I have just learned that a roadside bomb killed 10 Marines in Fallujah.

Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) — Ten Marines were killed yesterday and 11 were wounded by a roadside bomb near Fallujah, about 40 miles west of Baghdad, a U.S. military spokesman said today.

The Marines were on foot patrol when the bomb went off, according to Chief Petty Officer Greg Frazho, who spoke in a telephone interview from Baghdad. Seven of those wounded have returned to duty, he said.

My son is based in Fallujah. Would I have heard by now that he is one of the ten? I don’t know. I don’t know how long notification takes. In the meantime I have to say that it sounds like the casualties were inflicted on a dismounted unit, that is, infantry. My son is in a mechanized unit. But my heart skips beats anyway.

Update: The WaPo has a comprehensive story.

Update, 11:15 p.m: Stephen just called and is okay. It was not his unit, which he confirmed does not conduct dismounted patrols.