Purple Hearts: Back from Iraq

[DrDebug]

As per request by WiseButAngrySara. A story of the Purple Hearts. The wounded who returned from Iraq.

In October 2003, Nina Berman started making portraits of American soldiers who were wounded in the Iraq War. She began the project because she was not seeing any images of wounded soldiers, much less wounded Iraqi civilians, in the American press. The human cost of war seemed conspicuously absent from public view. Nina felt that maybe if Americans saw images of their own wounded sons and daughters, they might have more realistic understanding of the consequences of war.

You can read the stories of 10 purple hearts in full at: http://www.opendemocracy.net/arts-photography/article_2387.jsp
Or watch the documentary of 3 of them at: http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/19115612

Spc. Sam Ross

“It was the best experience of my life”



Spc. Sam Ross, 21, combat engineer, 82nd Airborne Division, was injured 18 May 2003 in Baghdad when a bomb blew up a munitions disposal operation. He is blind and an amputee.

Spc. Luis Calderon

“From my neckline down I cannot feel anything”



I’ve had three surgeries. My spinal cord is C3-C4 which means quadriplegic. From my neckline down I cannot feel anything.

Pfc. Alan Jermaine Lewis

“Death has always been around”



Pfc. Alan Jermaine Lewis, 23, a machine-gunner, 3rd Infantry Division was wounded 16 July 2003, on Highway 8 in Baghdad when the humvee he was driving hit a land mine blowing off both legs, burning his face, and breaking his left arm in six places. He was delivering ice to other soldiers at the time.

Full stories at: http://www.opendemocracy.net/arts-photography/article_2387.jsp

---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---

This is transcribed from the video documentary. John Quincy Adams looks fine, but his brain doesn't function anymore.

W = his wife; I = interviewer; J = John

Sgt. John Quincy Adams

“My head doesn’t let me work”



W> Big difference to how he sounds now



W> It went straight in

I> All the veterans mainly regret not being there anymore
W> Yes
J> Yeah
J> When you put on the uniform the people look up to you.



W> Our letters. Our voice letters
I> From a different John
W> From a different John that I knew. Because the John I have now is not my John



I> If they call you tomorrow and ask you to go back to Iraq?
J> If my boys call then I'll go with them
W> But why?
J> I would say to kill those Iraqis
W> But for what reason?
J> For hitting me and all the Americans over there. Plus I have no regrets
W> Anger that's how I see it
W> A battle that is never going to end
W> And in the end we will have to go. Sooner or later
W> We don't understand them and they don't understand us. And we never will.

One hour documentary:
http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/19115612


More: http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/wounded/gallery.htm

[cornermouse]

1. Every single one of them, someone's child.

:cry:

[TomClash]

2. Wait! The Swift Boat Liars for Fascist Disinformation say

"Were those wounds self-inflicted?" :mad:

[DrDebug]

3. kick

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. So when one of them runs for office in 20 years

shall he (or she) be slimed and fake purple hearts worn as well? stay tuned

[Stephanie]

5. I am glad George Bush is a Christian.

I'm glad he knows there's a special place waiting for him in Hell.