Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Stephen R. Maddies, 41, of Elizabethton, Tenn.
Sgt. Maddies was assigned to the 473rd Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar Platoon, Tennessee Army National Guard, Columbia, Tenn.; died July 31, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire
BRISTOL - "We will always remember you, brother," were the final words displayed on a slideshow montage of Staff Sgt. Stephen R. Maddies' valued service to his country.
Maddies, 41, from Elizabethton, who was killed in Iraq on July 31 from small arms enemy fire, was remembered Sunday night at the Tennessee National Guard Armory in Bristol by friends, family and members of the 278th Armored Calvary Regiment F-Troop, which he deployed to Iraq with in 2004-05.
Maddies was only days away from ending his second tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom when he died. He was serving with the 473rd Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar Platoon from Columbia.
He was laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery in Sun City, Calif., Wednesday morning.
“Stephen was just one of those kinds of guys that comes along once in a great while,” said 1st Sgt. Marty Baker, who spoke at the ceremony. “Just a great, great guy. Stephen brought us happiness when times were just bad.”
The crowd in a bay at the armory numbered several hundred, full of respectful veterans, friends and others who wanted to pay their respects to Maddies.
All eyes were on the video screen as picture after picture of Maddies was shown, some of him in full battle dress and in the desert, others of him gently holding one of his children.
A mixed track of adrenaline-pumping rock and slow, mellow country accompanied the slideshow.
Veterans present Sunday, regardless of whether they knew Maddies personally, had a bond of brotherhood with him, Baker said.
“A lot of people don’t understand what we go through. Those veterans sitting among us ... you guys know the bond. You know the bond that grows right here,” Baker said gesturing toward his heart and choking back tears.
The 278th Deputy Regimental Commander Col. Frank McCauley gave an address, saying Maddies was everything that a good man was supposed to represent.
“I know he was a dependable CCO who made things happen,” McCauley said. “He never asked his men to do anything he wouldn’t do himself.”
Staff Sgt. John Spears read a poem that Maddies’ sister from Michigan wrote, which said some things she never got to say in life.
“So many gifts you left behind remain now and forever more,” Spears read. “Your spirit lives in each of us.”
After the remarks, the final roll call was given.
Silence fell after Maddies’ name was called and no reply was given.
A 21-gun salute was ordered in his honor and taps solemnly played, echoing throughout the bay.
McCauley explained to the crowd exactly why Maddies’ service and sacrifice would be remembered.
“In war zones, danger and death are a part of our lives,” McCauley said. “We place ourselves in harm’s way willingly, so others don’t have to. Sgt. Maddies paid the ultimate price for his country and for that he will always be remembered as a hero.”
Army Sgt. Stephen R. Maddies was killed in action on 7/31/07.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Army 1st Lt. Benjamin J. Hall
Remember Our Heroes
Army 1st Lt. Benjamin J. Hall, 24, of Virginia
Lt. Hall was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 31, 2007 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan.
BY JENN ROWELL
When 1st Lt. Benjamin Hall graduated from Ranger school, he looked at himself in uniform in the mirror and said to his dad, "This was 13 years in the making."
His father, John Hall, a retired Army colonel and Fredericksburg resident, had told his son that Rangers were the Army elite, and he heeded his father's words.
Benjamin Hall, 24, died from combat wounds Tuesday in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan.
He was the platoon leader of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which is based in Vicenza, Italy.
Hall had been in Afghanistan only 70 days. As he was on his way there in May, he sent text messages to his mother, Sarah.
"Wheels up."
"Landed."
While he was in Afghanistan, Hall e-mailed four times and his dad saved all of them. He also called home a few times.
"But he never let on how bad it was," his father said. The soldier told his parents everything was peaceful, "when in fact they were in combat almost every day," John Hall said.
The second of four children, Hall ran cross country at Hylton High School in Woodbridge and majored in political science at Michigan Technological University. He was top of his cadet class in ROTC and was commissioned in 2005. Last fall, he was promoted to first lieutenant.
"Everything he knew was the military," John Hall said. "His mother told him to be anything other than a soldier he said he wanted to serve his country."
The military is in the Halls' blood. John Hall is a retired Army colonel. Both of Hall's grandfathers served in World War II; his great-grandfather in World War I; and his great-great-grandfather was a Union soldier in the Civil War.
Hall was a family man, his father said. His 10-year-old brother, Joe, was one of his best buddies.
"He never once worried about not being cool," John Hall said. "He was always picking [Joe] up, kissing him. He was his."
Hall had been stationed in Italy since April 2006. When he and his buddies had time off, they explored Italy and other nearby countries. Last year, he ran with the bulls in Spain.
Hall never lived in Fredericksburg, but he spent six weeks here with his parents before training at Fort Benning, Ga., and came to town on leave.
Last year, he painted the house of the woman who lived across the street. John Hall said his son had many friends here.
"He was just a beautiful young man I'm so proud of him. We all are," John Hall said. "We're going to miss him."
Army 1st Lt. Benjamin J. Hall was killed in action on 7/31/07.
Army 1st Lt. Benjamin J. Hall, 24, of Virginia
Lt. Hall was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 31, 2007 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan.
BY JENN ROWELL
When 1st Lt. Benjamin Hall graduated from Ranger school, he looked at himself in uniform in the mirror and said to his dad, "This was 13 years in the making."
His father, John Hall, a retired Army colonel and Fredericksburg resident, had told his son that Rangers were the Army elite, and he heeded his father's words.
Benjamin Hall, 24, died from combat wounds Tuesday in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan.
He was the platoon leader of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which is based in Vicenza, Italy.
Hall had been in Afghanistan only 70 days. As he was on his way there in May, he sent text messages to his mother, Sarah.
"Wheels up."
"Landed."
While he was in Afghanistan, Hall e-mailed four times and his dad saved all of them. He also called home a few times.
"But he never let on how bad it was," his father said. The soldier told his parents everything was peaceful, "when in fact they were in combat almost every day," John Hall said.
The second of four children, Hall ran cross country at Hylton High School in Woodbridge and majored in political science at Michigan Technological University. He was top of his cadet class in ROTC and was commissioned in 2005. Last fall, he was promoted to first lieutenant.
"Everything he knew was the military," John Hall said. "His mother told him to be anything other than a soldier he said he wanted to serve his country."
The military is in the Halls' blood. John Hall is a retired Army colonel. Both of Hall's grandfathers served in World War II; his great-grandfather in World War I; and his great-great-grandfather was a Union soldier in the Civil War.
Hall was a family man, his father said. His 10-year-old brother, Joe, was one of his best buddies.
"He never once worried about not being cool," John Hall said. "He was always picking [Joe] up, kissing him. He was his."
Hall had been stationed in Italy since April 2006. When he and his buddies had time off, they explored Italy and other nearby countries. Last year, he ran with the bulls in Spain.
Hall never lived in Fredericksburg, but he spent six weeks here with his parents before training at Fort Benning, Ga., and came to town on leave.
Last year, he painted the house of the woman who lived across the street. John Hall said his son had many friends here.
"He was just a beautiful young man I'm so proud of him. We all are," John Hall said. "We're going to miss him."
Army 1st Lt. Benjamin J. Hall was killed in action on 7/31/07.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Marine Cpl. Sean A. Stokes
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Cpl. Sean A. Stokes, 24, of Auburn, Calif.
Cpl. Stokes was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 30, 2007 of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Marine Corps News
Young legend killed in Al Anbar province
Aug. 11, 2007; Submitted on: 08/10/2007 06:04:38 PM ; Story ID#: 200781018438
By Sgt. Andy Hurt, 13th MEU
Cpl. Sean A. Stokes, killed July 30 in Al Anbar province, is a legend. Not because his body now lay still, rather because he lived a life of selfless devotion and valor that those who hear his story will never forget.
NEAR KARMAH, Iraq (Aug. 11, 2007) -- Corporal Sean A. Stokes, killed July 30 in Al Anbar province, is a legend. Not because his body now lay still, rather because he lived a life of selfless devotion and valor that those who hear his story will never forget.
The warriors who know of Sean Stokes – the young private who took point in Fallujah, or the compassionate selfless Marine who put nothing before the safety of his brothers – will tell his story for ages to come. Those who have not yet heard of Sean Stokes needn’t look far. True accounts of his actions in Fallujah saturate the internet, and Stokes’ name peppers mainstream non-fiction war stories. His name is synonymous with heroism and passion, and the more we can tell his story, the more we honor his life and the hundreds of warriors like him who have gone before us and continue to fill our ranks.
Life and Death of a Warrior
Sean Stokes enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He joined 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines Regiment in 2004 after running into trouble with his previous command. As punishment, he was busted down to the rank of private, and transferred to 3/1 – the next unit scheduled to deploy. A twist of fate perhaps, as Sean would make history in the coming months. Under normal circumstances, he would have been discharged.
“Sean wasn’t upset about it at all. He considered it an opportunity to prove himself and make new friends,” said 1st Lt. Jeffrey Sommers, Stokes’ platoon commander at the time.
Sommers’ description of Sean echoes that of Auburn, Calif., citizens who knew him. A high school guidance counselor described Sean as a young man who wanted to “develop into a real strong, ethical, moral human being."
During Operation Phantom Fury, the reserved Marine would prove himself a Spartan in the streets. Sommers said he witnessed Stokes commit maniacal acts of bravery, to the point where the platoon commander questioned his sanity.
“I would see Marines do things and think to myself ‘Hey, glad everything turned out the way it did, but what the hell was going through your head?’”
One example comes from Nov. 10, when Stokes, who served as the front-walking “point man”, and his team were ambushed by enemy forces with grenades and automatic weapons fire. Stokes sustained shrapnel wounds in his lower legs and refused to be evacuated while he provided suppressive fire, allowing an adjacent unit to destroy the enemy.
Stokes walked point each day of the battle. He was the first Marine down every street, in every house and every room – hundreds of rooms. He was the first Marine to be attacked by the enemy and the first to report the situation to his squad leader. Bullets, grenades, rockets and roadside bombs were around every corner.
When asked to describe Stokes’ motives for taking the lead into so much danger, Sommers explained: “You don’t do it because of courage, and you don’t do it because you want to. Stokes probably did it because he knew there was more to the battle than the few seconds involved in opening a door.”
He continued: “That kind of compassion … I won’t really ever understand. Human factors in those situations take a grip of you long before honor, courage and commitment.”
Bing West, author of No True Glory, met Stokes during the battle of Fallujah and fondly recalled Stokes as “A grunt with (Lima Company) 3/1 with a great smile.
“He was then living on the third deck of a shot-out factory that I was sure would collapse around us,” said West. “Sean just laughed when I told him I was going to sleep outdoors. He had seen three weeks of non-stop action.”
According to a citation for a pending award, during the non-stop action Stokes saw the face of the death constantly and was wounded several times. What kept him going?
“At each house, I said a prayer,” Stokes later told a reporter. “Please God, get me out of this one. When I come out of a house, I thank Him, light up a cigarette and move on to the next one.”
When the dust settled and blood was rinsed from the streets, names of men like Sean Stokes who braved Hell on Earth rose from the ruins. Some Marines claim to have witnessed Stokes dispatch as many as ten insurgents, others say it was more than twenty.
After the battle, Stokes remained with 3/1, ran through another work-up cycle and deployed again in Sept. 2005 to Haditha, Iraq. During this time, he solidified his bond with his peers and built upon his reputation as the quiet warrior. He began to recover from his earlier career glitches and picked up rank and billets of responsibility. When the unit completed the deployment, Stokes was set to get out of the Marine Corps – but he didn’t.
“Sean was working at the gym on Pendleton, and I would see him every now and then and we’d talk,” said Sommers. When he told the battalion he was eager to extend his contract and deploy again with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the staff was less than shocked. Another hero of Fallujah, Sgt. Bradley Adams, had volunteered to join the battalion for the Western Pacific deployment. The bond between Stokes and Adams gave each Marine no choice but to stand by his brother.
“Basically, each Marine said ‘I’m not going without him and he’s not going anywhere without me,’” claims Maj. Shannon Neller, Battalion Landing Team 3/1 Operations Officer.
Together, Stokes and Adams were assigned to the battalion commander’s Personal Security Detachment. On the battlefield, this meant constant convoy operations down bomb-ridden highways and snap tactical decisions in the interest of keeping the movement as safe as possible. Stokes and Adams, said Neller, initially conducted operations in separate vehicles but eventually made their way to the lead vehicle. Stokes was on point again.
“The (battalion) sergeant major called him ‘The Pathfinder’ out there,” said Neller.
Stokes’ last day on Earth went something like this:
Elements from Battalion Landing Team 3/1 were conducting Operation PEGASUS BRIDGE, a counter-insurgency effort in the Eastern Al Anbar province. Lima, India and Weapons companies were scattered across the area of operations, sweeping for weapons caches, roadside bombs and rooting out anti-coalition insurgents. Stokes and Adams, along with the commander’s Personal Security Detachment, were darting back and forth from company positions when the convoy stopped to sweep for IEDs near an existing crater. The Marines formed a “V” and stepped carefully along the roadside when a blast rocked the area. When the chaos subsided, two Marines were down – Stokes and Adams.
“As soon as they passed over the (radio) net PSD had taken two casualties, I knew it was those two,” Sommers said. “I knew if anything ever happened to PSD it would be those guys.” Sommers added he was almost certain Stokes walked point on the sweep. He had.
Celebrating the Death of a Warrior in Battle
There are many, many ways to cope with a loss. Combat Marines have a great deal of experience with the situation, and it is all too easy sometimes to say a quick prayer and hold back tears until a memorial service is held. Marines are not heartless; like Stokes, they share a sense of duty and know their mission must continue. By pressing on, we show the Marine is still with us, and we are respecting his conviction by standing by ours. Stokes’ steadfast dedication to his fellow Marines is one of legendary proportion.
“Sean was in his element here,” Sommers said, “this is where his heart was. A lot of people do this as a job, but he did it because he loved it. He paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect his brothers and keep them out of danger. He wasn’t fighting for the American people or the Marine Corps, he was here for Adams and the guys in his platoon.”
Sommers stressed the idea that Stokes’ selflessness was far beyond that of average young men.
“Everyone talks about ‘service before self, it’s all about the guy next to you,’ y’know? And they’re taught that, but some people definitely don’t live it. Stokes lived it.”
Marines will weep as they celebrate his life and his actions. Is there any place more fitting for a warrior to rest than in the hearts of fellow men who braved a land of danger? Absolutely not.
Corporal Sean A. Stokes, the Fallujah Point Man, battalion Path Finder, is a legend.
This Generation of Heroes
In the midst of a modern “Me Generation,” young men like Sean Stokes are few and far between. Type his name into an internet search, however, and you’ll see the word “Hero” pop up everywhere.
Stokes’ actions are boasted on sites like “Marinemoms.com”, “Patriotguard.org” and countless internet blogs from random observers, parents, wives, brothers, friends, leaders and subordinates. Stokes’ name is already synonymous with heroism in the most sacred of places: the heart of America.
To speak of legends in the warrior culture has become a history lesson. Dan Daly, Smedley Butler, and perhaps the most famous, Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, who was awarded five Navy Crosses during his service from 1918 to 1955.
What about the Jason Dunham’s, the Brad Kasal’s, and the Sean Stokes’?
“Marines like Stokes have many names. His name might not have been Leonidas but he would’ve filled the first ranks of ‘The 300.*’ Marines like Stokes are the closest thing to legend we have,” said Maj. Kevin M. Gonzalez, BLT 3/1 executive officer.
The birth of a legend can be overlooked, and the life of a legend is something special. Fortunately for Sean Stokes, a legend never dies.
(Rest in peace, warrior.)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: To tell the story of Cpl. Sean Stokes is an honor. This story is not meant to place an individual above his fellow Marines, but to highlight the warrior spirit of the United States Marine Corps and the thousands of young men like Sean Stokes who have shed blood on the battlefield in Iraq. Please pass this tale on to those in need of inspiration, guidance and spirit.
Marine Cpl. Sean A. Stokes was killed in action on 7/30/07.
Marine Cpl. Sean A. Stokes, 24, of Auburn, Calif.
Cpl. Stokes was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 30, 2007 of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Marine Corps News
Young legend killed in Al Anbar province
Aug. 11, 2007; Submitted on: 08/10/2007 06:04:38 PM ; Story ID#: 200781018438
By Sgt. Andy Hurt, 13th MEU
Cpl. Sean A. Stokes, killed July 30 in Al Anbar province, is a legend. Not because his body now lay still, rather because he lived a life of selfless devotion and valor that those who hear his story will never forget.
NEAR KARMAH, Iraq (Aug. 11, 2007) -- Corporal Sean A. Stokes, killed July 30 in Al Anbar province, is a legend. Not because his body now lay still, rather because he lived a life of selfless devotion and valor that those who hear his story will never forget.
The warriors who know of Sean Stokes – the young private who took point in Fallujah, or the compassionate selfless Marine who put nothing before the safety of his brothers – will tell his story for ages to come. Those who have not yet heard of Sean Stokes needn’t look far. True accounts of his actions in Fallujah saturate the internet, and Stokes’ name peppers mainstream non-fiction war stories. His name is synonymous with heroism and passion, and the more we can tell his story, the more we honor his life and the hundreds of warriors like him who have gone before us and continue to fill our ranks.
Life and Death of a Warrior
Sean Stokes enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He joined 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines Regiment in 2004 after running into trouble with his previous command. As punishment, he was busted down to the rank of private, and transferred to 3/1 – the next unit scheduled to deploy. A twist of fate perhaps, as Sean would make history in the coming months. Under normal circumstances, he would have been discharged.
“Sean wasn’t upset about it at all. He considered it an opportunity to prove himself and make new friends,” said 1st Lt. Jeffrey Sommers, Stokes’ platoon commander at the time.
Sommers’ description of Sean echoes that of Auburn, Calif., citizens who knew him. A high school guidance counselor described Sean as a young man who wanted to “develop into a real strong, ethical, moral human being."
During Operation Phantom Fury, the reserved Marine would prove himself a Spartan in the streets. Sommers said he witnessed Stokes commit maniacal acts of bravery, to the point where the platoon commander questioned his sanity.
