Dundalk Responds To Bin Laden Killing

Lt. Col. Bruce Kahl, retired from the U.S. Army with 28 years of service, teaches ROTC at Patapsco High School. Monday, before going outside to oversee drills, he and his students watched Secretary of State Hilary Clinton on CNN discussing the killing of Osama bin Laden.

“It was fantastic,” Kahl told Patch of learning of bin Laden’s killing. “It ends one part of the mission.”

However, like others interviewed Monday, Kahl cautioned that the al-Qaida head's demise is not the end of terrorism.

“This doesn’t put an end to these other radicals,” Kahl said. “There are other guys who are going to consider this a martyrdom.”

After several minutes watching cable news, Kahl directed his attention to the class.

“Let’s talk about it,” he said, opening the discussion.

“Why did they dump the body?” asked a student.

“Doesn’t he have a hierarchy?” asked another.

“What’s the objective now for the military?” queried a student.

Jonathon Ensinger, a senior ROTC student at Patapsco, plans to join the U.S. Army in August. His brother, William, a 2008 Patapsco grad, is already serving, currently stationed at Fort Bragg but expecting deployment soon. When asked what he thought his brother and his unit’s reaction to the news was Sunday night at Fort Bragg, Ensinger said: “Probably hootin’ and hollerin.'"

Public affairs officer Lt. Col Charles S. Kohler noted that the Maryland National Guard, including the Maryland Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment headquartered in Dundalk, has served overseas in nearly every major American conflict, including the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq following the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on U.S. soil.

Monday morning he said all those involved with the U.S. military and counterterrorism efforts surely felt a “great sense of accomplishment” after President Barack Obama’s announcement that Osama bin Laden had been located and killed.

“That our special ops guys were able to achieve this, is a great success,” Kohler said. However, he also added that in the immediate aftermath of bin Laden's killing, there may be an increased threat of terrorist attacks against U.S. troops abroad. “I’m sure they are cautiously optimistic today. But they are going to be vigilant as well on their job.”

Maryland Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment is currently en route to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula to help enforce the Camp David peace accords.

Del. Joseph “Sonny” Minnick expressed similar feelings of exhilaration at bin Laden’s demise—and concern over possible repercussions.

“It could be the best thing that ever happened to this country or it could be the worst thing that ever happened to this country,” Minnick said. “Maybe the terrorists have plans in the books right now. It could be a very difficult time for this country.”

Delegate John A. Olszewski Jr. said bin Laden’s killing “marks the partial closing of the chapter of our nation's history that began on 9/11, a day like today that will be on our country’s hearts and minds forever.”

“While the fight against terror continues,” Olszewski said, “I want to commend our brave armed forces for their efforts to protect our freedoms and put an end to the hatred and terror people like Osama bin Laden stood for.”

At the Jerome M. Grollman Armory in Dundalk on North Point Boulevard Monday morning, Sgt. First Class Travis Bledsoe said of bin Laden’s death that he hopes “that everybody worldwide acts responsibly and that we’re able to carry on in a positive direction.”

At a ceremony at Sparrows Point Station No. 57 Monday morning, officially welcoming three new engines and a medic truck to three Dundalk-area stations, Michael Day, president of the Baltimore County Professional Firefighters Association, said he couldn’t help but think of the 343 firefighters lost in New York City nearly 10 years ago.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Day said of the news of bin Laden’s death.