Marine has Red, White and Blue Ball

Marine has Red, White and Blue Ball
Wounded Houstonian takes a break from rehab to see the inauguration
By PATTY REINERT
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

Reuters
Janna Dunkel of Sugar Land wipes away tears as her son, Marine Cpl. Casey Owens of Houston, salutes during President Bush's inauguration speech.
WASHINGTON - The last thing Marine Cpl. Casey Owens remembers of Iraq, he was riding in a Humvee somewhere near the Syrian border, looking for a wounded soldier. An anti-tank mine exploded before Owens could find him.


Three weeks later, the 23-year-old from Houston woke up at the Bethesda Naval hospital outside Washington with more than 200 shrapnel wounds, a broken jaw and a broken collarbone.

Since last September, both of his legs have been amputated.

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