Letters from Baghdad

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 07:00 PM

I have a very good friend who was deployed to the Middle East as part of "the Surge" - I thought I'd share a few of his emails with all of you as I get them. Sorry that I started this a few emails late.

Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:50:36 -0400
Subject: Made it to Kuwait

Yes I made it into Kuwait. Got in about 9:30 local time and than we boarded busses and went on a 2 hour ride on a bus that keep breaking down. We were able to get all of our gear sorted out at about 2:45 am and I am now in an air conditioned tent with 9 other people sleeping on cots. The sand blows in every once in a while with the wind. It was a bit cool when we landed only 107. Today it is 118 and it is hot. I have been outside walking and drinking alot of water to keep going. I did sleep a lot on the plane and it was OK. We had plenty of food to eat and we were seated every other seat so we could sleep and relax, tried to watch a few really lame movies, but could not do it so I just went to sleep. Well take care of "Crash."

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 07:02 PM

Sent: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 4:48 am
Subject: A day in the sand

Well it is another day here on a "different" beach called Baghdad. It
will between 1115 and 118 degrees each day this week. It is hot, still working the 14 hour day but do find sometime off when I can. Stillgetting the rocket and mortar attacks coming in. Have been warned more about the "celebratory" fire that could becoming in during the evening for there are soccer games going on in the evening. The Iraqis love to celebrate their wins by shooting off their AK-47's in the air. Of course they point them right across the river at the "Green Zone" Walk home each night in the 105 degree heat with the full body armor on and take your chances . The Army gunships and helo just keep flying in and out atnight and keep shaking the trailer and my bed. I'm starting to not get waken up as easy each night. They now have a nick name in the area here for us Navy people who were set over here to help out the Army. We are
referred to as "Sandbox Sailors", as we have no ships , we have no ocean but there is plenty of sand!! Well a good thing is the food is very good at the dining facility and you have plenty to eat.
I did have my success story for the weekend. I was able to get all my laundry done!! Today had to go and get another Anthrax shot. Well you gotto have the little success when you can. How is your summer day in America going?

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 07:06 PM

Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:39:29 -0400
Subject: A day in baghdad...a long summer to come

Well I had to go to the chapel today for I had to get my last "welcome aboard" briefing from the Multi-National Force-Iraq. There were about 30 of us in the chapel and we had all kinds of speakers tell us the rules, (NO alcohol at all, even thought the State department people sit by the pool and have a few cold ones... No Beer for You!). Well of course everybody was armed so I thought to myself at least you can feel safe that the collection plate will be safe during mass. Just than I heard the loud whistle of a 107 mm rocket inbound to the complex, I dove on the floor and few others piled on. There is not much room between the sit/benches in church so you have to do what you have to do! Well the rocket continued on and landed somewhere close by.

Hey, if you go to church and everybody shows up wearing weapons and "bad guys" are dropping 107 mm rockets in on you. It is time to find a new church!

A couple of car bombs just went off in down town Baghdad and a lot of people have been killed and wounded. Military operations are starting and the "surge" is in place. It is going to be a long and interesting summer. The bad guys know where the "Green Zone" and the "International Zone" are and they just drop their greetings in when they want to. It was also told to me that besides the mortars and the rockets coming in there is what is called "celebratory fire". It seems that when the local are happy and want to celebrate they take to the streets and shoot off their AK-47's because they are happy, (in the direction of the green zone and international zone). There are some soccer tournaments coming up in the area to try and keep the people interacting and calm with each other. Now that will be fun!!

Well the 4th of July is coming up so everybody relax have a couple of burgers and dogs and your favorite cold beverage and just relax. Take care

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 07:08 PM

Subject: A summer day in Baghdad...lunch at a palace

I spent a day "Outside the Wire" and had to head up to another
"Forward Operating Base", (FOB). It was hot, pushing around 105 degrees at the time and I realized it was time for lunch. So I made contact with a few of my buds and we decided to meet and have lunch at a palace. It made for a nice break in the day. I hope everybody had a nice lunch on 6/26/2007. Remember, in the summer you need to drink plenty of fluids and still eat!

Take care and enjoy your summer.

**note** Pics were removed from the email - TMI. **note**

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 07:10 PM

Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:50:02 +0400
Subject: A bad day in Baghdad!

