Remember Our Heroes
Marine Sgt. Chad M. Allen, 25, of Maple Lake, Minn.
Sgt. Allen was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 28 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
By Curt Brown and Kevin Giles
Star Tribune staff writers
A 25-year-old Marine from Maple Lake, Minn., died Wednesday when a bomb exploded in Iraq, two days after a soldier with strong Minnesota ties died in a similar explosion.
Sgt. Chad M. Allen, whom his father described as a "very well loved young man," was killed while driving a light-armored vehicle in the Anbar Province.
He was on his second deployment in Iraq and was scheduled to leave the Marines on May 1, said his father, Steve Allen of Danbury, Wis.
On Monday, former Coon Rapids resident Army Sgt. William (B.J.) Beardsley, 25, was killed by a roadside bomb in Diwaniyah, about 100 miles south of Baghdad.
He and Allen were the 52nd and 53rd people with Minnesota ties to die in connection with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Allen joined the Marines the day after the Sept. 11 attacks, said his mother, Deborah Allen, also of Danbury. "He was going to save his family from harm," she said Thursday.
His parents said he volunteered for a second tour of duty in Iraq to take the place of an injured fellow Marine.
Allen was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Allen's father said his son had told him Sunday that he had been promoted to sergeant. Chad, the second of four children, had grown up in Maple Lake and graduated from high school there.
Bart Kilgo, Allen's friend since kindergarten, said, "He was an all-around great person, the best friend I ever had," Kilgo said Thursday night.
The two played high school football together -- Allen played guard on offense and linebacker on defense -- and remained close friends even throughout their military careers.
Kilgo left the Marines after serving two tours in Iraq.
Allen worked for a car wash and a landscape company before joining the Marines.
He loved to fish, ride his motorcycle, and was homecoming king in high school, his mother said. "He was awesome, he was the coolest kid," she said. "He was very happy, very outgoing, never could sit still for a minute."
N.C.-based Marine killed in Iraq remembered by family
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS -- A North Carolina-based Marine killed in Iraq this week was remembered as an outgoing young man who enlisted to "save his family from harm" the day after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Sgt. Chad M. Allen, 25, died Wednesday when a bomb exploded during combat operations in Anbar province, the Department of Defense and his family said Thursday. Allen was on his second deployment in Iraq and was scheduled to leave the Marine Corps on May 1, his father said.
Allen was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
"He was awesome, he was the coolest kid," said his mother, Deborah Allen, of Danbury, Wis. "He was very happy, very outgoing, never could sit still for a minute."
His father, Steve Allen, also of Danbury, said his son was a "very well loved young man."
Allen enlisted in the Marines the day after the Sept. 11 attacks but didn't go in until 2003, his mother said.
"He was going to save his family from harm," she said.
Chad Allen trained as a light armored vehicle crewman before joining the LAR Battalion, according to the Marines.
His parents said he volunteered for a second tour of duty in Iraq to take the place of an injured fellow Marine. Steve Allen said his son told him Sunday that he had been promoted to sergeant.
Chad Allen, the second oldest of four children, grew up in Maple Lake and graduated from high school there. He worked for a car wash and a landscape company before joining the Marines.
He loved to fish and ride his motorcycle and was homecoming king in high school, his mother said.
Marine Sgt. Chad M. Allen was killed in action on 02/28/07.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Army Sgt. William J. Beardsley
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. William J. Beardsley, 25, of Coon Rapids, Minn.
Sgt. Beardsley was assigned to the 260th Quartermaster Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Troop Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died Feb. 26, 2007 in Diwaniyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
Muskogee native killed in Iraq
By D. E. Smoot
Phoenix Staff Writer
A Muskogee native was killed Monday by an improvised explosive device while serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq.
Family members in Tahlequah received notification of Sgt. William “B.J.” Beardsley’s death Tuesday. Beardsley, 25, was about eight months into his first tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed.
Lavonna Harper, Beardsley’s mother, said her son enjoyed serving in the military, re-enlisting in May after already serving three years. During his first three years, Beardsley was stationed in South Korea and Fort Campbell, Ky.
Harper, who moved to Tahlequah to care for her ailing mother at about the same time her son was transferred to Iraq, said she corresponded regularly with Beardsley by e-mail.
“He loved what he was doing — he loved the military,” Harper said of her son, who worked on a refueling team in Iraq. “He didn’t quite understand the purpose of all this, and I’m at the point now where I don’t really understand it either.”
While Harper was unclear about where her son was in Iraq when he was killed, a media release issued by the public affairs office of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq reported only one American casualty Monday. Facts described in the notice coincide with the few facts Harper knows about her son’s death.
According to the written statement, a 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldier was killed and two others were wounded in an improvised explosive device attack on their up-armored Humvee Monday night while driving near Ad Diwaniyah in southern Iraq.
One wounded soldier was transported to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad for treatment. The other was treated and returned to duty. The incident remains under investigation.
The 13th SC(E) is based out of Fort Hood, Texas. According to the U.S. Army, the unit provides combat support and combat service support in the areas of supply, maintenance, transportation, field services, medical, general engineering & construction, smoke generation, biological detection and decontamination.
Harper said Wednesday it has been tough trying to deal with the death of her son.
“You can never prepare yourself for this,” Harper said as she tried to choke back her tears. “It hurts to see that he is not coming home.”
Beardsley and his mother moved from Muskogee to Georgia when he was 5 years old. When he was 16, he moved to Tahlequah, where he attended high school.
Harper said her son enjoyed hunting and riding motorcycles. But most of all, she said, Beardsley loved his two children: Chance, 5, and Alexis, 2. Both children live with their mother in Indianapolis.
In addition to his children, Beardsley is survived by his sister, Amber Graw of Lufkin, Texas; two aunts, Cathy Fielder of Muskogee and Charlotte Guinn of Tahlequah; and his maternal grandmother, Ruby Sheppard of Tahlequah.
A soldier with Minnesota ties who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq this week was a native Oklahoman who lived briefly in Coon Rapids, Minn., where he worked as a landscape contractor.
Army Sgt. William "B.J." Beardsley, 25, a Muskogee native, was seven months into his first tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed Monday, according to the Defense Department. He was due back home next month on leave, family members said.
"At 25, you got the rest of your life ahead of you, why not enjoy it, right?" said Beardsley's aunt, Charlotte Guinn of Tahlequah.
Enlisting in the military at 18, Beardsley was planning to become a career soldier, his family said. He spent three years stationed in South Korea and at Fort Campbell, Ky.
He left the Army briefly in 2005 to work as a landscape contractor with his father in Coon Rapids but decided the military life was for him, said his mother, Lavonna Harper. So he re-enlisted last May and eventually shipped out for Iraq.
At first, he believed the U.S. cause in Iraq was just, Harper said. But just a few weeks ago, Harper received an e-mail from him that said he couldn't make sense anymore of why he was over there.
"I wrote him back and told him to be careful and keep his head down and his butt covered," Harper said. "I asked him what he needed me to send and when he was coming home."
She never got a response.
Beardsley was born in Muskogee. When he was 5, he moved with his mother and stepfather -- a career military man himself -- to Germany and Georgia. He returned to Oklahoma when he was 16, moving to Tahlequah.
He was married at 20 and recently divorced, his family said. Harper said her son was a devoted father to his two kids, enjoyed weightlifting and riding motorcycles.
"I'll miss talking to him, hearing his voice, touching him, just hearing me say the words 'I love you, son,"' Harper said. "When they're gone, it's like 'Oh my God."'
Beardsley was assigned to the 260th Quartermaster Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Troop Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division of Fort Stewart, Ga. He was the 52nd person with strong Minnesota ties to die in connection with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
By Justin Juozapavicius, Associated Press Writer
Army Sgt. William J. Beardsley was killed in action on 02/26/07.
Army Sgt. William J. Beardsley, 25, of Coon Rapids, Minn.
Sgt. Beardsley was assigned to the 260th Quartermaster Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Troop Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died Feb. 26, 2007 in Diwaniyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
Muskogee native killed in Iraq
By D. E. Smoot
Phoenix Staff Writer
A Muskogee native was killed Monday by an improvised explosive device while serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq.
Family members in Tahlequah received notification of Sgt. William “B.J.” Beardsley’s death Tuesday. Beardsley, 25, was about eight months into his first tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed.
Lavonna Harper, Beardsley’s mother, said her son enjoyed serving in the military, re-enlisting in May after already serving three years. During his first three years, Beardsley was stationed in South Korea and Fort Campbell, Ky.
Harper, who moved to Tahlequah to care for her ailing mother at about the same time her son was transferred to Iraq, said she corresponded regularly with Beardsley by e-mail.
“He loved what he was doing — he loved the military,” Harper said of her son, who worked on a refueling team in Iraq. “He didn’t quite understand the purpose of all this, and I’m at the point now where I don’t really understand it either.”
While Harper was unclear about where her son was in Iraq when he was killed, a media release issued by the public affairs office of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq reported only one American casualty Monday. Facts described in the notice coincide with the few facts Harper knows about her son’s death.
According to the written statement, a 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldier was killed and two others were wounded in an improvised explosive device attack on their up-armored Humvee Monday night while driving near Ad Diwaniyah in southern Iraq.
One wounded soldier was transported to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad for treatment. The other was treated and returned to duty. The incident remains under investigation.
The 13th SC(E) is based out of Fort Hood, Texas. According to the U.S. Army, the unit provides combat support and combat service support in the areas of supply, maintenance, transportation, field services, medical, general engineering & construction, smoke generation, biological detection and decontamination.
Harper said Wednesday it has been tough trying to deal with the death of her son.
“You can never prepare yourself for this,” Harper said as she tried to choke back her tears. “It hurts to see that he is not coming home.”
Beardsley and his mother moved from Muskogee to Georgia when he was 5 years old. When he was 16, he moved to Tahlequah, where he attended high school.
Harper said her son enjoyed hunting and riding motorcycles. But most of all, she said, Beardsley loved his two children: Chance, 5, and Alexis, 2. Both children live with their mother in Indianapolis.
In addition to his children, Beardsley is survived by his sister, Amber Graw of Lufkin, Texas; two aunts, Cathy Fielder of Muskogee and Charlotte Guinn of Tahlequah; and his maternal grandmother, Ruby Sheppard of Tahlequah.
A soldier with Minnesota ties who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq this week was a native Oklahoman who lived briefly in Coon Rapids, Minn., where he worked as a landscape contractor.
Army Sgt. William "B.J." Beardsley, 25, a Muskogee native, was seven months into his first tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed Monday, according to the Defense Department. He was due back home next month on leave, family members said.
"At 25, you got the rest of your life ahead of you, why not enjoy it, right?" said Beardsley's aunt, Charlotte Guinn of Tahlequah.
Enlisting in the military at 18, Beardsley was planning to become a career soldier, his family said. He spent three years stationed in South Korea and at Fort Campbell, Ky.
He left the Army briefly in 2005 to work as a landscape contractor with his father in Coon Rapids but decided the military life was for him, said his mother, Lavonna Harper. So he re-enlisted last May and eventually shipped out for Iraq.
At first, he believed the U.S. cause in Iraq was just, Harper said. But just a few weeks ago, Harper received an e-mail from him that said he couldn't make sense anymore of why he was over there.
"I wrote him back and told him to be careful and keep his head down and his butt covered," Harper said. "I asked him what he needed me to send and when he was coming home."
She never got a response.
Beardsley was born in Muskogee. When he was 5, he moved with his mother and stepfather -- a career military man himself -- to Germany and Georgia. He returned to Oklahoma when he was 16, moving to Tahlequah.
He was married at 20 and recently divorced, his family said. Harper said her son was a devoted father to his two kids, enjoyed weightlifting and riding motorcycles.
"I'll miss talking to him, hearing his voice, touching him, just hearing me say the words 'I love you, son,"' Harper said. "When they're gone, it's like 'Oh my God."'
Beardsley was assigned to the 260th Quartermaster Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Troop Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division of Fort Stewart, Ga. He was the 52nd person with strong Minnesota ties to die in connection with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
By Justin Juozapavicius, Associated Press Writer
Army Sgt. William J. Beardsley was killed in action on 02/26/07.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Army Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett, 27, of Mineral City, Ohio
Sgt. Barnett was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 24 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained from a landmine detonation in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, on Feb. 21.
Ohio soldier wounded in Iraq dies at hospital in Germany
The Associated Press
MINERAL CITY, Ohio — An Ohio soldier who died days after being injured in an explosion in Iraq was not assigned to the patrol that ended up being his last, his father said.
“It was his day off, but he volunteered, even though I’d told him not to before he left,” David Barnett, the father of Sgt. Jeremy Barnett, said Monday night. “He was a good kid.”
Jeremy Barnett, 27, of Mineral City, died Saturday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. He had been wounded Wednesday when a land mine detonated in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, the Department of Defense said.
“I know he got out of the Humvee to check on something and got hit,” said his father, who lives in Mineral City, about 60 miles south of Cleveland.
Jeremy Barnett was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, where his wife, Stephanie, is a member of the Texas National Guard.
Barnett attended Sandy Valley High School near Magnolia until his junior year and graduated in 2000 from Warren G. Harding High in Warren. After high school, he joined the Navy and spent four years on an aircraft carrier before switching to the Army, his father said.
The soldier was in the third year of a four-year hitch.
“He told me he was not going to be a 20-year man who retired without ever seeing combat duty,” said his uncle, Craig Barnett, of New Philadelphia.
Jeremy Barnett had been staying in contact with his father through e-mail. In his final message, which arrived last week, he told his father that he looked forward to going hunting and fishing when he returned home.
“Hunting and fishing, that was his life,” his father said.
Jeremy Barnett also is survived by his mother and three sisters. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Remembering Sgt. Jeremy Barnett - Heart of a soldier - Mineral City man killed in Iraq helps save another's life
By LORI MONSEWICZ, Copley Ohio Newspapers
HARTVILLE – Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett gave his life for his country. Then he gave his heart.
His mother, Michele Barnett of Hartville, was at his side in a military hospital in Germany last week as the Mineral City man lay dying, another casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“I held his hand, and I put my head on his chest and I knew that that heart was going to continue to beat. His heart was going to live on,” she said Tuesday about the soldier’s plan to donate his organs if things went wrong.
“He saved the life of a 51-year-old person in Europe. Our son’s heart is beating in this person.”
Life support was removed Saturday from the 27-year-old soldier, ending his life and a military career that included service to both the Navy and Army.
“I’m proud of my son,” his mother said. “He gave his life twice. He did what a lot of us would never have enough guts to do, and he did it well.”
His father, Dave Barnett of Mineral City, said he would like anyone who recognizes someone in uniform to “stop and shake his hand. We see in the paper where someone got injured or someone got killed, and we think it’s a shame. We don’t realize how bad it really is until it hits home.”
It hit home hard this week for the Barnett family. Jeremy Barnett also is survived by three younger sisters, Natalie, Emily and Rebecca Barnett.
Natalie Barnett said her brother, a good-natured young man who used humor to break the most tense moments, would want people to know that “he took his job very seriously; he loved his job.”
Their mother agreed. “He loved his country; he loved his service to his country.”
Sgt. Jeremy Barnett and his father e-mailed one another at least twice a week, as the soldier looked forward to returning home to fish and hunt with his dad. And Dave Barnett said he warned his son not to volunteer for anything.
“The last time I talked to him, I told him to do what he was told to do and to do his job, ‘but do not put your hand up,’” the elder Barnett said.
One week ago, the young man suffered “wounds sustained from a land mine detonation,” according to an announcement this week by the U.S. Department of Defense. He had volunteered for a patrol mission as a “first observer” in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, on his day off. His father explained that the job entailed going in ahead of others to call in for artillery or air strikes.
“There was an explosion,” Dave Barnett said. “The AP is saying it was a land mine. ... No one seems to have a definite answer as to what happened. He got out of his Humvee to check something out. ...”
Army representatives called the Barnett family last Wednesday.
“When I answered the phone and they said it was the Army, I knew that wasn’t good,” Dave Barnett said.
The family flew to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl to be by Jeremy’s side.
Family members praised the medical staff and military personnel, saying they worked hard to make the dying soldier as comfortable as possible. They talked about all the volunteers who carry hundreds of wounded soldiers in large buses that serve as ambulances all day, every day. And they talked about the people assigned to coordinate and schedule events to make everything run smoothly during their devastating loss.
The Barnett family also attended the ceremonies during which Sgt. Barnett posthumously was presented with his medals.
The purple medal – “That was something I never wanted to see,” his father said, struggling to hold back tears.
Michele Barnett acknowledged that the parents of every soldier worry while their grown children are fighting in a war.
“Everyone has an anxiety about being over there in Iraq. I thought it (the worst) would be an injury,” she said.
Sgt. Barnett was a soldier’s soldier
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Before Jeremy D. Barnett became a soldier in the U.S. Army, he was a sailor in the U.S. Navy. He was good at both, and his medals will be one form of remembrance for the Barnett family of Mineral City and Hartville.
Sgt. Barnett died Saturday after being injured in an explosion north of Baghdad three days earlier. David Barnett said his son was killed after volunteering to go out on patrol on his day off. This was the kind of conscientiousness the family had come to expect from him.
Sgt. Barnett was a soldier who went to war with his eyes open. He had arranged to be an organ donor, and so, his mother, Michele Barnett, said, “He gave his life twice.”
Army Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett died on 02/24/07 from wounds sustained 02/21/07 in the line of duty in Dujayl, Iraq.
Army Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett, 27, of Mineral City, Ohio
Sgt. Barnett was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 24 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained from a landmine detonation in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, on Feb. 21.
Ohio soldier wounded in Iraq dies at hospital in Germany
The Associated Press
MINERAL CITY, Ohio — An Ohio soldier who died days after being injured in an explosion in Iraq was not assigned to the patrol that ended up being his last, his father said.
“It was his day off, but he volunteered, even though I’d told him not to before he left,” David Barnett, the father of Sgt. Jeremy Barnett, said Monday night. “He was a good kid.”
Jeremy Barnett, 27, of Mineral City, died Saturday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. He had been wounded Wednesday when a land mine detonated in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, the Department of Defense said.
“I know he got out of the Humvee to check on something and got hit,” said his father, who lives in Mineral City, about 60 miles south of Cleveland.
