boB-Copter6 wrote:
> This was sent to me by a friend. I thought some here might like to read
> it. Those that don't like it, don't read it. :)
> I cut and pasted the message here so the format is off a bit.
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: FW: Ft Hood Eyewitness Report (UNCLASSIFIED)
> Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
> This came from a gentlemen named Bill Herridge.... this email
> is from
> last week.
> I was at Fort Hood yesterday afternoon and got caught up in the
> events
> surrounding the shooting. I was in the Howze Theater to play my
> bagpipes as a processional to bring in the soldiers who were
> receiving
> their college diplomas from area colleges and universities. They
> have
> one big ceremony each November for all the soldiers who have
> completed
> their degree requirements. I play for them every year.
> At about 1:30, I was sitting on the front row of the theater on
> the far
> left side. A side entrance to the theater was located directly
> to my
> left about three feet away. I heard three or four muffled
> "pops" and
> thought it sounded a little odd. Suddenly, the door near me
> flew open
> and a man fell into the theater with a gunshot wound in his
> back. I
> started for the man to see what was wrong but two NCO's jumped
> up and
> grabbed the man and laid him on the edge of the stage. One of them
> shouted "Are there any medical personnel in the building?" Two
> of the
> graduates ran to the stage, threw off their caps and gowns and
> began
> treating the man as best they could. They announced that his
> wound was
> not life threatening. As the man was being loaded onto a
> stretcher,
> five or six heavily armed civilian security personnel entered
> the back
> of the auditorium with their rifles and pistols pointing
> upwards. One
> of them shouted that everyone should take a seat immediately, and
> believe me, that happened very quickly.
> They asked that all senior NCO's in the building proceed to one
> of the
> eight entry doors in the building, and again, that was done
> immediately.
> One the security guys ascertained that the wounded man being
> removed
> from the stage would survive, they walked across the front of
> the stage
> and slowly opened a door on the opposite side of the auditorium-one
> which opened out onto a parking lot that separated the Howze
> Theater
> from the Soldiers Dome where the rest of the shooting occurred. We
> could hear rapid gunfire coming across the parking lot. One of the
> security guys again shouted a request for any doctors and nurses in
> attendance, and about 15 people immediately moved to the door
> where the
> security guys were standing. I heard one of the security folks
> tell the
> assembled medical personnel that there were many wounded people
> in the
> adjacent building, and that they were needed to help out. The
> medical
> people were told to follow the security guys, keep low, and move
> quickly
> without stopping. There was no hesitation on their part, they just
> moved out to do their jobs.
> There were three officers in the building, and to their credit
> they just
> got out of the way and let the NCO's handle the situation. I was
> extremely proud of the professionalism that everyone displayed.
> The
> only people complaining were the civilians who were there for the
> graduation ceremony, and soldiers continually moved among them
> to calm
> them down.
> One interesting thing about all this-about an hour after the
> shooting
> died down, the loud speakers all over the base started playing
> the old
> Cavalry bugle call called "Recall." I have never heard that on an
> active duty base before, but apparently the soldiers knew what
> it meant,
> that they were to drop what they were doing and return to their
> units.
> At about 7 p.m. they brought several cases of MRE's (combat
> meals) and
> starting handing them out. I figured we would be there all
> night when
> that happened. However, about 30 minutes later, we were allowed to
> depart in small numbers. I had to pass through four check
> points before
> I reached FM116, and even after driving off the post, I had to
> negotiate
> two Texas DPS road blocks before being allowed to drive at
> highway speed
> to return home.
> I hope you will all keep the families of the slain soldiers in your
> prayers. I know that the Good Lord was looking after me-that
> shooter
> could just as easily have followed the wounded man into the
> theater,
> where he would have "enjoyed" many more victims. Anyway, that is a
> brief eyewitness report of what happened at Fort Hood yesterday
> afternoon.
> Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
I just sent an email to your yahoo address. Worth reading.
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