By Alexander Thymmons

July 4th, 2007

(then, a rifle platoon leader in the First Stryker Brigade, Second “Arrowhead” Infantry Division)

On Patrol during the Surge

At the tomb of Joshua, the Prophet of God

Sheik Maaruf/Shaljia Neighborhood, Karkh District, West of Tigris

Baghdad, Iraq

 

Wake up Hoshea, son of Nun, from the sacred tomb that hides your bones

Favor my rifle, heart and armor to once more defend my post!

Plead for the crimson of my flag, old soul, to The Great,

For it is sanctified by the blood of heroes past. Accept my offering to thee,

This bullet that has spared today a father’s life. Oh, blessed be!

Rise from your grave, servant of God, and let your courage shelter me

As mortars fall to crush and maim. And let my Soldiers rise above

Their guilt, their fears, and their shame. This blessed day I pray to thee

My sacred nation here to see; our sweat and tears fed your grave,

Our blood, our toil, our selfless acts to shield the Land of Free

And innocents of war that warmness has befled. Oh, blessed be!

The hallowed precepts of our creed, as consecrated infantry,

Let them be heard by friend and foe, on land and stormy sea;

And let our wisdom guide our cannon’s light for all to see

That we are strong, but also filled with love for widow, child,

And hope for People’s Liberty.

Wake up Hoshea, son of Nun, and see the candle that I light

For thee and for all heroes past who died in fight for God

And for my country’s might. Oh, blessed be!

[…]

As bodies of my fallen brothers fill the lead-lined caskets;

As worms infest their flesh, and putrid smell our nostrils;

As they are laid in common ground – Let it be known

That they have given all for freedom and for peace.

Let rifleman and priest alike invoke their spirit’s candor

For our States. Let widowed spouses, sons and daughters

Venerate the reminiscence of the names forgotten

On pieces of stone, at the graves in the sand.

Oh, blessed be!

 

WASHINGTON STATE

SENATE RESOLUTION 8709

 

By Senators Franklin, Benton, Berkey, Schoesler, Parlette, Holmquist, Shin, Hewitt, Brandland, Honeyford, Spanel, Tom, Kauffman, Kastama, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, McCaslin, Pflug, King, Delvin, Morton, Kilmer, Swecker, Hatfield, Haugen, Prentice, Marr, Brown, Eide, Carrell, Zarelli, Hobbs, McAuliffe, and Kohl-Welles

 

WHEREAS, The soldiers of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, were sent to Iraq for what was to have been a year-long deployment; and

WHEREAS, The 3,800 soldiers of the 3rd Stryker Brigade stayed for fifteen months in Iraq, after seeing action in Mosul, Baghdad, and many other parts of that country considered among the toughest and most dangerous; and

WHEREAS, The troops of the Arrowhead Stryker Brigade, as they are also known, moved farther, faster, and fought harder than any other unit in today's army, according to commander Col. Stephen Townsend; and

WHEREAS, The soldiers of the 3rd Stryker Brigade were credited with saving and changing the lives of Iraqi people; and

WHEREAS, Through the bravery and dedication of the 3rd Stryker Brigade, areas of Iraq that had been abandoned by civilians due to extreme danger were repopulated; and

WHEREAS, Through "Operation Arrowhead Ripper" to clear al-Qaida insurgents in Iraq, soldiers from the 3rd Brigade captured hundreds of enemy fighters and cleared dozens of bombs and booby-trapped houses, making it possible to then launch humanitarian relief efforts; and

WHEREAS, The 3rd Stryker Brigade lost 48 soldiers, and suffered the wounding of 700; and

WHEREAS, Ten soldiers of the 3rd Stryker Brigade were awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest award for combat valor: Staff Sgt. Mark Grover; Staff Sgt. Shawn McGuire; Staff Sgt. David Plush; Sgt. Steven Peters; Spc. Gildardo Cebreros; Staff Sgt. Ismael Iban Cordero; Staff Sgt. Jon M. Hilliard; Maj. Brent Clemmer; and Spc. Curtis Lundren; with one awarded posthumously to Sgt. Jason Harkins; and

WHEREAS, The members of the 3rd Stryker Brigade were redeployed to Fort Lewis in September 2007;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor the sacrifice and valor of these Soldiers who served their country with great distinction and honor, and express its appreciation to their families for the sacrifices they made during the deployment of their loved ones; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the commander of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

 

I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Senate Resolution 8709, adopted by the Senate February 1, 2008

 

THOMAS HOEMANN

Secretary of the Senate

Washington State