“I would see Marines do things and think to myself ‘Hey, glad everything turned out the way it did, but what the hell was going through your head?’”
One example comes from Nov. 10, when Stokes, who served as the front-walking “point man”, and his team were ambushed by enemy forces with grenades and automatic weapons fire. Stokes sustained shrapnel wounds in his lower legs and refused to be evacuated while he provided suppressive fire, allowing an adjacent unit to destroy the enemy.
Stokes walked point each day of the battle. He was the first Marine down every street, in every house and every room – hundreds of rooms. He was the first Marine to be attacked by the enemy and the first to report the situation to his squad leader. Bullets, grenades, rockets and roadside bombs were around every corner.
When asked to describe Stokes’ motives for taking the lead into so much danger, Sommers explained: “You don’t do it because of courage, and you don’t do it because you want to. Stokes probably did it because he knew there was more to the battle than the few seconds involved in opening a door.”
He continued: “That kind of compassion … I won’t really ever understand. Human factors in those situations take a grip of you long before honor, courage and commitment.”
Bing West, author of No True Glory, met Stokes during the battle of Fallujah and fondly recalled Stokes as “A grunt with (Lima Company) 3/1 with a great smile.
“He was then living on the third deck of a shot-out factory that I was sure would collapse around us,” said West. “Sean just laughed when I told him I was going to sleep outdoors. He had seen three weeks of non-stop action.”
According to a citation for a pending award, during the non-stop action Stokes saw the face of the death constantly and was wounded several times. What kept him going?
“At each house, I said a prayer,” Stokes later told a reporter. “Please God, get me out of this one. When I come out of a house, I thank Him, light up a cigarette and move on to the next one.”
When the dust settled and blood was rinsed from the streets, names of men like Sean Stokes who braved Hell on Earth rose from the ruins. Some Marines claim to have witnessed Stokes dispatch as many as ten insurgents, others say it was more than twenty.
After the battle, Stokes remained with 3/1, ran through another work-up cycle and deployed again in Sept. 2005 to Haditha, Iraq. During this time, he solidified his bond with his peers and built upon his reputation as the quiet warrior. He began to recover from his earlier career glitches and picked up rank and billets of responsibility. When the unit completed the deployment, Stokes was set to get out of the Marine Corps – but he didn’t.
“Sean was working at the gym on Pendleton, and I would see him every now and then and we’d talk,” said Sommers. When he told the battalion he was eager to extend his contract and deploy again with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the staff was less than shocked. Another hero of Fallujah, Sgt. Bradley Adams, had volunteered to join the battalion for the Western Pacific deployment. The bond between Stokes and Adams gave each Marine no choice but to stand by his brother.
“Basically, each Marine said ‘I’m not going without him and he’s not going anywhere without me,’” claims Maj. Shannon Neller, Battalion Landing Team 3/1 Operations Officer.
Together, Stokes and Adams were assigned to the battalion commander’s Personal Security Detachment. On the battlefield, this meant constant convoy operations down bomb-ridden highways and snap tactical decisions in the interest of keeping the movement as safe as possible. Stokes and Adams, said Neller, initially conducted operations in separate vehicles but eventually made their way to the lead vehicle. Stokes was on point again.
“The (battalion) sergeant major called him ‘The Pathfinder’ out there,” said Neller.
Stokes’ last day on Earth went something like this:
Elements from Battalion Landing Team 3/1 were conducting Operation PEGASUS BRIDGE, a counter-insurgency effort in the Eastern Al Anbar province. Lima, India and Weapons companies were scattered across the area of operations, sweeping for weapons caches, roadside bombs and rooting out anti-coalition insurgents. Stokes and Adams, along with the commander’s Personal Security Detachment, were darting back and forth from company positions when the convoy stopped to sweep for IEDs near an existing crater. The Marines formed a “V” and stepped carefully along the roadside when a blast rocked the area. When the chaos subsided, two Marines were down – Stokes and Adams.
“As soon as they passed over the (radio) net PSD had taken two casualties, I knew it was those two,” Sommers said. “I knew if anything ever happened to PSD it would be those guys.” Sommers added he was almost certain Stokes walked point on the sweep. He had.
Celebrating the Death of a Warrior in Battle
There are many, many ways to cope with a loss. Combat Marines have a great deal of experience with the situation, and it is all too easy sometimes to say a quick prayer and hold back tears until a memorial service is held. Marines are not heartless; like Stokes, they share a sense of duty and know their mission must continue. By pressing on, we show the Marine is still with us, and we are respecting his conviction by standing by ours. Stokes’ steadfast dedication to his fellow Marines is one of legendary proportion.
“Sean was in his element here,” Sommers said, “this is where his heart was. A lot of people do this as a job, but he did it because he loved it. He paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect his brothers and keep them out of danger. He wasn’t fighting for the American people or the Marine Corps, he was here for Adams and the guys in his platoon.”
Sommers stressed the idea that Stokes’ selflessness was far beyond that of average young men.
“Everyone talks about ‘service before self, it’s all about the guy next to you,’ y’know? And they’re taught that, but some people definitely don’t live it. Stokes lived it.”
Marines will weep as they celebrate his life and his actions. Is there any place more fitting for a warrior to rest than in the hearts of fellow men who braved a land of danger? Absolutely not.
Corporal Sean A. Stokes, the Fallujah Point Man, battalion Path Finder, is a legend.
This Generation of Heroes
In the midst of a modern “Me Generation,” young men like Sean Stokes are few and far between. Type his name into an internet search, however, and you’ll see the word “Hero” pop up everywhere.
Stokes’ actions are boasted on sites like “Marinemoms.com”, “Patriotguard.org” and countless internet blogs from random observers, parents, wives, brothers, friends, leaders and subordinates. Stokes’ name is already synonymous with heroism in the most sacred of places: the heart of America.
To speak of legends in the warrior culture has become a history lesson. Dan Daly, Smedley Butler, and perhaps the most famous, Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, who was awarded five Navy Crosses during his service from 1918 to 1955.
What about the Jason Dunham’s, the Brad Kasal’s, and the Sean Stokes’?
“Marines like Stokes have many names. His name might not have been Leonidas but he would’ve filled the first ranks of ‘The 300.*’ Marines like Stokes are the closest thing to legend we have,” said Maj. Kevin M. Gonzalez, BLT 3/1 executive officer.
The birth of a legend can be overlooked, and the life of a legend is something special. Fortunately for Sean Stokes, a legend never dies.
(Rest in peace, warrior.)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: To tell the story of Cpl. Sean Stokes is an honor. This story is not meant to place an individual above his fellow Marines, but to highlight the warrior spirit of the United States Marine Corps and the thousands of young men like Sean Stokes who have shed blood on the battlefield in Iraq. Please pass this tale on to those in need of inspiration, guidance and spirit.
Marine Cpl. Sean A. Stokes was killed in action on 7/30/07.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche
Remember Our Heroes
Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche, 23, of Martinsville, Ind.
SSgt. Fritsche was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 27, 2007 near Kamu, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Also killed was Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr.
1,000 gather to mourn Martinsville soldier
By Will Higgins
will.Higgins@indystar.com
MARTINSVILLE -- Nearly 1,000 people filled the auditorium at Martinsville High School today for the funeral of Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche.
Fritsche, 23, died July 27 following fighting near Kamu, Afghanistan.
In a funeral lasting two hours, he was described as a fine soldier who rose quickly through the ranks and as a kind and trustworthy man.
"What I learned from Ryan was humility," said Robert Meacham, who served with Fritsche.
"Ryan was meek. We confuse meek with weak. But Ryan wasn't meek. He was power restrained," Meacham said.
Fritsche leaves behind a wife, Brandi, and mother, Volitta.
Schweinfurt mourns ‘Sky Soldiers’ lost in Afghanistan
By Matt Millham, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, August 9, 2007
SCHWEINFURT, Germany — Before Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche headed out on his first mission as a squad leader, Capt. Joey Hutto posed a simple question to the 23-year-old: “Are you ready?”
Fritsche was quick to answer.
“I have spent the past five years waiting for this moment,” Fritsche said. “I am fully prepared.”
Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr., Fritsche’s commander, was ready too, but that was always the case. With nearly two decades as an Army Ranger behind him, Bostick had faced combat in Panama, Iraq and numerous other locations he wasn’t allowed to talk about.
But neither knew exactly what waited for them as they headed out July 27 to assess a village near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. They were trying to find out what kind of humanitarian aid and reconstruction projects the village needed. Both were killed in an ambush near Kamu, Afghanistan.
They were the first soldiers from the Schweinfurt-based Troop B, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, to die in Afghanistan since the unit deployed there about two months ago. The unit is part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
The Schweinfurt community gathered Wednesday to remember the two men during a memorial ceremony at the Ledward Barracks chapel.
Bostick was a man of split passions, according to Sgt. Maj. Michael Kennedy, whose remarks from a similar ceremony in Afghanistan were read Wednesday. A dedicated family man and a dedicated soldier, Bostick refused to give up one of those passions for the other.
When his younger daughter, Ashlie, had a soccer game, he’d be on the sidelines in uniform, knowing his workday was still far from over, Kennedy said. “A lesser man would have chosen one over the other.”
Fritsche had been handpicked to be a Troop B squad leader for his quiet competence. A former member of the 3rd Infantry Regiment — the Army’s oldest infantry unit and guardian of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery — he had risen quickly through the ranks, and proved himself in staff jobs in Germany and Afghanistan to earn the position.
During his free time in Afghanistan, a short window between 2 and 4 a.m., “Fritsche spent every minute reading his Ranger handbook or FM 7-8,” the Army field manual for platoon- and squad-size infantry units, Hutto said in remarks during the ceremony in Afghanistan.
Fritsche got just one chance to use that knowledge. His squad was ambushed as he led them to higher ground. After taking out an enemy position, he provided cover fire for his men so they could get to safer positions.
“He cared for his men in a desperate situation by putting his life on the line for them,” Lt. Col. Christopher Kolenda, 1-91 commander, said at the Afghanistan ceremony.
Meanwhile, as the ambush raged, Bostick conducted his unit’s response like a maestro would an orchestra. There were far more enemy fighters than there were soldiers under his command, but Bostick stayed calm under the oppressive fire and was able to get most of his troops into more defensible positions and provided cover fire to get his troops to safety at the risk of his own life.
“He even managed to crack a few jokes to keep everyone steady in the heat of the moment,” Kolenda said at the Afghanistan ceremony.
In one of his last messages to Kolenda, Bostick wrote that he was going out to drive cars and shoot guns.
“If he could speak to us today,” Kolenda said, “I think he would tell us to put on our cowboy hats, get back in our cars, shoot our guns and make Afghanistan a safer, better place.”
Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche was killed in action on 7/27/07.
Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche, 23, of Martinsville, Ind.
SSgt. Fritsche was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 27, 2007 near Kamu, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Also killed was Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr.
1,000 gather to mourn Martinsville soldier
By Will Higgins
will.Higgins@indystar.com
MARTINSVILLE -- Nearly 1,000 people filled the auditorium at Martinsville High School today for the funeral of Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche.
Fritsche, 23, died July 27 following fighting near Kamu, Afghanistan.
In a funeral lasting two hours, he was described as a fine soldier who rose quickly through the ranks and as a kind and trustworthy man.
"What I learned from Ryan was humility," said Robert Meacham, who served with Fritsche.
"Ryan was meek. We confuse meek with weak. But Ryan wasn't meek. He was power restrained," Meacham said.
Fritsche leaves behind a wife, Brandi, and mother, Volitta.
Schweinfurt mourns ‘Sky Soldiers’ lost in Afghanistan
By Matt Millham, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, August 9, 2007
SCHWEINFURT, Germany — Before Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche headed out on his first mission as a squad leader, Capt. Joey Hutto posed a simple question to the 23-year-old: “Are you ready?”
Fritsche was quick to answer.
“I have spent the past five years waiting for this moment,” Fritsche said. “I am fully prepared.”
Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr., Fritsche’s commander, was ready too, but that was always the case. With nearly two decades as an Army Ranger behind him, Bostick had faced combat in Panama, Iraq and numerous other locations he wasn’t allowed to talk about.
But neither knew exactly what waited for them as they headed out July 27 to assess a village near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. They were trying to find out what kind of humanitarian aid and reconstruction projects the village needed. Both were killed in an ambush near Kamu, Afghanistan.
They were the first soldiers from the Schweinfurt-based Troop B, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, to die in Afghanistan since the unit deployed there about two months ago. The unit is part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
The Schweinfurt community gathered Wednesday to remember the two men during a memorial ceremony at the Ledward Barracks chapel.
Bostick was a man of split passions, according to Sgt. Maj. Michael Kennedy, whose remarks from a similar ceremony in Afghanistan were read Wednesday. A dedicated family man and a dedicated soldier, Bostick refused to give up one of those passions for the other.
When his younger daughter, Ashlie, had a soccer game, he’d be on the sidelines in uniform, knowing his workday was still far from over, Kennedy said. “A lesser man would have chosen one over the other.”
Fritsche had been handpicked to be a Troop B squad leader for his quiet competence. A former member of the 3rd Infantry Regiment — the Army’s oldest infantry unit and guardian of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery — he had risen quickly through the ranks, and proved himself in staff jobs in Germany and Afghanistan to earn the position.
During his free time in Afghanistan, a short window between 2 and 4 a.m., “Fritsche spent every minute reading his Ranger handbook or FM 7-8,” the Army field manual for platoon- and squad-size infantry units, Hutto said in remarks during the ceremony in Afghanistan.
Fritsche got just one chance to use that knowledge. His squad was ambushed as he led them to higher ground. After taking out an enemy position, he provided cover fire for his men so they could get to safer positions.
“He cared for his men in a desperate situation by putting his life on the line for them,” Lt. Col. Christopher Kolenda, 1-91 commander, said at the Afghanistan ceremony.
Meanwhile, as the ambush raged, Bostick conducted his unit’s response like a maestro would an orchestra. There were far more enemy fighters than there were soldiers under his command, but Bostick stayed calm under the oppressive fire and was able to get most of his troops into more defensible positions and provided cover fire to get his troops to safety at the risk of his own life.
“He even managed to crack a few jokes to keep everyone steady in the heat of the moment,” Kolenda said at the Afghanistan ceremony.
In one of his last messages to Kolenda, Bostick wrote that he was going out to drive cars and shoot guns.
“If he could speak to us today,” Kolenda said, “I think he would tell us to put on our cowboy hats, get back in our cars, shoot our guns and make Afghanistan a safer, better place.”
Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche was killed in action on 7/27/07.
Army Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr.
Remember Our Heroes
Army Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr., 37, of Llano, Texas
Maj. Bostick was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 27, 2007 near Kamu, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Also killed was Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche.
Major From Llano Killed In Afghanistan
Maj. Thomas Bostick Jr., 37, of Llano died Friday in Afghanistan after his unit came under fire, according to the Department of Defense.
He was company commander of B Troop 1-91 Cavalry, 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany.
Bostick loved his military career and felt he was making a difference.
Bostick was born Dec. 8, 1969. He graduated Llano High school in 1988.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer; two daughters, Jessica, 18, and Ashlie, 13; parents, Brenda and Jim Richardson of Llano, and Ann and Tommy Bostick Sr. of Midland; and grandparents Bob and Maudean Keeler of Lovington, N.M.
He also has a brother, Bobby Bostick, and wife Tammy, stationed at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, but deployed in Iraq; half-sister, Shamaree Bostick of Midland; stepsisters, Sonya Richardson of Hobbs, N.M., Valorie Ruth of Weiser, Idaho, and stepbrother JW Richardson of Lubbock. He had many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces.
Bostick will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia as a major, as he was posthumously promoted upon his death because of his honorable military service.
In lieu of flowers, a college scholarship fund for his daughters has been set up at First State Bank of Central Texas, 907 Ford St., Llano, Texas, 78643.
Army Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr. was killed in action on 7/27/07.
Army Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr., 37, of Llano, Texas
Maj. Bostick was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 27, 2007 near Kamu, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Also killed was Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche.
Major From Llano Killed In Afghanistan
Maj. Thomas Bostick Jr., 37, of Llano died Friday in Afghanistan after his unit came under fire, according to the Department of Defense.
He was company commander of B Troop 1-91 Cavalry, 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany.
Bostick loved his military career and felt he was making a difference.
Bostick was born Dec. 8, 1969. He graduated Llano High school in 1988.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer; two daughters, Jessica, 18, and Ashlie, 13; parents, Brenda and Jim Richardson of Llano, and Ann and Tommy Bostick Sr. of Midland; and grandparents Bob and Maudean Keeler of Lovington, N.M.
He also has a brother, Bobby Bostick, and wife Tammy, stationed at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, but deployed in Iraq; half-sister, Shamaree Bostick of Midland; stepsisters, Sonya Richardson of Hobbs, N.M., Valorie Ruth of Weiser, Idaho, and stepbrother JW Richardson of Lubbock. He had many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces.
Bostick will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia as a major, as he was posthumously promoted upon his death because of his honorable military service.
In lieu of flowers, a college scholarship fund for his daughters has been set up at First State Bank of Central Texas, 907 Ford St., Llano, Texas, 78643.
Army Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr. was killed in action on 7/27/07.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Marine Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, Ky.
Cpl. Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died July 24, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq.
Kentucky Marine among 3 killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Marine from Kentucky was among three killed this week during combat operations in Iraq, the military said July 26.
Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, died July 24 in Diyala province — the site of a major military operation against a Sunni insurgent stronghold, the Defense Department said in a statement.
Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
He graduated from Seneca High School in 2005 and school officials spoke highly of him.
“He was a hero for us,” Michael McWilliams, a counselor at Seneca, told The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. “He did a lot of things for us and a lot for our ROTC program.”
Also killed were Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas and Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis., the statement said.
McRae was assigned to 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
Zandars was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Marine killed in combat was eager to fight in Iraq, family says
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville Marine killed in Iraq this week was intent on fighting in the war and headed straight to boot camp after graduation, his family said.
Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, died July 24 in Diyala province. Two other Marines were killed in the military operation against a Sunni insurgent stronghold, the military said in a statement.
“He’d tell me all the time, ‘Mom, I’m going over there to fight for you,’ ” his mother, Angela Robinson, told WLKY-TV.
Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, in Okinawa, Japan.
