Ipod saves Soldier's Life

HP?!?

The back of the Ipod.

Critical update***********************
I have talked to Kevin and he has told me the real story of getting shot in the iPod.

The Armor stopped the bullet. Kevin didn't know he was shot. The iPod was how he found out.

The full story:
iPod tells soldier he was shot - the real story

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos sent to me by my friend Danny with this caption:

My wife’s uncle works in a military hospital and told me about this. Its pretty amazing. Kevin Garrad (3rd Infantry Division) was on a street patrol in Iraq (Tikrit I believe) and as he rounded the corner of a building an armed (AK-47) insurgent came from the other side.

The two of them were within just a few feet of each other when they opened fire. The insurgent was killed and Kevin was hit in the left chest where his IPod was in his jacket pocket. It slowed the bullet down enough that it did not completely penetrate his body armor. Fortunately, Kevin suffered no wound.

I thought it was a great story so I posted them here.

UPDATE 04.05.07:
I just got an email via flickr from an engineer at Apple. He showed the photos around the office and want to help get the guy a new iPod. So it's looking good that it will be replaced.

This photo has notes. Move your mouse over the photo to see them.

To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and
install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player.

Comments

< Prev 1 2 Next >

(195 comments)

Tom Carmony says:

Wow, amazing story! Thanks for posting and sharing it...
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mightyb says:

Did he have applecare?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

Another friend of ours talked to Apple Corporate relations. They may give him a new Ipod.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

imakeartwork says:

id rather have been shot then have my iPod break
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

esotericeddie says:

He deserves more than a new iPod!
He should get that and Macbook Pro!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

jimgoldstein says:

That is amazing! Glad to hear Kevin survived.

--
Seen on the Web. (?)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

charlesxcharles says:

yeah, esotericeddie, I think a Macbook pro would stop an RPG next time, no problem!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Shanghai Daddy says:

Wow.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tgmerritt says:

I can just see the commercials now "Hi I'm a Mac. And I'm a PC. And I'm an iPod - owning me may save your life."
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

edevansky says:

What a cool story! Best of luck getting a new iPod, It's an HP branded one, Apple won't even talk to you if you have one of those.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

hilltopper_hank_04 says:

Cool, now all we need to do is cover Humvees in Ipods and soldiers will be a lot safer.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

kylecircle says:

If you show Apple this I'm pretty sure you will get a new iPod for free.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Michael Saffle says:

That's awesome! Good karama to be sure.

The real question is whether it still works or not.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

nicneo says:

Can a zune do that?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

David - in Austin says:

that's freaking awesome!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

rivetgeek says:

this just made the main page of digg, be prepared for comment overload.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

trevorscottcarpenter says:

The Zune would have shredded into little blue pieces and sent shrapnel through the armor into this guys body, killing him instantly.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

optikal° says:

That ipod belongs in the Smithsonian..or.. on display somewhere important.

Great story, glad to know Apple helped save someone's life.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

KillerPM says:

this is awesome! Nice "shot"
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

bootykika says:

Wow, good thing he didn't get a nano.

--
Seen on digg.com
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

hartpat says:

Wow.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

futursimple says:

optikal: Great story, glad to know Apple helped save someone's life.

...

oic, i got confused there... for a moment there i wasn't sure whose life got spared and whose got wasted with the assistance of which product. hurray for those who fight for freedom!

also, thank you Children Of Bangladesh Or Other Distant Elfin Land for making a superior product. i believe you should now be able to ask your boss for that raise with your head raised high! i salute you and your impeccable craftsmanship.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

alucard835 says:

Glad to hear he's alright. Great story.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

stroudm says:

And who knew Apple was in the body armor business? Great story, glad to hear that it saved his life and that he is doing well!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

varmazis says:

so cool~

--
Seen on digg.com (?)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

lt_zanders says:

No Applecare for that one, that's an HP Apple iPod.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Rubink1 says:

Amazing. DGC
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Drew Olanoff says:

This is the greatest thing I have ever seen.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sleepwalking [deleted] says:

somebody needs to make a pool of "things in pockets that have been hit by bullets".
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

wuhoo says:

if he had a nano or shuffle, no dice
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

*oliver says:

I hope Apple give him a Mac for his bravery! This is a great pic. Faved!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

vrogy says:

OMG COMMENT PWNAGE. Seriously, though, very friggin cool.
[ link whoring ]
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

theskyisfalling [deleted] says:

wow, thats crazy
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tek428 says:

Glad he is ok.