Yesterday was a really bad day here in the green zone. We got attacked in the afternoon by the "Baghdad rocket man" and his crew. They put 35 of the 81 mm mortars right into the green zone here. It was pretty bad; we had 3 people killed and 21 wounded all in about 45 minutes. I was outside going back to my hooch to get some paperwork for the admin people at the front office and I got caught out in the open. I heard the first incoming so I ran over to the nearest shelter/bunker and another guy followed right in behind me. He was carrying a radio so we could hear what was going on with the emergency response frequency. We could hear all he the rounds going off. The worst part was we could hear them "walking" there way over towards our shelter/bunker. The radio was pretty much telling us the same thing. All we could do was lay down in the dirt on the bottom of the shelter/bunker and just wait. The sand kept working its way in from the sand bags on the top of the shelter/bunker and of course it was 110 degrees with not air circulation but you just got make the best of it. Well the shelling stopped so it did not get to us. We waited till the "All clear" call, got up off the dirt floor, dusted the sand and dirt off and I headed back to the office to get the paperwork turned in. So how was your day in America?

CDR "Downtown Baghdad"

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 07:13 PM

Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:02:29 +0400
Subject: Some unwanted neighbors came over last night...wild west Baghdad

Gen Petraeus (4 star running the war here) told us here in the green
zone that we can expect a "Tet offensive" from the insurgents from now up till September when he give his report to congress on what is going on here in Iraq. He also put this out to the media several days ago. Well last night, this morning, it looks like several of the unwanted neighbors came across the river and tried to get in. They were discovered and the fire fight started. It was pretty loud with all of the mortars and heavy machines guns going off. We lost power in the area and my hooch was rocking with all of the gun ships flying out low overhead to get into the "mix" with the unwanted neighbors trying to come over. It lasted for about 45 minutes. The embassy has put out the warning about the high level/threat of kidnapping and being "snatched" in the area. The security level posture has gone up. Some of the people who work at the State Department look at you with discontent like you are ruining there time off with the security levels that are imposed. Not letting them park near building, (car bombs) being sniffed by dogs, (suicide bombers), restricting outdoor activities ("Baghdad Rocket man"going at it).

I was coming back from the palace last night @11:30 pm, (112 degree's) heading back to my hooch and there was this woman getting ready to go for a run. I stopped her and told her that first of all the ambassador, (and the Genera) has put out the instruction that NOBODY is to be outside without body armor and a Kevlar helmet and that the threat of kidnapping/being "snatched" is pretty high. This woman, @ 5' 1", 120 pounds, unarmed, no body armor or helmet, wearing dark clothes getting ready to go out for a run on the perimeter road at night by herself, I told her that she should not be doing this. She told me "It is none of your business" and "I'll do what I want for I work at State". She had a real attitude problem!! I just stood there and could do nothing as she headed of into the night to the perimeter road. Yea, my tax dollars hard at work paying her salary and her bad attitude!!
Well when the fire fight started at 02:30 am I though and hoped that
there was nobody out in that area running!!
That is life in the green zone when you have to deal with some of these State Department people. They just don't think it is real or else it will not happen to them. You got to deal with all kinds when you live in "Wild West Baghdad"

Well I hope everybody is able at the end of your day in America to get outside, (without your body armor, Kevlar helmet and you 9 mm side arm, gas mask) walk around your neighbor hood and see what is going on and talk to neighbors, (without bad attitudes) and enjoy the summer....

Take care

CDR "Downtown Baghdad"

Clodfobble · 07-15-2007, 08:26 PM

Quote:

**note** Pics were removed from the email - TMI. **note**

Was this your note, yesman, or part of the email?

yesman065 · 07-15-2007, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Was this your note, yesman, or part of the email?

That was my note - They were there when I first got it, but they are no longer available. It's too bad they were of my friend in these absolutely gorgeous palaces and a few outside images that showed the area pretty well - perhaps that is why they are gone now. I really don't know.

TheMercenary · 07-16-2007, 11:54 AM

Thanks for sharing.

yesman065 · 07-16-2007, 10:13 PM

I found a picture that he sent - lets see if I remember how to do this.

Cloud · 07-16-2007, 10:23 PM

for pics from soldiers, you can visit the Under Mars site.

yesman065 · 07-16-2007, 10:26 PM

Thanks cloud, but I have some that he sent me and they are too big to upload - I'm tryin to remember how to reduce them.

