Army Sgt. Derek T. Stenroos

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Derek T. Stenroos, 24, of North Pole, Alaska

Sgt. Stenroos was assigned to the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Nov. 5, 2007 in Tal Al-Dahab, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Carletta S. Davis, Staff Sgt. John D. Linde and Pfc. Adam J. Muller.

Sgt. Derek T. Stenroos, 24, was a military policeman assigned to 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI).

The North Pole, Alaska, native joined the Army in January 2004 and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He was assigned to 1st BCT in June 2004.

Stenroos was a graduate of the Combat Life Saver Course and the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense Course.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.

He is survived by his mother and father.

Military City -- Derek T. Stenroos, a 2001 North Pole High School graduate, joined the Army in January 2004. By December of that year, he was in Iraq.

During his first deployment, he suffered minor injuries when another roadside bomb exploded near his convoy, said Walt Armstrong, activities director at the North Pole school.

Stenroos is the first North Pole graduate to have been killed in Iraq, Armstrong said. More than 20 have served in the war, and one was shot by a sniper but lived, he said.

“I knew the odds were getting worse for us,” Armstrong said.

Stenroos played on the hockey team, sang in three choirs, was in school plays and helped coach youth hockey, said Armstrong, who keeps a photo of Stenroos on his office wall.

“I remember saying ‘This kid’s going to be all right. He’s going to be a success in life,” ’ he said.

Army Sgt. Derek T. Stenroos was killed in action on 11/05/07.