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Devil’s Windchime

Teflon Don at Acute Politics on the deaths of his comrades Feb. 8.  They had cleared a path to a helicopter downed the day before so the bodies could be recovered, and were going back to retrieve the Marines who had been guarding the site. It was the crash site where USMC Capt. Jennifer Harris and her six crew died Feb. 7:  

I learn that the mission they were on was clearing the route to the site of an American helicopter that crashed the day before. The previous night they had cleared a path out so that the bodies of the crew could be recovered. Today, they had gone back to clear a path home for the Marines left to guard the airframe until arrangements could be made for its recovery and/or destruction. After the the first truck had been hit, they had pressed on to reach the Marines at the crash site, only to turn back when the second truck was hit. A Marine route clearance unit is diverted to the site, and eventually clears through. Meanwhile, we all sit and watch the screen track our platoons slow and painful progress back towards safety. I take my leave again, and go with a few friends. We sit, and begin to speak of the dead.

One of the dead men had been a friend of mine as long as I’d been in the unit. We’d laughed together, drank together, and talked about the future. He’d got me started smoking at NTC at the same time that he was trying to quit. Tonight, I’m helping organize the things he left behind. His girlfriend of a year meets me at his room to give me another box. She’s from another company; they met just prior to our deployment alert, and have struggled to build their relationship through the midst of war. She looks smaller than I’ve ever seen her, as if she’s lost a physical part of herself.

Under a sky streaked blood-red and angry with sunset, I carry my friends belongings from his room. In my head I can already see another sun setting over the memorial to come; the breeze twisting dogtags around a rifle like a devils windchime, and carrying once again the plaintive notes of the bagpipe playing Amazing Grace.

Rest in peace
SGT Holtom
SGT Clevenger
PFC Werner 

Here’s the whole thing.

Badger 6, the fallen soldiers’ company commander, confirms it was Harris CH-46 and adds this for now: 

SGT James Holtom. SGT Holtom was the vehicle commander of the RG31 that was leading the way to the crash site of the CH46 that was recently in the news. I had promoted him last May. He was an outstanding leader, an excellent Soldier, a good friend, a much loved son, and a soon to be husband to very nice young lady.

SGT Ross Clevenger. SGT Clevenger ( I promoted him in the last two weeks when he returned from leave, the media and the DOD have listed him as a Specialist. He was an NCO and deserves that recognition) was the vehicle driver of the RG31 that was leading the way to the CH46 crash site. SGT Clevenger’s leadership skills were just being tapped. A fantastic Soldier and friend, he had a very large family that was enormously proud of him, and a fiancee that serves here in another company with him.

PFC Raymond Werner ( I had recently promoted him too to Private First Class) was the gunner on the RG31. As the gunner he was the first line of defense for this team from small arms fire and other conventional threats. PFC Werner was a relatively new Soldier, but he was an excellent one. He was a good friend to many in his Squad and Platoon and those back home. He was also married just before we mobilized last year.

They all were excellent Soldiers that I was proud to know and humbled to lead. I love them, I miss them, I will never forget them.

Memorial Service is today.

More on Harris, whose body they had helped recover, here and here.

Topics: Iraq, military

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:12 am on Tuesday, February 13, 2007

3 Responses to “Devil’s Windchime”

1. RebeccaH Says:
   February 13th, 2007 at 12:23 pm

   Devil’s windchime? No. More like an angel’s clarion.

2. Bill's Bites Says:
   February 13th, 2007 at 4:48 pm

   Devil’s Windchime

   Devil’s Windchime Jules Crittenden Teflon Don at Acute Politics on the deaths of his comrades Feb. 8. They had cleared a path to a helicopter downed the day before so the bodies could be recovered, and were going back to

3. Old War Dogs Says:
   February 13th, 2007 at 5:09 pm

   Bill’s Nibbles — 2007.02.13

   Some Bill’s Bites posts, some things I excerpted and linked but I’m sending you to the original post. I may rearrange the order of the items within this post as I add new things that I think belong above the

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