Weapons, Body Armor, Good Luck Charms

Price: US Troops In Iraq Carry Tiny Reminders Of Home At All Times

(CBS)  Army Chief Dan Curran, of Cranston, R.I., carries a golf club, and sometimes uses it on a makeshift driving range on the grounds of what used to be one of Saddam Hussein's palaces.

Some of the things soldiers carry have more personal connections to those back home.

"This is my daughter Cassandra's sock. I found it when I was packing," said one troop.

"This is from my mom," said a soldier of a pin. "This is from my best friend. This is from my cats."

Others carry symbols of their faith in God.

"The first one says, 'We love because God loves us,' " one soldier said. "The second one says, 'Work hard, cheerfully, as though for the Lord.' And there's not one day I haven't put this in my pocket."

"I carry this wooden little cross on my dog tags that my girlfriend gave me right before leaving," a troop said.

Another pointed to a metal tag that shows St. Michael, the archangel's pendant: "Before every patrol, we say his prayer. And I carry this one, always with me."

Then, he said the prayer: "St. Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle and be our protector against the wickedness and snares of the devil, we humbly pray."

For the soldiers serving in Iraq, the ones who do the fighting, and the dying, in one of the world's most dangerous places, it's the simplest things that matter the most, Price noticed.

One hardened GI told him, "I always have pictures of my kids."

"And when you don't have those pictures," Price asked, "are you running back to get 'em before you leave?"

"Yes," came the reply. "Always. Always."

Price admitted to co-anchor Harry Smith he had a good luck charm of his own along on the trip: "I promised my parents I would travel with a red ribbon, and not let it out of my sight. And I did.

"And, to these men and women, those small things are as important as the body armor, psychologically. It's remarkable."