Jeremy Barnett was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, where his wife, Stephanie, is a member of the Texas National Guard.
Barnett attended Sandy Valley High School near Magnolia until his junior year and graduated in 2000 from Warren G. Harding High in Warren. After high school, he joined the Navy and spent four years on an aircraft carrier before switching to the Army, his father said.
The soldier was in the third year of a four-year hitch.
“He told me he was not going to be a 20-year man who retired without ever seeing combat duty,” said his uncle, Craig Barnett, of New Philadelphia.
Jeremy Barnett had been staying in contact with his father through e-mail. In his final message, which arrived last week, he told his father that he looked forward to going hunting and fishing when he returned home.
“Hunting and fishing, that was his life,” his father said.
Jeremy Barnett also is survived by his mother and three sisters. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Remembering Sgt. Jeremy Barnett - Heart of a soldier - Mineral City man killed in Iraq helps save another's life
By LORI MONSEWICZ, Copley Ohio Newspapers
HARTVILLE – Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett gave his life for his country. Then he gave his heart.
His mother, Michele Barnett of Hartville, was at his side in a military hospital in Germany last week as the Mineral City man lay dying, another casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“I held his hand, and I put my head on his chest and I knew that that heart was going to continue to beat. His heart was going to live on,” she said Tuesday about the soldier’s plan to donate his organs if things went wrong.
“He saved the life of a 51-year-old person in Europe. Our son’s heart is beating in this person.”
Life support was removed Saturday from the 27-year-old soldier, ending his life and a military career that included service to both the Navy and Army.
“I’m proud of my son,” his mother said. “He gave his life twice. He did what a lot of us would never have enough guts to do, and he did it well.”
His father, Dave Barnett of Mineral City, said he would like anyone who recognizes someone in uniform to “stop and shake his hand. We see in the paper where someone got injured or someone got killed, and we think it’s a shame. We don’t realize how bad it really is until it hits home.”
It hit home hard this week for the Barnett family. Jeremy Barnett also is survived by three younger sisters, Natalie, Emily and Rebecca Barnett.
Natalie Barnett said her brother, a good-natured young man who used humor to break the most tense moments, would want people to know that “he took his job very seriously; he loved his job.”
Their mother agreed. “He loved his country; he loved his service to his country.”
Sgt. Jeremy Barnett and his father e-mailed one another at least twice a week, as the soldier looked forward to returning home to fish and hunt with his dad. And Dave Barnett said he warned his son not to volunteer for anything.
“The last time I talked to him, I told him to do what he was told to do and to do his job, ‘but do not put your hand up,’” the elder Barnett said.
One week ago, the young man suffered “wounds sustained from a land mine detonation,” according to an announcement this week by the U.S. Department of Defense. He had volunteered for a patrol mission as a “first observer” in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, on his day off. His father explained that the job entailed going in ahead of others to call in for artillery or air strikes.
“There was an explosion,” Dave Barnett said. “The AP is saying it was a land mine. ... No one seems to have a definite answer as to what happened. He got out of his Humvee to check something out. ...”
Army representatives called the Barnett family last Wednesday.
“When I answered the phone and they said it was the Army, I knew that wasn’t good,” Dave Barnett said.
The family flew to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl to be by Jeremy’s side.
Family members praised the medical staff and military personnel, saying they worked hard to make the dying soldier as comfortable as possible. They talked about all the volunteers who carry hundreds of wounded soldiers in large buses that serve as ambulances all day, every day. And they talked about the people assigned to coordinate and schedule events to make everything run smoothly during their devastating loss.
The Barnett family also attended the ceremonies during which Sgt. Barnett posthumously was presented with his medals.
The purple medal – “That was something I never wanted to see,” his father said, struggling to hold back tears.
Michele Barnett acknowledged that the parents of every soldier worry while their grown children are fighting in a war.
“Everyone has an anxiety about being over there in Iraq. I thought it (the worst) would be an injury,” she said.
Sgt. Barnett was a soldier’s soldier
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Before Jeremy D. Barnett became a soldier in the U.S. Army, he was a sailor in the U.S. Navy. He was good at both, and his medals will be one form of remembrance for the Barnett family of Mineral City and Hartville.
Sgt. Barnett died Saturday after being injured in an explosion north of Baghdad three days earlier. David Barnett said his son was killed after volunteering to go out on patrol on his day off. This was the kind of conscientiousness the family had come to expect from him.
Sgt. Barnett was a soldier who went to war with his eyes open. He had arranged to be an organ donor, and so, his mother, Michele Barnett, said, “He gave his life twice.”
Army Sgt. Jeremy D. Barnett died on 02/24/07 from wounds sustained 02/21/07 in the line of duty in Dujayl, Iraq.
Army Specialist Ethan J. Biggers
Remember Our Heroes
Army Specialist Ethan J. Biggers, 22, of Beavercreek, Ohio
Spc. Biggers was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 24 in Indianapolis, Ind., of wounds sustained while on combat patrol in Baghdad on March 5, 2006.
Ethan Biggers died one year after he was shot by a sniper in Iraq.
By By Margo Rutledge Kissell
Staff Writer
Friday, March 02, 2007
Army Spc. Ethan Biggers will be buried Monday, exactly one year after he was shot in the head by a sniper's bullet during his second tour in Iraq.
The 22-year-old father from Beavercreek died Saturday in the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Indianapolis, 11 days after his family made the decision to remove his feeding tube.
Biggers had been in a coma since he was wounded during a mission southwest of Baghdad.
The 2003 Beavercreek High School graduate served with B company, 1-502, 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Ky.
He leaves a wife, Britni R. Biggers, and their 9-month-old son, Eben John Biggers.
Army Specialist Ethan Biggers, by all accounts, should not have survived after being shot in the head by a sniper in Iraq.
BALAD, Iraq — After a helicopter rushed Army Spc. Ethan Biggers to the military hospital here in March, neurosurgeons left the operating room shaken by the extensive damage to his brain.
A sniper had shot Biggers, 21, through the head, and the wound looked as bad as any that doctors Brett Schlifka and Hans Bakken had seen.
"If he came into my hospital in the States, gunshot wound to the head, eyes fixed and dilated, not a chance I would take him into the O.R. Not a chance," says Schlifka, 35, of Philadelphia. "(We'd) tell his family it's a non-survivable injury."
But Ethan Biggers did survive, even after having a significant portion of his skull removed. He was eventually flown to Walter Reed, where his prognosis remained grave. While Ethan fought for his life, his pregnant wife Britni was preparing to give birth to their first child, a son who would be named after Ethan's favorite Lieutenant. Day after day, Ethan, known as BIGG E, clung to life, and day after day BIGG E defied the odds. Ethan's father, Rand Biggers, spoke of miracles.
"He's beat a lot of odds," said his father, Rand Biggers, a physicist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base who has been with his son since he arrived back in the United States. "It's a miracle he's got this far. We keep asking for more miracles."
Miracle indeed. Ethan Biggers has significant challenges ahead of him, but he continues to improve. Ethan has been moved from Walter Reed to a VA hospital in Tampa, Florida, where currently he is breathing without the assistance of a respirator.
Ethan's twin brother Matt is an active-duty soldier. Service is a tradition in the Biggers family:
“Their grandfather’s destroyer, the ‘Newcomb,’ was severely damaged by five Kamikazes at Okinawa during World War II,” she said. “Their father served as a C-130 pilot in Vietnam and later in KC-135s, and Ethan and Matt chose to serve in the United States Army as infantrymen, Ethan in B Company 1-502nd ‘The Deuce’ Infantry Regiment in the 101st Air Assault Division ‘Screaming Eagles,’ Matt in B Company 1-26th ‘Blue Spaders’ Infantry Regiment in the First Infantry Division, ‘Big Red One.’
Unfortunately, this family was dealt another blow last week when Rand Biggers was killed in a car accident.
Rand Biggers, a Wright-Patterson physicist who spent much of last year helping a son recover from a severe head injury suffered in Iraq, was one of two people killed in Thursday's car accident in Beavercreek.
Biggers, 59, worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory for 23 years and has been a civilian employee at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base since 1990, according to his wife, Cheryl.
He also was a Vietnam veteran and would become the second of three generations of war veterans. His father, Ralph, served in World War II and both sons, twins Ethan and Matthew, served in Iraq. He has two daughters, Amanda Watkins and Liza Biggers.
While proud of his sons' service, he was deeply worried about their safety.
When Ethan was injured March 5, Biggers took leave from his job to join Ethan, first at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, then at a veterans' hospital in Tampa, Fla.
Ethan's injury and the family's response were profiled in the Dayton Daily News in April.
At Walter Reed, Biggers stood by his son's bedside but admitted he spent more time in the chapel asking God to help him make sense of what he called "an insane situation."
This family has had an unimaginable nightmare laid at their feet, not once, but twice. They need our help and our support. First, I would advise adding the Biggers family to your prayer list. Second, you can imagine the financial challenges that naturally occur with a tragedy of this magnitude. Please consider making a donation to The Biggers Fund:
Make checks payable to "The Biggers Fund"
Peace Lutheran Church, 3530 Dayton-Senia Road, Beavercreek, Ohio 45432
Army Specialist Ethan J. Biggers died 02/24/07 of wounds sustained on combat patrol in Baghdad on 03/05/06.
Army Specialist Ethan J. Biggers, 22, of Beavercreek, Ohio
Spc. Biggers was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 24 in Indianapolis, Ind., of wounds sustained while on combat patrol in Baghdad on March 5, 2006.
Ethan Biggers died one year after he was shot by a sniper in Iraq.
By By Margo Rutledge Kissell
Staff Writer
Friday, March 02, 2007
Army Spc. Ethan Biggers will be buried Monday, exactly one year after he was shot in the head by a sniper's bullet during his second tour in Iraq.
The 22-year-old father from Beavercreek died Saturday in the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Indianapolis, 11 days after his family made the decision to remove his feeding tube.
Biggers had been in a coma since he was wounded during a mission southwest of Baghdad.
The 2003 Beavercreek High School graduate served with B company, 1-502, 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Ky.
He leaves a wife, Britni R. Biggers, and their 9-month-old son, Eben John Biggers.
Army Specialist Ethan Biggers, by all accounts, should not have survived after being shot in the head by a sniper in Iraq.
BALAD, Iraq — After a helicopter rushed Army Spc. Ethan Biggers to the military hospital here in March, neurosurgeons left the operating room shaken by the extensive damage to his brain.
A sniper had shot Biggers, 21, through the head, and the wound looked as bad as any that doctors Brett Schlifka and Hans Bakken had seen.
"If he came into my hospital in the States, gunshot wound to the head, eyes fixed and dilated, not a chance I would take him into the O.R. Not a chance," says Schlifka, 35, of Philadelphia. "(We'd) tell his family it's a non-survivable injury."
But Ethan Biggers did survive, even after having a significant portion of his skull removed. He was eventually flown to Walter Reed, where his prognosis remained grave. While Ethan fought for his life, his pregnant wife Britni was preparing to give birth to their first child, a son who would be named after Ethan's favorite Lieutenant. Day after day, Ethan, known as BIGG E, clung to life, and day after day BIGG E defied the odds. Ethan's father, Rand Biggers, spoke of miracles.
"He's beat a lot of odds," said his father, Rand Biggers, a physicist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base who has been with his son since he arrived back in the United States. "It's a miracle he's got this far. We keep asking for more miracles."
Miracle indeed. Ethan Biggers has significant challenges ahead of him, but he continues to improve. Ethan has been moved from Walter Reed to a VA hospital in Tampa, Florida, where currently he is breathing without the assistance of a respirator.
Ethan's twin brother Matt is an active-duty soldier. Service is a tradition in the Biggers family:
“Their grandfather’s destroyer, the ‘Newcomb,’ was severely damaged by five Kamikazes at Okinawa during World War II,” she said. “Their father served as a C-130 pilot in Vietnam and later in KC-135s, and Ethan and Matt chose to serve in the United States Army as infantrymen, Ethan in B Company 1-502nd ‘The Deuce’ Infantry Regiment in the 101st Air Assault Division ‘Screaming Eagles,’ Matt in B Company 1-26th ‘Blue Spaders’ Infantry Regiment in the First Infantry Division, ‘Big Red One.’
Unfortunately, this family was dealt another blow last week when Rand Biggers was killed in a car accident.
Rand Biggers, a Wright-Patterson physicist who spent much of last year helping a son recover from a severe head injury suffered in Iraq, was one of two people killed in Thursday's car accident in Beavercreek.
Biggers, 59, worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory for 23 years and has been a civilian employee at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base since 1990, according to his wife, Cheryl.
He also was a Vietnam veteran and would become the second of three generations of war veterans. His father, Ralph, served in World War II and both sons, twins Ethan and Matthew, served in Iraq. He has two daughters, Amanda Watkins and Liza Biggers.
While proud of his sons' service, he was deeply worried about their safety.
When Ethan was injured March 5, Biggers took leave from his job to join Ethan, first at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, then at a veterans' hospital in Tampa, Fla.
Ethan's injury and the family's response were profiled in the Dayton Daily News in April.
At Walter Reed, Biggers stood by his son's bedside but admitted he spent more time in the chapel asking God to help him make sense of what he called "an insane situation."
This family has had an unimaginable nightmare laid at their feet, not once, but twice. They need our help and our support. First, I would advise adding the Biggers family to your prayer list. Second, you can imagine the financial challenges that naturally occur with a tragedy of this magnitude. Please consider making a donation to The Biggers Fund:
Make checks payable to "The Biggers Fund"
Peace Lutheran Church, 3530 Dayton-Senia Road, Beavercreek, Ohio 45432
Army Specialist Ethan J. Biggers died 02/24/07 of wounds sustained on combat patrol in Baghdad on 03/05/06.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Army Staff Sgt. Dane J. Garcia
Remember Our Heroes
Staff Sgt. Dane J. Garcia
March 13, 1980-Feb. 21, 2007
DEVILS LAKE – Staff Sergeant Dane J. Garcia, 26, of Devils Lake, N.D., stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., died at his home in Clarksville, Tenn., on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, February 28, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Devils Lake, with burial in the Devils Lake Cemetery.
Visitation at Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake, on Tuesday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Visitation on Wednesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.
Dane Justin Garcia was born in Devils Lake on March 13, 1980, to Greg and Tami (Bednarz) Garcia. He was reared and educated in Devils Lake, graduating from Devils Lake High School in 1998. He was a member of ROTC and prior to his senior year, Dane attended boot camp at Fort Sill, Okla., as a member of the North Dakota National Guard Unit out of Camp Grafton. In June of 1999, Dane enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Irwin, Calif., and there he graduated with an Associate Degree of Science with emphasis in chemical warfare. Other stations included Fort Drum, N.Y., and Camp Humphrey, South Korea, where he was a part of the Air Ambulance and Medical Company. While at Fort Drum, Dane was deployed to Afghanistan for 9 months. His most recent assignment has been at Fort Campbell, Ky., receiving training as an aircraft mechanic. Dane was the recipient of many awards and decorations as a member of the U.S. Army. Dane was proud and honored to serve his country and will be remembered as a dedicated soldier.
Dane is survived by his parents: Greg Garcia of Lakewood, N.D. and Tami (Todd) Romine, Devils Lake; brothers, Jared and Jordan Garcia, Devils Lake; grandparents, Joyce and Dale Kruckenberg, Devils Lake, Estella Garcia, Belcourt, N.D. and Homer Romine, Devils Lake. Many aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.
He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Robert Bednarz and David Garcia II; grandmother, Doris Romine; uncle, Kirk Garcia and special cousin, Celeste Keplin.
Army SSgt. Dane J. Garcia died on 02/21/07.
Staff Sgt. Dane J. Garcia
March 13, 1980-Feb. 21, 2007
DEVILS LAKE – Staff Sergeant Dane J. Garcia, 26, of Devils Lake, N.D., stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., died at his home in Clarksville, Tenn., on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, February 28, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Devils Lake, with burial in the Devils Lake Cemetery.
Visitation at Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake, on Tuesday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Visitation on Wednesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.
Dane Justin Garcia was born in Devils Lake on March 13, 1980, to Greg and Tami (Bednarz) Garcia. He was reared and educated in Devils Lake, graduating from Devils Lake High School in 1998. He was a member of ROTC and prior to his senior year, Dane attended boot camp at Fort Sill, Okla., as a member of the North Dakota National Guard Unit out of Camp Grafton. In June of 1999, Dane enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Irwin, Calif., and there he graduated with an Associate Degree of Science with emphasis in chemical warfare. Other stations included Fort Drum, N.Y., and Camp Humphrey, South Korea, where he was a part of the Air Ambulance and Medical Company. While at Fort Drum, Dane was deployed to Afghanistan for 9 months. His most recent assignment has been at Fort Campbell, Ky., receiving training as an aircraft mechanic. Dane was the recipient of many awards and decorations as a member of the U.S. Army. Dane was proud and honored to serve his country and will be remembered as a dedicated soldier.
Dane is survived by his parents: Greg Garcia of Lakewood, N.D. and Tami (Todd) Romine, Devils Lake; brothers, Jared and Jordan Garcia, Devils Lake; grandparents, Joyce and Dale Kruckenberg, Devils Lake, Estella Garcia, Belcourt, N.D. and Homer Romine, Devils Lake. Many aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.
He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Robert Bednarz and David Garcia II; grandmother, Doris Romine; uncle, Kirk Garcia and special cousin, Celeste Keplin.
Army SSgt. Dane J. Garcia died on 02/21/07.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Army Sgt. Buddy J. Hughie
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Buddy J. Hughie, 25, of Poteau, Okla.
Sgt. Hughie was assigned to 1st Battalion, 180th Infantry, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Ada, Okla.; died Feb. 19, 2007, in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Hundreds mourn Guard member
By SUSAN HYLTON World Staff Writer
Poteau man remembered as selfless, energetic, heroic
POTEAU -- Sgt. Buddy James Hughie did not have a long life, but his legacy of altruism and courage will endure forever, speakers at his memorial service said Sunday.
More than 600 people filled Poteau High School's Sherman Floyd Fieldhouse on Sunday to honor the Oklahoma Army National Guard member who was killed in Afghanistan last week. Poteau is about 125 miles southeast of Tulsa.
