The Voice

Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: news

'Eyes wide open,' a traveling exhibition of the Iraq War, was presented in Kehr Union Building at Bloomsburg University on Sunday and Monday, October 15 and 16, 2006. The exhibition honored Pennsylvania soldiers who have lost their lives in the Iraq War. The exhibition is run by the American Friends Service Committee and was sponsored by the American Democracy Project, Bloomsburg University Chapter, the Millville Friends Meeting, and Greenwood Friends School.

Like soldiers in formation, the empty combat boots stood in fourteen uniform lines. Each pair of boots was tagged with the rank, name, age and hometown of the soldier they represented. Three tags stated simply, "Name not yet recorded."

Displayed with some of the combat boots were photos and letters of love and remembrance from family and friends. Some bore trinkets and mementos, such as a cross necklace, a miniature four-wheeler, and a blackened yellow bracelet. A young woman from Bloomsburg University left messages with several of the boots; she had served with these young men in Iraq.

There have been 2,758 American soldiers killed since the start of the Iraq War; 133 men and 3 women were from Pennsylvania. Their ages ranged from 18-51, the average age of the fallen soldiers was 25 years old. Ninety-three hometowns were affected, Philadelphia suffering the most casualties at a count of 10.

There were a few civilians included in the exhibit. Among them was Nicholas Berg, the 26 year old businessman who was abducted by militants and later beheaded in May 2004. Next to his work boots were several of his tools and a note that read, "Electrician and Peacemaker.

A smaller exhibit honoring the Iraqi's who have perished in the conflict was also included. Fifty pair of shoes, each tagged with the name of an Iraqi who lost their life since the war began, sat side by side on a small table. Iraqi casualties outnumber American casualties 50-to-1.

The exhibit was well attended by students, staff, faculty and the local community. Some of the local schools brought their students to view the exhibit.

For more information go to the American Friends Service Committee website at http://www.afsc.org/eyes/.

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