Lynch’s brother, Michael, also fought in Iraq.
“I would be honored to go the same way my brother went,” Michael Lynch said. “It would be an honor. I’m so proud of him.”
Lynch graduated from Seneca High School in Louisville in 2005, where he was a well-liked member of the ROTC.
“Robbie was a little bit of a jokester. He put a smile on your face, but when it came time to get something done, he was the first to jump in and stand shoulder to shoulder with you,” said retired Marine Col. Richard Maloney, who taught Lynch in ROTC courses at the school.
“He had so many friends here, the word went around like wild fire,” Maloney told The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. “This is a big loss for us.”
Mike Smith, pastor at Eastside Praise Ministry Center, said he baptized Lynch about a year and a half ago.
“He was so charming and kind,” Smith said. “There was a side of him that truly believed in what he was doing. He was convinced his life in this capacity was really going to make a difference.”
Killed alongside Lynch were Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas and Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis.
Gov. Ernie Fletcher has ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff until sunset on the day of Lynch’s funeral. Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson issued a similar order through July 30. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Marine Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch was killed in action on 7/24/07.
Marine Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, Ky.
Cpl. Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died July 24, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq.
Kentucky Marine among 3 killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Marine from Kentucky was among three killed this week during combat operations in Iraq, the military said July 26.
Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, died July 24 in Diyala province — the site of a major military operation against a Sunni insurgent stronghold, the Defense Department said in a statement.
Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
He graduated from Seneca High School in 2005 and school officials spoke highly of him.
“He was a hero for us,” Michael McWilliams, a counselor at Seneca, told The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. “He did a lot of things for us and a lot for our ROTC program.”
Also killed were Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas and Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis., the statement said.
McRae was assigned to 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
Zandars was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Marine killed in combat was eager to fight in Iraq, family says
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville Marine killed in Iraq this week was intent on fighting in the war and headed straight to boot camp after graduation, his family said.
Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, died July 24 in Diyala province. Two other Marines were killed in the military operation against a Sunni insurgent stronghold, the military said in a statement.
“He’d tell me all the time, ‘Mom, I’m going over there to fight for you,’ ” his mother, Angela Robinson, told WLKY-TV.
Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, in Okinawa, Japan.
Lynch’s brother, Michael, also fought in Iraq.
“I would be honored to go the same way my brother went,” Michael Lynch said. “It would be an honor. I’m so proud of him.”
Lynch graduated from Seneca High School in Louisville in 2005, where he was a well-liked member of the ROTC.
“Robbie was a little bit of a jokester. He put a smile on your face, but when it came time to get something done, he was the first to jump in and stand shoulder to shoulder with you,” said retired Marine Col. Richard Maloney, who taught Lynch in ROTC courses at the school.
“He had so many friends here, the word went around like wild fire,” Maloney told The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. “This is a big loss for us.”
Mike Smith, pastor at Eastside Praise Ministry Center, said he baptized Lynch about a year and a half ago.
“He was so charming and kind,” Smith said. “There was a side of him that truly believed in what he was doing. He was convinced his life in this capacity was really going to make a difference.”
Killed alongside Lynch were Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas and Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis.
Gov. Ernie Fletcher has ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff until sunset on the day of Lynch’s funeral. Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson issued a similar order through July 30. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Marine Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch was killed in action on 7/24/07.
Marine Cpl. James H. McRae
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas
Cpl. McRae was assigned to 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died July 24, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq.
Heath McRae honored by comrades
Marine Cpl. James McRae volunteered to go to Iraq so many times that he jokingly threatened to fill up his barracks room on Camp Kinser with sand and sleep on the floor unless the Corps cut him orders.
McRae, 22, a diesel mechanic, was killed July 25 by a homemade bomb planted in the Diyala province of Iraq. Originally a member of Motor Transport Platoon, Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, McRae was one of four troops attached to the 12th Marines fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
According to the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, McRae was driving a Humvee when the bomb went off, killing him and two other Marines. He had been in Iraq since January.
In Camp Kinser Chapel on Wednesday, about 130 people gathered to memorialize McRae as an exemplary Marine who excelled at his duties and a loyal friend who kept everyone laughing.
“He always set the example and led from the front,” said Col. Brant Goddard, commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 35. “He definitely taught us how to live by the Marine Corps motto, ‘Semper Fidelis.’”
The mood in the chapel alternated between somber and lighthearted. As images of McRae clad in a straw hat or knocking golf balls into the ocean rolled across the screen of a large television, several of his platoon mates were unable to contain their laughter.
The only child of Rhonda and Bill McRae, the corporal joined the Corps on Dec. 10, 2003, in Springtown, Texas, after attending about a year of college on a music scholarship.
At Camp Kinser, McRae was known for the stunts he pulled off.
Whether it was welcoming new members of his unit by bursting into their rooms in the middle of the night with a ski mask and an electric guitar, or rappelling off the third floor of his barracks to fetch his DVD player that he had just thrown out a window, McRae was the guy you could never dare to do anything, even in passing, because he would walk off and do it, his friends said.
Sgt. Joseph Wunrow, 22, of Berlin, Wis., told a story after Wednesday’s service about some recliners McRae purchased.
McRae went to a military surplus auction on Camp Kinser and saw two recliners attached to a pallet. He bid $5 for them. At the end of the auction, he and his platoon were the proud owners of 36 chairs. Apparently, the two chairs were samples of a larger lot.
“They were all $5, and no one else outbid him, so he got them,” Wunrow said, smiling.
When asked about McRae, Cpl. Lucas Koerner, 21, of Appleton, Wis., smiled and said he was beyond description.
“It would take forever to explain,” he said after the memorial.
McRae’s stateside services were set for Wednesday afternoon. He was to be buried in Jack County, Texas, near a family ranch.
Marine Cpl. James H. McRae was killed in action on 7/24/07.
Marine Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas
Cpl. McRae was assigned to 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died July 24, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq.
Heath McRae honored by comrades
Marine Cpl. James McRae volunteered to go to Iraq so many times that he jokingly threatened to fill up his barracks room on Camp Kinser with sand and sleep on the floor unless the Corps cut him orders.
McRae, 22, a diesel mechanic, was killed July 25 by a homemade bomb planted in the Diyala province of Iraq. Originally a member of Motor Transport Platoon, Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, McRae was one of four troops attached to the 12th Marines fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
According to the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, McRae was driving a Humvee when the bomb went off, killing him and two other Marines. He had been in Iraq since January.
In Camp Kinser Chapel on Wednesday, about 130 people gathered to memorialize McRae as an exemplary Marine who excelled at his duties and a loyal friend who kept everyone laughing.
“He always set the example and led from the front,” said Col. Brant Goddard, commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 35. “He definitely taught us how to live by the Marine Corps motto, ‘Semper Fidelis.’”
The mood in the chapel alternated between somber and lighthearted. As images of McRae clad in a straw hat or knocking golf balls into the ocean rolled across the screen of a large television, several of his platoon mates were unable to contain their laughter.
The only child of Rhonda and Bill McRae, the corporal joined the Corps on Dec. 10, 2003, in Springtown, Texas, after attending about a year of college on a music scholarship.
At Camp Kinser, McRae was known for the stunts he pulled off.
Whether it was welcoming new members of his unit by bursting into their rooms in the middle of the night with a ski mask and an electric guitar, or rappelling off the third floor of his barracks to fetch his DVD player that he had just thrown out a window, McRae was the guy you could never dare to do anything, even in passing, because he would walk off and do it, his friends said.
Sgt. Joseph Wunrow, 22, of Berlin, Wis., told a story after Wednesday’s service about some recliners McRae purchased.
McRae went to a military surplus auction on Camp Kinser and saw two recliners attached to a pallet. He bid $5 for them. At the end of the auction, he and his platoon were the proud owners of 36 chairs. Apparently, the two chairs were samples of a larger lot.
“They were all $5, and no one else outbid him, so he got them,” Wunrow said, smiling.
When asked about McRae, Cpl. Lucas Koerner, 21, of Appleton, Wis., smiled and said he was beyond description.
“It would take forever to explain,” he said after the memorial.
McRae’s stateside services were set for Wednesday afternoon. He was to be buried in Jack County, Texas, near a family ranch.
Marine Cpl. James H. McRae was killed in action on 7/24/07.
Marine Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis.
Cpl. Zindars was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 24, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq.
Wisconsin Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
WATERTOWN, Wis. — A Marine who volunteered for a second tour in Iraq because he felt his friends needed him has been killed, his father says.
Cpl. Matthew Zindars, 21, of the southern Wisconsin city of Watertown, died July 24 on patrol in Ramadi when a roadside bomb exploded, his father, Ken Zindars, told the Watertown Daily Times.
The Defense Department had not officially confirmed the death as of July 25. He is the 77th Wisconsinite killed in Iraq since the U.S. invaded in 2003.
Zindars graduated from Watertown High School in 2004. He joined the Marines at age 18, while he was still in school, his father told the newspaper.
He returned from his first tour in Iraq in October.
He volunteered to return because all his friends were going back and they needed help, Ken Zindars said. His unit’s duties included security and clearing roadways of explosives.
He was supposed to come home this October.
Ken Zindars said his son was “salt of the earth.”
“He was a great kid and never gave us any trouble,” Zindars told the Daily Times.
He said his son always wanted to be in the military and was “pretty proud to be a Marine.”
Jim Wendt, a Zindars family friend, answered the phone at Ken Zindars’ home. He said Ken Zindars was out. Of Matthew Zindars, he said, “He was a very good kid. Very dedicated to serving his country.”
Jim Moeller, the principal at Trinity-St. Luke’s Lutheran School at Watertown, told The Associated Press that Matthew Zindars attended the school from kindergarten until he graduated as an eighth-grader in 2000.
He described Zindars as a “good, solid, basic kid” with good grades.
He was well-behaved, but he always had a half-smile on his face whenever Moeller saw him, making the principal wonder if the boy was up to something.
Moeller said he’s not surprised Zindars chose to return to Iraq to help his comrades.
“That very much fits in with the kind of kid he was. He had his group of friends and he was always loyal. He was a friend to many people. Whatever way he could help, he was willing to do that,” Moeller said. “I can still see him in my mind’s eye right now. He will be missed. Very much so.”
Marine Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars was killed in action on 7/24/07.
Marine Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis.
Cpl. Zindars was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 24, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq.
Wisconsin Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
WATERTOWN, Wis. — A Marine who volunteered for a second tour in Iraq because he felt his friends needed him has been killed, his father says.
Cpl. Matthew Zindars, 21, of the southern Wisconsin city of Watertown, died July 24 on patrol in Ramadi when a roadside bomb exploded, his father, Ken Zindars, told the Watertown Daily Times.
The Defense Department had not officially confirmed the death as of July 25. He is the 77th Wisconsinite killed in Iraq since the U.S. invaded in 2003.
Zindars graduated from Watertown High School in 2004. He joined the Marines at age 18, while he was still in school, his father told the newspaper.
He returned from his first tour in Iraq in October.
He volunteered to return because all his friends were going back and they needed help, Ken Zindars said. His unit’s duties included security and clearing roadways of explosives.
He was supposed to come home this October.
Ken Zindars said his son was “salt of the earth.”
“He was a great kid and never gave us any trouble,” Zindars told the Daily Times.
He said his son always wanted to be in the military and was “pretty proud to be a Marine.”
Jim Wendt, a Zindars family friend, answered the phone at Ken Zindars’ home. He said Ken Zindars was out. Of Matthew Zindars, he said, “He was a very good kid. Very dedicated to serving his country.”
Jim Moeller, the principal at Trinity-St. Luke’s Lutheran School at Watertown, told The Associated Press that Matthew Zindars attended the school from kindergarten until he graduated as an eighth-grader in 2000.
He described Zindars as a “good, solid, basic kid” with good grades.
He was well-behaved, but he always had a half-smile on his face whenever Moeller saw him, making the principal wonder if the boy was up to something.
Moeller said he’s not surprised Zindars chose to return to Iraq to help his comrades.
“That very much fits in with the kind of kid he was. He had his group of friends and he was always loyal. He was a friend to many people. Whatever way he could help, he was willing to do that,” Moeller said. “I can still see him in my mind’s eye right now. He will be missed. Very much so.”
Marine Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars was killed in action on 7/24/07.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Army Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley
Remember Our Heroes
Army Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, of Spring, Texas
Pfc. Endsley was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany; died July 23, 2007 in Arghendab district, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire.
A Houston-area soldier was killed this week when his unit was attacked in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.
Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, died Monday in Arghendab District, Afghanistan.
Family and friends gathered at his home in Spring to remember the fallen soldier on Wednesday. Yellow ribbons wrapped the trees surrounding Endsley's home.
He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany and in Afghanistan since January.
"We were actually elated that he got to Afghanistan and not Iraq," said Endsley's stepfather David Carrol. "We felt like it would be better, however, the last few weeks it heated up again, and he was in the line of fire."
Endsley's MySpace page filled up with messages from his friends around the country after news broke of his death.
He was a graduate of the Oakridge High School in 2004 where his family says he was a member of the ROTC.
The half-dozen pictures lined up on a coffee table in a Spring home are a sobering reminder of the cost of war for one Montgomery County family.
Family and friends say they will remember Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, as a quiet, witty "jokester" full of creative talent.
Endsley, who was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, died July 23 in Arghendab District, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by Taliban forces.
His sacrifice makes him a hero, his stepfather, David Carroll, said.
"He was a free spirit, and he was never afraid to try new things," Carroll said. "He knew exactly what he wanted to do."
Endsley, a 2004 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, enjoyed computer games, music and drawing. A talented artist, Endsley won a poster contest in high school. Carroll said he would often come home from work to find Endsley and his friends gathered around the living room strumming guitars.
"He had a quiet nature, but a quick wit," Carroll said. "He used laughter and pranks to entertain others."
He was also active in the youth group at Crossroads Baptist Church, where the Carrolls are involved in the worship ministry.
Neighbors, community members and those from the Carrolls' church have rallied around the family, tying yellow ribbons around tree trunks, bringing food and lining the family's driveway with flags.
A "Welcome Home, Zachary" sign outside the family home reflects the fact that the young man was due to be home in about three weeks.
This is the second time in less than six months the congregation, located in The Woodlands, has hosted such a service. In March, Cory Kosters, 19, was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device.
"Two of the first people who were here (the night of July 23) after we were told (about Endsley's death) were Marlon and Senta (Kosters, Cory's parents)," Carroll said, adding the Kosters brought the couple a woven blanket that the Carrolls had given the Kosters to comfort them after Cory's death.
Paraphrasing from II Corinthians, Crossroads Pastor Larry York said, "God comforts us in our trials and tribulations in order for us to comfort others.
"That is what Marlon and Senta get to do now. They are comforting Zach's family."
As a teenager, Endsley joined the Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer support organization of the U.S. Air Force, and belonged to the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Oak Ridge High School.
"He was fascinated by guns; he liked shooting them and taking them apart," David Carroll said.
After graduation, Endsley enrolled in Montgomery College, but his interest in studying waned. A desire "to be where the action is," David Carroll said, beckoned Endsley to explore military service as a career. He showed an initial interest in the U.S. Marines but surprised his family by enlisting in the U.S. Army in December 2005.
A high score on a military placement test put him in a coveted position to choose his job in the Army. David Carroll remembers the conversation around the kitchen table.
"The recruiter said, 'You can have any job you want,'" he said. "Zach responded, 'I want to be in the infantry.'
"We were at war. He knew there was a danger. But he didn't want to just go over there and build stuff or blow stuff up. He wanted to be where the action was."
Endsley's enthusiasm also inspired a neighbor and friend, Blake Childers, to join the Army, according to David Carroll.
Although he was excited to be stationed in Afghanistan, David Carroll said Endsley likely sensed his family feared for his safety, which is why he kept communication brief and left out many details about his time there.
"To this day we don't know where exactly he was," he said. "Zach saw that as protection. He wanted to protect his mom from worrying."
The family is now waiting for waiting for Endsley's body to be transported home.
"From a grandmother's heart, this aches," Virginia Fisher, Endsley's maternal grandmother, said.
Zachary Endsley is survived by his mother, Melinda Carroll; stepfather, David Carroll; father, Terry Endsley; brother, Aaron Endsley; two stepsisters, Katie Petty and Kimberly Worthington, and their families.
Army Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley was killed in action on 7/23/07.
Army Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, of Spring, Texas
Pfc. Endsley was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany; died July 23, 2007 in Arghendab district, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire.
A Houston-area soldier was killed this week when his unit was attacked in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.
Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, died Monday in Arghendab District, Afghanistan.
Family and friends gathered at his home in Spring to remember the fallen soldier on Wednesday. Yellow ribbons wrapped the trees surrounding Endsley's home.
He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany and in Afghanistan since January.
"We were actually elated that he got to Afghanistan and not Iraq," said Endsley's stepfather David Carrol. "We felt like it would be better, however, the last few weeks it heated up again, and he was in the line of fire."
Endsley's MySpace page filled up with messages from his friends around the country after news broke of his death.
He was a graduate of the Oakridge High School in 2004 where his family says he was a member of the ROTC.
The half-dozen pictures lined up on a coffee table in a Spring home are a sobering reminder of the cost of war for one Montgomery County family.
Family and friends say they will remember Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, as a quiet, witty "jokester" full of creative talent.
Endsley, who was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, died July 23 in Arghendab District, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by Taliban forces.
His sacrifice makes him a hero, his stepfather, David Carroll, said.
"He was a free spirit, and he was never afraid to try new things," Carroll said. "He knew exactly what he wanted to do."
Endsley, a 2004 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, enjoyed computer games, music and drawing. A talented artist, Endsley won a poster contest in high school. Carroll said he would often come home from work to find Endsley and his friends gathered around the living room strumming guitars.
"He had a quiet nature, but a quick wit," Carroll said. "He used laughter and pranks to entertain others."
He was also active in the youth group at Crossroads Baptist Church, where the Carrolls are involved in the worship ministry.
Neighbors, community members and those from the Carrolls' church have rallied around the family, tying yellow ribbons around tree trunks, bringing food and lining the family's driveway with flags.
A "Welcome Home, Zachary" sign outside the family home reflects the fact that the young man was due to be home in about three weeks.
This is the second time in less than six months the congregation, located in The Woodlands, has hosted such a service. In March, Cory Kosters, 19, was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device.