Clodfobble · 07-16-2007, 10:31 PM

Open in Paint, Image --> Stretch/Skew, Choose some number smaller than 100 for both horizontal and vertical. Repeat as necessary until it's small enough.

yesman065 · 07-16-2007, 10:41 PM

Last chance to post a pic

yesman065 · 07-16-2007, 10:45 PM

1 more

07-15-2007, 07:00 PM	#1
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Letters from Baghdad I have a very good friend who was deployed to the Middle East as part of "the Surge" - I thought I'd share a few of his emails with all of you as I get them. Sorry that I started this a few emails late. Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:50:36 -0400 Subject: Made it to Kuwait Yes I made it into Kuwait. Got in about 9:30 local time and than we boarded busses and went on a 2 hour ride on a bus that keep breaking down. We were able to get all of our gear sorted out at about 2:45 am and I am now in an air conditioned tent with 9 other people sleeping on cots. The sand blows in every once in a while with the wind. It was a bit cool when we landed only 107. Today it is 118 and it is hot. I have been outside walking and drinking alot of water to keep going. I did sleep a lot on the plane and it was OK. We had plenty of food to eat and we were seated every other seat so we could sleep and relax, tried to watch a few really lame movies, but could not do it so I just went to sleep. Well take care of "Crash."

07-15-2007, 07:10 PM	#5
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	A bad day in Baghdad! Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:50:02 +0400 Subject: A bad day in Baghdad! Yesterday was a really bad day here in the green zone. We got attacked in the afternoon by the "Baghdad rocket man" and his crew. They put 35 of the 81 mm mortars right into the green zone here. It was pretty bad; we had 3 people killed and 21 wounded all in about 45 minutes. I was outside going back to my hooch to get some paperwork for the admin people at the front office and I got caught out in the open. I heard the first incoming so I ran over to the nearest shelter/bunker and another guy followed right in behind me. He was carrying a radio so we could hear what was going on with the emergency response frequency. We could hear all he the rounds going off. The worst part was we could hear them "walking" there way over towards our shelter/bunker. The radio was pretty much telling us the same thing. All we could do was lay down in the dirt on the bottom of the shelter/bunker and just wait. The sand kept working its way in from the sand bags on the top of the shelter/bunker and of course it was 110 degrees with not air circulation but you just got make the best of it. Well the shelling stopped so it did not get to us. We waited till the "All clear" call, got up off the dirt floor, dusted the sand and dirt off and I headed back to the office to get the paperwork turned in. So how was your day in America? CDR "Downtown Baghdad"

07-15-2007, 07:13 PM	#6
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	unwanted neighbors Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:02:29 +0400 Subject: Some unwanted neighbors came over last night...wild west Baghdad Gen Petraeus (4 star running the war here) told us here in the green zone that we can expect a "Tet offensive" from the insurgents from now up till September when he give his report to congress on what is going on here in Iraq. He also put this out to the media several days ago. Well last night, this morning, it looks like several of the unwanted neighbors came across the river and tried to get in. They were discovered and the fire fight started. It was pretty loud with all of the mortars and heavy machines guns going off. We lost power in the area and my hooch was rocking with all of the gun ships flying out low overhead to get into the "mix" with the unwanted neighbors trying to come over. It lasted for about 45 minutes. The embassy has put out the warning about the high level/threat of kidnapping and being "snatched" in the area. The security level posture has gone up. Some of the people who work at the State Department look at you with discontent like you are ruining there time off with the security levels that are imposed. Not letting them park near building, (car bombs) being sniffed by dogs, (suicide bombers), restricting outdoor activities ("Baghdad Rocket man"going at it). I was coming back from the palace last night @11:30 pm, (112 degree's) heading back to my hooch and there was this woman getting ready to go for a run. I stopped her and told her that first of all the ambassador, (and the Genera) has put out the instruction that NOBODY is to be outside without body armor and a Kevlar helmet and that the threat of kidnapping/being "snatched" is pretty high. This woman, @ 5' 1", 120 pounds, unarmed, no body armor or helmet, wearing dark clothes getting ready to go out for a run on the perimeter road at night by herself, I told her that she should not be doing this. She told me "It is none of your business" and "I'll do what I want for I work at State". She had a real attitude problem!! I just stood there and could do nothing as she headed of into the night to the perimeter road. Yea, my tax dollars hard at work paying her salary and her bad attitude!! Well when the fire fight started at 02:30 am I though and hoped that there was nobody out in that area running!! That is life in the green zone when you have to deal with some of these State Department people. They just don't think it is real or else it will not happen to them. You got to deal with all kinds when you live in "Wild West Baghdad" Well I hope everybody is able at the end of your day in America to get outside, (without your body armor, Kevlar helmet and you 9 mm side arm, gas mask) walk around your neighbor hood and see what is going on and talk to neighbors, (without bad attitudes) and enjoy the summer.... Take care CDR "Downtown Baghdad"

07-16-2007, 11:54 AM	#9
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Thanks for sharing. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

07-16-2007, 10:13 PM	#10
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	I found a picture that he sent - lets see if I remember how to do this. Last edited by yesman065; 07-16-2007 at 10:19 PM.

