UGretchen Catherwood uphethe iflegi kwibhokisi yonyana wakhe u-Marine Lance Cpl. Alec Katherwood ngolwesithathu, Agasti 18, 2021 eSpringville, Tennessee. Ngo-2010, u-Alec oneminyaka eyi-19 wabulawa ngelixa esilwa neTaliban e-Afghanistan. Xa wayesaphila, wayethanda ukumbamba ubuso. Unolusu oluthambileyo olufana nosana, kwaye xa ebeka isandla sakhe esidleleni sakhe, le Marine inkulu yomelele ivakalelwa njengenkwenkwana yakhe. (Ifoto yeAP/Karen Pulfer Focht)
I-Springville, eTennessee-Xa weva ucango lwemoto luvaleka luvaleka, wayesonga ijezi ebomvu kwaye esiya efestileni, eqonda ukuba ixesha awayesoloko ecinga ukuba liya kumbulala laliza kuba yinyani: Iinqanawa ezintathu zasemanzini kunye nomfundisi waselwandle. esiya ngasemnyango wakhe, nto leyo enokuthetha into enye kuphela.
Wabeka isandla sakhe kwinkwenkwezi eluhlaza ecaleni komnyango wangaphambili, eyayiluphawu lokukhusela unyana wakhe uMalin Lance Cpl. U-Alec Catherwood (u-Alec Catherwood) owaya kwidabi lase-Afghanistan kwiiveki ezintathu ezidlulileyo.
Emva koko, njengoko wayekhumbula, washiywa ziingqondo. Wabaleka ejikeleza indlu yonke. Wavula ucango waxelela indoda ukuba abanakungena. Yachola ibhaskithi yeentyatyambo yaza yabagibisela ngayo. Wakhwaza kakhulu kangangokuba akazange akwazi ukuthetha ixesha elide ngosuku olulandelayo.
“Ndifuna bangathethi nto,” utshilo uGretchen Catherwood, “kuba ukuba bayayenza, yinyani. Kwaye, ngokuqinisekileyo, yinyani. "
Xa ndijonga iindaba kwezi veki zimbini, ndivakalelwa kukuba olu suku lwenzeke kwimizuzu elishumi eyadlulayo. Xa imikhosi yase-US yarhoxa e-Afghanistan, yonke into ababeyisebenze nzima beyakha yabonakala isiwa ngephanyazo. Umkhosi wase-Afghan wabeka phantsi izixhobo zawo, umongameli wabaleka, kwaye iTaliban yathatha indawo. Amawaka abantu agijimela kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya saseKabul, enqwenela ukubaleka, kwaye uGretchen Catherwood waziva ezandleni zakhe ijezi ebomvu awayeyisongile xa efumanisa ukuba unyana wakhe ufile.
Iselfowuni yakhe yayingxola ziindaba ezivela kumalungu osapho lwakhe awayehlanganisene ukususela ngaloo mini yoyikekayo: ipolisa elalibalekele imbiza yeentyatyambo; abazali babanye abantu bafela edabini okanye bazibulala; unyana wakhe waba kwindawo yokuqala edumileyo 5 Amaqabane kwi-3rd Battalion of the Marine Corps, isiqhulo "Ikampu yehashe eliMnyama", zinezinga eliphezulu lokwenzakala e-Afghanistan. Uninzi lwabo lumbiza ngokuba “ngumama”.
Ngaphandle kwesi sangqa, wabona umntu ebanga kuFacebook esithi "oku yinkcitha-xesha yobomi kwaye kunokwenzeka." Abahlobo bamxelela indlela abavakalelwa ngayo ngokufa konyana wakhe. Xa wayetshintshiselana ngenkcazelo nabanye abantu abahlawula ixabiso lemfazwe, wayenexhala lokuba ukuphela kwemfazwe kwakuya kubanyanzela ukuba bathandabuze ukubaluleka koko bakubonayo nababandezelekileyo.
