From: Mark Salas <phyllisandmark@aol.com>
Date: Monday, August 22, 2005
Subject: Erik Kurilla

All, An embedded reporter with Erik Kurilla's battalion is reporting that Erik was wounded a couple days ago in Mosul. You can keep updated on www.michaelyon.blogspot.com. Erik appears to be doing as well as can be expected. I have pasted the reporter's SPOTREP below. Mark Greetings, Many emails are pouring in about the fighting yesterday. People are asking about LTC Kurilla being shot. I was there for the intense close-quarters fighting, and am preparing a dispatch now. It should be ready by about Monday, depending on the breaks here. I can say that the two leaders of Deuce Four--LTC Kurilla and CSM Prosser--fought hard and close. For CSM Prosser, after LTC Kurilla was shot three times, it became brutal hand-to-hand combat. I was up close, and saw the entire fight. These men have once again earned their reputations. For now, another dispatch awaits at HYPERLINK http://www.michaelyon.blogspot.com/ http://www.michaelyon.blogspot.com/ Respectfully, Michael PS The Internet is very slow here, so it’s best to reserve emails to me only for the most important communications. Soon I will start a new area on the web for reader response and discussion. This will allow me to focus on the writing to give you updates from the ground. Post Script: The operation has begun. The Commander of Deuce Four, LTC Erik Kurilla, was shot three times in combat yesterday in front of my eyes. Despite being seriously wounded, LTC Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that ended in hand-to-hand combat. LTC Kurilla continued to direct his men until a medic gave him morphine and the men took him away. I was right there. When I returned to base, I was actually "ordered" not to write about the fighting until given clearance, and was told that my phones could be confiscated. I will ignore such "orders" at my own discretion. I am preparing a dispatch now.