Army Sgt. Shawn A. Graham

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Shawn A. Graham, 34, of Red Oak, Texas.

Sgt Graham died in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained earlier that day when the vehicle he was riding in accidentally rolled over. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 124th Cavalry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas.

Sgt. Shawn A. Graham, 34, of Red Oak died Sunday in Balad, Iraq, of injuries he received earlier that day in a vehicle rollover in Baghdad, the Defense Department said Tuesday. He was with the Army National Guard out of Fort Worth.

"He loved his job, he loved the military," said his mother, Kathleen Graham of Grove City, Penn. "He was dedicated. He was good at his job. He thought we should be there, and we were doing the right thing, and they liked us there."

Sgt. Graham was born in Orange, Calif., and lived briefly in Hawaii, before growing up in Grove City, where he graduated from high school.

In 1988, he and his father, Thomas L. Graham, a veteran of the Marines, joined the Pennsylvania National Guard.

In 1990, Shawn Graham went into active duty with the Marine Corps and served for 10 years, his mother said.

Sgt. Graham then moved to Texas to work for MCI in Dallas, his mother said.

The Marines called Sgt. Graham back to active duty for a year in 2002. He then joined the Texas National Guard and was activated in August 2004. He was deployed to Iraq in January.

His father returned from active duty with the Pennsylvania National Guard in Afghanistan eight weeks ago, Mrs. Graham said. Sgt. Graham's brother, Marine Sgt. Nicholas Graham, also served in Iraq this past year, their mother said. Nicholas Graham is now stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

In addition to his parents and brother, Sgt. Graham is survived by his wife, Jeannette Graham of Brazoria, Texas; and a sister, Sheila Berry of Grove City.

Army Sgt. Shawn A. Graham was killed in action on 09/25/05.