mangus580
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Sarge from the Mil-Veh list posted this. It is his account of his relief efforts. http://lonestar-mvpa.org/events/2005/05_Katrina.htm
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Katrina Deuce Story - MUST READ
- Thread starter mangus580
- Start date
Longhunter7
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WOW!
mangus580,
That was an unbelievable story! I take my hat off to the Sarge for doing what a lot of us wish we could do!
Great story and thanks for bringing it to our attention!
mangus580,
That was an unbelievable story! I take my hat off to the Sarge for doing what a lot of us wish we could do!
Great story and thanks for bringing it to our attention!
lacoda56
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One helluva trip made by one helluva man! 100% dissabled? Words fail me...
red devils dude
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guys I have a story you will not belive hears the short version,
take my bro to the airport for dropoff get to security check point long
ass line my bro has a military back-pack that I am holding the lady
behind us cuts in the conversation and say that pack's nothing
I see her T-shirt it says proud to be a army wife I going in the army
and have a high and tight she see it and ask if I'm in the service
so I say almost snd start talking to her, her husband just died in IRAQ
and she lost his son to the birth mom who just a baby 3weeks ago
and only wants custody for the money so I ask where she going
she says just north of new orleans so last week I thought damn I hope
she allright.(yes I know how bad a job I did telling this story I'll fix it)
take my bro to the airport for dropoff get to security check point long
ass line my bro has a military back-pack that I am holding the lady
behind us cuts in the conversation and say that pack's nothing
I see her T-shirt it says proud to be a army wife I going in the army
and have a high and tight she see it and ask if I'm in the service
so I say almost snd start talking to her, her husband just died in IRAQ
and she lost his son to the birth mom who just a baby 3weeks ago
and only wants custody for the money so I ask where she going
she says just north of new orleans so last week I thought damn I hope
she allright.(yes I know how bad a job I did telling this story I'll fix it)
SixBuy
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Man, he needs to sell the movie rights to that! That's John Wayne stuff if there ever was. And there's a man who desperately needs a presidental commendation!
that right there is human generosity at its finest, John probably save several hundred it not thousands of lives by doing what he did, im a firm believer in the old addage, i would rather be tried by 12 then carried by 6, human kindness comes in all shapes and forms, I wished my truck had been running in top shape.
I also think that alot of pple now that live near guys like us with our bahemoth trucks will look a little differently than they did before.
I also think that alot of pple now that live near guys like us with our bahemoth trucks will look a little differently than they did before.
Polverone
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I sat and just stared at the monitor after reading his journal.
Unbelievable. Makes me re-think a lot of things.
I am so glad this is documented so that I may send it to others I know.
John is one hell of an human being.
Unbelievable. Makes me re-think a lot of things.
I am so glad this is documented so that I may send it to others I know.
John is one hell of an human being.
bcowanwheels
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DRIVE ON !!! SEMPER FI !!! OOH AAH .SOME PEOPLE KNOW THE MEANNING OF HONOR BECAUSE THEY EARN IT !!!! BOB - SF TILL DEATH AND A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN FOR ETERNITY
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Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
For some of you folks this will be old news but lots of folks haven't read this yet. When I was looking over the roadside assistance list created by "Sarge" a few years back I remembered his story of Hurricane Katrina and what he did. This is John Stewart-Smiths story in his words. Maybe your eyes will well up or maybe you'll just say HELL YES but either way, take 10 minutes out of your busy day and read what this man has done!
http://www.lonestar-mvpa.org/events/2005/05_Katrina.htm
For some of you folks this will be old news but lots of folks haven't read this yet. When I was looking over the roadside assistance list created by "Sarge" a few years back I remembered his story of Hurricane Katrina and what he did. This is John Stewart-Smiths story in his words. Maybe your eyes will well up or maybe you'll just say HELL YES but either way, take 10 minutes out of your busy day and read what this man has done!
http://www.lonestar-mvpa.org/events/2005/05_Katrina.htm
mangus580
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
Kenny, I merged you with last years topic on this....
