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DEL.ICIO.USGeorgia soldier writes tender letters his daughter, 3, can read when she is a teen
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Curtis Compton/AJC
Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Eaton puts his thoughts on paper for his daughter.• MORE PHOTOS
Baghdad, Iraq — On his 40th birthday, Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Eaton pulled out a pad of white, lined paper, as he does every few weeks, and began writing:
Miss Zoë, What would you want to know about me? I always wanted to know silly things about my mother. Favorite food. Color. Music. And the intangibles, like how she felt. What her voice was like. Ah, how I hate war and this place. It is a sad place. So unlike home. I’ve eight more months to go … ”
Surrounded by shelves of books — “Flyboys” by James Bradley, “War Trash” by Ha Jin, “Reading Lolita in Tehran” by Azar Nafisi, and the poems of e e cummings and T.S. Eliot — Eaton sits quietly at night on his sleeping bag-lined bed to pen letters to his daughter, Zoë.
She is 3 years old now, a carefree little girl who attends day care in Athens, where Eaton, a full-time soldier in the Georgia National Guard, has made his home with his wife, Vicki.
Eaton plans to give Zoë the box of letters he’s writing her during his year-long deployment in Iraq.
He wants her to open the little white envelopes — numbered, dated and addressed to her — on her 16th birthday.
In the combat zone, after almost eight months of grueling urban warfare, Eaton, like other 48th Brigade Combat Team soldiers, contemplates his mortality. There is the danger here, he said, of too much time to think.
A hardened infantryman with 23 years of military service, Eaton has led more than 75 patrols into the rough urban areas of Abu Ghraib since his unit, Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, arrived in Iraq last June. The platoon sergeant has seen firefights, roadside bombs, car bombs, rockets, mortars and gunfire.
But it isn’t the thought of dying that haunts Eaton. He remains fearless when he leads his men out of the gates of Camp Liberty.
What he is afraid of is that his little girl may grow up never knowing her father.
“I wanted Zoë to know not just who I was — that her father was a soldier serving in Iraq — but I wanted her to know the essence of who I was,” Eaton said.
I write you now because I want you to know who I am or … was. Just in case. Because here, now, there are no guarantees. No promises kept.
Just patrol after patrol into the unknown.
Listen to the cello. Imagine a Chinese birdcage full of finches. A vase of yellow and violet. A Persian rug. The smell of autumn rain, old leather books on a shelf — life. Life is to be lived artfully.
With all of my being, I love you, Zoë,
Pai
Eaton knows the life he cherished back home could vanish with a bomber’s finger on a detonation device, with a sniper’s bullet, with one accidental rollover of his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Then Zoë would grow up never experiencing all that was her father, much like Eaton himself, who lost his mother, Vera Maria, before his fifth birthday.
There were years of silence at home. His distraught career Navy father could not bear to discuss the woman he loved — and lost to multiple sclerosis after eight years of marriage.
“I never knew who she was, except that she was from a blue-blood Brazilian family in Rio de Janeiro,” Eaton said. “We didn’t talk about her for years. I wanted Zoë to have something fresh. I wanted her to know the quirks of my life. That I prefer overcast skies to sunny days. I like cities but I prefer European cities. That I like Beethoven.
“I know that once we leave this place, Iraq will not be a topic of importance for the next 13 years when Zoë turns 16,” he continued. “Time moves on. It will be interesting because these letters will unlock memories of my own.
My beloved Zoë:
Monet was best friends with Renoir. In 1870, France fought against Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War. Renoir wanted to enlist but Monet was against it. Monet thought Renoir was far too sensitive. J.D. Salinger, George Orwell, John Dos Passos, e e cummings, and the founder of the Bauhaus all served.
I often wonder if I’m “Monet” or “Renoir.” I would spare anyone the experience of conflict.
Each day is full of discomfort. Such is the soldier’s life. Each patrol is wrought with an overwhelming sense of helplessness, of a neverending spiral downwards.
Mind numbing — too much visual data. Turret rotating, fleeting images in the crosshairs. My mind drifts. Sounds blend, the armored beast whines, everything ugly … Much too much to ponder. So I succumb. I give in and accept as those did before me.
I ride, forgetful of fear. Wanting to see all that is ugly in the crosshairs. And I see beauty. A small Iraq girl waving.