"Two of the first people who were here (the night of July 23) after we were told (about Endsley's death) were Marlon and Senta (Kosters, Cory's parents)," Carroll said, adding the Kosters brought the couple a woven blanket that the Carrolls had given the Kosters to comfort them after Cory's death.
Paraphrasing from II Corinthians, Crossroads Pastor Larry York said, "God comforts us in our trials and tribulations in order for us to comfort others.
"That is what Marlon and Senta get to do now. They are comforting Zach's family."
As a teenager, Endsley joined the Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer support organization of the U.S. Air Force, and belonged to the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Oak Ridge High School.
"He was fascinated by guns; he liked shooting them and taking them apart," David Carroll said.
After graduation, Endsley enrolled in Montgomery College, but his interest in studying waned. A desire "to be where the action is," David Carroll said, beckoned Endsley to explore military service as a career. He showed an initial interest in the U.S. Marines but surprised his family by enlisting in the U.S. Army in December 2005.
A high score on a military placement test put him in a coveted position to choose his job in the Army. David Carroll remembers the conversation around the kitchen table.
"The recruiter said, 'You can have any job you want,'" he said. "Zach responded, 'I want to be in the infantry.'
"We were at war. He knew there was a danger. But he didn't want to just go over there and build stuff or blow stuff up. He wanted to be where the action was."
Endsley's enthusiasm also inspired a neighbor and friend, Blake Childers, to join the Army, according to David Carroll.
Although he was excited to be stationed in Afghanistan, David Carroll said Endsley likely sensed his family feared for his safety, which is why he kept communication brief and left out many details about his time there.
"To this day we don't know where exactly he was," he said. "Zach saw that as protection. He wanted to protect his mom from worrying."
The family is now waiting for waiting for Endsley's body to be transported home.
"From a grandmother's heart, this aches," Virginia Fisher, Endsley's maternal grandmother, said.
Zachary Endsley is survived by his mother, Melinda Carroll; stepfather, David Carroll; father, Terry Endsley; brother, Aaron Endsley; two stepsisters, Katie Petty and Kimberly Worthington, and their families.
Army Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley was killed in action on 7/23/07.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Army Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo
Remember Our Heroes
Army Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo, 20, of Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Pfc. Restrepo was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 22, 2007 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire.
Army Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo was killed in action on 7/22/07.
Army Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo, 20, of Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Pfc. Restrepo was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 22, 2007 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire.
Army Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo was killed in action on 7/22/07.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer, 21, of East Northport, N.Y.
Cpl. Scherer was assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 21, 2007 of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
AP
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer
Many Marines recalled Christopher G. Scherer's bushy mustache and how he reacted when a commander ordered all Marines to shave.
"Sir, I can't shave it off," Scherer told his platoon commander, Lt. Doug Orr. "I ain't got nothing else."
"What do you mean?" Orr said jokingly. "We got each other right?"
Then Scherer started singing Bon Jovi's hit, "Without Love," at the top of his lungs.
"He had the platoon in stitches," said Lt. Col. Wayne Sinclaire.
Scherer, 21, of East Northport, N.Y., was shot in the chest by a sniper July 21 during combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.
"Chris was a Marine long before he enlisted," said the Rev. Chuck Van Houten. "This was his goal in life - to serve."
Sinclaire said: "Men like Chris stepped forward to be counted."
He also is survived by his parents, Janet and Tim. Scherer's favorite drink was Guinness, and the family buried him with a bottle in his coffin.
"When I think of Chris I can't help but laugh because that's what he did, he made us laugh every day," said his sister, Meghan.
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer was killed in action on 7/21/07.
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer, 21, of East Northport, N.Y.
Cpl. Scherer was assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 21, 2007 of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
AP
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer
Many Marines recalled Christopher G. Scherer's bushy mustache and how he reacted when a commander ordered all Marines to shave.
"Sir, I can't shave it off," Scherer told his platoon commander, Lt. Doug Orr. "I ain't got nothing else."
"What do you mean?" Orr said jokingly. "We got each other right?"
Then Scherer started singing Bon Jovi's hit, "Without Love," at the top of his lungs.
"He had the platoon in stitches," said Lt. Col. Wayne Sinclaire.
Scherer, 21, of East Northport, N.Y., was shot in the chest by a sniper July 21 during combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.
"Chris was a Marine long before he enlisted," said the Rev. Chuck Van Houten. "This was his goal in life - to serve."
Sinclaire said: "Men like Chris stepped forward to be counted."
He also is survived by his parents, Janet and Tim. Scherer's favorite drink was Guinness, and the family buried him with a bottle in his coffin.
"When I think of Chris I can't help but laugh because that's what he did, he made us laugh every day," said his sister, Meghan.
Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer was killed in action on 7/21/07.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson, 28, of Duluth, Ga.
SSgt. Wilson was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 20, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Saqlawiyah. Also killed was Sgt. Shawn P. Martin.
Brentwood Marine dies in explosion in Iraq’s Anbar province
The Associated Press
BRENTWOOD, Calif. — A Marine bomb technician with deep ties to the cowboy culture of the Northern California town where he spent his teenage years died in Iraq doing the work he loved, his family said.
Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson, 28, was killed in a blast June 20 along with a fellow Marine as they scouted for explosives in Iraq’s Anbar province, according to his mother and the Department of Defense.
Wilson was only 17 when he enlisted in the Marines after graduating from high school, which meant his mother, Bonnie Lou Schreiner, had to sign for him to serve.
“I never believed in the war, and I felt we had no business being there. But he was part of it, and I had to support it,” Schreiner told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Wilson rode bulls and raised pigs in the Future Farmers of America program after moving to Brentwood in 1992, said his mother, who lives in Hidden Valley Lake in Lake County. He also played hockey and soccer.
After joining the Marines in 1997, he was stationed in Japan, Finland and the Ivory Coast before volunteering for Iraq. He was on his third tour when he was killed.
Wilson grew up in suburban Atlanta before moving to Brentwood, and was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 13 out of Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. He is survived by his mother; his father, John C. Wilson of Tualatin, Ore.; two brothers; and a grandmother.
Family remembers Georgia Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Throughout his youth, Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson was heavily involved in sports and some of his athletic doggedness served him well in the Marines.
“What was so great about Stephen was that he played every game like an all-star, but he never bragged or boasted about his skills,” said his father, John. “He would get out there and play, if he had one leg to play on, or two legs.”
Wilson, 28, of Duluth, Ga., was killed by a bomb blast June 20 in Anbar province, Iraq. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He served in Japan and guarded American embassies in Finland and the Ivory Coast. He then trained as a bomb technician and was on his third tour in Iraq.
Besides playing soccer and hockey, Wilson was active in the Future Farmers of America and raised a pig that was shown at the Contra Costa County Fair.
In the last e-mail Scott Wilson received from his brother, he said Stephen was unusually sentimental, ending by thanking him for “being a good little brother.”
“We never heard that from him in the 28 years of his life,” his brother said.
He also is survived by his mother, Bonnie Lou Schreiner.
Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson was killed in action on 7/20/07.
Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson, 28, of Duluth, Ga.
SSgt. Wilson was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 20, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Saqlawiyah. Also killed was Sgt. Shawn P. Martin.
Brentwood Marine dies in explosion in Iraq’s Anbar province
The Associated Press
BRENTWOOD, Calif. — A Marine bomb technician with deep ties to the cowboy culture of the Northern California town where he spent his teenage years died in Iraq doing the work he loved, his family said.
Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson, 28, was killed in a blast June 20 along with a fellow Marine as they scouted for explosives in Iraq’s Anbar province, according to his mother and the Department of Defense.
Wilson was only 17 when he enlisted in the Marines after graduating from high school, which meant his mother, Bonnie Lou Schreiner, had to sign for him to serve.
“I never believed in the war, and I felt we had no business being there. But he was part of it, and I had to support it,” Schreiner told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Wilson rode bulls and raised pigs in the Future Farmers of America program after moving to Brentwood in 1992, said his mother, who lives in Hidden Valley Lake in Lake County. He also played hockey and soccer.
After joining the Marines in 1997, he was stationed in Japan, Finland and the Ivory Coast before volunteering for Iraq. He was on his third tour when he was killed.
Wilson grew up in suburban Atlanta before moving to Brentwood, and was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 13 out of Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. He is survived by his mother; his father, John C. Wilson of Tualatin, Ore.; two brothers; and a grandmother.
Family remembers Georgia Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Throughout his youth, Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson was heavily involved in sports and some of his athletic doggedness served him well in the Marines.
“What was so great about Stephen was that he played every game like an all-star, but he never bragged or boasted about his skills,” said his father, John. “He would get out there and play, if he had one leg to play on, or two legs.”
Wilson, 28, of Duluth, Ga., was killed by a bomb blast June 20 in Anbar province, Iraq. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He served in Japan and guarded American embassies in Finland and the Ivory Coast. He then trained as a bomb technician and was on his third tour in Iraq.
Besides playing soccer and hockey, Wilson was active in the Future Farmers of America and raised a pig that was shown at the Contra Costa County Fair.
In the last e-mail Scott Wilson received from his brother, he said Stephen was unusually sentimental, ending by thanking him for “being a good little brother.”
“We never heard that from him in the 28 years of his life,” his brother said.
He also is survived by his mother, Bonnie Lou Schreiner.
Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson was killed in action on 7/20/07.
Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin, 30, of Delmar, N.Y.
Sgt. Martin was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 20, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Saqlawiyah. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson.
Upstate N.Y. Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
BETHLEHEM, N.Y. — A Marine from Delmar was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb went off in the city of Saqlawiyah, according to family members.
Shawn Martin, 30, died June 20, said Terry Hannigan, an attorney acting as family spokesman.
Before his deployment overseas, the Bethlehem native worked as a firefighter.
“He wanted to be the guy going in and taking care of everybody. He would do whatever he needed to do to get the job done,” said Elsmere fire captain Rick Zigrosser.
Martin married his wife, Marianne, in 2002. He grew up in Delmar, but most recently lived in California when he wasn’t overseas.
He was an ordinance specialist, Combat Logistic Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Family, friends remember Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
The last time Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin’s family heard from him was the day he arrived in Iraq, May 22. He e-mailed his family that day: “I thank God that I wake up every morning and put on this uniform with the knowledge of knowing that for all that I sacrifice today allows you all to have a safer and brighter tomorrow. Again I thank you all for all the support you give me and my brothers in arms. All my love. Shawn.”
Martin, 30, of Delmar, N.Y., was killed June 20 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Before graduating high school in 1995, he played football from 1991 until his senior year. After graduation, he joined the same fire department his father and grandfather had been part of.
“He climbed all over the fire trucks when he was a kid. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. He always said he couldn’t wait to join,” family friend Tom Heffernan said.
“He wanted to be the guy going in and taking care of everybody. He would do whatever he needed to do to get the job done,” said Elsmere fire captain Rick Zigrosser.
He is survived by his wife Marianne.
Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin was killed in action on 7/20/07.
Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin, 30, of Delmar, N.Y.
Sgt. Martin was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 20, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Saqlawiyah. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Wilson.
Upstate N.Y. Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
BETHLEHEM, N.Y. — A Marine from Delmar was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb went off in the city of Saqlawiyah, according to family members.
Shawn Martin, 30, died June 20, said Terry Hannigan, an attorney acting as family spokesman.
Before his deployment overseas, the Bethlehem native worked as a firefighter.
“He wanted to be the guy going in and taking care of everybody. He would do whatever he needed to do to get the job done,” said Elsmere fire captain Rick Zigrosser.
Martin married his wife, Marianne, in 2002. He grew up in Delmar, but most recently lived in California when he wasn’t overseas.
He was an ordinance specialist, Combat Logistic Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Family, friends remember Marine killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
The last time Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin’s family heard from him was the day he arrived in Iraq, May 22. He e-mailed his family that day: “I thank God that I wake up every morning and put on this uniform with the knowledge of knowing that for all that I sacrifice today allows you all to have a safer and brighter tomorrow. Again I thank you all for all the support you give me and my brothers in arms. All my love. Shawn.”
Martin, 30, of Delmar, N.Y., was killed June 20 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Before graduating high school in 1995, he played football from 1991 until his senior year. After graduation, he joined the same fire department his father and grandfather had been part of.
“He climbed all over the fire trucks when he was a kid. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. He always said he couldn’t wait to join,” family friend Tom Heffernan said.
“He wanted to be the guy going in and taking care of everybody. He would do whatever he needed to do to get the job done,” said Elsmere fire captain Rick Zigrosser.
He is survived by his wife Marianne.
Marine Sgt. Shawn P. Martin was killed in action on 7/20/07.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt, 36, of Fair Oaks, Calif.
Sgt. Coffelt was assigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 19, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
Fair Oaks soldier dies in Baghdad bomb attack
The Associated Press
FAIR OAKS, Calif. — Sgt. Ronald Coffelt was devoted to his country and his children and died doing what he wanted to do, his family said.
Coffelt, 36, of Fair Oaks, died July 19 of wounds suffered when a bomb exploded in Baghdad, the Defense Department said.
The father of five, who died during his second tour of duty in Iraq, joined the Army when he graduated from high school, his brother-in-law, Brian Conner, 33, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“He was fully aware of what he would be facing. He knew what his duties would be, and he had no problems doing his duties,” Conner said.
At home in Fort Bragg, N.C., Coffelt enjoyed coaching Little League and umpiring baseball games.
“He loved being involved with his children. He was so eager to get back home. He missed his kids,” his father, Robert Coffelt of Fair Oaks, told The Sacramento Bee.
Coffelt served eight years in the Army, spent five years as a civilian and then joined the National Guard, deploying in 2005 for a one-year tour of Iraq. He joined the Army again after returning to the U.S. and returned to Iraq for his second yearlong tour.
“He always wanted to be in the Army, and he was sorry he got out of it the first time,” his father said. “He was third-generation Army, and he was proud of that.”
Coffelt was assigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, based in Fort Bragg, N.C.
Along with his children and father, Coffelt is survived by his wife, mother, grandmother and sister.
Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt was killed in action on 7/19/07.
For Larger Images
Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt, 36, of Fair Oaks, Calif.
Sgt. Coffelt was assigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 19, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
Fair Oaks soldier dies in Baghdad bomb attack
The Associated Press
FAIR OAKS, Calif. — Sgt. Ronald Coffelt was devoted to his country and his children and died doing what he wanted to do, his family said.
Coffelt, 36, of Fair Oaks, died July 19 of wounds suffered when a bomb exploded in Baghdad, the Defense Department said.
The father of five, who died during his second tour of duty in Iraq, joined the Army when he graduated from high school, his brother-in-law, Brian Conner, 33, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“He was fully aware of what he would be facing. He knew what his duties would be, and he had no problems doing his duties,” Conner said.
At home in Fort Bragg, N.C., Coffelt enjoyed coaching Little League and umpiring baseball games.
“He loved being involved with his children. He was so eager to get back home. He missed his kids,” his father, Robert Coffelt of Fair Oaks, told The Sacramento Bee.
Coffelt served eight years in the Army, spent five years as a civilian and then joined the National Guard, deploying in 2005 for a one-year tour of Iraq. He joined the Army again after returning to the U.S. and returned to Iraq for his second yearlong tour.
“He always wanted to be in the Army, and he was sorry he got out of it the first time,” his father said. “He was third-generation Army, and he was proud of that.”
Coffelt was assigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, based in Fort Bragg, N.C.
Along with his children and father, Coffelt is survived by his wife, mother, grandmother and sister.
Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt was killed in action on 7/19/07.
For Larger Images
Army Cpl. Brandon M. Craig
Remember Our Heroes
Army Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, Md.
Cpl Craig was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.; died July 19, 2007 in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
Soldier from Cecil County killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
EARLEVILLE, Md. — A soldier from Cecil County was killed July 19 in Iraq, the Pentagon announced July 20.
Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, died in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds from a makeshift bomb, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
Craig, an infantryman, was posthumously promoted to corporal, said Joe Hitt, a spokesman for Fort Lewis, Wash., where Craig was stationed.
Craig enlisted in the Army in February 2006 and underwent basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. His unit was deployed to Iraq this April for a 15-month tour, Hitt said.
Craig’s parents told WBAL-TV that they last saw him on his 25th birthday, shortly after he was shipped to Iraq. They said he joined the Army because he wanted to improve his station in life. He leaves behind a wife.
“The service made a big difference in Brandon,” said his father, Danny Craig. “It turned him into a true man.”
He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), based at Fort Lewis, Wash. The combat team uses Stryker armored vehicles.
Craig was the 63rd service member from Maryland to die in Iraq since the conflict began in 2003.
Family: Soldier killed in Iraq believed in what he was fighting for
The Associated Press
EARLEVILLE, Md. — A Cecil County soldier who died in Iraq believed in what he was fighting for, family members said.
Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, died in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds from a makeshift bomb, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
“He really believed in what he was doing over there,” cousin Dawne Allen told The Washington Post.
Craig was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor last month for his actions when his unit came under attack. Craig, an infantryman, was posthumously promoted to corporal, said Joe Hitt, a spokesman for Fort Lewis, Wash., where Craig was stationed.
“He was a great gentleman and a great young man,” Craig’s grandfather, Reginald Craig of Earlville, told The (Baltimore) Sun.
Allen said Craig had been a carpenter and a restaurant cook and joined the Army last year because he “wanted to make something of himself.”
“He just wanted to make his life better,” Allen said.
Craig enlisted in the Army in February 2006 and underwent basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. His unit was deployed to Iraq this April for a 15-month tour, Hitt said.
Army Cpl. Brandon M. Craig was killed in action on 7/19/07.
Army Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, Md.
Cpl Craig was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.; died July 19, 2007 in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
Soldier from Cecil County killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
EARLEVILLE, Md. — A soldier from Cecil County was killed July 19 in Iraq, the Pentagon announced July 20.
Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, died in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds from a makeshift bomb, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
Craig, an infantryman, was posthumously promoted to corporal, said Joe Hitt, a spokesman for Fort Lewis, Wash., where Craig was stationed.
Craig enlisted in the Army in February 2006 and underwent basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. His unit was deployed to Iraq this April for a 15-month tour, Hitt said.
