Connecticut 2001-2004
2001-2002
NONE
2003
Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse
Hometown: Waterford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: March 23, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp
Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed during operations on the outskirts of Nasiriyah.
Cpl. Kemaphoom Chanawongse
Marine Cpl. Kemaphoon ``Ahn'' Chanawongse of Waterford was running to retrieve ammunition when he
was killed by an enemy round on March 23, 2003 in a battle in Nasiriyah, Iraq. He was 22 years old.
Family members, friends and officials said farewell Sunday in Waterford to Marine Corps Cpl. Kemaphoom
Chanawongse, who lived a life of triumph until his death last month in an ambush outside Nasiriyah, Iraq.
In a memorial service at Chanawongse's high school, Gov. John G. Rowland said the 22-year-old
Waterford resident brought honor to his family and, most importantly, to himself.
``We can never repay the debt, but we can pay tribute to him,'' Rowland said. ``He is a hero in the state of
Connecticut and he is a hero to this nation.''
More than 600 people attended the service at Waterford High School, where Chanawongse graduated in
1999, and watched as his family received his Purple Heart, awarded posthumously to Chanawongse.
Chanawongse's older brother, Kemapawse, who delivered the family eulogy, said they had been together
all their lives: ``We laughed together and cried together.''
Kemapawse Chanawongse said later that he knew his ``little brother'' was now in a place of happiness.
Chanawongse was known to his friends as ``Chuckles'' for his good-natured bantering and wisecracking.
``I'm sure he's up there looking down, smiling,'' Kemapawse Chanawongse said. ``I'm so proud of him.''
Rowland said Chanawongse, whose nickname was Ahn, led a life that was a lesson to all. Chanawongse
became an American citizen after coming to the United States from Thailand at the age of 9.
``He achieved a childhood dream. He lived a life of triumph,'' Rowland said.
``It kind of jolts you to see someone who volunteers for their country and gives up their life,'' Rowland said
after the service. He said he is looking forward soon to welcoming back thousands of men and women who
are serving in the reserves.
U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd escorted Chanawongse's mother, Tan Patchem, and her husband, Paul, to
the high school auditorium stage where the Torch of Freedom and Memory was lit for the two-hour service.
Giving the opening remarks at the service, First Selectman Paul B. Eccard said it was not only important to
grieve the loss of Waterford's son, but also to celebrate a life that was given for others.
``Some live long and give a little. Some live little and give a lot. Ahn lived little and gave a lot,'' Eccard said.
``He has become a symbol of what is good about America, our local community, and strong family values,''
Rear Adm. Robert C. Olsen of the U.S. Coast Guard told the mourners.
The service included a U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard presentation, the playing of the National Anthem by
the high school band, the singing of ``America the Beautiful,'' and a violin solo of ``The Marine Corps
Hymn.''
Rowland noted that Chanawongse's life dream was to be a defender of democracy and it was fitting that he
died while trying to help the Iraqi people win freedom from an oppressive dictatorship.
``He had probably a greater appreciation for democracy than others,'' Rowland said. ``Indeed, he died an
American hero.''
After the service, the couple and their family traveled to Washington, D.C., where Chanawongse will be
honored and laid to rest with military honors today at Arlington National Cemetery.
More than a dozen members of Chanawongse's family attended the service, including his grandfather, 72year-old retired Thai Air Force veteran Chran Pinrode, who wore his white uniform for the service.
After the ceremony, hundreds crowded the high school lobby, waiting in line to offer their condolences to
Chanawongse's family.
Some close friends struggled without success to fight back tears.
``My mind is so jumbled. I don't know what to say,'' Steve Cavan, a close friend of Chanawongse, said as
tears streamed down his face.
- DAN UHLINGER Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse
Rank/Branch: Cpl./Marines
Unit: 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade at
Camp Lejeune
Age 22
Date of Birth
Home City of Record: Waterford, Conn.
Date of Loss: 23 March 2003
Country of Loss: Iraq
Loss Coordinates: Combat near An Nasiriyah
Status: MIA/Iraq __ Declared Dead__ Apr 16, 2003 U.S. Government Report
Category:
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:
Personnel in Incident: Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Blair, Pfc. Tamario D. Burkett, Cpl. Kemaphoom A.
Chanawongse, Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline Pvt. Jonathan L. Gifford, Pvt. Nolen R. Hutchings, Lance Cpl.
Patrick R. Nixon, Lance Cpl. Michael J. Williams
Source: Compiled by Last Firebase Veterans Archives Project from one or more of the following: raw data
from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews.
