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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 8:58:01 GMT -5
Army Celebrates Birthday; Maupins Speak At Ceremony U.S. Army Turns 229 CINCINNATI -- The U.S. Army is celebrating its 229th birthday. And the parents of a local soldier being held captive were among those paying tribute to fallen soldiers during a ceremony on Fountain Square Monday, WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported. Carolyn and Keith Maupin, parents of Spc. Matt Maupin, read a poem at the event. Matt Maupin was captured in Iraq on April 9 when his convoy was ambushed in Baghdad. A videotape surfaced showing Maupin being held hostage shortly after he was captured. There's been no word on the soldier, originally from Batavia, since then. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3417659/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 8:59:24 GMT -5
Conflicting Reports Suggest Maupin's Safety In Doubt Maupin Captured In Iraq In April BATAVIA, Ohio -- There are unconfirmed reports that the safety of a soldier from the Tri-State is in jeopardy, WLWT has learned. Spc. Matt Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio, a member of the 724th Transportation Company, was captured April 9. His convoy was attacked by gunmen using rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons. Initial reports indicated that the Al Jazeera TV network had a videotape of Maupin being shot. However, a military representative close to the Maupin family who spoke to WLWT said only that he heard media reports of the videotape's existence. The military has not changed Maupin's status as a hostage, and the report of his death has not been confirmed. Maupin's parents, Keith and Caroline Maupin, said Monday afternoon through a military spokesman that they have not been informed of a change of status for their son. Friends and neighbors are hoping for the best, but bracing for the worst, WLWT reported. "It's just heartbreaking," neighbor Marty Holliday said. "We've been praying for the longest time. You look and you see the yellow ribbons everywhere and the candles in every window. We've been hoping that he'd get out, but it doesn't look real good." A videotape showing Maupin being held by guerillas was released about a week after Maupin was reported missing. However, his kidnappers have not said anything since the videotape was released. On May 1, Maupin was promoted in absentia from private first class to specialist The Maupin's pastor visited the family Monday at their home in Clermont County's Union Township, and military representatives were seen at the home as well, WLWT reported. Maupin graduated from Glen Este High School in 2001. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves to help pay for college, according to WLWT. His brother had just completed basic training for the Marines when Maupin disappeared, and his mother headed a local support group for military families. On Sunday, Keith and Caroline Maupin joined the family of Tri-State soldier Chuck Kiser, who was killed last week in Iraq. The Maupins called the Kisers to express their condolences over Kiser's death, and the Kiser family invited the Maupins to join them at St. Bernadette in Amelia, WLWT reported. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3467573/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:00:11 GMT -5
Al-Jazeera: Maupin Executed; No Official Confirmation Soldier's Status Remains Unchanged UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A videotape shows a body, perhaps of a soldier, but it's not clear whether it's that of local Army Spc. Matt Maupin, according to multiple reports Monday. Maj. Willie Harris, director of public affairs for the 88th Regiment Readiness Command, told reporters gathered near the Maupins' home in Union Township at about 5 p.m. Monday that the military has a videotape that shows a body, WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported. Harris added that the Maupin family has been briefed on the videotape's contents. According to The Associated Press, the videotape is "too dark and grainy" to tell if it's Maupin. But al-Jazeera television reported that Maupin was killed by a gunshot to the back of the head. "There is no confirmation at this time, that the tape contains footage of Matt Maupin or any other Army soldier," Harris said. "It has been substantiated that there is a videotape, and the Department of Defense is trying to examine it." www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3469719/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:01:16 GMT -5
Community Continues To Support Soldier's Family Maupin's Status Remains 'Captured' UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The community has pulled together not only to support the family of 20-year-old Spc. Matt Maupin, but also to protect the relatives from a deluge of attention that has redeveloped as the Army tries to determine whether the TV report of the local soldier's death is true. PFC. MATT MAUPIN Respecting the relatives' privacy is one thing residents can do to support them, Bob Handra, manager and part-owner of Batavia Electric Supply Inc., said Tuesday at his store. "It doesn't surprise me a bit that they are doing this and have come together around the family," he said. "That's the way we do things here." Handra is a former mayor of the village in Clermont County, where urban sprawl is overtaking former farmlands. "People feel they can help support the family by protecting their privacy and not talking about them," said Stephanie Heckler, 23, who works in Batavia and lives in New Richmond. "We're near a big city, but we all still stick together." At least a half dozen people declined interviews Tuesday, walking past when a reporter approached them on the sidewalk in