Army Sgt. Roberto D. Sanchez

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Roberto D. Sanchez, 24 of Satellite Beach, Fla.

Sgt. Sanchez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield Ga.; died Oct. 1, 2009 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an IED.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - An Army Ranger died Oct.1 from wounds received during combat operations in Afghanistan while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

Sgt. Roberto Daniel Sanchez, 24, was killed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan during a combat operation involving multiple enemy contacts that killed nine enemy combatants and destroyed a large weapons cache. During the operation Sanchez was mortally wounded by an enemy improvised explosive device.

"Sgt. Sanchez epitomized the spirit and ethos of the Ranger Regiment," said Col. Michael E. Kurilla, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. "He is a hero to our Nation, our Army and his family."

"Sgt. Sanchez was the quintessential Ranger, enthusiastic, smart, loyal to his mission, his country and his friends," said Col. Brian Mennes, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Battalion commander. "He led with distinction and would want us to continue supporting the efforts for which he so humbly and selflessly dedicated his life."

After graduating from Satellite Senior High School, Satellite Beach, Fla., Sanchez enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., July 2004. He began his Army Ranger career when he was assigned to Company B, 1st Bn., where he served as an automatic rifleman and team leader.

Sanchez was on his fifth deployment in support of the War on Terror with three previous deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan.

He is survived by his parents 1st Sgt. Will and Wendy Holland and brothers Jacob Goldberg and Logan Holland of Hendersonville, Tenn., and maternal grandparents James and Mary Wilson of Ocala, Fla.

Biography

Sgt. Roberto Daniel Sanchez, 24, was a team leader assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. He was born on July 19, 1985 in Ocala, Florida.

Sgt. Sanchez was killed during a combat operation in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan Oct.1. He was on his fifth deployment in support of the War on Terror with three previous deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan.

After graduating from Satellite Senior High School in Satellite Beach, Fla., Sgt. Sanchez enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., July 2004. He completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course there, he was assigned to the Ranger Indoctrination Program also at Fort Benning.

He graduated from the Ranger Indoctrination Program and was then assigned to Company B, 1st Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment February 2005 where he served as an automatic rifleman and team leader.

His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Indoctrination Program, U.S. Army Ranger Course, Emergency Medic Technician Basic Course and Jumpmaster Course.

His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge, Parachutist Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with combat star, Iraq Campaign Medal with combat star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon.

He is survived by his parents 1st Sgt. Will and Wendy Holland and brothers Jacob Goldberg and Logan Holland of Hendersonville, Tenn., and maternal grandparents James and Mary Wilson of Ocala, Fla.

Army Sgt. Roberto D. Sanchez was killed in action on 10/01/09.