Jon M. Schoolcraft III Has Died

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 11:09am

Jon M. Schoolcraft III

26, of Wapakoneta, Ohio; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Jan. 19 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

Rest in Peace.

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 11:13am

It's always so tragic when a soldier dies. I feel so sad in my soul for the families and friends. My little bro. is in Afghanistan right now, so my heart skips a beat whenever I learn of a fellow soldier dying.

Did you know this person, Sue?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 11:50am

Tragic.
Absolutely tragic.


Pippin, sharing my best thoughts with your brother and your family.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 11:54am

"Did you know this person, Sue?"

Probably as well as anyone here knew Heath Ledger.

Thank you, Sue, for pointing out context. And pointing out that this is happening every day to people who are doing hero's work for us.

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 11:58am

that's really sad.
every time i hear on the news about a service-person dying, i hold my breath untill i hear the name. one of my closest friends from high school, doug, is in the navy. he's currently in guam, but goes back and forth between guam and the middle east. i worry about him all the time.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 11:59am

was he a part of the greatest piece of cinematic history ever to work to bring about gay equality? come on! we don't even know if he was cute. i mean i guess i'm sorry he's dead and all, but we are supposed to care about some violent psychopath who lived his life killing innocent people why?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:12pm

His mother said she spoke with military officials yesterday, who told her Specialist Schoolcraft was sent out on a dangerous mission in daylight, and will receive the Purple Heart medal given to troops killed or wounded in action.

“The sergeant told me he needed Michael to go out and scope the area,” Mrs. Hooker said,“He was out with two other vehicles. The first vehicle hit an [Improvised Explosive Device] and nothing happened. The second vehicle, which my Michael was in,” her voice trailed off, “an Iraqi detonated the bomb right behind my son’s Jeep.”

“With this being his second tour, I just thought he would be more aware. … I don’t know,” Mrs. Hooker said while crying. “You just never plan for this. You always believe they’re coming home.”

Those who knew Specialist Schoolcraft described him as a “warm, caring” person who was outgoing and helpful to others.

Mrs. Hooker,raised her son and daughter Megan, as a single mother, and her son acted like “the man of the house” at an early age.

“He did a great job taking care of me and his sister. He will always be my hero, and he would be proud knowing other mothers and wives will get their husbands and sons back sometime because of what he did.”

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:16pm

This is very moving and sobering. Thanks, Sue.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:22pm

Only one of at least thirty who have died this month alone.
Only ONE.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:25pm

What a shame! He was CUTE!!!
Jon in his fatigues!

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:26pm

And what a gift for her to be able to put her son's death in a broader context of what it means for others.

Sacrifice and grace. It's inspiring.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:36pm

Personally, I think it's tacky to talk about stuff like this when real movie stars are dying.

[Dre2387]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:45pm

Updated On: 1/23/08 at 12:45 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:46pm

Nope.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:49pm

If the Democratic candidates, when elected, don't make good on their various promises for troop withdrawl, I will be livid.

The senseless loss of life at the hand's of our warmonger-in-chief makes me ill.

[beacon1]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:50pm

Made me pause for a moment. My niece is on her second tour in Iraq right now.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:50pm

You say you'll stop feeling sorry for him if it turns out he took his own life, but I'M the one acting like an an a double dollar sign hole. It's Dre's post right there that pretty much validates everything I've been saying.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 12:53pm

"And I feel sorry for Ledger that he might have been depressed, but i will not be sorry if the autopsy reveals that it was suicide."

You're dumb. And ignorant. And don't understand depression/addiction. So you should shut up.

To quote a great Scientologist, "You're glib."

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 1:01pm

dre, please think about what you're saying.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 1:15pm

Did he delete it or was it deleted for him?
Updated On: 1/23/08 at 01:15 PM

[Dre2387]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 1:24pm

I'm a woman and I deleted it. Here is my reasoning for what I said before.



ok, if it does turn out that he took his own life, i feel sorry that he was that depressed that he felt death was the only way.

and yes, i don;t understand how depressed some people can get. But for me (I'm not saying this is how all people think or should think for that matter), taking one's life looks like they are giving up. To me, God gives people life and ending it themselves almost looks like they are throwing His gift right back at him. To me, that is not right.

I feel sorry for people when they take their own lives. i do. i feel sorry that they felt their life could not get any better. i feel sorry that they gave up. I may sound like an a-hole but that is what I think.

Phyllis, papa: sorry i called you guys a-holes. I acted out of frustration. I'm not a huge fan of sarcasm and that is why i lashed out.

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 1/23/08 at 4:40pm

Updated On: 1/23/08 at 04:40 PM