the village's business district. "It's just a small, close-knit community," said Donna Marshall, 45, of Batavia, as she sat Tuesday at a picnic table in a township park where residents set up an electric light for Maupin that always is kept on. "We put up a poster of (Maupin) in the restaurant where I work, and everyone seemed to appreciate it." "Everyone tends to know who everyone is -- even if they don't personally know them -- in a small town like this," Marshall said. "I think everyone just wants the family to be left alone." On Monday, a woman who showed up to place a small American flag and a yellow ribbon at a display of support of Maupin on a fence near Glen Este High School -- from where Maupin graduated in 2001 -- politely declined an interview. "If you're with the news, I don't want to talk to you," she said. Some people shouted at reporters who gathered Monday night near the home of Carolyn Maupin, about five miles west of Batavia, after the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera aired video showing a blindfolded man sitting on the ground. Al-Jazeera said in the next scene, gunmen shot the man in the back of the head, in front of a hole dug in the ground. It did not show the execution. The station said Iraqi militants killed the soldier after holding him hostage for nearly three months because the U.S. government did not change its policy in Iraq. Maupin, who is listed by the military as captured, was taken captive after his convoy was attacked April 9 west of Baghdad. The Army is examining the dark, grainy video, but said it cannot determine the identity of the person, said Maj. Mark Magalski, an Army officer assigned since April to support the Maupin family. Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, an Army spokeswoman, said officials generally will not make a final determination that a soldier has died until remains are recovered. "We can't make any outward assumption that it's him," she said of the person on the video. The Maupin family is refraining from public comment until Army investigators reach conclusions, said Magalski, who has been serving as a spokesman for the family. But the family issued a statement thanking community members for continued prayers, and also urged them to continue to pray for families of other soldiers. The soldier's parents have avoided interviews since their son was taken captive. They occasionally have appeared at public rallies and vigils in support of their son, sometimes without notice. Yellow ribbons have been in place for weeks on utility poles, signs and at businesses near Maupin's home. About 200 people attended a vigil for Maupin in the rain Monday night in Batavia. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3474878/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:06:15 GMT -5
No Change In Maupin's Status; Experts Dissect Videotape Solider Kidnapped In Iraq April BATAVIA, Ohio -- Army experts continued Wednesday to scour a dark, grainy video of an execution for clues about the identity of the victim, his captors and other useful information. The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera reported Monday that the man being shot in the head was Spc. Keith M. Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio, but Department of Defense officials still say they can't be sure. "Every effort possible has been made for further analysis of the tape," said Brig. Gen. Michael Beasley, who visited the Maupin home Wednesday along with U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. "The status of the information known today remains the status. The tape is entirely inconclusive." Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, an Army spokeswoman, said officials usually won't make a final determination that a soldier has died until remains are recovered. With this video and others from war zones, the Army uses intelligence sources, audio- and image-enhancing tools and cultural details, such as tribal patterns in cloth, to help their analysis. "Some (agencies) would be reviewing the video to determine the identity of the person or persons within the video. Other agencies would be determining whether they can get any intelligence out of that video or determine perhaps the location where it was filmed," said Lt. Cmdr. Nick Balice at U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla. Army technicians are searching the video like a puzzle, looking for any clues that can help: They examine the clothing worn, any scars or birthmarks, jewelry, the weather, time of day, and structure or room where it was filmed. They also listen to the voices, dialect and exterior sound. Experts can use digital and audio enhancement tools to try to match the voices on the video to the voices of Iraqi insurgents they already have on tape. It was that kind of audio analysis that helped U.S. intelligence officials determine "with high probability" that terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was the masked man who beheaded American civilian Nicholas Berg in a video that circulated on the Internet in early May. Experts also are using information gathered by different agencies about Iraqi insurgents and other terrorists in the Middle East to identify the captors. "Sometimes, if you have multiple, different pieces, they all come together to paint a more complete picture," Balice said. In the video released by Al-Jazeera on Monday, a blindfolded man, whom his captors identify as Maupin, is shown sitting on the ground. It was taped from behind a man whose face does not appear in the video. The station says that in the next scene, gunmen shoot the man in the back of the head, in front of a hole dug in the ground. The station did not broadcast the killing. Maupin, who is listed by the military as captured, was taken captive after his convoy was attacked April 9 west of Baghdad. A week later, Al-Jazeera broadcast a videotape showing the soldier sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3480042/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:07:24 GMT -5
