A Thank You Of Death
I would personally like to thank anyone who has visited this page. I would like to share something that means a great deal to me. I wrote a final paper when i was in college for my english class and i recieve high marks on it. I would like to share the topic with you. This is a real story and one that hits me to the heart. I grew up with this person and went to school with her. Anyone who is in the military can understand this alittle bit better. Please read:
Thank You Of Death On November 25,1990, the men and women of the Connecticut National Guards were on active duty. At this time, the families of the men and women who were in the military were saying goodbye to their loved ones and praying for their safety there and when they return. But one family did not know that they were saying goodbye forever to their daughter and the small town that she lived in didn't know that they will never see the well-known and popular young girl again. Cindy Beaudoin left her parents, sister and friends and went to Fort Devens in Massachusetts for her training. After training on January 9, 1991, Spec. Cindy Beaudoin and her 142nd medical unit was shipped off to Saudi Arabia. In mid-January, the 142nd Medical Infantry began hitting signs of serious trouble. The 142nd was inexperienced and when they arrived. They were ordered to form a convoy and drive one day to a base camp, the company got lost and it took three days. Once they arrived confusion hit them, according to Richard Parker of Maine, he explains that the company's executive officer, Capt. Paul Rouleau of New Britain and the first Sergent, William Davis drove too fast to lead the column of trucks bearing medical equipment. Eventually, the 142nd did reach the camp. Many soldiers worked on learning how to drive five-ton trucks through the sand. For a week the unit worked on equipment that they should of known back home. The group began to shape up into three platoons. First, Maj. Thomas Holthus of Virginia, was clearly over powered by the gung-ho personality of Maj. Canale, who boasted of his Green Beret training. There was friction between the platoons lieutenants, Duane Frank of Mt.Vernon and ranking Sergeant Parker. By early February, the first platoon was assigned to a forward position near the Iraqui border, while the second and the third platoons were 30-40 kilometers behind. As invasion approched they recieved written orders that all platoons were to stop approximately 15 miles into Iraqi territory, where they would set up a clearing station with other medical units. At 4:00 a.m. on the morning of February 24th Army Artillery launched a salvo of approximately 80,000 rounds into the area that was to be invaded by the First Machanized Infantry. When thousands of Iraqis began to surrender the First Infantry was able to cover more ground than they imagined. The Infantry forged ahead on the morning of February 26th, more than 60 members of the 142nd, formed a convoy that was joined by a contigent from the 651st Ambulances. For the past month the Infantry had so many problems keeping up with the others. The 429th Medical Battlaion fially reached the 142nd unit after being put back on course they reached them on February 27th, when darkness fell they were lost again. At 5:00 a.m. on the morning of February 28th, the convoy started again after ressting for the night. They found themselves low on feul. By chance Maj. Hong of Norwich and executive offier Maj. Robert Clarke flagged down a column of American tankers who lost their way. The 142nd stopped and refeuled. "A bunch of us got out and stretched", says Spec. Stephanie Parsons of Plainfield. Stephanie walked over to Maj. Canale and Maj. Connelly. They were walking and all over the sand you could see shiny metal canisters lying about. They had copper bottom and a white ribbon attached to the top. Maj. Canale picks one up and says that its an Iraqi flare. "I never saw Major Canale gives one to anybody but he certainly told us that it was safe to pick them up", says, Parsons. Other soldiers began picking them up and stashing them into their bags for souvenir. No one knew that the M-42 cluster bomblets were explosive. After they were fueled the 142nd's radio crackled news of the cease-fire. Shortly after 3:00 p.m. the convoy stopped at a makeshift camp for hundred Iraqi prisoners of war. Later down the road some Iraqi soldiers crawled out to surrender. As they did an explosion rocked the rear. Inside one of the vehicles, Maj. Connelly's upper body had blown apart and he immediately died. Thinking the explosion meant an ambush, dozens of guardsmen jumped out, hit the sands and drew their weapons. Beaudoin drew her weapon and realized it wasn't ready for firing. She yelled, "My magazine, my magzine. I need a clip." A few seconds later, her body was lifted off the sand by a second explosion. Her leg was severed and her abdomen was ripped open. At first, troops rushed Beaudoin into the British Ambulance, where she was badaged and injected with morphine and put on interavenous fluids. Then they transferred her to a larger American Ambulance, where two doctores tended to her. The convoy was ordered to start rolling again. They ran into a sandstorm that made it very diffcult to drive. Cindy needed a lot of morphine to handle the pain. She was alert and talking. Sometimes she joked about dancing but Cindy was talking about her family, then, she began nauseous so they gave her a boot. They were doing everything to keep her. The next three hours a chopper was finally able to land. After the chopper began back in the air, Spec. Cindy Marie Beaudoin died. Right after the death of Cindy the armed forces notified Mr. & Mrs. Beaudoin. They explained to them that their daughter was killed by a land mine. In heroic efforts to aid another soldier who suffered the same fate. When the land mine went off it was because Cindy accidently stepped on the mine to aid her fellow comrade. Then the Connecticut National Guards changeds their minds and explains to the grieving parents that their daughter died by trying to defend her fellow members of the unit. After the truck hit the first land mine that killed Maj. Connelly instantly, she was killed instantly after stepping or rolling on the second one. Then on November 24, 191, they stated that she was killed when a cluster bomblet made by the U.S. exploded in the convoy. What was the final verdict? It is, that the C.A.N.G. unit reclassified her death as non-combat. Where it "was" combat casualty. On March 13, 1992, Mr. & Mrs. Beaudoin recieved an Army Commedation Medal. This was before they dedided to reclassify her record. The medal recognizes Cindy's meritorious service during her two-year career with the Connecticut National Guards. Capt. John Wiltze says to the Beaudoins,"this medal is but a small token of recognition for Cindy's selfless devotion of service. SHe answered her country's call without question or hesitation and served with distiction in a foreign land." Then the army turns around and puts her file listed as "titled". Which means that her medals don't mean a thing where the Army is concerned. They army sends people over to foreign land to serve and fight for our country but in return the medals that each memeber recieved does not mean a thing. The thoughts that kept running through Mr. Beaudoin's mind was what he said to Cindy before she left, "I would go and take your place on active duty just to keep you safe with us". Mr. Beaudoin was a member of the army but he was not able to serve due to an operation on his foot at the time. But Cindy refused to. So Cindy went over and nursed a bad back due to Scoliosis that could have kept her here. The last time the Beaudoin's heard from Cindy was on February 1, 1991. Cindy signed up for the guards so her parents didn't have to pay her way to college, "This is my way to college". (She had told me the same thing before she left). The Army's way of thanking Cindy for her efforts is by helping her parents bury her. The people of Plainfield and probably others, still think that she is a hero in her own way and time. I personally feel that Cindy showed no fear when being called to serve and she went to war and still she died for our country. Through the army Cindy is just another soldier who was unfortunate and now has nothing to show for her efforts but in our thoughts and hearts Cindy is a missed hero. Cindy Marie Beaudoin
Thank You Of Death
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Cindy Marie Beaudoin
1971-1991