In the war zone, Eaton, who was pursuing a fine arts degree from the University of Georgia before he deployed, finds it incongruous to engage in what he finds artful. Instead, he reads a lot of history, especially military and political history. One of his heroes is George Washington.
“Why? Because he was imperfect,” Eaton said. “He wasn’t the intellectual Thomas Jefferson was. Because he led from the front — and he persevered.”
By his bed, Eaton keeps a combat log. His father did the same when he was a naval aviator in Vietnam. As a boy, he sneaked peeks into his dad’s logs.
“Everything in red is action,” Eaton said, flipping through the pages of his log. One-third of his entries are penned in red ink.
“Unfortunately I’m experiencing the same thing my dad did,” Eaton said. “But this is such a unique war. We’re not getting slaughtered out there. The problem is far more complicated and messier. That adds this huge surreal quality to what we are doing.”
Eaton’s platoon is called the “Black Sheep” because it was put together with soldiers from the 121st’s Bravo Company, which was split up before the 48th Brigade deployed to the Middle East.
Charlie Company soldiers affectionately call Eaton “Pappy,” after the nickname of Maj. Greg Boyington, who led the squadron known as the “Black Sheep” in the South Pacific in World War II. Boyington got the nickname because he was relatively old for a fighter pilot.
True to his nickname, Eaton fathers his soldiers. He tells them to make their peace and to know that they will undergo changes. The insurgency in Iraq, he said, peels everything to its bare minimum. Everything is raw.
“This is a visual war,” he said. “We are constantly searching and scanning. My right hand is always on the trigger. The tangibles that make an individual soldier feel they are making a difference here are very difficult to find.
“One thing I tell all my soldiers is to not be concerned with the effectiveness of our operations on a day-to-day basis. I tell them that because it is an abyss, a black hole. That it is something for historians to reflect on. Just concentrate on the missions. Right now is not the time to wrestle with those issues.”
Eaton talks about how great American generals have said that war is the ultimate human profanity.
“I now understand that perfectly,” he said. “It’s not just profane, but vulgar. For me, this experience makes what is beautiful even more beautiful.”
My sweet Zoë,
I rode a camel around the great pyramids of Giza. Took a stroll through the Colosseum of Rome. Looked up at Michelangelo’s beauty on the ceilings of St. Peter’s. I played hide-and-seek in the Acropolis and made a wish above Kyoto.
And I, too, have seen the poor and impoverished of the four corners of our world.
I wish to be far from the world I am in at present.
To climb mountains, to paint in my studio, to walk with you, to hold your mother. These fill my dreams. Only God knows my path ahead …
In my mind, I see a birch forest. Autumn leaves. Bright yellow. I yearn for the solitude of the forest.
In the Charlie Company command post, Eaton is a fixture at the small coffee machine that gurgles and churns throughout the day. With his elixir in hand, he begins his daily tirade.
At one moment it could be the crudest telling of a soldier who got blown up by a roadside bomb, replete with foul language expected of an infantryman. No one dares stop Eaton in the middle of his macabre monologue.
With equal ease, Eaton launches into an eloquent story about Ezra Pound eating rose petals at a dinner thrown by Virginia Woolf or the lyrical poetry of Mexican writer Octavio Paz.
His interest in art, literature and other cultures and ideas grew from a childhood home filled with books, visits to Washington’s museums and his father’s passion for black-and-white photography.
A few days ago, Eaton made a list of a hundred things he wanted to do before his life ends. Among them: to cruise Alaskan fjords, obtain a master of fine arts degree, translate Machiavelli’s “Il Principe” from Italian to English, visit his mother’s grave in Virginia, let Zoë touch a penguin, dance the tango in Buenos Aires, listen to Chopin in Warsaw, buy an old motorbike, learn the constellations, build a chicken coop and walk up Mount Kilimanjaro.
“I don’t know of one soldier here who doesn’t know what they’re going to do when they get back,” Eaton said. “When you come back every night to your room, that’s all you’re thinking about. You thank God that you’re alive. It’s very minimal.”
The last thing on his list was to visit his birthplace in Brazil. No. 1 on the agenda was to survive Iraq.
Zoë,
I miss you terribly. I haven’t the words to express the ache in my heart.
These letters are for you, for a young woman to know her father.
