Dead Soldiers’ Blogs Leave Memory of Iraq Conflict

With so many deployed soldiers blogging their experiences – it was only a matter of time before some of them would be counted among the casualties of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan:

Spc. Michael J. Smith, 24, of Media, Penn., died Jan. 11 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when his military vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Smith was assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 2d Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

That’s the DoD’s announcement of Spc. Smith’s death. A simple, prepared statement – muted as any official government communication could be. But Smith leaves behind a public record of his mission in Iraq, his LiveJournal blog:

so i think i might have made a mistake. too many things have entered my mind recently. i don’t know if it’s because i’ve been in 3-4 fire-fights, but i’m realizing some things. i’m not going to go into it, but if you must know, ask and i’ll say what i can. i don’t even know what i’m thinking anymore.
i’m just taking this one day at a time, one mission at a time.
this place sucks.

Another dead soldier’s blog: Adam Eptus, his final entry a memorial of comments and condolences to his family.
It may not have anything to do with business or marketing or making a dollar, but this is why I am drawn to blogging: the intersection of history and biography, the personal and the political, the individual’s place in a sea of change.
(links via Metafilter)


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One response to “Dead Soldiers’ Blogs Leave Memory of Iraq Conflict”

  1. Naomi Avatar
    Naomi

    Michael Smith was a longtime friend of mine and I am heartbroken at news of his death while proudly serving our country.
    I’m glad that his blog leaves behind a hint to those who never knew him about just how special he was, and that he was a human being, not just a number in a uniform. He will be greatly missed, and is greatly loved.

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