Army Sgt. Andrew J. Derrick

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Andrew J. Derrick, 25, of Columbia, South Carolina.

Sgt Derrick died near Baghdad, Iraq when his dismounted team came under attack by enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 411th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

In his last call home, Andrew J. Derrick said he was hungry for a steak and wanted to go to the South Carolina-Vanderbilt football game.

“He was very tired,” said his stepfather, Carey Shealy. “It was 2 a.m. his time when he called, and he had had just four hours of sleep. He had been working 20-hour days. He said he couldn’t wait to get home to see us.”

Derrick, 25, of Columbia, S.C., was killed Sept. 23 by small-arms fire near Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood and had previously served in Bosnia and South Korea.

“He was just the sweetest,” said his aunt, Barbara Rainey.

“It was always, what can I do for you?”

He was a graduate of Marion Military Institute, lettering in varsity football, baseball and basketball. He was named the class of 1998’s “Best All Round Athlete” and was named to Alabama’s All

Star Baseball Team in 1998. He later attended Francis Marion University.

Derrick had proposed to Sgt. Shaunna Miller, whom he met in an Army infirmary after injuring his leg playing softball in Korea.

He also is survived by his mother, Suzanne Shealy, father, Butch Derrick and stepmother, Deborah Derrick.

Army Sgt. Andrew J. Derrick was killed in action on 09/23/05.