Semper Fi.... Do or Die
Wounded_marine_2 leatherneckm31.typepad.com
The young Corporal of Marines at the left is Casey Owens. He's from Houston.
And my guess is that's his Mom next to him.
He's a double-amp, and that's not all of the story when you're wounded the way he was on Sept. 20 of last year in Iraq.
This picture was sent to me by an ole cannon-cocker, jarhead buddy of mine in Texas, Mike, who is the High Sheriff of Cooke County.
Marines do this sorta thing. So, naturally, I had to research the rest of the story.
Corporal Casey Owens, 22, of Houston, Texas was critically wounded September 20, 2004, in Iraq while on his second tour of duty. Casey suffered numerous injuries including over 200 shrapnel wounds, a broken jaw, broken collar bone, as well as the amputation of right leg above the knee and amputation of the left leg below the knee. His family traveled to Germany to be with Casey at Landstuhl AFB before he was flown to Bethesda Hospital in late September.
Typically, they fly your family in when there's a good chance you won't make it .
Since then he has had several major operations, and of last report he was transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he is learning to work two prosthetic legs that will give him back his mobility.
Casey was promoted to corporal on October 1 in the ICU of the National Naval Medical Center, and received his Purple Heart personally from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Haggee, on October 23.
I know that hundreds of millions have been given to those who survived the tsunami disaster South Asia, but this kid is one of ours..... Casey's recovery is expected to take 12-18 months. A fund has been established to help the family offset the lack of income and expenses involved in supporting Casey.
This story is immortal... from Bunker Hill to Fallujah. Corporal Owens is the latest in a long green line who have protected those unworthy to carry their mess kits for more than 230 years.
God, please protect all of them... I wouldn't trade one of them for all the politicians in the country. |
