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1LT Travis Manion (right) relaxes with fellow MiTT Marines prior to going on a mission in January.

I just found out that 1LT Travis Manion was killed in a sniper attack in Fallujah on April 29th. A Naval Academy graduate and former nationally-ranked wrestler, he served with a Military Transition Team advising an Iraqi Army battalion and went on the raid I wrote about here. He was a friendly guy, and prior to the operation, I had a conversation with him about the war, wrestling and Annapolis. I can't say I knew him well, but I did find it amazing at the time that we have guys like him, with such intellect, drive and options, who choose to put themselves in harm's way and serve their country.

Rest in peace.

From the Philadelphia Enquirer

"He was always a kid who would step up, no matter what he was doing," Thomas Manion, a colonel in the Marine reserves, said yesterday. "He was working so that the Americans could pull out and let the Iraqis take over. He knew he was on the front line, but he wanted to be a part of that."
...
"We weren't so comfortable with him going back on his second tour," his father said, "but he was always telling us it was fine, and he was doing what he wanted to do. He felt if he didn't go, somebody else would have to. He always cared about others more than himself."

And from the Bucks County Courier-Times:

"He didn't have to be on patrol that day," said his uncle, Chris Manion. "He was on the front lines because it was the right thing to do. He served, not because it was easy or because he liked what he was doing; he did it because of us. He was serving for us. If there were more people like Travis Manion, the world would be a better place."

Manion's mother, Jannette, said her son believed in the mission and wished more people backed President Bush's plan to send more troops to bolster the forces. She recalled a phone call she received from him the night Bush first talked of the troop surge.

"He was so sure what he was doing over there was right," his mother said. "He called the night Bush made his speech about the troop surge and told us, 'That's exactly what we need.' His biggest concern was that the politicians over here were giving life to the insurgents by putting the military and president down."

A few weeks later, Manion sent an e-mail to friends and family from his location in Iraq. In part, he said:

"As far as the job is going, the area is not good right now - but it’s getting better, and to be honest, I'm amazed at the ability and dedication of some of these Iraq Army soldiers. ... The IA's in this battalion are very eager to fight and to take control of this city. ... It was at times frustrating the first time I was here and it will and has been this time, but as in anything in life, true success does not come from battles won easily."

Manion served with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Camp Pendleton, Calif.

He wrote to The Intelligencer, the sister paper of the Courier Times, shortly after he left for his second tour of duty. In his letter, he wanted to make sure the public knew of the successes happening in Iraq:

"There are many different views on our mission here. However, all I can say with certainty is that there are thousands of Americans over here working hard towards a positive outcome in Iraq. ... I am not sure the average American sees the positives these servicemen and women accomplish or even understand the sacrifices of their efforts. However, whatever course of action our leadership decides upon, there are those in waiting, ready to carry out the mission in support of our country and in defense of its people and their freedoms."

UPDATE: MAJ Joel Poudrier, a member of Fallujah MiTT 6 injured in the chlorine gas attack on the Government Center, sends along this anecdote:

Another thing that Travis did that impressed me was in early to mid March. He was patrolling with his Iraqis and Scott Alexander in southeastern Fallujah when his vehicle was hit by a roadside IED. It didn't cause any casualties and didn't damage the vehicle much, but no one likes getting hit by those things. Someone saw the IED "triggerman" running away and Travis ran after him. The gear, ammo, and weapon we carry amounts to about 80-90 lbs, so you've got to be a strong man to move quickly with that stuff on. Travis ran after the guy, tracked him down in a building and dragged him back to the patrol. They took him to the ITC where I met up with him. I could tell that Travis was pretty pumped up and I congratulated him on his catch. When he and the patrol left to turn the guy into the detention facility, I walked back inside my office and spoke to my intel chief, SSgt Smith about it. I remember telling him what a stud Lt. Manion had to be to do something like that. He had guts and determination. He had to be a physical phenom to track down that skinny guy, running away terrified. And I wonder what must have been going through the triggerman's mind when big old Travis cornered him and there was no doubt that the chase was over. God bless that young man.

Posted by Bill at May 5, 2007 04:54 PM | TrackBack (0)