March 21, 2005
Cuando Un Amigo Se Va
My mobile phone rang as I was entering the lobby of the Embassy Suites at Salt Lake City Utah to meet with Erik Dasque for dinner. It was my wife Maria calling me from home in Texas to tell me that there was a man in US Army uniform ringing our door bell. I asked her if he was in Battle Dress Uniform (BDUs) or if he was wearing his 'Class A's (dress uniform).
She said he was in dress uniform.
Francisco Gregorio Martínez was killed in action in Iraq during a patrol operation around 2:00 AM Bagdad time (GMT +3) on March 21, 2005.
Paquito 1984-2005
My favorite picture of "mis hijos". Big brother Paquito and his baby sister Monica.
Update for Memorial Day 2005
More than two months have passed since Paquito (a.k.a Frank) passed away. There has been commemorative events as well as extensive press coverage about his death but also about his life. Below are some links may help you form your own picture about him.Article about military bloggers:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-05-11-milblogs-main_x.htm
What FM5ive.com would have looked like:
http://www.mfconsulting.com/fm5/
NPR coverage of Gina Cavallaro's report on Frank's death:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4571154
My favorite picture of him while in the military (Kuwait Aug 2004):
http://www.mfconsulting.com/photoalbumbase/kuwait_iraq_2004/DSC00096.JPG
Example of his creative powers:
He turned this (a little view from his Humvee -- HMMWV -- in Korea):
http://www.mfconsulting.com/fm5/videos/peacefull-raw1.asf
Into this:
http://www.mfconsulting.com/fm5/videos/Peacefull.asf
Finally, his longtime point of presence in the Internet
http://www.freekdesigns.com