Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Milton E. Suggs

Remember Our Heroes

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Milton E. Suggs, 51, of Lockport, La.

CWO4 Suggs was assigned to the 38th Operational Support Airlift Detachment, Hammond, La.; died Jan. 30, 2009 of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti.

Pilot was an avid aviator, dedicated soldier

The Associated Press

Milton E. Suggs was known for his love of flying. Other aviators called him more than able and said that part of his mission in Djibouti was flying a plane described as a “VIP transport,” intended for dignitaries such as members of Congress and high-ranking officers.

“He was an exceptional aviator,” said Keith “Doc” Dockery, base manager at Air Logistics in Galliano, where Suggs worked and was a friend for more than 20 years.

Suggs, 51, of Lockport, La., died Jan. 30 at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, of injuries from a non-combat incident. He was assigned to Hammond, La. He was an avid aviator who owned his own Piper aircraft.

“He was very knowledgeable and very skillful, probably the best,” Dockery said. “He was dedicated to anything he undertook. If he told you he was going to do something, he would take it to the bank. If he gave you his word, it was.”

Suggs and his wife, Kim, were married in 1994 in the living room of their Lockport home. Both have long reputations for civic involvement in Lockport. He also is survived by one daughter, Sophia Suggs, and one grandchild, Erica Hurst.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Milton E. Suggs was killed in a non-combat related incident on 1/30/09.





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Marine Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson, 23, of Forsyth, Mont.

Sgt. Johnson was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 27, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Sgt. David W. Wallace III.

Montanan killed in blast called ‘perfect Marine’
By Matthew Brown
The Associated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. — A sergeant killed this week in Afghanistan was described Thursday as a country boy from a cattle ranch who grew up to become “the perfect Marine” and a loving father to two children.

Trevor J. Johnson, 23, was a fifth-generation rancher who grew up south of Forsyth near Colstrip. He was killed Tuesday in an explosion in Helmand province.

His parents, Colleen and Thomas Johnson, said their son was leading a foot patrol charged with clearing a route of explosives when he was struck by the blast from an improvised explosive device.

They said their son, who joined the Marines right out of high school, routinely took the point position on patrols during his three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It was never about him. It was always about the guys in the unit with him,” Colleen Johnson said.

A second Marine from Camp Lejeune, Sgt. David Wallace of Sharpsville, Pa., also was killed Tuesday. Wallace’s mother said her son was killed in an explosion, but it was unclear if the two deaths were related.

A Marine spokesman, Lt. Philip Klay, said no additional details were available.

Johnson was an engineer with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He is survived by his wife, Nicole, a 3-year-old stepson, Landan, and the couple’s 8-month-old daughter, Aspyn.

“He was such a great dad, and just before he deployed he made sure there was new playset out in the backyard for his two kids,” Colleen Johnson said.

Johnson’s fellow Marines had nicknamed him “Hollywood,” in part because he had been called up on stage during a USO show in Iraq that featured the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, his mother said.

Johnson’s grandfathers had both served in the military, and he decided he would follow in their footsteps while still a young boy, his parents said.

That future was sealed after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, his father said. After that day, Thomas Johnson said his son adopted a personal slogan: “I can defend those who can’t defend themselves.”

When he was a junior at Colstrip High School, his parents took Johnson to visit at least seven universities and vocational programs, hoping he would pick a different path. But they said their son was insistent and joined the Marines within months of graduating.

Terry Taylor, a Vietnam veteran and friend of the Johnsons who owns a hardware store in Colstrip, had counseled Trevor on life in the military before the 18-year-old was shipped off to boot camp.

“He was, in my opinion, the perfect Marine,” Taylor said. “He had the chiseled good looks, he had the athletic ability, he had the intelligence, he had the courage and he had the heart to do it ... But he was still Trevor Johnson, a country boy from Rosebud County.”

Johnson was promoted to sergeant at age 20 and received numerous awards for his service and conduct. He had planned to enroll at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall to seek an engineering degree, and then return to the military, his mother said.

Johnson was the 34th service member from Montana to die in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the office of Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

A memorial service is planned in Colstrip, his father said.

Mont. flags to fly at half-staff in tribute
The Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. — Gov. Brian Schweitzer has ordered that the state and U.S. flags be flown at half staff Feb. 6 and 7 in honor of U.S. Marine Sgt. Trevor Johnson, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Johnson, 23, of Colstrip, died Jan. 27 in an explosion in Helmand province. A memorial service is planned Saturday on the family ranch. He will be buried later at Arlington National Cemetery.

Johnson is survived by his wife, Nikki; and their two children, 3-year-old son Landan and 8-month-old daughter Aspyn.

Marine killed in Afghanistan remembered
The Associated Press

FORSYTH, Mont. — A Colstrip Marine who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan was remembered Saturday as a “hero” who was “always in the front” during his duties in the military.

About 600 people attended the memorial service of 23-year-old Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson, who was killed in the Helmand province on Jan. 27 during combat operations.

A procession of more than 100 vehicles stretching about a mile long traveled from a baseball field in Colstrip east to the Johnson family ranch.

As their 3-year-old son Landan and 8-month-old daughter Aspyn sat with family, Johnson’s wife Nikki said her husband was “the most amazing man in the world.”

She described him as “always in the front” during his Marine duties because “he didn’t sign up to sit behind a desk.”

