In loving memory of SGT Trista L. Moretti of Plainsfield, NJ - 14 June 1980 - 25 June 2007.The below was written on June 14th 2008. Every year I send out the link in hopes of keeping the memory of an American hero alive.
Where were you one year ago today? Chances are unless it was a birthday or anniversary you would not recall. I was at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kalsu, Iraq, helping one soldier celebrate her 27th birthday. SGT Trista L. Moretti, of Plainsfield NJ, was turning 27 years old and we were all helping her celebrate as best as you can while in such a nasty place. Her family sent her all the fixings for a luau themed birthday, so we all donned our grass skirts and blew up the inflatable animals and beach balls and wished her a happy birthday. She took lots of pictures to send back to her family to thank them for the stuff they sent.
Eleven days after her birthday, June 25th, Trista was heading back to her can (we called the little trailers we lived in "cans") to clean up and prepare her gear for the mission she was going on the following day. Sgt. Gaumond "Joe" and I were going to the chow hall to eat and it was weird that Trista wasn't going with us, because the three of us always ate chow together, but we knew how serious she was about having stuff squared away and ready for missions, so off we went. Joe and I decided not to eat at the chow hall but to head back to our cans to eat. On the way back we saw Trista just finishing sweeping out her can, her light was already turned off and we knew she was headed to bed. What we didn't know was this would be the last time either of us would see her again. Our cans were next to each other and only 30 meters from her can, we both liked this because we were right there if anyone of us needed any help with anything. As I finished eating and was just about to knock on the wall to let Joe know I was ready to go with him to get some sun, it hit. I heard the deafening scream of a 240mm rocket followed by the explosion that rocked our cans. Joe and I ran out to see Trista's can was gone. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and I grabbed a first aid kit and we went to help those injured, but we could not find our friend. We were soon called back to our company's orderly room where the information was delivered to us by our commander.
Trista talked frequently about getting home in time for her sister's wedding and how excited she was to be a part of it. We all heard about the dress and all the other stuff that goes into a wedding. She was never jealous or upset in any way that her little sister was getting married before her, she only talked about how happy and proud of her little sister she was.
Trista always wanted to go out on missions outside the wire and get in on the action, but for the longest time the unit wouldn't let her go. She believed they didn't want her going out because she was a woman and didn't think she could keep up. I don't think this was the case, even though she was the only woman who worked in our section. I think they were just trying to protect her, we all watched out for her like she was our own sister. She fought to go and finally she got her chance and did a great job and was asked to go on the next mission, this was the mission she was preparing for on the 25th of June.
Trista told me once that she wanted to become a teacher when she got out of the army. People with our experiences and security clearance could get out and make a lot more than a teacher, but this didn't matter to Trista; she only wanted to help people. I think this speaks volumes for the kind of person she was.
Soldiers have a long history of taking their memories of war and hiding them deep down inside, but to do this would be a dishonor for those who died for us. If those of us who knew our nation's heroes personally do not share their story they will become just another faceless name on a wall. This is why I ask my friends and family to forward this link, please do not allow Trista to become another faceless name on a wall.
I've rarely told what Paul Harvey would have referred to as "The Rest of the Story," but this year I've added it here.
When overseas in places like Iraq you fall into routines, very predictable routines. My breakfast routine, which was more like dinner, consisted of walking with Trista and Joe to the chow hall. We'd get our trays and sit at the same table every morning. It's such a routine that no one else ever sat at that table, almost like it was reserved for us and you could look around and see the same people at the same tables every morning. Between 0640 and 0700 we'd be there eating and make it back in time for the rest of our co-workers to go get their breakfast. After Trista was killed our routine was shattered, we'd go at different times and never again sat at that same table, new people must not have rotated in I thought because our table still sat empty at breakfast 2 weeks later. Around 2-3 weeks after Trista was killed and we received our memorial bracelets I found myself looking at the clock knowing it was past time for someone to go have breakfast. Finally I said I would go get something, while I was walking to the door of our work trailer I heard the familiar cry of a 240mm rocket tearing through the air and the loud explosion that followed. A picture of our chow hall after this explosion is seen below. What you don't see is that no soldiers died in this attack and at the center of that gaping hole in our chow hall is the twisted mess of metal that was the table where the three of us ate breakfast everyday. Had Trista not died the three of of would have been sitting at this table eating breakfast when that rocket hit and by the looks of it I doubt any of us would have walked away. When I say I owe my life to a friend I mean it. Thanks again Trista for your sacrifice.
Below is a picture of our chow hall after a rocket remodeled it. Trista
wanted to leave the "safety" of the FOB to go out where the action was.
A hard lesson learned.
You are not forgotten.
On 28 May 2008 LTG Keith B. Alexander, USA, Director, National Security Agency/ Chief Security Service, paid special tribute to Trista at a Memorial Ceremony. Her name was added to a memorial wall that commemorates all the intelligence professionals who have given their lives in service of their country.
In her hometown of Plainsfield, NJ a street was renamed "Trista's Way" in honor of Trista.
To Trista: Happy Birthday, May God comfort your family on this day and be with them on the approaching anniversary of the selfless sacrifice you made for your country.
