Marine's blood is on the hands of war supporters

"Every politician who supports the war should go to Bethesda or Walter Reed and see just what their support is costing in human life and suffering." — John Fenton, father of Sgt. Matthew J. Fenton, who died from injuries suffered in Iraq

Recounting a fallen Marine's last days
Tuesday, September 5, 2006

By JOHN FENTON

In the four months since the death of my son, Sgt. Matthew J. Fenton, from injuries suffered in Iraq, I have stated many times the horror of what I saw in the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.

I believe that the time has arrived to tell the whole story of his death and the carnage that was inflicted on some of his fellow Marines. I do not find this easy to do, but as the death toll and injured number continues to climb, I cannot sit silently.

On April 26, Matthew, 24, was the gunner on a Humvee protecting a Marine convoy on the outskirts of Fallujah. A suicide car bomber attempted to ram his Humvee, and he got off a few shots at the vehicle. From what I have been told it is common practice for these bombers to detonate their bomb if they come under fire. Matthew was the only Marine injured in the attack. Later that same day I received a phone call telling me that Matt was seriously wounded and that it was a head injury.

(The rest is here.)