Craig’s parents told WBAL-TV that they last saw him on his 25th birthday, shortly after he was shipped to Iraq. They said he joined the Army because he wanted to improve his station in life. He leaves behind a wife.
“The service made a big difference in Brandon,” said his father, Danny Craig. “It turned him into a true man.”
He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), based at Fort Lewis, Wash. The combat team uses Stryker armored vehicles.
Craig was the 63rd service member from Maryland to die in Iraq since the conflict began in 2003.
Family: Soldier killed in Iraq believed in what he was fighting for
The Associated Press
EARLEVILLE, Md. — A Cecil County soldier who died in Iraq believed in what he was fighting for, family members said.
Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, died in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds from a makeshift bomb, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
“He really believed in what he was doing over there,” cousin Dawne Allen told The Washington Post.
Craig was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor last month for his actions when his unit came under attack. Craig, an infantryman, was posthumously promoted to corporal, said Joe Hitt, a spokesman for Fort Lewis, Wash., where Craig was stationed.
“He was a great gentleman and a great young man,” Craig’s grandfather, Reginald Craig of Earlville, told The (Baltimore) Sun.
Allen said Craig had been a carpenter and a restaurant cook and joined the Army last year because he “wanted to make something of himself.”
“He just wanted to make his life better,” Allen said.
Craig enlisted in the Army in February 2006 and underwent basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. His unit was deployed to Iraq this April for a 15-month tour, Hitt said.
Army Cpl. Brandon M. Craig was killed in action on 7/19/07.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Army Specialist Daniel E. Gomez
Remember Our Heroes
Army Specialist Daniel E. Gomez, 21, of Warner Robins, Ga.
Spc. Gomez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died July 18, 2007 in Adhamiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked by enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Luis E. Gutierrez-Rosales, Spc. Zachary R. Clouser and Spc. Richard Gilmore III.
SPC. Daniel Gomez Remembered
July 29, 2007 11:36 AM EDT
Army Specialist Daniel Enrique Gomez was killed in action last week after an IED attacked his vehicle and this soldier with valley ties was honored by valley veterans Friday evening.
It was family, friends and the small community of Laguna Heights who came to pay their respects to the family Specialist Gomez. They all gathered at the grandmother's home to remember the ultimate sacrifice he made at the young age of 21.
Emotions hit a high note for the family of Specialist Gomez, this as America's Last Patrol pays their respects in the best way they know how to honor the fallen soldier.
"Today is about honoring the family and a way to give them thanks for the sacrifice their son,grandson and uncle made for this country," says Arturo Garza with America' Last Patrol.
Daniel's dad, Juan served in the Air Force and holds on tight to his oldest son's dog tags. They were left from his last trip home. He says it's part of Daniel he'll hold closest to his heart.
Juan Gomez, Daniel's dad says, "I haven't let go of them yet --- being in the military this is what you are, a GI an American soldier."
While Gomez grew up in San Antonio, and lived in Georgia, his family roots are here in the valley.
His parents grew up in Port Isabel.
"We used to come here as much as we could to visit his grandma so he grew up here with all the neighborhood," says Juan.
As the family mourns the loss of their loved one, Daniel's dad recalls the last moments he spent with him.
Conversations included how Gomez wanted to get back to his comrades as a combat medic.
Juan says, "He would go back to a lot of danger and everyday he would put his gear on and one day he got killed in action but he died a hero."
Funeral arrangements have been set for Specialist Gomez.
Visitation will be held all weekend at the Chapel of Hurley Funeral Home in Devine.
He will be buried with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
Army Specialist Daniel E. Gomez was killed in action on 7/18/07.
Army Specialist Daniel E. Gomez, 21, of Warner Robins, Ga.
Spc. Gomez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died July 18, 2007 in Adhamiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked by enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Luis E. Gutierrez-Rosales, Spc. Zachary R. Clouser and Spc. Richard Gilmore III.
SPC. Daniel Gomez Remembered
July 29, 2007 11:36 AM EDT
Army Specialist Daniel Enrique Gomez was killed in action last week after an IED attacked his vehicle and this soldier with valley ties was honored by valley veterans Friday evening.
It was family, friends and the small community of Laguna Heights who came to pay their respects to the family Specialist Gomez. They all gathered at the grandmother's home to remember the ultimate sacrifice he made at the young age of 21.
Emotions hit a high note for the family of Specialist Gomez, this as America's Last Patrol pays their respects in the best way they know how to honor the fallen soldier.
"Today is about honoring the family and a way to give them thanks for the sacrifice their son,grandson and uncle made for this country," says Arturo Garza with America' Last Patrol.
Daniel's dad, Juan served in the Air Force and holds on tight to his oldest son's dog tags. They were left from his last trip home. He says it's part of Daniel he'll hold closest to his heart.
Juan Gomez, Daniel's dad says, "I haven't let go of them yet --- being in the military this is what you are, a GI an American soldier."
While Gomez grew up in San Antonio, and lived in Georgia, his family roots are here in the valley.
His parents grew up in Port Isabel.
"We used to come here as much as we could to visit his grandma so he grew up here with all the neighborhood," says Juan.
As the family mourns the loss of their loved one, Daniel's dad recalls the last moments he spent with him.
Conversations included how Gomez wanted to get back to his comrades as a combat medic.
Juan says, "He would go back to a lot of danger and everyday he would put his gear on and one day he got killed in action but he died a hero."
Funeral arrangements have been set for Specialist Gomez.
Visitation will be held all weekend at the Chapel of Hurley Funeral Home in Devine.
He will be buried with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
Army Specialist Daniel E. Gomez was killed in action on 7/18/07.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Army Pfc. Christopher D. Kube
Remember Our Heroes
Army Pfc. Christopher D. Kube, 18, of Sterling Heights, Mich.
Pfc. Kube was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died July 14, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
‘I ain’t no baby’ — Troops remember a fallen comrade who faced his fears in Iraq
By Robert Burns
The Associated Press
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq — It was sad, and sadly unremarkable.
Army Spc. Christopher D. Kube was memorialized July 19 in a packed theater at this outpost in east Baghdad. Another fallen soldier. Another reminder, far from the public spotlight, of the grief that hits not only families of this war’s casualties but also their comrades in arms.
He was 18.
He was a newlywed.
He was killed July 14, eight months after he arrived in Iraq on a deployment that made him nervous from the start, as one fellow soldier remembered. Back at his home station, Fort Carson, Colo., he drew attention for being so young, so short, so slight and so cheerful.
“When I saw him I asked, ‘How old are you, 10?’ ” recalled his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Eugenie Byron-Griffin. “‘What are you doing here? You’re a baby.’ He looked me straight in my eye, with his chest poked out like he does, and he said, ‘I’m 17, and I ain’t no baby. I’m a man.’ ”
Tears flowing, she added: “Everyone in the unit used to mess with him because he was so small. And almost always he would fight hard to prove his manhood. Like when he purchased his first vehicle and bragged about how little he paid for it.”
He was determined, Byron-Griffin said: “Even when he was afraid, he would face his fear straight-up. And that was what he did when he enlisted in the Army. He said he was afraid he would deploy to Iraq. But he wanted to make a better life for himself and his family.”
Born on Sept. 7, 1988, in Sterling Heights, Mich., Kube enlisted on Oct. 25, 2005, just making the minimum legal age of 17 for joining the military.
Last November he and his unit said their goodbyes and headed for war.
July 14, as he stood in the gun turret of an armored Humvee that was ferrying a team of soldiers to a meeting to promote reconciliation among rival Iraqi religious rivals, a roadside bomb — the leading killer of American soldiers — struck him, killing him instantly.
Kube was with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. Originally assigned to supply duty, he volunteered to be a gunner and a driver in convoys that ferry commanders and, in some cases, visiting VIPs. He chose danger.
His memorial was, in some ways, like those held almost every evening across Baghdad and beyond. A chaplain gave an invocation. The soldier’s commander gave a heartfelt tribute. Fellow soldiers recalled their time together, their sense of loss, their grief and pain.
It was commonplace and yet so extraordinary, knowing that this youngster’s death was another loss for an America torn by four years of war, divided over how to end it, weary of the cost in blood and treasure.
In their remembrances, no soldiers questioned the war. Instead they honored a life. They sat in silence as a series of photos of Kube were projected on a large screen. Words of tribute flashed on the screen.
“You were like a little brother to us all,” wrote one.
“I feel sorry for the rest of the world,” wrote another.
Music played in the background.
At the foot of a stage a helmet with Kube’s name band around it sat atop an upright rifle, his dog tags dangling, a pair of desert combat boots neatly in front.
“To my fellow soldiers I say, Kube is gone but never forgotten,” said Capt. Steve Poe, his company commander. “I ask you to pick it up and drive on. That’s what I believe Kube would do. He’s just that kind of guy.”
Army Pfc. Christopher D. Kube was killed in action on 7/14/07.
Army Pfc. Christopher D. Kube, 18, of Sterling Heights, Mich.
Pfc. Kube was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died July 14, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
‘I ain’t no baby’ — Troops remember a fallen comrade who faced his fears in Iraq
By Robert Burns
The Associated Press
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq — It was sad, and sadly unremarkable.
Army Spc. Christopher D. Kube was memorialized July 19 in a packed theater at this outpost in east Baghdad. Another fallen soldier. Another reminder, far from the public spotlight, of the grief that hits not only families of this war’s casualties but also their comrades in arms.
He was 18.
He was a newlywed.
He was killed July 14, eight months after he arrived in Iraq on a deployment that made him nervous from the start, as one fellow soldier remembered. Back at his home station, Fort Carson, Colo., he drew attention for being so young, so short, so slight and so cheerful.
“When I saw him I asked, ‘How old are you, 10?’ ” recalled his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Eugenie Byron-Griffin. “‘What are you doing here? You’re a baby.’ He looked me straight in my eye, with his chest poked out like he does, and he said, ‘I’m 17, and I ain’t no baby. I’m a man.’ ”
Tears flowing, she added: “Everyone in the unit used to mess with him because he was so small. And almost always he would fight hard to prove his manhood. Like when he purchased his first vehicle and bragged about how little he paid for it.”
He was determined, Byron-Griffin said: “Even when he was afraid, he would face his fear straight-up. And that was what he did when he enlisted in the Army. He said he was afraid he would deploy to Iraq. But he wanted to make a better life for himself and his family.”
Born on Sept. 7, 1988, in Sterling Heights, Mich., Kube enlisted on Oct. 25, 2005, just making the minimum legal age of 17 for joining the military.
Last November he and his unit said their goodbyes and headed for war.
July 14, as he stood in the gun turret of an armored Humvee that was ferrying a team of soldiers to a meeting to promote reconciliation among rival Iraqi religious rivals, a roadside bomb — the leading killer of American soldiers — struck him, killing him instantly.
Kube was with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. Originally assigned to supply duty, he volunteered to be a gunner and a driver in convoys that ferry commanders and, in some cases, visiting VIPs. He chose danger.
His memorial was, in some ways, like those held almost every evening across Baghdad and beyond. A chaplain gave an invocation. The soldier’s commander gave a heartfelt tribute. Fellow soldiers recalled their time together, their sense of loss, their grief and pain.
It was commonplace and yet so extraordinary, knowing that this youngster’s death was another loss for an America torn by four years of war, divided over how to end it, weary of the cost in blood and treasure.
In their remembrances, no soldiers questioned the war. Instead they honored a life. They sat in silence as a series of photos of Kube were projected on a large screen. Words of tribute flashed on the screen.
“You were like a little brother to us all,” wrote one.
“I feel sorry for the rest of the world,” wrote another.
Music played in the background.
At the foot of a stage a helmet with Kube’s name band around it sat atop an upright rifle, his dog tags dangling, a pair of desert combat boots neatly in front.
“To my fellow soldiers I say, Kube is gone but never forgotten,” said Capt. Steve Poe, his company commander. “I ask you to pick it up and drive on. That’s what I believe Kube would do. He’s just that kind of guy.”
Army Pfc. Christopher D. Kube was killed in action on 7/14/07.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Air Force Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie
Remember Our Heroes
Air Force Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, Colo.
Master Sgt. Gillespie was assigned to the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.; died July 9, 2007 in Herat, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained during small-arms fire outside of Camp Stone.
Colorado airman killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. — A master sergeant assigned to Luke Air Force Base was killed in fighting in Afghanistan, the military announced July 11.
A statement issued by officials at the base west of Phoenix said Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, Colo., died July 9 from gunshot wounds received in an encounter outside of a forward operating base near Herat.
Gillespie was assigned to the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Luke, but was on duty in Afghanistan with the 755th Air Expeditionary Group. He was working with a task force assigned to train the Afghan Army.
“Master Sgt. Gillespie will be remembered here as a beloved husband and father, patriot, warrior, friend and proud American who volunteered to serve in his nation’s Air Force,” Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, who commands Luke’s 56th Fighter Wing, said in a statement.
Gillespie is survived by his wife and four children, the military said.
“The military lost a good guy but I guess God was ready for him,” his mother, Joann Gillespie, who lives in Pueblo, told The Gazette of Colorado Springs on July 11. “He was a wonderful husband, a wonderful dad and a wonderful son.”
Gillespie was in his second tour in Afghanistan and had served overseas in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Portugal during his 24-years in the military, Mary Jo May, a spokeswoman for the base, said.
Ron Gillespie, Gillespie’s older brother, said the family has a long tradition of military service, including the Civil War when ancestors served with both the Union and the Confederacy.
“We’ve had family in many, many wars,” Ron Gillespie, also of Pueblo, said July 11. “This time it was our turn, it was our turn to pay the price. I wish I could take his place.”
Air Force Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie was killed in action on 7/9/07.
Air Force Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, Colo.
Master Sgt. Gillespie was assigned to the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.; died July 9, 2007 in Herat, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained during small-arms fire outside of Camp Stone.
Colorado airman killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. — A master sergeant assigned to Luke Air Force Base was killed in fighting in Afghanistan, the military announced July 11.
A statement issued by officials at the base west of Phoenix said Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, Colo., died July 9 from gunshot wounds received in an encounter outside of a forward operating base near Herat.
Gillespie was assigned to the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Luke, but was on duty in Afghanistan with the 755th Air Expeditionary Group. He was working with a task force assigned to train the Afghan Army.
“Master Sgt. Gillespie will be remembered here as a beloved husband and father, patriot, warrior, friend and proud American who volunteered to serve in his nation’s Air Force,” Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, who commands Luke’s 56th Fighter Wing, said in a statement.
Gillespie is survived by his wife and four children, the military said.
“The military lost a good guy but I guess God was ready for him,” his mother, Joann Gillespie, who lives in Pueblo, told The Gazette of Colorado Springs on July 11. “He was a wonderful husband, a wonderful dad and a wonderful son.”
Gillespie was in his second tour in Afghanistan and had served overseas in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Portugal during his 24-years in the military, Mary Jo May, a spokeswoman for the base, said.
Ron Gillespie, Gillespie’s older brother, said the family has a long tradition of military service, including the Civil War when ancestors served with both the Union and the Confederacy.
“We’ve had family in many, many wars,” Ron Gillespie, also of Pueblo, said July 11. “This time it was our turn, it was our turn to pay the price. I wish I could take his place.”
Air Force Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie was killed in action on 7/9/07.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, 35, of Monterey, Calif.
Sgt. Mitchell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Stuttgart, Germany; died July 7, 2007 in Kidal, Mali, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.
Local soldier dies in accident overseas
Killed in Mali when windstorm blows over tent where he was working
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
Joan Mitchell holds a photograph of her son, Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, taken at his wedding in September. (DAVID ROYAL/The Herald)A soldier from the Monterey Peninsula was killed when high winds in northeastern Mali blew over a tent in which he was working, military officials said Tuesday.
The Pentagon said Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, 35, died Saturday in "a non-combat-related incident" in Kidal, Mali, and his death is under investigation.
Four other soldiers were hurt in the incident and were sent from the northwestern African nation to Germany, where they were being treated at a U.S. military hospital, said Maj. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the U.S. European Command.
Mitchell's mother, Joan Mitchell, said her son was a 1991 graduate of Monterey High School and had been in the Army for 10 years. Joan Mitchell lives in Seaside.
She said her son was married 18 months ago and that his wife, Sonja, gave birth to a son, Cameron James Mitchell, two and a half months ago. The family lives in Stuttgart, Germany.
Kidal is a remote trading post 150 miles north of Gao, not far from where a group of 32 European hikers were seized and held for ransom by guerrillas in 2003.
The Army has special-forces teams in Mali to train the Mali army in counterterrorist operations.
Mitchell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group based in Stuttgart. He was also part of the Special Operations Command Europe's Trans-Sahara Counter Terrorism Partnership, a joint program between the departments of State and Defense.
Mitchell arrived in Kidal in June.
He was a student of Russian at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, graduating in 2001, Army authorities said. His father, Steven Mitchell, also graduated from DLI as a Vietnamese language student.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell died on 7/7/07.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, 35, of Monterey, Calif.
Sgt. Mitchell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Stuttgart, Germany; died July 7, 2007 in Kidal, Mali, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.
Local soldier dies in accident overseas
Killed in Mali when windstorm blows over tent where he was working
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
Joan Mitchell holds a photograph of her son, Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, taken at his wedding in September. (DAVID ROYAL/The Herald)A soldier from the Monterey Peninsula was killed when high winds in northeastern Mali blew over a tent in which he was working, military officials said Tuesday.
The Pentagon said Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, 35, died Saturday in "a non-combat-related incident" in Kidal, Mali, and his death is under investigation.
Four other soldiers were hurt in the incident and were sent from the northwestern African nation to Germany, where they were being treated at a U.S. military hospital, said Maj. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the U.S. European Command.
Mitchell's mother, Joan Mitchell, said her son was a 1991 graduate of Monterey High School and had been in the Army for 10 years. Joan Mitchell lives in Seaside.
She said her son was married 18 months ago and that his wife, Sonja, gave birth to a son, Cameron James Mitchell, two and a half months ago. The family lives in Stuttgart, Germany.
Kidal is a remote trading post 150 miles north of Gao, not far from where a group of 32 European hikers were seized and held for ransom by guerrillas in 2003.
The Army has special-forces teams in Mali to train the Mali army in counterterrorist operations.
