Army Sgt. Joseph E. Proctor

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Joseph E. Proctor, 38, of Indianapolis, Indiana

Sgt Proctor was assigned to the 638th Battalion (Aviation), Indiana Army National Guard, Shelbyville, Ind.; killed May 3 when a suicide, vehicle-borne, improvised explosive device detonated near his observation post during dismounted combat patrol operations in Tammin, Iraq.

The Pentagon says 38-year-old Sergeant Joseph Proctor was killed Wednesday during combat operations near Ramadi. He died on Wednesday in an area where the Army says it's seen a heavy insurgency recently. A roadside bomb apparently exploded near Proctor's vehicle.

Sgt. Proctor had been serving a year-long tour with the Army National Guard's 638th battalion aviation sector. He grew up in Whiteland and leaves behind a wife and three children at his home in Indianapolis.

Proctor died just two weeks before his scheduled hoemcoming. His clothing had already been shipped home.

He graduated from Whiteland Community High School in 1987. His former teachers remember him as "Joey" and said he had an interest in history and government, a bubbly personality and an ever-present smile.

Proctor served in the Army during the 1991 Gulf War and re-enlisted in the National Guard in 2002, which his former teachers say speaks to the great citizen and patriot he was even in his younger days.

"His death was a big tragedy but obviously I think if Joey knew that was going to happen to him when I had him in school, he would have said, 'Well, that's what I'm supposed to do.' He's just really a good kid, just the kind of a kid that if he was your son, you'd be proud of him," said Butch Zike, Proctor's former teacher.

Army Sgt. Joseph E. Proctor was killed in action on 05/03/06.