Iraq War News

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Soldiers killed in Iraq grieved at Fort Sill

The grieving mother of a Fort Sill soldier found dead in Iraq paused after a memorial service Tuesday to thank the Lawton-Fort Sill community for its outpouring of support and pray that all the other soldiers make it home safely.

Soldiers filled the aisles of Grierson Hill Chapel to honor two fallen heroes, Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe, 37, of Roselle, N.J., and Pvt. 1st Class Kevin Charles Ott, 27, of Orient, Ohio.

Both men served in B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery, part of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade that deployed in its entirety on March 20.

The two soldiers disappeared the night of June 25 near Balad, a town 15 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. American troops had been searching in that vicinity for supporters of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Their humvee was recovered June 27, and the following day their remains were found approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad.

Families and friends gathered here Tuesday to remember the men by reading letters that Philippe had written to a young pen pal named Molly, reciting poems written in honor of the two soldiers and sharing reminiscences.

"We’re honored to have served with and to pay tribute to two great Americans, Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe and Pvt. 1st Class Kevin Ott. They both gave their all serving this great nation. For that we are forever grateful," Lt. Col. Gary Hisle said.

A video tribute gave a glimpse of the two at work and at play. There was a candid shot of Ott on Santa’s knee, another of Philippe seated at a table with a candle in front of him.

1st Sgt. Robert Gains said he was on his way back from El Paso, Texas, when he got a call from his wife telling him Philippe had been identified as one of the two missing soldiers, and he had to pull off to the side of the road to collect his thoughts.

Gains said he met Philippe in 1992-93 when they were stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. Gains shared a story about the time they left the gas off in their trailer to try to save money, thinking it could never get cold enough in Georgia to require heat, only to run into a cold spell.

Later they rekindled their friendship here and became business partners.

Ott was remembered by one Sgt. Cook as a person who had good people skills, an outgoing personality and an open mind.

"He knew everything a private first class was supposed to and yet he was still always hungry to learn more," Cook said. "He didn’t look down on anybody. … There should be more soldiers like Kevin. He’d look out for people."

Pamela Condo, Ott’s sister, read a poem written by a friend of the family for both soldiers. Charles Ott, father of the deceased soldier, thanked the Army for having the memorial.

"The Army went all out for this. … Every time we had a question they answered what we needed to know," Ott said.

Ott’s mother, Alma "Amy" Ott, added after the service was over that "we also want to thank the community of Lawton and Fort Sill. You would not believe the support and the things they’ve done to help us through the situation. I don’t know what we would have done without the people of the city.

"We thank each and every one of them. We don’t know who you were, as far as your community is concerned, but we thank each and every one of them.

"And we pray that all the other boys over there, that they come home safely. Every one of them, because they’re all very important," she said, adding that her family prays for others who have lost soldiers to the war.

"Our family is very saddened by this event," James Pack, Ott’s brother-in-law, said. "We want everybody to know Kevin was a good man, a loving person, and went the extra mile to help people. He was very proud to be in the military and to do the job."

Philippe was born May 19, 1966 in Haiti. He graduated from high school in 1986. He entered the Army on Nov. 29, 1988. He attended basic training at Fort Sill with the 1st Battalion, 33rd Field Artillery from December 1988 through March 1989. He attended the Primary Leadership Development course in 1991 and was inducted into the Noncommissioned Officer Corps on Nov. 1, 1992. Philippe attended the Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course in 1994 and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course in 2001.

Philippe served as a platoon sergeant assigned to Bravo Battery, 3/18 FA. Previously he was a cannon gunner in 3rd Battalion, 41st Field Artillery, ammunition team chief, and howitzer section chief in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery.

Philippe’s awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with fourth oak leaf cluster, and the Good Conduct Medal third award.

He is survived in death by his father, Renisse Philippe; his son, Cassidey Philippe, and his eight brothers and sisters.

Ott was born July 18, 1975, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Westfall High School and graduated in 1993. He then attended Bluffton College and Columbus State Community College. He entered the Army on Jan. 17, 2002. Ott attended basic training with 1st Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery as a member of Echo Battery from January through May 2002.

Ott served as a platoon sergeant’s driver assigned to B Battery, 3/18 FA. He was called to join the "Steel Professionals" Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Ott’s awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

He is survived in death by his parents, Charles and Alma Ott; his four sisters, Julie Pack, Joyce Norris, Diana Roberts and Pamela Condo, and his brother, Douglass Ott.