Hughie was killed Feb. 19 when he left his covered post to bring medical aid to injured Afghan soldiers.
"This was a soldier who cared more about others than he did himself," said Brig. Gen. Myles L. Deering, the commander of the Oklahoma National Guard's 45th Infantry Brigade.
"He didn't have to be in Afghanistan, he didn't have to serve that 45 days in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. He was there because he believed in what he was doing. More importantly, he backed those beliefs by action."
It was not Hughie's first trip overseas. He was in Afghanistan during 2002-03 and had volunteered for a second tour of duty.
Sympathy and gratitude was showered on Hughie's family Sunday.
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins said Hughie was a true hero who epitomized selfless service to the state and country.
"He faced an enemy with courage and bravery and left a legacy of a true patriot," she said.
Prayer offered comfort to Hughie's family. A few of his favorite songs, including "O Holy Night" and "Amazing Grace," were played.
A slide show captured moments of Hughie's life, including times with his sister and friends, marching band, baseball, his wedding and nuzzling his newborn son.
Family members said he loved to play the piano and trombone. He was active in the Boy Scouts and Poteau Valley Baptist Church.
He was taught to read by age 3, and later preached and recited Scripture from a stump in his back yard.
He was said to be full of energy and always smiling.
"Even though he had a short life, he had a full life," said the Rev. Jim Parsley, who officiated at the memorial service.
Hughie was killed by small-arms fire in Nuristan province in northeastern Afganistan. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 180th Infantry with the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
His unit was on a joint mission with the Afghan National Army and the Army's 10th Mountain Division.
The joint force came under attack from an enemy firing gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades.
Hughie and his team members got off their vehicle and returned fire. Two Afghan army soldiers were wounded. Hughie was shot and killed when he left his covered position to give them medical assistance.
The 180th is assigned to train soldiers in the Afghan National Army.
Hughie graduated from Poteau High School in 2000.
He will be buried in Charleston, S.C.
He is survived by his wife, Alexis Hughie, 23, of South Carolina, and their son, Cooper, who was born in November.
He's also survived by the grandparents who raised him, Kenneth and Delores Hughie; his mother, Julie Hicks; a sister, Jennifer Claiborn; a brother, Dennis Hicks; and his great-grandparents Andrew "Buddy" and Dimple Rogers.
Army Sgt. Buddy J. Hughie was killed in action on 02/19/07.
Army Sgt. Buddy J. Hughie, 25, of Poteau, Okla.
Sgt. Hughie was assigned to 1st Battalion, 180th Infantry, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Ada, Okla.; died Feb. 19, 2007, in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Hundreds mourn Guard member
By SUSAN HYLTON World Staff Writer
Poteau man remembered as selfless, energetic, heroic
POTEAU -- Sgt. Buddy James Hughie did not have a long life, but his legacy of altruism and courage will endure forever, speakers at his memorial service said Sunday.
More than 600 people filled Poteau High School's Sherman Floyd Fieldhouse on Sunday to honor the Oklahoma Army National Guard member who was killed in Afghanistan last week. Poteau is about 125 miles southeast of Tulsa.
Hughie was killed Feb. 19 when he left his covered post to bring medical aid to injured Afghan soldiers.
"This was a soldier who cared more about others than he did himself," said Brig. Gen. Myles L. Deering, the commander of the Oklahoma National Guard's 45th Infantry Brigade.
"He didn't have to be in Afghanistan, he didn't have to serve that 45 days in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. He was there because he believed in what he was doing. More importantly, he backed those beliefs by action."
It was not Hughie's first trip overseas. He was in Afghanistan during 2002-03 and had volunteered for a second tour of duty.
Sympathy and gratitude was showered on Hughie's family Sunday.
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins said Hughie was a true hero who epitomized selfless service to the state and country.
"He faced an enemy with courage and bravery and left a legacy of a true patriot," she said.
Prayer offered comfort to Hughie's family. A few of his favorite songs, including "O Holy Night" and "Amazing Grace," were played.
A slide show captured moments of Hughie's life, including times with his sister and friends, marching band, baseball, his wedding and nuzzling his newborn son.
Family members said he loved to play the piano and trombone. He was active in the Boy Scouts and Poteau Valley Baptist Church.
He was taught to read by age 3, and later preached and recited Scripture from a stump in his back yard.
He was said to be full of energy and always smiling.
"Even though he had a short life, he had a full life," said the Rev. Jim Parsley, who officiated at the memorial service.
Hughie was killed by small-arms fire in Nuristan province in northeastern Afganistan. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 180th Infantry with the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
His unit was on a joint mission with the Afghan National Army and the Army's 10th Mountain Division.
The joint force came under attack from an enemy firing gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades.
Hughie and his team members got off their vehicle and returned fire. Two Afghan army soldiers were wounded. Hughie was shot and killed when he left his covered position to give them medical assistance.
The 180th is assigned to train soldiers in the Afghan National Army.
Hughie graduated from Poteau High School in 2000.
He will be buried in Charleston, S.C.
He is survived by his wife, Alexis Hughie, 23, of South Carolina, and their son, Cooper, who was born in November.
He's also survived by the grandparents who raised him, Kenneth and Delores Hughie; his mother, Julie Hicks; a sister, Jennifer Claiborn; a brother, Dennis Hicks; and his great-grandparents Andrew "Buddy" and Dimple Rogers.
Army Sgt. Buddy J. Hughie was killed in action on 02/19/07.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman
Remember Our Heroes
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.
TSgt Duffman was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.; died Feb. 18 when the coalition CH-47 helicopter he was riding in crashed in eastern Afghanistan. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Spc. Travis R. Vaughn.
Pope airman killed in CH-47 crash
The Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A military helicopter crash in southeastern Afghanistan has killed eight service members, including an airman, and wounded 14.
Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C. The other casualties have not been identified by the Department of Defense.
Rose Duffman, the victim’s mother, said Scott Duffman had been in Afghanistan for five days when he died Sunday.
“It’s kind of hard to believe because you’d just talked to him the day before,” she said. “He was a warrior and he loved what he did and why he did it.”
Duffman was married, and he and his wife have a 5-month-old daughter. “She was the light of his life,” said Rose Duffman, who lives in Washington.
Duffman previously had fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, his mother said.
AFSOC Airman killed in helicopter crash
from AFSOC News Service
2/21/2007 - Hurlburt Field, Florida -- Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M. was killed in a MH-47 helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Sunday.
Of the 22 coalition personnel on board Sergeant Duffman and seven others were killed while 14 were injured when the helicopter crashed. They were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
According to a coalition press release the helicopter pilot reported a sudden loss of power and control just prior to the crash.
Sergeant Duffman, a pararescueman, was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. The 24th STS falls under the 720th Special Tactics Group, a unit of Air Force Special Operations Command here.
"Scott Duffman was an exceptional pararescueman, friend, husband and father. He loved his profession and loved his family," said Lt. Col. Robert Armfield, Commander of 24th Special Tactics Squadron. "Losing him is a tragedy but we are all consoled by the fact that he died strong, doing what he loved: going into harm's way so others may live."
Sergeant Duffman was born on August 14, 1974 and spent the majority of his childhood in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Following his graduation from La Cueva High School, Scott joined the Air Force in October 1992 and completed a series of challenging training schools earning him the maroon beret of an Air Force pararescueman.
Sergeant Duffman served as a pararescueman in a number of units including the 56th Rescue Squadron in Keflavik, Iceland and the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron before being assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron in April, 2001.
Sergeant Duffman is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and two devices, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with two devices, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three devices and the Air Force Achievement Medal with two devices.
Sergeant Duffman leaves behind his wife Mary and 6-month old daughter Sophia.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.
TSgt Duffman was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.; died Feb. 18 when the coalition CH-47 helicopter he was riding in crashed in eastern Afghanistan. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Spc. Travis R. Vaughn.
Pope airman killed in CH-47 crash
The Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A military helicopter crash in southeastern Afghanistan has killed eight service members, including an airman, and wounded 14.
Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C. The other casualties have not been identified by the Department of Defense.
Rose Duffman, the victim’s mother, said Scott Duffman had been in Afghanistan for five days when he died Sunday.
“It’s kind of hard to believe because you’d just talked to him the day before,” she said. “He was a warrior and he loved what he did and why he did it.”
Duffman was married, and he and his wife have a 5-month-old daughter. “She was the light of his life,” said Rose Duffman, who lives in Washington.
Duffman previously had fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, his mother said.
AFSOC Airman killed in helicopter crash
from AFSOC News Service
2/21/2007 - Hurlburt Field, Florida -- Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M. was killed in a MH-47 helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Sunday.
Of the 22 coalition personnel on board Sergeant Duffman and seven others were killed while 14 were injured when the helicopter crashed. They were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
According to a coalition press release the helicopter pilot reported a sudden loss of power and control just prior to the crash.
Sergeant Duffman, a pararescueman, was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. The 24th STS falls under the 720th Special Tactics Group, a unit of Air Force Special Operations Command here.
"Scott Duffman was an exceptional pararescueman, friend, husband and father. He loved his profession and loved his family," said Lt. Col. Robert Armfield, Commander of 24th Special Tactics Squadron. "Losing him is a tragedy but we are all consoled by the fact that he died strong, doing what he loved: going into harm's way so others may live."
Sergeant Duffman was born on August 14, 1974 and spent the majority of his childhood in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Following his graduation from La Cueva High School, Scott joined the Air Force in October 1992 and completed a series of challenging training schools earning him the maroon beret of an Air Force pararescueman.
Sergeant Duffman served as a pararescueman in a number of units including the 56th Rescue Squadron in Keflavik, Iceland and the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron before being assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron in April, 2001.
Sergeant Duffman is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and two devices, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with two devices, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three devices and the Air Force Achievement Medal with two devices.
Sergeant Duffman leaves behind his wife Mary and 6-month old daughter Sophia.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, 23, of Fort Carson, Colo
Sgt. Wilkinson was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Sergeant Adam A. Wilkinson died Feb. 18, 2007, in southeastern Afghanistan when his MH-47E Helicopter crashed while conducting operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was born Dec. 17, 1983, in Miskayuna, N.Y.
Wilkinson volunteered for service with the Army in March 2002 as a Petroleum Supply Specialist. His first tour of duty was with the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo. In 2005, Wilkinson changed his military occupation specialty to a Chinook Helicopter repairer. He arrived at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in May 2005 and completed the regiment’s “Green Platoon” course, an initial selection and training requirement prior to assignment. He was assigned to the regiment’s 2nd Battalion, serving as a MH-47E Maintenance Team Member and MH-47 crewmember, most recently in B Company. Wilkinson had previously deployed twice in support of the Global War on Terrorism, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 3rd ACR and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan with the 160th.
Wilkinson’s schools include the Warrior Leader Course, Special Operations Training Course, Combatives Level 1, and Unit Armorer Training.
His awards and decorations include the Air Medal for Valor, two Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge and Aviation Crewmember Badge.
He is survived by his wife, Tyffanie, and son, Carson (1).
Sergeant Adam A. Wilkinson Family Statement
Our family appreciates the overwhelming and sincere outpouring of sympathy from the local community at this very difficult time. Your support is appreciated as we mourn the loss of Adam - a devoted husband, a loving father, a beloved son, and dedicated Soldier.
Adam spent the last couple of years training with and supporting a unit that he loved. The 160th was like a second family to him. He believed firmly in the principles ingrained in him by his family from an early age - loyalty, perseverance, and an overwhelming sense of patriotism.
Adam would want to be remembered as someone who died the way he lived - providing support for some of America's finest young men.
While we sincerely appreciate the nation's interest in Adam's life and his contributions to this great nation, we ask that the media respect our privacy and allow us time to grieve.
Provided by Tyffanie Wilkinson
Army Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, 23, of Fort Carson, Colo
Sgt. Wilkinson was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Sergeant Adam A. Wilkinson died Feb. 18, 2007, in southeastern Afghanistan when his MH-47E Helicopter crashed while conducting operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was born Dec. 17, 1983, in Miskayuna, N.Y.
Wilkinson volunteered for service with the Army in March 2002 as a Petroleum Supply Specialist. His first tour of duty was with the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo. In 2005, Wilkinson changed his military occupation specialty to a Chinook Helicopter repairer. He arrived at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in May 2005 and completed the regiment’s “Green Platoon” course, an initial selection and training requirement prior to assignment. He was assigned to the regiment’s 2nd Battalion, serving as a MH-47E Maintenance Team Member and MH-47 crewmember, most recently in B Company. Wilkinson had previously deployed twice in support of the Global War on Terrorism, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 3rd ACR and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan with the 160th.
Wilkinson’s schools include the Warrior Leader Course, Special Operations Training Course, Combatives Level 1, and Unit Armorer Training.
His awards and decorations include the Air Medal for Valor, two Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge and Aviation Crewmember Badge.
He is survived by his wife, Tyffanie, and son, Carson (1).
Sergeant Adam A. Wilkinson Family Statement
Our family appreciates the overwhelming and sincere outpouring of sympathy from the local community at this very difficult time. Your support is appreciated as we mourn the loss of Adam - a devoted husband, a loving father, a beloved son, and dedicated Soldier.
Adam spent the last couple of years training with and supporting a unit that he loved. The 160th was like a second family to him. He believed firmly in the principles ingrained in him by his family from an early age - loyalty, perseverance, and an overwhelming sense of patriotism.
Adam would want to be remembered as someone who died the way he lived - providing support for some of America's finest young men.
While we sincerely appreciate the nation's interest in Adam's life and his contributions to this great nation, we ask that the media respect our privacy and allow us time to grieve.
Provided by Tyffanie Wilkinson
Army Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr.
Remember Our Heroes
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., 33, of Ariz.
Chief Warrant Officer McCants was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Chief Warrant Officer Three Hershel D. McCants, Jr., died Feb. 18, 2007, in southeastern Afghanistan when his MH-47E Helicopter crashed while conducting operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was born on April 2, 1973, in Medford, Oregon.
McCants originally volunteered for Army service as a combat engineer in October of 1991. He attended basic and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. After an initial assignment as a combat engineer at Fort Bragg, N.C., McCants attended the Special Forces Engineer Course. Upon graduation he was assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.
McCants was accepted into and graduated from the U.S. Army Warrant Officer program in 2000 at Fort Rucker, Ala. In 2001, he attended the Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course and Initial Entry Rotary Wing training. After completing his UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter qualifications at Fort Rucker, Ala., McCants was assigned as a Tactical Operations Officer and an Aero Medical Evacuation pilot with the54th Medical Company, 62nd Medical Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.
He applied and successfully assessed to serve in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in 2005. He was assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 160th SOAR(A) at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served as a MH-47E Chinook Helicopter pilot. McCants’ schools include the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, CH-47 Aircraft Qualifications Course, Special Operations Training Course, SAPPER Leader Course, and Combat Life Savers Course.
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Humanitarian Service Medals, two Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Army Aviator Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Airborne Badge and Air Assault Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his wife, Shannon, son, Trevor (11), and daughter, Kylie (11 months). McCants’ mother, Goldie Murphy, and father, Hershel D. McCants, Sr., also survive him.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr. was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., 33, of Ariz.
Chief Warrant Officer McCants was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Chief Warrant Officer Three Hershel D. McCants, Jr., died Feb. 18, 2007, in southeastern Afghanistan when his MH-47E Helicopter crashed while conducting operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was born on April 2, 1973, in Medford, Oregon.
McCants originally volunteered for Army service as a combat engineer in October of 1991. He attended basic and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. After an initial assignment as a combat engineer at Fort Bragg, N.C., McCants attended the Special Forces Engineer Course. Upon graduation he was assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.
McCants was accepted into and graduated from the U.S. Army Warrant Officer program in 2000 at Fort Rucker, Ala. In 2001, he attended the Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course and Initial Entry Rotary Wing training. After completing his UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter qualifications at Fort Rucker, Ala., McCants was assigned as a Tactical Operations Officer and an Aero Medical Evacuation pilot with the54th Medical Company, 62nd Medical Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.
He applied and successfully assessed to serve in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in 2005. He was assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 160th SOAR(A) at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served as a MH-47E Chinook Helicopter pilot. McCants’ schools include the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, CH-47 Aircraft Qualifications Course, Special Operations Training Course, SAPPER Leader Course, and Combat Life Savers Course.
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Humanitarian Service Medals, two Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Army Aviator Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Airborne Badge and Air Assault Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his wife, Shannon, son, Trevor (11), and daughter, Kylie (11 months). McCants’ mother, Goldie Murphy, and father, Hershel D. McCants, Sr., also survive him.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr. was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas
Remember Our Heroes
Army Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas, 18, of Roseville, Calif
Pfc. Thomas was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas, 18, of Roseville, Calif., was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. According to The Sacramento Bee, Thomas was an outspoken liberal in school and a gung-ho recruit who joined the Army right out of school.
“I don’t want to just sit back and watch the casualty numbers climb on CNN. I need to do something to help out,” he wrote in a school paper.
According to the Bee, family members declined comment but erected a memorial outside their home that included U.S. flags, photos, a stuffed Winnie the Pooh toy and a banner reading “in loving memory of Kristofer.”
Kristofer D.S. Thomas was so eager for a career in the military that he graduated from high school a semester early to join the Army before his 18th birthday.
Pfc. Thomas' dedication paid off, and he was sent to Afghanistan as a member of the elite Army Rangers. But the 18-year-old's first tour of duty was cut short when he was killed in a helicopter crash in the southeastern part of the country, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.
Thomas, of Roseville, was one of eight soldiers who died Sunday in the CH-47 Chinook crash, the deadliest incident in Afghanistan this year. A total of 22 service members were on board at the time. The cause remained under investigation, but officials have said the helicopter was not shot down.
Thomas was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, based at Fort Benning, Ga.
Those who knew Thomas described him as an outgoing teenager who initially struggled at Roseville High School, but turned his grades around once he decided to join the Army.
"He became focused and decided, 'Hey, I'm going into the military,'" Principal Brad Basham said. "He went from a tough kid to a model student in the time he was here."
Neighbor John Young said his two young sons looked up to Thomas and would write to him while he was away at basic training.
"He was a real good influence on my boys and a great kid," Young said. "He really had a desire to serve his country."
