Wednesday, November 24, 2004

A Look Back - Thanksgiving with the Troops



Thanksgiving marks the season when hearts begin turning towards home, and this year again finds many of our young men and women in a war they did not choose, but one they are bravely waging. Some have given their lives to protect not only you and me and our children from enemies who hate us, but to liberate a people who are oppressed by these same enemies. None of us should ever take any of this for granted.

It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since President Bush made his surprise visit to our troops in Baghdad last Thanksgiving. It was the topic of discussion across many dinner tables that day, I’m sure. It was also the hot topic in Iraq amongst the troops. The following email from a Captain who was present recounts:

"We knew there was a dinner planned with Ambassador Bremer and General Sanchez. There were 600 seats available and all the units in the division were tasked with filling the tables. I chose not to go. At about 1500 [hours] the G2, LTC Devan, came up to me and with a smile, asked me to come to dinner with him, to meet him in his office at 1600 and bring a camera. I didn't really care about getting a picture with Sanchez or Bremer, but when the division's senior intelligence officer asks you to go, you go.

"We were seated in the chow hall, fully decorated for Thanksgiving when all kinds of Secret Service guys showed up. That was my first clue, because Bremer's been here before and his personal security detachment is not that big. Bremer thanked us all and pulled out a piece of paper as if to give a speech. He mentioned that the President had given him this Thanksgiving speech to give to the troops. He then paused and said that the senior man present should be the one to give it. He then looked at Sanchez, who just smiled.

"Bremer then said that we should probably get someone more senior to read the speech. Then, from behind the camouflage netting, the President came around. The mess hall erupted with hollering. Troops bounded to their feet with shocked smiles and began cheering with all their hearts. The building actually shook. It was just unreal. I was absolutely stunned. Not only for the obvious, but also because I was only two tables away from the podium. There he stood, less than thirty feet away from me! The cheering went on and on and on.”

Read what Thanksgiving was like for our troops in the jungles of Vietnam over 30 years ago, Click here.

© Sharon Hughes 2004


Send Comments

No comments: