Army Pfc. Jesse W. Dietrich

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. Jesse W. Dietrich, 20, of Venus, Texas

Pfc Dietrich was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Aug. 25, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire.

Star Telegram
By Sarah Bahari

A 20-year-old Army private from the Johnson County town of Venus was killed in Afghanistan last week, the Defense Department announced Saturday.

Pfc. Jesse W. Dietrich's survivors include his father, Paul Dietrich, who was serving with the Army in Iraq when he was given the news, said A.J. Hillin, pastor at Cahill United Methodist Church in Alvarado, who knows the family. The slain soldier also leaves a child, the Army said.

No further details were given.

Jesse Dietrich died Thursday in Kandahar province from injuries he suffered when insurgents attacked with small arms, the department said. A 24-year-old sergeant in the unit was also killed in Kandahar province, it said.

Dietrich enlisted in March 2009 and arrived at Fort Drum, N.Y., in July 2010 to join the 10th Mountain Division, the base's public affairs office said. He deployed in March to Afghanistan with his unit, the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

His awards and decorations include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.

Venus is about 25 miles southeast of Fort Worth between Alvarado and Midlothian

Jesse Wayne Dietrich, 20, a U.S. Army specialist and a great American hero, paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011.

Celebration of a hero will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at First Baptist Church, Mansfield. Interment: Diamond J Youth Ranch in Gustine. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Skyvue Funeral Home. Jesse resided with his aunt and uncle in Mansfield and attended Mansfield ISD schools until a semester before his graduation when he then moved to Venus. Survivors: Son, Kevin Wayne Dietrich; father, Paul Dietrich and wife, Sherri, and their children, Kolton and Laronda; mother, Natasha Bullard and husband, Larry; sister, Jocelyn Dietrich; cherished Aunt Neta and Uncle Rex Southern; and numerous other family and friends.

Army Pfc. Jesse W. Dietrich was killed in action on 8/25/11.