It is overcast and a dust storm has rolled in. Visibility is less than 800 feet. We begin our combat patrol at 19:00 until 07:00. I wonder what the night will bring.
I constantly compare and contrast moments of my life to this one now. So very surreal.
I do it because I am a soldier. None of it enjoyable. The American people expect us to perform. And so I shall and do.
What have you planned for your life, I wonder? I hope to be around. I hope to share my life with you …
After 23 years, I have my own reasons for serving. Indeed, it is a privilege and an honor to lead America’s sons under some of the most trying conditions. Nevertheless, I hope for you a life outside my own purview …
Charlie Company soldiers admire Eaton not just for his knowledge of history and the arts or because his contrarian ways keeps things lively on a gloomy day. They respect him, they say, because he is the best of soldiers.
Eaton, however, who served in the Marine Corps straight out of high school, has his own take on soldiering.
“We do things wearing the magic suit that we would never do in civilian clothes,” he said about the raids and patrols his soldiers conduct while wearing the U.S. Army sage green digital uniforms.
“For me, it’s a great acting role. I’m on stage. This is Shakespeare,” he said. “You can be whatever you want. I’ve adopted the role of platoon sergeant. I cuss like the rest of them. I’m decisive. It’s in me, but this is not who I am.
“There are some people who really enjoy it,” Eaton said. “But this business is not for me. In the end, I feel a sense of obligation that someone has to do it.”
Last June, just days after Eaton’s company arrived in the Baghdad area, several of his platoon mates were involved in an accident. Their armored Bradley rolled over into a roadside canal. Two soldiers, including Eaton’s platoon leader, 1st Lt. Will Phillips, were trapped inside.
Ultimately, they were rescued, but it was a harrowing welcome to Iraq.
That night, Eaton, wrote to his daughter. It helped clear his mind.
My sweet,
I always remind my men that the American people expect and demand our courage, our professionalism and sacrifice. I don’t really believe anyone knows just what we do or experience.
The fact everyone survived is a testimonial to God’s ever watchful eye and to a 19-year-old lad. Spc. Jared Callaway [the driver] knew his Brad was about to roll over and he announced “roll over,” “roll over” over the intercom.
The turret crew secured hatches and everyone braced.
When I’m in uniform, folks say, “Thank you for your service.” I never know how to reply.
Eaton writes his letters to his little girl as he sits under an enormous American flag that covers an entire wall of his trailer. On another are maps of Iraq. And a photo of Zoë.
Growing up, Eaton traveled the world with his Navy father and later served in South Korea, Japan, Bosnia and Oman. He uses his childhood and military experiences to dispel myths about Iraqi culture.
“I try to follow up any aggressive action in sector with something positive,” Eaton said. “We came here with honor and we will leave as honorable men.”
Zoë,
One in the morning and we rumble into a courtyard. Pitch black, Ramp drops and my squad runs in over the wall.
We have arrived. Disrupting lives. Children crying. Men lined up. We separate the women.
Searching for wires, remotes and explosives. I dismount my armored beast. My men are everywhere. Doors are knocked down.
Trash strewn about. Dogs barking. Fear. Faces of fear.
And we rumble away with 12 men blindfolded, hands tied behind their backs. And the women watch us. We roll on with images in our heads. Images of children and an empty feeling in our stomachs.
“Rough men.” So very difficult to be those rough men.
We hide inside ourselves. We wear self-made masks to hide that empty feeling. The profanity. The horror is profane but the children — they see through our masks. They see through our rough men.
One of my men bent down and showed pictures of his children. And the crying stopped for a moment. This is Iraq.
Services »
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Alvaro Lima
January 21, 2006 05:01 PM | Link to this
We are also from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. WE were very touched by Patrick Eaton’s letters to Zoe. We will pray for her to read these letters at his dad’s side. We offer to help him find out about his Mom’s life in our Rio de Janeiro (Vera is also mu sister’s name)
By Marie
January 21, 2006 05:59 PM | Link to this
Moni, I am sorry. I have misjudged you. I must be honest and say that I have hoped for your time to be over so that other reporters could be back. This one article changes all that for me. Nothing I have read as of yet has been so poignant or honest or moving. Thank you. This is the finest piece I have seen yet. My hat is off to you. My prayers are with you and this brave and eloquent soldier. He expresses what so many of us fear and hope for our children as our soldier risked or risk their lives for Iraq.
