Guardsman Killed in Iraq Was Grandpa of 7

BON AQUA, Tenn. (AP)

The brightly painted wooden sign in the yard marks the home as "Grandma & Grandpa's House. Hugs & Kisses. Love & Laughter. Candy & Cookies."

But now there are only tears and heartache.

Grandpa was Sgt. Roger Dale Rowe, a Tennessee Army National Guardsman who was killed by a sniper July 9 as he drove a tanker fuel truck in Iraq. Rowe died five days before his 55th birthday, making him the oldest American casualty since the start of the war in Iraq. ---

"He lived for his grandchildren. They brought out the kid in him," said Mart Rowe, one of Sgt. Rowe's four children. "Sometimes we had to tell him to quit running around the pool and chasing them with a bucket of water."

They all live nearby some just down the street and spent most weekends together. Rowe had built a huge deck around the swimming pool for the grandchildren, who ranged in age from 2 to 10, and planned to build a large clubhouse when he returned. ---

Banish bush From Texas Too

:-(

Luckily . his unit was a support unit and they ended up in Greece.. He was just rotated back home, and was told that they might deploy again.. :(

What a mess..:(

n/t

he was one year younger than me!!!what the fuck??????????????????

may not be worth it, eh??

I have a feeling that there will be lots of guys with families that will be looking for a different part-time job as soon as they can get out..:(

Reserves/Guard in peacetime is no biggie, but the older guys with families get called up too...not just the young ones..:(

War is an equal opportunity destroyer