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| Iraq |
| Former POW from Kansas talks about capture in Iraq |
| 2003-11-13 |
| Associated Press. Edited slightly for length. A Kansas soldier who was captured in Iraq with Jessica Lynch says he shot and killed members of an Iraqi mortar team as they were getting ready to launch an attack on his American colleagues. "They were going to shoot and kill me, or I was going to shoot and kill them," Pfc. Patrick Miller said in an interview broadcast Tuesday night on Kansas City television station KMBC-TV. "It was no in between, what if this, what if that. It was either me or them. And in my mind, it wasnât going to be me." Miller, 23, of Valley Center, Kan., was with the Armyâs 507th Maintenance Company, which had 11 soldiers killed and six captured during an ambush in March. . . . [Miller] was driving a truck bound for Bagdhdad on March 23 when members of his his unit made a wrong turn and ended up under attack from Iraqi soldiers. His truck shot out, Miller scrambled for cover when he noticed an Iraqi truck that he thought he could take and use to get some of his comrades to safety. "If I got to the dump truck I was trying to steal, it mightâve been a whole different story," he said. But as he approached the truck, he saw the Iraqi mortar team set up beside it. Miller, who said he was at best an average shot during basic training, told KMBCâs Martin Augustine he hid behind a sand dune and started killing the Iraqi mortarmen one-by-one. Remember, this guy was not a combat infantrymanâjust a welder with basic weapons trainingâbut he was shooting like Sgt. York. Miller, eventually captured and later released, subsequently was awarded the Silver Star for his actions, but said he was no hero, just a private first class. "I was doing what I volunteered to do," he said. After he and his fellow soldiers were set free, there were stories of Miller pestering the Iraqi guards by constantly singing a pro-American song, and by giving them chewing tobacco that he said was candy in hopes of making them sick. I like the attitude. "Itâs small victories that keep your hope up," Miller said. "You got to have small victories when youâre in a situation like that." |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #10 Cyber Sarge, he should rate the CIB despite non infantry MOS. If he was a Marine he'd rate the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) our CIB equivalent. My hat's off to this guy, sadly, 'baby Jessica's' getting all the attention. I'm w/ODS on this one, she was a survivor and admits it. She was no hero, the media pushed it, maybe the high-up suck-dicks at the pentagon gave the story life as well, hard to say. I know if they do a movie on Miller I'd watch that before baby Jesse. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-13 11:20:11 PM |
| #9 this guy's problem is that he looks like a fast-food guy at Jack-In-The-Box. Appearances are deceiving - he's got some stones, and deserves better than he's gotten, IMHO. As do more than we know of, I'm sure. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-11-13 11:14:50 PM |
| #8 Somebdoy check me on this but I think that only 11-Bravos get a CIB? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2003-11-13 10:36:35 PM |
| #7 I had never even heard of this Miller guy (and, my hat's off to him - SLA Marshall would have been proud), but putting this story up against the fabrications that were circulated by US government about the "Lynch story", the whole thing starts looking a lot like the movie "Wag the Dog". In case anyone's not seen that movie (which should probably be mandatory global viewing right about now) its about a Presidency in scandal that fabricates an incident to create a "war" against Albania - using slick media effects to make their case. |
| Posted by: Lone Ranger 2003-11-13 7:49:48 PM |
| #6 That didn't qualify for a CIB? What's required? Hell, he was acting Combat Infantry. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-11-13 7:46:43 PM |
| #5 Anon, we don't have that yet as far as I know but you can read The March Up by Bing West and Ray "E-tool" Smith about the Marine assault up to and in to Baghdad. A seriously good book. |
| Posted by: Matt 2003-11-13 6:47:28 PM |
| #4 I tell ya what I'd like to see: a compendium of stories about soldiers like Pfc. Miller, the Canadian snipers, the Polish commandos, the battle of "Larry, Curly, and Moe" -- well-researched and based on interviews with the personnel involved. A modern "Profiles in Courage..." |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-11-13 6:18:57 PM |
| #3 I'd be better inclined to buy a book he would write. Shall we hold our breath, waiting for someone to offer him a nice contract and advance? |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2003-11-13 5:59:37 PM |
| #2 Funny how PFC Lynch got all the press, and Miller didnt even get a promotion (He's still wiating on the list for SGT from SP$). This guy should have been meritoriously promoted at a minimum. A bronze Start with a V device is all that he got. He deserves higher. FYI: He was firing in single shot mode- his M16 jammed and woudlnt feed after each shot, so he, unde fire, manually fed each round into the 16, fired, cleared and repeated the process. All while bascially alone and outnumbered. Whats the matter with the press, I guess its that Miller used a big mean GUN to KILL BAD GUYS. And he wasn't remorseful. And you know the press cannot condone gun use, killing or the death of bad guys. And the press cannot afford a HERO to get the press. They have to trot out a female then twist her words against the Bush administration. This guy had brass ones. They should put him in the press - he deserves it far more than Jessica "Car Wreck" Lynch. |
| Posted by: OldDogSoldier 2003-11-13 5:01:24 PM |
| #1 This guy is for real! He tortured his guards with REPEATED renditions of âThe Red, White, and Blueâ by Toby Keith. Shoshauna Johnson opined that âHe canât singâ but I bet she liked hearing it just the same. Too bad he didnât get a CIB for his efforts and some other accouterments. For non-military types: Service men can not receive cash or monetary rewards so medals are all he can get. It wouldnât be wrong to accelerate a promotion or two this young man. I am sure he would make a fine NCO or Warrant officer. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-11-13 4:40:02 PM |