Army Pfc. John E. Andrade

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. John E. Andrade, 19, of San Antonio

Pfc. Andrade was assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Aug. 7, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

Pfc. John Andrade, a 19-year-old with dreams of becoming a policeman, died over the weekend while serving in Afghanistan, his father, Cesar Andrade, said Tuesday. Andrade said the Army informed him of his son's death Saturday night, but did not explain how he died, only mentioning that he had been on patrol.

"We don't know what happened," Andrade said. "We don't know how he died, in the hospital or in the field. We hear like three different things."

Andrade said his son was deployed to Afghanistan in June and had hoped to come back home for two weeks in December to celebrate the first birthday of his son, John Jr.

Andrade said his son called his mother, Betty, on Friday, and told her his unit had run across an explosive, but assured her he was OK. "He said, 'Ma, I'm OK, don't worry, don't worry,'" Andrade said. "'If you hear the news or something, don't worry, I'm OK.'"

Andrade said the Army promised to send him a report detailing how his son died. In the meantime, he's waiting for his son's remains to be flown back to San Antonio, which he said could take three to seven days.

John Andrade attended Holmes High School, but graduated from a high school in Killeen, where his mother lives.

Andrade joined the service in August 2009, according to a biography provided by the Army, and reported four months later to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, where he was assigned as a Stryker driver.

“The loss of John is one of deep sadness to his platoon, Iron Company, and the rest of the Wolfpack Squadron,” the Army release said. “Though his humorous take on the challenges of the day will be sorely missed, his courageous example will never be forgotten.”

Army Pfc. John E. Andrade was killed in action on 8/7/10.