Family Waits on Soldier Missing for 729 Days
June 18, 2006 — -- The two soldiers in Iraq who went missing after an attack in the 'Triangle of Death' have attracted a lot of attention. But Carolyn and Keith Maupin don't want anyone to forget about their son, Army Reserve Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin, who has been missing for 729 days.
Until Friday's incident, Matt Maupin was the only U.S. service member currently unaccounted for in the Iraq war, which began in 2003.
Every Friday, the Maupins get a call from a "casualty assistance officer" who apprises them of any new information and asks if they have any questions. There has not been any new information about Matt Maupin for several months, Carolyn Maupin said.
Matt Maupin was captured by Iraqi terrorists on April 9, 2004, when the convoy in which he was riding was attacked. A video was aired on the Arabic al-Jazeera television network shortly after the attack. The video showed Maupin surrounded by gun-toting masked men.
The latest incident, in which two soldiers are believed to have been taken captive, triggers emotion and pain for the Maupins.
"It did [cause] me to relive what we've already gone through," Carolyn Maupin said. "And I do know, we do know, what they're feeling. And we pray for them every day. But it does bring all of that back up again."
The Maupins remain steadfast in their hope that Matt will return. Keith Maupin's long, unruly beard is a testament to his unyielding faith that his son will come home.
"When he left, I thought, you know, I couldn't do anything else, so I was just going to grow my beard until Matt come home," Keith Maupin said. "Then I would cut it off. But he never came back."
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