Mitchell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group based in Stuttgart. He was also part of the Special Operations Command Europe's Trans-Sahara Counter Terrorism Partnership, a joint program between the departments of State and Defense.
Mitchell arrived in Kidal in June.
He was a student of Russian at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, graduating in 2001, Army authorities said. His father, Steven Mitchell, also graduated from DLI as a Vietnamese language student.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell died on 7/7/07.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Army Sgt. Thomas P. McGee
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Thomas P. McGee, 23, of Hawthorne, Calif.
Sgt. McGee was assigned to the 546th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Wazi Khwa, Afghanistan.
Southern California soldier dies in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
HAWTHORNE, Calif. — As a trainer in Afghanistan, Army Sgt. Tommy McGee, 23, struggled at first to assert himself next to louder colleagues.
“He was having a hard time because his style of sergeant training is a little bit different than most,” said his mother, Sylvia McGee of Hawthorne. “He’s not a yeller or a screamer, and a lot of them are.”
But he soon became an effective trainer and earned the respect of his fellow trainers, she said.
He died July 6 from injuries caused by a roadside bomb in Wazi Khwa, Afghanistan, leaving his unit with a void, said his mother.
“A lot of soldiers talked about him,” she said. “He’s very respected.”
McGee wanted to join the military after the terrorist attacks in New York but his mother was opposed. He instead took college courses in hope of becoming a police officer and then joined the National Guard and went to Kosovo.
In early 2006, he joined the Army and was sent to Afghanistan.
McGee participated in the Junior ROTC program in high school, where Lt. Col. Ken Falasco remembered him as dependable.
“When you asked him to do something, it was done,” he said. “You didn’t have to follow him around.”
He was recalled as level-headed and generous.
In Afghanistan he gave up his phone time so married colleagues could call their wives.
“It was harder on us, but we understood,” said his mother.
McGee is also survived by his father, Tom McGee, and his brother Corey, 19.
Army Sgt. Thomas P. McGee was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Sgt. Thomas P. McGee, 23, of Hawthorne, Calif.
Sgt. McGee was assigned to the 546th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Wazi Khwa, Afghanistan.
Southern California soldier dies in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
HAWTHORNE, Calif. — As a trainer in Afghanistan, Army Sgt. Tommy McGee, 23, struggled at first to assert himself next to louder colleagues.
“He was having a hard time because his style of sergeant training is a little bit different than most,” said his mother, Sylvia McGee of Hawthorne. “He’s not a yeller or a screamer, and a lot of them are.”
But he soon became an effective trainer and earned the respect of his fellow trainers, she said.
He died July 6 from injuries caused by a roadside bomb in Wazi Khwa, Afghanistan, leaving his unit with a void, said his mother.
“A lot of soldiers talked about him,” she said. “He’s very respected.”
McGee wanted to join the military after the terrorist attacks in New York but his mother was opposed. He instead took college courses in hope of becoming a police officer and then joined the National Guard and went to Kosovo.
In early 2006, he joined the Army and was sent to Afghanistan.
McGee participated in the Junior ROTC program in high school, where Lt. Col. Ken Falasco remembered him as dependable.
“When you asked him to do something, it was done,” he said. “You didn’t have to follow him around.”
He was recalled as level-headed and generous.
In Afghanistan he gave up his phone time so married colleagues could call their wives.
“It was harder on us, but we understood,” said his mother.
McGee is also survived by his father, Tom McGee, and his brother Corey, 19.
Army Sgt. Thomas P. McGee was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr.
Remember Our Heroes
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr., 28, of Missouri City, Texas
SSgt. Cole was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 6, 2007 in Sadah, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.
82nd Airborne Division paratrooper killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — An 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper has died from injuries suffered when a bomb detonated near his patrol in Iraq, the military said June 8.
Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr., 28, of Missouri City, Texas, was on patrol in As Sadah when the bomb detonated June 6, the military said.
Cole, who joined the Army in October 2001, was on his second deployment to Iraq. Before joining the Army, Cole served in the Marine Corps from October 1998 to March 2001.
“Staff Sgt. Cole was a tough man, a proven combat leader, and was well-liked and respected by those that knew him,” said Lt. Col. Andrew P. Poppas, commander of the 5th Squadron, 73rd Calvary, to which Cole was assigned in March 2006. “Even in the most challenging of situations, Sgt. Cole’s calm demeanor and quick wit always had a way to make everyone laugh. His friendship and leadership will truly be missed.”
Among the decorations and awards that Cole received were the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
Survivors include his wife, Lindsey W. Cole of Fort Bragg; daughters Alexus, Adrianna and Laura; son, Kross; and his parents, Timothy B. Cole Sr. and Connie L. Cole, both of Oakdale, La.
Funeral set in Oakdale for Army sergeant killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
OAKDALE, La. — Funeral services were scheduled June 15 for Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr., who was killed in Iraq.
Cole died June 6 from injuries he suffered when a bomb went off near his patrol unit in As Sadah, Iraq. He was a cavalry scout with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
His body was brought home to Oakdale this week.
Cole attended Louisiana State University at Alexandria and Northwestern State University before joining the Marine Corps in 1998. He served in supply and logistics for four years and was deployed to Afghanistan.
Upon leaving the Marines, he entered the Army in 2005 as a cavalry scout.
Upon completing training at Fort Knox, Ky., he was reassigned to 73rd Calvary, where he served as a gunner and then a team leader in an airborne reconnaissance squadron. He deployed for his second tour to Iraq in August.
His mother, Connie Cole, told The (Lake Charles) American Press that her son joined the Army because the Marines would not take him back because of his tattoos. He had tattoos on each arm “Live by the Gun” on one, “Die by the Gun” on the other. He also had tattoos of a Humvee and soldier on his back, the word “Soldier” on his neck and a machine gun on his arm.
“The Army took him, but his love will always remain with the Marines,” she said.
She said that he told her that if anything happened to him in Iraq he wanted to be buried in Marine dress blues and for his family to help take care of his children.
Cole is survived by his wife, Lindsey; three daughters, Alexus, Adrianna and Laura; son, Kross; and parents, Timothy B. Cole Sr. and Connie Cole of Oakdale.
N.C.-based soldier remembered as a hero
The Associated Press
OAKDALE, La. — Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr. was remembered June 15 as a hero with a big heart who always looked out for others.
Cole, 28, died June 6 from injuries he suffered when a bomb went off near his patrol unit in As Sadah, Iraq. He was a cavalry scout with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Sgt. Brandon Carpenter said Cole used to give him a hard time while hanging out with friends at the Calcasieu River. It’s something the National Guardsman, who first met Cole when he was 12, will never forget.
“We had many titles for Timothy — funny, tough, wild and crazy — but right now the only one I can say is hero,” Carpenter said standing near Cole’s flag-draped casket.
Cole had already survived two bomb attacks before his death, family said. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq and had served one tour in Afghanistan.
Carpenter said he was not surprised to learn that Cole was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor for holding off a large enemy force until a wounded paratrooper could be moved.
He said Cole always looked out for others.
Nearly 700 people gathered for Cole’s funeral in First Baptist Church of Oakdale and for his burial in Hampton Memorial Cemetery in Elizabeth.
They laughed, shed tears and smiled as they remembered him.
The Rev. Stephen Laughlin, pastor of First Baptist, where Cole attended church until he joined the military, lauded Cole as an American hero who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
“The sad part is we have no ability to shake his hand or put our arms around him to say ‘Thank you,’ ” he said, urging those attending to stand and applaud the active-duty service members attending the service.
Cole attended Louisiana State University at Alexandria and Northwestern State University before joining the Marine Corps in 1998. He served in supply and logistics for four years and was deployed to Afghanistan.
Upon leaving the Marines, he entered the Army in 2005 as a cavalry scout.
Cole is survived by his wife, Lindsey; three daughters, Alexus, Adrianna and Laura; son, Kross; and parents, Timothy B. Cole Sr. and Connie Cole of Oakdale.
Family recalls soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr. loved tattoos, even if the Marines did not.
Cole had tattoos on each arm — one etched with the phrase “Live by The Gun” and the other “Die by The Gun.”
He joined the Corps out of high school in 1998 and served in Afghanistan. After leaving the Marines, he joined the Army in August 2005.
“Timothy had gotten tattoos while he was in the Marines, and when he wanted to rejoin the Marines, they didn’t want him because of the tattoos,” said Dessie Johnson, his grandmother. “He had a tattoo of a Humvee on his back and the word soldier on his neck.
The Marines missed out on a dedicated soldier.”
Cole, 28, of Oakdale, La., died June 6 in Sadah, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.
His mother, Connie Cole, said her son “always chose the hardest, most dangerous jobs. The military was his life in fact, he wanted to become an Army Ranger and was working towards that goal.”
Cole, who also attended LSU at Alexandria and Northwestern State University, is survived by his wife, Lindsey, three daughters, Alexus, Adrianna and Laura, a stepdaughter, Katelyn, and his son, Kross.
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr. was killed in action on 7/6/07.
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr., 28, of Missouri City, Texas
SSgt. Cole was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 6, 2007 in Sadah, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.
82nd Airborne Division paratrooper killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — An 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper has died from injuries suffered when a bomb detonated near his patrol in Iraq, the military said June 8.
Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr., 28, of Missouri City, Texas, was on patrol in As Sadah when the bomb detonated June 6, the military said.
Cole, who joined the Army in October 2001, was on his second deployment to Iraq. Before joining the Army, Cole served in the Marine Corps from October 1998 to March 2001.
“Staff Sgt. Cole was a tough man, a proven combat leader, and was well-liked and respected by those that knew him,” said Lt. Col. Andrew P. Poppas, commander of the 5th Squadron, 73rd Calvary, to which Cole was assigned in March 2006. “Even in the most challenging of situations, Sgt. Cole’s calm demeanor and quick wit always had a way to make everyone laugh. His friendship and leadership will truly be missed.”
Among the decorations and awards that Cole received were the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
Survivors include his wife, Lindsey W. Cole of Fort Bragg; daughters Alexus, Adrianna and Laura; son, Kross; and his parents, Timothy B. Cole Sr. and Connie L. Cole, both of Oakdale, La.
Funeral set in Oakdale for Army sergeant killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
OAKDALE, La. — Funeral services were scheduled June 15 for Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr., who was killed in Iraq.
Cole died June 6 from injuries he suffered when a bomb went off near his patrol unit in As Sadah, Iraq. He was a cavalry scout with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
His body was brought home to Oakdale this week.
Cole attended Louisiana State University at Alexandria and Northwestern State University before joining the Marine Corps in 1998. He served in supply and logistics for four years and was deployed to Afghanistan.
Upon leaving the Marines, he entered the Army in 2005 as a cavalry scout.
Upon completing training at Fort Knox, Ky., he was reassigned to 73rd Calvary, where he served as a gunner and then a team leader in an airborne reconnaissance squadron. He deployed for his second tour to Iraq in August.
His mother, Connie Cole, told The (Lake Charles) American Press that her son joined the Army because the Marines would not take him back because of his tattoos. He had tattoos on each arm “Live by the Gun” on one, “Die by the Gun” on the other. He also had tattoos of a Humvee and soldier on his back, the word “Soldier” on his neck and a machine gun on his arm.
“The Army took him, but his love will always remain with the Marines,” she said.
She said that he told her that if anything happened to him in Iraq he wanted to be buried in Marine dress blues and for his family to help take care of his children.
Cole is survived by his wife, Lindsey; three daughters, Alexus, Adrianna and Laura; son, Kross; and parents, Timothy B. Cole Sr. and Connie Cole of Oakdale.
N.C.-based soldier remembered as a hero
The Associated Press
OAKDALE, La. — Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr. was remembered June 15 as a hero with a big heart who always looked out for others.
Cole, 28, died June 6 from injuries he suffered when a bomb went off near his patrol unit in As Sadah, Iraq. He was a cavalry scout with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Sgt. Brandon Carpenter said Cole used to give him a hard time while hanging out with friends at the Calcasieu River. It’s something the National Guardsman, who first met Cole when he was 12, will never forget.
“We had many titles for Timothy — funny, tough, wild and crazy — but right now the only one I can say is hero,” Carpenter said standing near Cole’s flag-draped casket.
Cole had already survived two bomb attacks before his death, family said. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq and had served one tour in Afghanistan.
Carpenter said he was not surprised to learn that Cole was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor for holding off a large enemy force until a wounded paratrooper could be moved.
He said Cole always looked out for others.
Nearly 700 people gathered for Cole’s funeral in First Baptist Church of Oakdale and for his burial in Hampton Memorial Cemetery in Elizabeth.
They laughed, shed tears and smiled as they remembered him.
The Rev. Stephen Laughlin, pastor of First Baptist, where Cole attended church until he joined the military, lauded Cole as an American hero who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
“The sad part is we have no ability to shake his hand or put our arms around him to say ‘Thank you,’ ” he said, urging those attending to stand and applaud the active-duty service members attending the service.
Cole attended Louisiana State University at Alexandria and Northwestern State University before joining the Marine Corps in 1998. He served in supply and logistics for four years and was deployed to Afghanistan.
Upon leaving the Marines, he entered the Army in 2005 as a cavalry scout.
Cole is survived by his wife, Lindsey; three daughters, Alexus, Adrianna and Laura; son, Kross; and parents, Timothy B. Cole Sr. and Connie Cole of Oakdale.
Family recalls soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr. loved tattoos, even if the Marines did not.
Cole had tattoos on each arm — one etched with the phrase “Live by The Gun” and the other “Die by The Gun.”
He joined the Corps out of high school in 1998 and served in Afghanistan. After leaving the Marines, he joined the Army in August 2005.
“Timothy had gotten tattoos while he was in the Marines, and when he wanted to rejoin the Marines, they didn’t want him because of the tattoos,” said Dessie Johnson, his grandmother. “He had a tattoo of a Humvee on his back and the word soldier on his neck.
The Marines missed out on a dedicated soldier.”
Cole, 28, of Oakdale, La., died June 6 in Sadah, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.
His mother, Connie Cole, said her son “always chose the hardest, most dangerous jobs. The military was his life in fact, he wanted to become an Army Ranger and was working towards that goal.”
Cole, who also attended LSU at Alexandria and Northwestern State University, is survived by his wife, Lindsey, three daughters, Alexus, Adrianna and Laura, a stepdaughter, Katelyn, and his son, Kross.
Army Staff Sgt. Timothy B. Cole Jr. was killed in action on 7/6/07.
Army Cpl. Kory D. Wiens & Cooper
Remember Our Heroes
Army Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, of Independence, Ore.
Cpl. Wiens was assigned to the 94th Mine Dog Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died July 6, 2007 in Muhammad Sath, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Pfc. Bruce C. Salazar Jr.
And that is the official DoD notice of Kory's AND Cooper's deaths in Iraq. Whilst we all understand the need for officialspeak in such matters, many of us are saddened that Cooper has not been officially recognised. Here on the home team, and all Kory and Cooper's friends and colleagues in Iraq, know that Kory and Cooper were best friends. His buddies in Iraq (both 2 and 4 legged,) witnessed that bond on a daily basis, as they worked as part of the K9 teams.
We have shed many tears, said many prayers, as news reached us, here at home, of the loss of this precious team.
Chuck
10 Jul 2007 2:33
Kory and Cooper.....I remember the first day I met you in SSD school, I took off my rank and made believe we was the same rank...you didn't believe me....I miss ya man and Gabe misses his buddy Cooper...I was honored to have been able to hang out with you for those 5 months and to have become friends with you....we miss and love you and we will never forget you.....R.I.P.
Cooper was officially a SSD (Specialized Search Dog) for Team 1 in Iraq. That was his official title, but as anyone who knows anything about dogs generally, and our K9 teams in particular, that SSD designation doesn't even come close to doing justice to all that Cooper and Kory meant to each other.
There are many stories in the newspapers about Kory, and most of them recognise the important place that Cooper had in his life. This one:
Local soldier dies of wounds from IED attack
Story Updated: Jul 11, 2007 at 2:27 PM PDT
Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, of Independence, Ore. died July 6 of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Muhammad Sath, Iraq.
Kory was born September 6, 1986 in Albany, Ore. He was the middle son of three boys and an older sister. He was named after his grandfather who was a canine handler during the Korean War....
Kory enlisted into the Army to gain experience for pursuing a career in law enforcement. He attended canine school at the 341st Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he met his partner and friend, a yellow Labrador Retriever named Cooper. Cooper was a specialized search dog trained to find firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Kory and Cooper shared a special bond, spending most of their time together. Kory often referred to Cooper as his "son". The two were featured in many news articles.
Kory and Cooper were assigned to the 94th Mine Dog Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The two deployed to Iraq together in January. Their abilities to detect TNT, C-4, detonation cords, smokeless powder and mortars saved countless lives by taking explosives and other IED manufacturing materials off the streets of Iraq.
Friday, 16 March 2007
Pfc. Kory Wiens of the 94th Engineer Detachment, takes his charge, Cooper, a yellow lab out on a search mission. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Laura M. Bigenho.CAMP VICTORY — They may not carry firearms or communicate as humans do, but specialized search dogs are equipped and trained for battle in ways that make a soldier's job more efficient and the streets of Iraq safer.
SSDs are a unique group of canines "trained for the military operational environment to find firearms, ammunition and explosives during a variety of missions," ...
Pfc. Kory Wiens of the 94th Engineer Detachment has been with his dog, Cooper, for nearly a year. The 20-year-old combat engineer said he's grateful to be a dog handler. When Wiens first met the yellow lab, the pup didn't know simple obedience commands. That's all changed.
"I got to teach him all the things he knows, today," Wiens said. "Seeing him out there working is very rewarding. It's amazing to see how far he's come."
Cooper has become more like a kid than a dog to Wiens. He introduces Cooper to everybody as his son, and said being with him is just like watching a kid grow up.
"It's a lot of fun having him in Iraq," Wiens said. "There's never a dull moment with him."
Kory and Cooper will always remain part of a tight-knit fraternity. Yes, to the official military, these dogs may be just another tool. Historically, dogs have always served in times of war. They have been an integral part of winning any war. There is a site worth looking at about the proud history of US War dogs. Lots of facts and interesting reading here.
[courtesy of SA K9 team]
The official position may be that dogs are machines, but as this picture clearly shows, our troops in our K9 teams, have a relationship that extends far beyond the official!
