Army Sgt. Sean P. Fennerty

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Sean P. Fennerty, 25, of Corvallis, Ore.

Sgt. Fennerty was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry (Airborne), 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died Jan. 20 in Karma, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee.

SALEM - U.S. Army Sgt. Sean Fennerty of Portland has been killed in combat in Iraq, the Oregon Military Department said Monday.

Fennerty, 26, died Saturday in Al Anbar Province when the vehicle he was in was struck by a roadside bomb or IED (improvised explosive device), officials said.

Fennerty was an airborne soldier stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska with the 25th Infantry Division.

Fennerty grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and Portland. He graduated from Jesuit High School in Portland in 1999 and Oregon State University in 2004 as a history major.

According to a list kept by Gov. Ted Kulongoski's office, Fennerty is the 78th soldier from Oregon or with close Oregon ties to die in the Iraq war.

"Fennerty loved to ski, fish and spend time with his friends and always wanted to be in the military and serve his country as he felt this was part of honor and service," the Military Department statement said.

Sean is survived by his mother Mo, father Brian, two sisters, Kelly of Seattle and Colleen of Chicago, IL, and brother Conor of Washington D.C.

The following statement mourning the loss of Sgt. Sean Fennerty, who was killed in Iraq, was released by Jesuit High School.

It is with deep sadness that Jesuit High School has learned of the death of Sgt. Sean Fennerty of the Class of 1999.

Sean is remembered as a faith-filled person who participated in all areas of the school. He took it upon himself to strengthen the school community with his generous and giving spirit. These qualities enabled him to be a friend too many faculty and students while he attended Jesuit.

His classmates will miss his sense of humor and deep sense of loyalty to them. His awareness of duty to make our world a better place is what led him into the military service of our country.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Sean's parents, sisters, brother, and the extended Fennerty family during this difficult time.

Army Sgt. Sean P. Fennerty was killed in action on 1/20/07.