“Ndifuna wazi izinto ezintathu,” watsho kwabanye abantu. “Awuzange ulwele ukuchitha amandla akho. UAlec akazange aphulukane nobomi bakhe. Phofu ndizokulinda apha kude kube yimini yokufa kwam. Ezi zizo zonke endifuna ukuba uzikhumbule. "
Kwihlathi elisemva kwendlu yakhe, isakhiwa indlu yamahashe amnyama. Yena nomyeni wakhe bakha indawo yokuzimela amagqala, indawo abanokuhlanganisana kuyo ukuze bahlangabezane namasikizi emfazwe. Kukho amagumbi angama-25, yaye igumbi ngalinye lithiywe ngendoda eyabulawa kwinkampu yonyana wayo. Uthe abo babuyela ekhaya sele bengoonyana babo. Uyazi ukuba bangaphezu kwesithandathu abantu abaye bafa ngokuzibulala.
“Ndinexhala malunga nefuthe lezengqondo eziya kuba nalo kubo. Bomelele kakhulu, bakhaliphile, bakhaliphile. Kodwa bakwanazo neentliziyo ezinkulu kakhulu. Kwaye ndicinga ukuba banokungena ngaphakathi kakhulu kwaye bazibeke ityala, ”utshilo. “Thixo wam, ndiyathemba ukuba abazuzigxeka.”
Lo mfanekiso we-2010 unikezwe ngu-Chelsea Lee ubonisa u-Marine Lance Cpl. U-Alec Catherwood (u-Alec Catherwood) Ngobo busuku, i-3rd Battalion ye-5th Marines isetyenziswe ukusuka eCamp Pendleton, eCalifornia. UGeorge Barba ukhumbula inqwelo-moya yokuqala kaCaterwood ngehelikopta ngexesha loqeqesho kunye nendlela “awancuma ngayo kufutshane neendlebe zakhe waza washukumisa iinyawo njengomntwana ohleli kwisitulo esiphakamileyo”. (uChelsea Lee ngeAssociated Press)
I-3rd Battalion ye-5 ye-Marine Corps yathunyelwa esuka e-Camp Pendleton, eCalifornia ekwindla ka-2010, ithumela i-1,000 yase-US Marines e-Afghanistan, eya kuba yenye yeehambo ezichitha igazi kumajoni aseMelika.
I-Black Horse Battalion yalwa nabahlaseli baseTaliban kwisithili saseSangin kwiPhondo laseHelmand iinyanga ezintandathu. Kwimfazwe ekhokelwa yi-US malunga neshumi leminyaka, uSangjin wayephantse waphantsi kolawulo lweTaliban. Amasimi achumileyo asetyenziselwa ii-narcotics anika abalwi ngengeniso exabisekileyo abazimisele ukuyibamba.
Ukufika kwabaselwandle, iflegi emhlophe yeTaliban yabhabha isuka kwizakhiwo ezininzi. Izithethi ezifakelweyo kwimithandazo yosasazo zazisetyenziselwa ukuhlekisa ngomkhosi wase-US. Isikolo sivaliwe.
Owayesakuba ngusajini wakhumbula oku: “Xa intaka yahlala phantsi, sabethwa. UGeorge Barba waseMenifee, eCalifornia. “Sabaleka, sangena, ndikhumbula ukuba usajini wethu weentolo zeentolo wathi kuthi: 'Namkelekile eSankin. Ufumene iribhoni yakho yokulwa.'”
I-sniper yazimela ehlathini. Ijoni elaliphethe umpu lazimela emva kodonga lodaka. Iibhombu ezenziwe ekhaya zajika iindlela nemijelo yaba zizirhintyelo zokufa.
ISankin yindawo yokuqala ka-Alec Catherwood yokulwa. Wajoyina i-Marine Corps xa wayesesesikolweni samabanga aphakamileyo, waya kwinkampu ye-boot emva nje kokuphumelela, waza wabelwa kwiqela lamadoda ali-13 elikhokelwa ngusajini wangaphambili. Sean Johnson.
Ubungcali bukaKatherwood bushiye umbono onzulu kuJohnson-usempilweni, womelele ngokwasengqondweni, kwaye uhlala ehleli ngexesha.
“Uneminyaka eli-19 kuphela ubudala, ngoko ke le yinto ekhethekileyo,” watsho uJohnson. "Abanye abantu basafuna ukuqonda indlela yokubopha iibhutsi zabo ukuze bangangxoliswa."
