Army Pfc. Dustin J. Feldhaus

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. Dustin J. Feldhaus, 20, of Glendale, Ariz.

Pfc Feldhaus was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died March 29, 2011 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked their unit with small-arms fire in Konar province.

Private 1st Class Dustin J. Feldhaus, 20, of Glendale, Ariz., entered the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in January 2010. Feldhaus was an Infantryman assigned to Charlie Company.

His awards and decorations include: National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; NATO Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.

Feldhaus is survived by his mother, Nichol Etchells of Glendale, Ariz. and father, Bernard Mahaljevic of Maricopa, Ariz.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Pfc. Dustin Feldhaus was a star wrestler at Deer Valley High School in north Phoenix before joining the Army. He became a marksman in the 101st Airborne Division.

Feldhaus and five fellow soldiers were killed this week during a combat mission to clear insurgents from an area in Eastern Afghanistan. Details of the operation will not be released until it is complete, according to Army officials.

"It was small arms fire," said Feldhaus' aunt, Deborah Feldhaus.

The family received a call from the Army saying Feldhaus had been hit and was in critical condition on Monday. Hours later they learned he had died from his injuries.

"He was in good spirits and excited to go back," Feldhaus said. "He really felt like he was making a difference."

"He was a small guy who left big shoes to fill," said close friend Karl Kohler, of Phoenix.

Feldhaus was due to return home to Arizona later this month. Instead his parents have flown to Dover, Del., to receive his body.

Army Pfc. Dustin J. Feldhaus was killed in action on 3/29/11.