While they may not remember him, their children will “grow up knowing their dad’s a hero,” she said.

Johnson received military honors, including the playing of taps and a volley of gunfire, from fellow Marines. He also was awarded a Purple Heart and a folded American flag was presented to his family during the service, which was attended by Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Johnson’s father, Tom, said “Trevor did what he was doing for everybody in America,” and he wished he had half the courage his son had.

The younger Johnson, a fifth-generation rancher, was an engineer with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. His parents said he joined the Marines right out of high school and routinely took the point position on patrols during his three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Feb. 24.

Mustang escorted MT soldier’s body to Arlington
By Chelsi Moy
Missoulian

MISSOULA, Mont. — When Marine Corps Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson of Forsyth was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Tuesday, a small symbol of the fallen soldier’s ranching roots helped carry him there.

It seemed only appropriate that Johnson — a fifth-generation Montanan who grew up riding horses, herding cattle and mending fences — be escorted to his burial plot by Lonesome, a black mustang that once roamed the prairies and forested trails of this state.

Lonesome is one of 52 horses in the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd United States Infantry. Over the past seven years, the mustang has helped pull the caisson for 500 military funerals at Arlington Cemetery, assuming one of two lead spots on a six-horse team.

Prior to his mission out East, however, Lonesome lived in Montana.

How the horse came to assist in Johnson’s interment ceremony on Tuesday took some forethought and initiative by a generous Montanan, who although he never met Johnson, wanted the Marine’s family to have a symbol of the state as they mourned the loss of a loved one so many, many miles from home.

“I felt so bad for his family,” said Mark Sant, an archaeologist from Silver Star, just south of Butte. “He’s just a young ranch kid. He seemed to have liked horses as much as I do.”

All Sant knew about the Colstrip High School graduate was what he read in the newspaper after his death. Johnson, 23, a decorated Marine, was killed by a roadside bomb on Jan. 27 while serving in Afghanistan.

Johnson was a father, son and husband. His memorial service was held Feb. 7 at the family ranch southeast of Forsyth. Six hundred people attended.

When Sant read that Johnson would be buried at Arlington, he e-mailed Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s office to seek help finding Lonesome, a horse Sant had donated to the military several years ago.

One of Schweitzer’s aides contacted the Montana National Guard, which in turn contacted the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, or Old Guard, which assists in burial services at Arlington National Cemetery.

It’s not a request the Old Guard hears often, but one that was easy to oblige, said Maj. Steven Cole.

“It’s stories like this that show the depths of care that all Americans have for their service men and women,” Cole said. “It took someone saying, ‘Can we do this?’ and Chief (Anthony) Direnzo saying, ‘No problem.’ “

Lonesome was born in a Bureau of Land Management holding pen in Montana.

Both his sire, a black mustang, and his dam, a paint from Nevada, were among several mustangs repossessed by the BLM from someone with inadequate holding facilities.

A BLM law enforcement officer first adopted Lonesome before Sant bought him several years later.

“He was a good-looking horse,” said Sant, describing Lonesome as hardy and strong with tough feet. “I know a lot of people who don’t even have to shoe mustangs.”

Sant owned several other horses but had always wanted a mustang. He took Lonesome into the Pioneer and Sentinel mountains, hunting, packing and trail riding for several years. But the horse grew too big for recreational activities, Sant said.

When Lonesome was 7, Sant donated him to the Old Guard.

“I thought it’d be a great honor for him to work at Arlington,” he said.

Lonesome is now 14. For the past seven years, he has split the time between Fort Myer, Va., adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, and Fort Belvoir, Va., where the military takes the horses for rest and relaxation.

The Old Guard looks for both gray and black horses younger than 9. Most are draft-quarter horse crosses, Percherons, Morgans or mustangs. Cole said that to his knowledge, Lonesome is the only mustang from Montana.

Marine Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson was killed in action on 1/27/09.

Marine Sgt. David W. Wallace III

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Sgt. David W. Wallace III, 25, of Sharpsville, Pa.

Sgt. Wallace was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 27, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson.

Marine left behind stepson, daughter
The Associated Press

SHARON, Pa. — A Marine from western Pennsylvania has been killed in Afghanistan.

Carol Wallace says her son, 25-year-old Sgt. David Wallace, of Sharpsville, was killed by an improvised explosive device on Tuesday in the Helmud Province.

The Department of Defense says 23-year-old Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson, 23, of Forsyth, Mont., was also killed. Both were assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Wallace says her son was a combat engineer whose duties included removing and exploding bombs, conducting searches, working on vehicles and construction projects.

Wallace leaves behind a wife, Erica, from Jacksonville, N.C., a stepson, Landon, 5, and a daughter, Brooklyn, 2.

He was 2002 graduate of Sharpsville High School.

Served 2 tours in Iraq before going to Afghanistan
The Associated Press

David W. Wallace III loved sports, particularly football and wrestling, and hunting and fishing.

“He was fun-loving,” said his mother, Carol Wallace. “He was a jokester. Pranks were not beneath him.”

“He was just a goofball,” said Derek Songer, a friend. “He was silly. He always made you smile.”

Wallace, 25, of Sharpsville, Pa., was killed Jan. 27 by a bomb blast in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

He served two tours in Iraq, from September 2004 to April 2005 and July 2007 to January 2008. He also served in Bangladesh, Dubai and other parts of the world.

