1st Lt. Erin Shuler Writes an E-mail from Bosnia to Her Family Back in the States Detailing Serbian Atrocities & Maj. Thomas O’Sullivan Sends His Son, Conor, a Special Gift from Bosnia for His Seventh Birthday
Not since 1945 had Western Europe witnessed such slaughter; from 1991 to 1995 almost three hundred thousand men, women, and children were killed in the Balkans as a civil war raged in the former Yugoslavia. A cluster of republics cobbled together at the end of World War I, Yugoslavia began to unravel in 1980 when its Communist dictator Josip Broz Tito died after a thirty-five-year reign. In June 1991 Yugoslav republics Slovenia and Croatia officially declared their independence, followed by Bosnia-Herzegovina in early 1992. But one-third of all Bosnians were Serbs, and they vehemently objected to seceding from Yugoslavia. Political debate within the country exploded into bloodshed and the Bosnian Serbs, aided by neighboring Serbia, systematically began killing and raping Muslims and Croats in Bosnia to gain total control of the country. In July 1995 the Serbs besieged the Bosnian town of Srebrenica—which had been designated a “safe haven” by the UN—and massacred an estimated seventy-five hundred Bosnian Muslim men and boys. When economic sanctions failed to stop or even slow the ethnic cleansing, NATO air strikes led by the United States in 1995 pounded the Serbs into submission. Leaders from the former Yugoslavia came to the United States in November and, after protracted negotiations, signed a peace agreement that established new boundaries in Bosnia and the surrounding territories. Twenty-four-year-old 1st Lt. Erin Shuler was one of twenty thousand American troops sent to the area as part of an implementation force (later renamed SFOR for “stabilization force”) to monitor the fragile peace plan. Serving as a military press officer at Eagle Base in Tuzla, Shuler dashed off an e-mail to her family back in Dallas, Texas, to relate stories she had heard of Serbian atrocities.
Hi all,
I hope that everybody had a nice weekend! I just wanted to thank everybody for their messages of concern. It makes me feel really good to know that everybody is out there thinking about me and the welfare of all of the troops stationed in this area. I know all this Kosovo stuff sounds pretty bad on the news but, just know I am very safe.
I am more than ready to be home. I really miss everybody and just having a normal life in general. As I think most of you know I spent almost a whole week in Germany last week during my leave. It was wonderful to wear jeans, eat with silverwear instead of plastic and to drink water from the tap!! It’s amazing the things that you miss. I didn’t even realize I had missed alot of these things until I was able to use them again.
I took many pictures during my R&R but before I show those I wanted to send some more of my pictures from Bosnia. They are more interesting to me than the Eifle Tower anyway.
batteryfactory—This photo is of an old bombed out building which used to manufacture batteries. It was a Serb stronghold during the war. If you look very closely on the top floor to the far right of the building you can see a defensive position with a bunch of sandbags. They would herd the muslim men into the parking lot and then just spray them with gun fire. Many massacres took place here. Some of the men were able to escape into the mountains very near but walking the mountains was very greuling and physically demanding so many of them did not make it. It is actually not at all unlike the situation in Kosovo right now. The similarities are striking really.
church—This church is in the town of Srebrenicia. Prior to the war, Srebrenicia was 95% muslim. Now, it is 99% Serb. American troops stationed at our base camp Camp Dobol, conduct regular presence patrols into the city to help build relationships and trust among the Serbian people. We accompanied the group during one of these patrols and it was truly fascinating to watch how the soldiers interacted with the people of the town. Many of the people, in particular the older ones, made no secret of the fact that we were not welcome there. But, the majority of the people were relatively nice … at least they tolerated us. It was amazing to see how the patrol commander, who is very well known in the town interacted with the locals. It is obvious that they genuinely trust him. He is their friend. That, I think is the best way to establish a lasting peace. Show all these different people from all sides that we are all human. We all have families, lives, ambitions and fears just like them. We are all humans and we can all live together. But, we have to be able to understand and appreciate our differences as much as our similarities … sorry about the preaching…. moving right along!
Dam—the dam is on the way to Srebrenicia. Just on the other side of the reiver is Serbia. I certainly wouldn’t want to be there right now. The story behind this river and this dam is interesting but kind of disturbing. Apparently, during one particularly greusome battle of the war, this dam became clogged and had to be shut down because of all the bodies in the river. The water was completely red with blood. I don’t know if that story is true but I certainly could believe it.
Grave—This was the the site of a mass grave that has been excavated. You can see how deep it is by looking at the ground were the digging occured. The graves were very shallow. SFOR is actually very involved with helping with mass grave excavation. They had to stop for the winter but excavations will more than likely be starting again soon.
Helo—This is just another picture of me. This was in the helicopter that we took down to Brcko, north of Tuzla. It’s always cool to go on a helicopter.
Well … I guess that is all for this round. But, as always, there is more to come. Again, I think everybody for their thoughts. I will continue to keep you all posted on activities here but please don’t worry. We are all safe so there is nothing to worry about. :)
I love and miss you all and can’t wait to be home!!
Love,
Erin
Thirty-six-year-old Maj. Tom O’Sullivan was also in Bosnia, serving as the officer in charge of the First Armored Division Assault Command Post and, later, as the operations officer of the Fourth Battalion, Sixty-seventh Armor at Camp Colt. O’Sullivan frequently wrote home to his wife, Pam, and their two children, Tara and Conor, and on September 16, 1996—the day Conor turned seven—O’Sullivan sent a birthday gift he hoped would have special meaning to his son.
Dear Conor,
I am very sorry that I could not be home for your seventh birthday, but I will soon be finished with my time here in Bosnia and will return to be with you again. You know how much I love you, and that’s what counts the most. I think that all I will think about on your birthday is how proud I am to be your dad and what a great kid you are.
I remember the day you were born and how happy I was. It was the happiest I have ever been in my life and I will never forget that day. You were very little and had white hair. I didn’t let anyone else hold you much because I wanted to hold you all the time. That day was so special to me that I think it is right to have a celebration each year to remember it.
There aren’t any stores here in Bosnia, so I couldn’t buy you any toys or souvenirs for your birthday. What I am sending you is something very special, though. It is a flag. This flag represents America and makes me proud each time I see it. When the people here in Bosnia see it on our uniforms, on our vehicles, or flying above our camps, they know that it represents freedom, and, for them, peace after many years of war. Sometimes, this flag is even more important to them than it is to people who live in America because some Americans don’t know much about the sacrifices it represents or the peace it has brought to places like Bosnia.
This flag was flown on the flagpole over the headquarters of Task Force 4–67 Armor, Camp Colt, in the Posavina Corridor of northern Bosnia-Herzegovina, on 16 September 1996. It was flown in honor of you on your seventh birthday. Keep it and honor it always.
Love,