Army Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III, 23, of Los Angeles
Sgt. Ayres was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Sept. 29, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire.
Soldier who grew up in Los Osos dies in Iraq
Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III, 23, was on his second tour of duty since enlisting in the Army, his family says
By Sona Patel
‘He was … just a really sweet boy,’ said Michelle Ayres of son Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III. U.S. Army Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III, 23, who grew up in Los Osos, was killed Sept. 29 while serving in Iraq. He died from wounds suffered during an attack on his unit in Baghdad.
His mother, Michelle Ayres, a 19-year resident of Los Osos, said her son enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school in Southern California in 2003.
“He was a happy, funny and just a really sweet boy,” Ayres said. “He was fighting for the country and the people that he loved.”
Ayres was born July 26, 1984, in Santa Monica. He moved with his mother, twin brother and sister to Los Osos in 1988.
He is survived by four siblings ages 17 to 27. His twin brother, Jackson, lives in Atascadero, and his 17-year-old sister, Mimi, lives in Los Osos.
Other family members in San Luis Obispo County include his maternal aunt and uncle, Stevie and Rodger Anderson. Rodger Anderson is a former mayor of Morro Bay.
Robert Ayres attended Bay-wood and Monarch Grove elementary schools in Los Osos, San Benito Elementary School in Atascadero and Los Osos Middle School before moving to Brentwoodwhen he was 15 to live with his father, Robert Ayres II.
“He told me he wanted to join the Army right out of high school,” said Michelle Ayres, 53.
She remembers him at age 5, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was a child who always had his eyes open, was constantly smiling, who would ride a bicycle without touching the handlebars, she said.
“He’d close his eyes just to see what he would run into,” she said. She worried, but he kept saying: “Don’t worry Mom, I’m made out of rubber.”
Although she hadn’t seen her son in more than two years, Ayres remembered phone conversations with him in recent months as well as his last visit to the Central Coast in 2005. During that visit he celebrated his 21st birthday with his brother, Jackson, at the Sweet Springs Saloon in Los Osos.
That was the last time she saw her son before he left for Germany and then Baghdad in June 2007. It was his second deployment to Iraq since he joined the Army, according to family members.
Ayres was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based in Vilseck, Germany.
During their sporadic phone calls, Michelle Ayres said she remembered sharing stories of her son’s childhood. He’d tell her not to worry about him.
“He would never tell me that he was getting shot at,” she said. “Instead, he would say ‘Mommy, I love you.’ ”
Even from afar, Robert Ayres could still make her laugh. They’d tell each other to hang up after their conversations, but after 20 minutes, Michelle Ayres said, they’d still be on the phone.
As they joked back and forth, she remembered her son saying that he loved her.
“I can feel how badly he wanted to come home and just be a little kid again,” she said. “Now every time I get sad, I can hear him.”
A memorial service for Robert Ayres III will be held Wednesday in Los Angeles. Arrangements are being made for a memorial service at Camp San Luis Obispo later this week. The local service will be open to the public, but details are not yet available.
State Capitol Honors L.A. Soldier Killed In Iraq
(CBS) LOS ANGELES Flags were flown at half-staff in the state Capitol Wednesday in honor of a Los Angeles soldier, 23, who died of wounds he suffered in Iraq.
Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III died Sept. 29 "when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire in Baghdad," according to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office.
"Sergeant Robert Ayres will be remembered as an example of valor and commitment to duty," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
Ayres was assigned to the Army's 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, out of Vilseck, Germany.
Army Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III was killed in action on 9/29/07.
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3 comments:
I am not related to Robert, but my name is Michael J. Ayres. I wear a leather bracelet with Robert's name, from Herobracelet.org. Thank you Robert for your ultimate sacrifice. The maintaining of our freedom has a high price. I spent 10 years in the USAF, but never in harms way. Thank you to all who have and are currently serving. My prayers go out to the Ayres' family, thank you for your son.
mayresca@bellsouth.net
Respectfully,
Michael J. Ayres
Bob was one of my dearest friends when I attended High School with him. He always had a joke or a warm smile ready to make those who were down raise their spirits. He will always be in my heart and the hearts of our friends. He was always a hero and now he will be remembered as a true inspiration to those he fought for.
Bob may you find peace and harmony and know that we miss you.
Lani
My name is also Robert Ayres (no relation) and I was serving in Afghanistan at the same time,as a private with the Canadian forces. Coincidentally I was in the mechanised infantry with a platoon of LAV3s which is the canadian version of the stryker. I am also blond haired blue eyes. When i accidentally stumbled on this memorial, it gave me a bittersweet reminder of my own survival of all that shit we both went through, and my solemn duty to never forget our comrades who have fallen. My respects to you Rob, we are all mortal, we will all die, but you died with the hope we might live a little better and a little longer. I will do my best to live a life worth living.
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