President Bush Consoles Maupin Family White House Calls Soldier's Parents Wednesday BATAVIA, Ohio -- President Bush called the family of Army Spc. Keith Maupin, who was taken hostage in Iraq in April, to offer support and encouragement, an Army official said Thursday. The president talked Wednesday with family members of the 20-year-old soldier whose fate is still unknown, Maj. Mark Magalski said at a brief news conference Thursday in this southwest Ohio city. The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera reported Monday that a man being shot in the head in a dark, grainy video of an execution by Iraqi insurgents was Maupin, but Department of Defense officials say they can't be sure. Magalski, who has been assisting the Maupin family, said Bush spoke with Maupin's parents and brothers for about 10 minutes Wednesday. "He pledged his unwavering support to the Maupin family that everything possible was being done to return Matt home," Magalski said. The major said the family appreciated the call and wanted everyone to know that they are relying heavily on their religious faith. "They have the utmost faith that Matt will return some day," Magalski said. The Maupin family plans to attend a memorial gathering Monday night in Batavia for another Clermont County native killed in Iraq. Army Sgt. Charles Kiser, 37, was killed by a car bomb Thursday outside Mosul, Magalski said. Kiser, who was with the 330th Military Police Division, a reserve unit based in Sheboygan, Wis., grew up near Batavia in Amelia. Maupin, who is listed by the military as captured, was taken captive after his convoy was attacked April 9 west of Baghdad. A week later, Al-Jazeera broadcast a videotape showing the soldier sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3482796/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:09:08 GMT -5
Door-To-Door Scammers Targeting Maupin Supporters Family Not Getting Money, Officials Say Email This Story | Print This Story BATAVIA, Ohio -- Scammers may be invoking the name of a captured Tri-State soldier to take advantage of money from generous residents. Spc. Matt Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, disappeared in April when his convoy was attacked in Iraq. Since Maupin's disappearance, hundreds of people from across the U.S. have gone out of the way to help out, be it with a yellow ribbon pinned to a lapel or a cash donation. Clermont County officials are warning residents to be wary because someone is going door-to-door with pictures of Maupin and asking for donations. The money is not going to the Maupin family, WLWT reported. Furthermore, there are no legitimate door-to-door solicitations going on currently. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maupin: No Door-To-Door Activities Happening www.channelcincinnati.com/video/3496580/index.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "People may try to go door-to-door and say, 'We're raising money for the family,' and they're not," said Dallas Howard of Clermont Yellow Ribbon. "We try to add some legitimacy to the fundraising, so we do it at central locations at stores and banks and things of that nature." There are other ongoing efforts to support the Maupin family, including: The Sam's Club store in the Eastgate area is offering the official Matt Maupin badge for a small donation. The money goes to the Maupin family. The Office Max store in Eastgate has badges and posters. Both are available with a small donation that goes directly to the family. A bank account has been set up at the Bank of New Richmond. Donate money in care of the Maupin family. The Clermont County visitor's bureau has ribbons, car magnets and other items for sale. All proceeds go toward supporting troops. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3496499/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:10:14 GMT -5
Tri-State Celebrates Missing Soldier's Birthday Maupin Turns 21 Tuesday By Claire Nerl UPDATED: 1:51 pm EDT July 14, 2004 UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Tri-State residents celebrated local soldier Matt Maupin's 21st birthday Wednesday by showing their unwavering hope and faith in his safe return, WLWT Eyewitness News 5's Joelle Girone reported. Maupin, who is purportedly shown being executed in a videotape that the military is still investigating, has been missing in Iraq since April when his convoy was ambushed. He was later shown surrounded by men holding automatic rifles in a videotape released a week after his disappearance. In Maupin's hometown, the faith continues to pour out from area residents, and many believe that Maupin is another day older, Girone reported. Outside the soldier's home in Union Township, balloons waved at the base of a surprise present that friends gave to Maupin's mother in honor of the soldier. The gift was two flags: one was the stars and stripes of America and the other was for those missing in action or captured, Girone reported. The celebration had all of the markings of a birthday. The only thing missing was the young army specialist to help celebrate, Girone reported. People also continue to hand out badges with Maupin's picture on them as well as yellow ribbons to show their support. In addition, a group of teenagers from Maupin's church is heading to NBC's "Today" show this week to show the world that they haven't given up on Maupin. "Everyone has hope. Everyone is praying," Amy Moss said. "He's become our child and because a lot of these kids go to the same high school and actually did go to school with him, we're not going to give up hope until he comes home." The group of young missionaries from Maupin's church will be outside the "Today" on Thursday. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3528013/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:11:23 GMT -5
