Army Spc. Jacob C. Carroll

Remember Our Heroes

Army Spc. Jacob C. Carroll, 20, of Clemmons, N.C.

Spc. Carroll was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 13, 2010 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when an insurgent suicide bomber detonated a vest bomb and struck his unit. Also killed were Cpl. Jacob R. Carver and Staff Sgt. Juan L. Rivadeneira.

Specialist Jacob C. Carroll, 20, of Clemmons, N.C. joined the Army in January 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell June 2009. His awards and decorations include: National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; and Parachutists Badge.

Soldier was fearless, always gave his best

Former teachers remembered Army Pfc.Jacob C. “Jake” Carroll yesterday as someone who was fearless, loved football and loved winning.

Carroll, 20, of Archdale was killed while fighting in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said.

Carroll grew up in Randolph County and attended Trinity High School. His mother lives in Archdale and his father now lives in Clemmons. At the Clemmons home yesterday, a yellow ribbon was tied to a tree and a wreath, a heart and American flags were placed on the ground.

Jake's parents have declined to speak to the media regarding their loss

The defense department gave no details about how Carroll died. In a release, the department noted that Carroll died supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, and that his body was placed on a transfer vehicle yesterday after it arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

School officials remembered Carroll as always giving his best in whatever he was doing.

“The one thing that stands out in my mind about Jake is that he always played extremely hard,” said Alex Mebane, the coach of Trinity High School’s football team. “He was competitive and hated to lose.”

Mebane noticed something about Carroll when he was playing as an offensive lineman: Every time hisquarterback threw an interception, Carroll was the one to make the tackle. So he put Carroll on defense.

Mebane was not surprised that Carroll joined the military.

“If I was ever in a fight, he would be someone I would want on my side,” he said.

Mebane said he has been getting lots of calls from other former football players wanting to talk about Carroll.

Lewis Dorsett teaches carpentry at Trinity High and had Carroll as a student for several years.

“He was a fearless kid,” Dorsett said. “My upper-level classes do a live project and build a house. He was never afraid to get up on the roof or up on the ladder. A lot of kids don’t do that. He liked working with his hands. He was an outdoor guy.”

Dorsett called Carroll’s death “a crying shame.”

“A young man like that, it just breaks your heart,” Dorsett said. “That is the worst part of teaching.”

Spc. Carroll is survived by his mother, Cole M. Masear of Archdale, N.C.; and father, Jackie C. Carroll of Clemmons, N.C.

Army Spc. Jacob C. Carroll was killed in action on 11/13/10.