GROTON, Conn. (Feb. 4, 2009) Electronics Technician 3rd Class Chuck Youngberg throws a line from the fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) to the pier to haul up the shore phone cable aboard. Pittsburgh returned to Submarine Base New London from a scheduled six-month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command and African Command areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski)/Released)

Labels: CT Heroes, local Heroes, photos, SSN 720, submarine, US Navy, USS Pittsburgh

State Marine Dies In Iraq
Waterbury Man Remembered For Positive Attitude

DAVE ALTIMARI And SHAWN R. BEALS
Hartford Courant Staff Writers

June 1, 2008

WATERBURY — - A former Wilby High School student who talked about going into the Marines all through high school died in his first tour of duty in Iraq.

The military notified 21-year-old Christian Cotner's family on Friday that he had died. Details about how he died have not been released, and the military has not publicly announced his death.

Cotner is the 42nd person with ties to Connecticut to die in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

The news of his death came the same day U.S. officials announced that the number of military deaths had plunged in May to the lowest monthly level in more than four years. U.S. officials said 21 American service members were killed in May, one more than the lowest monthly figure for the war set in February 2004.

When reached by phone Saturday at their Waterbury home, Cotner's parents said they could not talk about their son's death yet. Funeral services are pending.

A Crescent Street neighbor, Ned Kurtz, remembered him as a nice young man who liked being a Marine.

"He was a very nice kid," Kurtz said. "He was polite and helpful. I can't say enough about him. He had a positive attitude about the Marine Corps."

Read More about this Fallen CT Hero here.

Labels: CT Heroes, Fallen Heroes, USMC

A Norwalk, Connecticut police officer who also served in the Marines was killed late last week. He was only 38, and police are looking for his killer. Matthew Morelli was a man who dedicated his life to protecting others. The world is poorer for his loss:

OXFORD -- A veteran Norwalk police officer who was shot and killed Friday left his mark on a close-knit neighborhood here where he made his home.Neighbors remembered Matthew Morelli, 38, as an upstanding man who helped his fellow neighbors even after putting in more than a full-day of work. Morelli owned a small farm on Freeman Road, where he kept llamas, chickens and a pet dog, friends say."We will probably never be the same," said Pam Blasko, who lived by Morelli. "He was a great guy.''

Officer Morelli was investigating suspicious activity when his killers shot him and left him there. His body was discovered when other officers arrived on the scene, responding to his call for backup.

He had a six-year-old daughter. A trust fund has been set up on her behalf.

Here's hoping his killers are spending every waking moment of their freedom looking over their shoulders, and that said freedom will be brief, and devoid of a moment's peace.



UPDATE 3/25: As if this story can't get sadder, it now appears that Officer Morelli's death may have been a suicide How the heck do you explain that to a six-year-old??

Labels: CT Heroes, Fallen Heroes

I'm not a particular fan of our governor here, and CT's normally far too liberal for comfort, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

This week, they did it right. Fast-tracking a bill in advance of the Westboro lunatics' expected arrival to protest Army 1st Lt. Keith Heidtman's funeral on Friday, the CT legislature, and the Governor, took a stand to support military families:

Rell signs bill to immediately curb protests at soldier's funeral
Posted June 6, 2007

(Hartford-AP) - It's now law. Governor Rell has signed a fast-tracked bill that limits protests at funerals. She and state lawmakers wanted to have the law in place for a military service planned for Friday in Norwich. The bill takes effect immediately... FULL STORY

The PGR will be in attendance for this Hero's farewell.

Well done, Nutmeggers - well done.

Labels: CT Heroes, Fallen Heroes, Moonbats, Supporting the troops

U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Eugene Holiday Jr.

By Cpl. Rick Nelson
2nd Marine Division

HADITHA, Iraq, June 4, 2007 — Any duration of time away from friends and family can take a toll on the hearts and minds of all involved. The recent surges of deployments to Iraq are no different for servicemembers and their families. While some wish to never deploy again after their first or second tours, some Marines look forward to their deployments.

