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The War Comes Home, again.

By The Armorer on May 9, 2007 | | Comments (9)

Another Blue Star turns to Gold for a Fort Leavenworth family. I'll post more info as I have it.

Col. James W. Harrison Jr, KIA Afghanistan, 6 May, 2007.
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense

No. 551-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 08, 2007


DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 6 at Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. Their deaths are under investigation.

Killed were:

Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, of Missouri. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, of Chicago. He was assigned to the U.S. Military Police
School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

For more information on Harrison the media can contact the Fort Leavenworth public affairs office at (913) 684-1718.For more information on Sabalu the media can contact the Fort Leonard Wood public affairs office at (573) 563-4015.

Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, was the former commandant of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. He was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday. He and MSG Sabalu were killed near a prison at Pol-e-Charki. They were allegedly shot by an Afghan soldier - which is why the notice says their deaths are under investigation.

Colonel Harrison was married and had three sons. The family is keeping to themselves and I'm not bothering them. MSG Sabalu, was an MP stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was married and has two children.

Stars and Stripes has reported that two U.S. personnel were ambushed Sunday outside the Pol-e-Charki prison by an Afghan soldier described by some as mentally ill.

Stars and Stripes says that the shooting was the act of a single gunman who was later killed by soldiers from the Afghan National Army.

The Fort Leavenworth PAO said Harrison was detailed out as a detention policy expert with the Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. Harrison, who among other jobs had commanded the Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks had an extensive background in detention operations. I knew him tangentially, having run across him while he was the director of the School for Command Preparation at the Command and General Staff College.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.

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9 Comments

By kat-missouri on May 9, 2007 8:44 AM
Yes. I saw this last night. I'll be looking in the PGR schedule to see if the family requests assistance and escort.
 
By AFSister on May 9, 2007 10:56 AM
*sigh* So many lives lost... we cannot let them be forgotten or dishonored.
 
By Barb on May 9, 2007 12:11 PM
I saw the notice and wondered if you had met Col. Harrison. My heart goes out to the families of both men. As AFSis said, it's our job to honor and remember each and every one.
 
By MajMike on May 9, 2007 1:39 PM
i'm on tangents for both. Harrison class of 1981, and i've met Sabalu at exercises and at Leonard Wood. damn fine men. RIP for both.
   
By Cassandra on May 9, 2007 2:59 PM
Class of 1981 That does cut entirely too close to home.
 
By xformed on May 9, 2007 4:34 PM
Here's a link to a long post about the happenings that day, which took the lives of these two soldiers. It was posted a few days ago.
   
By Jack Idema on May 10, 2007 6:06 PM
[content currently embargoed] Jack Idema Cmdr. TF7, United Front Military Forces Pulacharke Prison [Mr. Idema, if you'd like to chat about this, feel free to drop me a line or give me a valid email address.]
 
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