Support Our Troops
Family, Friends Mourn Loss Of Soldiers

POSTED: 9:35 a.m. CDT July 9, 2003

LAWTON, Okla. -- Alma Ott knows little about the residents of Lawton or Fort Sill, but the Ohioan believes she wouldn't have gotten through the death of her son without them.

"I don't know what we would have done without the people of the city. We thank each and every one of them," she said after Tuesday's memorial service for her son, Pvt. 1st Class Kevin Charles Ott, and Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe, who died in Iraq.

Kevin Ott, 27, of Orient, Ohio, and Philippe, 37, of Roselle, N.J., were members of B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery, part of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade that deployed on March 20.


They disappeared June 25 near Balad, a town 15 miles north of Baghdad. American troops had been searching the area for supporters of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The men's humvee was recovered June 27, and the following day their remains were found about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad.

Families and friends gathered at Grierson Hill Chapel on the Army post heard letters that Philippe had written to a young pen pal named Molly, poems written in honor of the two soldiers and reminiscences.

"They both gave their all serving this great nation. For that we are forever grateful," Lt. Col. Gary Hisle said of Philippe and Ott.

A video tribute included a shot of Ott on Santa's knee and one of Philippe seated at a table with a candle in front of him.

1st Sgt. Robert Gains said he was heading back from El Paso, Texas, when he learned that Philippe had been identified as one of the two missing soldiers.

Gains said he had to pull over to collect his thoughts about a man he had met about 10 years earlier when they were stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. Eventually, they became business partners.

Charles Ott, Kevin Ott's father, thanked the Army for the memorial.

"Every time we had a question they answered what we needed to know," Charles Ott said of the Army.

Philippe was born May 19, 1966, in Haiti. He graduated from high school in 1986. He entered the Army on Nov. 29, 1988, and did his basic training at Fort Sill with the 1st Battalion, 33rd Field Artillery from December 1988 through March 1989.

His awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with fourth oak leaf cluster, and the Good Conduct Medal third award.

Ott was born July 18, 1975, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Westfall High School and graduated in 1993. He then attended Bluffton College and Columbus State Community College.

Ott entered the Army on Jan. 17, 2002, and did his basic training with 1st Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery as a member of Echo Battery from January through May 2002.

Philippe is survived by his father, a son and eight brothers and sisters.

Besides his parents, Ott left behind four sisters and a brother.

Support Our Troops
More troops are headed overseas
7/9/2003 5:57 PM
By: Tony Jones & Web Staff

As troops continue to return from overseas duty, more North Carolina military personnel are heading out. More than 175 members of the 805th Military Police Company are being deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle.

Staff Sergeant Kenneth Cabarrus said his unit's tasks will be many.

"We do a little common task training which includes treatment fro shock and first aid,� Cabarrus said. “They are sort of the priorities."

The company's other major roles are bringing law and order to places like Iraq and Afghanistan and protecting American troops who remain on patrol in those hot spots.

That's comforting news for Marian Kshetrapal, whose husband Lt. Vivek Kshetrapal is being deployed for the first time.

"There's absolutely that real fear but we also have confidence that the men from the 805th are really well trained,� Marian said.

Protection and service to country was a theme hammered home by North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who addressed the troops during a brief deployment ceremony in Raleigh.

"You are turning over your lives for the United States of America to protect our freedom and to protect those who are vulnerable,� Cooper said. “That, brave soldiers, is an honorable mission."

It’s a mission the unit's commanding officer, Timothy Ferring, believes remains the same despite the real chance some of these men and women may face hostilities in Iraq.

"They're trained to perform a certain mission and that mission is very similar whether it’s peacekeeping operations or whether its wartime,� Ferring said.

The solders will first report to Fort Bragg for three weeks of training prior to being deployed to an undisclosed location overseas. 200 members of the 805th are currently deployed overseas.

Support Our Troops
NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense

No. 496-03
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jul 09, 2003
(703)697-5131(media)
(703)428-0711(public/industry)

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the identities of three soldiers who
died of non-combat related causes while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.



