February 11, 2009 4:19 PM
- Text
Young Iraq Vet AWOL In New Mexico Desert
About 1,000 soldiers spent a second day Wednesday combing rugged terrain in sweltering heat, searching for a soldier last seen walking into the desert after leaving a note on his bunk declaring he wouldn't be back.
Spc. John R. Fish, of the Fort Hood-based 41st Fires Brigade, was reported missing Monday after he failed to show up at a morning roll call at the Dona Ana Base Camp, officials at Fort Bliss said. Fish, a 19-year-old ammunition specialist from Paso Robles, Calif., left a note on his bunk that read: "I have some things to take care of. I won't be coming back," said Col. Dick Francey, commander of the Fort Hood unit.
Francey said Tuesday that the next 48 hours were critical for Fish, who was believed to have 2½ liters of water but was enduring temperatures in the high 90s in the rocky desert. He had two cell phones with him, but they weren't turned on, according to the phone company.
"I just want him back," Francey said. "I just want him safe and sound back here."
Searchers were recombing areas they searched on foot before, but this time with more soldiers. Army officials believed Fish, a 19-year-old ammunition specialist from Paso Robles, Calif., would have been found by now, said Lt. Col. Ina Yahn, commander of Fish's 589th Brigade Support Battalion.
Officials also began looking into a report this morning that a cap that may have belonged to the missing soldier was found just north of the desert training range, Yahn said.
Earlier this year, Army Sgt. Lawrence Sprader went missing on a training exercise at Fort Hood and was found dead from exposure four days later. An Army report detailed missteps by base officials in that case.
Fish served in Iraq for a year and is scheduled to return in November, but there was no indication that he was depressed or wounded, Francey said. No one has heard from him in Killeen, where he lives off the post, and his mother in California hasn't heard from him.
"This totally surprises me. I would never expect him to do something like this," said Pfc. Michael Justman, who described himself as Fish's best friend and said the young soldier didn't seem to be upset recently.
Fish was spotted Monday morning at this desert training range about 30 miles northwest of the main post at Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Texas. Francey said he believes Fish walked south into the desert wearing fatigues and boots, and carrying a weapon similar to an M-16. It wasn't clear whether he had ammunition, and Francey said no ammunition was missing.
The brigade is at the camp for field artillery training.
Francey said soldiers would take their weapons near the training ground because "our soldiers are taught right out of basic training, when you receive your weapon, you don't put your weapon down."
The uncertainty about the missing soldier's motives had some on edge. CBS affiliate KDBC reported that all five local schools were on shutdown Tuesday afternoon. The schools are now back to operating normally, though the Gadsden school district's Communication Coordinator Art Ruiloba said Wednesday that security personnel at all of the schools are on alert and only one entrance is open for each school.
Fort Bliss spokeswoman Jean Offutt said officials haven't been able to confirm several reported sightings, including one of a man appearing to be a soldier with a gun several miles from the training range where Fish disappeared.
Soldiers are routinely seen in the area, which includes other training ranges and White Sands Missile Range.
About 1,000 soldiers from the Fires Brigade, which numbers nearly 1,300, were involved in the search, and aerial search also was under way, Francey said. They had searched 8-10 miles into the desert by Tuesday afternoon, he said. State police in Texas and New Mexico also have helped in the search.
Fish's picture was posted around the camp with the notation, "Have you seen this soldier?"
Francey said it wasn't unusual for Fish to take off for six- to eight-hour walks on weekends, but he usually did so while off-duty.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Spc. John R. Fish, of the Fort Hood-based 41st Fires Brigade, was reported missing Monday after he failed to show up at a morning roll call at the Dona Ana Base Camp, officials at Fort Bliss said. Fish, a 19-year-old ammunition specialist from Paso Robles, Calif., left a note on his bunk that read: "I have some things to take care of. I won't be coming back," said Col. Dick Francey, commander of the Fort Hood unit.
Francey said Tuesday that the next 48 hours were critical for Fish, who was believed to have 2½ liters of water but was enduring temperatures in the high 90s in the rocky desert. He had two cell phones with him, but they weren't turned on, according to the phone company.
"I just want him back," Francey said. "I just want him safe and sound back here."
Searchers were recombing areas they searched on foot before, but this time with more soldiers. Army officials believed Fish, a 19-year-old ammunition specialist from Paso Robles, Calif., would have been found by now, said Lt. Col. Ina Yahn, commander of Fish's 589th Brigade Support Battalion.
Officials also began looking into a report this morning that a cap that may have belonged to the missing soldier was found just north of the desert training range, Yahn said.
Earlier this year, Army Sgt. Lawrence Sprader went missing on a training exercise at Fort Hood and was found dead from exposure four days later. An Army report detailed missteps by base officials in that case.
Fish served in Iraq for a year and is scheduled to return in November, but there was no indication that he was depressed or wounded, Francey said. No one has heard from him in Killeen, where he lives off the post, and his mother in California hasn't heard from him.
"This totally surprises me. I would never expect him to do something like this," said Pfc. Michael Justman, who described himself as Fish's best friend and said the young soldier didn't seem to be upset recently.
Fish was spotted Monday morning at this desert training range about 30 miles northwest of the main post at Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Texas. Francey said he believes Fish walked south into the desert wearing fatigues and boots, and carrying a weapon similar to an M-16. It wasn't clear whether he had ammunition, and Francey said no ammunition was missing.
The brigade is at the camp for field artillery training.
Francey said soldiers would take their weapons near the training ground because "our soldiers are taught right out of basic training, when you receive your weapon, you don't put your weapon down."
The uncertainty about the missing soldier's motives had some on edge. CBS affiliate KDBC reported that all five local schools were on shutdown Tuesday afternoon. The schools are now back to operating normally, though the Gadsden school district's Communication Coordinator Art Ruiloba said Wednesday that security personnel at all of the schools are on alert and only one entrance is open for each school.
Fort Bliss spokeswoman Jean Offutt said officials haven't been able to confirm several reported sightings, including one of a man appearing to be a soldier with a gun several miles from the training range where Fish disappeared.
Soldiers are routinely seen in the area, which includes other training ranges and White Sands Missile Range.
About 1,000 soldiers from the Fires Brigade, which numbers nearly 1,300, were involved in the search, and aerial search also was under way, Francey said. They had searched 8-10 miles into the desert by Tuesday afternoon, he said. State police in Texas and New Mexico also have helped in the search.
Fish's picture was posted around the camp with the notation, "Have you seen this soldier?"
Francey said it wasn't unusual for Fish to take off for six- to eight-hour walks on weekends, but he usually did so while off-duty.
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