Through the courtesy of
Vic Olney, of Tara Hall (tarahall@earthlink.net...),
the ?Fighting 69th? Support Group, StrategyPage has been following the adventures of New York?s the
famed Irish regiment during its deployment in Iraq. In Iraq, the 69th served with Louisiana?s 156th
Infantry, the descendant of outfits that it last enountered on Malvern Hill,
back in 1862.
The ?Fighting 69th? Returns Home, & Pitches in to Help Some Comrades
The last soldiers of the 69th left Iraq on Monday, September 5th,
for the safety of Kuwait and where they had to wait a few days for air transportation
home to McGuire - Ft Dix in New Jersey (There was an overall delay in Air
Transport due to the hurricanes in the Gulf region.
The cost has been heavy: 19 KIA, 14 orphans, numerous
WIA. Freedom is not bought cheap. These
are our guys - 69th Soldiers - and we all share the burden of their
loss.
The troops spent about five days in Ft Dix for
debriefing and paperwork and then get two weeks of paid leave. After that they will have 90 days before they
will return to the National Guard schedule.
As a result of the 69th?s absence in Iraq,
the 200r St Patrick?s Day parade in New York, and subsequent party at the
regiment?s armory (at 68 Lexington Avenue) were less exhuberant than in most
years. The festivities next year are
expected to take on a more festive charcter.
Helping Our Comrades in
Arms: Katrina
The 69th served with
the 1st Bn 156th Infantry of the Louisiana National Guard as part of the 256th
Brigade Combat Team. Of our 19 dead 10
were from New York and 9 from Louisiana.
They will forever be recognized as 69th men - they died while serving
the Colors of the ?Fighting 69th?.
The New York Soldiers
will return to their homes bearing the burden of knowing that many of their
comrades in their Combat Team are returning to a natural disaster. Some have nothing to return to.
The Ancient Hibernians
of America - the famous AOH Division #7 - has raised well over $100,000.00 so
far to assist the orphans of those killed in action serving with the 69th
by setting up an educational trust for each of
the children.
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