Date Updated: April 17, 3003
REMARKS: March 2003__ "They're not going to give up," Paul Patchem declared after hearing that his 22year-old stepson, Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse was missing in Iraq. "I know the Marines. They won't
give up on him."
Patchem and his wife, Tan, were celebrating the arrival of a two-week-old letter from Cpl. Chanawongse,
when a Marine knocked on their door. They immediately thought the worst.
Pentagon officials said that Cpl. Chanawongse was part of a group that was told to secure a bridge near An
Nasiriyah, and that they encountered what appeared to be Iraqi civilians seeking to surrender but were
surprised when the men opened fire.
"They had uniforms underneath their clothes," Pentagon officials said "Eleven soldiers were killed. Eight
soldiers ran to a more secure area. No one has seen them since."
"Actually, it was kind of relieving to know he's just missing," Patchem said. "I have to think positive. His
mother and I know this is not happy news, but it's better than it could be." Cpl. Chanawongse enlisted shortly
after graduating from Waterford High School in 1999, his family said.
Tan Patchem didn't originally want her son to join the military.
"He came to me and said he wanted to be a Marine," she said. "That's what he wanted to do. It's tough, but
we know he loved to be in that uniform. He loved being a Marine. I'm his mom. He's my baby. I felt like,
'Can he do it?' I know the Marines are tough, but he understood that.
"I'm glad I didn't stop him," she added.
Cpl. Chanawongse is trained to operate amphibious vehicles as part of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based in Camp Lejune, N.C.
Members of Cpl. Chanawongse's unit called him "Chuckles," or "Chug" for short, Patchem said. "He's a very
funny guy. He makes everybody laugh."
There are 12 soldiers in his unit, and Patchem said one soldier's mother serves as the unofficial "Platoon
Mom," keeping everyone up to date. The Marines are in contact regularly, he said, and have told him they
will do everything they can to find the missing soldiers.
"I have confidence," he said. "However I'm worried that these troops aren't going to find their way."
Cpl. Chanawongse's older brother, Kemapawse, 24, is studying in Thailand. Both brothers are Americans,
whose ancestry is Thai, Patchem said.
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2003
The Department of Defense announced today that Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse, 22, of
Waterford, Conn. was killed in action during operations on the outskirts of An Nasiriyah on March 23. He
had previously been listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN).
Chanawongse was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2003/b04162003_bt251-03.html
Kemaphoom A Chanawongse
Waterford, Connecticut
March 23, 2003
Age Military
22
Marines
Rank
Cpl
Unit/Location
1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Camp Lejeune, North carolina
Killed on the outskirts of Nasiriyah in Iraq.
Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse
Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse enlisted shortly after
graduating from Waterford (Conn.) High School in 1999 over the
objections of his mother, Tan Patchem.
"He understood it was dangerous, and he was proud of doing it," she
said.
Chanawongse, 22, died after his Camp Lejeune-based unit came
under attack while attempting to secure a bridge. He had been listed
as missing until April 16, 2003.
Chanawongse, who came to the United States from Thailand at age
9, played youth soccer and planned from a young age to join the
military. His grandfather is a veteran of the Thai air force.
He was known to members of his unit as "Chuckles" for his sense of
humor, and one friend said the avid snowboarder was talkative and
outgoing: "Every time you turn around, he's gone talking to
somebody," said Steve Cava, 22.
But he also had a strong sense of duty, his parents said, and had a
Marines tattoo on his arm: "U.S. Marine, made in Parris Island."
AP News
Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse came to the United States from Thailand at age 9.
He played soccer as a kid and planned from a young age to join the military.
Chanawongse of Waterford, Conn., died after his unit, based at Camp Lejeune,
came under attack while attempting to secure a bridge.
recovered on March 28.
Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse, USMC
Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse, 22, of Waterford, Connecticutt, known to
his fellow Marines as "Chuckles". He came to the U.S. from Thailand at age
nine.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ~~ ARLINGTON, Va. - Surrounded by Marines in crisp blue
uniforms, Buddhist monks in flowing
orange robes prayed over the casket of
Cpl. Kemaphoom Chanawongse
yesterday at Arlington National
Cemetery.
Chanawongse, 22, was honored in a
rare Buddhist prayer service at the
cemetery, a ceremony that celebrated
his life and the sacrifice he made in dying last month
in a firefight in Iraq.
"Brothers and sisters take Kemaphoom
Chanawongse as our teacher today," said Chuen
Phangcham, president emeritus of the Buddhist
Council of the Midwest, shortly after the echoes of
the three rifle volleys and Taps faded away. "He is
teaching us about life and the law of impermanence
to remind us to be mindful in our daily life practice
from moment to moment."