Army Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas, 18, of Roseville, Calif
Pfc. Thomas was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas, 18, of Roseville, Calif., was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. According to The Sacramento Bee, Thomas was an outspoken liberal in school and a gung-ho recruit who joined the Army right out of school.
“I don’t want to just sit back and watch the casualty numbers climb on CNN. I need to do something to help out,” he wrote in a school paper.
According to the Bee, family members declined comment but erected a memorial outside their home that included U.S. flags, photos, a stuffed Winnie the Pooh toy and a banner reading “in loving memory of Kristofer.”
Kristofer D.S. Thomas was so eager for a career in the military that he graduated from high school a semester early to join the Army before his 18th birthday.
Pfc. Thomas' dedication paid off, and he was sent to Afghanistan as a member of the elite Army Rangers. But the 18-year-old's first tour of duty was cut short when he was killed in a helicopter crash in the southeastern part of the country, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.
Thomas, of Roseville, was one of eight soldiers who died Sunday in the CH-47 Chinook crash, the deadliest incident in Afghanistan this year. A total of 22 service members were on board at the time. The cause remained under investigation, but officials have said the helicopter was not shot down.
Thomas was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, based at Fort Benning, Ga.
Those who knew Thomas described him as an outgoing teenager who initially struggled at Roseville High School, but turned his grades around once he decided to join the Army.
"He became focused and decided, 'Hey, I'm going into the military,'" Principal Brad Basham said. "He went from a tough kid to a model student in the time he was here."
Neighbor John Young said his two young sons looked up to Thomas and would write to him while he was away at basic training.
"He was a real good influence on my boys and a great kid," Young said. "He really had a desire to serve his country."
Army Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs
Remember Our Heroes
Army Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, 20, of Edwardsville, Ill.
Pfc. Garbs was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman
EDWARDSVILLE - His family was not fond of the idea of Ryan Garbs of Edwardsville joining the Army and going to war, but he was the type of young man who, once he set his sights, would not back down.
"He was just into it. Once he got hold of something, he really focused on it," said his father, Doug Garbs, a lifelong resident of Edwardsville.
Ryan Garbs died Sunday, along with seven other service members, when the military helicopter he was riding in apparently developed engine trouble and crashed in Afghanistan. He was 20.
Aside from his intense interest in becoming an Army Ranger, Ryan Garbs was "quite a typical teenage kid," his father said.
"Ryan was very into sports and into the Army," said his uncle Scott Garbs, also of Edwardsville.
Ryan Garbs joined the Army in July 2005, just a few months after he graduated from Edwardsville High School. He participated in soccer and baseball, but family members said he did not like school and had no intention of attending college.
Then he became focused on being an Army Ranger, and he quit the traditional sports to concentrate on meeting that goal. He also developed an interest in paintball games, a form of simulated combat recreational activity.
Doug Garbs said that once they realized how determined their son was, he and the boy's mother, Jill Garbs, gave him the support he needed. The youngster set up his own workout equipment in the basement of the family's home and worked hard to meet the physical requirements of the elite Army combat specialist.
He also concentrated more on his grades for that same reason, even though academics was not his strong suit.
He underwent basic training and Ranger training at Fort Benning, Ga., and was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He made private first class by the time he died.
"It was what he wanted to do. It was the adventure of a lifetime," Doug Garbs said. "We told him to just be careful, and he said, 'I'll be fine, Dad.' And now this happened, and he didn't even get to fire his weapon."
Scott Garbs said the family has deep roots in Edwardsville. He and his four brothers were born and raised here.
He said family and friends have rallied around but that Ryan's sister, Melanie Neeley, mother and grandmother Geneva Garbs seem to be taking the loss particularly hard.
Doug Garbs said the family tentatively is planning a military funeral. A group of soldiers was scheduled to meet with them Tuesday to plan the ceremony.
Army Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, 20, of Edwardsville, Ill.
Pfc. Garbs was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman
EDWARDSVILLE - His family was not fond of the idea of Ryan Garbs of Edwardsville joining the Army and going to war, but he was the type of young man who, once he set his sights, would not back down.
"He was just into it. Once he got hold of something, he really focused on it," said his father, Doug Garbs, a lifelong resident of Edwardsville.
Ryan Garbs died Sunday, along with seven other service members, when the military helicopter he was riding in apparently developed engine trouble and crashed in Afghanistan. He was 20.
Aside from his intense interest in becoming an Army Ranger, Ryan Garbs was "quite a typical teenage kid," his father said.
"Ryan was very into sports and into the Army," said his uncle Scott Garbs, also of Edwardsville.
Ryan Garbs joined the Army in July 2005, just a few months after he graduated from Edwardsville High School. He participated in soccer and baseball, but family members said he did not like school and had no intention of attending college.
Then he became focused on being an Army Ranger, and he quit the traditional sports to concentrate on meeting that goal. He also developed an interest in paintball games, a form of simulated combat recreational activity.
Doug Garbs said that once they realized how determined their son was, he and the boy's mother, Jill Garbs, gave him the support he needed. The youngster set up his own workout equipment in the basement of the family's home and worked hard to meet the physical requirements of the elite Army combat specialist.
He also concentrated more on his grades for that same reason, even though academics was not his strong suit.
He underwent basic training and Ranger training at Fort Benning, Ga., and was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He made private first class by the time he died.
"It was what he wanted to do. It was the adventure of a lifetime," Doug Garbs said. "We told him to just be careful, and he said, 'I'll be fine, Dad.' And now this happened, and he didn't even get to fire his weapon."
Scott Garbs said the family has deep roots in Edwardsville. He and his four brothers were born and raised here.
He said family and friends have rallied around but that Ryan's sister, Melanie Neeley, mother and grandmother Geneva Garbs seem to be taking the loss particularly hard.
Doug Garbs said the family tentatively is planning a military funeral. A group of soldiers was scheduled to meet with them Tuesday to plan the ceremony.
Army Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Specialist Travis R. Vaughn
Remember Our Heroes
Army Specialist Travis R. Vaughn, 26, of Reinbeck, Iowa
Spc. Vaughn was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Iowa soldier dies in Afghanistan
By WILLIAM PETROSKI
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
U.S. Army Spc. Travis Vaughn of Cedar Falls was among eight American soldiers killed Sunday in a military helicopter crash in Afghanistan, family members and friends confirmed Monday.
He was the 52nd person with Iowa ties to have died in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2003.
“He was a real solid kid,” said the Rev. John Fuller, pastor of Prairie Lakes Church in Cedar Falls, who learned of Vaughn’s death Sunday morning. Fuller married Vaughn and his wife, Heather, in an Iowa ceremony two years ago. The couple had lived near the Fort Campbell, Ky., military base.
“He came into Heather’s life and he became Christian. Heather had a son and he really took on the father’s role. He was a good father and a good husband,’ Fuller said.
The U.S. Central Command said eight soldiers died and 14 others were injured early Sunday when a CH-47 helicopter had a “sudden, unexplained loss of power and control’ and crashed in eastern Afghanistan.
The Department of Defense did not immediately release all of the names of the dead soldiers, pending notification of relatives.
“The loss of these service members is felt by all of us here in Afghanistan, and we offer the deepest sympathy to the families of those who were killed,” said Lt. Col. David Accetta, a U.S. spokesman.
Col. Tom Collins, a NATO spokesman, said the crash was not caused by enemy fire, according to the Associated Press. The pilot radioed he was having engine problems before the aircraft hit the ground, he said.
Vaughn was the son of Christine Vaughn and Brad Vaughn, according to the Waterloo Courier. His in-laws, Rod and Elaine Reinertson of Waterloo, headed to the Fort Campbell area to be with their daughter after they learned of his death.
“They are still in the pretty numb stage,” Pastor Fuller said Monday. Funeral arrangements are pending, but will be held at Prairie Lakes, a Baptist-affiliated church, after the soldier’s body is returned to Iowa, he said.
Vaughn was a 1999 graduate of Cedar Falls High School, school officials said. His stepmother, Kandi Vaughn of Reinbeck, told the Associated Press that Travis had grown up in Cedar Falls and had joined the Army about three years ago. His stepson, Taylin, is 5 years old.
“It’s like a bad dream” she said. “You say a little prayer for the people you see, the pictures you see on TV and you say a little prayer for the family. Now it is us.”
Kandi Vaughn said that Travis had loved to tear his toys apart when he was a child, and he could do the same with the Army’s Chinook helicopter.
“He was really a good kid. He really changed his life around when he decided to go into the Army. He just gave it his all,” she said.
Army Specialist Travis R. Vaughn was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Specialist Travis R. Vaughn, 26, of Reinbeck, Iowa
Spc. Vaughn was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Iowa soldier dies in Afghanistan
By WILLIAM PETROSKI
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
U.S. Army Spc. Travis Vaughn of Cedar Falls was among eight American soldiers killed Sunday in a military helicopter crash in Afghanistan, family members and friends confirmed Monday.
He was the 52nd person with Iowa ties to have died in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2003.
“He was a real solid kid,” said the Rev. John Fuller, pastor of Prairie Lakes Church in Cedar Falls, who learned of Vaughn’s death Sunday morning. Fuller married Vaughn and his wife, Heather, in an Iowa ceremony two years ago. The couple had lived near the Fort Campbell, Ky., military base.
“He came into Heather’s life and he became Christian. Heather had a son and he really took on the father’s role. He was a good father and a good husband,’ Fuller said.
The U.S. Central Command said eight soldiers died and 14 others were injured early Sunday when a CH-47 helicopter had a “sudden, unexplained loss of power and control’ and crashed in eastern Afghanistan.
The Department of Defense did not immediately release all of the names of the dead soldiers, pending notification of relatives.
“The loss of these service members is felt by all of us here in Afghanistan, and we offer the deepest sympathy to the families of those who were killed,” said Lt. Col. David Accetta, a U.S. spokesman.
Col. Tom Collins, a NATO spokesman, said the crash was not caused by enemy fire, according to the Associated Press. The pilot radioed he was having engine problems before the aircraft hit the ground, he said.
Vaughn was the son of Christine Vaughn and Brad Vaughn, according to the Waterloo Courier. His in-laws, Rod and Elaine Reinertson of Waterloo, headed to the Fort Campbell area to be with their daughter after they learned of his death.
“They are still in the pretty numb stage,” Pastor Fuller said Monday. Funeral arrangements are pending, but will be held at Prairie Lakes, a Baptist-affiliated church, after the soldier’s body is returned to Iowa, he said.
Vaughn was a 1999 graduate of Cedar Falls High School, school officials said. His stepmother, Kandi Vaughn of Reinbeck, told the Associated Press that Travis had grown up in Cedar Falls and had joined the Army about three years ago. His stepson, Taylin, is 5 years old.
“It’s like a bad dream” she said. “You say a little prayer for the people you see, the pictures you see on TV and you say a little prayer for the family. Now it is us.”
Kandi Vaughn said that Travis had loved to tear his toys apart when he was a child, and he could do the same with the Army’s Chinook helicopter.
“He was really a good kid. He really changed his life around when he decided to go into the Army. He just gave it his all,” she said.
Army Specialist Travis R. Vaughn was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Specialist Brandon D. Gordon
Remember Our Heroes
Army Specialist Brandon D. Gordon, 21, of Naples, Fl.
Spc. Gordon was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18, 2007 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Army soldier from Naples killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash
Associated Press
A U.S. Army soldier from Naples died in the weekend crash of a military helicopter in Afghanistan, authorities said.
Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, 21, and seven other soldiers died Sunday when the Chinook helicopter they were in crashed after reporting an unexplained loss of power and engine failure in the Shahjoi district of Zabul province in southeastern Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.
Gordon, who attended Lely High School for his freshman and sophomore years, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky. He joined the Army in October 2003 as a Chinook helicopter repairer, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
The military said the Chinook was carrying 22 U.S. service members when it crashed about 50 yards from the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar.
Fourteen others were wounded in the crash when the helicopter reportedly had a sudden, unexplained loss of power and control before crashing, authorities said.
Gordon completed initial training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and advanced individual training at Fort Eustis, Va. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Camp Humphries, South Korea. He arrived at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in May 2005 and completed the regiment’s “Green Platoon” course, an initial selection and training requirement prior to an initial selection and training requirement prior to assignment.
He then went on to serve as a helicopter maintenance team member and crew member, the news release said.
His awards and decorations include the Air Medal for Valor, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action badge and Aviation Crewmember badge. He was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his father, Gene Gordon; mother, Terri Gordon; and brothers Bryan, Bradley and Cole, who live in Naples.
Army Specialist Brandon D. Gordon was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Specialist Brandon D. Gordon, 21, of Naples, Fl.
Spc. Gordon was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18, 2007 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Army soldier from Naples killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash
Associated Press
A U.S. Army soldier from Naples died in the weekend crash of a military helicopter in Afghanistan, authorities said.
Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, 21, and seven other soldiers died Sunday when the Chinook helicopter they were in crashed after reporting an unexplained loss of power and engine failure in the Shahjoi district of Zabul province in southeastern Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.
Gordon, who attended Lely High School for his freshman and sophomore years, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky. He joined the Army in October 2003 as a Chinook helicopter repairer, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
The military said the Chinook was carrying 22 U.S. service members when it crashed about 50 yards from the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar.
Fourteen others were wounded in the crash when the helicopter reportedly had a sudden, unexplained loss of power and control before crashing, authorities said.
Gordon completed initial training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and advanced individual training at Fort Eustis, Va. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Camp Humphries, South Korea. He arrived at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in May 2005 and completed the regiment’s “Green Platoon” course, an initial selection and training requirement prior to an initial selection and training requirement prior to assignment.
He then went on to serve as a helicopter maintenance team member and crew member, the news release said.
His awards and decorations include the Air Medal for Valor, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action badge and Aviation Crewmember badge. He was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his father, Gene Gordon; mother, Terri Gordon; and brothers Bryan, Bradley and Cole, who live in Naples.
Army Specialist Brandon D. Gordon was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan
Remember Our Heroes
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, 36, of New Jersey
Chief Warrant Officer Quinlan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
By Julie Scharper
Sun reporter
A Dulaney High School graduate and father of three was one of eight soldiers who died Sunday in Afghanistan when the helicopter he was piloting crashed because of mechanical failure, relatives said.
Army Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan, 36, who grew up in northern Baltimore County, radioed that he had lost power shortly before the helicopter went down, said his father, Robert J. Quinlan of Bradley Beach, N.J.
"He was fighting it all the way down, I'm sure," his father said.
Military officials have said that the crash, the deadliest incident in Afghanistan this year, did not appear to be caused by enemy fire. Fourteen soldiers survived the crash.
Warrant Officer Quinlan, who had served in both Iraq wars and Somalia, joined the military soon after he graduated from high school in 1988. After serving with the Marines for 10 years, he joined the Army to pilot helicopters.
He flew as part of the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed "The Night Stalkers" because they fly only in darkness, said his father, a retired Army major.
"He was a calculated-risk-taker," his father said. "He was very good at planning and organizing."
Brian Edwards, a boyhood friend who is a detective with the Baltimore County Police Department, said that Warrant Officer Quinlan had an unforgettable personality.
"He commanded the room whenever he came in," Detective Edwards said. "Whether it was his physical size or his sense of humor, he was larger than life."
Family members said that about a week before his death, Warrant Officer Quinlan wrote in an e-mail to his father and sister, Susan M. Ripke of Seymour, Conn., that a helicopter he was flying had been downed by mechanical problems in a remote area of Afghanistan.
He had been planning to return to his home in Clarksville, Tenn., next week to spend his 37th birthday with his wife and three daughters.
"He was really a family man," said his mother, Kathleen T. Quinlan. "When he was home, it was all about doing things for his girls."
Warrant Officer Quinlan, who grew up in the Phoenix area of Baltimore County, attended Immaculate Conception School in Towson through the eighth grade. He went to Calvert Hall College High School for a year before transferring to Dulaney.
A thrill-seeker as a boy, he rode his BMX bike over ramps that he built in the yard of his parents' home and through the woods at Loch Raven Reservoir. "Basically, we did everything short of breaking our necks," said Bill Quaid, a childhood friend who now lives in Chestertown.
Aircraft fascinated Warrant Officer Quinlan from an early age. He built an elaborate helicopter from Legos, his sister said. At Immaculate Conception, where his mother was a teacher, he often got in trouble for flying paper airplanes, Mr. Quaid recalled.
In high school, he wore his red hair in long curls and was not particularly interested in academics, family members said. "He was a wild man," his sister said. So his family was surprised when he announced that he wanted to join the Marines.
"He knew the Marines were tough," his father said. "He said, 'Hey, if I'm going to do it, I want to do it with the best."
In the Marines, Warrant Officer Quinlan worked on a variety of aircraft before becoming an Army pilot.
The CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter he was flying at the time of his death was the only helicopter with a cockpit large enough to accommodate Warrant Officer Quinlan, who was 6 feet 4 inches tall, his sister said.
In August, he was piloting a similar helicopter with 25 people aboard when enemy fire hit the fuel tank, family members said, adding that he managed to land the helicopter and only one soldier was injured in the rescue operation.
His parents last saw him at Christmas, when he brought his family to stay at their New Jersey home. Warrant Officer Quinlan, his wife of 14 years, Julie, and his daughters, Keely, 10, Maddy, 8, and Erin, 3, have lived in Clarksville, Tenn., for the past four years.
In his free time, he renovated his home and worked on classic cars. His father had planned to give him a 1957 red Chevrolet convertible to work on after he retired from the military.
A memorial service is planned for today at Fort Campbell, Ky., where Warrant Officer Quinlan's regiment was stationed. A date for his burial has not been set, but his parents said they expect that he will be buried next week at Arlington National Cemetery. They hope to hold a ceremony in New Jersey next month.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan, 36, of New Jersey
Chief Warrant Officer Quinlan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants Jr., Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
By Julie Scharper
Sun reporter
A Dulaney High School graduate and father of three was one of eight soldiers who died Sunday in Afghanistan when the helicopter he was piloting crashed because of mechanical failure, relatives said.
Army Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan, 36, who grew up in northern Baltimore County, radioed that he had lost power shortly before the helicopter went down, said his father, Robert J. Quinlan of Bradley Beach, N.J.