Thanks for bringing it to the top!!!
Kenny, I merged you with last years topic on this....
Thanks for bringing it to the top!!!
Katch1
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
thanks for bringing that back up to the top, that was a good read
thanks for bringing that back up to the top, that was a good read
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
Folks, we are coming up on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. For all of you that have joined and not read this thread, please do so. For those who have read it, I'm sure you will read it again as I do. John, thanks again, you represent the best of the best. I just like to bring it to the top each year!
Folks, we are coming up on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. For all of you that have joined and not read this thread, please do so. For those who have read it, I'm sure you will read it again as I do. John, thanks again, you represent the best of the best. I just like to bring it to the top each year!
gene
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
God Bless you John. Answering the call is what its all about. The image of a lone deuce heading in the opposite direction of everyone else and through destruction, headed toward where the need is greatist, made me reflect on what the true measure of a man is. Thanks for the reminder.
Gene
God Bless you John. Answering the call is what its all about. The image of a lone deuce heading in the opposite direction of everyone else and through destruction, headed toward where the need is greatist, made me reflect on what the true measure of a man is. Thanks for the reminder.
Gene
FormerNewMVGuy
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
What an AWESOME guy! I wish i could be more like him.
My son spent 6 months helping with the clean up and power restoration.He is a tree trimmer. Said he slept in the chip box on the tree truck the whole time.
What an AWESOME guy! I wish i could be more like him.
My son spent 6 months helping with the clean up and power restoration.He is a tree trimmer. Said he slept in the chip box on the tree truck the whole time.
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
For those that don't know it, John is a member of Steel Soldiers. He goes by "Sarge"
For those that don't know it, John is a member of Steel Soldiers. He goes by "Sarge"
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
Guys:
I just printed it to read in a boring meeting I have to hurry off to but while I was in Iraq my son wanted to borrow my duece to drive down and help the people in NOLA but he did not have enough money to do it. I hope that in any situation that calls for a need of our old iron that we can do the same and rise to the occation. When I retire I hope to have a little more flexibility in doing this. Thanks for posting it.
Guys:
I just printed it to read in a boring meeting I have to hurry off to but while I was in Iraq my son wanted to borrow my duece to drive down and help the people in NOLA but he did not have enough money to do it. I hope that in any situation that calls for a need of our old iron that we can do the same and rise to the occation. When I retire I hope to have a little more flexibility in doing this. Thanks for posting it.
DMgunn
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
Amazing.....so many people feel that they would respond in the same way to an event of that kind, but so few actually ACT. My highest respect goes to you, "Sarge".
Amazing.....so many people feel that they would respond in the same way to an event of that kind, but so few actually ACT. My highest respect goes to you, "Sarge".
littlebob
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
I've seen the article before(probably here) and wish I could of been ther to help. I don't know what I'll do if another one hits soon, because my Deuce is still a work in progress. I hope I have enough time to get my equipment ready before another one hit our area. I told the Wife that they would be our hurricane evacuation solution if one was coming close. I can't say what she said
littlebob
I've seen the article before(probably here) and wish I could of been ther to help. I don't know what I'll do if another one hits soon, because my Deuce is still a work in progress. I hope I have enough time to get my equipment ready before another one hit our area. I told the Wife that they would be our hurricane evacuation solution if one was coming close. I can't say what she said
littlebob
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RE: Must Read! Hurricane Katrina
Well guys, I guess it’s time to give you all an update on how Sarge is doing….
I actually thought about this for a couple of months because I was not sure about putting this story out on the Internet. I feel like enough of the guys on Steel Soldiers have become my friends and perhaps I owe them an explanation about my behavior and absence for the last few months. This is a story about love, terrible loss, and friendship, if you cannot handle that, stop reading now.