Yellow Ribbon Vision Gives Hope To Maupin's Supporters Faithful Make Pilgrimage To Small Town's New Shrine POSTED: 10:55 pm EDT July 27, 2004 UPDATED: 11:04 pm EDT July 27, 2004 UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- In Clermont County, where so many have prayed for the safe return of captive soldier Matt Maupin, some say they see an image of Maupin's face on a tree. Specifically, some say the soldier's image is outlined on a yellow ribbon tied around the trunk of a tree. Others believe the image is that of Jesus Christ. U.S. Army Spc. Keith M. Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio, was reported killed June 29 by Arab television. The Army has not been able to confirm his death. Ora Stewart took a photo of the tree that has sparked a pilgrimage to this place. Stewart says that he didn't see the face at first in the photo. Now that he has, he hopes that it gives Maupin's mother strength in Maupin's absence. "If anything, it is something to keep her faith going. We are all praying for her and I know everyone I know is praying for Matt and all our troops," Stewart said. "But especially for Matt. Our hearts go out to the Maupins. The outline of the face is rough. But it's clear enough for the faithful, some of whom say it's a sign that Maupin will return safely home. "It's a sign of hope, that the Lord is actually watching over Matt," said Ben Hamilton, who says he saw the image. Hamilton brought his children to see what he considers a divine inspiration. "Once I stood back and looked, it gave me goose bumps because he's right there." www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3585589/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:12:29 GMT -5
Army Says It Won't Give Up Search For Maupin Family Had Feared Change In Designation Would Stop Effort POSTED: 4:43 am EST December 9, 2004 UPDATED: 5:34 am EST December 9, 2004 The army says it will continue to search for specialist Matt Maupin. The Clermont County native has been missing since his convoy was attacked in April. Maupin's family had feared Matt's status would be changed from "captured" to "deceased, body not recovered." But the military says that won't happen. Now, his family is sending care packages of food, games and candy to troops in Iraq. The packages will include pins with Matt's picture with a simple request: "Please help us find him." Matt's parents, Carolyn and Keith Maupin, who have seldom talked publicly since their son's capture, said they sort donations and pack boxes seven days a week at a support center they set up in two donated, empty storefronts in a shopping center. Keith Maupin, 54, put his home improvement business on hold to run the suburban center that he opens daily at 7:30 a.m. Carolyn Maupin, 56, volunteers after her full-time job at a school transportation office, often staying at the center until midnight. "I know he will come back to us," Carolyn Maupin recently told The Associated Press. . "Maybe someone will see one of these photos and it will help them find him." "Even if they just drop the photo in their pocket, it could help them know it's Matt when they find him," Keith Maupin said. Maupin, missing since his convoy was attacked April 9 west of Baghdad, is the only Army soldier listed as captured in Iraq or Afghanistan. "Every effort has been made and is continuing to be made to find him," said Maj. Elizabeth Robbins, an Army spokeswoman at the Pentagon who would not discuss specifics of the search. In June, an Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera broadcast a video showing a blindfolded man sitting on the ground that the station said was Maupin. Another scene not aired showed the man being shot in the back of the head, the station said. U.S. experts reviewed the dark, grainy tape and called it inconclusive. Holidays and birthdays have been especially difficult for the Maupins, but they are adding Christmas stockings to the care packages and making plans for "Matt's tree." The small tree in his room at his mother's home will be decorated with "Star Wars" ornaments because he was such a fan of the movie. Carolyn Maupin is sure her son somehow knows he has not been forgotten. "I talk to Matt all the time, telling him how much we love and miss him and how much we need him to come home," she said. "It may take longer than I want, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will come back to us." The Yellow Ribbon Support Center can be reached at (513) 752-4310. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/3983831/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:13:35 GMT -5
Maupin's Unit Comes Home Without Him News 5 Will Cover Ceremony In Wisconsin On Friday POSTED: 2:14 am EST February 22, 2005 UPDATED: 12:21 pm EST February 24, 2005 FORT McCOY, Wis. -- Army Reserve Spc. Matt Maupin's unit came home from Iraq Wednesday, but the celebration was muted somewhat because the missing Clermont County soldier wasn't with them. "I can tell you for every member of the 724th our thoughts and prayers are with the Maupins," said Lt. Matt Brown of the 724th Transportation Company. Maupin is the only U.S. soldier listed as captured in Iraq. Maupin, 21, was captured April 9 when his convoy was attacked by insurgents west of Baghdad. Nearly 130 members of Maupin's unit were greeted by family members at Fort McCoy. They'll be allowed to go home on Friday after a special homecoming ceremony, including the awarding of a silver star medal to Spc. Jeremy Church of Hudson, Ill., making him the first Army reservist honored for his valor in Iraq, spokeswoman Linda Fournier said. Maupin's parents will attend the ceremony with mixed feelings. They say they see these men and women as family and they wouldn't miss it. Matt's mother, Carolyn Maupin, says she expects her son to rejoin the unit someday. "We're not going to give up until they can show us something that proves one way or the other. No, we're not," she said. In June, Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera broadcast a video showing a blindfolded man sitting on the ground that the station said was Maupin. Another scene not aired showed the man being shot in the back of the head, the station said. U.S. experts reviewed the dark, grainy tape and called it inconclusive. News 5's Anchor Sandra Ali will be with the Maupins in Wisconsin Friday. