sgt.
1st Class Russell
Borea away from
Tucson. Now he's
coming home to rest
after being killed
in action in Iraq.
Borea, a 1986
graduate of Catalina
High School, is the
city's latest war
casualty, felled
Friday in Mosul when
an improvised
explosive device
detonated during
combat operations.
He is the 24th
person with ties to
Southern Arizona to
be claimed by the
conflicts in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
Borea, 38, had been
in Iraq since
November with the
4th Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Cavalry
Division from Fort
Bliss, Texas, a
Defense Department
news release said.
His wife, Maria, and
10-year-old daughter
were staying in
Tucson with the
wife's family during
his deployment.
They got word of his
death Friday night
when two soldiers
from Fort Huachuca
knocked on the door
of Maria Borea's
parents' home.
Maria Borea, 37, is
a 1989 graduate of
Sahuaro High
School. At the
time, she went by
her middle and
maiden names and was
known as Nikki
Watts.
"We are getting
along as well as can
be expected," said
James Watts, the
fallen soldier's
father-in-law, in an
interview on
Tuesday. His
daughter declined to
be interviewed.
"We're a military
family, so we know
the necessity of the
job and what dangers
he was expected to
face," said Watts, a
retired soldier
himself.
Russell Borea was
born in Connecticut
to a family that
moved to Tucson when
he was young, Watts
said. His father is
deceased, and his
mother now lives in
Las Vegas, he said.
After high school,
Russell Borea spent
several years in
civilian jobs,
including a stint as
manager of a local
Shakey's Pizza
Parlor. He met his
future wife in
Tucson and joined
the Army shortly
before the couple
wed in 1995, Watts
said.
"He wanted to make
something of his
life," Watts said.
The couple's only
child, Marialena,
was born in Germany
while Russell Borea
was stationed there
in 1996. He also
had served in
Bosnia. This was
his first tour in
Iraq.
Russell and Maria
Borea had a home in
El Paso near Fort
Bliss. The Times
report quoted the
couple's Texas
neighbors saying
they appeared to be
a loving family.
Russell Borea
"seemed like a very
nice guy. He liked
being a father,"
said a neighbor
identified as Ken
Wade. "You could
tell he was a good
man by the way he
was with his
daughter."
Watts described his
son-in- law as "a
very soft-spoken,
gentle person. He
was a very calm man
and a very humble
individual."
Another NMI Soldier
Killed
February 01, 2007 By
Marconi Calindas,
Reporter, Saipan
Tribune
The ongoing war in
Iraq has claimed the
life of another CNMI
soldier.
Adam Quitugua, who
was supposed to
celebrate his 21st
birthday this March,
was reportedly
killed in action.
He was from Tanapag.
Military Veterans
Affairs director
Ruth Coleman
confirmed yesterday
that Quitugua was
killed in Iraq on
Jan. 29. She said
she learned about
the incident only
yesterday. She said
Quitugua is with the
U.S. Army, but she
does not know his
specific rank.
She said Adam's
remains would be
interred at the
newly completed NMI
Veterans Cemetery in
Marpi.
"I am proud that a
solider killed on
mission will have
his final resting
place in our new
cemetery," she said,
adding that she
would do her best to
help and provide the
victim's family the
best memorial
service that Adam
deserves. "We will
give him the full
military burial
service."
Adam's aunt, Bernie
Q. Saralu, could not
help but lament the
passing of her
nephew, whom she
said she treated as
one of her sons.
She said she took
care of Adam when
his mother moved to
Washington.
"He called me mama
as well," she said
in an interview with
Saipan Tribune
yesterday afternoon.
Saralu said his
nephew would have
turned 21 this
coming March. She
said Adam was a
straight A student.
Although it broke
her heart when her
nephew left for
Washington in 2003,
she knew it was
Adam's choice. She
said he didn't join
the military until
after he graduated
high school in
Washington.
Adam lived with his
mom, Angelina,
throughout his
schooling. He then
joined the military
in September 2006
and was immediately
deployed in Iraq.
