Captain awarded Silver Star reflects on battle for Fallujah

[Barrett808]

Captain awarded Silver Star reflects on battle for Fallujah
By ARENA WELCH
Eagle Staff Writer

Capt. Kirk Mayfield stood on the highway that led to the embattled Iraqi city of Fallujah and struggled to find answers to a question that tormented him on that November day last fall: How many of his troops would survive the U.S. military assault on the insurgent stronghold?

Mayfield found the answer to that question after 12 days of intense fighting for control of the city. He was forced to cope with the loss of a friend while leading his own troops in a relentless battle that eventually earned the Army captain the Silver Star for bravery and valor in battle.

Mayfield, who is from College Station, is stationed in Germany with the First Infantry Division and recounted the battle of Fallujah in a series of e-mail interviews. Mayfield commanded F Troop, 4th Calvary, 3rd Brigade Combat Team during the assault on Fallujah.

"I was relieved that I did not have anyone in my command killed in action," Mayfield said. "But I was also upset that we as a task force had lost some really good people."

(more)

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/071205/local_20050712004.php

[saigon68]

1. Here comes a raging case of PTSD

[Mikimouse]

2. Can't help thinking...

about all of those good, solid, repubs in CS. I wonder if they remember what their people did to another legitimate Silver Star recipient not too long ago. I would post more, but realize that it is merely my anger that compels me to do so.

[FlemingsGhost]

3. May the ghosts of Fallujah forever remind this man of his "valor"

Welcome to the REAL war, Captain.

You are both occupier and insurgent. The losses will be heavy, and there are no medals handed out ...

[mahina]

6. Just in case you've forgotten, he is there because our government sent him

We are responsible.

I will forgo the desire to tell you where to put those quotation marks.



-From the daughter of a green beret who went to do what we asked him to, and it cost him everything.

[FlemingsGhost]

7. I was out in the streets, while the government schemed

Pffffffftt ... I can live with your "scorn."

[mahina]

9. I don't scorn you, I wish you understood.

Divide and conquer is at work here, and it is a sucessful tactic.

I'm in the streets now, have been for years, to protect the lives of the men and women like my father, who give everything to us and trust us not to send them into harms way unless it is necessary. And the innocents who die in the tens of thousands. You completely do not understand.

I hope you really enjoy feeling superior to the military because as long as we remain divided that's all your going to get.
PS go redsox.

[FlemingsGhost]

10. Fair enough. I respect your position.

In the end, I believe you and I strive for the same outcome.

Peace.

[mahina]

11. Exactly.

Aloha.

[msongs]

18. "we" are NOT responsible. he is there on the order of ONE

and only ONE person and that is the man who concocted a deliberate skein of lies and deceit for the purpose of starting an immoral, illegal, and unethical war in violation of the constitution of the United States, which says only the congress can declare war.

"we" had nothing to do with it.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[mahina]

19. We are totally and completely responsible. To him, to the Iraqis, to the

rest of the world.
We were too busy watching the latest reality show and shopping, narcotized. We didn't fight it, we let the Democrats fail, we didn't hold mass shutdowns, work stoppages, strikes, blockades. We sent a couple of letters to editors, marched and went home, maybe went to jail for a day or a week. Then we went back to business as usual and allowed this criminal coup to take aim at the world.
It is our responsibility that during the Clinton impeachment hearings we were barely heard, meekly whispering at each other through moveon (God bless them).
We let the Republicans win the House and we're letting the Democrats fail because a lot of us are too pure to support anyone who isn't 100% in line with everything we think.
You and I will just have to disagree on this point. I wish I didn't feel the weight of responsibility for the loss of life, our own blood and others.
DOn't forget El Salvador, Chile, Nicaragua, Cambodia, Laos, and on and on...this didn't start yesterday brah.
sigh
Not our responsibility? Must be nice.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

21. I'm amazed that anyone believes that the 2000, 2002, and 2004....

...elections were conducted fairly. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I did infer that from your comment, "We let the Republicans win the House and we're letting the Democrats fail because a lot of us are too pure to support anyone who isn't 100% in line with everything we think." Perhaps you should review your notes about electronic voting machines, voting software that cannot be independently verified, and who currently controls vote tabulation.

I am also amazed that anyone would launch a rant about not being heard when the NeoCons have controlled the content of the captive mainstream media since the late 1980s-early 1990s. You appear to blame that on people not willing to stand up to be heard, and that's simply not correct. Plenty of people were standing up, but none of that was appearing in the media.