The mingling of military and Buddhist honors has been done before at Arlington, although this was the first in
recent memory, according to cemetery staff.
The Marine known as "Ahn" by family and friends, from Waterford, Conn., was the 16th servicemember from the
Iraqi war to be buried there. And his family is sure that is what he would have wanted. "If he knew that he would
pass away, and if he had a choice -- (this) is his choice, I know that," his mother, Tan Patchem, said after the
service. Struggling to keep her voice steady, her son's dog tags still dangling from her neck, Patchem said,
"Everyone knows what Ahn is like and everyone is very proud of him. Everyone has a feeling that, other than
sadness -- and sadness is still there -- but more than sadness, we're proud." Chanawongse and other members of
his unit -- the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- were
declared missing in action on March 23 after a firefight near Nasiriya in southern Iraq. Three weeks later, his family
was told he and six other Marines were killed in an ambush.
Yesterday, his brother Kemapasse stood at the gravesite and talked about Chanawongse's bravery.
"He was ready to go. ... There was no fear in his heart," he said, then turning to the casket, added, "Ahn, I love
you, I'm very proud of you." Chanawongse was an American citizen who came to the United States from Thailand
at age 2. He graduated from Waterford High School in 1999, but put his college aspirations on hold to join the
Marines.
Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse
Corporal, United States Marine Corps
DOD ANNOUNCES CHANGE IN MARINE CASUALTY STATUS
The Department of Defense announced today that Marine Corporal Kemaphoom A.
Chanawongse, 22, of Waterford, Conn. was killed in action during operations on the
outskirts of An Nasiriyah on March 23. He had previously been listed as Duty Status
Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN).
Chanawongse was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp
Lejeune, N.C.
It is written that meritorious deeds will precede a good person before his arrival in the next
world.
The meritorious deeds of Marine Corporal Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse of Waterford,
Connecticut, were remembered Monday at a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. The
22-year-old Marine, who died on the battlefield in Iraq March 23, was buried with full military
honors during a 30-minute ceremony.
"We, on behalf of the Chanawongse family, the Thai people and the Buddhist communities
in the United States, are here today at Arlington National Cemetery for an important
ceremony for our brother," Buddhist Council of the Midwest President Emeritus Chuen
Phangcham said as he presided over the Buddhist graveside service.
"He died in the service of his duty for this great country. We are proud of him. Kemaphoom,
may your consciousness be born in a good form of life. May all being be free from suffering.
May all beings be happy."
In the Buddhist religion, it is believed that each individual passes through many
reincarnations until he or she is liberated from worldly illusions and passions. One enters a
new incarnation right after death, ultimately entering nirvana, which is Sanskrit for "blowing
out the flame."
Born in Bangkok, Chanawongse and his family moved to United States when he was 9,
settling in Waterford, where he attended school.
A 1999 graduate of Waterford High School, Chanawongse enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps,
following a family tradition of military service. His grandfather, Charan Pinrode, a group
commander in the Royal Thai Air Force, attended the ceremony dressed in his crisp, white,
military dress uniform.
The family chose Arlington for Chanwongse's burial to honor him as a hero. He is the 16th
casualty of the Iraq war to be buried in Arlington. Another soldier who died in Iraq is
scheduled for burial there in two weeks.
In a soft voice, barely audible, Tan Patchem, Chanawongse's mother, thanked her son in a
brief, graveside statement for all the love he gave her during his short life.
"I will see you one day," she said. "I love you."
Chanawongse was afforded a funeral with standard military honors that included a threeround rifle volley and a bugler playing "Taps."
As was the memorial service at Waterford High School Sunday, when more than 700
attended to bid farewell to a hometown hero, it was a dignified and moving ceremony.
On Monday, about 100 people attended the service, including family members, a delegation
from Waterford, representatives from the Thai Embassy in Washington and representatives
of Connecticut's political delegation.
"I am very proud to have him as a son," Paul Patchem, Chanawongse's stepfather, said.
After the military honors, the casket was removed and returned to a local funeral home,
where the remains will be cremated and then returned to Arlington on Wednesday for a
private family interment.
There are more than 280,000 servicemen and their family members buried in Arlington,
representing every war America has fought. Arlington's 624 acres of green rolling slopes is
in Virginia, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
There are about 24 funerals conducted every weekday at Arlington.
Prior to Chanawongse's burial, a Buddhist service was held at a Washington funeral home.
