Also, sadly, we found the missing 10th mountain kid, at the bottom of the lake. The SEALs dove it and found him. No idea how or why, but at least the mystery of his disappearance is solved. Sad, young, single guy.

He was reported missing almost exactly 24 hours before he was found. We all helped in the search, but Navy SEALs found him when they dove the lake. Apparently he was cooling off, because they had just come back in from a mission, and you get so overheated with all the body armor and helmet and equipment on in this heat (44 C yesterday). . . . [This] was a freak accident, a guy who broke a few cardinal rules, and paid for it, very sad. I had no idea he was from Georgia, certainly didn't know he was from Stockbridge.

I am as blessed and fortunate a person as any one I have ever come across, on myriad fronts, not the least of which is the good fortune of being married to you. On this Father's Day, I think of the blessing and the intimidating responsibility of being the father of two such special and wonderful boys, and of the incalculable blessing of having the father I did, who could have turned such an obtuse and self-absorbed child as I was, into a person who at the least wants to and tries to do the right things for his own. Hopefully, this is the last Father's Day, or other holiday, that I will be away from home. While I am more than convinced that it is the right thing for me to be here doing what we are doing in Iraq, I think that after 20 years and 3 of these conflicts, Uncle Sam can manage just fine with out me, and I can put all of myself into the best and most prestigious job I have ever had, Jack and Mick's Da.

Speaking of letters to Jack, I just sent him one the other day all about how Saddam drained the lake when he ran away, and how all the fish were struggling in the hot, shallow water, but how we were trying to pump water in to help save the fish. Well, it finally failed, and yesterday and today all the big beautiful fish have been dying. We have hired some guys locally to wade around gathering them up and throwing them into Mad Max Jr. So when Jack gets the letter, I don't know, should we just let him think there was a happy ending?

Today is the going away party for COL Mulholland . . . and that's a bummer, but he managed to get us all TWO steaks and 4 beers for dinner, plus corn on the stinking COB if you don't mind!!

Wow, Ellen . . . We are delighted with all the boxes of goodies and so many other useful things, and just so amazed at the generosity of time and spirit from your friends at Temple! I cannot thank you enough, but hopefully you will be hearing from lots of these guys soon!
It has been over 108 degrees for more than 2 weeks, with some days as high as 115. Not the most pleasant place to be, nor the safest. So when we hear in such resounding fashion how much love and support we get from folks like you at Temple Emanuel, it really helps us deal with all of this.