Wallace worked hard and gave 100 percent, said John Napotnik, who was his defensive line coach in high school and taught him psychology in his senior year.

Off the field, Wallace impressed people with his quiet friendliness.

“I really liked the kid. He was a great kid,” Napotnik said.

Wallace leaves behind his wife, Erica, a 5-year-old stepson, Landon, and a 2-year-old daughter, Brooklyn.

“He was a real American hero,” said a friend, Ron Haywood.

“He was the type of guy, whatever he did, he did 110 percent.”

Marine Sgt. David W. Wallace III was killed in action on 01/27/09.

Army Spc. Michael S. Biltat

Remember Our Heroes

Death remains mystery
Police indicate the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, but Biltat's parents aren't convinced that's the whole story.

By ALFRED DIAZ of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

WALLA WALLA — “I don’t know. I don’t have the whole story. They don’t have the whole of it. And I don’t know.”

Fernando Villagomez has had to repeat those words too many times to family, friends and to himself since the death of his son, U.S. Army Specialist Michael Scott Biltat.

The 22-year-old soldier, who was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., died off base on Jan. 26 at his Oak Grove, Ky., apartment.

Fort Campbell Public Affairs Officer Cathy Gramling explained that as far as military investigations are concerned, nothing is released until all findings are final.

“Typically, the Army doesn’t release anything until the investigation is complete. While civilian investigators will give you a hint, the Army doesn’t do that,” Gramling said in a phone interview on Friday.

The Oak Grove Police Department is also investigating. Unlike the military, it is allowed to give preliminary information. For Villagomez, that information is hard to believe and leaves him with even more unanswered questions.

“My son was having a party in his apartment,” Villagomez said, adding that he wasn’t certain if alcohol was involved, but feels strongly that it was.
“There was a discussion with a cousin — she was living with him — and a third person. And that person and my son, they had some differences in opinion and they said he went to the kitchen and that is when it happened,” Villagomez said.

A self-inflicted gunshot wound is what detectives reported to Villagomez.

“It is really hard to believe. They told me that it happened in his apartment. He was back from Iraq, he went there two times,” Villagomez said.

Biltat was the adopted son of Villagomez. A Pacific Islander, he was born on the Marshall Islands; his birth certificate listed no father. And at age 5 he was sent to live with Fernando and Donna Villagomez of Walla Walla, who adopted and raised him.

The boy attended local schools, including Pioneer Middle School and Walla Walla High School, and played football and baseball his freshman and sophomore years.

“I went to every game. I would talk to him about them. He also played baseball. I think he was between second base and third base,” Villagomez said.

He added that many people who live near Eagan Avenue might remember the 8-year-old boy who always had a good attitude when he delivered newspapers.

“That was Michael. People remembered that little boy because he was always singing when he was delivering the paper ... He never complained, especially on Sunday when he had all the weight of those big papers, and he was delivering them and whistling and not complaining,” Villagomez said.

During his junior and senior years, Biltat moved to Orange County, Calif., to renew his relationship with his biological mother.

“He asked me, ‘Dad. Would it be OK if I went to California for about a year and a half?” The father let him go.

While in California, the young man’s education lacked. And when he returned two years later in 2004 it was without a high school diploma.

“I think that maybe he felt some guilt for not finishing. And he knows I am really big on education,” Villagomez said, pointing out that he is also a GED teacher at Walla Walla Community College.

That fall, Biltat enrolled in his father’s class and in just under three weeks completed his GED, Villagomez said. A week later, after turning 18, Biltat signed on to the U.S. Army, but not without talking to his father.

“I said, ‘Son, is that what you really want? Have you really thought about it? You know that is a big decision.’ He said that is what he wanted to do, and he went and signed,” Villagomez said.

More than a year after signing on, in June of 2006 Biltat entered the Army. Then in November of that year he arrived at Fort Campbell as an infantryman assigned to the First Battalion, 187th Infantry regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

“I was not surprised, honestly I was not surprised ... he was always into soldiers, that was his thing, I was so proud of him and I still am,” Villagomez said.

After two tours of duty in Iraq, Biltat came home this December on leave.

“When he came back, I felt really good because my son made it and he was all right,” Villagomez said.

But a couple of weeks after Biltat returned to Fort Campbell, Villagomez learned his son was dead.

“At first I thought it was a bad joke. And the police said, ‘No sir. We don’t joke about things like that.’ And that is when I realized it was real.”

Though they have been given a preliminary finding, both Fernando and Donna Villagomez are still uncertain of their son’s death.

“Me and my husband, we don’t know what happened yet, so we are asking when the investigating will be done. But we just don’t know ... At this moment we are both mad and upset at this time,” Donna Villagomez said.

Fernando Villagomez added that during his visit, his son talked with him about his future.

“He was thinking of spending years in the Army. I asked him if he was ready to go to college. He said, ‘No, Dad. I am going to be part of the U.S. Army. I don’t really know for how many years. In fact I am going to start training people.”

The two also talked about preparing taxes. And about a week before his death, Biltat e-mailed his father to discuss military write-offs, options to obtain a larger refund.

“To me that is a clear message that he cared for money. So why would he do something like that when he was thinking about more money,” Villagomez said.

But even when the investigations are complete, Villagomez feels there will most likely be questions that will never be answered.