A colleague of Kory's and Cooper's , K9 team handler SSgt Robert Prim, works with Judy. He sent this message (quoted with his full permission):
SSD team was doing a search in a village. MWD did respond only thing the team and the security element was too deep in the village. The whole area was wired and Cooper triggerd a pressure plate when handler called him back.
This proves that we (MWD TEAMS) need more training and more support. The THREAT IS REAL!!!!!!!!!! WE are in front of many teams moving alone, so others can live! I put my life in a best friend's paws daily and my MWD puts his life on the line for 100s or sometimes 1000s daily!
Please take a small moment to remember those who have fallen and those who are to replace them.
SSgt Robert Prim
USAF
Military Working Dog Handler
Explosive Detector Dog Team
To anyone, it has to be obvious that teams such as this one - these two best buddies, father and "son" - are so much more than statistics, or tools.
From Kassie's MySpace Bulletin board come these comments (quoted with her permission!):
Handler Greg "..... The dogs are usually looked at by the non k9 military as tools, weapons, and a number. to us they are our partners, and friends, even though we realize if we have to send our dog out somewhere, we take the chance on never seeing them again. "
and from Handler Vinnie:"Victory isn't that far from me at all. Damn, I'm sorry to hear that... I believe Heaven is the place where everything that is inherently good and kind in this world is...no malice....no cardinal instincts...just love. And that's where I hope to see Masto again someday. Just like Kory and Cooper are together now."
And so it is...
There is an interesting article on MWD, from 2004, on the US Dept of Defense site. Back then it was estimated that there were approximately 2,300 working dogs. Great article, if all you are looking for is a general overview of MWD. You can read that here.
That phrase - "approximately 2,300 dogs" - nor any generic overview of MWD, can do justice to the heroes such as Cooper working side by side with their partners.
Anyone who wants to truly know the measure, the contribution, of such special heroes as Kory and Cooper, need look no further than Kory's MySpace page here. Many are leaving messages both for Kory and for Kory's family. One such is this:
Jason
9 Jul 2007 16:55
Kory, We miss you buddy. I want to thank you for your friendship and your sacrifice to our country. It was truely an honor serving with you. You are a fine young man and one of the best soldiers I ever had the honor of serving beside. I will always remember your cheerfullness, and your desire to learn and be the best. Although our missions took us on differant paths, my time with you stateside was always a pleasure. You will be sorely missed and those who knew you were truely better because of it. May God wrap you in his arms now and keep you.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." II Timothy Ch4 V7
Godspeed Brother, may you rest easy.
Yes. Kory AND Cooper, together, have fought a good fight...kept the faith.
God bless you Cpl. Wiens and Cooper. Together, as heroes, forever!
Brat
You can see the orignal tribute with pictures at Tanker Bros Kory & Cooper
Army Cpl. Kory D. Wiens and Cooper were killed in action on 7/6/07.
Army Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, of Independence, Ore.
Cpl. Wiens was assigned to the 94th Mine Dog Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died July 6, 2007 in Muhammad Sath, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Pfc. Bruce C. Salazar Jr.
And that is the official DoD notice of Kory's AND Cooper's deaths in Iraq. Whilst we all understand the need for officialspeak in such matters, many of us are saddened that Cooper has not been officially recognised. Here on the home team, and all Kory and Cooper's friends and colleagues in Iraq, know that Kory and Cooper were best friends. His buddies in Iraq (both 2 and 4 legged,) witnessed that bond on a daily basis, as they worked as part of the K9 teams.
We have shed many tears, said many prayers, as news reached us, here at home, of the loss of this precious team.
Chuck
10 Jul 2007 2:33
Kory and Cooper.....I remember the first day I met you in SSD school, I took off my rank and made believe we was the same rank...you didn't believe me....I miss ya man and Gabe misses his buddy Cooper...I was honored to have been able to hang out with you for those 5 months and to have become friends with you....we miss and love you and we will never forget you.....R.I.P.
Cooper was officially a SSD (Specialized Search Dog) for Team 1 in Iraq. That was his official title, but as anyone who knows anything about dogs generally, and our K9 teams in particular, that SSD designation doesn't even come close to doing justice to all that Cooper and Kory meant to each other.
There are many stories in the newspapers about Kory, and most of them recognise the important place that Cooper had in his life. This one:
Local soldier dies of wounds from IED attack
Story Updated: Jul 11, 2007 at 2:27 PM PDT
Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, of Independence, Ore. died July 6 of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Muhammad Sath, Iraq.
Kory was born September 6, 1986 in Albany, Ore. He was the middle son of three boys and an older sister. He was named after his grandfather who was a canine handler during the Korean War....
Kory enlisted into the Army to gain experience for pursuing a career in law enforcement. He attended canine school at the 341st Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he met his partner and friend, a yellow Labrador Retriever named Cooper. Cooper was a specialized search dog trained to find firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Kory and Cooper shared a special bond, spending most of their time together. Kory often referred to Cooper as his "son". The two were featured in many news articles.
Kory and Cooper were assigned to the 94th Mine Dog Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The two deployed to Iraq together in January. Their abilities to detect TNT, C-4, detonation cords, smokeless powder and mortars saved countless lives by taking explosives and other IED manufacturing materials off the streets of Iraq.
Friday, 16 March 2007
Pfc. Kory Wiens of the 94th Engineer Detachment, takes his charge, Cooper, a yellow lab out on a search mission. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Laura M. Bigenho.CAMP VICTORY — They may not carry firearms or communicate as humans do, but specialized search dogs are equipped and trained for battle in ways that make a soldier's job more efficient and the streets of Iraq safer.
SSDs are a unique group of canines "trained for the military operational environment to find firearms, ammunition and explosives during a variety of missions," ...
Pfc. Kory Wiens of the 94th Engineer Detachment has been with his dog, Cooper, for nearly a year. The 20-year-old combat engineer said he's grateful to be a dog handler. When Wiens first met the yellow lab, the pup didn't know simple obedience commands. That's all changed.
"I got to teach him all the things he knows, today," Wiens said. "Seeing him out there working is very rewarding. It's amazing to see how far he's come."
Cooper has become more like a kid than a dog to Wiens. He introduces Cooper to everybody as his son, and said being with him is just like watching a kid grow up.
"It's a lot of fun having him in Iraq," Wiens said. "There's never a dull moment with him."
Kory and Cooper will always remain part of a tight-knit fraternity. Yes, to the official military, these dogs may be just another tool. Historically, dogs have always served in times of war. They have been an integral part of winning any war. There is a site worth looking at about the proud history of US War dogs. Lots of facts and interesting reading here.
[courtesy of SA K9 team]
The official position may be that dogs are machines, but as this picture clearly shows, our troops in our K9 teams, have a relationship that extends far beyond the official!
A colleague of Kory's and Cooper's , K9 team handler SSgt Robert Prim, works with Judy. He sent this message (quoted with his full permission):
SSD team was doing a search in a village. MWD did respond only thing the team and the security element was too deep in the village. The whole area was wired and Cooper triggerd a pressure plate when handler called him back.
This proves that we (MWD TEAMS) need more training and more support. The THREAT IS REAL!!!!!!!!!! WE are in front of many teams moving alone, so others can live! I put my life in a best friend's paws daily and my MWD puts his life on the line for 100s or sometimes 1000s daily!
Please take a small moment to remember those who have fallen and those who are to replace them.
SSgt Robert Prim
USAF
Military Working Dog Handler
Explosive Detector Dog Team
To anyone, it has to be obvious that teams such as this one - these two best buddies, father and "son" - are so much more than statistics, or tools.
From Kassie's MySpace Bulletin board come these comments (quoted with her permission!):
Handler Greg "..... The dogs are usually looked at by the non k9 military as tools, weapons, and a number. to us they are our partners, and friends, even though we realize if we have to send our dog out somewhere, we take the chance on never seeing them again. "
and from Handler Vinnie:"Victory isn't that far from me at all. Damn, I'm sorry to hear that... I believe Heaven is the place where everything that is inherently good and kind in this world is...no malice....no cardinal instincts...just love. And that's where I hope to see Masto again someday. Just like Kory and Cooper are together now."
And so it is...
There is an interesting article on MWD, from 2004, on the US Dept of Defense site. Back then it was estimated that there were approximately 2,300 working dogs. Great article, if all you are looking for is a general overview of MWD. You can read that here.
That phrase - "approximately 2,300 dogs" - nor any generic overview of MWD, can do justice to the heroes such as Cooper working side by side with their partners.
Anyone who wants to truly know the measure, the contribution, of such special heroes as Kory and Cooper, need look no further than Kory's MySpace page here. Many are leaving messages both for Kory and for Kory's family. One such is this:
Jason
9 Jul 2007 16:55
Kory, We miss you buddy. I want to thank you for your friendship and your sacrifice to our country. It was truely an honor serving with you. You are a fine young man and one of the best soldiers I ever had the honor of serving beside. I will always remember your cheerfullness, and your desire to learn and be the best. Although our missions took us on differant paths, my time with you stateside was always a pleasure. You will be sorely missed and those who knew you were truely better because of it. May God wrap you in his arms now and keep you.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." II Timothy Ch4 V7
Godspeed Brother, may you rest easy.
Yes. Kory AND Cooper, together, have fought a good fight...kept the faith.
God bless you Cpl. Wiens and Cooper. Together, as heroes, forever!
Brat
You can see the orignal tribute with pictures at Tanker Bros Kory & Cooper
Army Cpl. Kory D. Wiens and Cooper were killed in action on 7/6/07.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Marine Lance Cpl. Steven A. Stacy
Remember Our Heroes
Marine Lance Cpl. Steven A. Stacy, 23, of Coos Bay, Ore.
LCpl Stacy was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 5, 2007 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Taqaddum, Iraq. Also killed was Cpl. Jeremy D. Allbaugh.
Oregon Marine dies in Iraq
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregonian who enlisted hoping to scuba dive in the exotic places the Marines would send him was shot to death in the town of Karma in Iraq, his family said.
Lance Cpl. Steven Stacy, 23, of Coos Bay died July 5 in the town near Fallujah.
He graduated from Marshfield High School in 2003. He was in the 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, based in Camp Pendleton, Calif., The World of Coos Bay reported.
His mother, Dana Potts, said the young man known as “Scuba Steve” cited that passion and his confusion about what to do with his life as reasons for enlisting in 2005. She said her son hoped to dive in places such Singapore, Thailand and Kuwait.
A friend, Chris Stevens, told the paper that Stacy didn’t realize that dream, but did get some snorkeling in.
Dana Potts and Stacy’s stepfather, Robert Potts, said Stacy always wanted to be in the military. They were glad he joined, but nervous he chose to be a rifleman.
“He told us that was the best decision he ever made — even if he never came back from Iraq,” his mother said. “That that was the best thing in the world he ever had done.”
Her husband agreed.
“It turned him into a man,” he said.
Separately, the Defense Department reported that Army Spc. Michelle Ring, 24, died July 5 in Baghdad after being hit by mortar fire inside Camp Liberty. She was part of the 92nd Military Police Battalion, out of Fort Benning, Ga., the Defense Department said.
Ring, who lives in Martin, Tenn., went to school in McMinnville before her family moved to Alaska, where she graduated from Chugiak High School, her mother, Shirley Stearns of McMinnville, said.
Hundreds gather to say final good-bye to Coos Bay Marine
The Associated Press
COOS BAY, Ore. — Flags across Oregon’s South Coast stood at half-staff July 14 as hundreds of people gathered to honor the life of Lance Cpl. Steven Stacy, who was buried with full military honors.
Stacy, a Marine Corps rifleman in the 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, died July 5 from a gunshot wound to the neck while on patrol about 6 miles outside of Fallujah, Iraq.
Described as a gentle soul, Stacy was the son of Dana Potts and her husband Robert, of Coos Bay, and Stanley Stacy, of Albany.
The 23-year-old graduate of Marshfield High School had arrived in Iraq only three weeks before his death.
Under an overcast sky, dozens of veterans and their families lined the cemetery drive, holding flags and saluting the motorcade as it arrived.
“I think Corporal Stacy’s response to trying times was to provide strength, which I’m sure he found in the love he had or received from each and every one of you,” said Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who spoke at the graveside service
The Purple Heart that was awarded to Stacy for receiving wounds in action while in Iraq was given to his mother July 14.
Marine Lance Cpl. Steven A. Stacy was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Marine Lance Cpl. Steven A. Stacy, 23, of Coos Bay, Ore.
LCpl Stacy was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 5, 2007 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Taqaddum, Iraq. Also killed was Cpl. Jeremy D. Allbaugh.
Oregon Marine dies in Iraq
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregonian who enlisted hoping to scuba dive in the exotic places the Marines would send him was shot to death in the town of Karma in Iraq, his family said.
Lance Cpl. Steven Stacy, 23, of Coos Bay died July 5 in the town near Fallujah.
He graduated from Marshfield High School in 2003. He was in the 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, based in Camp Pendleton, Calif., The World of Coos Bay reported.
His mother, Dana Potts, said the young man known as “Scuba Steve” cited that passion and his confusion about what to do with his life as reasons for enlisting in 2005. She said her son hoped to dive in places such Singapore, Thailand and Kuwait.
A friend, Chris Stevens, told the paper that Stacy didn’t realize that dream, but did get some snorkeling in.
Dana Potts and Stacy’s stepfather, Robert Potts, said Stacy always wanted to be in the military. They were glad he joined, but nervous he chose to be a rifleman.
“He told us that was the best decision he ever made — even if he never came back from Iraq,” his mother said. “That that was the best thing in the world he ever had done.”
Her husband agreed.
“It turned him into a man,” he said.
Separately, the Defense Department reported that Army Spc. Michelle Ring, 24, died July 5 in Baghdad after being hit by mortar fire inside Camp Liberty. She was part of the 92nd Military Police Battalion, out of Fort Benning, Ga., the Defense Department said.
Ring, who lives in Martin, Tenn., went to school in McMinnville before her family moved to Alaska, where she graduated from Chugiak High School, her mother, Shirley Stearns of McMinnville, said.
Hundreds gather to say final good-bye to Coos Bay Marine
The Associated Press
COOS BAY, Ore. — Flags across Oregon’s South Coast stood at half-staff July 14 as hundreds of people gathered to honor the life of Lance Cpl. Steven Stacy, who was buried with full military honors.
Stacy, a Marine Corps rifleman in the 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, died July 5 from a gunshot wound to the neck while on patrol about 6 miles outside of Fallujah, Iraq.
Described as a gentle soul, Stacy was the son of Dana Potts and her husband Robert, of Coos Bay, and Stanley Stacy, of Albany.
The 23-year-old graduate of Marshfield High School had arrived in Iraq only three weeks before his death.
Under an overcast sky, dozens of veterans and their families lined the cemetery drive, holding flags and saluting the motorcade as it arrived.
“I think Corporal Stacy’s response to trying times was to provide strength, which I’m sure he found in the love he had or received from each and every one of you,” said Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who spoke at the graveside service
The Purple Heart that was awarded to Stacy for receiving wounds in action while in Iraq was given to his mother July 14.
Marine Lance Cpl. Steven A. Stacy was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Specialist Michelle R. Ring
Remember Our Heroes
Army Specialist Michelle R. Ring, 24, of Martin, Tenn.
Spc. Ring was assigned to the 92nd Military Police Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga.; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained from enemy mortar fire in Baghdad.
Army was turning soldier’s life around
By Julia O’Malley
Anchorage Daily News via The Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — After seeing her boyfriend killed in an Anchorage parking-lot fight, she moved to Tennessee.
Five years later, with a crumbled marriage and two young boys, her job in a sweltering small-town factory could barely keep the lights on.
On her lunch break two years ago, she looked up and saw a highway sign: The Army.
Ring was a single parent and the country was at war, but she needed to start again. She enlisted and went to boot camp. Late last year, she shipped out from Fort Benning, Ga., to Baghdad.
Her family said she’d finally found her place in the world. The Army brought structure and purpose, but in recent months she told her family that the violence around her seemed to be getting worse. She said she worried she wouldn’t make it back to her children.
Then last week two soldiers drove up the rocky driveway of her sister’s house in Wasilla. Ring, 26, had been killed July 5 by mortar fire while taking a break from a patrol, they said.
Spc. Ring was the second female soldier with Alaska ties killed in a week’s time. Fort Richardson Sgt. Trista L. Moretti, 27, of South Plainfield, N.J., died June 28 when she was hit by a mortar shell while sleeping in a trailer.
Ring grew up in Chugiak, the youngest of three sisters. She met her best friend, Chrystle Lyon, at Gruening Middle School.
“We got along well. Even when we didn’t get along, we made up,” said Lyon, who lives in Peters Creek. “We could read each other’s minds.”
The girls liked to play rough — four-wheeling, driving cars off-road, camping. Studying wasn’t their thing. Lyon ended up in military school. Ring dropped out. At 17, she quickly fell for Marc Hopfenspirger, a 21-year-old soldier from Fort Richardson.
On a June night in 1999, the girls were out with Hopfenspirger when he got tangled in a late-night parking-lot fight outside a grocery store. Someone threw a beer bottle, a shard broke, it bounced off his Jeep and sliced his throat.
“We had gone to go get a soda,” Lyon said. “We came back around, and he was lying on the ground bleeding to death.”
Hopfenspirger died at the scene. It wasn’t until last summer that police arrested Esau Fualema for throwing the bottle. He was charged with second-degree murder.
After Hopfenspirger’s death, depression overtook Ring. She began putting on weight and wearing baggy clothes.
That fall, as Ring was trying on a dress for her sister’s wedding, her mother discovered that underneath her sweat shirts, Ring was eight months pregnant with Hopfenspirger’s son. She hadn’t told anyone, even Lyon.
“When it all came out that we all knew, she was happy, but I think she was really confused in the beginning. She didn’t know what to do,” said her sister in Wasilla, Karen Harbuck.
After the baby, Marc, was born, Ring got her GED and moved to Tennessee, where her parents lived. She took a job at a Tyson chicken processing plant. Things started to settle down. She met the father of her second son, Brandon. They married briefly, but it didn’t work out. She had another relationship, but it ended before a year’s time.
“She was always looking for Marc, the one that she lost, and she never found him,” Lyon said.
