Captain Jon Grassbaugh, a 2003 Johns Hopkins graduate, died three days ago of an IED strike in Iraq.I'm sure more details will shake out; the official casualty report will probably go out later today.
This is another sad instance of someone now lost for who I'd like to think I had some, however small, influence. He and I had talked about the nature of life in the 82d Airborne as an armor officer, a commonality which he and I had once shared, although at different times. He and I were both members of the Pershing Rifles military honor society during our years at Hopkins, which was how I ended up meeting him in the first place.
Jon is the second person I've found out about in the last four days who has died in Diyala Province, an area for which I had some nominal planning responsibility when I was in Iraq a year ago as a division strategic planner.
Some errata: Jon graduated from Hopkins in 2003, not 2002. I hadn 't realized he was regimentally affiliated to the 7th Cavalry, an organization whose history I actually know well...having been a member once.
I wonder, from time to time, if he stuck out at Philips Exeter Academy because he contemplated joining the military...something which I don't really associate with the prep school crowd. It was certainly the exception rather than the rule in the Virginia prep school I attended for twelve years.
On the web:
The New Hampshire Union-Leader
The Johns Hopkins Gazette
That sucks. Twice, and once again for everyone else who has died over there.
ReplyDeleteI will take a selfish moment to be glad as hell that everyone I know that's gone over has come back alive and entire.
Jon and I went to high school together. He was one of the good guys. Truly a gentleman and a scholar. I consider myself lucky to have known him, and never have I been made so keenly aware of war's capability to deprive us of our best and brightest.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with Jon's wife, family and friends.