Just before his
scheduled
deployment, Saralu
received a call from
Adam informing her
of his mission. "I
wish he didn't have
to," she said.
"Adam told me he'd
be back in March
together with his
mom, my sister.
'I'm coming back in
March,'" Saralu
said, adding that
she told Adam to
take extra care
during his
deployment.
Saralu said their
family here on
Saipan received a
call from her
daughter who also
lives in Washington
at 8:30am yesterday
(3pm in Washington
Jan. 29). "I feel
bad. He is a very
good boy."
She said there were
no details given to
the family yet,
except that her
nephew is already
dead and his body is
still in Iraq.
Saralu said more
detailed information
about the incident
and the shipment of
his remains have
been promised to the
family within today.
Adam is survived by
his brothers, Frank
and Christopher, and
parents, Angelina
Quitugua and Wen
Emul.
The family started a
nightly rosary at
the Tanapag church
yesterday. They will
continue the rosary
until Adam's remains
reach the CNMI up to
his interment, said
Saralu.
Alaska Staff Sgt.
Killed
U.S. Army Staff Sgt.
Jamie D. Wilson, 34,
was killed Jan. 22,
2007, by small arms
fire while on guard
duty at his base
near Fallujah,
Iraq. Wilson joined
the Army in 1990,
and was assigned to
Alaska in 2005. (AP
Photo/U.S. Army
Alaska)
Richmond Man’s Death
In Iraq Leaves Five
Fatherless
January 23, 2007
Daily Press
Daryl Booker called
his father in Surry
County just before
Christmas last year
and told him not to
worry.
Booker, an Army
National Guardsman
who grew up in
Richmond, had been
in Iraq since
October.
He'd survived a
couple close calls,
Earnest Hardy Sr.
said.
"I figured if he was
there in harm's way
and was telling me
not to worry, then I
probably shouldn't,"
Hardy said. But
"You can't help but
to worry."
Booker, a
38-year-old father
of five, was one of
12 troops killed
Saturday when the
Black Hawk
helicopter they were
flying in crashed
just outside of
Baghdad.
While military
officials have said
the crash is still
under investigation,
the Los Angeles
Times reported
Monday that Iraqi
sources said it had
been shot down.
A witness claimed to
have seen the ground
fire that brought
down the helicopter,
and an insurgent
group claimed
responsibility via
the Internet.
Soldiers notified
Booker's mother, who
lives in Richmond,
on Saturday, Hardy
said.
"She tried calling
me seven times.
When I called her
back, all she could
say was, 'We lost
Daryl.' "
Troops from Fort
Eustis notified
Hardy officially of
his son's death on
Monday. He then had
the grim task of
spreading the news
among the dozens of
cousins and aunts
and uncles living in
Smithfield and Surry
County.
Booker joined the
Army when he turned
18. After several
years on active
duty, Hardy said,
Booker became a
member of the
Virginia National
Guard and was
attached to a unit
near Richmond. "In
the last five or six
years, he went on a
bunch of tours,"
Hardy said. "He was
a member of a
peace-keeping
force."
Booker was proud to
be a soldier, Hardy
said.
"He made a choice
and made the best of
his choice."
Booker is to be
buried at Arlington
National Cemetery.
Funeral services
will be held in
Richmond.
Loss Of 'Fuzzy’
Devastates Little
Sister, Girlfriend
January 23, 2007 By
JENNIFER WILSON, THE
GAZETTE
Friends called him
Fuzzy because of his
spiky hair. He
loved partying,
video games and rock
music — especially
Led Zeppelin and
Queen.
When Pfc. Allen B.
Jaynes’ family and
friends learned he’d
been killed in
combat, they were
devastated.
"I will miss you big
brother. I love
you," wrote his
sister, Stephanie,
on his MySpace.com
page.
Allen Jaynes, 21,
died Saturday in
Iraq when a bomb
exploded near his
vehicle, the
Dep