My son, Johnny, was born in 1988 when I was stationed in Germany. I lived there with him and my daughter Denise (born 1991) until their mother and I divorced in 1999. Since then, every summer my children came to the US and we went camping. We would drive all over the US for 3 or 4 weeks and live in a tent. My kids saw 46 states in seven years. When my son graduated German High School in 2005, he asked if he could join the USMC. I told him he was too young, but also I convinced him that if he would get a college degree, he would enjoy the Corps better as an officer. So, in 2006, when he was 17, he came to live with me in Texas. He had to take the GED, because his German diploma was too confusing for the authorities here. He passed his GED in the top 4% of all high school graduates. I was especially proud because English is not his first language. He took his college admission tests and scored high enough to choose any degree path he wanted. If you have not yet caught on, I am boasting about my son, he really is something special. He was 18 on November 20th, 2006. It was a great party. He loved to come out to my ranch and drive my military trucks through the woods, especially my M1009 which he scratched all to hell. He got his first driving license in December 2006, and after only 3 days behind the wheel, had a head on with someone going 60mph. I arrived at the scene of the accident and I’ll be honest, I cried to see him standing there with only a sprained ankle. I was so happy that he was okay.
On March 26th this year he went out the door to his college. As he ran out, he shouted “Bye, Bye Daddy, I love you”
I never saw him again.
He died in the college parking lot from carbon monoxide poisoning. It was a heavy rainstorm and he fell asleep in the parking lot. We did not find him until the 28th.
Guys, let me tell you about friends. Rory and Jeff, two former military guys who also have green disease, stayed the next two weeks with me 24/7. Tracy from Biloxi, that’s right, my buddy that I went to save after Katrina, he was here with his wife Kathy in less than 24 hours. These guys fed me, clothed me and were just there for me for the next couple of weeks.
Well, it’s now four and a half months later and the pain of loss still cripples me.
Let me tell you again about friends…..
I could not have survived without them…
Let me tell you again about friends…..
Well guys, I guess it’s time to give you all an update on how Sarge is doing….
I actually thought about this for a couple of months because I was not sure about putting this story out on the Internet. I feel like enough of the guys on Steel Soldiers have become my friends and perhaps I owe them an explanation about my behavior and absence for the last few months. This is a story about love, terrible loss, and friendship, if you cannot handle that, stop reading now.
My son, Johnny, was born in 1988 when I was stationed in Germany. I lived there with him and my daughter Denise (born 1991) until their mother and I divorced in 1999. Since then, every summer my children came to the US and we went camping. We would drive all over the US for 3 or 4 weeks and live in a tent. My kids saw 46 states in seven years. When my son graduated German High School in 2005, he asked if he could join the USMC. I told him he was too young, but also I convinced him that if he would get a college degree, he would enjoy the Corps better as an officer. So, in 2006, when he was 17, he came to live with me in Texas. He had to take the GED, because his German diploma was too confusing for the authorities here. He passed his GED in the top 4% of all high school graduates. I was especially proud because English is not his first language. He took his college admission tests and scored high enough to choose any degree path he wanted. If you have not yet caught on, I am boasting about my son, he really is something special. He was 18 on November 20th, 2006. It was a great party. He loved to come out to my ranch and drive my military trucks through the woods, especially my M1009 which he scratched all to hell. He got his first driving license in December 2006, and after only 3 days behind the wheel, had a head on with someone going 60mph. I arrived at the scene of the accident and I’ll be honest, I cried to see him standing there with only a sprained ankle. I was so happy that he was okay.
On March 26th this year he went out the door to his college. As he ran out, he shouted “Bye, Bye Daddy, I love you”
I never saw him again.
He died in the college parking lot from carbon monoxide poisoning. It was a heavy rainstorm and he fell asleep in the parking lot. We did not find him until the 28th.
Guys, let me tell you about friends. Rory and Jeff, two former military guys who also have green disease, stayed the next two weeks with me 24/7. Tracy from Biloxi, that’s right, my buddy that I went to save after Katrina, he was here with his wife Kathy in less than 24 hours. These guys fed me, clothed me and were just there for me for the next couple of weeks.
Well, it’s now four and a half months later and the pain of loss still cripples me.
Let me tell you again about friends…..
I could not have survived without them…
Let me tell you again about friends…..