Triangle of Death Hostage Search: Day 20

The mother of a San Marco soldier places his boots at makeshift shrine

May has been a tough month for the people of San Marcos, Texas.

In the past week, they learned that a 22-year old local man had been killed in an ambush in Baghdad. Area National Guardsmen are preparing for a year-long deployment to Iraq. Then on Tuesday, it was learned that the mother and stepfather of Private Byron R. Fouty recently became residents of the community of 35,000 southwest of Austin.

Fouty is one of two soldiers still missing since an Al Qaeda-led ambush on March 12 south of Baghdad that killed four soldiers and an Iraqi Army translator. One other soldier was found dead last week, while Specialist Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, also remains missing.

Fouty’s hometown is listed as Waterford, Orion Township, Michigan, because that is where the 19-year-old grew up with another family. His mother and stepfather, Hillary and Charles Meunier, moved to San Marcos five months ago to escape harsh northern winters and because of better employment opportunities.

Hillary Meunier broke her silence this week, saying that Fouty:

"[W]anted to get the bad guys. He was against terrorism, very much so. It was something that he wanted to do.

"We don’t really know a lot of people here, but are grateful for people giving prayers."

On May 21, Corporal Michael Davis became the second San Marcos High School graduate to die in Iraq when he was one of three soldiers killed by a roadside bomb.

There will be a memorial service for Davis this morning followed by a send-off ceremony for local residents who are part of the 4^th Battalion, 133^rd Field Artillery of the Texas Army National Guard.

And so it all begins again for the people of San Marcos.

* * * * *

Here's an index of previous Kiko's House reports on the ambush and search:

Thursday, May 31: The Lonely Vigils Continue
Wednesday, May 30: Chris's Final Resting Place
Tuesday, May 29: A Shrine to the Dead
Monday, May 28: The Next War
Sunday, May 27: Search Enters Third Week
Saturday, May 26: A Somber Holiday in Michigan
Friday, May 25: Memorial Day Edition
Thursday, May 24: A Vigil For Joseph Anzack
Wednesday, May 23: A Body Is Found
Tuesday, May 22: Ambush Victims Come Home For Burial
Monday, May 21: Hopes Grow Slimmer
Sunday, May 20: A Flicker of Hope But the Trail Goes Cold
Saturday, May 19: The Triangle of Death Up Close
Friday, May 18: Who Are the Dead and Missing Men?
Thursday, May 17: Has the Search Impacted on the Surge?
Wednesday, May 16: Anatomy of An Abduction & Search

Photograph by Ashley Landis/San Marcos Daily Record