Photo of Dead Soldier Inspires Surprising Response

Photo of Dead Soldier Inspires Surprising Response



By Greg Mitchell

Published: December 28, 2007 12:15 PM ET

NEW YORK Sometimes a picture is, indeed, worth a thousand, or maybe 100,000, words. That seemed true two days ago when, in my regular pursuit of stories about noncombat American deaths in Iraq. I came upon the name of a new victim.

As usual, the Pentagon release merely stated that he had died in a non-hostile situation and that an investigation would proceed. Also as usual, I then googled for stories in local news outlets, which often provide some details about the deceased, occasionally even the true cause of death.

In this case, I also found a haunting photograph, after a newspaper link took me to – of all places – an elementary school’s online newsletter. I wrote about all this on my new blog (see link below), posted the photo and, amazingly, at least five people who knew the dead soldier and/or attended that school have written me or posted remarks at the blog.

It's rare that the war "comes home" for average Americans like this -- at least with this war. A new AP poll today reveals that only one in five Americans know of a family member, friend or neighbor who has been wounded or killed in Iraq.

My blog report opened: The Pentagon revealed today that a soldier from suburban Detroit died on Christmas Day in Iraq. Sgt. Peter Neesley, 28, was from Grosse Pointe Farms. The military says he died of an undetermined cause in a "noncombat environment" in Baghdad. In the photo at right, Neesley is shown on a recent visit to his nephew's 4th grade classroom in Grosse Pointe Farms.

The school's newsletter described it this way: "Sergeant Peter Neesley, uncle of Patrick D., visited Richard Elementary while home on leave from Iraq. Sgt. Neesley led the school in the Pledge of Allegiance and visited several classrooms answering questions from our inquisitive students. Thanks for spending valuable time with us Sgt. Neesley and don’t forget to write and keep in touch. Thanks to all the men and women in the armed forces. We are so proud of you!"

The blog item got picked up on a few other sites, and the surprising reaction soon arrived.

click post title for the rest