By David
January 21, 2006 06:43 PM | Link to this
Sgt.Eaton sounds like a wonderful father and husband but not much of a leader. I wouldn’t want to follow him into battle. If he as a Sgt. thinks his patrol is a “black hole” how much confidence do his men have? The 12 men who were captured could have been the men that “disrupted” those crying childrens lives in alot more voilent way then the Sgt. did. Please send this Sgt. home. He is no longer useful in Iraq.
By Kat Orr
January 21, 2006 06:58 PM | Link to this
This article was incredibly beautiful. Thank you ~ and thank you, SFC Eaton, for sharing your heart not only with your daughter, but with the rest of us.
God bless you all ~ you are in our prayers daily.
Sincerely,
“Momma Kat” in Loganville
By Sheesh
January 21, 2006 08:54 PM | Link to this
David,
Please read it again… it is not the patrol that is the black abyss. It is the thinking, the wondering, the constant questioning that is the abyss. A soldier would get caught in the abyss (and drive himself crazy and potentially put himself and his fellow soldiers in harm’s way) if he is endlessly questioning. That, sir, is what Sgt. Eaton is warning against. He makes it very clear in the next sentences when he says “That [reflection on the effectiveness of missions] is something for historians to reflect on. Just concentrate on the missions. Right now is not the time to wrestle with those issues [of how effective the patrols are].â€?
No matter my opinion of the war, I thank God that there are soldiers like him. He does his job and helps his men do theirs properly. The fact that he reflects on it afterwards merely shows that he is, in fact, human. Thank God he is human. There is nothing wrong with him channeling his feelings… and certainly nothing wrong with anything he stated in this article.
No David, this Sgt. does not need to come home for any reason you mention… as was indicated in the article, the men around him believe in him… “They respect him, they say, because he is the best of soldiers.” Just as he is thorough in his examination and reporting of all that goes on there, you must be thorough in your reading before you assume that he is no longer useful.
By SGT Pete Schneider
January 21, 2006 11:13 PM | Link to this
Pat, you are doing a hell of a job. Reading this article, and hearing how Moni Basu described you, put me in the room. I have never been prouder to be one of your soldiers. To the man who thinks you should be home, well - you just don’t know SFC Eaton - this man is simply the best. And I know him, and have been alternately praised and upbraided. I’ll see you at home Pat, Hooah Blacksheep!
By Leslie
January 21, 2006 11:29 PM | Link to this
Dear Pat, You and your letters have made a wonderful impact on the lives of the wives waiting at home for our “boys” to come home. Help keep my Bertie Baby safe. Vicki and Zoe are very lucky ladies, as are Sydney and I. Leslie Branson, wife to SGT Bert Branson of the Black Sheep.
By Nick
January 22, 2006 12:52 AM | Link to this
May God be with you and your men. A veteran.
By 48th BDE Wife
January 22, 2006 02:56 AM | Link to this
As the wife of one of SFC Eaton’s soldiers, I’m glad that my husband serves under his leadership. Not only is he a great soldier, he’s a wonderful human being that my family feels we are better for knowing.
By Kudzu
January 22, 2006 05:46 AM | Link to this
David SFC eaton would not have you in is Platoon, because you don’t pay attention to detail … I am in his Platton and of the 28 left we will go on any patrol or mission that comes down to us, I have been with him for almost 9 years now and I can tell you he is one of the BEST.
By Michelle M.
January 22, 2006 07:33 AM | Link to this
Tears are running down my face as I read this, not only because I’m sad, but also because it’s beautiful. SFC Eaton is obviously one of the best and Moni Basu has done us all a favor by sharing this man with us. I too hope that Zoe reads these letter with her dad at her side and I hope that SFC Eaton takes our Brazilian commenter up on their offer of help in finding more about his mother. When civilians offer their thanks to soldiers the only necessary response is ‘you’re welcome’. Thank you SFC Eaton for your service to the USA.
By Ron
January 22, 2006 08:13 AM | Link to this
SFC Eaton, a HERO among many HEROS. God bless you and your family .
By Lori Sullivan
January 22, 2006 11:45 AM | Link to this
I think the letters to his daughter are a wonderful idea. I’m sure his daughter will appreciate reading them while sitting beside her father.
