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I will celebrate you as you protect my freedom! ~ This Indpendence Day

By
Mortgage and Lending with Draper and Kramer NMLS# 189006

 

fireworksI love the 4th of July it is usually a time when most everyone takes the day off, enjoys the BBQ's, the get together of friends and family, and concludes with the traditional fireworks.

 

 

Independence Day has a special meaning for those with loved ones fighting for OUR country!  Everyday these young men and women risk their lives for our FREEDOM

 

Freedoms flag

My husbands cousin is in the military.  A letter arrived today from my mother in law that she received from her nephew, Joseph.  Joseph is only 20 years old and in Afghanistan.  I would like to share with you a letter from a soldier.

 

 

***WARNING*** Some details graphic in nature!

 

Dear Aunt Mary,

Things are going well here.  We have had 9 rocket attacks in the past 2 months.  But they hit on the mountains and not on the FOB.  Today I was helping train the Afghan Army on the shooting range.  Oh my god do I hope we never need there help in a fire fight !  Out of 30 rounds they hit the target 3 times.  That's some scary sh**.  I'm going home for 2 weeks in July but I'm going to visit New York for a few days.  Never been there and would like to see what the big thing about the NY pizza is.  I'm sure Chi pizza is better.  I have seen some crazy stuff so far.  About a week ago the Afghan police hit an IED in their truck, it blew it to pieces.  They sent another truck to go get what was left.  When they came back the whole bed of the truck was filled with body parts.  It was one bloody mess.  Then the other day I helped the doctors do 2 operations, One guy got shot in the liver and the other shot in the shoulder.  It was like the TV show Mash.  They had all his intestines out and outside you hear the cannon shooting off rounds and everyone is just joking and doing the operation.  My job was to pump air into his lungs.  So I got to see everything.  It was cool yet gross.  I have been working a lot of hours.  Sometimes up to 18 hours.  Last week I was working so much that I didn't sleep for 3 days.  Then I had to sleep I was not to smart after that my brain was not working so well.  But you have to do what you have to do right? 

 

This Independence Day I will celebrate all the soldiers now and from yesterday!  They fight for our Independence!  They fight for our freedom!

Many families have young men and women away in Iraq or Afghanistan or somewhere else other than home. 

This 4th of July, I will celebrate you Joseph and all the other men and women protecting our FREEDOM!

  

The names in this story have been changed, and the letter edited without the personal content but the letter is real from my husband's cousin!

Comments (23)

Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C

Christopher...  You are very welcome!  As a soldier yourself I'm sure you can relate!

Christopher and Bernadette... Thank you for your prayers for Joseph and all the other soldiers!

Nattalie... They should NEVER be forgotten!

Thank you all for your support!

Jul 02, 2007 02:29 PM
Jack Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater Beach, FL
Clearwater Beach Condos - Real Estate Homes for Sale

Kim,

We are fortunate to live in this country, and it is made possible by people like Joseph.

Jack

Jul 02, 2007 02:54 PM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C
Jack... You are so right, Thanks for checking in, I can always count on you!
Jul 02, 2007 03:06 PM
Jack Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater Beach, FL
Clearwater Beach Condos - Real Estate Homes for Sale

Kim,

We are fortunate to live in this country, and it is made possible by people like Joseph.

Jack

Jul 02, 2007 03:31 PM
Susie Roscoe
Signature Realty Associates - Brandon, FL
Real Estate Specialist | Brandon, FL

Kim - that is touching to show how REAL our SOLDIERS ARE!!  I am daughter to a RETIRED USAF Dad who also fought for our country!  I have a niece and nephew in Iraq who are now fighting as well!  We should all be THANKFUL while we celebrate our FREEDOM that each of these soldiers are fighting for!! 

I will be putting out my BIG USA FLAG today and it will fly all week long!!  Thank you again for this post!  We need more like this!!

Jul 02, 2007 10:21 PM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C

Susie...  I am the daughter of a Vietnam Vet! They should not be ignored or forgotten!  My oldest will be 18 in October, I cant even imagine him going to war in a couple of months, they are just babies!  To me the reality of this letter was AWESOME!  Have a great 4th!

