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.