Short clip of John aboard Air Force C-130 as we prepare to depart Kuwait for Baghdad International Airport at 0700 hours (after staying awake throughout 29 February in order to make roll call "wait list" for US Embassy flight.)
27 March 2009
25 March 2009
Video #7 - Janney and Wroblewski safe in Kuwait - Prepare to depart for Iraq
John Wroblewski and I have arrived safely in Kuwait on 28 February 2008, and quickly prepare to depart for Iraq. Very spartan quarters that all of our troops experience in Kuwait on their "layover" before they head to their next stop in Iraq. Constant roar of the diesel electric generators, along with 24/7 arrivals and departures of troops and contract employees make this desert stopover a personal "purgatory" for me. The canvas tents with minimal ventilation and temperature controls are set up on concrete slabs, surrounded by deep gravel to minimize dust during the heat of summer and ankle-deep mud holes during the rainy season. Negotiating your way across this huge camp is akin to walking in deep beach sand when dry or a swamp during the spring monsoons.
24 March 2009
Video #6 - John Wroblewski during flight to Kuwait 28 Feb 2008
John Wroblewski makes his video debut during our KLM flight over Iraq as we head toward Kuwait City, Kuwait on 28 Feb 2008. I think that he is deep in thought about our journey (and the reason for it: We are returning to Iraq to visit the site where John's son, USMC 2Lt J.T. Wroblewski, was mortally wounded during an ambush in east Ramadi on 6 April 2004. Ten other Marines and a Navy Corpsman were also killed during this ambush. However, John pretends that he is interested in our flight path during this clip, and smiles for my camera.
23 March 2009
Video #4 and #5 - Janney - Wroblewski 2008 Iraq embed - KLM flight to Kuwait
Here are short videos I shot during our flight from Amsterdam to Kuwait as we flew over eastern Turkey, and later, Iraq.
Videos of Janney-Wroblewski 2008 Iraq embed - The Journey Begins
I have finally recovered over 40 videos that I made during our embed assignment in Iraq last year from a damaged laptop.
As promised, I will begin posting these videos (40+) within this forum today.
This is raw unedited video. Please be kind with comments and critiques. I am a much better photographer than a videographer, but I did what I could to capture this aspect of our trip, and (finally) share it with you.
Note: Some adult language may be present in these videos! Realize that many of these videos were made while on patrol with the USMC in a combat zone in Iraq. Parents/caretakers should review before allowing children to view these videos.
As promised, I will begin posting these videos (40+) within this forum today.
This is raw unedited video. Please be kind with comments and critiques. I am a much better photographer than a videographer, but I did what I could to capture this aspect of our trip, and (finally) share it with you.
Note: Some adult language may be present in these videos! Realize that many of these videos were made while on patrol with the USMC in a combat zone in Iraq. Parents/caretakers should review before allowing children to view these videos.
04 March 2009
1st Anniversary of 1st visit by Gold Star Dad to site where USMC 2Lt J.T. Wroblewski KIA Iraq 6 April 2004
As the first anniversary of my and John Wroblewski's journey to Iraq approaches, I will be posting unedited video shot on 6 Mar 2008 of our historic visit on 6 Mar 2008 to the actual site where his son, USMC 2Lt J.T. Wroblewski, ten other US Marines, and a Navy Corpsman were killed in a Ramadi ambush on 6 April 2004. This video (shot by USMC Combat Cameraman Cpl Angel) was used along with my images for a 2008 Memorial Day special by Fox News on 26 May 2008.
I was honored to escort John Wroblewski as he made a 2nd attempt to travel to Iraq to perform a memorial service at the site where his son, J.T. and the other 11 men were KIA. Unfortunately, our first visit in January 2007 with Martha Zoller was unsuccessful, but this time we made it. My eternal thanks to the fine men and women of the U.S. military for working with us to make the journey possible. I was honored to have been a part of this historic 1st visit by any Gold Star parent to any site in Iraq where their son or daughter was killed. I felt we tried to honor the terrible sacrifices paid by the 12 men who were killed in that alley on 6 April 2004.
The names of the fallen are as follows: LCPL Benjamin Carman, LCPL Marcus Cherry, PFC Christopher Cobb, LCPL Kyle Crowley, PFC Deryk Hallal, PFC Ryan Jerabek, PFC Moises Langhorst, LCPL Travis Layfield, HM3 Fernandez Mendez, LCPL Anthony Roberts, SSGT Allan Walker, and 2nd Lt John Thomas Wroblewski.
My heart is also heavy with the realization that 6 April is only a month away - a date on which 12 brave men died together during a well planned ambush in 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. This date will be one of sadness for those families that have lost sons, fathers and brothers. But 6 April should also be a day of remembrance of their noble sacrifice, as they selflessly laid down their lives while they fought alongside their Marine and Navy brothers. These men were also doing the job for which they volunteered, a job that most of them loved, proudly serving their country, the United States Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.
Our successes in Iraq were bought and paid for with the blood of our sons and daughters. We must never forget their sacrifices! Please remember them as they fought and died for all of us. Rest in peace brave warriors. Semper Fidelis!
