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TechnographRemembering the fallen in the Iraqi war zone
Capt. Matt Lawson sends us the next installment of his ongoing series about his experiences serving in Iraq
By Matt Lawson
Posted: 4/2/07 Section: Opinion Columns
If you watched the news a couple of weeks ago, then you know that Jan. 20 was a particularly bloody day for U.S. forces in Iraq. Unfortunately, the wounds inflicted reached my battalion. The helicopter that crashed on that Saturday belonged to us, and its loss has been particularly hard on our unit.
The aircraft carried 12 US military personnel, of which three soldiers, all crew members, were from our Charlie Company based in Little Rock, Ark.
SSG Gary Brown was one of the crew chiefs responsible for maintenance. I'd seen him around a couple of times, but didn't really know him that well. I have been told by members of his company that he had a long and honorable Army career and he was as dedicated to his family as he was to his country.
On the other hand, I often worked with 1SG William Warren, the other crew chief on the aircraft. As the First Sergeant of Charlie Company, 1SG Warren was responsible for the care of all the enlisted soldiers in his unit. First sergeant often stopped by my shop, trying to get computers fixed and requesting batteries for his equipment. Whenever I needed something from him, he'd always respond with, "Hey sir, I'm easy, I'm just not cheap." He leaves behind his loving wife, children and several grandchildren.
The man I knew best of the three was Capt. Michael Taylor. Mike was Charlie Company's commander. He was a man who carried a large amount of responsibility with ease. CPT Taylor was always on top of the situation. His company is known for being dependable and efficient, and those traits were direct reflections of Mike's leadership.
Mike was a good friend who was always good for a laugh. In all of our battalion meetings Mike sat opposite me. We would always roll our eyes at each other as the meetings would go into their third hour.
CPT Bryan Pike, CPT Mike Armstrong, and I were responsible for inventorying and shipping Mike's possessions back to his family in the U.S. We did this in the middle of the night, silently folding clothes, disconnecting stereo equipment, and packing boxes.
The aircraft carried 12 US military personnel, of which three soldiers, all crew members, were from our Charlie Company based in Little Rock, Ark.
SSG Gary Brown was one of the crew chiefs responsible for maintenance. I'd seen him around a couple of times, but didn't really know him that well. I have been told by members of his company that he had a long and honorable Army career and he was as dedicated to his family as he was to his country.
On the other hand, I often worked with 1SG William Warren, the other crew chief on the aircraft. As the First Sergeant of Charlie Company, 1SG Warren was responsible for the care of all the enlisted soldiers in his unit. First sergeant often stopped by my shop, trying to get computers fixed and requesting batteries for his equipment. Whenever I needed something from him, he'd always respond with, "Hey sir, I'm easy, I'm just not cheap." He leaves behind his loving wife, children and several grandchildren.
The man I knew best of the three was Capt. Michael Taylor. Mike was Charlie Company's commander. He was a man who carried a large amount of responsibility with ease. CPT Taylor was always on top of the situation. His company is known for being dependable and efficient, and those traits were direct reflections of Mike's leadership.
Mike was a good friend who was always good for a laugh. In all of our battalion meetings Mike sat opposite me. We would always roll our eyes at each other as the meetings would go into their third hour.
CPT Bryan Pike, CPT Mike Armstrong, and I were responsible for inventorying and shipping Mike's possessions back to his family in the U.S. We did this in the middle of the night, silently folding clothes, disconnecting stereo equipment, and packing boxes.
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A fellow American
posted 4/02/07 @ 6:40 AM CST
This must have been an incredibly hard story for you to write. I am so sorry. These wonderful men, you, all of our troops, and their families will be in my heart and in my prayers today and everyday. (Continued…)
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