Too bad about the IPOD though.

www.bloggingwv.com
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

JeffC316 says:

Great story.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

TheJamesC says:

I am a flaming homosexual
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

chuckchat says:

Reminds me of Johnny Dangerously.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

andymfrancis says:

Apple should send him a free ipod for his service! I bet the other guy had a Zune!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

BabyGotMac.com says:

Very, VERY cool stuff.
:)

Good thing it wasn't a Nano!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

lifeofbrian says:

yikes.. HP iPod. An apple one would be indestructable.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

DigitalSin says:

amazing! thanks for posting!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

ranobir102 says:

Wow! an HP ipod!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

fairly_great_stuff says:

I worked for quite a while as a Mac Genius and we had a gentleman come in with a similar issue, only his was inside his flack jacket so the plastic was completely in tact, while the screen was shattered and the back of the ipod was folded into a V. And yes, the ipod was replaced.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

cassandrasylum says:

I really hope you all don't believe the case of an iPod stopped a 7.62 round at close range.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

prodigy311 says:

I'd say that iPod is definitely shot!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Λl℮Roda® says:

How fantastic history! But I agree with cassandrasylum, a 7.62 round would split the iPod in half...
Anyway, I like to think this is for real!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sdf_iain says:

Sorry to burst some bubbles about what happens when some things are shot by assault rifles, but plastic tends to melt and deform and metal is malleable.

I imagine the frontside of this iPod either cracked from being constrained by its aluminium sheathing or it expanded and deformed as the round penetrated (and much of the energy was converted to heat). Then end result of heat exapansion is an unbelievable small hole (I assume 7.62 rounds are very similar to 5.56 these are not for hunting, they are for war and generally comply with the geneva conventions). I'm basing all of that upon what I've done to a chemlight with an M-16.

As to the rear of the casing deforming like that instead of shattering... that's just what metals like alluminum do. It looks like it has been shot. However it did not stop the bullet, without the soldiers body armor this would probably have still been lethal (perhaps more so, as the iPod may have consumed enough energy to prevent the round from exiting). Read the story folks:

"It slowed the bullet down enough that it did not completely penetrate his body armor."

So it's a good thing the army decided not to use DragonSkin and instead went with a combination of Interceptor body armor and an iPod... a real good thing.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Vercoquin says:

It's so funny. A man died in this story. And another one nearly did. What for a country do you live in ? Permanent Hollywood ?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Jon Koslung says:

good for him, doesnt look like the harddrive got damaged either.. he's alive, and he still got all his music.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Jason in London says:

Great story.

But I hope that the soldier wasn't LISTENING to his iPod when he was supposed to be on patrol.

Shit like that was part of the reason Americans kept getting their asses kicked in Vietnam.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

celymarpacheco says:

i wonder if the warranty covers that!!!!!!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

spaceboy27 says:

He should get a freeiPhone! This is great PR for Jobs and Apple.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

THE.MAC.GOD says:

Heh... that's great news...

p.s. It's "iPod" :)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

physcsnut says:

The picture is cute, but the concept is ridiculous.

The bullet went through the iPod like a hot knife through butter. The vest stopped the slug.

The bullet only hit plastic and alumnimum casing. If it had hit the glass, or better yet, the hard drive platters, it might have been SLIGHTLY slowed. As it is, the iPod effect was somewhere between "irrelevant" and "nothing."

Still, cool memento.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Frostfox says:

That's so cool. Good on Apple.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Licor Polo says:

Great story, still someone almost died and someone did die... and we're all talking about how he can get free stuff from a company...

please, just think about what happened for a sec...

ps: I don't now much about guns, but does a bullet fired from an AK-47 leave such a small hole? If this is an april fool's prank, your really sick dude.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

xxjermiexx says:

I doubt the Ipod slowed down the bullet much more than a very negligible amount. In fact, a car door will not slow down a 7.62x39 mm bullet enough to protect anyone..(www.theboxotruth.com/)

