737th Members Injured

[darrels joy]

737th Members Injured
By JAMES JOYCE III and JESSICA DELOS REYES
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Two soldiers with the Yakima-based 737th Transportation Company were wounded in Iraq this week when their convoy struck a string of roadside explosives.

But Staff Sgt. Richard David Peters of Yakima and Spc. Joseph Ballard of Pasco suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to an e-mail from company commander Maj. Lawrence Bittner.

Bittner sent copies of his note to the families of both servicemen and to the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Peters and Ballard were part of a convoy traveling southeast in central Iraq between two camps about 235 miles apart, according to Bittner. Both men were flown via medical helicopter to the local combat support hospital.

The convoy hit a "daisy chain" of Improvised Explosive Devices that were spread the length of the convoy. Each explosion triggered others.

Bittner credited several soldiers' quick action after the explosion. Spc. Gabriel Kellogg even tore the roof off a damaged truck to get to a civilian who was driving one of the damaged vehicles.

Ballard was hit in his left arm with shrapnel from the explosives and suffered some hearing loss.

Ballard, a 1997 East Valley graduate who attended Yakima Valley Community College and Columbia Basin College, is a truck driver with the 737th and is expected to return to his unit as soon as they are able to pick him up, according to Bittner.

Ballard's wife, Sarah, who lives in Pasco, declined to discuss her husband's injuries Friday.

Peters suffered wounds to his left leg and forehead. He was taken to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and was scheduled to have surgery to repair damage to the sinuses in his forehead.

He is expected to return to Medigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma in a few weeks to finish his recovery, Bittner reported.

"We're just excited to get him back and proud of the 737th, how they handled it," said Angie Peters, the injured man's wife.

Her husband is a 17-year veteran of the Army, with eight years in active service and the rest in the Reserves. He lives in Yakima with his wife and their two children, Hannah, 7, and Coralyn, 5.

Angie Peters has spoken by phone with her husband, and said he is doing well.

The Peters family attends Stone Church, 3303 Englewood Boulevard, where some members of the church learned of the injury Friday. A receptionist at the church said the congregation will continue to pray for the Peters family.

Glad these men were not killed or seriously injured. Hope they have a speedy rocovery, and get home to thier loved ones and friends soon.