The war hit close to home this week

[Bob Potter]

Even as an irregular regular here, I have come to feel at home among you experts, vets, mechanics, historians, and curmudgeons, so I hope you don't mind my sharing this.

One of our alums was killed last week in Baghdad by an IED. Some of you may recall that I teach in an all-girls Catholic High school. Right, all girls -- that's what makes this even harder. Liz Loncki graduated in 2001. She was apparently one helluva volleyball player, a serious but not cut-throat competitor, a better-than-average student, and an all-around "good Joe." She never had to put up with me in class, and I am ashamed to admit that I had to pull an old yearbook to put a face on the name. She started college but left to join the Air Force. She said, after 9/11, she had to DO something. She became an explosive ordnance disposal technician. Her entire team was killed these damned monsters. She was due to rotate home this month, and her boy friend was set to ask her folks' permission (yep, that's the way he phrased it) to marry her.

Forgive me if I show my age, but that's a helluva job for a woman. She was really good at it.

So I will try to stand taller, and will be prouder of all of our people who stand between us and them.

Bob

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

I'm so sorry, Bob. Words cannot convey emotions properly.

Hi Bob,

That is certainly very sad news to hear. Thank you for telling us something about her. She sounds like she was a very strong woman, and one I certainly admire.

Isn't it true though, that we so often don't know the person we stand or work beside, and it's only later we find out the most amazing things about them and their lives, or we find out of amazing things about them that they did later, and we regret we don't know them at the time.



Karmen

[Snowtractor]

Bob, if you've read any of my posts you know I have the highest regard for those people putting it all on the line for for the highest purpose anyone can have, looking out for their fellow man. I am sorry you've been visited by such sad news.
Sean

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Bob, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I'm sure for everyone who loved her, Liz's death will spur up the discussion about the necessity of it all.

Interestingly, yesterday evening I saw part of the movie Starship Troopers, and was amazed by the similarity of the moral and philosophical issues suffrage, civic virtue and the necessities of war today's youth is dealing with. Have you as a teacher, discussed this book/movie with your students?

Regards,
Hanno

[Bob Potter]

In my European history course, I do a World War I memoir assignment where each student is assigned a memoir. Titles include "Passionate Prodigality," "The Middle Parts of Fortune," "A Fatalist at War," "With Machine Gun to Cambrai," "The First Hundred Thousand," and "Lice," among others. We read and then discuss the experience as described by authors with a wide variety of backgrounds. Occasionally I do a variation on it in my American history classes with American Civil War memoirs.

If the thing was still in print, I would have them read "The Centurions" by Jean Larteguy, which for my money says more about the psyche of the professional soldier than anything I know.

Thanks for your thoughts, all of you. Liz was a fine soldier who kept up with the fellas at all levels. Padua will have a mass in memorium next week; I want the padre to read Psalm 46, in the King James. And maybe Butler Yeats' "An irish Airman Foresees His Death."

Bob

[Bob Potter]

The mass went very well. In talking to Liz's father, I discovered that she was one of only three women in the entire United States Armed Forces qualified as an ordnance disposal technician. Her personal objective was to be the best at her job and she was. Her "first shirt" said she was just one of the guys, even if she could do more pushups than most of them.

NPR did a piece on her last Saturday but I missed it.

Bob