posted by Michael Yon @ Saturday, May 07, 2005 0 comments
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Little Girl
Mosul
Major Mark Bieger found this little girl after the car bomb that attacked our guys while kids were crowding around. The soldiers here have been angry and sad for two days. They are angry because the terrorists could just as easily have waited a block or two and attacked the patrol away from the kids. Instead, the suicide bomber drove his car and hit the Stryker when about twenty children were jumping up and down and waving at the soldiers. Major Bieger, I had seen him help rescue some of our guys a week earlier during another big attack, took some of our soldiers and rushed this little girl to our hospital. He wanted her to have American surgeons and not to go to the Iraqi hospital. She didn't make it. I snapped this picture when Major Bieger ran to take her away. He kept stopping to talk with her and hug her.
The soldiers went back to that neighborhood the next day to ask what they could do. The people were very warming and welcomed us into their homes, and many kids were actually running up to say hello and to ask soldiers to shake hands.
Eventually, some insurgents must have realized we were back and started shooting at us. The American soldiers and Iraqi police started engaging the enemy and there was a running gun battle. I saw at least one IP who was shot, but he looked okay and actually smiled at me despite the big bullet hole in his leg. I smiled back.
One thing seems certain; the people in that neighborhood share our feelings about the terrorists. We are going to go back there, and if any terrorists come out, the soldiers hope to find them. Everybody is still very angry that the insurgents attacked us when the kids were around. Their day will come.
Michael Yon
El Mayor Mark Biegger encontró esta niña después de que un coche bomba explosionara cerca de una patrulla de soldados mientras un grupo de niños estaban a su alrededor. Los soldados no comprendían por que los terroristas suicidas no esperaron al paso de otra patrulla, los terroristas decidieron atacar el vehículo justo cuando un grupo de 20 niños saltaban y saludaban a la patrulla. El Mayor Biegger, había observado una semana antes como rescataban a sus soldados en otro ataque, el decidió con la ayuda de algunos soldados ayudar a la pequeña y llevarla a un hospital militar americano. La foto fue sacada cuando Biegger corría para llevársela al mismo tiempo que la abrazaba y consolaba a la pequeña.
Al día siguiente los soldados volvieron al lugar de los hechos para preocuparse por la gente y preguntar en que podían ayudar, ellos fueron muy bien recibidos e invitados a sus casas, dando la mano a los soldados.
La verdad es que la gente de ese barrio comparte los mismos sentimientos que los americanos por los terroristas. Vamos a volver allí y si los terroristas vuelven a aparecer nosotros estamos para encontrarlos. Su dia llegara.
Saludos