Army 1st Sgt. Billy J. Siercks, 32, of Velda Village, Mo.
Sgt Siercks was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y., died Sept. 28, 2011 in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered Sept. 27 in Logar, Afghanistan when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire.
Sgt Siercks suffered severe injuries from shrapnel to the back of the neck, head and spine. Tests confirmed that he was no longer with us on Wednesday, September 28th. All five soldiers stayed at his side every chance they got until his family arrived in Germany on Thursday. He was taken off life support on Friday.
The DOD gave his hometown in St. Louis County, but his mother said he was born and raised in Lincoln, MO.
Sgt Siercks graduated from Lincoln High School in 1997. He enlisted in the Army his senior year in May, just before he graduated.
He's been deployed to Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. He deployed to Afghanistan again in October 2010. He was due to come home in a few weeks.
"He loved the camaraderie and the closeness of the guys. They loved him and he love them to death," Toni Siercks said. "He believed in what he was doing."
Parents were told that when the missiles were coming in, Siercks was trying to round up the other soldiers and herd them into a bunker.
Mother Toni, said some of his friends in the military grew up in rough environments and didn't come from strong families like her son did, his mother said. "He wanted to be their protector and their leader."
Ultimately, his plans were to return to Lincoln, Mo., open a small business and build a home on the family farm, his mother said.
Sgt Siercks' awards and decorations include:
Bronze Star (2)
Purple Heart
Army Commendation Medal (2)
Army Achievement Medal (3)
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Good Conduct Medal (4)
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2)
Iraqi Campaign Medal
Global War on Terriorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terriorism Service Medal
Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons (2)
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbons (2)
NATO Medals (3)
Drill Sergeant Identifiction Badge
Ranger Tab
Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Infantryman Badge
Pathfinder Badge
Parachutist Badge
Senior Parachutist Badge
October 15, 2011
You will be missed my friend. You were a great friend and mentor. I am proud to have known you and learned from you. Your a true hero. My sympathies go out to the Siercks family, I am very sorry for your loss. Billy was a great American and his passing is truly a loss for us all.~ John Hawes, New York
Billy Siercks, my brother you will truly be missed. I am honored to have served with you on three different deployments. Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. You are a true leader and a awesome friend.~Adones Flores
Sgt Siercks will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on November 10.
Sgt Siercks is survived by his parents, Toni and Joe; wife, Georganne and their sons ages 3 and 7.
Army 1st Sgt. Billy J. Siercks was killed in action on 9/28/11.
No comments:
Post a Comment