Sgt. Parrish

I left Iraq in August 2006, and I won't ever forget Leroy Parrish. He was part of the HQ platoon that delivered me to Balad to join the 110th. He passed on October 3rd 2006, and I will always wonder what happened. Did he take my place? I never extended to stay in Iraq with the 110th because they weren't Tommy, SFC Mann and Sharpe. They never gave me the confidence that Tommy did, there was never a better squad leader you could ask for. We only exchanged harsh words once, and that was coming into BIAP on yankee one night. He yelled at me to watch out for the convoy leaving, and I told him to shut the fuck up so I could drive unless he wanted the wheel. The entire time with the 110th, the only ones who inspired me like him were Bittel, Cureton, and Brandt. Bittel was a squad leader I hated, because I drove the husky and I swear he wanted me dead. He was  like a bloodhound for IED's. Brandt was my team leader, and he had been with the 48th. We were two of a kind, we fought BG Rodeheaver? so we could stay when the lightning left. We traded our time for "Working Weekends" and a "Bullseye" on shoulder.

I won't ever forget the night of August 5th, 2006. I remember sitting inside the Buff with SFC Evans and SGT Riddell and the female captain from Arkansas. It was hours we sat there and cigarettes, and chew we went through like maniacs. The fougasse that went off was enough to kill V-3 but they all survived. I will never forget SSG  ---------- telling me to stay inside as my friends might be dead inside the RG. Tunning, Riddell, Koontz, and Doc all survived but Doc was the bravest bastard ever born. He went back into the RG when it as burning, and got his kit and the only thing we lost was some nod's and a mgn mount. I remember him asking me for a light and I gave him my tags with the little light on it. "Don't f---ing lose that my room key is on it...K was evacced but