Tonight, I write with a very heavy heart. In a war you expect to lose people. It is a hazard of the job for which you prepare yourself from the beginning. It might be someone in the unit that you don't know, someone that you do know, or it may even be you. You keep that knowledge with you always, so that you may soldier on when it happens. You expect it from all of the arhabi's dirty tricks; IED's, ambushes, suicide bombers, etc. You do not expect it from street punks while you are home on leave. The NightStalkers lost a very good man last night. Specialist Jorge Estrada was murdered while home on leave for the birth of his daughter. The loss of this fine Soldier is not just a loss to his family, the NightStalkers and the Army, but a loss to the American People. To say he was a good man is putting it too lightly. I had the good fortune to work closely with Specialist Estrada for several months when I was also the Communications Officer for the Battalion. He impressed me right from the beginning. The picture above was taken after we had just scored 20 out of 20 on the short-range marksmanship range in Texas during our pre-deployment training.
Jorge was a great Soldier and communications specialist. He was the total package; tough, disciplined, cheerful, a good marksman, and one of the few guys in the commo section that could work wonders with both encrypted radios and computers. I was telling our Operations Officer, Major D. tonight at dinner that he was the type of soldier that if every one in the unit was like him, a leader would never have any problems. Major D. responded that if one tenth of your soldiers were like him, that would still be the case. He made everyone around him better, just by example, and without fanfare or flamboyance. He was the consummate quiet professional. He never complained, usually because he was too busy cracking jokes while getting the job done.
Jorge joined the Army several years ago, originally serving with the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan. After coming home intact from one combat tour, he joined the National Guard with plans to attend college. These plans were sidetracked when the NightStalkers needed to plug gaps in our ranks before going to Iraq. Jorge answered when the call went out across the California Guard for volunteers. He performed well at all times and always kept us talking. He was indispensible to me in setting up a local area network (LAN) when most of the aging Guardsmen in the Communications section, while being whizzes with radios, were not up to speed on computers and network architecture. We spent many long days and nights working together getting everything up and running.
He was also the quality of man that his killer could never be. Recently married, Jorge was home on leave for the birth of his daughter, who is now 5 days old. His wife had another daughter from a previous relationship with the killer, that Jorge was raising as his own. He was that type of guy. He did right by his woman, right by his kids, even when they weren't his, and right by his country. He went above and beyond the call in every regard. I know that had he perceived a threat from this scumbag that sucker-shot him, I would not be writing this post now, because that scumbag would be in the hospital or jail, and Specialist Estrada would still be enjoying his leave with his wife and daughters.
He was expected back here in the sandbox about two weeks from now. I will miss him as will all of us here. I pray that he rests well in Heaven, that his family finds peace, and that his murderer receives swift and severe justice. Authorities ask that anyone with information about Fabian Cayetano Urrea's whereabouts call 911 or the Murrieta Police Department at (951) 696-3615.
Or just hold him for me until I get home....
So sad...
"Or just hold him for me until I get home...."
Here's hoping you get the bastard.
Posted by: Bert | June 13, 2005 at 05:34 PM
I am deeply saddened by such terrible news, and I am unsure quite what to say. It is bloody awful that Specialist Estrada seems to have been more safe on the streets and roadways of a hostile Iraq than on the streets near his own back yard.
My prayers for Spc. Estrada and his family...
Posted by: David Oatney | June 13, 2005 at 07:18 PM
If interested in OIF1, we made a documentary about the Marines going up the middle that may be of interest to you--Virgin Soldiers.
http://www.combatfilms.com
Posted by: Dodge Billingsley | June 14, 2005 at 01:59 AM
Sounds like after his time in Iraq he thought that guy was more moron and less threat. To bad, he turned out to be both. I'm glad his family safe. They'll catch him soon.
Keep up the good work.
Posted by: cloudspot | June 14, 2005 at 02:45 AM
I was Spc Estrada's best friend and he was the godfather of my daughter. I can't believe he is gone. He would call me often from Iraq. Distance seperated us for the past two years, but we remained close friends through it all, and he will remain in my heart forever. The worst of all things, he was safer at war then at home.
Major K. thanks for watching over him and I will be with the family this weekend, I will let them know all of the kind words everyone have said about him. God rest his soul.
Fabian Cayetano Urrea will get his!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Julio Rivera | June 14, 2005 at 09:08 AM
Jorge was really close with my husband and his cousin, we just learned of his death last night. They were stationed with him up in Fort Drum, NY. I have the number to FoxNews Channel for anyone who wants to call and try to get this horrible act of hate on National TV so we can catch that coward Fabian! I already left a message with them, but I'm sure they need to hear it more then once to jump onto anything. God Bless You All!
Fox News Channel....