Being a soldier changed Ring, her family said. It gave her confidence and direction she never had, they said.
“Finally, she was someone and she was doing something,” said Harbuck. “She wanted her boys taken care of, was her major thing.”
She loved boot camp, the tanks, the guns, the exercise, and the people, her mother said. She didn’t like Baghdad. Shelling woke her at night, and everything seemed to be deteriorating. She couldn’t tell that they were making a difference.
“She said the air just stinks and it’s healthier to smoke a cigarette than to breathe,” Harbuck said.
Her family communicated with her in brief phone calls, e-mails and on MySpace.com. Her profile page is bathed in purple and decorated with pictures of her sons, her tattoos, and herself, in uniform, leaning on a tank.
In one blog entry, in March, she wrote: “I feel so lost. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Every day it’s the same thing and the same people tell me what I need to do. It has just put me here in this place where I am lost. No way out.”
Another sister, Marilyn Haybeck, responded:
“Shell, it will be all right, just give them a piece of your mind like you do to everyone else. You don’t have to much longer.”
Since her death, tribute messages from friends and family have filled the page.
When she came to her parents’ house on leave for the last time at the end of April, she didn’t want to go back.
“She was scared, she didn’t think she was going to make it — it was just getting too bad over there,” Harbuck said.
Her feelings were mixed and complicated. She didn’t want to start over, outside of the military. She recently told her sister she’d re-enlisted.
On July 5, back in Baghdad, some friends brought Ring dinner while she was on a patrol at Camp Liberty, her sister said. She had been training to become a military police officer. Rockets screamed into their compound and exploded. A piece of metal hit Ring in the chest. She died almost immediately. No one else was hurt.
Ring was born in Oregon. Her parents, John and Shirley Stearns, and her sister, Haybeck, live in McMinnville outside of Portland. Marc’s been with them since she deployed. Brandon, 5, lives with his father in Tennessee. A funeral service will be held July 14 in Portland. An Alaska memorial hasn’t yet been planned.
Army Specialist Michelle R. Ring was killed in action on 7/5/07.
For Marc
Larger Images
Army Specialist Michelle R. Ring, 24, of Martin, Tenn.
Spc. Ring was assigned to the 92nd Military Police Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga.; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained from enemy mortar fire in Baghdad.
Army was turning soldier’s life around
By Julia O’Malley
Anchorage Daily News via The Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — After seeing her boyfriend killed in an Anchorage parking-lot fight, she moved to Tennessee.
Five years later, with a crumbled marriage and two young boys, her job in a sweltering small-town factory could barely keep the lights on.
On her lunch break two years ago, she looked up and saw a highway sign: The Army.
Ring was a single parent and the country was at war, but she needed to start again. She enlisted and went to boot camp. Late last year, she shipped out from Fort Benning, Ga., to Baghdad.
Her family said she’d finally found her place in the world. The Army brought structure and purpose, but in recent months she told her family that the violence around her seemed to be getting worse. She said she worried she wouldn’t make it back to her children.
Then last week two soldiers drove up the rocky driveway of her sister’s house in Wasilla. Ring, 26, had been killed July 5 by mortar fire while taking a break from a patrol, they said.
Spc. Ring was the second female soldier with Alaska ties killed in a week’s time. Fort Richardson Sgt. Trista L. Moretti, 27, of South Plainfield, N.J., died June 28 when she was hit by a mortar shell while sleeping in a trailer.
Ring grew up in Chugiak, the youngest of three sisters. She met her best friend, Chrystle Lyon, at Gruening Middle School.
“We got along well. Even when we didn’t get along, we made up,” said Lyon, who lives in Peters Creek. “We could read each other’s minds.”
The girls liked to play rough — four-wheeling, driving cars off-road, camping. Studying wasn’t their thing. Lyon ended up in military school. Ring dropped out. At 17, she quickly fell for Marc Hopfenspirger, a 21-year-old soldier from Fort Richardson.
On a June night in 1999, the girls were out with Hopfenspirger when he got tangled in a late-night parking-lot fight outside a grocery store. Someone threw a beer bottle, a shard broke, it bounced off his Jeep and sliced his throat.
“We had gone to go get a soda,” Lyon said. “We came back around, and he was lying on the ground bleeding to death.”
Hopfenspirger died at the scene. It wasn’t until last summer that police arrested Esau Fualema for throwing the bottle. He was charged with second-degree murder.
After Hopfenspirger’s death, depression overtook Ring. She began putting on weight and wearing baggy clothes.
That fall, as Ring was trying on a dress for her sister’s wedding, her mother discovered that underneath her sweat shirts, Ring was eight months pregnant with Hopfenspirger’s son. She hadn’t told anyone, even Lyon.
“When it all came out that we all knew, she was happy, but I think she was really confused in the beginning. She didn’t know what to do,” said her sister in Wasilla, Karen Harbuck.
After the baby, Marc, was born, Ring got her GED and moved to Tennessee, where her parents lived. She took a job at a Tyson chicken processing plant. Things started to settle down. She met the father of her second son, Brandon. They married briefly, but it didn’t work out. She had another relationship, but it ended before a year’s time.
“She was always looking for Marc, the one that she lost, and she never found him,” Lyon said.
Being a soldier changed Ring, her family said. It gave her confidence and direction she never had, they said.
“Finally, she was someone and she was doing something,” said Harbuck. “She wanted her boys taken care of, was her major thing.”
She loved boot camp, the tanks, the guns, the exercise, and the people, her mother said. She didn’t like Baghdad. Shelling woke her at night, and everything seemed to be deteriorating. She couldn’t tell that they were making a difference.
“She said the air just stinks and it’s healthier to smoke a cigarette than to breathe,” Harbuck said.
Her family communicated with her in brief phone calls, e-mails and on MySpace.com. Her profile page is bathed in purple and decorated with pictures of her sons, her tattoos, and herself, in uniform, leaning on a tank.
In one blog entry, in March, she wrote: “I feel so lost. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Every day it’s the same thing and the same people tell me what I need to do. It has just put me here in this place where I am lost. No way out.”
Another sister, Marilyn Haybeck, responded:
“Shell, it will be all right, just give them a piece of your mind like you do to everyone else. You don’t have to much longer.”
Since her death, tribute messages from friends and family have filled the page.
When she came to her parents’ house on leave for the last time at the end of April, she didn’t want to go back.
“She was scared, she didn’t think she was going to make it — it was just getting too bad over there,” Harbuck said.
Her feelings were mixed and complicated. She didn’t want to start over, outside of the military. She recently told her sister she’d re-enlisted.
On July 5, back in Baghdad, some friends brought Ring dinner while she was on a patrol at Camp Liberty, her sister said. She had been training to become a military police officer. Rockets screamed into their compound and exploded. A piece of metal hit Ring in the chest. She died almost immediately. No one else was hurt.
Ring was born in Oregon. Her parents, John and Shirley Stearns, and her sister, Haybeck, live in McMinnville outside of Portland. Marc’s been with them since she deployed. Brandon, 5, lives with his father in Tennessee. A funeral service will be held July 14 in Portland. An Alaska memorial hasn’t yet been planned.
Army Specialist Michelle R. Ring was killed in action on 7/5/07.
For Marc
Larger Images
Army Maj. James M. Ahearn
Remember Our Heroes
Army Maj. James M. Ahearn, 43, of California
Major Ahearn was assigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 5, 2007 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Also killed was Sgt. Keith A. Kline.
FayObserver.com -- Her mother warned her: A soldier’s business is war. There is no safety. There are no guarantees.
But the Iraqi daughter loved the American officer.
And so, in 2005 — two years after they met in Iraq — she left her country to move to his and become his wife.
And on Thursday — four years after her mother’s warning — Lena Ahearn became a widow.
Her husband, Maj. James Michael Ahearn, 43, was killed in Baghdad when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. Sgt. Keith A. Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, Ohio, was also killed in the attack.
"Jimmy was the greatest gift I ever had," Lena said Sunday from the couple’s home in Raeford. "I will never regret marrying him for two years and moving to the United States."
Ahearn, who had served in the Army for 18 years, and Kline were assigned to the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade at Fort Bragg.
This was Ahearn’s third time in Iraq.
It was during the second tour that he met Lena. She loved the way he looked in his uniform and the way he used his own money to buy toys for Iraqi children.
When they married, Ahearn offered to convert to Islam for his bride.
"I only want you to convert if you believe in it," Lena told him.
He did.
And he used that belief to try to bridge the cultural gap between American soldiers and the Iraqi people on his third tour of Iraq.
"He told them there are no differences between people," Lena said.
But his message of tolerance did not reach everyone. And Lena said she is ashamed, knowing her husband died in her country at the hands of her people.
She told the casualty assistance officers that came to her home Thursday to tell her of her husband’s death that she wanted to become an American citizen.
It would have made him proud.
"He was the strongest and bravest man I ever saw in my life," she said.
And one of the most sentimental. When he was home, Ahearn bought Lena a card, a flower and a doughnut every Sunday morning.
And on the rare occasion he forgot to buy a card, he’d hang a love note on the refrigerator or hide one in the kitchen cabinet.
Lena got her last love note in March, just before Ahearn left for Iraq. He was scheduled to return in September and to retire from the Army in 2009.
Before he left, he said one of his greatest fears was that his 17-month-old daughter, Kadi, wouldn’t recognize him when he returned.
"He was afraid always that she would forget him," Lena said. "I hope she does not."
Army Maj. James M. Ahearn was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Maj. James M. Ahearn, 43, of California
Major Ahearn was assigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 5, 2007 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Also killed was Sgt. Keith A. Kline.
FayObserver.com -- Her mother warned her: A soldier’s business is war. There is no safety. There are no guarantees.
But the Iraqi daughter loved the American officer.
And so, in 2005 — two years after they met in Iraq — she left her country to move to his and become his wife.
And on Thursday — four years after her mother’s warning — Lena Ahearn became a widow.
Her husband, Maj. James Michael Ahearn, 43, was killed in Baghdad when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. Sgt. Keith A. Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, Ohio, was also killed in the attack.
"Jimmy was the greatest gift I ever had," Lena said Sunday from the couple’s home in Raeford. "I will never regret marrying him for two years and moving to the United States."
Ahearn, who had served in the Army for 18 years, and Kline were assigned to the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade at Fort Bragg.
This was Ahearn’s third time in Iraq.
It was during the second tour that he met Lena. She loved the way he looked in his uniform and the way he used his own money to buy toys for Iraqi children.
When they married, Ahearn offered to convert to Islam for his bride.
"I only want you to convert if you believe in it," Lena told him.
He did.
And he used that belief to try to bridge the cultural gap between American soldiers and the Iraqi people on his third tour of Iraq.
"He told them there are no differences between people," Lena said.
But his message of tolerance did not reach everyone. And Lena said she is ashamed, knowing her husband died in her country at the hands of her people.
She told the casualty assistance officers that came to her home Thursday to tell her of her husband’s death that she wanted to become an American citizen.
It would have made him proud.
"He was the strongest and bravest man I ever saw in my life," she said.
And one of the most sentimental. When he was home, Ahearn bought Lena a card, a flower and a doughnut every Sunday morning.
And on the rare occasion he forgot to buy a card, he’d hang a love note on the refrigerator or hide one in the kitchen cabinet.
Lena got her last love note in March, just before Ahearn left for Iraq. He was scheduled to return in September and to retire from the Army in 2009.
Before he left, he said one of his greatest fears was that his 17-month-old daughter, Kadi, wouldn’t recognize him when he returned.
"He was afraid always that she would forget him," Lena said. "I hope she does not."
Army Maj. James M. Ahearn was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Sgt. Keith A. Kline
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Keith A. Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, Ohio
Sgt. Kline was assigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 5, 2007 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Also killed was Army Maj. James M. Ahearn.
Northwest Ohio soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
OAK HARBOR, Ohio — A soldier from northwest Ohio was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by an explosive device, his aunt said July 6.
Army Sgt. Keith Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, died July 5 after the convoy he was riding in was struck by a roadside bomb, said Kline’s aunt, Paulette Lipstraw. Military officials notified Kline’s parents later that day.
Kline graduated in 2002 from Oak Harbor High School, about 20 miles east of Toledo. He joined the Army shortly after graduation and re-enlisted for another 5-year stint after his initial 3-year term expired.
“That was just what he knew he wanted to do, and I had said to him, ‘Keith, people get killed in war,’ and he said, ‘At least if I die this way I will die serving my country and protecting my country,’ ” Lipstraw said.
“He completely and totally believed in what he was doing,” she said.
Kline worked in communications as a member of the 82nd Airborne based at Fort Bragg, N.C. He was on his first deployment to Iraq. He had previously served overseas in Kuwait and Africa.
Lipstraw remembered her nephew’s pride when he came back from a large deficit to place sixth at the state wrestling meet in 2002.
“He just never gave up,” she said. “He had a heart of gold. He was the kind of person that always gave and never expected anything back.”
Army Sgt. Keith A. Kline was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Sgt. Keith A. Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, Ohio
Sgt. Kline was assigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 5, 2007 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Also killed was Army Maj. James M. Ahearn.
Northwest Ohio soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
OAK HARBOR, Ohio — A soldier from northwest Ohio was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by an explosive device, his aunt said July 6.
Army Sgt. Keith Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, died July 5 after the convoy he was riding in was struck by a roadside bomb, said Kline’s aunt, Paulette Lipstraw. Military officials notified Kline’s parents later that day.
Kline graduated in 2002 from Oak Harbor High School, about 20 miles east of Toledo. He joined the Army shortly after graduation and re-enlisted for another 5-year stint after his initial 3-year term expired.
“That was just what he knew he wanted to do, and I had said to him, ‘Keith, people get killed in war,’ and he said, ‘At least if I die this way I will die serving my country and protecting my country,’ ” Lipstraw said.
“He completely and totally believed in what he was doing,” she said.
Kline worked in communications as a member of the 82nd Airborne based at Fort Bragg, N.C. He was on his first deployment to Iraq. He had previously served overseas in Kuwait and Africa.
Lipstraw remembered her nephew’s pride when he came back from a large deficit to place sixth at the state wrestling meet in 2002.
“He just never gave up,” she said. “He had a heart of gold. He was the kind of person that always gave and never expected anything back.”
Army Sgt. Keith A. Kline was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Specialist Christopher S. Honaker
Remember Our Heroes
Army Specialist Christopher S. Honaker, 23, of Cleveland, N.C.
Spc. Honaker was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire and indirect fire in the Watapor Valley of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle.
A soldier with ties to the Charlotte region died last week from wounds he suffered from enemy fire in Afghanistan, the military said Sunday.
Spc. Christopher Steven Honaker, 23, died July 5 after he was wounded by small arms fire and indirect fire in the Watapor Valley of Kunar Province, Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said.
Honaker was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy. The team is currently deployed as Task Force Bayonet in support of the NATO International Security Assistance Force.
The Department of Defense said he was from Cleveland, N.C., a town of about 800 people in Rowan County. But records show he had lived in unincorporated Iredell County and in Mooresville, for only a few months each time.
Honaker was killed as a result of injuries sustained after his dismounted patrol came under enemy small arms fire and indirect fire.
Honaker was born aboard Marine Crops Air Station Cherry Point to George and Eva Honaker in 1983. He attended Havelock High School as was a graduate of Universal Technical Institute's NASCAR technology program.
His earliest roots were in the military with his father, a retired Marine Corps gunnery sergeant and his older sister, an active duty soldier, currently serving in Germany.
“We all know Chris,” said Sue Boyer, a Realtor with First Carolina Realtors and a co-worker and friend of Eva Honaker. “He was a very personable young man – very kind, hard working and polite. He seemed pleased about the Army and was doing very well. Everyone in the office was very proud of him. We all liked him very much.”
Shelia Blazer, the managing broker of First Carolina Realtors, has known the Honaker family for the better part of 10 years.
“Losing Chris is as close to losing one of your own as it could possibly be,” said Blazer.
“He and my youngest son went to school together. Living in Havelock, we see people leave all the time, and it’s hard any time, but it’s different when it’s almost family. We love them all.”
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Cherry Point Base Chapel with the Rev. Jim Durner officiating.
Burial will be held in Forest Oaks Memorial Gardens with full military honors.
Army Specialist Christopher S. Honaker was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Army Specialist Christopher S. Honaker, 23, of Cleveland, N.C.
Spc. Honaker was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire and indirect fire in the Watapor Valley of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle.
A soldier with ties to the Charlotte region died last week from wounds he suffered from enemy fire in Afghanistan, the military said Sunday.
Spc. Christopher Steven Honaker, 23, died July 5 after he was wounded by small arms fire and indirect fire in the Watapor Valley of Kunar Province, Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said.
Honaker was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy. The team is currently deployed as Task Force Bayonet in support of the NATO International Security Assistance Force.
The Department of Defense said he was from Cleveland, N.C., a town of about 800 people in Rowan County. But records show he had lived in unincorporated Iredell County and in Mooresville, for only a few months each time.
Honaker was killed as a result of injuries sustained after his dismounted patrol came under enemy small arms fire and indirect fire.
Honaker was born aboard Marine Crops Air Station Cherry Point to George and Eva Honaker in 1983. He attended Havelock High School as was a graduate of Universal Technical Institute's NASCAR technology program.
His earliest roots were in the military with his father, a retired Marine Corps gunnery sergeant and his older sister, an active duty soldier, currently serving in Germany.
“We all know Chris,” said Sue Boyer, a Realtor with First Carolina Realtors and a co-worker and friend of Eva Honaker. “He was a very personable young man – very kind, hard working and polite. He seemed pleased about the Army and was doing very well. Everyone in the office was very proud of him. We all liked him very much.”
Shelia Blazer, the managing broker of First Carolina Realtors, has known the Honaker family for the better part of 10 years.
“Losing Chris is as close to losing one of your own as it could possibly be,” said Blazer.
“He and my youngest son went to school together. Living in Havelock, we see people leave all the time, and it’s hard any time, but it’s different when it’s almost family. We love them all.”
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Cherry Point Base Chapel with the Rev. Jim Durner officiating.
Burial will be held in Forest Oaks Memorial Gardens with full military honors.
Army Specialist Christopher S. Honaker was killed in action on 7/5/07.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)