Staff Sgt. Barry Sanford, Sr., 46, of Aurora, Colo., died on July 7 in Balad,
Iraq. Sanford was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 101st Support
Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.



Sgt. 1st Class Craig A. Boling, 38, of Elkhart, Ind., died on July 8 in Camp
Wolf, Kuwait. Boling was assigned to Company C, 1-152nd Infantry, Tell City, Ind.



Pvt. Robert L. McKinley, 23, of Kokomo, Ind., died on July 8 in Homberg,
Germany. McKinley was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-101st
Air Assault, Fort Campbell, Ky.

[Web Version: http://www.dod.mil/releases/2003/nr20030709-0186.html]

-- News Releases: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases
-- DoD News: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/dodnews.html
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BBC's War Coverage Cements Independence and Ire: "The BBC can rightly claim that its rowwith Tony Blair's administration has cemented its independencefrom government, analysts said on Tuesday. But neither side hasemerged unscathed in the heated battle over the BBC's coverageof the Iraq war and Britain's public broadcaster is underpressure to make changes to safeguard its image as one of theworld's most trusted news organizations. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



9/11 commission frustrated by Bush administration intimidation: "A New York Times article written yesterday tells the story of a 9/11 commission intimidated and..."

In Catalyzer Newsroom



Iraqi oil tender for BP and Shell: "BP and Shell are poised to start selling oil from Iraq after successful tender bids."

In Ananova: War In Iraq



U.S. Seizes Two on Iraq Most-Wanted List: "Saddam Hussein's former interior minister and a top member of his Baath party have been taken into custody, the latest in a list of 55 most-wanted fugitives from the ousted regime, the U.S. military said Wednesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Army Details Ambush That Injured Lynch: "An Army report on the ambush of the 507th Maintenance Company in Iraq says fatigue, bad communications and other difficulties arising in "the fog of war" all factored into the deaths of 11 and capture of six, including still hospitalized Pfc. Jessica Lynch. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



US army report denies Private Jessica shooting claims: "Claims that Private Jessica Lynch was shot and stabbed as she fought with Iraqi soldiers before being taken prisoner have been debunked by a US Army report."

In Ananova: War In Iraq



Iraqi with alleged ties to 9/11 hijacker in U.S. custody in CNN - War in Iraq



Blair: WMD reports 'accurate' in CNN - War in Iraq



Clamor Over Iraq Nuke Claim: "The White House's withdrawal of its claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from Africa is leading Democrats here, and opposition lawmakers in Britain and Australia, to call for deeper inquiries into prewar intelligence."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

WMD Retraction Fuels Probe Calls: "The White House's withdrawal of its claim that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from Africa is leading Democrats here, and opposition lawmakers in Britain and Australia, to call for deeper inquiries into prewar intelligence."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



Coalition still struggles, three months after fall of Baghdad: "US-led coalition forces marked three months since they captured Baghdad, struggling to restore services in the face of continued attacks from guerrilla bands. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



U.S. Troops Seize Large Weapons Cache Near Baghdad: "U.S. forces have seized a large cacheof rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), the weapon of choice foranti-American guerrillas in Iraq, near a flashpoint town westof Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Wednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



As George Bush tours Africa US Congress set to slash Africa aid (9 July 03) in Radio Free USA



White House 'warned over Iraq claim' (9 July 03) in Radio Free USA



Vehicle crash caused Lynch's 'horrific injuries' (9 July 03) in Radio Free USA



UN rules out mass repatriation of Iraqi refugees this year: "The UN refugee agency said that it was ruling out the mass repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees this year because of growing insecurity in the country. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iraq Democracy Watch: "Parallel Justice Systems (Sound familiar?)
Back at the end of June, Amnesty International filed a news release calling for the US to "give hundreds of Iraqis detained since the beginning of the occupation the right to meet families and lawyers and to have a judicial review of their detention."  AI is also calling for investigations into allegations of "ill-treatment, torture, and death in custody."
The UK Times OnLine today paints a vivid portrait of the issue of the detainees, including children "accused of petty offences including writing anti-American graffiti." 
There are two primary detention camps, one outside of the Baghdad Airport called, "Camp Cropper," and another outside Hussein's old Abu Ghraib prison, to the west of Baghdad.
In an unrelated article portraying a small town's council leader, the NYT gave another glimpse into how the detentions are affecting daily life. 

