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Iron Mike and his "Warrior Spirit"
Michael Burghardt is Iron Mike
On September 19th, 2005 this military hero stepped into an IED crater that had just killed 4 U.S. soldiers. Iron Mike chose not to wear a bomb protection suit, saying the suits are bulky, making it difficult to react to an explosion while wearing the protection. Burghardt, a bomb disposal officer, entered the 5 foot deep, 8 foot wide crater and saw the device that blew him out of the hole. A Senao base station with a wire leading from it was in front of him.
He cut the wire and used his 7 inch knife to probe the ground. 'I found a piece of red detonating cord between my legs,' he says. 'That's when I knew I was screwed.' 'A chill went up the back of my neck and then the bomb exploded,' he recalls. 'As I was in the air I remember thinking, 'I don't believe they got me.' I was just ticked off they were able to do it. Then I was lying on the road, not able to feel anything from the waist down.'
The USMC Gunnery Sergeant, miraculously, was not paralyzed and did not lose his legs. Within minutes he found he could wiggle his toes. He stood up, flipped the bomber the bird and thought "Ok, I lost that round but I'll be back next week." Then he walked to the medevac helicopter.
Texas Pride. Army Strong.
It was a dark day in December, when my son asked for my opinion about joining the military. I tried to give even handed advice acknowledging the potential for self improvement through discipline, the skills he could gain, and the eternal respect he would earn. I tempered the positive by reminding him that we were at war and there were risks. Knowing my son was not one that avoids a fight if it is right, I added how his Mother would be upset with us both if she knew and there were others that would worry too. His motivation was acquiring skills and how that would allow him to achieve his American dream. Over the next month, we had a few conversations and I could see that he had decided. Late in January, his Mom overheard us talking. She was heart broken as any Mom would be. She was mad at me for keeping a "secret". Yet, we both were proud that he was taking positive steps for a better future. He scored very high on his testing and was able to sign up for his first choice for Advanced Individual Training, helicopter power plant repair. He was to be sworn in on March 2nd, 2010. That day came way too fast! Warrior Report
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