“I don’t know what my son did or saw over there in Iraq. I asked him, ‘Son, tell me what you do there.’ He said to me, ‘Dad, don’t go there. Don’t go there.’ He was not willing to share. I don’t know. I don’t know,” Villagomez said.

What is known is that Biltat was a highly decorated soldier. During his 21/2 years of service, his awards and decorations included Weapons Qualification M4 Expert, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Air Assault Badge, Combat Infantry Badge and an Overseas Service Ribbon.

“I don’t have the whole story. I don’t know if he went over to Iraq and did things that psychologically were too much for him. I don’t know,” Villagomez said.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley

Remember Our Heroes

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, 30, of Cameron, Mo.;

CWO2 Kelley was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26, 2009 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski.

Drum soldier remembered for love of flying

The Associated Press

Matthew G. Kelley had wanted to fly since he was 9, said his father, Col. Stephen Kelley, who is retired. The younger man made the decision to fly Kiowa helicopters because he’d get more flying time.

“He really just wanted to fly,” said his father.

Kelley, 30, of Osborn, Mo., was killed Jan. 26 when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed in Kirkuk. He was assigned to Fort Drum.

A “military brat” born in Germany, Matthew moved with the family from base to base until his father retired. After his family moved back to the United States from Germany, Matthew lived in Salt Lake City, Fort Monroe, Va. Sparta, Wis. and finally Osborn.

He read books about World War II with a voracious appetite, especially if they were about planes. His all-time favorite movie was “Top Gun,” said Chris Kelley, Matthew’s older brother.

He earned the Combat Infantry Badge and always wore it above his pilot wings. When other pilots would razz him about the badge, he’d just tell them they were jealous, his brother said.

He is survived by his wife, DaLana, and children, Megan, 6, and Tyler, 4.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley was killed in action on 01/26/09.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery

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Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery, 31, of Beaverton, Ore.

CWO2 Tillery was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26, 2009 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski.

Met wife when stationed at Lewis
The Associated Press

Joshua M. Tillery’s stepfather described him as an excellent father and someone who loved to help people. Tillery also loved to fly.

“He basically had his head on straight on his shoulders,” Roger Trueax said. “He knew where he was going, he knew where he had been.”

Tillery, 31, of Beaverton, Ore., was killed Jan. 26 when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to Fort Drum.

Tillery loved photography, snowboarding and dirt biking. His mother said he stood about 6 feet tall and had big brown eyes, a strong jaw and an irresistible smile.

The latest in a line of military men, he made forts as a boy.

Kids would knock on the family’s door to ask whether Josh would fix their bikes.

Tillery met his wife-to-be, Stephanie, while they were stationed together at Fort Lewis in Washington. They married a few months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

They have three children — twins, Alec and Colin, who are now 6, and a third son, Hayden, is 2. Stephanie Tillery is pregnant with a fourth child — another boy — expected to be born in May.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery was killed in action on 01/26/09.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd

Remember Our Heroes

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd, 29, of Colville, Wash.

CWO2 Todd was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26, 2009 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin H. Todd remembered

The Associated Press

Benjamin H. Todd discovered a love of flying at age 9, when he flew in his father’s gyrocopter and ultra-light plane, and “the exhilaration of being in the air stayed with him,” said Terry Williams, a family friend.

Todd, 29, of Colville, Wash., was killed Jan. 26 when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed in Kirkuk. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Drum.

“He was high-spirited and kindhearted,” said Williams. “He was kind of an unassuming guy, not a big talker about himself.”

Todd grew up the oldest of three brothers, rode dirt bikes and four-wheelers, played high school football and joined the local Search and Rescue unit as a teenager. He told family those search and rescue skills helped after he joined the Army in 1999 and went into training to be a Ranger.

Todd served two tours in Afghanistan with the Rangers, including the first which was shortly after the 2001 terrorist attack.

“It didn’t harden his attitude about life. He was still an easygoing guy,” Williams said.

Todd is survived by his wife, Shelly, and daughter, Ashlyn.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd was killed in action on 01/26/09.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski

Remember Our Heroes

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski, 35, of Bovey, Minn.

CWO3 Windorski was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26, 2009 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd.

Soldier was close to retirement
The Associated Press

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. — A Minnesota woman says her son was among four Americans killed when two U.S. helicopters crashed in northern Iraq.

Ruth Windorski of Grand Rapids says she learned Monday that her 36-year-old son, Philip Windorski Jr., was among those killed in the single deadliest incident for U.S. troops in four months.

Philip Windorski grew up in Grand Rapids, in northern Minnesota, and was recently stationed out of Fort Drum, N.Y.

His mother says Windorski was a couple of years away from retirement, but planned to re-up. She says he was on his third tour of Iraq. He leaves behind a wife and three children.

His mother says Windorski “was a great pilot, and he loved the Army more than anything.”

A U.S. military statement says the crash did not appear to be a result of hostile fire.

His death brings to 75 the number of people with strong Minnesota ties who have died in connection with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.


Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski was killed in action on 01/26/09.

Army Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington, 24, of Swansea, Mass.

Sgt. Harrington was assigned to the 542nd Maintenance Company, 80th Ordnance Battalion, 593rd Sustainment Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Jan. 24, 2009 in Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-hostile accident in his unit motor pool.

