I recently got an email from Ed Kirkpatrick. He contacted me because he had seen on my blog that my son is stationed on FOB Falcon. Ed’s son, Scott Kirkpatrick, had been stationed on the same FOB during the same time as my son. He asked me if my son might have known his son. You see, Ed’s son was killed in August when he and some of his comrades entered a bobby trapped house in Arab Jabour, Iraq in pursuit of a sniper who had killed one of the men in their patrol.

Ed and I have different politics, but the bond of understanding that parents have when they have a child in harm’s way leaves politics in the dust. I admit that I just can’t let my mind go to where Ed’s has had no choice but to go. I hope you will visit his blog, Don’t Ever Put Down the Pen. His son is known as the Soldier Poet. Apparently he inherited his talent with words from his father.

Ed is looking for someone who has been there and may have known his son or at least be able to shed some light on the area in which his son lost his life. Ed contacted David Tate who has done a narrative and slide show of photos of the time he spent in Arab Jabour. You can see the photos, which are excellent, at Battlefield Tourist.

If you have images or information about that area of Iraq, please share them with Sgt. Kirkpatrick’s father. Even if you don’t I hope you will go by and say hello.