Bill Nemitz has worked as a journalist in Maine since 1977, and has been a columnist for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 1995.
In 2004, the Maine Press Association named him Maine Journalist of the Year for his reporting on the Maine Army National Guard’s 133rd Engineer Battalion in Iraq.
This is his second trip to Afghanistan to report on Mainers' experiences in the war.
Bill lives in Buxton with his wife, Andrea Nemitz. They have five children.
Gabe Souza, 23, is a Maine native and grew up in Bucksport. His photography and videos have won awards from the Maine Press Association, the Associated Press and the National Press Photographers Association.
From the archives: past Press Herald reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan
June 2010 trip to Afghanistan
Reporting with the Maine Army National Guard’s Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry
Find more stories in the archives.
April 2007 trip to Iraq
Reporting with Army Reserve's 399th Combat Support Hospital in Tikrit and with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery.
Find more stories in the archives.
December 2004 trip to Iraq
Reporting with the Maine National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion.
April 2004 trip to Iraq
Reporting with the Maine National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion.
Find more stories in the archives.
Photo by Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
John Bratten is Ohio born but steeped in the history of the 133rd and its predecessors.
Maine soldiers’ preparation and training provide a shield against the heart-stopping moments on a four-day, 160-mile mission.
They put careers on hold to head to the war zone, mentor young troops and fulfill personal goals. Part three of our series from Afghanistan.
During the holidays and far beyond, Capt. David DeRienzo – ‘Chaplain D’ of Maine’s 133rd Engineer Battalion – provides an invaluable gift to others who serve.
More than a dozen years of battle have cost thousands of lives. With America's longest war set to end in 2014, Maine's 133rd battalion is there to pick up the pieces.
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Spc. Calahan McCue
Age: 24
Hometown: Denmark
Occupation: Maine Army National Guard
Quote: “To my family, I love you and miss you and I’ll see you sometime soon. I’m loving every second of it. And to Maine, thank you for all the support for us soldiers over here.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Staff Sgt. Jamie Grant
Age: 40
Hometown: Buxton
Occupation: Special services coordinator, Maine Medical Center in Portland
Quote: “Happy New Year to my wife, Susan, and my kids, Alexis and Josh. Thank you, and the whole community, for your continued support. It’s been really great.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Staff Sgt. Shannon Trepanier
Age: 31
Hometown: Sanford
Occupation: Medical coder, Goodall Hospital in Sanford
Quote: “Happy New Year, friends and family. I’m doing great. You can’t control the cards you’re dealt, but you can control how you play them.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Sgt. 1st Class Jimmy Lapointe
Age: 47
Hometown: Sebago
Occupation: Line supervisor, Poland Spring Water Co. in Hollis
Quote: “To my wife, Angie, and my daughter, Dani, I miss you and I’m looking forward to coming home and getting big hugs from both my girls.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Brian Bohn
Age: 26
Hometown: Saco
Occupation: Event security, city of Portland
Quote: “I want to wish my wife, Amber, a good, speedy delivery for our daughter, who’s going to be born in April. It’s a girl, her name is Charlotte, and I’m nervous. And happy birthday to my mom, Mary Bohn, whose brithday is coming up in January and she’s going to be … somewhere in her 50s.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Staff Sgt. Mary Quirion
Age: 31
Hometown: Gardiner
Occupation: Maine Army National Guard
Quote: “I’d like to say hi to my kids, Austin and Makayla, and my dad and mom, Michael and Cheryl Welch. I love you and I miss you and you are my rock.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Zachary Cox
Age: 30
Hometown: Portland
Occupation: Political fundraiser for Staring Point Ops in Portland
Quote: “I want to thank everyone in the state. We’ve gotten a lot of really good packages from students, teachers, librarians, a whole bunch of people. Also to my mother, Linda, and my wife, Alana, I’m safe here and thank you for the help.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Sgt. James Bird
Age: 41
Hometown: North Yarmouth
Occupation: Truck driver for Hartt Transportation in Auburn