Mass. native was father of 2
The Associated Press

FORT LEWIS, Wash. — Relatives of an Army soldier based at Fort Lewis soldier say he has died in a forklift accident in Iraq.

He’s identified as 24-year-old Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington of Swansea, Mass., who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was assigned to repair Humvees and other light vehicles as a member of the 593rd Sustainment Brigade at Joint Base Balad.

Harrington’s wife, Faith, told The News Tribune of Tacoma she was told at Fort Lewis that he was fatally hit by a forklift Jan. 24. He leaves two children, 5-year-old Joshua and 2-year-old Kaylee.

Harrington’s mother-in-law, Debra Ryan, a newsroom assistant at The Standard-Times in New Bedford, Mass., says she also was notified Jan. 24.

Brother, sister never had ‘sad moment’
The Associated Press

When thinking of her brother, Elizabeth Harrington said the emotions come in waves, but the memories are all golden.

“I can’t be sad when I think of my brother,” she said of Kyle J. Harrington. “I can’t think of one sad moment me and my brother ever had with each other.”

Harrington, 24, of Swansea, Mass., died Jan. 24 in Basra, Iraq, of injuries from a non-hostile accident. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis.

Brian McCann, his former principal, said he remembered Harrington as a “spirited young man” who was very committed to his future wife and friends.

“Once he joined the Army, he just became a man,” his sister said. “He went from my teenage brother to a man overnight.”

They had dreams together. They were going to buy two houses in New Hampshire, near each other.

“I was going to have him walk me down the aisle when I got married,” she said. “I wanted my brother to give me away.”

He also is survived by his wife, Faith, and two children, Joshua, 5, and Kaylee, 2.

“He was an amazing dad and one of a kind,” his wife said.

Army Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington was killed in a non-combat incident on 01/24/09.

Marine Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y.

LCpl. Brennan was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 24, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.

Lejeune Marine dies in Afghanistan
Staff report

A North Carolina-based Marine died Saturday after a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan’s Farah province, according to reports.

Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, 25, was known as “Jules” to his family and friends, according to a report in the New York Daily News. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Brennan was a machine gunner assigned to Camp Lejeune’s 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, the Corps said in a news release.

He aspired to be in show business, the newspaper reported.

Brennan was a “real swell kid, a very good-looking boy who was the darling of the girls,” family friend Charles Marahan told the Daily News. “Jules was made for the stage and the movies. You either have it or you don’t, and he had it.”

Brennan earned an associate’s degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan and worked on the Martha Stewart show before joining the Corps, the newspaper reported. He was on his first deployment.

Flags fly at half-staff as tribute
The Associated Press

NEW YORK — New York Gov. David Paterson has directed flags on all state office buildings be flown at half-staff Jan. 30 to honor a local Marine who was killed in Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan died Jan. 24 while fighting in the Farah province. The New York City resident was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Paterson offered his condolences Jan. 28 to the 25-year-old Brooklyn resident’s family, friends and fellow Marines.

Brennan is the second Marine from New York City to be killed in Afghanistan this year.

Was married before deploying to Afghanistan
The Associated Press

Julian T. Brennan and his father were playing dominoes and drinking beer a few years ago when the younger man said, “I have something to tell you.”

“And when a 23-year-old says that, it could be anything,” said Bill Brennan. “But we did not expect, ‘I joined the Marines.’ ”

Brennan, 25, of New York City, died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Brennan graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan in 2006, got his Screen Actors Guild card and began lining up acting gigs while working as a carpenter on Martha Stewart’s show.

He had always been interested in the military. His grandfather earned the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima during World War II, and he nearly enlisted after Sept. 11, 2001.

Thya Merz, his mother, last spoke to him on Inauguration Day — he was a Barack Obama supporter — and he expressed a “deep empathy” for the Afghan people.

His father called him a “happy and ethical warrior.”

He also is survived by his wife, Bettina Beard, whom he secretly married before he shipped out to Afghanistan in November.

Marine Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan was killed in action on 01/24/09.

Army Pvt. Grant A. Cotting

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Army Pvt. Grant A. Cotting, 19, of Corona, Calif.

Pvt. Cotting was assigned to the 515th Sapper Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died Jan. 24, 2009 in Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

Soldier was based at Wood
The Associated Press

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Department of Defense says a 19-year-old California soldier has died from injuries from a non-combat related incident in Kut, Iraq.

The department announced Jan. 27 that Pvt. Grant A. Cotting of Corona died Jan. 24.

He was assigned to the 515th Sapper Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

Cotting enjoyed video, role-playing games
The Associated Press

Grant A. Cotting’s former classmate and neighbor, Ryan McQuilkin, said Cotting was like a brother to him for about 10 years.

Cotting had talked about a military career for years and enlisted about a year ago, shortly after graduation. “I’m really proud of him,” McQuilkin said. “He did what he wanted to do.”

He described his friend as “geeky” and said Cotting liked to play video games and Dungeons and Dragons, which they played every weekend for almost five years.

Cotting, 19, of Corona, Calif., died Jan. 24 in Kut, Iraq, of wounds from non-combat causes. He was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood.

Cotting’s high school counselor, Martha Santos, called him respectful and inspirational. “He was a quiet student and mostly kept to himself,” she said. “He seemed like the type who was very loyal.”

Pollard Principal Mike Ridgway said Cotting was in ROTC his senior year of high school and planning on a military career. “We are all saddened by his loss,” Ridgway said.