"He was fighting it all the way down, I'm sure," his father said.
Military officials have said that the crash, the deadliest incident in Afghanistan this year, did not appear to be caused by enemy fire. Fourteen soldiers survived the crash.
Warrant Officer Quinlan, who had served in both Iraq wars and Somalia, joined the military soon after he graduated from high school in 1988. After serving with the Marines for 10 years, he joined the Army to pilot helicopters.
He flew as part of the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed "The Night Stalkers" because they fly only in darkness, said his father, a retired Army major.
"He was a calculated-risk-taker," his father said. "He was very good at planning and organizing."
Brian Edwards, a boyhood friend who is a detective with the Baltimore County Police Department, said that Warrant Officer Quinlan had an unforgettable personality.
"He commanded the room whenever he came in," Detective Edwards said. "Whether it was his physical size or his sense of humor, he was larger than life."
Family members said that about a week before his death, Warrant Officer Quinlan wrote in an e-mail to his father and sister, Susan M. Ripke of Seymour, Conn., that a helicopter he was flying had been downed by mechanical problems in a remote area of Afghanistan.
He had been planning to return to his home in Clarksville, Tenn., next week to spend his 37th birthday with his wife and three daughters.
"He was really a family man," said his mother, Kathleen T. Quinlan. "When he was home, it was all about doing things for his girls."
Warrant Officer Quinlan, who grew up in the Phoenix area of Baltimore County, attended Immaculate Conception School in Towson through the eighth grade. He went to Calvert Hall College High School for a year before transferring to Dulaney.
A thrill-seeker as a boy, he rode his BMX bike over ramps that he built in the yard of his parents' home and through the woods at Loch Raven Reservoir. "Basically, we did everything short of breaking our necks," said Bill Quaid, a childhood friend who now lives in Chestertown.
Aircraft fascinated Warrant Officer Quinlan from an early age. He built an elaborate helicopter from Legos, his sister said. At Immaculate Conception, where his mother was a teacher, he often got in trouble for flying paper airplanes, Mr. Quaid recalled.
In high school, he wore his red hair in long curls and was not particularly interested in academics, family members said. "He was a wild man," his sister said. So his family was surprised when he announced that he wanted to join the Marines.
"He knew the Marines were tough," his father said. "He said, 'Hey, if I'm going to do it, I want to do it with the best."
In the Marines, Warrant Officer Quinlan worked on a variety of aircraft before becoming an Army pilot.
The CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter he was flying at the time of his death was the only helicopter with a cockpit large enough to accommodate Warrant Officer Quinlan, who was 6 feet 4 inches tall, his sister said.
In August, he was piloting a similar helicopter with 25 people aboard when enemy fire hit the fuel tank, family members said, adding that he managed to land the helicopter and only one soldier was injured in the rescue operation.
His parents last saw him at Christmas, when he brought his family to stay at their New Jersey home. Warrant Officer Quinlan, his wife of 14 years, Julie, and his daughters, Keely, 10, Maddy, 8, and Erin, 3, have lived in Clarksville, Tenn., for the past four years.
In his free time, he renovated his home and worked on classic cars. His father had planned to give him a 1957 red Chevrolet convertible to work on after he retired from the military.
A memorial service is planned for today at Fort Campbell, Ky., where Warrant Officer Quinlan's regiment was stationed. A date for his burial has not been set, but his parents said they expect that he will be buried next week at Arlington National Cemetery. They hope to hold a ceremony in New Jersey next month.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 John A. Quinlan was killed in action on 02/18/07.
Army Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan, 27, of Las Cruces, N.M.
Sgt. Apuan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire while on combat patrol.
County loses 6th man in Iraq
By Steve Ramirez Sun-News reporter
LAS CRUCES — A U.S. Army sergeant has become the fourth soldier from Las Cruces and sixth Doña Ana County resident to be killed in Iraq since 2003.
Sgt. Matthew Apuan, 27, died Sunday, said his father, Charles Apuan of Las Cruces. Apuan was a 1998 graduate of Mayfield High School who was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Official details of Apuan's death were not expected to be provided to his family, until sometime today. However, Charles Apuan believes his son was one of two soldiers killed when Sunni insurgents staged what The Associated Press described as a "bold" daylight assault against a U.S. combat post north of Baghdad.
"I read about it on the Internet," Charles Apuan said. "Insurgents blew up a car bomb at the front gate of the camp where he was staying and that was followed by rifle fire. We're waiting on more information, but when I read that I thought he had to have been one of those soldiers killed."
"A coordinated attack" is how a U.S. military statement described the raid on the outpost in Tarmiyah, about 30 miles north of Baghdad. It added that a suicide car bombing began the fight, but military authorities declined to give further details.
Apuan was stationed at Camp Falcon, or Forward Base Falcon, a short distance outside of Baghdad. He was a tank gunner assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
"It's a tragedy, simply a tragedy," said city Councilor Dolores Archuleta, who is actively involved in military and veterans issues in Las Cruces.
"He was finishing seven years of active duty," said Apuan of his son. "He was going to get out (of the Army) after this tour. He had seven months left before his enlistment was up and he was going to go back to New Mexico State University and finish his degree."
Apuan enlisted in the Army in August 2001, just weeks before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He completed basic training at Fort Knox, Ky., before going to Fort Hood.
"He was always interested in going into the military," said Apuan of his son. "His senior year at Mayfield he took the advanced placement test (in history). His big interests were the military and history."
As a freshman, Apuan was a member of the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Mayfield. As a senior, he was on the Trojans' track team.
Apuan also played soccer in the High Noon Soccer League.
Apuan attended NMSU for two years where he studied hotel-motel management.
He is survived by his father and stepmother, Charles and Martha Apuan of Las Cruces, his mother, Sandra Apuan, and a sister, Aimee Apuan, who also live in Las Cruces.
Army Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan was killed in action on 02/18/07
Army Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan, 27, of Las Cruces, N.M.
Sgt. Apuan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire while on combat patrol.
County loses 6th man in Iraq
By Steve Ramirez Sun-News reporter
LAS CRUCES — A U.S. Army sergeant has become the fourth soldier from Las Cruces and sixth Doña Ana County resident to be killed in Iraq since 2003.
Sgt. Matthew Apuan, 27, died Sunday, said his father, Charles Apuan of Las Cruces. Apuan was a 1998 graduate of Mayfield High School who was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Official details of Apuan's death were not expected to be provided to his family, until sometime today. However, Charles Apuan believes his son was one of two soldiers killed when Sunni insurgents staged what The Associated Press described as a "bold" daylight assault against a U.S. combat post north of Baghdad.
"I read about it on the Internet," Charles Apuan said. "Insurgents blew up a car bomb at the front gate of the camp where he was staying and that was followed by rifle fire. We're waiting on more information, but when I read that I thought he had to have been one of those soldiers killed."
"A coordinated attack" is how a U.S. military statement described the raid on the outpost in Tarmiyah, about 30 miles north of Baghdad. It added that a suicide car bombing began the fight, but military authorities declined to give further details.
Apuan was stationed at Camp Falcon, or Forward Base Falcon, a short distance outside of Baghdad. He was a tank gunner assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
"It's a tragedy, simply a tragedy," said city Councilor Dolores Archuleta, who is actively involved in military and veterans issues in Las Cruces.
"He was finishing seven years of active duty," said Apuan of his son. "He was going to get out (of the Army) after this tour. He had seven months left before his enlistment was up and he was going to go back to New Mexico State University and finish his degree."
Apuan enlisted in the Army in August 2001, just weeks before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He completed basic training at Fort Knox, Ky., before going to Fort Hood.
"He was always interested in going into the military," said Apuan of his son. "His senior year at Mayfield he took the advanced placement test (in history). His big interests were the military and history."
As a freshman, Apuan was a member of the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Mayfield. As a senior, he was on the Trojans' track team.
Apuan also played soccer in the High Noon Soccer League.
Apuan attended NMSU for two years where he studied hotel-motel management.
He is survived by his father and stepmother, Charles and Martha Apuan of Las Cruces, his mother, Sandra Apuan, and a sister, Aimee Apuan, who also live in Las Cruces.
Army Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan was killed in action on 02/18/07
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Army Sgt. John D. Rode
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. John D. Rode, 24, of Pineville, N.C.
Sgt. Rode was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 14, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Spc. Ronnie G. Madore Jr. and Sgt. Carl L. Seigart.
Courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel
22 February 2007
All John D. Rode wanted was to become a U.S. citizen and fight for his adopted country. He was able to accomplish only one in life.
The 24-year-old Army Sergeant died on Valentine's Day in Iraq when a roadside bomb obliterated his truck.
But the Canadian-born soldier, who had taken steps toward becoming a citizen, is expected to be laid to rest next week at Arlington National Cemetery -- as an American. Services are tentatively set for Wednesday.
Getting his citizenship was "one of the first things his parents asked the [Army] bereavement officer," said his aunt, Catherine Brooks. Found among his personal papers at his parents' home in Lake Mary was contact information for immigration officials.
Since the U.S. began military action following the terrorist attacks in 2001, 58 soldiers have received citizenship posthumously, according to the Department of Defense.
Applications are fast-tracked under defense and immigration policies. The aim is to have an official certificate granting citizenship ready at the funeral of the fallen soldier, said Leslie Lord, the Army's liaison officer to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
Rode, who moved to the U.S. in 1999, came from a military tradition. His father, Tom, served in the Canadian air force for 25 years.
"He bled Army green," said his uncle, Eddie Brooks. "He literally was born to be a soldier. There's no other thing in this world that he could have done better."
It was during his last leave around Christmas that Catherine Brooks teased Rode about completing his citizenship. Rode joked back that he had been a little busy.
Indeed, Rode was in his second tour of Iraq as part of the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas. His first deployment had been for 15 months in Baghdad.
His latest, which began in October, was in Baqouba, Iraq, as part of a rapid-response unit that rode to the rescue of troops in trouble. He drove a heavy-duty truck designed to drag or haul damaged military vehicles off the battlefield.
His truck was blown out from under him twice in the weeks before he was killed, Eddie Brooks said. Rode emerged unscathed after the first attack, though his truck was thrown 30 feet off the ground. Rode suffered a concussion and took shrapnel in his leg in a second attack Jan. 20.
After each attack, Rode welded armor plates onto his vehicle to provide himself and his men additional protection, his uncle said. But on Feb. 14, even the additional armor could not protect Rode and two other soldiers killed by a roadside bomb as they raced to the aid of their comrades.
Family described Rode as an easygoing guy who loved to play with his young nieces and nephews. Members of the close-knit family, who live in Mississippi and North Carolina as well as Central Florida, made sure to travel to Lake Mary when Rode was home on leave, Catherine Brooks said.
Since his death, his family has learned of the strong bonds Rode created in the little time he spent in Central Florida. He had become friends with the staff at Fast Break Billiards in Longwood and endeared himself to everyone.
"He was just a person you felt comfortable with," said Rick Davis, who handles security at the pool hall. "He was human when he came back [from Iraq], not edgy about the war."
Even with strangers, Rode showed unexpected compassion.
Just before Christmas, Rode accompanied his uncle to a class on Kumdo, Korean martial-arts fencing. He noticed one of the students had hurt his wrist and was struggling with warm-up exercises. Without being asked, Rode left and returned with a bandage and wrist brace.
Seung Hag Woo said the unexpected kindness exploded a negative stereotype he had held. He concedes that he was intimidated when he first spied Rode with his pale complexion, buff build and close-cropped hair.
"I thought he was a skinhead," Woo said.
But Rode's kindness at their lone meeting will have a long-term effect.
"It kind of broke a barrier in my mind," Woo said. "That's a pretty awesome experience."
In addition to his father; stepmother, Cheryl; and aunt and uncle, Rode is survived by three sisters, Peggy Rode-Storey of Pineville, N.C., and Kelly Rode and Julie Green, both of Canada.
Army Sgt. John D. Rode was killed in action on 2/14/07.
Army Sgt. John D. Rode, 24, of Pineville, N.C.
Sgt. Rode was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 14, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Spc. Ronnie G. Madore Jr. and Sgt. Carl L. Seigart.
Courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel
22 February 2007
All John D. Rode wanted was to become a U.S. citizen and fight for his adopted country. He was able to accomplish only one in life.
The 24-year-old Army Sergeant died on Valentine's Day in Iraq when a roadside bomb obliterated his truck.
But the Canadian-born soldier, who had taken steps toward becoming a citizen, is expected to be laid to rest next week at Arlington National Cemetery -- as an American. Services are tentatively set for Wednesday.
Getting his citizenship was "one of the first things his parents asked the [Army] bereavement officer," said his aunt, Catherine Brooks. Found among his personal papers at his parents' home in Lake Mary was contact information for immigration officials.
Since the U.S. began military action following the terrorist attacks in 2001, 58 soldiers have received citizenship posthumously, according to the Department of Defense.
Applications are fast-tracked under defense and immigration policies. The aim is to have an official certificate granting citizenship ready at the funeral of the fallen soldier, said Leslie Lord, the Army's liaison officer to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
Rode, who moved to the U.S. in 1999, came from a military tradition. His father, Tom, served in the Canadian air force for 25 years.
"He bled Army green," said his uncle, Eddie Brooks. "He literally was born to be a soldier. There's no other thing in this world that he could have done better."
It was during his last leave around Christmas that Catherine Brooks teased Rode about completing his citizenship. Rode joked back that he had been a little busy.
Indeed, Rode was in his second tour of Iraq as part of the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas. His first deployment had been for 15 months in Baghdad.
His latest, which began in October, was in Baqouba, Iraq, as part of a rapid-response unit that rode to the rescue of troops in trouble. He drove a heavy-duty truck designed to drag or haul damaged military vehicles off the battlefield.
His truck was blown out from under him twice in the weeks before he was killed, Eddie Brooks said. Rode emerged unscathed after the first attack, though his truck was thrown 30 feet off the ground. Rode suffered a concussion and took shrapnel in his leg in a second attack Jan. 20.
After each attack, Rode welded armor plates onto his vehicle to provide himself and his men additional protection, his uncle said. But on Feb. 14, even the additional armor could not protect Rode and two other soldiers killed by a roadside bomb as they raced to the aid of their comrades.
Family described Rode as an easygoing guy who loved to play with his young nieces and nephews. Members of the close-knit family, who live in Mississippi and North Carolina as well as Central Florida, made sure to travel to Lake Mary when Rode was home on leave, Catherine Brooks said.
Since his death, his family has learned of the strong bonds Rode created in the little time he spent in Central Florida. He had become friends with the staff at Fast Break Billiards in Longwood and endeared himself to everyone.
"He was just a person you felt comfortable with," said Rick Davis, who handles security at the pool hall. "He was human when he came back [from Iraq], not edgy about the war."
Even with strangers, Rode showed unexpected compassion.
Just before Christmas, Rode accompanied his uncle to a class on Kumdo, Korean martial-arts fencing. He noticed one of the students had hurt his wrist and was struggling with warm-up exercises. Without being asked, Rode left and returned with a bandage and wrist brace.
Seung Hag Woo said the unexpected kindness exploded a negative stereotype he had held. He concedes that he was intimidated when he first spied Rode with his pale complexion, buff build and close-cropped hair.
"I thought he was a skinhead," Woo said.
But Rode's kindness at their lone meeting will have a long-term effect.
"It kind of broke a barrier in my mind," Woo said. "That's a pretty awesome experience."
In addition to his father; stepmother, Cheryl; and aunt and uncle, Rode is survived by three sisters, Peggy Rode-Storey of Pineville, N.C., and Kelly Rode and Julie Green, both of Canada.
Army Sgt. John D. Rode was killed in action on 2/14/07.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, 28, of Swampscott, Mass.
Capt. Harris was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7, 2007 when the helicopter she was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
Town says good-bye to Marine Capt. Jennifer Harris
By George Derringer/swampscott@cnc.com
Capt. Jennifer Jean Harris, USMC, age 28 and a helicopter pilot, of Swampscott was “a woman of excellence,” said her roommate at the U.S. Naval Academy, Navy Lt. Rosie Goscinski.
“It took two sets of parents, loving grandparents and the entire town of Swampscott to raise a kid like you,” Harris’ cousin, Christina Ahearn took Harris in remarks directed to her during her funeral Monday at St. John the Evangelist Church. “You wear a different set of wings now.”
And Harris “has an internal light, burning bright, that was not going to settle for halfway measures,” said Marine Col Michael Hudson, her commanding officer during her second tour of Iraq in 2005 and one who mourns her death Feb. 7 when what are called “insurgents” fired on the helicopter Harris was piloting on a casualty rescue mission in Iraq.
For the second time in five months, Swampscott mourned again Monday as family, friends, classmates and ordinary citizens said good-bye to the young Marine woman, who was engaged to be married to another Marine, Maj. Christopher Aaby.
Ahearn addressed her remarks directly to Capt. Harris.
“You were always about others but today is about you,” Ahearn said during the Mass, recalling a day when Harris was unable to find her airline ticket but still “was able to fly a multi-million dollar aircraft.”
Harris “worked more than any one person could because halfway was never acceptable,” Ahearn said, reciting other relatives’ remembrances of the 1996 Swampscott High School graduate as “a motivator” and “leader.”
“Jenn, there are so many wonderful things I want to say about you,” Ahearn continued.“We (always) knew you were special. We miss you and it hurts. We love you, Jennifer.”
Goscinski remembered how her roommate during their common first year at Annapolis “always talked about her home in a little town called Swampscott” and said she adopted Harris as her “big sister,” in part because Harris knew how to be “a mother hen of sorts” without causing offense.
“Jenn genuinely cared about people,” Goscinski continued. “And she could do it all, with style and class.”
But Harris wanted to be a pilot and Goscinski remembers the day she learned that she had been accepted into aviation in the Marine Corps.
“The first thing she did was offer me all of her Navy dress uniforms because she wouldn’t need them and I wouldn’t have to spend the money to buy them,” Goscinski said. “She was the epitome of today’s leader… but never rested on the laurels of her past accomplishments.”
Most of all, Goscinski said, “She made me want to become great. As Jesus said there is no greater love than laying down one’s life for others, Capt. Harris gave her life for God, country and her fellow Americans.