As far as being "too busy shopping", what economy have you been living in since December 2000? In the world I live in, "shopping" consists of buying only the necessities thanks to higher gas, food, and utility prices.

Oh, and here's something else for you to think about...what makes you think that any amount of protest would have changed the direction of the NeoCon Junta, especially after the events of 911? Their agenda is clearly spelled out in their writings on the PNAC website, and they weren't about to let any amount of civil disobedience stop them.

Therefore, I know for a fact that I did NOT support the actions of the NeoCons then, and I do NOT support them now. And I certainly don't feel personally responsible for what they have done.

But there has recently been a sea-change.

There is now a major chink in the NeoCon armor, and their major corporate supporters are starting to back off as evidenced by the new attack mode of the mainstream media. The military is also starting to rebel in the only way that they can...by not reenlisting, and becoming more vocal about what they've seen and heard. The Department of Justice is working through the Grand Jury to ensure that the Plame case is pushed forward. The CIA is working behind the scenes to supply documents detrimental to the NeoCons that have been hidden until now. And a growing number of GOP congresspeople are also starting to ask questions...if not publicly, then certainly behind the scenes.

Now is the time to really make ourselves heard, but you need to direct your anger at those that have gotten us into this mess, not toward those of us who have fought what the NeoCons have been doing since December 2000.

[Barrett808]

22. Don't forget the Gerrymandering

In several states, designed to perpetuate GOP rule into the foreseeable future.

[6 sack fiber]

23. Our guilt with Iraq started well before 2002

Try the 90s when after Desert Slaughter I ; we stood by while sanctions endorsed by the corporate neo lib democratic administration killed 500,000 in Iraq.

[thebigidea]

26. funny that you start with Clinton instead of Reagan and Bush I

funny, that.

[msongs]

25. the "we" characteristics you mean may apply to you....but

others have not been doing what you have been doing.

Change all your "we" statments to "I" statements and you oughta have it about right for your situation.

otherwise many people have worked tirelessly to change what can be changed within our own power.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[Walt Starr]

4. I honor this brave man!

I thank him for his service, and will always honor him.

Remember, DU. Kerry was awarded the Silver Star for bravery in an unpopular and morally wrong war as well. Recipients of such high honors deserve our respect and undying thanks.

[atreides1]

5. There Is A Difference

We remember that Kerry served and earned the Silver Star, but the difference between Kerry and this man was that Kerry returned home and denounced Vietnam for what it was, this guy hasn't denounced the invasion of Iraq as illegal and possibly immoral.

And while he is deserving of respect, it is not in the same vein that we gave to Kerry, and as for undying thanks, personally I don't see what thanks I owe to this man.

While he was performing his duty our Constitutional Rights were lessened by the passing of the Patriot Act, which went against at least 4 of the Amendments in the Constitution. By the way it was this Captain's duty as well as the duty of all military personnel to
defend and support the U.S. Constitution, something that I feel they have failed to do.

When they perform all of their duties, then I will thank them, but not until then.

[Walt Starr]

8. He's still in the service

and subject to the UCMJ.

And while you are condemning the man for serving while we lost rights under the Patriot Act, you might want to remember that Kerry VOTED FOR the Patriot Act.

[Rebellious Republican]

16. Absolutely, well said Walt, as usual !

:patriot:

[Just Me]

12. Another example of exploitation by the BushCo/neoCON regime.

:grr:

So many unnecessary losses for a damn racket.

[NJmaverick]

13. I wonder how many Captain Kirk Jokes he gets?

[daleo]

15. The PNAC brain trust has been called "Vulcans".

Just another little Star Trek tie-in. It is an insult to real Vulcans, of course.

[Roland99]

14. "dead included Omar Hadid, the second-in-command in network of Zarqawi"

Hmm...they sure took out Zarqawi's capabilities back in November, eh?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

17. yeah that guy was really bad

he was Zarqawi's butler and close confidante. the one that made sure the Zarqawi-mobile was ready at a moment's notice. We certainly struck a major blow with this man's elimination.

[Barrett808]

20. Just as we "broke the back of the insurgency" in Fallujah n/t

[IndianaGreen]

24. There has always been gallantry in the field of battle

on both sides of any given conflict.

No medals are ever bestowed on the civilians that must endure all of that military gallantry!