Cotting is survived by his parents, Craig and Amanda.

“He will really be missed,” Amanda Cotting said. “Don’t take anyone for granted.”

Army Pvt. Grant A. Cotting died from a non-combat related incident on 01/24/09.

Army Spc. Matthew M. Pollini

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Army Spc. Matthew M. Pollini, 21, of Rockland Mass.

Spc. Pollini was assigned to the 772nd Military Police Company, Massachusetts Army National Guard, Taunton, Mass.; died Jan. 22, 2009 at Forward Operating Base Delta, near al-Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover.

‘We had lots of plans,’ widow says

The Associated Press
ROCKLAND, Mass. — Rockland is mourning a soldier family members say has died in Iraq.

Twenty-one-year-old Pfc. Matthew Pollini was serving with the 772nd Military Police Company, an Army National Guard unit from Taunton. Flags flew at half-staff in Rockland and the town posted a memorial notice.

Erica Pollini told The Patriot Ledger of Quincy her brother “was a talented, loyal person” who joined the National Guard two or three years ago. She said his unit was activated last fall and he was due home in October. Joseph Pollini told WBZ-TV his older brother “was a hero, a hands-down hero,” and said he followed his brother into the same Guard unit, a dream of service they shared.

Pollini’s 20-year-old wife Sarah, whom he married Dec. 22, told The Patriot Ledger, “we had lots of plans.”

Funeral for Rockland soldier scheduled
The Associated Press

ROCKLAND, Mass. — A soldier from Rockland who died in Iraq last week will soon be laid to rest.

The funeral for Spc. Matthew Pollini will be held Feb. 2.

The Enterprise of Brockton reports that students from some of the town’s schools will stand along the route as a horse-drawn caisson followed by Pollini’s family makes its way down Union Street to Holy Family church.

Members of the National Guard’s 772nd Military Police Company, Pollini’s unit, will march with the casket.

A wake for Pollini will be held Sunday at Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home in Rockland.

The 21-year-old Pollini got married last month just days before he shipped out to Iraq. He died when the vehicle he was in rolled over.

Soldier remembered as fun-loving ‘goofball’ by family
The Associated Press

Erica and Joseph Pollini laughed and cried as they talked about their brother, Matthew M. Pollini. They said he was fun-loving, a “goofball” who liked to make people laugh. “We want the world to know he was a great person,” Erica said. “He still is a person to me.”

Pollini, 21, of Rockland, Mass., died Jan. 22 near al-Kut of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He joined the Army National Guard in 2005 and was assigned to Taunton, Mass.

He and his wife, Sarah, were married Dec. 22 in a small ceremony in his parents’ living room. Matthew left Dec. 26 for a 10-month tour of duty.

“He was a really loyal, trusting person. He always wanted to help people. He was always there to help people. He was always cracking jokes and laughing. He really was the most honest person I ever met,” said his wife.

In October, when Matthew was due back in Rockland, he planned to take his wife on a “mini honeymoon” to Cape Cod. They planned to renew their wedding vows and have their “dream wedding” in 2012.

“He would do anything for me. He was always there for me,” said a brother Joseph Pollini, 17.

Army Spc. Matthew M. Pollini was killed in action on 01/22/09.

Army Staff Sgt. Roberto Andrade Jr.

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Army Staff Sgt. Roberto Andrade Jr., 26, of Chicago

SSgt. Andrade was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 18, 2009 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle.

Soldier was known for his smile
The Associated Press

Roberto Andrade Jr. joined the Army in 2001 and was finishing his third tour in Iraq. His grandmother said he was hard to miss.

“If people asked you which one was he, you would say, ‘He was the one with the smile.’ He was very soft spoken, but he could command with that smile,” Vicky Munari said.

Andrade, 26, of Chicago, died Jan. 18 in Baghdad when an explosive struck his vehicle. He was assigned to Fort Hood and enjoyed playing soccer, football and basketball.

“His dedication to his job and soldiers were unmatched, and he had a quiet strength about him,” said Lt. Col. Scott McKean, Andrade’s battalion commander. “Staff Sgt. Andrade embodied perseverance, courage and devotion to duty.”

He also is survived by his mother, Sandra Valencia; his father, Roberto Andrade Sr.; and his stepmother, Veronica Andrade.

“He always led by example in everything, and he strived to be the best and expected nothing less from his soldiers,” said Capt. William Hollbrook, Andrade’s company commander. “He was inspiring and his memory will live on with us for the rest of our lives.”

Army Staff Sgt. Roberto Andrade Jr. was killed in action on 01/18/09.

Army Sgt. Ezra Dawson

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Army Sgt. Ezra Dawson, 31, of Las Vegas, Nev.

Sgt. Dawson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 17, 2009 in COP Vegas, Afghanistan, when the Chinook helicopter he was in made a hard landing under combat conditions.

Soldier remembered for bravery in combat

The Associated Press

Ezra Dawson joined the Army to improve his life, said his ex-wife, Felicia Tucker. He had been working as a waiter.

“He wanted to better himself, so he figured that would be the way,” Tucker said.

Dawson, 31, of Las Vegas, died Jan. 17 in Konar Province when the Chinook helicopter he was in made a hard landing under combat conditions. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

Dawson joined the Army Reserve in late 1999 as a supply specialist. Five years later, he kept the job but switched to active duty.