Hudson, who was the executive officer for Harris’ first deployment to Iraq and commanding officer for her second, recalled that he was looking for the best people during that first tour and found one in Jenniefer Harris.
“I was looking for the strengths and weaknesses of the Purple Foxes,” Hudson said, referring to HMM-364, known as the “Purple Foxes,” a famous Marine squadron with a long history. Her unit specialized in evacuation of casualties and had to act quickly, Hudson said, to rescue American military personnel who were within an hour of dying.
Hudson said he saw Harris’ “light burning bright” and nominated her for training as a weapons and tactics instructor.
“She came back as an accomplished professional,” Hudson told the packed church sanctuary, then explained how she and her colleagues waited to make 100-year sprints to their Sea Knight helicopters and take off within five minutes. In fact, he said, Harris’ unit had saved a life the very day she was killed.
“She would fly in the dark, in bad weather, Jennifer Harris would fly,” Hudson said. “She would fly so others could live.”
The Most Rev. Francis Irwin, auxiliary bishop in the Boston Archdiocese for the North Region, spoke briefly on behalf of Archbishop Sean O’Malley, who had attended visiting hours Sunday evening at the funeral home.
He recalled the words of the prophet Micah: “What does the Lord require of you? Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
“And that is what we heard about Jennifer, over and over, from her fellow Marines, her classmates, her family and from many who knew and loved her,” the bishop said
The Rev. Clyde Chetwynde, pastor of St. John’s (Harris’ home parish), said the huge crowd attended because “in some way, Jennifer Harris had an effect on our lives.” Referring to the opening paragraphs of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chetwynde called the Beatitudes “the words by which Jesus asked you and you and you and me to live our lives every minute.”
He said the land is dotted by monuments in memory of those who tried to live by those words, “who gave to God and their nation, the very best of themselves.” And they include Jennifer Harris, he said, recalling her service in the My Brother’s Table soup kitchen, at Salem Hospital and at Swampscott High School organizations.
“This is a better town because of her presence here,” he said. “It takes time to accept our loss. But our letting go is accepting that Jennifer is going to the kingdom.”
The Rev. Dean Pedersen, pastor of First Church, Congregational, and also a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, also offered a prayer, mentioning relatives by name, the Marines, all who fly and all Purple Foxes.
Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, 28, of Swampscott, Mass.
Capt. Harris was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7, 2007 when the helicopter she was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
Town says good-bye to Marine Capt. Jennifer Harris
By George Derringer/swampscott@cnc.com
Capt. Jennifer Jean Harris, USMC, age 28 and a helicopter pilot, of Swampscott was “a woman of excellence,” said her roommate at the U.S. Naval Academy, Navy Lt. Rosie Goscinski.
“It took two sets of parents, loving grandparents and the entire town of Swampscott to raise a kid like you,” Harris’ cousin, Christina Ahearn took Harris in remarks directed to her during her funeral Monday at St. John the Evangelist Church. “You wear a different set of wings now.”
And Harris “has an internal light, burning bright, that was not going to settle for halfway measures,” said Marine Col Michael Hudson, her commanding officer during her second tour of Iraq in 2005 and one who mourns her death Feb. 7 when what are called “insurgents” fired on the helicopter Harris was piloting on a casualty rescue mission in Iraq.
For the second time in five months, Swampscott mourned again Monday as family, friends, classmates and ordinary citizens said good-bye to the young Marine woman, who was engaged to be married to another Marine, Maj. Christopher Aaby.
Ahearn addressed her remarks directly to Capt. Harris.
“You were always about others but today is about you,” Ahearn said during the Mass, recalling a day when Harris was unable to find her airline ticket but still “was able to fly a multi-million dollar aircraft.”
Harris “worked more than any one person could because halfway was never acceptable,” Ahearn said, reciting other relatives’ remembrances of the 1996 Swampscott High School graduate as “a motivator” and “leader.”
“Jenn, there are so many wonderful things I want to say about you,” Ahearn continued.“We (always) knew you were special. We miss you and it hurts. We love you, Jennifer.”
Goscinski remembered how her roommate during their common first year at Annapolis “always talked about her home in a little town called Swampscott” and said she adopted Harris as her “big sister,” in part because Harris knew how to be “a mother hen of sorts” without causing offense.
“Jenn genuinely cared about people,” Goscinski continued. “And she could do it all, with style and class.”
But Harris wanted to be a pilot and Goscinski remembers the day she learned that she had been accepted into aviation in the Marine Corps.
“The first thing she did was offer me all of her Navy dress uniforms because she wouldn’t need them and I wouldn’t have to spend the money to buy them,” Goscinski said. “She was the epitome of today’s leader… but never rested on the laurels of her past accomplishments.”
Most of all, Goscinski said, “She made me want to become great. As Jesus said there is no greater love than laying down one’s life for others, Capt. Harris gave her life for God, country and her fellow Americans.
Hudson, who was the executive officer for Harris’ first deployment to Iraq and commanding officer for her second, recalled that he was looking for the best people during that first tour and found one in Jenniefer Harris.
“I was looking for the strengths and weaknesses of the Purple Foxes,” Hudson said, referring to HMM-364, known as the “Purple Foxes,” a famous Marine squadron with a long history. Her unit specialized in evacuation of casualties and had to act quickly, Hudson said, to rescue American military personnel who were within an hour of dying.
Hudson said he saw Harris’ “light burning bright” and nominated her for training as a weapons and tactics instructor.
“She came back as an accomplished professional,” Hudson told the packed church sanctuary, then explained how she and her colleagues waited to make 100-year sprints to their Sea Knight helicopters and take off within five minutes. In fact, he said, Harris’ unit had saved a life the very day she was killed.
“She would fly in the dark, in bad weather, Jennifer Harris would fly,” Hudson said. “She would fly so others could live.”
The Most Rev. Francis Irwin, auxiliary bishop in the Boston Archdiocese for the North Region, spoke briefly on behalf of Archbishop Sean O’Malley, who had attended visiting hours Sunday evening at the funeral home.
He recalled the words of the prophet Micah: “What does the Lord require of you? Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
“And that is what we heard about Jennifer, over and over, from her fellow Marines, her classmates, her family and from many who knew and loved her,” the bishop said
The Rev. Clyde Chetwynde, pastor of St. John’s (Harris’ home parish), said the huge crowd attended because “in some way, Jennifer Harris had an effect on our lives.” Referring to the opening paragraphs of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chetwynde called the Beatitudes “the words by which Jesus asked you and you and you and me to live our lives every minute.”
He said the land is dotted by monuments in memory of those who tried to live by those words, “who gave to God and their nation, the very best of themselves.” And they include Jennifer Harris, he said, recalling her service in the My Brother’s Table soup kitchen, at Salem Hospital and at Swampscott High School organizations.
“This is a better town because of her presence here,” he said. “It takes time to accept our loss. But our letting go is accepting that Jennifer is going to the kingdom.”
The Rev. Dean Pedersen, pastor of First Church, Congregational, and also a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, also offered a prayer, mentioning relatives by name, the Marines, all who fly and all Purple Foxes.
Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, 27, of Richland, Wash.
Sgt. Pfister was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7, 2007 when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
At age 18 Travis Pfister joined the Marines from Richland Washington. He graduated boot camp June 19th, 1998 from MCRD San Diego and then went on to MCT (Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton). After completion of combat training Travis was off to Pensacola, Florida for Naval Aircrew Candidate School. After his 6 month training there he was assigned to SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, escape) school in Brunswick Maine. MCAS New River was his next duty station where he completed Aircrew and Mechanic training. On June 20th of 1999 Travis checked into HMM-364 flight line, unaware that his new life as a Purple Fox was about to change.
Arriving New River in August 1999 was a Marine named Jessica. Assigned to HMM-364 as the NALCOMIS analyst Jessica was kept busy tracking maintenance and total flight time of each helicopter. However, in December Jessica attended the annual Purple Fox Christmas party where she met Travis for the first time. The mechanic and the technical maintenance analyst found they had a great deal in common and married on Nov. 24th, 2001.
One year later Travis would find himself in Kuwait preparing for the invasion of Iraq. After returning stateside in 2003, Travis decided he had enough of the Marine Corps and found a mechanic job with Boeing working on CH-46's. Seemed that he was indirectly working once again with the Purple Foxes. But in 2005 he learned that his beloved squadron, the Purple Foxes were heading back to Iraq and suddenly civilian life did not seem enough. Travis wanted to go.
Jessica in the meanwhile had remained in the Marine Corps and was assigned as a recruiter. Knowing her husband wanted to re-enlist she decided to help. She put Travis' re-listment package together and sent it off to HQMC. It took them about a month to get it back to them, just 10 days before the squadron's second departure date!
Jessica told us that she catches a lot of flack for being responsible for sending her husband back to Iraq, but she was only doing what he wanted. "I am very proud of him. I have one more year left on recruiting duty, then hopefully next time I'll be out there with them "Doin' the DO."
His mother and stepfather, Lorrie and Loron Tallett, live in Kennewick; his father and stepmother, Richard and Jackie Pfister, live in Richland. Many in Pfister's family gathered Wednesday at his mother's house in Kennewick. They laughed and told stories of his childhood antics with his older brother, Josh Pfister, 29. They also talked about how he loved to fish, hunt and ski, and how he lived life to the fullest.
"On the surface, he was a very happy-go-lucky guy. But he was very aware of how people were feeling around him," said his uncle, Blaine Hulse of Pasco. "He was one of the guys that kept tabs on everybody, made sure they were motivated and happy. He carried himself with confidence and pride, and without (bravado)."
"Travis was a tough little nut," added his former Hanford High football coach, Greg Sevigny, in a phone interview. "He always had a smile on his face. And he was tenacious. He was a tough kid, but he always had a smile on his face."
As a boy, he was a regular customer at a local military surplus store, remembered his dad, Richard Pfister. "He loved all that stuff. I saw (when he was) 7 that he'd be in the service for life," said his stepmother, Jackie Pfister.
In an e-mail to his mom last week, Pfister wrote that he'd taken more than 20 people to the hospital for urgent medical care this month alone. "Things are going well, though just waiting to come home," he wrote. "I love you guys and will see you all soon."
He is remembered by the people who knew Travis best, remembering him for being the life of the party, a man dancing to music and just having fun. They also remember a man serious about being a sergeant in the United States Marines and living the Semper Fi motto every single day.
Sgt. Travis Pfister, who loved a good joke and worked for months on the perfect recipe for barbecued ribs, was due home from his third tour in Iraq next month.
Jessica is grateful for the support she has received and relates:
I just wanted to write to everyone and thank you all for your love and support that you have given to Trav and I during this difficult time. I'm trying really hard to keep up with all the e-mails but as you can imagine, it's very hard for me right now. I do appreciate everything though. My heart is broken and I lost the best husband that a girl could ever ask for, and America lost a great hero. Maybe even the best! To me he was the best, he was my everything. I have a lot of emotions running through me right now but I want you all to know that anger is not one of them. Travis was in Iraq because he believed in America, and he believed in the Corps! He saved so many of our service members lives so that they could go home to their loved ones. He was very proud of what he did and I am very proud of him! Trav is very lucky in the sense that anyone of us could die in a car accident tomorrow, but he got to die as a Hero defending his country and doing what he loved to do! As much heartbreak and sorrow that I have in me right now, I feel a little bit safer tonight knowing that my new guardian angel is a true hero, and I promise to keep Trav's memory alive! I know that not all of you can make it to Hemet for his memorial service, but for those of you who can, I would be honored if you would join me in honoring the love of my life and a true hero Sgt. Travis D. Pfister! May his memory live on forever!
Jessica
(http://www.hmm-364.org/iraq-crash3.html)
Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, 27, of Richland, Wash.
Sgt. Pfister was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7, 2007 when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
At age 18 Travis Pfister joined the Marines from Richland Washington. He graduated boot camp June 19th, 1998 from MCRD San Diego and then went on to MCT (Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton). After completion of combat training Travis was off to Pensacola, Florida for Naval Aircrew Candidate School. After his 6 month training there he was assigned to SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, escape) school in Brunswick Maine. MCAS New River was his next duty station where he completed Aircrew and Mechanic training. On June 20th of 1999 Travis checked into HMM-364 flight line, unaware that his new life as a Purple Fox was about to change.
Arriving New River in August 1999 was a Marine named Jessica. Assigned to HMM-364 as the NALCOMIS analyst Jessica was kept busy tracking maintenance and total flight time of each helicopter. However, in December Jessica attended the annual Purple Fox Christmas party where she met Travis for the first time. The mechanic and the technical maintenance analyst found they had a great deal in common and married on Nov. 24th, 2001.
One year later Travis would find himself in Kuwait preparing for the invasion of Iraq. After returning stateside in 2003, Travis decided he had enough of the Marine Corps and found a mechanic job with Boeing working on CH-46's. Seemed that he was indirectly working once again with the Purple Foxes. But in 2005 he learned that his beloved squadron, the Purple Foxes were heading back to Iraq and suddenly civilian life did not seem enough. Travis wanted to go.
Jessica in the meanwhile had remained in the Marine Corps and was assigned as a recruiter. Knowing her husband wanted to re-enlist she decided to help. She put Travis' re-listment package together and sent it off to HQMC. It took them about a month to get it back to them, just 10 days before the squadron's second departure date!
Jessica told us that she catches a lot of flack for being responsible for sending her husband back to Iraq, but she was only doing what he wanted. "I am very proud of him. I have one more year left on recruiting duty, then hopefully next time I'll be out there with them "Doin' the DO."
His mother and stepfather, Lorrie and Loron Tallett, live in Kennewick; his father and stepmother, Richard and Jackie Pfister, live in Richland. Many in Pfister's family gathered Wednesday at his mother's house in Kennewick. They laughed and told stories of his childhood antics with his older brother, Josh Pfister, 29. They also talked about how he loved to fish, hunt and ski, and how he lived life to the fullest.
"On the surface, he was a very happy-go-lucky guy. But he was very aware of how people were feeling around him," said his uncle, Blaine Hulse of Pasco. "He was one of the guys that kept tabs on everybody, made sure they were motivated and happy. He carried himself with confidence and pride, and without (bravado)."
"Travis was a tough little nut," added his former Hanford High football coach, Greg Sevigny, in a phone interview. "He always had a smile on his face. And he was tenacious. He was a tough kid, but he always had a smile on his face."
As a boy, he was a regular customer at a local military surplus store, remembered his dad, Richard Pfister. "He loved all that stuff. I saw (when he was) 7 that he'd be in the service for life," said his stepmother, Jackie Pfister.
In an e-mail to his mom last week, Pfister wrote that he'd taken more than 20 people to the hospital for urgent medical care this month alone. "Things are going well, though just waiting to come home," he wrote. "I love you guys and will see you all soon."
He is remembered by the people who knew Travis best, remembering him for being the life of the party, a man dancing to music and just having fun. They also remember a man serious about being a sergeant in the United States Marines and living the Semper Fi motto every single day.
Sgt. Travis Pfister, who loved a good joke and worked for months on the perfect recipe for barbecued ribs, was due home from his third tour in Iraq next month.
Jessica is grateful for the support she has received and relates:
I just wanted to write to everyone and thank you all for your love and support that you have given to Trav and I during this difficult time. I'm trying really hard to keep up with all the e-mails but as you can imagine, it's very hard for me right now. I do appreciate everything though. My heart is broken and I lost the best husband that a girl could ever ask for, and America lost a great hero. Maybe even the best! To me he was the best, he was my everything. I have a lot of emotions running through me right now but I want you all to know that anger is not one of them. Travis was in Iraq because he believed in America, and he believed in the Corps! He saved so many of our service members lives so that they could go home to their loved ones. He was very proud of what he did and I am very proud of him! Trav is very lucky in the sense that anyone of us could die in a car accident tomorrow, but he got to die as a Hero defending his country and doing what he loved to do! As much heartbreak and sorrow that I have in me right now, I feel a little bit safer tonight knowing that my new guardian angel is a true hero, and I promise to keep Trav's memory alive! I know that not all of you can make it to Hemet for his memorial service, but for those of you who can, I would be honored if you would join me in honoring the love of my life and a true hero Sgt. Travis D. Pfister! May his memory live on forever!
Jessica
(http://www.hmm-364.org/iraq-crash3.html)
Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker
Remember Our Heroes
Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, 25, of Big Bear City, Calif.
1st Lt. Landaker was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7, 2007, when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Travis D. Pfister, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
San Bernardino Sun -- BIG BEAR CITY - Every day during his tour of duty in Iraq, 1st Lt. Jared Landaker flew casualty evacuation missions in dangerous combat zones in al-Anbar Province.
After months of performing the grueling work, he stopped looking back at the wounded young men and women being loaded onto his helicopter. It was too upsetting, said his mother, Laura Landaker.
Still, when he called his family from Iraq, the 25-year-old Marine Corps pilot who loved to fly sounded upbeat.
Landaker's calls home ended this week when he and six crew members and passengers died Wednesday in a helicopter crash outside Baghdad.
"We heard early that morning a CH-46 had gone down and it was worrying when we didn't get an e-mail from him afterward," his mother said. "About 4:15 p.m., three Marines knocked on the door.
"You know when you see them what they are there for."
The CH-46 helicopter Landaker was piloting had picked up a wounded Marine in Karbala, Iraq, and was taking him to a hospital when a support helicopter crew saw fire in the back.
The helicopter spun around twice and crashed on its left side. Everyone inside burned to death, the pilot's mother said.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Landaker had been in Iraq since August with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, nicknamed the "Purple Foxes," said his mother.
He was slated to come home on leave next week because he was chosen to take a specialized weapons and tactical training class in Yuma, Ariz.
He would have returned to Iraq in February 2008.
Landaker was raised in Big Bear City by his father, a retired California Highway Patrol officer, and his mother, who builds "spec" houses.
He liked flying in private planes, playing baseball and football and hitting the local ski slopes.
"He hated fishing, but loved skiing and snowboarding, and as a kid was always walking around with a mitt on his hand," said his mother.
He played varsity baseball and excelled in football at Big Bear High School. He was an all- CIF defensive back in 1998.
"He was a standout football player and a standout person," said Dave Griffith, the high school's head football coach. "All the kids around here looked up to him as a role model."