1-888-369-4762
Select Option #5 to tell them about a story you'd like to see on FOX
Posted by: Stacy Torres | June 14, 2005 at 05:28 PM
Bless all of you family and friends of Spc. Estrada. We are praying for you.
Posted by: David Oatney | June 14, 2005 at 08:22 PM
He deserved another kind of death,
after a life together with his children,
or at least by an honorable enemy and not by the
hand of such a loosy coward. Urrea is not worth
the bullet, which will hopefully end his life.
Give him a punch with the good M9 to give him
some time reasoning his worthless life
Posted by: LTMike | June 16, 2005 at 04:17 AM
To some men, human life is cheap. This truth transcends age, race, wealth, religion, and power. We can all take some comfort in the fact that Spc. Estrada was a better kind of man than his murderer or the men against whom he waged war.
May God have mercy on his brave soul. And may He bless and protect Jorge's family.
Posted by: thechurchmilitant | June 17, 2005 at 12:30 AM
I knew jorge through my sister and her husband, Julio and Princess Rivera. We would make many trips to visit all of them at Fort Drum, and they would make many trips down to Penn. to see all of us. Jorge was the god-father of my neice, allysia, and I am her god-mother. He was a very good man that my sister and julio trusted their daughters life in his hands if anything would happen to them. I know he will be missed greatly. My prayers are with the family, and I know that Fabian will get justice for taking such a wonderful mans life.
Posted by: Tabitha | June 26, 2005 at 02:41 AM
I just wanted to say thank you for what you are doing everyday...I'm an army wife and I understand how hard it is to leave family behind. My husband left for Iraq on March 6th, I was ready for him to come home the second I dropped him off :( Your family, including that baby you are expecting, is in my prayers!!
I wanted to comment on this blog topic b/c it is so tragic. I'm so very sorry to hear about your loss! I know how that feels, my grandmother was murdered 2 years ago in her home...and though you may try the pain will never go away! If you or the family ever needs to talk plese contact me. We are stationed at Ft. Carson, Co with the 3rd ACR and I"m always around to talk! jessieschatz2002@hotmail.com
Again thanks for your sevice...it is greatly appreciaed!!! HOOAH!
Proud Army Wife,
Jessica Schatz
Posted by: Jessica Schatz | June 28, 2005 at 12:08 AM
To all of you out there talking trash about Fabian let me tell you something about Jorge's loving wife. While he was out there fighting in Iraq she was here in Calif. cheating on her husband with Fabian the biological father of her new born daughter. She only has one child and that child belongs to Fabian. That's right Jorge married her while she was pregnant with another man's child and while he was gone she continued a relationship with Fabian even though she was married and Fabian's family had no knowledge of her being married. She even allowed Fabian's family to throw them a baby shower for the baby. Fabian wanted so much to be a part of the child's life and she took that from him. She never gave him a chance. She lead Fabian's family to believe that they were together and that his family would be there for the birth of the baby. She did not tell Fabian the baby had been born until the day she was released from the hospital. So if you want to blame anyone for ther tragedy that happened blame his wife for all her lies and deception to both Jorge's family and Fabian's family. None of this would have ever happened if she had been honest with everyone in the first place.
Posted by: lisa | June 28, 2005 at 10:29 PM
There are so many people out there that are ready to judge without getting the facts. I advise to you Major K is to get the facts and not just from Diana. Your beloved Mr. Estrada was not all that you are making him out to be and neither was his wife. Be careful your wife may turn out to be another Diana, lying cheating bitch.
Posted by: Nameless | June 29, 2005 at 12:36 AM
I am deeply offended by this last post.It really doesn't warrant a response but in case you care to know I will tell you just how I feel about the man I chose to marry. He is the most honest, caring, and faithful man I've ever known. He has more integrity than I ever knew a human being could possess. I know that there will never be anyone who can even come close to the man that he is. He is my greatest blessing and I thank God everyday that he brought him into my life. Furthermore, he doesn't need to hear any of this. He knows that my love for him is ROCK SOLID.
Posted by: Lucy K | June 29, 2005 at 01:25 AM
To whomever the punk is who listed himself as "nameless." I have since this post learned that there was only one child and that it was Fabian's. I did not feel it important enough to mention. As for you bashing of Diana, that is your business, and none of the things you mentioned change the goodness and decency of Jorge. For whatever Diana did or did not do, Fabian Urrea pulled the trigger and must pay. He is scum. So are you for hiding behind a pseudonym and bogus e-mail address while trying to draw my beautiful wife into your misplaced anger. I trust her implicitly and with good reason. My love for her is boundless. When you decide to be a real man, e-mail me and I will be happy to meet with you and adjust your attitude. Until then, your IP address has been blocked from commenting again. Low-life.