07-15-2007, 07:02 PM	#2
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Sent: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 4:48 am Subject: A day in the sand Well it is another day here on a "different" beach called Baghdad. It will between 1115 and 118 degrees each day this week. It is hot, still working the 14 hour day but do find sometime off when I can. Stillgetting the rocket and mortar attacks coming in. Have been warned more about the "celebratory" fire that could becoming in during the evening for there are soccer games going on in the evening. The Iraqis love to celebrate their wins by shooting off their AK-47's in the air. Of course they point them right across the river at the "Green Zone" Walk home each night in the 105 degree heat with the full body armor on and take your chances . The Army gunships and helo just keep flying in and out atnight and keep shaking the trailer and my bed. I'm starting to not get waken up as easy each night. They now have a nick name in the area here for us Navy people who were set over here to help out the Army. We are referred to as "Sandbox Sailors", as we have no ships , we have no ocean but there is plenty of sand!! Well a good thing is the food is very good at the dining facility and you have plenty to eat. I did have my success story for the weekend. I was able to get all my laundry done!! Today had to go and get another Anthrax shot. Well you gotto have the little success when you can. How is your summer day in America going?

07-15-2007, 07:06 PM	#3
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:39:29 -0400 Subject: A day in baghdad...a long summer to come Well I had to go to the chapel today for I had to get my last "welcome aboard" briefing from the Multi-National Force-Iraq. There were about 30 of us in the chapel and we had all kinds of speakers tell us the rules, (NO alcohol at all, even thought the State department people sit by the pool and have a few cold ones... No Beer for You!). Well of course everybody was armed so I thought to myself at least you can feel safe that the collection plate will be safe during mass. Just than I heard the loud whistle of a 107 mm rocket inbound to the complex, I dove on the floor and few others piled on. There is not much room between the sit/benches in church so you have to do what you have to do! Well the rocket continued on and landed somewhere close by. Hey, if you go to church and everybody shows up wearing weapons and "bad guys" are dropping 107 mm rockets in on you. It is time to find a new church! A couple of car bombs just went off in down town Baghdad and a lot of people have been killed and wounded. Military operations are starting and the "surge" is in place. It is going to be a long and interesting summer. The bad guys know where the "Green Zone" and the "International Zone" are and they just drop their greetings in when they want to. It was also told to me that besides the mortars and the rockets coming in there is what is called "celebratory fire". It seems that when the local are happy and want to celebrate they take to the streets and shoot off their AK-47's because they are happy, (in the direction of the green zone and international zone). There are some soccer tournaments coming up in the area to try and keep the people interacting and calm with each other. Now that will be fun!! Well the 4th of July is coming up so everybody relax have a couple of burgers and dogs and your favorite cold beverage and just relax. Take care

07-15-2007, 07:08 PM	#4
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Subject: A summer day in Baghdad...lunch at a palace I spent a day "Outside the Wire" and had to head up to another "Forward Operating Base", (FOB). It was hot, pushing around 105 degrees at the time and I realized it was time for lunch. So I made contact with a few of my buds and we decided to meet and have lunch at a palace. It made for a nice break in the day. I hope everybody had a nice lunch on 6/26/2007. Remember, in the summer you need to drink plenty of fluids and still eat! Take care and enjoy your summer. note Pics were removed from the email - TMI. note

07-16-2007, 10:23 PM	#11
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	for pics from soldiers, you can visit the Under Mars site. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

07-16-2007, 10:26 PM	#12
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Thanks cloud, but I have some that he sent me and they are too big to upload - I'm tryin to remember how to reduce them.

07-16-2007, 10:31 PM	#13
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Open in Paint, Image --> Stretch/Skew, Choose some number smaller than 100 for both horizontal and vertical. Repeat as necessary until it's small enough.

07-16-2007, 10:41 PM	#14
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Last chance to post a pic Attached Images

07-16-2007, 10:45 PM	#15
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	1 more Attached Images

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