David, your comments made me laugh. Not because they were wrong or right. But because you took the hardline stance instead of saying what I think you really meant. Simply I think you really wanted to say “These letters brought a tear to my eyes, please send this man home to read them with Zoe.”
Sgt Eaton and his family have every right to be proud. Keep the faith and you will be home soon.
By Laura Wallace
January 22, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this
This article brought tears to my eyes. Sgt. Eaton is very descriptive. I almost feel as though I am there with him. It only goes to show what these soldiers are really seeing and feeling. It take guts to put it down in writing, and it takes heart and courage to write it for his daughter. I think of all of the children all over the world who have no idea who their parents are(or were). Zoe is a very lucky little girl to have such a caring dad. Sgt. Eaton is very articualte. If he ever decides to write a book about his experiences, I would definately read it. My son is also a Sgt. serving with the 48th brigade in Iraq, and although not quite as ariculate, he shares alot of the same sentiments as Sgt. Eaton. I am also from Athens, which is just another thing in common. As always, I pray for the safety of all the soldiers in Iraq, and all of the world, as well as their families. As a fellow Athenian, I hope to hear more about Sgt. Eaton, especailly when he returns home.
As for Moni, you have alot of courage just being over there. I do agree that this is one of your best articles. Although I feel very proud of all that was done for Baby Noor, I am glad to see something different than all the articles recently written about her.
By Gwen
January 22, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this
To Sheesh
In response to David. To piggyback Sheesh. Never make a judgement on anyone, whose shoes you cannot nor want to fill. To Sheesh I say: Ditto!
By Radm. Donald R. Eaton, USN (ret.)
January 22, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this
Dear Patrick, I am very proud of you. I know Tony and Mia are as well. Our nation is fortunate to have men like you serving at their utmost regardess of often thoughtless political motivation. Indeed I am blessed to have you as my son. Having stared death in the face so many times I never did want you to go war, but I knew that if you did you would do it with courage, clarity and thoughtfulness.
I remeber that fateful day of July 14th, 1965 ejecting from my stricken A-6 over Sam Neu, Laos wondering if I would every see your mother again and if I would ever know you. But know you I have. You were always above the average and always out in front. I have watched you intellectualize everything around you and never fail to see the beauty in the world surrounding you as you grew to become a wonderful man and natural leader. The death of your mother haunts me still 36 years later but we, with the help of each other, you, Tony, and Mia, pressed on and made this life a rich pagentry of accomplishments, pride and good will. Vicki and Zoe are special people who have a very special husband and father. Vicki is inspiring as a courageous military wife and Zoe balances the insanity of war with the joy and expected promises of a child well loved.
With all my love, Dad
By Stacy L.
January 22, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this
I had to stop reading this post once I got to the first letter because, these are private thoughts between a father and his daughter and it made me uncomfortable to read them. Voluntarily publishing them sort of cheapens the sentiment, in my opinion.
By Anne Morrison
January 22, 2006 02:05 PM | Link to this
My husband, Ron, and I live next door to Patrick, Vicki, and Zoe. We know Patrick is a man of integrity and honor, and we have seen tender moments shared between Zoe and Patrick, especially on her third birthday. His heartfelt letters are a wonderful way of expressing who he is to his daughter and a nice reminder that there is a reality other than war. Zoe comes over to our house occasionally to watch a movie and eat popcorn. She is full of life and energy. We are blessed to have this opportunity to be with her.
Patrick is definitely a leader who tries to educate and instill confidence in his men. They are his family there in Iraq. We found this article very consistent with the person who we know as Patrick Eaton.
By R. Hill
January 22, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this
Thank you so much for sharing a beautiful and insightful look into your life. We are fortunate above all for having dedicated men such as yourself that give from their hearts as they lead with their knowledge. It is my prayer that you will indeed see your daughter’s expressions as she reads your letters. You are giving her a legacy far more valuable than anything money can buy. You are giving her yourself. God Bless you and all our military. Thank you for your service and sacrafice that allows us to sit here in our comfort and read your letters.
By Elaine
January 22, 2006 03:46 PM | Link to this
What a beautiful well written story and what a wonderful man, soldier and Father. My prayers will be with you and may you come home safe to Zoe-she is a very lucky little girl to have a Dad like you.
Thanks Moni for a beautiful story.
