US soldier(Sikh) killed in Iraq

[S1ngh]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_482397,0006.htm

US soldier of Indian origin killed in Iraq

Man Aman Singh Chhina

Chandigarh, December 3

Twenty-one-year-old US Army Specialist Uday Singh became the first Indian to die in Operation Iraqi Freedom when his convoy was ambushed in Habbaniyah near Baghdad on December 1. Uday had enlisted in the US Army after he passed Class XII from St Stephen's School here.

Two military officers from the US embassy in New Delhi conveyed the news of Uday's death to his father, Lt-Col (retd) P.M. Singh, at his Sector 18 home. A third-generation soldier, Uday had enlisted in the US Army on August 28, 2001.

Singh was in shock when the HT team visited him on Wednesday. He was being consoled by relatives and friends. Uday's friends and batchmates from school were also present at the house. Some of them had spoken to him over the phone just a few days back.

Singh said Uday received 16 weeks of training at Fort Knox in Kentucky and was assigned to the Ist Batallion, 34th Armour Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas. His unit was deployed in Iraq on September 8, 2003 after being initially based in Kuwait.

Uday was killed when his unit was attacked while on a patrol in Habbaniyah. He was in a Humvee vehicle as a gunner when it was ambushed. He died on the way to hospital. Exact details are still not available as the official version will be provided by US Army officers when they visit Singh.

Recalling their last conversation, Singh said Uday had told him that though his unit was a tank regiment, the

y had been equipped with the all-terrain Humvee. "He said he was in the most vulnerable position as a gunner because the upper half of his body was constantly exposed," said Singh.

Uday had also told his father that his unit’s area of deployment was in the Sunni triangle of Habbaniyah, Ramadi and Falluja and that their vehicles were shot at 30 times a day on an average. "We do not know who the enemy is," Uday had said.

A family member said that though the US Army wanted to bury Uday in the Arlington National Cemetery, Singh wanted the body to be brought to Chandigarh for cremation. But first, an autopsy will have to be performed in Dallas.

Clutching his son's citation, Singh said that during his brief army career, Uday got the Army Achievement Medal for meritorious services during deployment in Kuwait. "Your professionalism and warrior attitude were key to Task Force Centurian's success and reflect credit on the 1st Infantry Division and the US Army," the citation reads.

Uday had moved to his aunt's home in Chicago’s Lake Forest suburb in 1998 and had planned to enroll in high school there. He changed his mind and returned to Chandigarh to finish schooling before returning to the US in 2000.

Uday’s father was commissioned in the Indian Army’s Armoured Corps in 1970 and also served in 49 Armoured Regiment till he took premature retirement in 1995. His grandfather was a decorated officer in the Royal Indian Air Force.

[V]

Page cannot be found :T:

Sad tho....

DO we have a lot of Singhs in the US Army?

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

[nanosecond]

i think I saw his photo somewhere....he is a monah

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

I think there are two SIKHS in the Army (meaning not monas). One is a field physician, and the other escapes my mind.

Sikhs were allowed in the Army until, for some odd reason, Reagen stopped them from maintaining the Sikh identity. Ah well, U.S.'s loss.

Mad respect to Uday Singh Sahib...but he is not a Sikh.

[S1ngh]

hanjeeeee.. there are approx. two singhs with turban in us force.. somewhere around 1980's congress passed new grooming law effective for all who enrolled into us force after 80's .. but those singhs were way before 80's

[Son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji]

pictures please?

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

Here's an article with a pic:

http://www.sikhnet.com/s/udaysingh

[theturbanator]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

heres a link all about Sikhs in US Armed Forces

http://www.sikhwomen.com/equality/social/m...rmed_forces.htm

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

hey i read in an american paper that this guy was hindu not sikh his parents last name is dutta....

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

Sahib Ji, if you find that article, please post it or its link here.