Video #9 - John Wroblewski on C130 prior to departure for Baghdad 1 Mar 2008

Both John Wroblewski and I are exhausted after 30+ hours with little sleep, following our 18+ hour series of flights to get to Kuwait. This video shows John aboard the C130 in Kuwait prior to our departure for Baghdad International Airport.

Video #8 - Janney & Wroblewski 1 Mar 2008 Departure from Kuwait to Baghdad

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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!