Dawson left the military and rejoined in mid-2007. He served as a junior scout and sniper team member, and a leader for a reconnaissance team in the Korengal Valley.

“He would give you the shirt off of his back if you were in need,” said Sgt. 1st Class Lenneth Kim. “Even under attack and enemy fire, he laid next to his fallen soldier and administered aid to him, which ultimately saved his life.”

Dawson grew up and attended school in Oklahoma before moving to Las Vegas as a young man. He was a sometime rapper and stand-up comedian.

Dawson is survived by his wife, Starlia Dorsey-Dawson, and a daughter, Diamond.

Army Sgt. Ezra Dawson was killed in action on 1/17/09.





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Army Staff Sgt. Carlos M. Robinson

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Army Staff Sgt. Carlos M. Robinson, 33, of Lawton, Okla.

SSgt. Robinson was assigned to the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Polk, La.; died Jan. 17, 2009 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Kabul.

Suicide bombing claims Guardsman
The Associated Press

HOPE, Ark. — A soldier from Hope has died as the result of a suicide bombing in Afghanistan.

The Hope Star reported that Army Sgt. Carlos Montel Robinson, 33, was killed Jan. 17 and that his family was informed Jan. 18. Robinson served for years in the National Guard and was on his first overseas deployment. Robinson went to Afghanistan in June.

Hicks Funeral Home in Hope is handling arrangements and said that the military said to expect Robinson’s body to arrive Jan. 23.

The Defense Department had not described the circumstances of his death as of Jan. 21.

Robinson had Okla. ties
The Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Arkansas soldier who briefly lived in Oklahoma was killed in Afghanistan, his family said.

Army Staff Sgt. Carlo M. Robinson, 33, died Jan. 17 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle, the Department of Defense said Jan. 21.

Robinson’s hometown was listed by the Pentagon as Lawton, but the funeral home receiving Robinson’s remains and his grandmother, Martha Witherspoon, said he was from Hope, Ark., where he graduated from high school in 1993.

Robinson, 13-year veteran of the army, lived in Lawton for a few months in 2007.

He was assigned to the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Polk, La., the Defense Department said.

Robinson was “the quiet type” growing up and enjoyed playing sports through high school, Witherspoon said.

He re-enlisted in the military multiple times, even though it made his family nervous.

“I always said, ‘We’ve already been through this before, and these kids are going over there and risking their lives again,” ’ said Witherspoon, who had two brothers who served in the military in Vietnam.

Robinson was the only member of his generation of the family to join the military, despite the reservations some of his family members had, she said.

“There’s danger everywhere, I know, but over there, your life is in God’s hands,” she said. “And he’s in God’s hands now.”

Robinson is survived by his daughter, Carneshia, 11, and son Dakaria, 10.

Soldier could make others smile
The Associated Press

Carlo M. Robinson’s grandmother said he was the only member of his generation of the family to join the military, but he was undaunted by the reservations of some of his kin.

“There’s danger everywhere, I know, but over there, your life is in God’s hands,” said Martha Witherspoon. “And he’s in God’s hands now.”

Robinson, 33, of Lawton, Okla., died Jan. 17 after a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Kabul. He was a 1993 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Polk.

His grandmother said he was “the quiet type” and enjoyed playing sports through high school. She described him as a patriot and said he re-enlisted in the military many times, even though it made his family nervous.

Robinson went to Afghanistan in June and was on his first overseas deployment. Friends often referred to him as “the dentist” because he could always make people smile.

His fellow servicemen and -women also remembered Robinson as the “quiet type” who was “strong as an ox, yet gentle as a kitten.”

Robinson is survived by his daughter, Carneshia, 11, and son Da’Karia, 10.

Army Staff Sgt. Carlos M. Robinson was killed in action on 01/17/09.

Air Force Senior Airman Omar J. McKnight

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Air Force Senior Airman Omar J. McKnight, 22, of Marrero, La.

Sr. Airman McKnight was assigned to the 6th Security Forces Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; died Jan 17, 2009 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Balad, Iraq.

Wanted to follow in family’s military footsteps

The Associated Press

Omar J. McKnight’s father described his son as a quiet, “easygoing kid,” with respectful manners, a good head on his shoulders and an obsession with updating the photos on his MySpace page. Eliot McKnight said he was also the baby of the family, the youngest of three boys.

“He was just a special person, always smiling,” said his mother, Sheryl McKnight. “Anything he could do to help someone, he would.”

McKnight, 22, of Marrero, La., died Jan. 17 from non-combat causes in Balad, Iraq. He was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base and was on his second tour.

As a high school freshman, Omar had dreamed about following in the footsteps of his father, an Army veteran from Operation Desert Storm, and his older brother Trumain, who is now serving with the Air Force’s special operations unit in Iraq.

“His whole life was the military,” Eliot McKnight said. “He did four years in ROTC in high school. It was evident.”

In 2006, three weeks after graduating, Omar joined the Air Force. He attended basic training at Lackland Air Force and he had served as a firefighter at the base in Tampa.

Air Force Senior Airman Omar J. McKnight was killed in a non-hostile incident on 01/17/09.

Army Pfc. Ricky L. Turner

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Army Pfc. Ricky L. Turner, 20, of Athens, Ala.

Pfc. Turner was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 16, 2009 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.