Joe Bradley, physics teacher and baseball coach at Big Bear High, said he had never coached a kid with more heart or courage.
The two remained close after he graduated, and Bradley saw him grow into a young man with great integrity.
"He would tell jokes and laugh, but he always stood up for what he believed in," he said.
After high school graduation, Landaker went on to study physics at the University of La Verne.
He was studying at the college when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks took place. He decided he wanted to fly jets in the Marine Corps, said his mother.
"He always aspired to fly, and after 9/11 he felt like he needed to do his part," she said. "His decision kind of blew us away. We thought he'd end up a fireman or coach."
He enlisted in the Marines after graduating from the university in 2003 and was sent to boot camp for officers in Quantico, Va.
Landaker was subsequently chosen for the flight program and went to Pensacola, Fla., to do flight training in T-34s, fixed-wing trainers.
He graduated at the top of his class and decided to fly helicopters.
After his deployment to Iraq in August, his mother did her part for the troops, organizing groups to visit wounded veterans at the Wounded Warrior Center at Camp Pendleton and the Naval Hospital in Balboa.
Now she is waiting for her son's body to come home and planning his funeral. A date has not yet been set for the memorial service.
Her grief is shared by the Big Bear Lake community.
"If there was a good reason to walk through fire, and you asked Jared to do it, he would," said Bradley. "He was a patriot who truly believed it was his job to save American lives."
Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, 25, of Big Bear City, Calif.
1st Lt. Landaker was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7, 2007, when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Travis D. Pfister, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
San Bernardino Sun -- BIG BEAR CITY - Every day during his tour of duty in Iraq, 1st Lt. Jared Landaker flew casualty evacuation missions in dangerous combat zones in al-Anbar Province.
After months of performing the grueling work, he stopped looking back at the wounded young men and women being loaded onto his helicopter. It was too upsetting, said his mother, Laura Landaker.
Still, when he called his family from Iraq, the 25-year-old Marine Corps pilot who loved to fly sounded upbeat.
Landaker's calls home ended this week when he and six crew members and passengers died Wednesday in a helicopter crash outside Baghdad.
"We heard early that morning a CH-46 had gone down and it was worrying when we didn't get an e-mail from him afterward," his mother said. "About 4:15 p.m., three Marines knocked on the door.
"You know when you see them what they are there for."
The CH-46 helicopter Landaker was piloting had picked up a wounded Marine in Karbala, Iraq, and was taking him to a hospital when a support helicopter crew saw fire in the back.
The helicopter spun around twice and crashed on its left side. Everyone inside burned to death, the pilot's mother said.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Landaker had been in Iraq since August with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, nicknamed the "Purple Foxes," said his mother.
He was slated to come home on leave next week because he was chosen to take a specialized weapons and tactical training class in Yuma, Ariz.
He would have returned to Iraq in February 2008.
Landaker was raised in Big Bear City by his father, a retired California Highway Patrol officer, and his mother, who builds "spec" houses.
He liked flying in private planes, playing baseball and football and hitting the local ski slopes.
"He hated fishing, but loved skiing and snowboarding, and as a kid was always walking around with a mitt on his hand," said his mother.
He played varsity baseball and excelled in football at Big Bear High School. He was an all- CIF defensive back in 1998.
"He was a standout football player and a standout person," said Dave Griffith, the high school's head football coach. "All the kids around here looked up to him as a role model."
Joe Bradley, physics teacher and baseball coach at Big Bear High, said he had never coached a kid with more heart or courage.
The two remained close after he graduated, and Bradley saw him grow into a young man with great integrity.
"He would tell jokes and laugh, but he always stood up for what he believed in," he said.
After high school graduation, Landaker went on to study physics at the University of La Verne.
He was studying at the college when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks took place. He decided he wanted to fly jets in the Marine Corps, said his mother.
"He always aspired to fly, and after 9/11 he felt like he needed to do his part," she said. "His decision kind of blew us away. We thought he'd end up a fireman or coach."
He enlisted in the Marines after graduating from the university in 2003 and was sent to boot camp for officers in Quantico, Va.
Landaker was subsequently chosen for the flight program and went to Pensacola, Fla., to do flight training in T-34s, fixed-wing trainers.
He graduated at the top of his class and decided to fly helicopters.
After his deployment to Iraq in August, his mother did her part for the troops, organizing groups to visit wounded veterans at the Wounded Warrior Center at Camp Pendleton and the Naval Hospital in Balboa.
Now she is waiting for her son's body to come home and planning his funeral. A date has not yet been set for the memorial service.
Her grief is shared by the Big Bear Lake community.
"If there was a good reason to walk through fire, and you asked Jared to do it, he would," said Bradley. "He was a patriot who truly believed it was his job to save American lives."
Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, 30, of Toms River, N.J.
Cpl. Saba was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Feb. 7, 2007, when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz
"Their everyday hero"
Family mourns son killed in Iraq
BY ANGELA SANTORIELLO
STAFF WRITER
TOMS RIVER — His family asked him not to go back.
But U.S. Marine Cpl. Thomas Saba was "semper fi" through and through. After already serving five years, he re-enlisted in the Marines when he got word his unit was being deployed to Iraq.
Less than two weeks after he arrived, Saba's life ended at age 30, when his Boeing Sea Knight helicopter crashed near Fallujah in Iraq's Anbar province on Wednesday, 20 miles outside of Baghdad. Saba spent most of his tour assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, the "Flying Tigers," in Okinawa, Japan.
The January deployment to Iraq was that squadron's first combat deployment since the Vietnam War, and the Saba family said Vietnam War veterans have contacted them to tell them Thomas' death was similar to that of one of their own pilots.
"They said 40 years and 10 days before Thomas's death, the same situation happened, when one of their men re-enlisted over to 'Nam and was in a medevac and was shot down," said Saba's sister, Laura. "They said it was a very eerie coincidence."
Calling Saba "their everyday hero," the family gathered close together yesterday morning at the home of his parents, Barbara and Anthony Saba. Toms River Mayor Paul C. Brush was also there to offer his condolences.
The last time Saba spoke to his parents was the Saturday before his death. He had called them in Florida, where they were vacationing, to ensure they were safe after hearing of the recent tornadoes there.
Laura Saba said she is blessed to have been the last one to spend time with Thomas before he left for Iraq after the Christmas holiday.
"I took him to the airport, and we had a lot of time to talk, and I asked him why he was extending his tour," she said. "He said those were the guys that trained together and were a solid team, and as the crew chief, he said without him the men could go down."
His flight was delayed a day and a half, she said, giving them extra time together at her Highlands home.
"At one time, when his flight was being rerouted, the woman behind the (airline) counter said, "This is not a good sign,' and maybe he should pack up his bags and flee to Canada," she said. "Thomas pointed to a flag and said, "Ma'am, these colors do not run.' "
"He shouldn't have been on the helicopter," said Saba's father, Anthony. "He was bored because they had not assigned his squadron yet, and he wanted to learn medevac (procedures) so he volunteered to fly."
Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, chief operations officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, said Friday that Saba's crash was caused by mechanical failure, but an investigation is still under way.
Though Thomas Saba was the youngest of siblings — sisters Laura Saba and Mary Ellen Ditczkus and brother Anthony Saba — the family said fellow Marines called Saba "the old man," because of the wisdom and leadership with which he guided them.
"He was the baby in the family, but he was a big brother to them," Ditczkus said. She added that Saba had been accepted into both the New York and Los Angeles police departments, but instead choose to enter the service directly after Sept. 11, 2001.
Aside from being a sibling and son, Saba was the godfather to his nephew Brandon, 16; niece Alessandra, 2; and a close family friend.
"He said it was killing him not being able to watch Alessandra grow up," Anthony Saba said.
As Barbara Saba bounced Alessandra on her knee yesterday, Ditczkus said her brother "always wanted to be a father."
"And when he got out of the Marines, he was going to be an elementary school teacher because he wanted to be a male role model," she said. "Not only are my kids going to be deprived of him, so will other children."
After listening to the family reminisce about their son and brother, Brush recalled Marine Pfc. Vincent Frassetto, who was 21 years old when he was killed in September in Iraq, not far from where Saba's plane crashed.
"Vincent was very much like your son. He died for his country and would do it all over again," Brush said. "It sounds like Vincent Frassetto and Thomas would have gotten along well."
The family said this Christmas with Thomas was a present they will always cherish.
"Tommy was the most excited out of everyone," Barbara Saba said. "He had to light up the Minnie and Mickey lights."
Anthony Saba said though his son had healthy, heated political debates among his family when he was home, he would not stand for bashing of President Bush.
"That is my commander in chief," he would say. "Do not say anything against him."
Laura Saba said her brother went back to Iraq because of freedom.
"He would say, "At least we have the ability to talk against the war,' " she said, adding that her brother reminded his family that Americans tend to take their freedom for granted. "He would say, "The problems over there could be here.' "
But as serious as Thomas was, his family said he was also a jokester.
They showed a picture of Thomas, who tricked one of his fellow Marines by standing with a lampshade over his head, posing as a floor lamp. They also told a story of how he had his friend Jeffery, who is 6 feet tall, paged in a Target store.
"He had them say over the loudspeaker, "Will little Jeffery please report to the front desk if you are lost?' " Ditczkus said, smiling. "That was the kind of thing Tommy did."
The Sabas said that since Thomas' death, they found out he had a MySpace page. With a New York Yankees backdrop and a picture of him standing in Yankee Stadium, the page lists 41 of Saba's friends, who just now are finding out about his death, since his sisters made separate postings.
"My God, Tom, I was just talking to you not too long ago. I knew how excited you were to go! You are in our thought(s) and prayers," one of Saba's friends wrote.
Another friend wrote: "Shocking and sad news to hear. Good guy with a generous heart. You'll always be in my memories. Thank you for what you've sacrificed for us all, with love always, your friend."
Laura Saba said her brother would not want anyone to be sad over his death.
"He died for a cause and something he believed in," Ditczkus added.
Thomas Saba's body was flown to the United States yesterday. The family will hold a wake Thursday at Casey Funeral Home in Staten Island, N.Y. Saba will be buried Friday at Moravian Cemetery in Staten Island.
Brush will attend the funeral and offered the family police escorts to Staten Island.
A scholarship fund is being set up for students at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, which Saba attended. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, money donations be made to the Cpl. Thomas E. Saba Scholarship Fund, c/o Casey Funeral Home, 350 Slosson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314.
Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, 30, of Toms River, N.J.
Cpl. Saba was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Feb. 7, 2007, when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Sgt. James R. Tijerina, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz
"Their everyday hero"
Family mourns son killed in Iraq
BY ANGELA SANTORIELLO
STAFF WRITER
TOMS RIVER — His family asked him not to go back.
But U.S. Marine Cpl. Thomas Saba was "semper fi" through and through. After already serving five years, he re-enlisted in the Marines when he got word his unit was being deployed to Iraq.
Less than two weeks after he arrived, Saba's life ended at age 30, when his Boeing Sea Knight helicopter crashed near Fallujah in Iraq's Anbar province on Wednesday, 20 miles outside of Baghdad. Saba spent most of his tour assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, the "Flying Tigers," in Okinawa, Japan.
The January deployment to Iraq was that squadron's first combat deployment since the Vietnam War, and the Saba family said Vietnam War veterans have contacted them to tell them Thomas' death was similar to that of one of their own pilots.
"They said 40 years and 10 days before Thomas's death, the same situation happened, when one of their men re-enlisted over to 'Nam and was in a medevac and was shot down," said Saba's sister, Laura. "They said it was a very eerie coincidence."
Calling Saba "their everyday hero," the family gathered close together yesterday morning at the home of his parents, Barbara and Anthony Saba. Toms River Mayor Paul C. Brush was also there to offer his condolences.
The last time Saba spoke to his parents was the Saturday before his death. He had called them in Florida, where they were vacationing, to ensure they were safe after hearing of the recent tornadoes there.
Laura Saba said she is blessed to have been the last one to spend time with Thomas before he left for Iraq after the Christmas holiday.
"I took him to the airport, and we had a lot of time to talk, and I asked him why he was extending his tour," she said. "He said those were the guys that trained together and were a solid team, and as the crew chief, he said without him the men could go down."
His flight was delayed a day and a half, she said, giving them extra time together at her Highlands home.
"At one time, when his flight was being rerouted, the woman behind the (airline) counter said, "This is not a good sign,' and maybe he should pack up his bags and flee to Canada," she said. "Thomas pointed to a flag and said, "Ma'am, these colors do not run.' "
"He shouldn't have been on the helicopter," said Saba's father, Anthony. "He was bored because they had not assigned his squadron yet, and he wanted to learn medevac (procedures) so he volunteered to fly."
Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, chief operations officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, said Friday that Saba's crash was caused by mechanical failure, but an investigation is still under way.
Though Thomas Saba was the youngest of siblings — sisters Laura Saba and Mary Ellen Ditczkus and brother Anthony Saba — the family said fellow Marines called Saba "the old man," because of the wisdom and leadership with which he guided them.
"He was the baby in the family, but he was a big brother to them," Ditczkus said. She added that Saba had been accepted into both the New York and Los Angeles police departments, but instead choose to enter the service directly after Sept. 11, 2001.
Aside from being a sibling and son, Saba was the godfather to his nephew Brandon, 16; niece Alessandra, 2; and a close family friend.
"He said it was killing him not being able to watch Alessandra grow up," Anthony Saba said.
As Barbara Saba bounced Alessandra on her knee yesterday, Ditczkus said her brother "always wanted to be a father."
"And when he got out of the Marines, he was going to be an elementary school teacher because he wanted to be a male role model," she said. "Not only are my kids going to be deprived of him, so will other children."
After listening to the family reminisce about their son and brother, Brush recalled Marine Pfc. Vincent Frassetto, who was 21 years old when he was killed in September in Iraq, not far from where Saba's plane crashed.
"Vincent was very much like your son. He died for his country and would do it all over again," Brush said. "It sounds like Vincent Frassetto and Thomas would have gotten along well."
The family said this Christmas with Thomas was a present they will always cherish.
"Tommy was the most excited out of everyone," Barbara Saba said. "He had to light up the Minnie and Mickey lights."
Anthony Saba said though his son had healthy, heated political debates among his family when he was home, he would not stand for bashing of President Bush.
"That is my commander in chief," he would say. "Do not say anything against him."
Laura Saba said her brother went back to Iraq because of freedom.
"He would say, "At least we have the ability to talk against the war,' " she said, adding that her brother reminded his family that Americans tend to take their freedom for granted. "He would say, "The problems over there could be here.' "
But as serious as Thomas was, his family said he was also a jokester.
They showed a picture of Thomas, who tricked one of his fellow Marines by standing with a lampshade over his head, posing as a floor lamp. They also told a story of how he had his friend Jeffery, who is 6 feet tall, paged in a Target store.
"He had them say over the loudspeaker, "Will little Jeffery please report to the front desk if you are lost?' " Ditczkus said, smiling. "That was the kind of thing Tommy did."
The Sabas said that since Thomas' death, they found out he had a MySpace page. With a New York Yankees backdrop and a picture of him standing in Yankee Stadium, the page lists 41 of Saba's friends, who just now are finding out about his death, since his sisters made separate postings.
"My God, Tom, I was just talking to you not too long ago. I knew how excited you were to go! You are in our thought(s) and prayers," one of Saba's friends wrote.
Another friend wrote: "Shocking and sad news to hear. Good guy with a generous heart. You'll always be in my memories. Thank you for what you've sacrificed for us all, with love always, your friend."
Laura Saba said her brother would not want anyone to be sad over his death.
"He died for a cause and something he believed in," Ditczkus added.
Thomas Saba's body was flown to the United States yesterday. The family will hold a wake Thursday at Casey Funeral Home in Staten Island, N.Y. Saba will be buried Friday at Moravian Cemetery in Staten Island.
Brush will attend the funeral and offered the family police escorts to Staten Island.
A scholarship fund is being set up for students at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, which Saba attended. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, money donations be made to the Cpl. Thomas E. Saba Scholarship Fund, c/o Casey Funeral Home, 350 Slosson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314.
Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba was killed in action on 02/07/07.
Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina, 26, of Beasley, Texas
Sgt. Tijerina was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7 when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
Katy Marine Dies In Copter Crash Weeks Before Return From Iraq
Feb. 11, 2007 By ANITA HASSAN, Houston Chronicle
A Marine from Katy died in a helicopter crash in Iraq on Wednesday.
Sgt. James Rodney Tijerina, 26, crew chief on a medical evacuation helicopter, died when his CH-46 Sea Knight caught fire, spun out of control and crashed. The fire was caused by a mechanical failure, military officials told his father, Peter Tijerina, when they came to his home to deliver the news of his son's death on Wednesday.
"I saw two Marines drive up and park," he said. "And I knew they were coming to see me. I knew they were looking for me."
Peter Tijerina said he told the two staff sergeants he wanted few details of the crash that killed his son and six others aboard the helicopter.
"I don't want to know how he died or how he suffered," he said.
James Tijerina was scheduled to return home to his station at Camp Pendleton in San Diego on March 20.
"He had no fear at all," said Peter Tijerina as he described his last conversation with his son in mid-January. "But he was tired and homesick."
James Tijerina decided to join the Marines in 2002 before the war in Iraq began.
"He told me, 'That's what I want to do, Dad,' " Peter Tijerina said. "'I want to go and fight.'"
His father said Tijerina was very proud to be a Marine. As a crew chief, he helped pick up wounded troops and take them to safety.
"He was always expressing that he felt good about doing something good for all those people," he said.
This was James Tijerina's second tour in Iraq, his father said. The first time he was sent to Baghdad was only a year after he joined.
"He wanted to make a career out of it," Peter Tijerina said, adding that his son had enlisted for another five years.
Not only had James Tijerina found a career in the Marines, but it also enabled him to meet the woman who would become his wife, Clowie. His father said the two met after James was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
"When he met her, he called to tell me he found his soul mate," Peter Tijerina said.
The couple married last summer shortly before Tijerina left for Iraq. Peter Tijerina said they had planned to have a bigger ceremony in June after his son came home from his tour.
"He had plans," he said. "Man, he had plans like crazy."
Graduating from Katy High School in 1997, Tijerina was part of the football team that won a state championship his senior year.