Jul 03, 2007 02:41 AM
Doug Capps
Guaranty Bank & Trust Co - Hernando, MS
CLO, CRMS, MMS

Thanks for the blog.  I read once "in another blog on AR," around Memorial Day.  Let us not forget those that have fought and are fighting and to JUST not remember them on those special days.  We need to remember and THANK those that have and will preserve our freedoms EVERYDAY!!!

Thanks Kim.

Doug Capps ... aka (used to be) SSG Robert D. Capps, US Army Military Police Corps

Jul 03, 2007 08:19 AM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C

Doug... Thank you for also being a part of preserving our FREEDOM!  Happy 4th to you and your family

Jul 03, 2007 12:42 PM
Lysa Napolitano
Daytona Beach, FL
Kim, I've never read a letter to home before. I have chills. Thanks so much for sharing this and thank your husbands cousin for what she does. I too am a "brat", I make sure to thank each vet for my freedom whenever I run into one on my travels.  
Jul 03, 2007 01:43 PM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C
Lysa...  This is the first letter from a soldier we knew and received!  It did bring a tear to my (ear..lol) eye!  When I showed my husband the post, he was VERY moved!  (Can I say he had tears?...he did!)
Jul 03, 2007 01:45 PM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
The young son of a friend of ours was a medic in Iraq. No teenager should have to see what he saw, and what many others see every day. Our freedom and independence was and continues to be "bought" and protected at great cost by many men and women.  Thank You!
Jul 04, 2007 02:17 AM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C
Sharon... These men and women are trained for almost everything....Joseph is not even in the medical field, and you see what he witnessed. 
Jul 04, 2007 02:27 AM
Vicki Bishop GRI - Alabama Real Estate
Coldwell Banker United Realtors® - Bay Minette, AL

The letters home home are so awesome. My nephew (Marine Recon) was over in Iraq his letters home were treasured . The letters to his Dad had more detail about how bad it was , but to me and the rest of the family he tried to stay upbeat.

Vicki

Jul 04, 2007 02:48 AM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C

Vicki... I can understand trying to make everyone at home believe its not as bad, so they don't worry...but I think the worry is there no matter what!  Happy 4th of July!

Jul 04, 2007 05:36 AM
Ruth Jacobs
Quantum One Realty - Palm Beach Gardens, FL
North Palm Beach, Real Estate Specialist, CDPE, SF
Kim, Thanks for sharing the letter.  We appreciate every day those that have protected our freedoms in the past and those that continue to protect our freedoms.
Jul 04, 2007 12:49 PM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C
Ruth... Thank you for taking the time to read it and comment! 
Jul 04, 2007 04:37 PM
Rick and Lynn Orze
RE/MAX All Pro - Carol Stream, IL
Carol Stream, IL RE/MAX All Pro
Very touching post Kim- We live in a great country and we are thankful to the many men and women that risk their lives to protect this country!!
Jul 05, 2007 02:06 PM
Anonymous
Brenda
Thank you Kim, for posting this letter, it was written by my little Brother.  All of your comments and prayers are very appreciated.  I am happy to post that he made it home on his leave and arrived on the 4th of July, It was an honor to be able to celebrate the holiday with him, we are so proud!  It was a wonderful and tearful moment when he walked through the door at Mom and Dad's house!  Thank you everyone for your attention to our Service Men and Women! 
Jul 05, 2007 03:00 PM
#21
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C
Rick and Lynn... Ahmen!  Hope you had a GREAT Holiday!
Jul 07, 2007 03:48 AM
Kim Murphy
Draper and Kramer - Lombard, IL
Mortgage Loans in DuPage, Kane, Cook, Lake, Will C
Brenda... It was my pleasure to post this letter!  Something needs to be said for the men and women fighting for us!  I am so glad he came home on the 4th of July and all of you were able to be together!  Letting him go back wont be easy, but he will be kept in our prayers!  Thank you Brenda!
Jul 07, 2007 03:51 AM