Bragg soldier killed in explosion
The Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Department of Defense says a soldier based in North Carolina has died while fighting in Iraq.

The military said Wednesday that 20-year-old Pfc. Ricky Turner of Athens, Ala., died Jan. 16 in Baghdad after a bomb exploded near his unit. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg.

Turner’s father, James Lee Turner, told WHNT-TV in Alabama that his son wanted to join the military to stand up for his country, and that he died doing what he wanted to do. He said the military told him an improvised explosive device blew up the military vehicle his son was riding in.

Information about Pfc. Turner’s awards and honors was not immediately available.

Turner recalled as ‘gentle giant’
The Associated Press

Ricky L. Turner was deployed to Iraq in November and celebrated his 20th birthday there Dec. 22. He joined the Army on Sept. 11, 2006. “He was so proud of that,” said Vickie Turner, an aunt.

“He was a good boy with a big heart.”

Turner, 20, of Athens, Ala., was killed Jan. 16 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Bragg.

“He was a gentle giant,” said Lt. Col. James Walker, Turner’s ROTC commander. “He was an outstanding soldier.”

The Rev. Mike Webster said Turner joined the Army not only to follow in the footsteps of his stepbrother, Sgt. Jimmy Grimes, but “to find himself. The Army was making him a strong person.”

Turner also is survived by his wife, Nikki.

“He loved to play video games, and he loved to draw. He was an outstanding student in school. Anything he set his mind to he accomplished,” said Tammy Turner, another aunt.

Turner was one of Dorothy Turner’s seven grandchildren. “He was a wonderful person and I’m very proud of him,” she said. “He was very outgoing. When he stayed with us, he loved to fish in our pond and loved animals.”

Army Pfc. Ricky L. Turner was killed in action on 01/16/09.

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Townsend

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Army Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Townsend, 30, of Solvang, Calif.

SSgt. Townsend was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg , N.C.; died Jan. 16, 2009 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.

Townsend ‘was proud … to serve his country’
The Associated Press

While at basic training or later trying to make the Special Forces, Joshua R. Townsend wouldn’t — couldn’t — give up.

“While many guys were quitting because of the absence of comfort, Josh pushed through the pain and completed the course,” said Rusty Whitt, a fellow soldier.

Townsend, 30, of Solvang, Calif., died Jan. 16 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds from non-combat related causes. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Bragg.

In his Facebook profile, Townsend wrote that he enjoyed playing with his three Pug dogs, going to the movies, working on his house and “most of all, spending time with my wife Rachel.”

He loved to listen to his wife singing and playing the guitar, enjoyed Play Station 3 and was a fan of the History Channel.

“He was a fearless, red-bearded Viking with a devil-may-care attitude who was proud and motivated to serve his country,” Whitt said.

Townsend attended Santa Barbara City College and Hancock Community College. He joined the Army in 2003, was a Special Forces weapons sergeant and earned his Green Beret in 2005.

“He kept us laughing constantly,” Whitt said.

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Townsend was killed in a non-combat related incident on 01/16/09.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jessie A. Cassada

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Marine Lance Cpl. Jessie A. Cassada, 19, of Hendersonville, N.C.

LCpl. Cassada was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 6, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Marines held special allure for Cassada

The Associated Press

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Clark said it was the Marines or bust for Jessie A. Cassada.

“No other branch of service was going to satisfy him. It was hard for him to finish his education, but he did it because he was determined to get in the Marine Corps,” said Clark, Cassada’s JROTC instructor.

Cassada, 19, of Hendersonville, N.C., died Jan. 6 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was a 2007 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

“He would give his right arm for anyone,” said a friend, Todd Garren.

He is survived by his stepfather, Carroll London, and mother, Patricia Cassada.

“He was outgoing, he loved fishing and loved his family — he loved everyone,” his mother said. “He didn’t have a bad bone in his body.”

On a visit home last spring, the young Marine spoke to a few classes and gave them advice. “Pay attention to what teachers tell you because it’s not as easy you might think it is out there,” Cassada told them.

“He was a fine young man, and I would like the world to know that he was always a patriot and a good kid,” said Joyce Pruitt, a teacher.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jessie A. Cassada was killed in action on 01/06/09.

Marine Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi

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Marine Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi, 21, of Bronx, N.Y.

LCpl. Francesconi was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 1, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Ex-banker wanted to be pilot
The Associated Press

Alberto Francesconi graduated high school in 2005 and then got a job with Bank of America. At 18, he was a personal banker.

“But he always wanted to be a pilot and ‘What better foundation than the military,’ he used to say,” said his wife, Cynthia Francesconi. “He always wanted to strive a little bit more — to make it easier for his family.”

Francesconi, 21, of New York City, died Jan. 1 during combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

He and his wife, teenage sweethearts who grew up two blocks from each other, were married in December 2006. They planned to start a family when he returned home from his second tour in June, ending four years of combat duty. Francesconi saw action in Iraq for six months in 2007.

“He will be missed,” said Marine Cpl. Alfonso Matos, who served with Francesconi in Iraq. “He was motivated, dedicated. He loved what he did. He was a good kid.”

“This is especially hard for me, losing Albert, because he pretty much followed in my footsteps,” said Robert Rivera, Francesconi’s older brother and a Navy reservist. “We did everything together.”

Marine Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi was killed in action on 01/01/09.





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