Week 34 - My Week In Iraq

Greetings from Umm Qasr! (Umm Qasr, which I believe is Arabic for “where even the flies rush out of the DFAC, gasping for air…..“) Bonus translation for this week…. “Where the flies don’t accidentally fly into the bug zapper in the DFAC – they go willingly because they can’t stand the smell…..”

Alright, so what has been going on here….. okay, I told you about last week’s Eid – well, I asked Amjad to go take some photos of one of the celebrations that had been happening around the area. And this is what passes for a “carnival” in Basrah… (BTW, Amjad gave the camera to one of his young nephews – because he said all kinds of adults would start getting suspicious if he was taking photos….so the kids all “hammed it up” for the nephew).

This is a “2 manpower” ferris wheel (there is no motor – the “operators” turn the wheel by hand

They also set up swings so the kids could go high. This is normally the Basrah Market area – but they closed it down for Eid – and brought in the “Carnival”…..

And of course…….FOOD!!!  On the plate in front is the falafels – these are basically fried hummus (mmmmm) – then next to that is sambusa – little meat pies – filo dough around Kharoof (lamb) – and up on the grill is lamb burgers….

And I know this is a “fuzzy” picture – but Amjad (not him in the background – that is his brother) – but Amjad wanted to give me photos of his children (left to right) – Noor, Zahra and Ridda…..I know…I know…..not ONE of them named “Wade”…..

Alright, so you are probably asking…..does this guy ever do any work?  Well - I try to avoid it at all costs….but besides designing a new family housing area – I have been working with the local Iraqi contractor to renovate the Waste Water Treatment Plant….so here are a couple of photos from that….

Just thought you would enjoy some photos of the “locals” working

– and yes, these are guys from Umm Qasr and Basrah.  And they are doing a very good job.

This company has done so well, I am recommending them for other jobs…

I wanted to let you know – as I said last week – it looks like Raheem is going to have to wait until after Ashura to get married.  It is too bad (not only for Raheem) – but I was really hoping to learn about/share about an Iraqi wedding…..oh well.

As for me, I have had a job offer – that I am trying to get arranged (like I told Jeanette – things are so “iffy” here – we just don’t believe it until it actually happens) – but the plan will soon be for me to go to Afghanistan….I will probably be working in Kabul. But for now, that is probably at least a few weeks away – but I am anxious to move on to other work.

Finally……. I know last week was Veteran’s Day – but I wanted to share with you this story that I recently heard. This is a story about a young Filipino man who was living in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded during World War II….so I would like to tell you the story of Memilio Eclevia. First, an interesting thing about the Philippines – in certain areas – all of the last names start with the same letter – the area that Memilio was from – Canderlaria in the Zambales province – all of the last names started with the letter E. Also, there is a “Spanish” tradition that carries over (or did carry over at that time) to have the mother’s maiden name become the son’s middle name – an interesting point, but I digress.

 In November, 1941 - at 27 years old, Memilio joined the US Army as a Filipino Scout, (a pretty elite group) - because he wanted to “see the world.” Three weeks later, the Japanese invaded the Philippines and attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7^th ….and the US declared war on Japan. As a member of US Army Forces in the Philippines, Memilio and all of the forces fought for three months without logistics, medical care and food. The US forces finally surrendered – many of them malnourished and full of tropical diseases. He was forced to walk in the Bataan Death March.

 Memilio actually escaped from the march after several days - by concealing himself underneath two dead bodies. The Japanese soldiers would come along and bayonet any bodies that they found lying on the road. Well, they came by and plunged their bayonets through the two bodies – narrowly missing Memilio. He stayed under those bodies for 36 hours – waiting for the Japanese and the various stragglers to wander by. He then slid into the jungle and went to join the Filipino resistance and to fight the Japanese occupiers.

I don’t know if you heard this, but the Japanese had a standard procedure that if they found out members of a family were in the resistance, they would go into the village and kill all the male relatives (old men and young boys – didn’t matter). Now Memilio’s mother’s family was particularly involved in the resistance in Canderlaria – so the Japanese went in and slaughtered all of the males with his mother’s last name… after the war, when Memilio went back to his village – he noted that all of his mother’s relatives were gone – so, at that time, he decided he would take his middle name as his last name– so his mother’s family name would not die out because of the Japanese.

So, World War II ended and you would think that Memilio would have some kind of vendetta against the Japanese…. and I am sure that feelings were tough for awhile…. He eventually worked his way up to Staff Sergeant (SSG) in the Army….so after the start of the Korean War, SSG Eclevia went on R&R to Sasebo, Japan and had to go into the BX to get some items. There was a “motherly” Japanese lady behind the counter and she immediately started talking to Memilio…as she noticed he was Filipino.  After a long discussion - she wanted him to take her daughter, Yuri Shoji, on a blind date.

One of the interesting things is that this daughter, Yuri, was actually in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded – but because she was viewed as a “sympathizer” – she was jailed by the invading Japanese Army. To make matters worse, when the Americans liberated the Philippines – she was jailed again – because she was Japanese. Well, eventually, she got sent back to Japan – and her mother eventually got a job in the BX….. and that is how the daughter, Yuri, met this wonderful Filipino man – 15 years older than she – and they eventually got married.

Oh….sorry. I forgot to tell you. When Memilio became a US citizen – he changed his first name – as well as his last – basically because none of his American friends could pronounce Memilio.  So Memilio Esmele Eclevia became Myles Eclevia Esmele – and he married his Yuri – who changed her name to Lily when she became a US citizen – and eventually they had six children – all of them are or were involved in serving in the United States Military – as they saw how much their dad and mom loved his new country.

I am honored to say, that I work next to their oldest son – Navy Captain Myles Shoji Esmele.

Myles (Memilio) and Lily (Yuri) are still alive and kicking today and are still very happily married. Memilio just celebrated his 96^th birthday. And as Myles told the 3-Star General that he was briefing this past Veteran’s Day – his dad is still built like a “Sherman Tank”…so in honor of this past Veteran’s Day, I hope you enjoyed this story.

Memilio and Yuri (Myles and Lily) Esmele…..what a wonderful story….

Well, I thought I would leave you with this story of a true American hero….. as I have said previously, it is always inspiring to me to see someone who chooses to be an American – versus those of us who lucked out and were born into it…  I have many friends who have “chosen” to be American – and I have many friends over here who would give ANYTHING to become an American. Why? Because they know there is a land of the free. And a home of the brave. 

God Bless America

Mr. Wide

مهندس  واد  بروير

BONUS PHOTOS….

Am I interviewing for a second wife??? (actually, this is Lt Julie G– who was trying on a dress and scarf….I “coerced” her into giving me a photo.  And she is in her uniform under the dress.)….also, she is married and trained to kill (just like Jeanette is if I try to bring home another wife!)

This is me standing next to the first boat that will be completely overhauled in the new Iraqi Ship Repair Facility (SRF).  Do you see the ladder going up the side of the boat – (right next to my hand?) – it was so rickety, that we were not allowed to go up the ladder – until the SRF built a new one.  Several guys went up and almost fell….and that is a LONG way down….one guy said he thought the ladder was made of paper and aluminum foil…..