Army Sgt. Michael K. Ingram Jr.

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Michael K. Ingram Jr., 23, of Monroe, Mich.

Sgt. Ingram was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died April 17, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol.

Ingram was a native of Monroe, Michigan. Michael was a 2005 graduate of Monroe High School with a bright, promising future. Now, he is being called a hero by his friends and family.

Michael's father says he stepped on an improvised explosive device that took his life. He says Michael had been looking forward to returning home. Despite an injury allowing him to return early, he chose to stay until his tour of duty ended in early June.

Ever since he was about 4 or 5 years old he said 'I want to be an army man when I grow up," said Michael Ingram, Senior, the soldier's father.

Ingram joined the service right after graduating from Monroe High School in 2005. His plan was to eventually be in law enforcement.

His father tried to talk him out of joining during war-time but there was no changing his mind.

Getting the news of the corporal's death was his father's biggest fear.

"It's my worst nightmare come true that's by far," said Ingram, Sr. "I feared this from the time he got deployed. I feared the two guys at my driveway. He's got a lot of support from family and friends and he was just loved so much. Everybody was waiting for him to come home."

Ingram was scheduled to come home in less than a month and a half: June 5th. "He'd been wanting to come home real bad here lately," said Ingram, Sr. The soldier actually had the opportunity to leave early but he stayed out of loyalty.

"He could have come home about a month ago because he injured himself--a torn muscle in his groin--but he said he wasn't leaving his boys," said Ingram, Sr. "They went there together and he was coming home with his boys." But that plan just was not meant to be.

Now his father is making plans of a different kind: funeral arrangements. But he says he could not be more proud of the well-liked, brave man he raised.

"He's a fallen hero but he's also still my son," said Ingram, Sr. "He joined the army because that's something he wanted to do and he was so proud of himself."

Ingram joined the U.S. Army in February 2006, his current unit in March 2006, and was deployed to Afghanistan on May 24, 2009. He worked as an infantryman.

Ingram received the following awards during his service: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and Combat Infantry Badge.

Army Sgt. Michael K. Ingram Jr. was killed in action on 4/17/10.