UKatherwood naye wabahlekisa. Wayephethe into yokudlala encinci kunye naye njengesixhobo sokuqhula.
UBarba ukhumbule uhambo lokuqala lukaCatherwood ngehelikopta ngexesha loqeqesho kunye nendlela “awancuma ngayo kufutshane neendlebe zakhe kwaye eshukumisa iinyawo njengomntwana ohleli kwisitulo esiphakamileyo”.
Owayesakuba Cpl. UWilliam Sutton waseYorkville, e-Illinois, wenza isibhambathiso sokuba uCasewood uya kuqhula nokuba kutshintshiselwano lomlilo.
“U-Alec, usisibane ebumnyameni,” utshilo uSutton, owadutyulwa izihlandlo ezininzi kumlo e-Afghanistan. "Emva koko bayithatha kuthi."
Ngo-Oktobha 14, 2010, emva kokulinda ngaphandle kwendawo yokulinda ebusuku, iqela likaCatherwood liza kunceda amanye amaMarines ahlaselwa. Iimbumbulu zabo zaziphelile.
Banqumla amasimi avulekileyo, besebenzisa imijelo yokunkcenkceshela njengekhusi. Emva kokuthumela isiqingatha seqela ngokukhuselekileyo ngaphambili, uJohnson wankqonkqoza uKatherwood kwisigcina-ntloko wathi, “Masihambe.”
Uthe emva kwamanyathelo amathathu nje, kwavakala izithonga zompu ezazilalele abalwi beTaliban emva kwabo. UJohnson wehlisa intloko waza wabona umngxuma wembumbulu kwibhulukhwe yakhe. Wadutyulwa emlenzeni. Kwandula ke kwabakho ugqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu—omnye wamajoni aseLwandle wanyathela phezu kwebhombu efihlakeleyo. UJohnson waquleka ngokukhawuleza waza wavuka emanzini.
Emva koko kwabakho olunye ugqabhuko-dubulo. Ejonge ngasekhohlo, uJohnson wabona iCatherwood idada ijonge phantsi. Wathi kucacile ukuba umfana waseLwandle ufile.
Ugqabhuko-dubulo ngexesha lokulalela kwabulala omnye waseLwandle, uLance Cpl. UJoseph Lopez waseRosamond, eKhalifoniya, kunye nomnye umntu benzakala kakhulu.
Emva kokubuyela eUnited States, uSajini uSteve Bancroft waqalisa uhambo olunzima lweeyure ezimbini ukuya kwikhaya labazali bakhe eCasewood, emantla eIllinois. Phambi kokuba abe ligosa loncedo kwingozi, wasebenza e-Iraq kangangeenyanga ezisixhenxe kwaye wayenoxanduva lokwazisa usapho lwakhe ngokusweleka edabini.
UBancroft, ngoku osele esidla umhlala-phantsi, wathi: “Andifuni ukuba oku kwenzeke nakubani na, yaye andikwazi ukuyichaza: Andifuni kujonga ubuso babazali bam ndize ndibaxelele ukuba unyana wabo okuphela kwakhe akasekho.”
Xa kwakufuneka akhaphe usapho lwakhe ukuya eDover, eDelaware, ukuya kubukela ibhokisi yomngcwabo iqengqeleka kwinqwelomoya, wayenempakamo. Kodwa xa eyedwa walila. Wathi xa ecinga ngexesha afika ngalo eGretchen naseKirk Catherwood, wayesakhala.
Baye bahleka iimbiza zentyatyambo zilahlwa ngoku. Usathetha rhoqo nabo kunye nabanye abazali abazisayo. Nangona engazange adibane noAlec, wayevakalelwa kukuba uyamazi.
“Unyana wabo ligorha. Kunzima ukucacisa, kodwa uncame into engaphaya kwe-99% yabantu behlabathi abangazange bafune ukuyenza,” utshilo.
“Ngaba kufanelekile? Silahlekelwe ngabantu abaninzi. Kunzima ukucinga ukuba siphulukene kangakanani na.” Uthe.