Mr. Dari said he received 10 to 12 complaints a day about weapons, cars or relatives taken by the Americans. One man came to report that American soldiers had taken away his deaf relative a month ago for having a picture of Saddam Hussein in his house, and that he had not been seen since.

According to the LA Times ,

Across Iraq, about 3,000 men are being held without formal charges in high-security facilities sealed off from public scrutiny...The Iraqi legal system, which could process those arrested for crimes covered by local penal codes, is barely functioning.

This has, apparently, created a parallel justice system, according to Amnesty:

some detainees fall into the "black hole" detention center at the airport; their family has no news of them and they are only entitled to a review of their detention within three weeks by a US military lawyer. Others arrested for similar offences are taken to Iraqi police stations and receive the protection of the procedures in the 1971 Criminal Procedure Code: their files are brought before an Iraqi examining magistrate within 24 hours. They are entitled to release if there is insufficient evidence against them.

The Coalition authorities contend that "acknowledge they face 'serious short-term problems' " in putting the trappings of a valid justice system into effect says the LA Times.
The situation is close to impossible, with the tremendous demands for security in order to ensure everything from rebuilding to the effective distribution of food and other humanitarian aid.
But it must be possible at the very least to allow visitors, provide humane conditions, not to arrest children (or at least keep them in a separate facility), to keep prisoners of war separate from suspected criminals, and to avoid arrests over trivial issues...until the justice system can be brought up to speed. "

Support Our Troops
Family, Friends Mourn Loss Of Soldiers

POSTED: 9:35 a.m. CDT July 9, 2003

LAWTON, Okla. -- Alma Ott knows little about the residents of Lawton or Fort Sill, but the Ohioan believes she wouldn't have gotten through the death of her son without them.

"I don't know what we would have done without the people of the city. We thank each and every one of them," she said after Tuesday's memorial service for her son, Pvt. 1st Class Kevin Charles Ott, and Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe, who died in Iraq.

Kevin Ott, 27, of Orient, Ohio, and Philippe, 37, of Roselle, N.J., were members of B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery, part of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade that deployed on March 20.


They disappeared June 25 near Balad, a town 15 miles north of Baghdad. American troops had been searching the area for supporters of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The men's humvee was recovered June 27, and the following day their remains were found about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad.

Families and friends gathered at Grierson Hill Chapel on the Army post heard letters that Philippe had written to a young pen pal named Molly, poems written in honor of the two soldiers and reminiscences.

"They both gave their all serving this great nation. For that we are forever grateful," Lt. Col. Gary Hisle said of Philippe and Ott.

A video tribute included a shot of Ott on Santa's knee and one of Philippe seated at a table with a candle in front of him.

1st Sgt. Robert Gains said he was heading back from El Paso, Texas, when he learned that Philippe had been identified as one of the two missing soldiers.

Gains said he had to pull over to collect his thoughts about a man he had met about 10 years earlier when they were stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. Eventually, they became business partners.

Charles Ott, Kevin Ott's father, thanked the Army for the memorial.

"Every time we had a question they answered what we needed to know," Charles Ott said of the Army.

Philippe was born May 19, 1966, in Haiti. He graduated from high school in 1986. He entered the Army on Nov. 29, 1988, and did his basic training at Fort Sill with the 1st Battalion, 33rd Field Artillery from December 1988 through March 1989.

His awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with fourth oak leaf cluster, and the Good Conduct Medal third award.

Ott was born July 18, 1975, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Westfall High School and graduated in 1993. He then attended Bluffton College and Columbus State Community College.

Ott entered the Army on Jan. 17, 2002, and did his basic training with 1st Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery as a member of Echo Battery from January through May 2002.

Philippe is survived by his father, a son and eight brothers and sisters.

Besides his parents, Ott left behind four sisters and a brother.

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An Italian Carabinieri military police of the MSU, Multinational Specialized Unit, right, shakes hands with Iraqi police officers during a visit to their main police station in the town of Nasiriya in southern Iraq (news - web sites), Wednesday, July 9, 2003. Italian soldiers and Carabinieri of the 'Antica Babilonia' (Ancient Babylon) humanitarian operation are scheduled to take over from the U.S. the control of this area in the next weeks. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Add News Photos to My Yahoo! Related Resources: Special Coverage: Iraq