Local Hero

[Rick]

This is being placed in a main forum area now.

FishingMN.com Family,
Dale Panchot is indeed a hero. Let's always remember that the men and women soldiers in Iraq are still in harms way.

Our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, dads, mothers, nephews, nieces, and friends are over in Iraq risking their lives.

They are over there risking and losing their lives for us and the freedoms we all cherish.

Let's all be sure to use those freedoms wisely and use them to keep our leaders ever vigilant to ensure no life is wasted in anything less than the protection of those freedoms.

May God Bless you soldiers of freedom and the United States of America.

You are all heros to me!!!

[Steve Foss]

I love this country.

I disagree with this administration.

I so support the people who travel to fight one-on-one, who leave their mothers and fathers, spouses and other loved ones, who move forward so their mates can remain to christen the births of their children, who understand that duty supercedes political party.

That's a lot to understand. But, whether we go there to be the point of the lance, or stay here to criticize the lance, we are the same people.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-19-2003).]

[woodman]

Here is an article that is about a local Hero from Northome.
Please keep the family in your Prayers.

Woodman

Third Minnesota Soldier Killed In Iraq

Nov 19, 2003 9:28 am US/Central
(AP) A Northome man who grew up wanting to be a soldier, as his grandfather was, became the third Minnesotan killed in Iraq.

"We lost a son and a soldier," Arland Panchot said Wednesday of his son, Staff Sgt. Dale Panchot, who was killed in the city of Balad, north of Baghdad. "We are going to miss him forever."

Dale Panchot died when the Bradley Fighting Vehicle on which he was squad leader was attacked. The U.S. Central Command said the attackers fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

Northome is about 40 miles northeast of Bemidji, or about 200 miles north of the Twin Cities. The Panchots were told of their son's death on Monday.

"We are a small community," Arland Panchot told The Associated Press. "People surround you and pray for you. You can't put words to how comforting it is to have people that are available."

All three Minnesotans who have been killed in combat in Iraq died after President Bush declared an end to major hostilities on May 1.

Army Pfc. Edward James Herrgott, 20, of Shakopee, died when he was shot in the neck by a sniper in July while guarding the National Museum in Baghdad. Two months later, Staff Sgt. Brian R. Hellermann, 35, who grew up in Freeport, was killed when an Iraqi vehicle opened fire on his unit in Baghdad.

As of Tuesday, 422 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.

Dale Panchot was a 1996 graduate of Northome High School. He joined the Army Reserve at 17 and enlisted after completing one quarter at Hibbing Community College, his mother, Karen, told the Star Tribune. Based at Fort Carson, Colo., he left for Iraq on April 4, days after the war commenced, his mother said.

He had served nine years and told his parents in a last phone call about 10 days ago that he had re-enlisted for three more.

"Then he was going to go to college, which the Army was going to pay for," Karen Panchot told the newspaper. "He wanted to be a history teacher and raise a family, which he didn't want to try to do while he was still in the Army."

Arland Panchot said his son grew up wanting to imitate his grandfather, an Army veteran who fought for five years in the South Pacific during World War II.

"His grandson, our boy, worshipped the ground he walked on," he said.

Dale Panchot was baptized at Hope Lutheran Church in Northome. Pastor Roy Johnson had just visited Panchot's father and grandfather at the nursing home on Friday.

"The consensus was it looked pretty good for Dale. He was in a safe place, and everybody expected to see him come through and get home," Johnson said.

"He had told his parents that he was very, very concerned, that there were any number of these rocket launchers all over the place. One comment he had made was that he was thankful that they (the Iraqis) were such poor shots. Apparently they had been shot at any number of times."

Panchot played baseball, football and basketball at the small Northome High School, said Shane Swang of Mizpah, who graduated with Panchot.

Swang, who had exchanged letters with Panchot in Iraq, said Panchot dreamed of joining the military from the time he was young.

"He was born to do that. He was one of the very few people that from a very early age knew what they wanted to do, and got to do it."