Elaine Herweck
By Gina
January 22, 2006 06:56 PM | Link to this
I remember meeting Parick for the first time when he was five years old. He was a special boy and has grown up to be an amazing man. Your step mom Mary and all the Kellys are very proud of you.
love, Gina
By Jenny Lyon
January 22, 2006 10:08 PM | Link to this
God Bless you Patrick. You are living love and art.
By Rhonda Fant
January 23, 2006 12:13 AM | Link to this
Dear Sgt. Eaton and your family-may God bless and keep you safe. We are praying for a safe and speedy return home. No words can ever express the thanks for what you and the other US Service men and women are doing for our country.
We owe our freedom to you~ The Fants
By Vicki and Zoe Eaton
January 23, 2006 12:46 AM | Link to this
Moni,
Zoe and I want to thank you for this beautiful article about Patrick. A more eloquent expression of appreciation could not be found than that of Zoe’s face when she saw her pai on the front page of the newspaper.
Furthermore, we would like to thank you for all the articles you have written about our soldiers in the 48th. Your dedication, courage and sacrifice are realized and appreciated.
May God bless and keep the 48th; all of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines serving in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the loved ones that wait for them at home.
By Spc Callaway
January 23, 2006 01:08 AM | Link to this
hey everyone, Im a Blacksheep, in “Pappy’s” or SFC Eatons platoon. I am 19 years old and the youngest soldier in the platoon. SFC Eaton is by far the best platoon sergeant around. He takes care of his troops first, he is confident in his decision making, and decisive in his actions. He leads not with his rank but with the respect he has earned from us. He is not only an awesome soldier and a great person but he is a good dad. He tells us he is our platoon sergeant while in uniform and when we need to talk about anything, he is our Pappy. He is an excellent leader and nobody should make derrogatory comments about any soldier until you have been where we have been. Thanks alot, Jared
By a combat soldier
January 23, 2006 06:09 AM | Link to this
75 combat patrols since last June. A job well done I’m sure. Please dont take offense to this but, some of us outside the comforted walls of Camp Liberty had 75 patrolls in the fist 40 days in country. We doubled up 2, sometimes 3 a day. And all out of a FOB, not a base. To date the number is staggering of patrols, roadside bombs and the ever popular mortar attacks. Keep in mind, when our FOB gets hit, we dont just hear it, we feel it. There is no guessing the direction of travel. When this is all over, we will all know who did what and where. We will sit and wonder what if and try to justify our actions. For some it will be easy. For others like myself and the guys that did more with less and have nothing to show for it, I will be hard.
By 1LT Phillips
January 23, 2006 06:59 AM | Link to this
Dear Combat Soldier, I would like to first applaud you for your service. It is brave soldiers like you and my “Blacksheep” who have help us to provide the Iraqi people with an opportunity they haven’t had since Saddam entered politics in 1968. While I appreciate your service, I am appalled that you would waste your valuable time in an attempt to degrade one of your brothers-in-arms. If you have accomplished as much as you say, be proud of it. Don’t begrudge another for having to only spend 12 hours a day in a vehicle where the ambient temperature often soars above 150 degrees in the spring and summer. Relish the 2-3 hours you spent patrolling in your Air Conditioned 1114, sometimes 2 to 3 times a day. But please remember that this is a profession: a profession of arms. And most professional soldiers prefer that their actions speak louder than their words.
By sfc during
January 23, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this
thank-you for this article, and god-speed 48th, we are all so very proud of you.
By just another joe
January 23, 2006 11:24 AM | Link to this
dear ‘combat soldier’- thank you for your service. maybe you should read this story again to get a better understanding of what it is about. maybe you’ll figure it out the second time around, but if not be certain of one thing…..it’s not about you. thanks for sharing your thoughts SFC Eaton and thanks for getting this story to us Moni….you’re the best.
By blue
January 23, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this
I hesitate to comment on the post of a soldier in country, but the words of the Lt compelled me to do so. You should know that the soldiers at the FOBs patrolled a lot more than 2 or 3 hours a day and that 200 missions in about 4 months was the norm for many of them and I’m pretty sure combat soldier must have been in that category according to what he had to say. The soldiers I know were those who put in 12-16 hours of missions day after day. You may be appalled by what combat soldier said, but he’s probably more appalled that his service was questioned. Thank you for your service, Lt and combat soldier and SFC Eaton and any other 48th soldier who reads this. You have all sacrificed greatly. SFC Eaton, your letters were so eloquent. I know your daughter will treasure them forever when she’s old enough to understand.
