Jacob my brother

you were so much younger than me.

One of 7 soldiers who were killed was number 2,000, 7 whose deaths were noted yesterday in Iraq. One of them, Jacob Dones of Dimmitt,Texas was 21, and in country only since January 2005. I didn't find out about Jacob from the fancier members of the 4th estate like CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Fox News, even though they all took note of the number ticking over. When he was stateside he was stationed at Fort Irwin in Barstow, California, and the humble Barstow Desert Dispatch is where I found out about young mister Dones. He was actually killed last Thursday. The Barstow reporter, Adrienne Ziegler, notes that he had a five year old daugter and intended to get married when he got back. Ziegler also notes that the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is based in Fort Irwin, has lost 12 soldiers in Iraq thus far. I imagine the other six had names too. They still have names.

the rest of Ziegler's story about Jacob Dones is here.


image courtesy Barstow Desert Dispatch