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Real American Heroes
The blogs were abuzz yesterday about Gary Faulkner, the California man who has been trying to track down Osama bin Laden in Pakistan:
The current trip was roughly Mr. Faulkner's sixth to Pakistan since 2002, Dr. Faulkner said. The physician said he drove his brother to the airport, and that Mr. Faulkner wasn't carrying any weapons when he boarded the plane. "He did not have a sword, although that is his weapon of choice in Pakistan," said Dr. Faulkner, who said he thought his brother obtained the sword in Pakistan.
Folks, you cannot make this kind of awesomeness up.
But I want to briefly share a story from another American hero, one my friend D.J. Skelton told me I could blog about on Monday night as we shared a few rounds of beer. D.J. was horrifically wounded as a platoon leader in Fallujah, in 2004, when he tried to stop an RPG with his chest, and after serving as a company commander in TRADOC and on Adm. Mullen's staff on wounded warrior issues, he is about to leave DC in attempt to get back into the fight. As we were still on our first beer, I mentioned that it appeared as if he had his eye socket -- the one with his fake eye -- sewn partially shut. He said he had and then proceded to tell me why:
So I am in Fallujah a few weeks ago and, like an idiot, I sit down into the hell hole of a UH-60. [Readers: the "hell hole" of a UH-60 Blackhawk is the right rear seat, where the wind is particularly vicious when the doors are open.] As I'm sitting there this blast of sand comes in, and out pops my eye, which bounces out of the heliciopter. Well, I start cursing up a storm and flailing about, and the pilot comes on the radio and asks me what's wrong. I tell him, "G********, I just lost my second f****** eye to this m*****f****** city!" We then landed in Balad, and the first thing I had them do after popping another eye in was to sew my socket partially shut.
Gang, anyone who knows D.J. knows he has dozens of stories crazier than that one. And we here at the blog wish him the best as he transitions out of DC and back to Big Army. And if D.J. needs anyone to walk alongside him on his journey, well, I'm thinking there is a kindred spirit in Pakistani custody at the moment who might make a good battle buddy.
Actually, the "hell hole" in
Actually, the "hell hole" in the Black Hawk is a storage area located behind the aft-most section of seats where the crew keeps spare NVGs (during day missions), their empty helmet bags, oils, repair parts, etc. The right rear-most seat is the "hurricane seat". I actually sent an e-mail apologizing to Emma Sky when I heard that one of our CW4s decided that Dr. Sky--not a large person by a long shot--should sit in the hurricane seat.
Hilarity did not ensue.
Let me add that I've heard
Let me add that I've heard of all sorts of strange things falling out of helicopters--medical bags, logbooks, laptops, my kneeboard clock, NVGs (that was a bad night)--but never someone's eye.
Today we salute you, Mr.
Today we salute you, Mr. Silent Gas Passing Killer Sword Toter.
Last night you had kofte and kebabs in an ISI jail cell;
This morning, you're contemplating escape to find Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden
His death is a dish best served cold ;
This afternoon, you’re a ticking time bomb because of the chicken tikka you just had to have...
Because of you, a simple Tuk Tuk ride is suddenly
a plummet into the very bowels of Hell (you take my breath away);
Who did it? Who cares.
Sweet mercy, please – just light a match when you stand next to the Prince Al-Amir;
So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, oh Ninja of the Nasty –
And while you’re at it, crack open a window...
Mr. Silent Gas Passing Killer Sword Toter.
Battle Buddy up!
Great story...comical and know our prayers are with DJ. You're a true hard-charger. Kick some butt over there. I remember reading through SGLI benefits at Boot and recall that you only get 20% disability for the loss of one eye. two, you can do the math... Couldn't even imagine going through what he's dealt with and continues to keep trucking. Safe travels, sharpen your sword and God's speed to you DJ.
Snake
I defer to Starbuck on all
I defer to Starbuck on all matters UH-60-related. You learn something everyday...Swords on modern soldiers
Swords on modern soldiers are the badass's weapon of choice. check it out, Jack Churchill
http://www.badassoftheweek.com/churchill.html
Does DJ have a blog?
Does DJ have a blog?
That's some anecdote about
That's some anecdote about the eye....
(Abu M, your last couple of posts show up on your Twitter feed, but don't show here unless you go through the Twitter link. Anyone else having this issue, or is it just me?)
i ran into DJ in the airport
i ran into DJ in the airport on my way home from my first deployment and instantly felt like i had accomplished nothing.
kick ass DJ!
beware the hurricane seat! we had a pilot beg us to turn around because he couldn't breathe after deciding to brave the hurricane seat on the way back from DLQs. we never let him live that down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb4jt94M-tE
DJ rocks. Great to know men
DJ rocks. Great to know men like him.
DJ was my company commander
DJ was my company commander for most of the time I was at DLI. I'll never forget the first time I talked to him. This was right after I got there in Dec '08, and I went to his office to introduce myself.
DJ: I see that you're taking Arabic.
Me: Yep.
DJ: You know that since you're here on the retention program, you can take any language you want.
Me: Yeah. I requested Arabic.
DJ: Really, there're, like, 28 different languages here, and I could put you in any of them up until the day you start class.
Me: I think I'll stick with Arabic.
DJ: Now, you have to understand that since you're here on the retention program, you can't get recycled or re-languaged for any reason. If you have problems you're just gone.
Me (starting to get worried): I... think I'll be OK.
DJ (leaning in close): You know that shit's REALLY hard, right?
He then filled me in on the Arabic course's failure rate. I did end up graduating last month with a 3/3, but there were plenty of times over those 63 weeks that I wished I'd taken DJ up on his offer. Now I'm at Ft. Hood getting ready to go practice my language skills on a nice 12 month immersion/practical exercise in Baghdad with 3rd ACR.
I neglected to mention that
I neglected to mention that the young sword-wielding badass didn't make it very far before being apprehended. Maybe sword-wielders are less badass than we originally thought.
First- the dude with the
First- the dude with the sword on his own 'VisionQuest' to get rid of OBL- classic American.
Second- I have flown the friendly skies of Iraq in the right rear seat of a Blackhawk- It was always called the Hell Hole from what I know but Hurricane Seat is fitting. Either way, it is a crappy seat, one that I avoid at all costs now. Sadly, some insurgent shit head is wearing a nice pair of Oakley Blades that were whipped off my face over the skies of Baghdad or Fallujah- I can't remember now- and I hope he dies wearing them. I can relate with DJ- my right eye is a prosthetic. I'm glad it was just the Oakley's that I lost that day. It really sucks when you get sand in the prosthetic- Makes you want to rip the entire eye out. Yee-Haw. Good luck DJ.
My first thought when i read
My first thought when i read that story and saw the picture was: "am i looking at elf who posts on abu muqawama?"
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