UGretchen Catherwood wafumana i-Purple Heart yonyana wakhe e-Springville, eTennessee ngoLwesithathu, ngo-Agasti 18, 2021. U-Alec Katherwood oneminyaka eyi-19 wabulawa kwidabi le-Taliban e-Afghanistan ngo-2010. (Ifoto ye-AP / Karen Pulfer Focht)
UGretchen Catherwood waxhoma umnqamlezo owawunxitywe ngunyana wakhe kwibhedi yakhe, nethegi yenja yakhe ijinga kuwo.
Iliso leglasi lalijinga ecaleni kwayo, livuthela uthuthu lomnye umfana waseMarine: Cpl. UPaul Wedgwood, waya ekhaya.
I-Black Horse Camp yabuyela eCalifornia ngo-Aprili 2011. Emva kweenyanga zokulwa okukrakra, babamba iSanjin kwiTaliban. Iinkokeli zorhulumente wephondo zingasebenza ngokukhuselekileyo. Abantwana, kuquka namantombazana, babuyela esikolweni.
Yahlawula ixabiso elinzima. Ukongezelela kubantu abangama-25 abaphulukene nobomi babo, abantu abangaphezu kwama-200 baye bagoduka bonzakele, uninzi lwabo luphulukene nemilenze, yaye abanye beneziva ekunzima ukuzibona.
U-Wedgwood akakwazanga ukulala xa egqiba iminyaka emine yokubhalisa kwaye washiya iMarines kwi-2013. Xa elala kancinci, usela ngakumbi.
Umvambo kwingalo yakhe engaphezulu wawubonisa umqulu wephepha onamagama ooMarines abane ababulawa eSankin. UWedgwood wacinga ngokuphinda abhalise, kodwa wathi kunina: “Ukuba ndiyahlala, ndicinga ukuba ndiza kufa.”
Endaweni yoko, uWedgwood waya ekholejini kwidolophu yakowabo eColorado, kodwa kungekudala waphelelwa ngumdla. Iinyani zibonakalise ukuba iikhosi ze-welding zeekholeji zasekuhlaleni zifanelekile ngakumbi.
U-Wedgwood wafunyaniswa ukuba unengxaki yoxinzelelo lwasemva koxinzelelo. Uthatha amayeza kwaye uthatha inxaxheba kunyango.
“Ugxile kakhulu kwimpilo yengqondo,” utshilo uHelen Wedgewood, umama weMarine Corps. Akalogqala elingahoywanga.
Nakuba kunjalo, watsala nzima. Ngomhla we-4 kaJulayi, i-Wedgwood iya kuzisa inja yakhe ukuba imise inkampu ehlathini ukuze igweme izixhobo zomlilo. Emva kokuba umatshini ongasebenziyo umenze watsibela phantsi, wawuyeka umsebenzi awayewuthanda.
Kwiminyaka emihlanu emva kweSanjin, izinto zibonakala zibangcono. UWedgwood ulungiselela umsebenzi omtsha oza kumvumela ukuba abuyele e-Afghanistan njengekontraka yokhuseleko yabucala. Ubonakala ekwindawo entle.
Ngo-Agasti 23, 2016, emva kobusuku bokusela kunye nomntu ahlala naye, u-Wedgwood akazange abonakale emsebenzini. Kamva, umntu ahlala naye wamfumana efile kwigumbi lokulala. Wazidubula. Uneminyaka engama-25 ubudala.
Ukholelwa ukuba unyana wakhe kunye nabanye abazibulalayo bangamaxhoba emfazwe, njengabo baphulukana nobomi babo kwisenzo.
Xa i-Taliban iphinda ilawula i-Afghanistan ngaphambi kwesikhumbuzo sesihlanu sokusweleka konyana wakhe, waxola kuba imfazwe eyabulala abantu baseMelika abangaphezu kwama-2,400 kwaye yenzakala abantu abangaphezu kwama-20,700 ekugqibeleni iphelile. Kodwa kulusizi ukuba impumelelo yabantu base-Afghan - ngakumbi abafazi nabantwana - inokuba yeyomzuzwana.
Ixesha lokuposa: Aug-31-2021