Soldier's tale told in 'Modern Warriors'

Afghanistan Staff Sergeant Johnny “Joey” Jones was an explosive ordinance disposal specialist, and his story is told in the book, "Modern Warriors."

The Marines were in an area called Sfar Bazaar. There was an area that had been mined, Sgt. Jones and his assistant had cleared the area three times already, with three passes, they called it “clear.” They had removed mines and then cleared the site with metal detectors. They thought it was safe.

Sgt. Jones then took one step into the cleared area and stepped on a mine. He was thrown, cartwheeling in the air; when he landed, he was on his back. He knew what had happened as he was still conscious. He looked down and his legs were gone. He thought, “my legs are gone, am I going to live?"

He grabbed for a tourniquet as they carried them, and then other Marines ran to him, put tourniquets on him, and carried him off. He passed out, and when he woke up, he was in a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. Then to Washington, D.C., and spent months in hospitals and receiving artificial limbs.

He didn’t feel sorry for himself, he thought positively, "I didn’t die, now I have a new lease on life, a second chance."

For context, in Afghanistan, most of the soldiers' deaths were from explosive devices, while in Vietnam, most were the result of being shot.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran, serving in the 1st Infantry Division and is a business owner in Priest River.