Quote: “I’d like to say hello to my wife, Patty, and my daughter, Isabelle. I love you and miss you very much and appreciate all the good stuff you’re sending me over here. I’m very thankful every day.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Sgt. Lucas Bayne
Age: 33
Hometown: Oakland
Occupation: Pharmacy manager, Walmart in Waterville
Quote: “I send out my love to Michele, my hot wife, and my three beautiful daughters. I can’t wait to enjoy our summer of camping and boating back in Maine.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Krista Keene
Age: 24
Hometown: Gorham
Occupation: Cumberland County 911 dispatcher
Quote: “To my mother and father, Barbara and David Keene of Gorham, my brother, Hossein Miremadi, and my sisters Leaha Keene and Delvina Miremadi, I miss you and I’m doing well. I love you and Happy New Year!”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Isiah Lapid
Age: 21
Hometown: Gorham
Occupation: Maine Army National Guard
Quote: “To my mom and dad, Tammy Johnson and Henry Lapid, happy holidays and I hope everything is going good. Things here are pretty smooth and I can’t complain. Nice little vacation.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. William Schoen
Age: 22
Hometown: Portland
Occupation: Computer programmer for the state of Maine
Quote: “To my parents, Bill Schoen and Coleen Schoen, and my family, I miss you, I love you guys and I’ll be home soon.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Sgt. Scott Turgeon
Age: 29
Hometown: Winthrop
Occupation: Maine Army National Guard
Quote: “I want to make a shout out to my fiancé, Josh Wheeler from Winthrop, and my children, Hayden and Hannah. Can’t wait until I go back home and we get to plan our Disney trip together.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Steven Webster
Age: 25
Hometown: Dixfield
Occupation: Recent graduate of Universal Technical Institute
Quote: “I want to say Happy New Year to my beautiful girlfriend, Holly Mathaisel. I love you and miss you and can’t wait to be home. And happy holidays to all of my family back in Maine.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Kristy Howarth
Age: 20
Hometown: West Newfield
Occupation: Maine Army National Guard
Quote: “To my older sister Tiffany in Pittsfield, keep your head up and things will get better and I’ll be home soon. To everyone else back home, time’s going by quick. I’ll be home soon and I’m staying safe.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Sgt. Mark Thibault
Age: 40
Hometown: Lewiston
Occupation: Building maintenance, One City Center, Portland
Quote: “I miss salt air, clean salt air, motorcycle rides, and family and friends. Everybody back home has been great with the support and love and the help to make my job easier here. To my fiancee, Cassie Huntley, son, Mark, my daughter, Kayla, and my stepdaughter, Tatyanah, I miss you all a lot.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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1st Lt. Dan Landers
Age: 42
Hometown: Bangor
Occupation: Fire inspector, city of Bangor
Quote: “You never really realize how fantastic your wife’s home-cooked meals are until you regularly find beard hair in your food. You never realize how much you love your teenaged son’s zaniness until you’re constantly surrounded by a bunch of grumpy, old dudes. You never realize how sweet and pretty your little girl is until you are in a place where there is nothing that resembles either sweet or pretty. Far away from home, these things become suddenly apparent. There are also a lot of goats.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Sgt. Timothy Jacobson
Age: 34
Hometown: North Monmouth
Occupation: Student in paramedicine at Southern Maine Community College
Quote: “Hi to my wife, Jessica, my son Maximus, my daughter Violet and my brand-new son who was born in November – his name is Quintus. I miss you and I wish I could be with you right now during Christmas, but we’re doing important things here and helping people.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Spc. Calahan McCue
Age: 24
Hometown: Denmark
Occupation: Maine Army National Guard
Quote: “To my family, I love you and miss you and I’ll see you sometime soon. I’m loving every second of it. And to Maine, thank you for all the support for us soldiers over here.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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Staff Sgt. Jamie Grant
Age: 40
Hometown: Buxton
Occupation: Special services coordinator, Maine Medical Center in Portland
Quote: “Happy New Year to my wife, Susan, and my kids, Alexis and Josh. Thank you, and the whole community, for your continued support. It’s been really great.”
Gabe Souza / Staff Photographer
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