Such is the case of Gunnery Sgt. Eugene Holiday Jr., radio chief for Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, who is voluntarily back in Iraq for his seventh time.

Holiday realized in 1992, during his senior year of high school, he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a Marine.

“My father was actually disappointed when I decided to join because he wanted me to take one of the football scholarships I had been offered and go to college,” said the Jasper, Ala., native. “I had a friend who took a football scholarship the year before and during his first year of college he was injured and had nothing to fall back on, and I didn’t want to take that chance, so I decided the Marine Corps would be a better decision.”

Holiday left for Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., on Aug. 3, 1992, where he began recruit training with 2nd Battalion, Platoon 2098.

“When I went to boot camp I joined as open contract because I honestly didn’t care what job I got, as long as I was a Marine,” he said. “When I found out I was put into the communication field I was pretty happy, because it was a technical job.”

After completing basic training, Holiday checked into 3rd Surveillance Intelligence Group, Okinawa, Japan. During his service in the Corps, he has performed recruiting duty in Atlanta and has been on many deployments with various units.

“This is actually my seventh time to Iraq, but only my second full deployment,” said the 32-year-old. “With my previous units we would come to Iraq for only a few months at a time. I actually left Joint Forces in Norfolk, Va., to deploy with 1/3 because I figured it would enhance my career and to have the chance to lead Marines again. At Joint Forces I was always leaving out of nowhere, but with 1/3 I’ll be gone for seven months and will return to my family. It’s a lot more stable.

“Aside from that, I love being with 1/3 because, compared to my other units, 1/3 is no stranger to deploying and the Marines know what to do and what is expected of them.”

Holiday said he likes to do what the Marine Corps expects from him, but has been deployed every year since his son was born five years ago.

“The hardest part is being away from my wife and son,” he said. “ It’s time that I’ll never get back, but receiving letters and emails from them is something that pushes me and keeps my morale up.”

The current deployment has proven both challenging and demanding for Holiday because his platoon inherited a two-year-old communications network that is difficult to maintain.

He said it’s the Marines who work under who keep the communication up and running, and that is the highlight of the deployment for him.

Lance Cpl. Kevin A. Lawrence, a radio operator with Headquarters and Service Company, 1/3, described Holiday as very passionate about his job.

“He can be very serious at times but is still able to allow people to feel comfortable around him,” said Lawrence, a Hartford, Conn., native.

Lawrence added since Holiday has worked with him, he has seen their platoon grow tighter and work has become a lot more enjoyable.

“A lot of people think the key to communication is push to talk, but there’s a lot more to it,” he added. “I tell people all the time, we work all night so you can talk all day.”

Holiday said he looks forward to returning home in October and reuniting with his family.

“I plan on staying in the Marines for 20 years and then retiring,” he said. “Once I’m retired, I’d like to continue my career in the communication field and spending as much time as possible with my family.”

First Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment is a part of Regimental Combat Team 2, a Marine Corps command responsible for more than 30,000 square miles and 5,500 Marines, sailors and soldiers in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province.


Story originally posted at DefenseLink

Labels: 1-3 Marines, CT Heroes, heroes, Iraq, USMC

Sergeant Brian Ohler, performs pre-mission checks on a M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun on top of a 1114 HMMWV on Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq . Ohler is a Connecticut National Guardsman attached to the 144th Military Police Company, 2nd platoon, 1st squad leader, a guard unit out of Michigan currently deployed to the Ninevah province capital. Photo by Staff Sgt. Antonieta Rico, 5th Mobile Public Detachment


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# B149
Feb. 16, 2007

Coalition forces rely on quick response by MPs

By Staff Sgt. Samantha M. Stryker
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MOSUL, Iraq – When Soldiers conduct missions in the Nineveh province capital city of Mosul, they could be called on at any time to assist other coalition forces.

