Remember Our Heroes
Army Pfc. Juctin R. P. McDaniel, 19, of Andover, N.H.
Pfc. McDaniel was assigned to the 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; died Dec. 17, 2007 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident in Taji, Iraq.
Hawaii-based soldier dies of non-combat-related injuries in Iraq
The Associated Press
HONOLULU — The Pentagon says a Hawaii-based soldier has died of non-combat injuries in Iraq.
Pfc. Juctin R. P. McDaniel of Andover, N.H., died Dec. 17 in Baghdad. He sustained the injuries in what the military is calling a non-combat related incident in Taji, Iraq.
The 19-year-old’s work specialty was repairing power generation equipment.
He deployed to Iraq last month.
The Pentagon says the circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
McDaniel was a member of the 524th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, at the 8th Theater Sustainment Command at Fort Shafter.
McDaniel joined the Army in November 2006 and was assigned to Schofield Barracks in April.
Andover soldier dies in Iraq, military cites non-combat incident
The Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. — A 19-year-old soldier from Andover has died in Iraq of non-combat related injuries, the Department of Defense said.
Pfc. Juctin McDaniel died Dec. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat incident in Taji, Iraq, the Pentagon announced in a news release last week. It said the incident was under investigation.
McDaniel was a graduate of Merrimack Valley High School, the Concord Monitor reported. He served in 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, based in Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
McDaniel was a generator mechanic and had deployed to Iraq last month, the Honolulu Advertiser reported. A neighbor told the newspaper that McDaniel joined the Army more than a year ago.
“I didn’t know him well, but I know that he was very, very proud of his military service, and I think that he found a lot of direction having joined the military,” the neighbor, Joy Langtry, said in a phone interview with the Advertiser.
Langtry remembers seeing McDaniel playing basketball with his siblings and helping his stepfather in the garden.
“He was a decent kid and I know that his family felt his going into the Army really, really helped him,” she said.
Army Pfc. Juctin R. P. McDaniel died from non-combat related injuries on 12/17/07.
1 comment:
I am Juctin's (Justin) mother Janine McDaniel. Our family now has joined a club that nobody wants to be a part of but is nonetheless. We are very proud of our son for stepping on the ground that put his life in peril to save ours and all Americans lives. Juctin was a fun loving, caring, wear your heart on your sleeve, didn't let things bug him, worked in abcd's and not necessarily in any order, was the type of guy that would help anybody who needed it. He was the Overseer of the underdogs, if they were picked on, made fun of, or hurt the perpetrator would get it and get it good. His compassion knew no limits; Juctin's only request was "No Fighting" which is difficult in a family of six, lol. Alas, we got to visit our son on our very first vacation to Hawaii for two weeks, his father stayed for one and so did his sister and favored neice Ceianna. We had many talks between father/son, mother/son, and sister/brother which included what he wanted to do should his time come. It sounds morbid but because we knew the odds we talked. He was insistent that if "it is my time, it's my time nothing is going to change that"! We have had many great memories of Juctin and although my heart hangs heaviest of all as his mother, I appreciate all of the support from the Town of Andover, State of NH, and The United States of America.
We still grieve in our own ways and are facing the different lives we have now albiet not sure what my purpose is now, but that is another matter to deal with when I run out of helping others. Different yes different because it will never be the way it was, I won't receive those 4:30am calls saying "Hi Mom, whatya doin?" or the endings "I Love you do Mom, talk later".
He was gone 3 days over a month and I was stuck in a bed because of back surgery since the day he deployed Nov 14th. He still called me in the Hospital, with me on morphine I must have been quite the person to laugh at, I went on rants. He would laugh at me and I couldn't laugh along, it hurt to laugh. Gosh he was such a funny kid would mimic Stuart from MadTV, Sean Connery due to his Scottish heritage, and many more people or figures like Strong Bad. I could type and type forever, it makes me feel good to let you know what type of person he was and how he lived. I won't speak of how he died; He died a hero. Juctin's memories are with us always and never a day goes by that something reminds us of him. I try to do something everyday to honor him, even by showering or getting out of bed, maybe even eating but I do it and I am just over a year out from his passing.
In closing, leave memories send pictures to my email janine.mcdaniel@comcast.net, pictures of things he affected or people and why. We would like to show these at the house after his memorial service this summer. Thank you.
NHGoldStarMomGS_20
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