DoD Names Missing Soldiers: Pvt. Kristian Menchaca and Pvt. Thomas Tucker
by John Little on 19/06/2006Via local news, KPRC, here in Houston:
Pvt. Kristian Menchaca, 23, from Houston, and Pvt. Thomas Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore., were last seen on Friday during an attack on a roadside checkpoint south of Baghdad.Another solider, David Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., was killed in the attack.
An Iraqi farmer said he saw seven heavily armed gunmen capture the two soldiers.
The White House is promising to do everything it can to find the men.
Some background on the men is starting to emerge:
“He enjoys being in the military,” Christina Menchaca said of her husband, whom she last heard from by e-mail on Tuesday. “That’s basically what he wants to do.”
Kristian Menchaca’s mother, Maria Vasquez of Brownsville, said soldiers had visited to tell her that her son was missing.
She said she last heard from her son a few weeks ago. Along with asking for some treats from home, like Cheetos and cleaning wipes, the soldier told his mother he was working at a checkpoint.
“I’m a little bit nervous, and I cannot sleep,” she said. “I worry about him.”
A $100,000 reward is reportedly being offered for their safe return:
A Yusufiya resident, who said his house was searched by U.S. soldiers Sunday afternoon, said the Americans were using translators to offer $100,000 for information leading to those who took the soldiers.
The U.S. military denied a reward had been offered. It said only that coalition and Iraqi forces were continuing the search and “will continue to use every resource available.”
The man in Yusufiya said he would not cooperate.
A group linked to al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility:
An umbrella group linked to al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed Monday that it had kidnapped two American soldiers reported missing south of Baghdad, where 8,000 Iraqi and U.S. troops were conducting a massive search.The group, called the Mujahedeen Shura Council, also claimed it had kidnapped four Russian diplomats and killed a fifth in Baghdad on June 3.
Sadly, given the way these things work, I think we’ll probably be seeing video confirmation soon.
Dan Rielh is blogging this as well.
The Fast Squirrel reminds quotes the Ranger Creed:
Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
Agricola has some good advice:
Buckle your chin-straps, gentle readers. Our resolve is going to be tested.
An unidentified Pentagon source is making some interesting comments on the al-Qaeda hostage claim:
“There’s no indication it’s an authentic claim,” said one official at the Pentagon, who spoke on condition of anonymity.“The folks on the ground (the U.S. command in Iraq) aren’t giving it much credence,” the official added.
I would expect officials to hold off on a confirmation but these comments don’t really sound like the standard feedback. Either way the search operation is MASSIVE:
More than 8,000 U.S. military personnel and Iraqi soldiers and police are working together to find the missing soldiers, Caldwell said.
U.S. Navy and Air Force fighter-attack jets; E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or JSTARS, aircraft; and Predator unmanned aerial vehicles are involved in the search effort, Caldwell said. Three pararescue dive teams and “national assets of varying types” also are supporting our efforts, he added.
“We have surged intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms and employed planes, boats, helicopters and UAVs to ensure the most thorough search possible on the ground, in the air and in the water,” the general said. Searchers have cleared about a dozen villages in the area, and coalition forces continue to engage local citizens for help and information, he added.
So far, seven U.S. servicemembers have been wounded in action during the search, Caldwell said. Three enemy fighters have been killed, and 34 detainees have been taken into custody. Citizens have provided 63 tips, leading to 12 cordon-and-search operations, eight air assault operations and 280 flight hours flown.
“We are using all available assets, coalition and Iraqi, to find our soldiers, and will not stop looking until we find them,” Caldwell told reporters.
I have the address of a website run by one of the soldier’s family members. I’ve decided not to link to it. It can be argured that it’s not personal if it’s posted to the web but I don’t think she expected to find herself in the position she’s in today. If it furthered the story in any way I’d link to it. It doesn’t so I won’t. I’ll leave violating the personal space of agonizing family members to the mainstream media. If you have any thoughts on this I’d love to hear them.
From CNN we learn that the Missing soldier’s family is in shock. Really? Thanks CNN. We never would have guessed.
Sad news from CNN/Reuters. Iraq’s Defense Ministry is reporting that the bodies of both soldiers have been recovered. This has not been confirmed. Posting will contniue here.
More:
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