A traditional Thai Buddhist ceremony has up to three parts of the funeral service, each
lasting about 45 minutes. The three components of any Buddhist funeral ceremony are:
sharing; the practice of good conduct; and developing a calm mind, or meditation.
The family will remain in Washington, where additional services will be held at a Thai temple
during the next three days.
Buddhist Rites, Military Ritual Honor Marine
Thai Immigrant Ambushed in Iraq
Courtesy of the Washington Post, 29 April 2003
At Arlington National Cemetery, Brigadier General Mastin Robeson presents an American flag to Anutarapon
Patchem, mother of Kemaphoom Chanawongse, a 22-year-old Marine corporal who died March 23 in Nasiriyah.
Seven monks swathed in saffron robes padded onto the moist grounds of Arlington National
Cemetery yesterday, followed by six uniformed Marines in crisper pace bearing the coffin of
a fallen comrade.
Even in death, Kemaphoom Chanawongse, 22, straddled two worlds -- the Thailand he left
when he was 9 and the America he ultimately gave his life for. The corporal died in Iraq
March 23, 2003, in an ambush outside Nasiriyah.
Friends and family called him "Ahn." His fellow Marines called him "Chuckles," for his sense
of humor and love of laughter. Chanawongse's last letter home still brings a smile to his
elder brother's face, albeit through tears.
In a letter dated March 13 from Kuwait, where Chanawongse served with the 1st Marine
Division, he joked about the art of playing baseball with a stick. He said his camp reminded
him of the sitcom "M*A*S*H," although he preferred MAHTSF, for "Marines Are Here to Stay
Forever."
As he stroked his brother's coffin yesterday, Kemapasse Chanawongse spoke directly to
him for what he said would be the last time: "Ahn, I love you. I am proud of you."
The ceremony was held at the grave where Kemaphoom Chanawongse's urn will be buried
after his body is cremated today at a Silver Spring temple. It was the 16th funeral at
Arlington for a casualty of the war in Iraq. Again there was a three-rifle volley in final salute,
mournful strains of taps played by a single bugler and a presentation of a flag, received by
Chanawongse's mother, Anutarapon Patchem.
This time, a brief Buddhist ceremony followed, led by Chuen Phangcham of Wat Thai, a
temple in Silver Spring. "Take Kemaphoom Chanawongse as our teacher today,"
Phangcham told the 60 mourners. "He is teaching us about life and the law of
impermanence."
Chanawongse emigrated from Thailand with his mother and elder brother to Connecticut.
"They wanted to be in the land of the free," his uncle Kim Atkinson said. "They felt like life
had to have more than their prospects there."
His mother worked in a Japanese chain restaurant, then became a part owner. She opened
her own Thai restaurant when Chanawongse was in his teens, and he often worked
alongside her. Chanawongse's grandfather, a former commander in the Thai Air Force, lived
with the family, and he inspired Chanawongse to become a U.S. citizen and enlist in the
Marines after Chanawongse graduated from Waterford High School in 1999. Most recently,
Chanawongse was assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment at Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina.
After a ceremony Sunday in Connecticut, where Chanawongse's mother received her son's
Purple Heart, dozens of family members and high school classmates drove to Arlington for
yesterday's funeral, their procession greeted by police at each state crossing.
"I have a knowledge that many of you may come to know," Chanawongse's stepfather, Paul
Patchem, told them at Arlington yesterday. "Ahn is an angel. This is a fact for me."
Last night, the family gathered at an Alexandria funeral home for additional Buddhist
prayers. Today, Chanawongse's body is to be cremated at Wat Thai.
On Wednesday, some of the ashes will be buried at Arlington. The rest, his family said, will
be scattered in Thailand.
28 April 2003:
Connecticut Marine Buried in Buddhist Funeral
Surrounded by Marines in crisp blue uniforms, Buddhist monks in flowing orange robes
prayed over the casket of Corporal Kemaphoom Chanawongse Monday at Arlington National
Cemetery.
Chanawongse, 22, was honored in a rare Buddhist prayer service at the cemetery, a
ceremony that celebrated his life and the sacrifice he made in dying last month in a firefight
in Iraq.
"Brothers and sisters take Kemaphoom Chanawongse as our teacher today," said Dr. Chuen
Phangcham, president emeritus of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest, shortly after the
echoes of the three rifle volleys and Taps faded away. "He is teaching us about life and the
law of impermanence to remind us to be mindful in our daily life practice from moment to
moment."
The mingling of military and Buddhist honors has been done before at Arlington, although
this was the first in recent memory, according to cemetery staff.
