AV Marine wounded in action in Iraq

By RICH BREAULT
Valley Press Senior Staff Writer

The 22-year-old is a member of a scout sniper platoon with the 1st Marine Division, 7th Regiment, 3rd Battalion.

His parents, Aaron and Karen Wintterle of Lancaster, were notified about their son around midnight Thursday.

"The details are vague and sketchy. We were told by a friend of Aaron's that Aaron was trying to get hold of us, but didn't have our cell phone number," said Wintterle's father, speaking from a motel room in Colorado where he and his wife are visiting relatives.

"All we know at this time is he has a broken jaw and is missing some teeth. We understand he was wounded April 8, but it may have been the day before. Like I said, details are sketchy. We don't know if he was shot or if the wounds are shrapnel wounds. Aaron believes he was shot, but said he wasn't sure."

Aaron's grandmother, Jeannie Olsen of Costa Mesa, said her grandson was evacuated to Kuwait and later flown to a U.S. military hospital in Germany for further treatment.

"I just praise the Lord that he's alive," Olsen said. "And that he's coming home."

Aaron, a 1998 graduate of Quartz Hill High School, also attended Antelope Valley College. He was a member of both schools' track and field teams, competing primarily in the shot put and discus events.

Stationed in Twentynine Palms, Aaron deployed to the Middle East in late January. He received advanced weapons training at Fort Irwin and his scout sniper training at Camp Pendleton.

"In a letter written to the Antelope Valley Press in early April, Karen Wintterle wrote, "...We are beyond proud of the man Aaron has become, his ability to lead and (believe it or not) his tender heart. We pray 'without ceasing' for all of our brave soldiers to safely make it home."

Wintterle said his son is "a highly-motivated individual, and after 9-11 he was reared up and ready to go."

"The 1st Marines were the "tip of the spear' in Iraq, but we didn't hear much about (3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment) until about a week ago," Wintterle said. "There are reporters from Time and a newspaper in St. Louis embedded with them. One night I stayed up until three or four in the morning watching them advance toward Baghdad.

"The Time reporter came on to say they were 20 kilometers from Baghdad. Then it was 10 kilometers. Then 5 kilometers. The Army's 3rd Infantry was already at Baghdad International Airport and the Marines were close behind them getting to another area of Baghdad."

Wintterle said whenever he and his wife "got caught up in everything about the war on TV, we sought peace."

"We're religious people and believe in God," Wintterle said. "And from (God) we found peace. God helped us come to grips with our thoughts of Aaron being wounded or killed.

"Over the days, much of our strength has come from a higher source."