I was honored to escort John Wroblewski as he made a 2nd attempt to travel to Iraq to perform a memorial service at the site where his son, J.T. and the other 11 men were KIA. Unfortunately, our first visit in January 2007 with Martha Zoller was unsuccessful, but this time we made it. My eternal thanks to the fine men and women of the U.S. military for working with us to make the journey possible. I was honored to have been a part of this historic 1st visit by any Gold Star parent to any site in Iraq where their son or daughter was killed. I felt we tried to honor the terrible sacrifices paid by the 12 men who were killed in that alley on 6 April 2004.
The names of the fallen are as follows: LCPL Benjamin Carman, LCPL Marcus Cherry, PFC Christopher Cobb, LCPL Kyle Crowley, PFC Deryk Hallal, PFC Ryan Jerabek, PFC Moises Langhorst, LCPL Travis Layfield, HM3 Fernandez Mendez, LCPL Anthony Roberts, SSGT Allan Walker, and 2nd Lt John Thomas Wroblewski.
My heart is also heavy with the realization that 6 April is only a month away - a date on which 12 brave men died together during a well planned ambush in 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. This date will be one of sadness for those families that have lost sons, fathers and brothers. But 6 April should also be a day of remembrance of their noble sacrifice, as they selflessly laid down their lives while they fought alongside their Marine and Navy brothers. These men were also doing the job for which they volunteered, a job that most of them loved, proudly serving their country, the United States Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.
Our successes in Iraq were bought and paid for with the blood of our sons and daughters. We must never forget their sacrifices! Please remember them as they fought and died for all of us. Rest in peace brave warriors. Semper Fidelis!
02 January 2009
Does the Israel - Gaza conflict affect security in the Mideast or Iraq?
Currently, Palestinian militants are launching homemade and Iranian manufactured unguided rockets into Israeli civilian areas on an ongoing basis. Meanwhile, Israel is responding to these terror attacks through intelligence research, and has since surveyed and attacked Palestinian CNC (command and control sites), weapons caches, smuggling tunnels, rocket/mortar launch sites, and clandestine activities to load-fire-conceal these rockets. Generally speaking, I believe that Israel has previously restricted their responsive attacks to the particular locations where the rockets or munitions are located or have been used as launch sites.
Please note that in spite of the Israeli turnover of Gaza to the Palestinians, Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks have continued, and are likely to increase. Complaints about "precisely targeted" Israeli air strikes ring hollow when compared with the the many unrestricted attacks that Israel and it's citizens have experienced during the seven years of Palestinian missile launches into Israel. Since 2001, Palestinian militants in Gaza have launched over 10,000 unguided missiles from the Gaza Strip into Israel! Yet, our Israeli allies are criticized when they defend themselves. This is an inexcusable double standard from the liberal apologists and radical Islamic jihadists. Even the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for restraint and a cessation of Palestinian rockets attacks! Gaza has got to be at fault if a Clinton chastises them!
My primary concern is Iran's (clandestine) support of Hamas in Gaza during this conflict. Iran is continuing to supply weapons, technology, training, and support for the Palestinian "rocket men" in spite of calls from Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to end Palestinian attacks against non-specific Israeli targets inside Israel.
As I have reported previously during my Iraq embeds, Iran is desperately seeking to exert influence in the Mideast to increase their prestige among the Arab nations. Iran has spent huge amounts of money supplying EFP's (explosive formed penetrating devices), weapons, and Quod's training to "Al Qaeda in Iraq" insurgents during the last 5 years. Iran's radical Islamist leadership seems to be supporting Ahmadenijad's "bully" tactics to date.
Please note that in spite of the Israeli turnover of Gaza to the Palestinians, Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks have continued, and are likely to increase. Complaints about "precisely targeted" Israeli air strikes ring hollow when compared with the the many unrestricted attacks that Israel and it's citizens have experienced during the seven years of Palestinian missile launches into Israel. Since 2001, Palestinian militants in Gaza have launched over 10,000 unguided missiles from the Gaza Strip into Israel! Yet, our Israeli allies are criticized when they defend themselves. This is an inexcusable double standard from the liberal apologists and radical Islamic jihadists. Even the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for restraint and a cessation of Palestinian rockets attacks! Gaza has got to be at fault if a Clinton chastises them!
My primary concern is Iran's (clandestine) support of Hamas in Gaza during this conflict. Iran is continuing to supply weapons, technology, training, and support for the Palestinian "rocket men" in spite of calls from Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to end Palestinian attacks against non-specific Israeli targets inside Israel.
As I have reported previously during my Iraq embeds, Iran is desperately seeking to exert influence in the Mideast to increase their prestige among the Arab nations. Iran has spent huge amounts of money supplying EFP's (explosive formed penetrating devices), weapons, and Quod's training to "Al Qaeda in Iraq" insurgents during the last 5 years. Iran's radical Islamist leadership seems to be supporting Ahmadenijad's "bully" tactics to date.
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