Remember Our Heroes
Army Pvt. Clinton T. McCormick, 20, of Jacksonville, Fla.
Pvt. McCormick was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Dec. 27 of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations in Baghdad.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Jacksonville man is coping with the death of his brother, a local soldier who was killed in Iraq earlier this week.
The day after Christmas, 20-year-old Tyler McCormick died when a roadside bomb exploded during his patrol in Iraq.
Tyler McCormick's older brother Daniel McCormick said the two were best friends growing up and that it's still difficult for him to talk about the moment he found out his brother was dead.
Daniel was driving to work on Wednesday when he got a call from his mother.
"I didn't believe her until I talked to the guy and he told me," Daniel McCormick said.
"That guy" was an Army chaplain who had to break the difficult news to Daniel McCormick and his family.
Tyler McCormick had been in Iraq since October. Daniel McCormick said his younger brother was a little scared when he first arrived in Iraq, but since then, he concentrated on the mission and helped his unit.
"He never changed his mind. He was ready to go over there and fight," Daniel McCormick said. "He always wanted to be in the military. He loved it."
Growing up and living most of his life in Jacksonville, Tyler McCormick went to school at Crystal Springs Elementary and then to Joseph Stillwell Middle School. Even back then, his brother said he had one dream -- to be in the military.
"He was a kid, 8 or 9 years old. We both wanted to go," Daniel McCormick said.
A bad knee kept Daniel McCormick from joining, but Tyler McCormick joined in August 2005.
In Colorado for training and also in Iraq, Tyler McCormick kept in touch with his brother and his friends via the Internet.
Word of the tragedy spread to Tyler McCormick's MySpace.com page on Wednesday, and entries talking about his death and how much his friends miss him and other written statements have been left to honor the solder.
"He loved doing it. He was proud of it," Daniel McCormick said.
Army Pvt. Clinton T. McCormick was killed in action on 12/27/06.
2 comments:
Tyler and I meet at Hope for Life Baptist Church. Me and Tyler grew closer after while, Began dating. Shortly after we started going to school together. We were together about 2 years, then we decided we wanted to get married. But before we got married we started having problems, so we called off the wedding and the relationship. After while I started dating again, but Tyler was always on my mind. The man I was dating at the time I decided to marry. But men always treat you sweet before you marry them. After that things started going down hill from their. But I was still with him when Tyler called one afternoon. He called because he said he missed me. He said he had been dating on and off, but he could'nt stop thinking of me. He also said he still wanted to marry me , he was sorry for problems we had, and wanted to get back together. My heart drop, all this time I've thought about him thinking he was out of my life forever. He knew I was married at the time but he did'nt care. I told him their were some things I needed to do first. Then he told me he was leaving in October. I told him I loved him very much and looked forward to seeing him when he got back. I was in the process of ending things with my husband. Then one day when I was getting ready for work, My mom came to me with the paper and told me Tyler had been killed. I could'nt talk or breath. The love of my life gone! Before he left I did'nt tell him yes or no. I was going to surprise him and marry him as soon as he got back. I regret not telling him, that way he would have have known and take that with him and know that someones waiting for him back home. I told his sister Shavonne when I saw her for the first time since it happed, She could'nt catch here breath. She looked forward to me marrying her brother since Tyler and I first met. He will be missed deeply. I LOVE YOU TYLER!
I met Tyler and his siblings in church when he was just 3 or so. He was such a character. Had a lot of humor even back then. I had the opportunity to watch him grow for several years, then lost contact when I moved away. What many may not know is that Tyler was a solider way before he joined the Army. He battled a war of survival in our cruel world from a toddler, many times with just the love and support of his brother and sister. Tyler is a true hero in more ways then one. The world lost a great kid but now he walks in a world of freedom we can only dream of. Tyler I think of you often and you will forever be my hero! Love Penny
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