Last Christmas Eve, he ran in a 5-K race at Camp Taqaddum with 250 other troops where he won first place with a time of 18 minutes and 46 seconds.
"He was an athlete, but he also had a big heart," Peter Tijerina said.
His father described James Tijerina as a softspoken and caring man who loved the outdoors. His real passion, however, was for animals.
"It was a real nightmare in the house when the snakes got loose," he said, chuckling.
He remembered Tijerina finding wounded animals on the street and trying to nurse them back to health. "He had such a soft spot for animals," Peter Tijerina said. "Even the mean dogs he could handle because they could sense it."
Peter Tijerina said that he and his son were very close.
In addition to his father and wife, James Tijerina is survived by his mother, Lilia Carr, his sister, Lynn Ann and brother, Peter Tijerina II.
Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina was killed in action 02/07/07
Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina, 26, of Beasley, Texas
Sgt. Tijerina was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Feb. 7 when the helicopter he was flying in crashed while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr. and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz.
Katy Marine Dies In Copter Crash Weeks Before Return From Iraq
Feb. 11, 2007 By ANITA HASSAN, Houston Chronicle
A Marine from Katy died in a helicopter crash in Iraq on Wednesday.
Sgt. James Rodney Tijerina, 26, crew chief on a medical evacuation helicopter, died when his CH-46 Sea Knight caught fire, spun out of control and crashed. The fire was caused by a mechanical failure, military officials told his father, Peter Tijerina, when they came to his home to deliver the news of his son's death on Wednesday.
"I saw two Marines drive up and park," he said. "And I knew they were coming to see me. I knew they were looking for me."
Peter Tijerina said he told the two staff sergeants he wanted few details of the crash that killed his son and six others aboard the helicopter.
"I don't want to know how he died or how he suffered," he said.
James Tijerina was scheduled to return home to his station at Camp Pendleton in San Diego on March 20.
"He had no fear at all," said Peter Tijerina as he described his last conversation with his son in mid-January. "But he was tired and homesick."
James Tijerina decided to join the Marines in 2002 before the war in Iraq began.
"He told me, 'That's what I want to do, Dad,' " Peter Tijerina said. "'I want to go and fight.'"
His father said Tijerina was very proud to be a Marine. As a crew chief, he helped pick up wounded troops and take them to safety.
"He was always expressing that he felt good about doing something good for all those people," he said.
This was James Tijerina's second tour in Iraq, his father said. The first time he was sent to Baghdad was only a year after he joined.
"He wanted to make a career out of it," Peter Tijerina said, adding that his son had enlisted for another five years.
Not only had James Tijerina found a career in the Marines, but it also enabled him to meet the woman who would become his wife, Clowie. His father said the two met after James was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
"When he met her, he called to tell me he found his soul mate," Peter Tijerina said.
The couple married last summer shortly before Tijerina left for Iraq. Peter Tijerina said they had planned to have a bigger ceremony in June after his son came home from his tour.
"He had plans," he said. "Man, he had plans like crazy."
Graduating from Katy High School in 1997, Tijerina was part of the football team that won a state championship his senior year.
Last Christmas Eve, he ran in a 5-K race at Camp Taqaddum with 250 other troops where he won first place with a time of 18 minutes and 46 seconds.
"He was an athlete, but he also had a big heart," Peter Tijerina said.
His father described James Tijerina as a softspoken and caring man who loved the outdoors. His real passion, however, was for animals.
"It was a real nightmare in the house when the snakes got loose," he said, chuckling.
He remembered Tijerina finding wounded animals on the street and trying to nurse them back to health. "He had such a soft spot for animals," Peter Tijerina said. "Even the mean dogs he could handle because they could sense it."
Peter Tijerina said that he and his son were very close.
In addition to his father and wife, James Tijerina is survived by his mother, Lilia Carr, his sister, Lynn Ann and brother, Peter Tijerina II.
Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina was killed in action 02/07/07
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier, 24, of Spotsylvania, Va.
Sgt. Frazier was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 6 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Local Marine killed in Iraq
Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier
Local Marine is killed by sniper
BY BRIAN BAER
Joshua J. Frazier was scheduled to return from Iraq in April, but decided to re-up for a third tour.
The newly promoted sergeant didn't want to leave the young Marines he was now leading on their own. By staying, he told friends and family, he believed he could keep his men safe.
The Spotsylvania County Marine was killed by a sniper in Iraq late Monday, his family said yesterday. He was 24.
Frazier had been serving in the Ar Ramadi area of Iraq as part of the Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
His mother, Shelia Cutshall, last spoke with him Sunday night, when he called home with news of his promotion.
"He was upbeat," she said. "I told him I missed him, and he said he missed me, too."
Frazier, who left for his second deployment to Iraq last September, also told her about his plan to extend his stay, and the reasons for that.
To those who knew him best, it was typical Josh.
It was the same guy who would stay with a friend all night after a buddy lost a relative.
It was the same young man who would visit a casual acquaintance in the hospital for hours.
It was the same person who would spend what little free time he had on leave taking family and friends' kids to Lake Anna and birthday parties.
And, above all, they said, it was the same son and brother who would drop anything for his family.
Yesterday afternoon, his mom's house was filled with tangible reminders of the Spotsylvania High graduate.
At one end of the living room, a family friend held onto "Teddy," the stuffed bear Cutshall received as a gift when she was six months pregnant with her second son.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Frazier still slept with the bear when he was home.
On one couch was a blanket with a dragon on it that he had sent his mom for her 50th birthday. A dragon is a sign of strength in Korea, where he once deployed, he told her.
On another sofa rested a small quilt with the Marine insignia and the large words, "Welcome Home Josh." It was prepared for his last return home from Iraq.
The blanket was signed by many of the same friends and family who were gathered at the home yesterday.
Memories flowed.
Frazier collected guns and loved all things Spider-Man. He had a huge handshake, but a warm, sheepish smile.
He was a partier, they recalled with a laugh, but that never kept him from church come Sunday morning.
Michelle Luehrs had known him since grade school.
"He was so full of life and energy and so passionate about so many things. And he cared so much about people," she said. Frazier was the godfather to her 7-year-old son, Xavier.
She remembered what he said when she tried to talk him out of extending his term with the Marines.
"He said, 'Michelle, there's a lot of really bad people over here and I can't go home while they're still here.' He didn't want Xavier to have to go over when he was 18. He felt like it was on his shoulders."
Aaron Mallin, 29, Frazier's older brother, said Josh was proud of the difference he was making in Iraq. He once told Mallin, for instance, that his unit was serving in what has been described as the most dangerous intersection in the world.
Since Frazier and his fellow Marines moved in, he told Mallin, people could once again cross the street without being killed.
"And he was very proud of that," Mallin said.
Dad Rick Frazier said his son's strong will was what made him unique.
"That helped him get through life. He worked very hard at being an individual. But I think the most important thing I can say about my son was that he loved his family and we'll sorely miss that part of him," he said.
"He believed in the United States and believed what he was doing was right. He gave his life for what he thought was the right thing to do."
Death of a celebrity, and a hero
By Jeff Mullin, Commentary - Enid News & Eagle - Enid, OK
Joshua Frazier died Tuesday. His death went relatively unnoticed, particularly when compared to the media frenzy that followed the untimely demise of Anna Nicole Smith.
That is understandable, of course, since Smith was, if nothing else, famous.
She might have been famous simply for being famous, but her name had become a household word.
Smith’s fame seems a testament to the cult of celebrity that grips this country. We love celebrities, or, at least, we love to scrutinize every aspect of their lives.
We hang on every juicy detail of their love lives, from the first blush of romance to the wreckage left strewn in the wake of their breakup.
We want to know where they live, how they live, with whom they live and what substances in which they indulge to help them get through their lives.
We love them when they succeed, we envy them when they are at their sleek, beautiful, sexy, talented best. But we take guilty satisfaction in their downfall, as well. We can’t look away when they gain weight, get arrested for drunk driving, shame themselves by spouting racial epithets or slide into the morass of addiction.
In return celebrities crave our attention. Without the public, they would have no career. But after a time, all try, largely without success, to hold the public at arm’s length, to submit to the relentless scrutiny of adoring fandom only on their own terms.
It never works. In the world of celebrity, there is no having your cake and eating it too.
Joshua Frazier was no celebrity. He was a 24-year-old kid from Spotsylvania, Va., located just off I-95 south of Washington.
He was, by all accounts, a good kid. When a friend had a death in the family, Josh would sit up with them all night, if need be. If someone he knew, even casually, was in the hospital, Frazier would spend hours visiting them. When he was home, Josh Frazier even slept with a teddy bear, one given to his mother when she was pregnant with him.
No one ever saw fit to base a reality series on his life. If they had, they would have focused on a young man who would party on Saturday night, but was always up for church on Sunday morning.
Josh Frazier collected guns and was a huge fan of Spider Man.
Television news programs did not devote long minutes to coverage of Josh Frazier’s death, as they did with Anna Nicole Smith. Magazines will not feature the demise of Josh Frazier on their covers, as they will Anna Nicole. Smith, after all, helps sell magazines.
Why do such people fascinate us? Is it because we wish we could be them, or because we are so glad we’re not?
Anna Nicole Smith was an exotic dancer, turned Playboy playmate, turned blushing bride to an 89-year-old billionaire, turned widow embroiled in a legal fight over her late husband’s estate, turned model, turned grieving mother and now martyr on the altar of society’s obsession with celebrity.
She shared much with her idol, Marilyn Monroe — her blonde hair, her figure, her pouty beauty. But Marilyn had something Anna Nicole lacked, talent. In the end they share an untimely death surrounded by mystery and innuendo.
There is no mystery surrounding the death of Josh Frazier. After graduating from Spotsylvania High School, he enlisted in the Marines, because he wanted to make a difference.
He was on his second deployment to Iraq, and served with Company A, First Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment in the Ar Ramadi region of Iraq.
Frazier described the area to friends as the most dangerous intersection in the world. Aaron Mallin, Josh’s older brother, told the Fredricksburg (Va.) Free Lance-Star Josh was proud of the difference he and his fellow Marines were making in Iraq. Frazier said once his unit moved into the area, local people could again cross the street without being killed.
“And he was very proud of that,” Mallin told the paper.
Michelle Luehrs, a friend of Frazier’s since grade school, had tried to talk him out of extending his most recent tour in Iraq, a decision he made only recently.
“He said, ‘Michelle, there’s a lot of really bad people over here and I can’t go home while they’re still here,’” Luehrs told the Free Lance-Star.
Frazier talked to his mother, Sheila Cutshall, a week ago. He told her of his recent promotion, and his plans to re-up for a third tour in Iraq.
Tuesday a sniper’s bullet ended the life of Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier. His death made news in his hometown, but elsewhere he was merely a statistic.
We have a skewed sense of what is important, when the death of a celebrity dominates the airwaves and is considered front page news, and the death of a fighting man or woman is treated almost as an afterthought.
Anna Nicole Smith was a troubled celebrity whose life ended too soon. Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier was a hero.
I pray we never lose sight of the difference.
Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier was killed in action on 02/06/07.
Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier, 24, of Spotsylvania, Va.
Sgt. Frazier was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 6 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Local Marine killed in Iraq
Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier
Local Marine is killed by sniper
BY BRIAN BAER
Joshua J. Frazier was scheduled to return from Iraq in April, but decided to re-up for a third tour.
The newly promoted sergeant didn't want to leave the young Marines he was now leading on their own. By staying, he told friends and family, he believed he could keep his men safe.
The Spotsylvania County Marine was killed by a sniper in Iraq late Monday, his family said yesterday. He was 24.
Frazier had been serving in the Ar Ramadi area of Iraq as part of the Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
His mother, Shelia Cutshall, last spoke with him Sunday night, when he called home with news of his promotion.
"He was upbeat," she said. "I told him I missed him, and he said he missed me, too."
Frazier, who left for his second deployment to Iraq last September, also told her about his plan to extend his stay, and the reasons for that.
To those who knew him best, it was typical Josh.
It was the same guy who would stay with a friend all night after a buddy lost a relative.
It was the same young man who would visit a casual acquaintance in the hospital for hours.
It was the same person who would spend what little free time he had on leave taking family and friends' kids to Lake Anna and birthday parties.
And, above all, they said, it was the same son and brother who would drop anything for his family.
Yesterday afternoon, his mom's house was filled with tangible reminders of the Spotsylvania High graduate.
At one end of the living room, a family friend held onto "Teddy," the stuffed bear Cutshall received as a gift when she was six months pregnant with her second son.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Frazier still slept with the bear when he was home.
On one couch was a blanket with a dragon on it that he had sent his mom for her 50th birthday. A dragon is a sign of strength in Korea, where he once deployed, he told her.
On another sofa rested a small quilt with the Marine insignia and the large words, "Welcome Home Josh." It was prepared for his last return home from Iraq.
The blanket was signed by many of the same friends and family who were gathered at the home yesterday.
Memories flowed.
Frazier collected guns and loved all things Spider-Man. He had a huge handshake, but a warm, sheepish smile.
He was a partier, they recalled with a laugh, but that never kept him from church come Sunday morning.
Michelle Luehrs had known him since grade school.
"He was so full of life and energy and so passionate about so many things. And he cared so much about people," she said. Frazier was the godfather to her 7-year-old son, Xavier.
She remembered what he said when she tried to talk him out of extending his term with the Marines.
"He said, 'Michelle, there's a lot of really bad people over here and I can't go home while they're still here.' He didn't want Xavier to have to go over when he was 18. He felt like it was on his shoulders."
Aaron Mallin, 29, Frazier's older brother, said Josh was proud of the difference he was making in Iraq. He once told Mallin, for instance, that his unit was serving in what has been described as the most dangerous intersection in the world.
Since Frazier and his fellow Marines moved in, he told Mallin, people could once again cross the street without being killed.
"And he was very proud of that," Mallin said.
Dad Rick Frazier said his son's strong will was what made him unique.
"That helped him get through life. He worked very hard at being an individual. But I think the most important thing I can say about my son was that he loved his family and we'll sorely miss that part of him," he said.
"He believed in the United States and believed what he was doing was right. He gave his life for what he thought was the right thing to do."
Death of a celebrity, and a hero
By Jeff Mullin, Commentary - Enid News & Eagle - Enid, OK
Joshua Frazier died Tuesday. His death went relatively unnoticed, particularly when compared to the media frenzy that followed the untimely demise of Anna Nicole Smith.
That is understandable, of course, since Smith was, if nothing else, famous.
She might have been famous simply for being famous, but her name had become a household word.
Smith’s fame seems a testament to the cult of celebrity that grips this country. We love celebrities, or, at least, we love to scrutinize every aspect of their lives.
We hang on every juicy detail of their love lives, from the first blush of romance to the wreckage left strewn in the wake of their breakup.
We want to know where they live, how they live, with whom they live and what substances in which they indulge to help them get through their lives.
We love them when they succeed, we envy them when they are at their sleek, beautiful, sexy, talented best. But we take guilty satisfaction in their downfall, as well. We can’t look away when they gain weight, get arrested for drunk driving, shame themselves by spouting racial epithets or slide into the morass of addiction.
In return celebrities crave our attention. Without the public, they would have no career. But after a time, all try, largely without success, to hold the public at arm’s length, to submit to the relentless scrutiny of adoring fandom only on their own terms.
It never works. In the world of celebrity, there is no having your cake and eating it too.
Joshua Frazier was no celebrity. He was a 24-year-old kid from Spotsylvania, Va., located just off I-95 south of Washington.
He was, by all accounts, a good kid. When a friend had a death in the family, Josh would sit up with them all night, if need be. If someone he knew, even casually, was in the hospital, Frazier would spend hours visiting them. When he was home, Josh Frazier even slept with a teddy bear, one given to his mother when she was pregnant with him.
No one ever saw fit to base a reality series on his life. If they had, they would have focused on a young man who would party on Saturday night, but was always up for church on Sunday morning.
Josh Frazier collected guns and was a huge fan of Spider Man.
Television news programs did not devote long minutes to coverage of Josh Frazier’s death, as they did with Anna Nicole Smith. Magazines will not feature the demise of Josh Frazier on their covers, as they will Anna Nicole. Smith, after all, helps sell magazines.
Why do such people fascinate us? Is it because we wish we could be them, or because we are so glad we’re not?
Anna Nicole Smith was an exotic dancer, turned Playboy playmate, turned blushing bride to an 89-year-old billionaire, turned widow embroiled in a legal fight over her late husband’s estate, turned model, turned grieving mother and now martyr on the altar of society’s obsession with celebrity.
She shared much with her idol, Marilyn Monroe — her blonde hair, her figure, her pouty beauty. But Marilyn had something Anna Nicole lacked, talent. In the end they share an untimely death surrounded by mystery and innuendo.
There is no mystery surrounding the death of Josh Frazier. After graduating from Spotsylvania High School, he enlisted in the Marines, because he wanted to make a difference.
He was on his second deployment to Iraq, and served with Company A, First Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment in the Ar Ramadi region of Iraq.
Frazier described the area to friends as the most dangerous intersection in the world. Aaron Mallin, Josh’s older brother, told the Fredricksburg (Va.) Free Lance-Star Josh was proud of the difference he and his fellow Marines were making in Iraq. Frazier said once his unit moved into the area, local people could again cross the street without being killed.
“And he was very proud of that,” Mallin told the paper.
Michelle Luehrs, a friend of Frazier’s since grade school, had tried to talk him out of extending his most recent tour in Iraq, a decision he made only recently.
“He said, ‘Michelle, there’s a lot of really bad people over here and I can’t go home while they’re still here,’” Luehrs told the Free Lance-Star.
Frazier talked to his mother, Sheila Cutshall, a week ago. He told her of his recent promotion, and his plans to re-up for a third tour in Iraq.
Tuesday a sniper’s bullet ended the life of Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier. His death made news in his hometown, but elsewhere he was merely a statistic.
We have a skewed sense of what is important, when the death of a celebrity dominates the airwaves and is considered front page news, and the death of a fighting man or woman is treated almost as an afterthought.
Anna Nicole Smith was a troubled celebrity whose life ended too soon. Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier was a hero.
I pray we never lose sight of the difference.
Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier was killed in action on 02/06/07.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)