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March 23, 2004
Iraq becomes personal - I lose a friend
Lance Corporal Andrew Dang was a Combat Engineer in the 29th Battalion of the United States Marine Corps. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton and then was shipped to Iraq just a month or so ago. After serving one year in the military he died Sunday March 21st, 2004 in a town southwest of Baghdad. His platoon was ambushed by an Rocket Propelled Grenade while performing a patrol in his Humvee. Andrew, being the gunner on top of the Humvee, was killed. All others in the vehicle were seriously injured.
I first met Andrew Dang as a high school student in the Aragon Robotics Team that I was mentoring at the time. He was lovingly referred to as our "Pit Monkey" - a title he earned while keeping our robot working between matches. He was the heart of the team. Completely unafraid of any of the challenges the team faced, he was the first one to roll up his sleeves and actually tackle the problem - quietly and with fierce purpose. The young man I remember had an inborn talent for dealing with mechanical systems and an almost preternatural ability to quickly come to a solution of the complex problems the team faced.
I'm kind of in shock of hearing this - the emotions are running high in my blood right now. This is a young man who was full of promise and had his whole life ahead of him. He was the kind of person that seemed to have endless possibilities laid out in front of him for his choosing and his only problem was picking the ones he wanted to pursue.
I'm not sure what awaits us after we die, but if there is an afterlife I hope that Andrew is up there making the robots of his dreams.
I'm not sure what else to say. At the time I was mentoring the Aragon Robotics Team, the United States was just in the run up to what would then become the Iraq war. I never thought that one of the students I was working with would actually end up in Iraq, much less end up a casualty of this war.
It's hard to type with the tears streaming down my cheeks. This young man's life was just beginning. He was just starting to get a feel for what life was like and now he's gone - never more to warm those around him with his love for life and his talents that will now remain unfulfilled.
Andrew, I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I'm so sorry that your life was taken away from you. I hope you have found peace.
Below is the picture of the 2001-2002 Aragon Robotics Team. Andrew is the second gentleman from the left in the back row (he's kind of in the middle, but I hope you know who I'm referring to). That smile on his face was a constant. As I said, he relished solving problems. It only left him when he was concentrating on solving problems, but it never left his heart.
Andrew, we will all miss you. The hole you leave in our hearts will never be replaced.
Posted by Hal at March 23, 2004 06:51 PM
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Comments
Andrew was one of my friends too. I wish that i could have had so much more time with him, but i can't now. There is so much i wanted to say to him before he actually left too, but i didn't get to. He taught me everything i know about technology and everything about robotics. He actually trained me to build some of the parts that were used in this years competition. I'll never forget that. He will always be in my heart and i will never forget this day. We all love you Andrew and we all appreciate everything you've done for us. RIP
Posted by: Hillary at March 24, 2004 08:10 PM
Hal, Hillary, I'm saddened to hear of your loss. I wrote a week or so ago about a recent night I spent imagining myself having lost a family member (or loved one/friend) in Iraq, and just that exercise brought me sadness, some rage, and a renewed commitment to stay vigilant on this, how it was justified, how it is being conducted, and to never forget "it's personal".
That it's become "personal" for you in a real way I extend my condolescences.
I'm sure there are groups of people out there connecting, both in person and in the blogosphere, on personal losses they have been dealt by our war in Iraq.
Posted by: Jimm at March 25, 2004 02:38 PM
Don't mourn and try to make sense of this alone. There's a growing number of people who are sharing a similar experience, and most of whom before you.
Seek them out.
Peace.
Posted by: Jimm at March 25, 2004 02:40 PM
Its hard to not mourn, when you feel like you had so much more to say to them before they were gone. But, Andrew wouldn't want us to cry, he wouldn't want us to feel sadness...he would want us to smile and laugh about the good times and to keep on living the only way he know how. But it makes me hate the war even more, because this brave, brilliant and determined kid died...when he was only 20
Posted by: Hillary at March 27, 2004 03:15 PM
Andrew was an amazing man. I miss him.
Just remember this feeling. This won't be the last time someone tries this stuff again - Democrat or Republican. We can't let them keep getting away with this crap. The cost is way too high.
Posted by: Hal at March 27, 2004 06:50 PM
