Remember Our Heroes
Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Eichmann A. Strickland, 23, of Arlington, Wash.
Seaman Strickland was assigned to Combat Service Support Det. 36, Iwakuni, Japan; a member of a U.S. Marine embedded Training Team deployed to Afghan Regional Security Integration Command Central; died Sept. 9, 2008 from injuries sustained when the vehicle he was driving hit an improvised explosive device in Afghanya Valley, Afghanistan.
The Seattle Times -- Some of Seaman Eichmann Strickland's comrades called him Doc. Perhaps it was because he was a Navy medical corpsman stationed with a Marine unit in Japan. Perhaps it was just because he had aspirations.
He hoped for a career in the medical field, perhaps as a physician assistant. He aspired to join a medical mission to Africa. He hoped to be home for Christmas. And he dreamed of winning the lottery.
Those hopes and dreams were dashed last week when Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Strickland, 23, of Arlington, died after the vehicle he was driving hit an improvised bomb in Afghanistan's Afghanya Valley, northwest of Kabul, the capital.
Strickland, a 2003 graduate of Arlington's Lakewood High School, was killed Sept. 9, according to a Department of Defense release.
According to a military spokeswoman, Strickland was a member of a training team deployed to Afghan Regional Security Integration Command Central. He was part of a team in Afghanistan providing the Afghan National Army with combat advisers.
He was not only patching wounds on Marines and Afghans alike but was also training Afghan soldiers how to treat their wounded, according to military sources.
In Iwakuni, Japan, he regularly performed sick calls, maintaining health records and assisting medical officers. At times he was the only on-site medical personnel around, and the closest thing to an on-call doctor. He had been assigned to Combat Logistics Company 36 at Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni.
Strickland enlisted in the military nearly five years ago, said Navy Region Northwest spokeswoman Melanie Reeder. He had been stationed in Afghanistan for nine months.
Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Eichmann A. Strickland was killed in action on 9/9/08.
2 comments:
As a Retired Army NCO, my heartfelt gratitude for Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Strickland's service. He paid the ultimate price and my prayers go out to his family.
Karen Myers, US Army Retired
I had the honor of serving beside DOC. the last time I talked to him on the night of 8sept2008. He asked me to bring him back some popeyes chicken from Bagram airfield. I returned to the fob approximitly 10 minutes before they were to RTB. 3 minutes after hearing them come across the radio we herd the explosion. Our hearts dropped when they came across the radio saying Stickland Melton Madraso and the terp had died in an IED blast. All these men carry a spot in my heart and were amazing fighters. I am honored and proud to say I served with the Best service men you could ever want beside you.
SPC David Shafer
PARNG
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