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4218967/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 1, 2005 9:14:25 GMT -5
Search For Missing Soldier May Have Turned Up Clues POSTED: 6:54 am EST November 1, 2005 UPDATED: 9:00 am EST November 1, 2005 CINCINNATI -- Soldiers searching for Matt Maupin's body in Iraq may have discovered some clues, the parents of the missing Clermont County sergeant told News 5. A company of 32 soldiers from New York spent seven hours searching an area near Abu Ghraib prison, west of Baghdad, over the weekend, News 5's Candice Hunter reported. After digging in 45 places, they bagged 10 items, including a patch of military clothing, and sent them off for analysis. Maupin is the only American military person listed as missing in Iraq. He was captured April 9, 2004, by insurgents who attacked his convoy. Carolyn and Keith Maupin told News 5 they were encouraged to hear the military is still looking for their son. "We feel good about that. We believe what they tell us. They're still looking for him," Carolyn Maupin said. The Maupins said communication with the military have broken down in the past few months, so they plan to visit the Pentagon this week. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/5220380/detail.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Nov 4, 2005 13:44:54 GMT -5
Missing Iraq soldier's mom demands answers Friday, November 4, 2005; Posted: 11:48 a.m. EST (16:48 GMT) WASHINGTON (AP) -- The parents of the only soldier the Army lists as captured in Iraq are being flown to the Pentagon for a Friday meeting with senior Defense Department officials to discuss the search for their son. Generally quiet and supportive of the Army's handling of her son's case, Carolyn Maupin has lashed out recently, complaining to some Ohio news organizations that she heard about the weekend search from reporters and was having trouble getting updates from the Pentagon. Army Reserve Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, has been missing since April 9, 2004, when his fuel truck convoy was ambushed by insurgents west of Baghdad after leaving camp. A week later, Arab television network Al-Jazeera released a videotape showing Maupin sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles. That June, Al-Jazeera released another tape purporting to show a U.S. soldier being shot. But the tape was dark and grainy and showed only the back of the victim's head, and did not show the actual shooting. The Army ruled it inconclusive, saying it could not determine if the man was Maupin or even if it was an American soldier. Parents Carolyn and Keith Maupin will meet with Lt. Gen. James L. Campbell, director of the Army staff, and officials from the Casualty Assistance Office and the Joint Personnel Recovery Office. They will also have a video conference call with senior officers in Iraq, including officials from U.S. Central Command. "We're bringing the family to the Pentagon to provide them with a progress report on the ongoing search for their son," said Army spokesman Col. Joseph G. Curtin. He said Maupin's status is unchanged. The Army is also paying for the family to stay in a hotel overnight. The Army has provided briefings by phone to the family in the past, but initiated the invitation to the Pentagon so the update could be done in person and officials could answer any of the family's questions, said Curtin. Thirty-two members of a Fort Drum, New York-based Army unit spent seven hours Saturday searching for Maupin's body in the Abu Ghraib section west of Baghdad. They were acting on a tip. www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/04/missing.soldier.ap/index.html |
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Post by admin4laney on Jan 30, 2006 7:52:14 GMT -5
Maupin Family Raising Money For Scholarships Family Hopes To Raise $100,000 POSTED: 12:13 pm EST January 28, 2006 UPDATED: 9:51 pm EST January 28, 2006 BATAVIA, Ohio -- The parents of the only soldier the U.S. Army lists as missing-captured in Iraq hope to raise $100,000 for scholarships that will go to high schools chosen by the families of 32 servicemen who were killed. Keith and Carolyn Maupin, the parents of Army Reserve Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin, will host a dinner dance to raise money on April 9, the second anniversary of their son's disappearance. Maupin has been missing since 2004, when his fuel truck convoy was ambushed by insurgents west of Baghdad after leaving camp. The families of the 32 area soldiers and Marines killed in Iraq will each pick a school to receive a share of the scholarship money, said June Izzi-Bailey, a family friend. Tickets will be sold for $30 each, $50 for couples and $300 for a table of 10. "It's a lot of money, but we are determined to do this, to remember those who have given their lives," Carolyn Maupin said. www.channelcincinnati.com/news/6529979/detail.html |
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Post by chenshui on Jun 18, 2011 3:20:24 GMT -5
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