Sgt. Craig Smith is home on medical leave: The welcome home sign on S. Second Street lets the community know how happy the Smith family is that their son is home. Although he’ll be home for Thanksgiving, he will return for rehabilitation at the beginning of December. (Tribune photo by Margaret Willis)

By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

A large banner tied to two trees at the Smith residence, lets passers-by know Sgt. Craig is home from Iraq!

Smith, a member of the Army reserves, is home on medical leave after suffering an injury in an accident in Iraq.

According to Smith, he was driving an Iraqi Nissan bus, with no headlights and smashed into a 2 1/2 ton Army Truck that was parked about 30 miles northwest of Baghdad.

“We were under auto precaution, so we drove in the dark, he explained.

“It was one of the last runs of the night, he continued. As a transportation soldier I transport soldiers to showers and to the PX. Fortunately, no one was on that bus, I was on the way out,” he said.

Because the bus was made of aluminum, it smashed readily, trapping Smith. He had to be extricated.

“They got me out of there pretty quick,” he said.

His hip was fractured at the socket and his knee was also damaged. Recovery will take three to six months, he said.

“It hurts getting around,” he said. “I have to stay off the leg and then, I’ll have to go through rehabilitation to walk again.”

The accident occurred Oct. 1 and he was transferred to a hospital in Germany. From there he was shipped home, where he will get to stay until Dec. 1, when he will enter Walter Reed Hospital for rehabilitation.

“It’s nice being home, but I wish I were home at the same time as the others. It’s a brotherhood. Troops don’t like to be separated,” he said.

Smith enlisted in the reserves in 1997 and will celebrate six years in the service in February.

“My job in Iraq was to haul fuel. I traveled all over the country and never had to fire a weapon. Our tactic is to drive fast and get out,” he said.

Driving fast means driving between 65-70 mph.

The freightliners, from the U.S. are painted green and used in the transportation unit. He traveled as far north as Tikrit and near Syria, restored power plants.

“The press only shows the Iraqis angry with the U.S., but having worked with Iraqis on the power plants in both the north and the south, I can tell you they were nothing but smiles for the U.S. help, he said.

“Their equipment is 50 years behind the times. We had to Jerry-rig it to make it work, he continued.

“When we worked with them they wanted to learn about our culture and we wanted to learn about theirs. I learned through interpreters, every eight Iraqis love Americans, only two hate Americans,” he said.

While he is at home, he plans to visit friends, but also keep off his leg as much as possible.

Posted 11/4/2003