Death leaves troops bitter, wary

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

Col. Lloyd Miles of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team kneels in prayer at the memorial for Pfc. John D. Amos II, who was killed in action in Iraq. With Miles is Command Sgt. Maj. Jerry Taylor. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Pfc. John D. Amos II had roomed with Myers when the two soldiers were assigned to Schofield Barracks last year.

"He always loved to go to the beach, and always loved to jump in the waves that were way too big," said Myers, 20.

Amos was a straight shooter, and would tell you what he thought. "He loved to be right, but admitted when he was wrong," the soldier from Fort Wayne, Ind., said. "He was a very, very caring person."

Amos liked to sit out by a campfire, and talk about the future. He wanted to eventually move to Las Vegas to be a metro police officer, Myers said.

The 20-year-old also wanted a Ranger tab.

"He loved his brothers and looked up to his dad. He was a Ranger in the Army back in the day, and he kind of wanted to follow in his footsteps."

As Myers stood before the photo of his friend, all that was gone, wiped out by a suicide car bomber who detonated two artillery shells last Sunday as Amos and other Schofield soldiers pulled security on a Kirkuk street 30 feet away.

At a memorial Thursday in a packed sand-colored tent, more than 500 service members said goodbye to the soldier some of them knew very well, others not at all.

For Myers — injured in the blast and sent to a Baghdad hospital where he saw 21 bloodied Marines arrive in one hour from fighting in Fallujah and Ramadi, eight of whom died — the day was a stark face-to-face with war.

AMOS

For fellow Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry soldiers, Amos' death was a reality check that left them bitter and extra wary.

"We definitely have greater standoff distance," said Cpl. Keith Jackson, 25, a team leader with the anti-tank section Amos belonged to. "Nobody's coming within even rock-throwing distance ever again, definitely."

For the 2nd Brigade Combat Team in Iraq, the first death from hostile action was followed by a nearly daylong firefight Wednesday with enemy forces 40 miles to the southwest.

In one of the signs that the north is starting to see greater unrest, 11 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry were wounded in Huwijah in the biggest firefight to date involving Schofield soldiers.

Ten enemy fighters were killed, at least eight were wounded and 56 were detained after the soldiers were fired upon with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades during a demonstration in which Mahdi army banners were displayed in support of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

A photo of Pfc. John D. Amos II, who was killed when a suicide bomber detonated two artillery shells on a Kirkuk street last Sunday, was displayed prominently during his memorial service. Amos' commander called the private first class a "quiet professional ... mature beyond his years." Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

"The good news is that none of (the Schofield soldiers' injuries) is life-threatening," said Maj. Scott Halstead, adjutant for the 2nd Brigade. "The initial read is all will be able to stay in the Army and continue to soldier."

One soldier was shot in the chest with an AK-47 round, but the heavy ceramic plates worn by troops front and back stopped the bullet, Halstead said.

In the Kirkuk bombing, about 1,000 Shiite demonstrators were outside the Civil Military Operations Center — a possible target for the bomber — when the 105 mm and 155 mm artillery shells were detonated near Amos.

The Valparaiso, Ind., man and several others were pulling security duty at an intersection while two platoons of Charlie Company soldiers searched for weapons and contraband in houses in a nearby Arab section of the city.

At least a dozen Schofield soldiers were 50 feet away. Charlie Company commander Capt. Bill Venable said the toll could have been far worse.

"I have no doubt there are soldiers alive in this room today, including myself ... because of the courageous actions of John D. Amos," Venable said during the memorial.

Venable was about 90 feet away talking to two of his platoon leaders when the car exploded. "It was like a very crisp cracking sound, as if lightning had struck nearby," Venable, 36, said.

There was a flash and a shock wave of dust and debris that knocked Venable and the two platoon leaders to the ground. Venable's 5-ton armored Humvee shielded him from flying car parts. The explosion left a crater a foot deep and 6 feet long.

Spc. Matthew Yost was standing in the Humvee's gun turret and happened to be reaching down for some food. The blast rolled right over his back.

Amos, next to another Humvee, bore the brunt of the blast. Sgt. Giovanni Bennet was on the opposite side of the vehicle and was injured, along with at least six other Charlie Company soldiers.

Venable said Bennet's body armor and helmet saved his life. Shrapnel tore chunks out of both.

Several soldiers were wounded, but continued to provide security and assistance with casualties, including Sgt. Elias Cuellar.

"Cuellar had a shrapnel wound that went completely through his thigh, and he remained on his feet and continued to assist the other casualties," Venable said. "The soldiers were amazing. I saw tremendous presence of mind from leadership and soldiers. They did exactly what they are trained to do."

Amos, who received severe lower extremity injuries, was ground evacuated to a Kirkuk Air Base medical facility in 16 minutes, and was in surgery within 18 minutes, Venable said.

Spc. Jarod Myers, weeps during the playing of "Amazing Grace" at the service for his former roommate and good friend. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

It was the second fatality for the 25th Infantry Division (Light) during the yearlong deployment that began in January. Pfc. Ernest H. Sutphin, 21, a 1-27 soldier from North Carolina, died March 18 as a result of a Humvee rollover on March 11.

The memorial for Amos included his helmet on an M-16 hung with his dog tags, his boots, a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace," a gun salute, and taps. Hundreds of soldiers and airmen stood in line to salute Amos and say a silent prayer in his memory.

Venable said to those assembled for the memorial that Amos was a "quiet professional and mature beyond his years."

"I've seen him perform his duties many times over the past year, and he could always be counted on to do the right thing," he said.

All the Charlie Company soldiers received a briefing on what happened, a chaplain spoke to them, and all were counseled by mental-health professionals, Venable said.

Jackson, who was shielded from the car bombing by a low concrete wall, said "I'm OK. It hit me hard at first, but I still have more guys to look out for."

Myers, who suffered a perforated eardrum and concussion in the blast, was scheduled to head to Germany for medical treatment.

"This is the worst week in my life by far," he said. "Losing your best friend and seeing what I saw down there (the injured Marines in Baghdad), literally scarred me for life. It ain't no movie. This is real. That's why we're here experiencing it, so people back home don't have to."