IRAQ: US MARINES HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICE IN HONOUR OF FOUR MARINES KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH
Record ID:
648242
IRAQ: US MARINES HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICE IN HONOUR OF FOUR MARINES KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH
- Title: IRAQ: US MARINES HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICE IN HONOUR OF FOUR MARINES KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH
- Date: 25th May 2003
- Summary: (U6) CAMP BABYLON, AL HILLAL, IRAQ (MAY 24, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV MARINES AT MEMORIAL SERVICE; MV READING HYMNS; MV MARINES TOUCHING HELMETS (6 SHOTS) 0.36 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIRST SERGEANT LARRY ARCHAMBAULT, BRAVO COMPANY FIRST BATTALION, FOURTH MARINE DIVISION, SAYING "Sergeant Straseskie happened to be across the river, you can see it from here, right behind my right shoulder. He saw the crash go down from the other side of river, the helo (helicopter) go down from the other side of the river. He sped south, along with another marine. He arrived about the same time as another vehicle on the east shore, with two officers and corpsmen. He jumped immediately into the river from upstream and the two officers jumped on the east side, upstream slightly. They all three underestimated the current speed and overshot the helo (helicopter) and by the time Sergeant Straseskie realized he had overshot it, he was in trouble." 1.18 3. SLV BUILDING ON SIDE OF RIVER 1.23 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRIVATE FIRST CLASS CODY BATROFF, BRAVO COMPANY, FIRST BATTALION, FOURTH MARINE DIVISION, SAYING "It's gonna be pretty quiet, pretty quiet. They'll be a lot of thinking." 1.29 5. SLV MARINES SITTING UNDER CANOPY IN FRONT OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PALACE; AMERICAN FLAG IN WINDOW; MV MARINE SITTING; SLV MARINE WALKING PAST FRONT OF BUILDING; SCU RELIEF SCULPTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S FACE (5 SHOTS) 1.52 6. LV PAN / HAS ANCIENT RUINS OF BABYLON 2.06 7. HAS AMERICAN MARINES AT CAMP BABYLON; MV MARINES LOOKING AT RUINS; SCU RELIEF SCULPTURE OF BABYLON (6 SHOTS) 2.37 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAPTAIN DAVID ROMLEY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR THE FIRST MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, SAYING "Memorial Day is probably very different this year. Many marines have lost a lot of friends; many marines will never forget their experiences in Iraq. So I think maybe it has different meaning for the marines this year." 2.49 9. MV ANCIENT LION SCULPTURE WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PALACE IN BACKGROUND 2.53 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 9th June 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CAMP BABYLON, AL HILLAL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA4JLCMG4SHL4TKFNAZS48Y2D7G
- Story Text: United States Marines based in Babylon, Iraq have held
a memorial service in honour of four marines who were killed
in a helicopter crash earlier in the week, and a fifth marine
who was killed after jumping into the water to save them.
United States (U.S.) Marines protecting the ancient
ruins of Babylon held an early Memorial Day service on
Saturday (May 24, 2003) in honour of five marines who had been
killed as a result of a helicopter crash earlier in the week.
A service overseen by Marine Chaplain Gwudz took place in
a large hall of one of Saddam Hussein's guesthouses near the
famous ruins of Babylon.
Marines remembered the crew who died after their Ch-46
Sea-Knight helicopter crashed in the Shat Al Hillah Canal
shortly after take-off. Captain Andrew Lamont, First
Lieutenant Tim Ryan, Staff Sergeant Aaron White, and Lance
Corporal Jason Moore were aboard the helicopter when it
crashed.
Another marine, Sergeant Kirk A. Straseskie, died after
jumping into the water in a bid to rescue the crew.
Helmets of the five deceased soldiers were lined up on a
table at the front of the service. After a moment of silence
and a hymn, marines lined up to touch the helmets of their
friends.
First Sergeant Larry Archambault said that the helicopter
crashed after hitting electrical wires, but an investigation
was still underway to determine the cause of the accident.
Archambault described Straseskie as "the kind of guy
everyone loved."
"He (Sergeant Straseskie) arrived about the same time
another vehicle on the east shore, with two officers and
corpsmen. He jumped immediately into the river from upstream
and the two officers jumped on the east side, upstream
slightly. They all three underestimated the current speed and
overshot the helo (helicopter) and by the time Sergeant
Straseskie realized he had overshot it, he was in trouble,"
Archambault said.
Private First Class Cody Batroff, from Phoenix, Arizona
said he expected Memorial Day this year to be sombre.
"It's gonna be pretty quiet, pretty quiet. They'll be a
lot of thinking," Batroff said.
Camp Babylon is around the site of King Nebuchadnezzar's
ancient Babylon, a cradle of civilisation and one of the
jewels Iraq's rich archaeological crown
It also houses one of the many lavish palaces of Saddam
Hussein, a place of golden taps in marble bathrooms, with
relief sculptures of his likeness and his initials carved
along the sides of building.
Babylon flourished twice in ancient times and laid the
foundations for much of today's civilisation, with its
emphasis on a legal code, culture and science. The Hanging
Gardens of Babylon were one of the seven wonders of the
ancient world.
Marines walked around the ancient city, examining bricks
labelled with Nebuchandnezzar's name and the names of another
more recent ruler of Iraq. Saddam styled himself a latter-day
Nebuchandnezzar, adding his own bricks to those of ancient
king as he rebuilt the ruins.
Standing in the ancient city, Captain David Romley, Public
Affairs Officer for the First Marine Expeditionary Force said
that Memorial Day this year has a particularly special meaning
to him.
"Memorial Day is probably very different this year. Many
marines have lost a lot of friends, many marines will never
forget their experiences in Iraq. So I think maybe it has
different meaning for the marines this year," Romley said.
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