Army Spc. Gary L. Gooch

Remember Our Heroes

Army Spc. Gary L. Gooch, 22, of Ocala, Fla.

Spc. Gooch was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Nov. 5, 2009 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Army Spc. Gary L. Gooch, 22, of Ocala, was buried Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

He died Nov. 5 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attached the vehicle in which he was traveling with an improvised explosive device.

Gooch had enlisted after graduating from Dunnellon High School in 2006 and was assigned to Fort Lewis.

The soldier at times lived with his cousin, Megan Crowley, who was 10 years older. Earlier, Crowley said she remembered a loving young man who often accompanied Crowley and her girlfriends on outings. He also used to collect model John Deere tractors, she said.

"He used to sing that song, 'She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy,'" Crowley said, referring to the country anthem by Kenny Chesney.

Lynn Bazinet said recently that her nephew Richard Lind - whom she raised - and Gooch were inseparable. The two would stay up all night watching movies when they could, then sleep until 2 p.m. Then the pair woke up to their own breakfast of champions: pizza rolls.

"He said it was the world's most perfect food," Bazinet said.

Gooch may have lived most of his life in Florida, but one of the first things he wanted to do while he was on leave over Thanksgiving was take a snowboarding trip.

"For some reason, he just loves the cold," said Keely Murphy, Gooch's older sister.

Gooch is also survived by his mother, Jeanine Murphy; father and stepmother, Gary and Patty Gooch; stepsister Brittany Marie Gooch; and numerous other relatives.

Army Spc. Gary L. Gooch was killed in action on 11/05/09.