Posted by: Major K. | June 30, 2005 at 01:46 AM
I wanted to let everyone know that they are showing Sgt. Estrada story on the show called A Current Affair tonite, and it also be on American Most Wanted this Sat.
Posted by: Julio Rivera | July 01, 2005 at 04:46 AM
I KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO JORGE WAS A TRAGEDY AND HE WILL FOREVER BE REMEBERED AND LOVED. WHAT FABIAN DID WAS WRONG. NOTHING ANYONE SAYS CAN JUSTIFY WHAT HE DID HE TOOK AN INOCENT MANS LIFE AND GAVE UP HIS OWN IN A AWAY. I KNOW FABIAN AND I KNOW THAT HE IS A GOOD GUY, HE MAD A REALLY BAD DESICION THAT HE CAN NEVER CHANGE. ALL HE WANTED WAS TO BE APART OF HIS DAUGHTERS LIFE, HE WAS SO EXCITED TO BE A DAD BUT WHEN HE SAW THIS OTHER MAN WITH THE WOMEN HE LOVED AND WITH HIS DAUGHTER HE FLIPPED, HE LOST CONTROL OF HIMSELF. HE PROBLEY SAW IT AS THIS GUYS TAKING EVERYTHING THAT I LOVE AWAY FROM ME AND LOST IT. ILL SAY IT AGAIN THERE IS NO JUSTIFYING WHAT HE DID!!! BUT HE WAS NOT A THUG NOR WAS HE A GANG MEMBER FABIAN HAD NEVER BEEN IN ANY TROUBLE BEFORE THIS HE WAS A GOOD KID, WHO HAD A GREAT PERSONALITY ALWAYS MADE EVERYONE AROUND HIM SMILE. I WILL ALWAYS REMEBER HIM FOR THAT. I WISH HE WOULD TURN HIM SELF IN BUT ONLY HE CAN MAKE THAT DESICION. I JUST FELT LIKE EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THAT ABOUT HIM, I KNOW THAT ITS NOT GONNA CHANGE THE WAY ANY OF YOU THINK OF HIM BUT AT LEAST NOW YOU ALL WILL KNOW THAT HE WAS NOT A THUG NOR A GANG MEMBER. MY LOVE GOES OUT TO HIS FAMILY.
Posted by: LOST | July 01, 2005 at 10:32 AM
Estrada was deployed with my husband in Iraq. He with some other soldiers crossed over into Baghdad from Kuwait. My husband considere him a dear friend. Even though I did not know him, he always made an effort to wave to me through the web cam. I always told my husband ,"Tell Estrada I say hi." It doesn't matter how many times the story of he said and she did goes around. What matters is that a great man has been taken from us and it was in an unfair way. Estrada is no longer suffering but his murderer has to deal with the emotion of how his life will NEVER be the same. The truth will be known one day, but please let's give honor to this war hero and American Soldier!!! To the family, my husband and I would love to meet you when he comes home safe. We have some photo's we think you should have. God Bless You.
S. Madison
Posted by: Sharon | July 08, 2005 at 08:52 AM
Estrada was deployed with my husband in Iraq. He with some other soldiers crossed over into Baghdad from Kuwait. My husband considere him a dear friend. Even though I did not know him, he always made an effort to wave to me through the web cam. I always told my husband ,"Tell Estrada I say hi." It doesn't matter how many times the story of he said and she did goes around. What matters is that a great man has been taken from us and it was in an unfair way. Estrada is no longer suffering but his murderer has to deal with the emotion of how his life will NEVER be the same. The truth will be known one day, but please let's give honor to this war hero and American Soldier!!! To the family, my husband and I would love to meet you when he comes home safe. We have some photo's we think you should have. God Bless You.
S. Madison
Posted by: Sharon | July 08, 2005 at 08:52 AM
i was wondering if there was any way we can leave our condolences for the family SPC Jorge Estrada i am turning 17 this september and i am signing on for the army national guard and i think that it is an extreme tragedy what happened to his family if there is any way our sympthay can be expressed please let me know
Posted by: Rooney | August 28, 2005 at 08:49 AM
I was stationed with SPC. Estrada in Fort Drum, NY. I was extremely saddened when I heard about it. My condolences to all his family. Q.E.P.D.
Posted by: j.romo | October 26, 2005 at 06:36 AM
I love you Cousin, you are the one and only true hero in our family.
Posted by: Julie | November 24, 2007 at 09:36 AM
Jorge Estrada was my cousin. I love you to death my little cousin. You were my hero and you made all of us proud. Only one thing I need to tell you your mission was completed both your family got together, but the sad part of this mission is that it was at your funeral.
Posted by: Julia | November 24, 2007 at 09:38 AM