Two questions (faust9 and others with combat service, perhaps you all can answer):
1) Isn't it possible that some of those coffins are actually empty? I seem to remember my wife saying that when her first husband died in the first Gulf War that they sent home an empty coffin (there was no body to put in it) to be buried in Arlington. Anyone know?
2) Not that I'm being macabre or anything, but where does the military get these coffins? Is there a coffin contractor in Iraq manufacturing them?
2) Not that I'm being macabre or anything, but where does the military get these coffins? Is there a coffin contractor in Iraq manufacturing them?
Well, those 'coffins' are basically metal boxes...not what they'll be buried in. I'm sure they're flown over there as needed (projected need) from the US.
Us Americans get to view and taste "the sterile" life most of the time, and then when something like these pictures come out, we get all jittery and mad.
GET OUT MORE AND SEE REAL LIFE.
The Spain train bombings are terrorist related and did amazing amounts of damage... and yet... its gone and over... it never happened.
Americans are getting fed crap info since years about Iraq and they KNOW it and yet we're all SURPRISED that this is happening there.
WAKE UP... jeezus.. I havent lived in the US in a while, and when I see these kind of comments and watch NBC, CBS, ABC, and read USA Today, I have to blink a few times and wonder if I'm watching Comedy Central or something . I can't believe you, my fellow Americans, are buying the crap the US media is feeding you!!! This admin has been so pathetic. Please please please, vote for ANYONE besides him in a few months. Him and his cronies are PATHETIC and giving America and Americans a HORRIBLE image. I'm really embarassed to say that I am american these last few years.
Back on subject... for you in the USA... this is real life. Get used to it.
Editor & Publisher reports that the father of a U.S. soldier who believes his son was in one of the coffins shown in a controversial photo in the Seattle Times sent a letter thanking the paper for running it.
From the E & P: "Hiding the death and destruction of this war does not make it easier on anyone except those who want to keep the truth away from the people," the father, Bill Mitchell, wrote yesterday. The letter has not yet been published.
The text of his letter to Hal Bernton, the Seattle Times reporter who wrote the story that accompanied the photo, follows:
Dear Hal --
I read with great interest your article regarding the woman who was fired for taking the pictures of the flag-draped coffins on 4/7/04. My son, SSG Michael W. Mitchell, was killed on 4/4/04 in the first day of the Shiite uprising in Sadr City. He was one of eight soldiers killed that day in that attack. I am quite positive that he was inside one of those coffins in the picture.
I am happy that you ran the story and showed the picture. I would like everyone to know the devastation that this event has brought upon Mike's family and friends. In fact, Mike's grandpa at 86 says that this is the worst thing that has happened in his entire life -- that says a lot right there!!!
Hiding the death and destruction of this war does not make it easier on anyone except those who want to keep the truth away from the people. I know that the current government policy has the bodies being flown in under the cloak of darkness. I also know that photographers are barred from the area so that pictures such as the one you ran in your newspaper cannot be shown to the people. Pictures such as these alter peoples' perception and awareness and they have to admit the reality of the situation that young men and women are being killed.
I do believe our government learned this lesson from the war in Vietnam and that was one of the influential factors in bringing about its end. Things are getting worse in Iraq and if there is anything that I can do so that other parents can be spared the pain that is happening in my life, I will do it.
In fact, I would be willing to furnish you a picture of my son in his casket if you would like to run it in your paper. Sort of a follow-up story that would just take it one step further than the picture shown inside the airplane with a bunch of anonymous flag-draped coffins. I don't think I can be fired, as I do not have a job!!! I am currently in Germany taking care of my son's fiancee because officially, she is not recognized by the U.S. Army even though she was the reason that he re-enlisted twice; the last time being just 3 weeks prior to his death.
Hal -- I am just full of stories and if you and your newspaper are interested, just let me know.
Comments
1) Isn't it possible that some of those coffins are actually empty? I seem to remember my wife saying that when her first husband died in the first Gulf War that they sent home an empty coffin (there was no body to put in it) to be buried in Arlington. Anyone know?
2) Not that I'm being macabre or anything, but where does the military get these coffins? Is there a coffin contractor in Iraq manufacturing them?
Cheers
Scott
Originally posted by midwinter
2) Not that I'm being macabre or anything, but where does the military get these coffins? Is there a coffin contractor in Iraq manufacturing them?
Well, those 'coffins' are basically metal boxes...not what they'll be buried in. I'm sure they're flown over there as needed (projected need) from the US.
GET OUT MORE AND SEE REAL LIFE.
The Spain train bombings are terrorist related and did amazing amounts of damage... and yet... its gone and over... it never happened.
Americans are getting fed crap info since years about Iraq and they KNOW it and yet we're all SURPRISED that this is happening there.
WAKE UP... jeezus.. I havent lived in the US in a while, and when I see these kind of comments and watch NBC, CBS, ABC, and read USA Today, I have to blink a few times and wonder if I'm watching Comedy Central or something . I can't believe you, my fellow Americans, are buying the crap the US media is feeding you!!! This admin has been so pathetic. Please please please, vote for ANYONE besides him in a few months. Him and his cronies are PATHETIC and giving America and Americans a HORRIBLE image. I'm really embarassed to say that I am american these last few years.
Back on subject... for you in the USA... this is real life. Get used to it.
Editor & Publisher reports that the father of a U.S. soldier who believes his son was in one of the coffins shown in a controversial photo in the Seattle Times sent a letter thanking the paper for running it.
From the E & P: "Hiding the death and destruction of this war does not make it easier on anyone except those who want to keep the truth away from the people," the father, Bill Mitchell, wrote yesterday. The letter has not yet been published.
The text of his letter to Hal Bernton, the Seattle Times reporter who wrote the story that accompanied the photo, follows:
Dear Hal --
I read with great interest your article regarding the woman who was fired for taking the pictures of the flag-draped coffins on 4/7/04. My son, SSG Michael W. Mitchell, was killed on 4/4/04 in the first day of the Shiite uprising in Sadr City. He was one of eight soldiers killed that day in that attack. I am quite positive that he was inside one of those coffins in the picture.
I am happy that you ran the story and showed the picture. I would like everyone to know the devastation that this event has brought upon Mike's family and friends. In fact, Mike's grandpa at 86 says that this is the worst thing that has happened in his entire life -- that says a lot right there!!!
Hiding the death and destruction of this war does not make it easier on anyone except those who want to keep the truth away from the people. I know that the current government policy has the bodies being flown in under the cloak of darkness. I also know that photographers are barred from the area so that pictures such as the one you ran in your newspaper cannot be shown to the people. Pictures such as these alter peoples' perception and awareness and they have to admit the reality of the situation that young men and women are being killed.
I do believe our government learned this lesson from the war in Vietnam and that was one of the influential factors in bringing about its end. Things are getting worse in Iraq and if there is anything that I can do so that other parents can be spared the pain that is happening in my life, I will do it.
In fact, I would be willing to furnish you a picture of my son in his casket if you would like to run it in your paper. Sort of a follow-up story that would just take it one step further than the picture shown inside the airplane with a bunch of anonymous flag-draped coffins. I don't think I can be fired, as I do not have a job!!! I am currently in Germany taking care of my son's fiancee because officially, she is not recognized by the U.S. Army even though she was the reason that he re-enlisted twice; the last time being just 3 weeks prior to his death.
Hal -- I am just full of stories and if you and your newspaper are interested, just let me know.
Sincerely,
Bill Mitchell
Atascadero, CA"