By Kristi
January 23, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this
Thank you for allowing us a small glimpse into your world, Sgt. Eaton. It’s so important that we don’t forget about any of the Americans serving their country in the middle east as this war lingers on. Please pray for our soldiers and also pray for all of the contractors that are there to support our soldiers and help rebuild Iraq. Because our military has suffered drastic cuts in the past 10 years our troops now must rely on our contractors for everything from food, water and electricity to medical care and communications capabilities. My husband, an electrician and my sister, a public relations specialist are working in Iraq supporting the U.S. military that they both were once a part of. Like Zoe, our 3 yr old daughter anxiously awaits daddy’s safe return home. Moni, I wish that more journalists would focus on the stories of our loved ones in Iraq like this one because these are the lives that are being sacrificed.
By Just a reader
January 23, 2006 01:50 PM | Link to this
I just want to say thank you so much for sharing this very personal and emotional side of yourself to all of us. I think that sometimes we forget all that our soldiers go throught for this country. I thank you for your service to this country and all other platoon’s out there.
By SPC-KURRY HIXSON
January 23, 2006 02:59 PM | Link to this
My name is SPC-Kurry Hixson I’m with Bravo co 1-121 but i’m attach to C co 108th AR right now.I know SFC-EATON and miss being with them , i know he is a good man that cares about his people.Keep up the good work SFC-EATON and we’ll all be back together soon.PS I”ll keep up the good work here in scania as well.
By Karmen--a proud mother of one of his men
January 23, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this
Sgt. Eaton- I am the 19 year old lad’s mother that you mentioned in your article and I was so very moved by your story! I have known for some time now that you are an awesome leader from the stories that Jared has shared with us. He has so much respect for you!! The fact that after the rollover he went to you for counsel says so much about you as a leader. Thank you for all you have done for my son and for all of the men that fall under your leadership!! Your family should be very proud!!!!
By Sgt Braud,B
January 23, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this
Pat,you are by far the best leader I have ever worked with.I am sure your daughter is proud of you.i am certain she will be glad to read those letters one day.I look forward to seeing you when you return to the states.
Blue and Combat Soldier,no one doubts or even questions what your unit has done in Iraq.The story was about a father and a daughter.Maybe if you would read the article again you might catch that point.No matter how bad you think it is someone always has it worse. Be proud of your accomplishmets and support all of the troops serving no matter where they are.
By Melva Lauer
January 23, 2006 05:09 PM | Link to this
My husband served in the Army for 12 years and I enjoyed being a military wife very much and got to meet alot of great people serving all over our country. You make me feel so proud to be an American. I appreciate the great sacrifices that each of you make day to day.We still continue our support thru the many legions in our area. Thanks again for your dedication and service to our Nation. God Bless Melva and Steve
By Mary
January 23, 2006 07:19 PM | Link to this
Dear Pat, You were just five when I first knew you, and I was only 20. I’ve always believed that God has a plan for our lives; I was lucky enough to become your step-mom for a while. I was always proud to be your mom then, and I’m am so proud of you now as I see the man, the husband, the father, the leader, you have become. You didn’t grow under my heart, but in it. There will always be a very special place for you there. God speed, with love and prayers for you and your men. xoxo Mary
PS: Thank you, Moni, for this beautiful article. I have shared it with all my friends and family and will be sending Pat their best wishes and prayers soon.
By Spc Alfred "Watdawg" Watkins
January 24, 2006 04:53 AM | Link to this
BLACKSHEEP 7 is a Great Leader. Out of my total of 6 years of service, I must say that I could not have made it through this deployment with another Platoon Sergeant. Thanks PAPPY for keeping us motivated. I DARE any of the CRITICS out there to attempt to serve under this MAN!!!
By jonathan jones
January 24, 2006 07:32 AM | Link to this
What a touching story. I have a little girl named zoe, and am a vet from the first gulf war. I will pray daily for his protection so he can come home and open his letters with his daughter.
i would love his address so we can write him.
