Christopher J Splinter
Profile
Age: 43
From: Platteville, Wis.,
Assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, based in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.,
Incident: Army Maj. Christopher J. Splinter was killed while in a vehicle that was struck by an improvised explosive device, on Dec. 24 near Samarra, Iraq.
Died: December 24, 2003
In a Christmas letter to his parents, Maj. Christopher J. Splinter said he believed the U.S. efforts in Iraq were progressing slowly, but in a positive direction.
“We will be successful, but must dig in our heals for the long term,” Splinter wrote. “Ten years from now, Iraq will be the show state in the Middle East. This is dependent on America not losing hope and forcing the army to depart early.”
Splinter, 43, of Platteville, Wis., died Dec. 24 near Samarra, Iraq, when the vehicle he was in hit a homemade bomb. He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Fort Leonard Wood’s Col. Paul Kelly visited Splinter’s 5th Engineer Battalion in Iraq about two months before Splinter died, and the men talked with pride about rebuilding six schools and repairing other...