Heather Baldus
U.S. Army Spc. Heather Baldus

Soldier played her cards right

Nabs Iraqi official

By DARLA McFARLAND

The Examiner

One of Iraq's most wanted generals was run down over the weekend by a young soldier who just a few years ago was running down opponents on the Fort Osage High School track team.

U.S. Army Specialist Heather Baldus, 21, of Independence, was standing guard duty west of Bagdad along the road to Syria. In a call to her mother Saturday, Baldus related the story of how she chased down General Husam (Hossam) Mohammed Amin.

"She was standing post with this other soldier when she saw some movement in a bush by the road," explained Baldus' mother, Kim James, of Sibley. "She told the guy to cover her while she checked it out."

As Baldus approached, she came under fire from unseen gunmen in surrounding buildings. A man bolted from the bush ahead and she pursued, knocking him to the ground with a blow to the head from the butt of her weapon...

...Read the full story here at The Examiner, Independence, Missouri: The Examiner

Special thanks to Darla McFarland of The Examiner for this story and for her recognition of military women!






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