With the burnings of the Quran and other Islamic materials at a U.S. base in Afghanistan, and the massacre of innocent Afghan civilians by an American soldier, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the American troops, until one brave American soldier put the life of an Afghan child before his own.
While traveling in a convoy in Laghman Province, in eastern Afghanistan last week, Specialist Dennis P. Weichel Jr. and his unit noticed children on the road collecting shell casings, which Afghan civilians often recycle. The American troops urged the children to move out of the way of a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle, which is a truck that can weigh more than 16 tons. After moving out of the truck’s way, one little girl ran back to pick up more casings from underneath the truck. To protect her, Weichel, a 29-year-old Rhode Island National Guardsman, went and grabbed the girl out of the way of the armored vehicle, which then ran him over instead. Weichel died from sustained injuries, but the little girl survived, due to the sacrifice of an American soldier.
Staff Sgt. Ronald Corbett, who deployed Weichel to Iraq in 2005, says that Weichel’s death speak to his character, according to a U.S. Army press release. “He would have done it for anybody. That was the way he was. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was that type of guy,” Corbett said. “When I first heard, I kept expecting him to jump up and say, ‘Oh, I got you guys.’ The last few days have hit me hard.” Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee has ordered state Flags lowered at half-staff until the body of Weichel is laid to rest on Monday. Weichel, who was posthumously promoted to sergeant, leaves behind his parents, fiancé, and three children. The family will receive Weichel’s Bronze Star and other awards in honor of the soldier’s sacrifice.