Arland Panchot said his son never doubted the importance of his mission in Iraq.

"I know what he would say if he could talk right now, he'd say: 'Dad, there are 136,000 U.S. GIs over here right now doing a job that's got to be done. We're going to do it to the best of our ability, so pray for us."

[Aquaman01]

Staff Sgt. Dale Panchot - Thank you, Sargeant. We are all honored by your duty to us.

Ssgt. Jeremy Hinton - AKA "Riverbasher" - FishingMN.com Family Member and resident of Elk River, Minnesota is serving Over There as we speak, and checking these forums whenever he can.

He, and many others from all over this country are The Soldiers Of Our Nation, and regardless of how any of us might feel about the whys and wherefores - those noble Men & Women shall recieve nothing less than our full, unified, and unqualified support.

Let's not forget about the MN & WI National Guard who are stationed as Peacekeepers in Bosnia, as well.

Hey, when you get back, Riverbasher, maybe you'll be ready for some REAL hazard-duty; secure the Mall Of America parking deck on the day after Thanksgiving

Thinkin' Peace,
Rob

[This message has been edited by Aquaman01 (edited 11-20-2003).]

[can it be luck?]

Let's NOT forget about the ones that are still there. Wish for a speedy resolution to the situation so they can come home. .......My biggest fear is we opened up a big can of worms. ...PS; Whenever I saw RiverBasher post, it made me feel good....proud, concerned,... or something like that. It warms me to think that he's out there in combat, yet somehow being "back home" through FM.

[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 11-20-2003).]

[mjhowe]

My condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in their service to our country.

Radical islam teaches all who listen that they will be rewarded in heaven if they "kill the infidels". Given the chance, a radical islamic will kill me and you. Its what they do.

Thank God that we have men and women who are willing to fight to protect us, wherever, whenever. Because of them, I dont have to worry about an RPG taking me out while I sit in my XLTwin on my local lake. (Hmmmm, maybe we have a new tool for REALLY thick ice!)

God bless every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine. We thank you for your service to OUR country. While you sacrifice everything we get to sit home and "armchair quarterback".

I for one stand up and salute you and our leaders who recognize how important protecting our freedom is.

------------------
Mike
Kalispell, MT
<<><<
"LOOK ALIVE, MAGGOT!"
(Not you Pal, I was talking to my bait)

[woodman]

MJHOWE- Give me a drop of email. [email protected].

My uncle lives in Kalispell.

I want to know if you know him.

WOodman

[Guest]

Something else to remember over the next few months I think is important:

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
THEY LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT,"

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.

[note form Rick: Hope you don't mind chells but all those >>>> made it hard to read. I figured getting rid of them was the least we could do for our military heros stationed overseas]

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Chells

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 11-22-2003).]

[riverbasher]

Hey you guys. I don't know how to thank all of you for thinking of me over here. It is very sad to lose a fellow Minnesotan. As you all know it is still very dangerous over here. I am glad i get to stay at a secured perimeter installation, at least for now. I can't wait to be back home and hopefully meeting lots of face to face so I can shake your hand and personally say thank you.

On a lighter note....I posted in the Mississippi River North forum about a fishing trip I got to take out in the Persian Gulf when I took an R&R trip down to Qatar a few days ago. look in there and enjoy. i will have pics soon that I'll post

Sgt Riverbasher
Elk River, MN
LSA Anaconda
Balad, Iraq

[lucky7]

We all knew the war on terror would cost us greatly. As a vet I say God Bless this man and his family. In the words of Abraham Lincoln he and his family have "laid the ultimate sacrifice at the altar of freedom"......God Bless our troops and our leaders as they fight a war against those who would never give their citizens the freedom this young man died to preserve. Go USA!

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lucky7

[lucky7]

River Basher:

I am dedicating every fish I catch this season to you. May God keep you safe and give you wisdom as you face the enemy! Thank you for preserving my freedom!