By SPC Kimberly Schatz
January 24, 2006 09:23 AM | Link to this
I just wanted to say, what a wonderful article, and what an awesome father, Soldier, man… SFC Eaton, you sound like a leader I would gladly follow, and it shows in the way your men describe you. I certainly hope that Zoe gets to know her daddy a lot better than these precious letters will let her. Godspeed, come home safe. I wish the same for all the Soldiers of the 48th, my fellow GA guardsmen, no matter what you did, how long you worked, whatever missions you pulled… We are all still VERY proud of you!!! Even if there’s someone out there that wants to one-up you, you know what you did, you know you have excelled in courage, and you ALL have every right to be proud of the mission you accomplished. No one can take that away from you.
PS- 1LT Phillips, we miss you here at the office! I’m glad you have someone there like SFC Eaton, too.
By Max Lehmann
January 24, 2006 10:22 AM | Link to this
Godspeed to you and your mates, home speedily to your Zoe
By Ken
January 24, 2006 12:03 PM | Link to this
During the Korean conflict, my father did the same, and these letters were delivered to me by a lawyer on my 18th birthday. Today I an 50 yrs old and those letters still on my night stand as a reminder of the physical and emotional debt we owe each and every solder that we place in harms way. May God richly bless each of these soldiers for thier sacrifice.
By SGT Guy Serapion "Sabot"
January 28, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this
To say it has been a priviledge and an honor to serve with this man would be an understatment. Not only has he helped me grow as a soldier and a leader but also as a father and a man. His influence runs rampant through me, and my family as well.No matter what happens from here, his legacy and teachings will always be alive in the hearts of his soldiers and the children of the “Blacksheep”…There have been only a couple times in my life when I have truly felt invincible, as a boy riding on my fathers shoulders and as a man on patrol with Pappy at my right side. Thanks, Pappy, you are truly an Incredible Man
To Zoe and Vicki you are some lucky and tough ladies thanks for loaning him to us. Love always, Guy
By Denise in Australia
January 29, 2006 08:02 PM | Link to this
I write this with tears in my eyes, at age 38 I have never known loss except for that at age 11 of my lovely dad. The hole in my heart is still deep and my thoughts still drift to questions about him, even after all this time. I can no longer remember the sound of his voice as this has faded over the years, but I still feel the love I received from him and still see him playing with my brother and me in my mine as if watching a family video. Continue to write your letters even when you return home as I am sure even when your daughter Zoe is an adult and you leave this world hopefully in your old age she will draw great comfort, strength and love from her daddy as all daughters do.
By Ken.T.
January 29, 2006 09:50 PM | Link to this
God Bless you, Eaton. Thank you and all that stand between the good and the bad in this world. Your gift to Zoe is bigger then you know. Ken.T.
By Karen Harville
January 30, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
I am glad you published Sgt. Eaton’s letters, and feelings about his job and what is important. Our Rotary Club in Thomaston began a PHONE HOME PROJECT for Sgt. Eaton’s platoon, we keep contact through Lt. Will Phillips, he is the leader of one platoon we sent satellite phones to. The other is in Camp Striker The people have contributed over $11,000.00 for the phones and minutes. It’s a small thing for us, the least we could do; and a big thing for the soldiers we hope. No one likes war, but as the German theologian said, (himself a Pacificist all his life). Sometimes when the situation is grave, (He spoke at the time of Hitler) the Christian must sacrifice some of his purity, otherwise, how is the coming generation going to live. I think that put Iraq in perspective for me; that and living in the Middle East. People all over the world just want their children to grow up happy, healthy and safe. It’s only the evil that do not want peace and that can kill without remorse. Islam means peace, and Mohammed has asked that when you are angry, you pray, you do not kill. We live in a small world, and need to take care of each other. Thank God for all people who want good to overcome evil; Sgt Eaton, Lt Phillips, and those who live to promote freedom!
By Dee
January 31, 2006 03:42 PM | Link to this
I am an Australian-born Lebanese who has been closely following the reporting on the war in Iraq. I want to thank the writer of this article for putting a human face to what has become not only a physical war but also a war of words. While I do not believe that war is right, nothing is worth the loss of even one human life, especially the war in Iraq, I do not presume to judge American soldiers for doing their duty in serving their county. The stereotypical image of the gung ho, shoot anything that moves soldier has been very much negated by this moving and inspirational story. As for David. I very much hope Sgt Eaton makes it home safely to his family and that he can read in person these letters with his daughter. God bless and keep him and the others with him safe.