Regardless,
"The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is made of a boron carbide ceramic with a spectra shield backing that's an extremely hard material. It stops, shatters and catches any fragments up to a 7.62 mm round with a muzzle velocity of 2,750 feet per second."
(http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/sys tems/ground/interceptor.htm)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Ry Jones says:

a terrorist died. No loss.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

serhio says:

Amazing story!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

@Licor Polo

This is real. The story is directly as it came to me. Danny, my friend, is in the reserves and a no bullshit kind of guy.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Lucian Teo says:

A zune or creative mp3 player would have done better. They're thicker.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Redcoat Mic says:

What a load of rubbish, there's just insurgents wandering the streets with AK47's now? The whole point of insurgents is to harass the enemy without being caught up in a pitched battle, otherwise they'd be done for.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

nathan_fackler says:

Since when did Apple start putting HP's logo on their iPods?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

zoe3012 says:

I'm sorry but this is disgusting. I wasn't a member of flickr, but I just signed up to comment on this story.

A MAN DIED and the commentary on the picture is about how cool it is and how about getting apple to give the guy who killed the Iraqi free things. The "update" that congrats, the soldier is getting a new ipod, while well deserved, he lived through a major trauma, IS NOT THE SORT OF UPDATE WE NEED.

"an armed (AK-47) insurgent" -- I find it repulsive that you are conflating a man with a gun. What kind of man? Oh, an AK-47 man. That's the sort of dehumanizing and othering that lead the current government to get involved in Iraq in the first place. There is NOT a clash of civilizations going on, we're not fighting these people who come from a society completely incompatible with our own in any way. All there is is a lot of money-based politics, rascism and a big ol' white, western-centered worldview.

It's not a "cool story." it's reality.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

phlezk says:

Sell it on eBay!

wow!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Pierre Lourens [deleted] says:

Good story. Touching that Apple is replacing it.

@Zoe3012: Be human for a second and feel sympathy for the soldier; the death of an Iraqi (who was not truly helping his own country) is the sad outcome of war. Let's not bitch.

I don't think the soldier was doing this for politics or racism. He was serving his country. I respect his honor more than your arm-chair political revelations, quite frankly.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

phlezk says:

a Zune would have taken two bullets.

lol.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Martyhead says:

Tikigod,
I would love to offer a Kevin a free replacement if Apple dosent offer him a replacement.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Michael Bussell [deleted] says:

I have been asked by my friend and owner of an Apple store to get the name and address of this lucky soldier and he'll send him a brand new replacement iPod. Can you help us make this happen? If you can, send it to Michael at michael.bussell @ gmail dot com. (I didn't put the link just because it is a quick way to get spam sent to your email.)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mikhael747 says:

Wow, that is amazing. My iPod broke after only being dropped -_-
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

@Zoe3012
Wow...I was real tempted to delete your comment, but I believe in letting people have their say. That being said, I think your comment was insensitive and just plain stupid. Nobody's celebrating the Iraqi's death - We're just happy this guy's alive.

I posted these photos because I thought it was an interesting story. I updated because a lot of people were commenting about Apple replacing the iPod.

Not everything is about money, public relations or getting free stuff, sometimes people just want to help other people out. So I'm absolutely clear - the offer to do something came from a person in Apple's engineering dept. not it's corporate relations(they haven't got back to the friend that talked to them).

Though it may be good PR, the motivation comes from a bunch of guys seeing photos of he product they work on play a part in saving this guy's life.

It's not just Apple, MartyWood above would like to get him a new iPod. These guys are in a crappy place doing a real hard job, if somebody wants to help them out, leave them alone.

The only "money-based politics, rascism and a big ol' white, western-centered worldview" in this post is the stuff you brought to it.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

@Michael and MartyWood
Thanks for the offers. Let me see how this all plays out with Apple. I promise to keep you informed.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

jamesmessick says:

Maybe his body armor alone would've stopped the bullet. Maybe iPods aren't really guardian angels that make us complete. Maybe wemakeartwork is an idiot.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

slevenback says:

awesome.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

jpsoraire says:

yeah thanks for the great story. Please tell them all to stay safe.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

thrower.de says:

Big up, apple!
A new iPod for the guy. That´s pretty cool!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

phrawggmak says:

Best story of the night! I just read about this on Gizmodo.com. Apple should make all their ipods this durable!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

shirster says:

WOW :)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Opspin says:

Did he get a new one from Apple?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