That sort of fluidity is what makes the members of the 144th Military Police Company successful. “First in, last out” is not only their motto; it is the way these Michigan National Guard Soldiers do business.

“In the city, we are the quick reaction force because we are already out there and we are trained to respond quickly to just about anything,” Sgt. Brian Ohler, tactical operations leader for the patrol.

Members of the unit proved their flexibility during a recent mission by transforming from Iraq security advisors and health services inspectors to a rapid reaction force for friendly forces.

After Soldiers of 2nd Platoon met with coalition members at the Iraqi Police Provincial Headquarters, they paid a visit to the Al Jamouri Hospital and the adjoining police station to speak with officials at both locations to address issues related to fuel and food.

Mission coordinator Sgt. Robert Kay, 3rd squad leader, spoke with the Al Jamouri Police Station commander about plans to expand the police station from a two-room building to a facility with sleeping quarters and a larger guard tower.
Afterwards, the team made their way to the hospital’s morgue to talk with the staff about its record-keeping procedures.

Satisfied with the information they collected, the Soldiers began heading back toward Forward Operating Base Marez. The day’s mission was complete.
Just as fast as a Texas flash thunderstorm, the unit became the district’s quick reaction force when a call came over the radio reporting that a roadside bomb struck a U.S. vehicle.

As Ohler gathered more information, the convoy raced toward the location of the incident with sirens blaring, which drew curious looks from pedestrians and parting traffic on the roads.

As the squad weaved through a busy market street, gunner Pvt. Nathanael Hunt called out to Kay that he’d spotted a column of black smoke rising from another direction. Before they could determine the cause of the smoke, however, they had to answer the call for help made by their fellow Soldiers.

When the squads arrived to the site, the Soldiers involved in the incident had already been treated and the vehicle was still mobile, but they needed the MPs as an escort and to provide extra security.

As they convoy made their way slowly toward base, Hunt called out again to Kay that the column of black smoke was still visible. Kay called the tactical operations center for more information. He learned that an Iraqi army patrol had been struck by a car bomb in an unrelated incident. Kay was asked if his patrol could assist.

After being assured that their assistance was no longer needed, the military police peeled away from the American convoy and raced toward the dark plum of smoke.
From his vantage point in the gunner’s turret, Hunt guided the squad through a congested maze of city streets, around a traffic circle, and arrived at the charred remains of an IA truck.

Iraqi Security Forces had used their vehicles to set up a cordon and had evacuated injured IA soldiers. Iraqi personnel were removing the wreckage from the road and onto a flat bed truck.

The U.S. troops provided extra security around the perimeter which allowed the IA to work without fear of another attack.

“They did not call for any help, we came to set up security for them,” said Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Garcia, the platoon sergeant for 2nd platoon. “These guys had it all under control by the time we got there.”

As the Iraqi policemen drove off, Ohler made a radio call. “Any other fires?” he asked the tactical operations center.

Hunt shouted that there was plenty of daylight left.

After a short pause, the crackle over the radio ordered the members of 2nd platoon to return to base.


A wrecker removes the remains of an Iraqi Army vehicle off the street in Mosul Jan 25. The IA truck was hit by an IED during a patrol in the city. The wreckage was recovered by IA soldiers before U.S. Soldiers arrived on the scene. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha M. Stryker, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)


Sergeant Robert Kay (center) speaks with an Iraqi policeman (left) about the conditions and progress at the Al Jamouri Hospital Police Station in Mosul Jan. 25. The National Guardsman is a member of the 144th Military Police Company out of Michigan. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha M. Stryker, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)


Sergeants Brian Ohler (left) and Robert Kay of the 144th Military Police Company enter the forensic lab at the Al Jamouri Hospital during a visit to the facility and the neighboring police station in Mosul Jan.25. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha M. Stryker, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Labels: 144th MP Co., CT Heroes, FOB Marez, Iraq, Michigan National Guard, Military Police, Mosul, photos