VMOS says:

Well, next time I go into a warzone the ipod will be my mp3 of choice, maybe I'll carry about 20 of them
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

hardenpics [deleted] says:

UMMM.... maybe I'm missing the point here, but forget 'pity about the iPod' and whether Apple replace it or not, WHAT ABOUT THE POOR GUY THAT GOT KILLED? ARE THE US GOVERNMENT GONNA REPLACE HIM??? You poeple amaze me. Shame.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

goodwin2110 says:

Ipod was shot. No doubt. But I really doubt that AK47 bullet can be slowed enough by that "toy" and not puched bulletproof vest through...... It (7.62mm) can shoot the rail through at the "few feet" distance. There are two options. It was either not an AK47 or the distance was MUUUUCH longer.
Anyway Kevin was lucky.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

MicheleM_ says:

Save a life present an Ipod :D
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Mamamess says:

I'm happy for you and your family! Well done!!

But to my understanding, you guys are allowed
to carry Ipod's and such in a war situation???

Wauw....That's way unprofessional or ignorant from my point of view...
but than again i'm seriously happy it saved your life.

peace out.
d.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Vlad_PT says:

Wow! Really amazing!
But what does it mean HP label?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

raven42rac says:

HP sold ipods for a while with their logo etched on them.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mungobah says:

Wow! Forget Dragon Skin - try weaving a bunch of iPods to your vest...

http://mungobah.blogspot.com
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

decodenny says:

A Zune would have returned fire.

As for Zoe3012, get a life you Leftist witch. That terrorist you're so concerned about would just have gladly cut off your head because you wore lipstick. It''s not about money, or racism, but you are partially correct - it is about civilization.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

plαdys says:

This is pretty amazing for a marketing stunt... send the army out covered in iPods.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

d00db0x says:

This story is pretty awesome. I am considering putting it on the main page of www.d00db0x.com
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

plastique45 says:

I'm sure they'll add iPods now in America's Army (game)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

jrossol says:

if you would have posted advertisements on this page (or hosted on another server which allowed you to do that)... you'd be a rich man by now. 121,000 views! get out!!!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

James Dodd says:

I really hope people aren't stupid enough to beleive that the iPod had anything to do with saving his life!!!

and yea its nice of apple to replace this guys iPod, but what difference is that going to make to him? Its a friggin iPod, and nothing more!

To be honest I'm a bit concearned that he had this on him in the first place!!! was he honestly considering listening to music while in such a dangerous place?? and trying to be a friggin soldier?

PS: My windows mobile saves me from getting shot every day!!!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

James Dodd says:

would apple giving iPods to soldiers be kinda an endorsement? sponsoring a war??
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mixcul says:

this is completly bullshit :-s
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Nicklies says:

another "zippo" story
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

braincake says:

i bet this guy is going to receive 100 ipods.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

FlyButtafly says:

Wow, this ignorance of some people really amazes me. Especially when it's willful; as is obvious by some of the posts above.

Anyway, I think it's incredible and awesome that the guy survived. Maybe an angel had his hand between the iPod and the flak vest. ;) Anyway, tell him he's in my family's prayers. I've had a few friends over there (along with my BIL), and it's a completely unpredictable place to be. You never know who's around the next corner.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

James Dodd says:

yea! angel!!! or you know! military body armour? guessing angels only save people who "beleive" tho!

people... logic!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

FlyButtafly says:

Oh shut up JD. Plenty of soldiers get killed with body armor on. You think any of them dare to walk around without it on??
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

< Prev 1 2 Next >

(195 comments)

Would you like to comment?

[?]

	tikigod's photostream
		0

	Apple (Pool)
		35,752 items

This photo also belongs to:

	Ipod Saves Soldier's Life (Set)
		0

	Mac Addicts (Pool)
		0

389 people call this photo a favorite

Additional Information

Some rights reserved Anyone can see this photo

Taken on April 3, 2007
Viewed 394,646 times

Add to your map

Yay location removed

...

(Some formats are OK.)

Or, remove it from the map.

Go to the map

You	Sign in \| Create Your Free Account
Explore	Places \| Last 7 Days \| This Month \| Popular Tags \| The Commons \| Creative Commons \| Search
Help	Community Guidelines \| The Help Forum \| FAQ \| Sitemap \| Get Help