The Marine known as "Ahn" by family and friends, from Waterford, Connecticut, was the
16th servicemember from the Iraqi war to be buried there. And his family is sure that is what
he would have wanted.
"If he knew that he would pass away, and if he had a choice — (this) is his choice, I know
that," his mother, Tan Patchem, said after the service. Struggling to keep her voice steady,
her son's dog tags still dangling from her neck, Patchem said "everyone knows what Ahn is
like and everyone is very proud of him. Everyone has a feeling that, other than sadness —
and sadness is still there — but more than sadness, we're proud."
Chanawongse and other members of his unit — the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd
Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina — were declared missing in action
on March 23 after a firefight near Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. Three weeks later, his family
was told he and six other Marines were killed in an ambush.
On Monday, his brother Kemapasse stood at the gravesite and talked about Chanawongse's
bravery. "He was ready to go. ... There was no fear in his heart," he said, then turning to the
casket, added, "Ahn, I love you, I'm very proud of you."
Chanawongse was an American citizen who came to the United States from Thailand at age
2. He graduated from Waterford High School in 1999, but put his college aspirations on hold
to join the Marines.
Buddhist Monks escort a Marine honor guard carrying the casket
of Marine Corporal Kemaphoom Chanawongse, of Waterford, Connecticut,
during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington,
Virginia, Monday, April 28, 2003. Chanawongse was killed on March 23, 2003,
during operations on the outskirts of Nasiriyah, Iraq. For the first time in memory,
a Buddhist monk is presiding over an Arlington National Cemetery burial ceremony
Buddhist Monks pray during funeral services for Marine Corporal
Kemaphoom Chanawongse, of Waterford, Connecticut, Monday, April 28,
2003 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington
Buddhist monks look on as Anutarapon Patchem, mother of Marine Corporal
Kemaphoom Chanawongse, of Waterford, Connecticut, pauses over the casket
during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery
More than 100 people attended a funeral service for Marine
Corporal Kemaphoom Chanawongse of Waterford in Arlington
National Cemetery outside Washington Monday. Chanawongse was
killed in battle in Iraq. It was the first-ever Buddhist
ceremony held in the cemetery
Tan Patchem, mother of Kemaphoom Chanawongse, and her
husband, Paul Patchem, pay their final respects at her son's grave
28 April 2003:
WATERFORD, Connecticut -- Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse was just a normal kid,
according to his brother, Kemapasse, determined to fulfill his dreams and impossible to
stop once he set his mind on something.
"He loved being a Marine. He loved being in the uniform," Kemapasse Chanawongse said in
delivering the family eulogy at Sunday's memorial service at Waterford High School.
"I thank you for the 22 years of happiness and experiences that you shared with me,"
Chanawongse said in a tribute to his younger brother. "I will never forget you."
More than 700 people, friends and family, dignitaries and some who did not know him but
knew only of him, turned out for the service to honor the memory of Kemaphoom
Chanawongse, the 22-year-old Marine born in Thailand and raised in Waterford since he was
9 years old.
He joined the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from Waterford High School in 1999 and
died in battle March 23 in Nasiriyah, Iraq. He will be buried today in Arlington National
Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
The solemn and somber ceremony was filled with heartfelt remembrances of the young
Marine and with the military honors befitting a fallen warrior.
Throughout the 90-minute service, the attendees stood or sat in silence, many wiping away
tears during different parts of the program.
As a tribute, the Waterford High School band played the song "Inchon," a piece composed
by Robert W. Smith in memory of his father, Benjamin Smith, a veteran of both the Korean
Conflict and the Vietnam War.
"It was a very moving, very touching ceremony," U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, one of many
political leaders attending the services, said.
One of the more touching moments was when Waterford High School music teacher Joan
Winters played the Marine Corps hymn on a violin from the auditorium balcony. Two
Marines silently descended the auditorium aisles, slowly making their way on stage for the
Marine funeral honors. A Marine Corps firing detail, outside the building, could be heard
rendering the gun salute. And then two students from the high school band, one offstage
and the other in the balcony, played an echoing version of "Taps."
Marine Captain Brian Anderson presented Anutarapon "Tan" Patchem, Chanawongse's
mother, with the folded American flag, the symbol of a grateful nation for the ultimate
sacrifice made.
"He was a beacon and a symbol of what is good about America, our local community and a
strong family values," Rear Admiral Robert C. Olsen, superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard
Academy, said.
Olsen and Anderson also presented Patchem with the Purple Heart, the military medal
awarded to those wounded or killed in action, which she then wore on her jacket.
Governor John G. Rowland and Dodd were among the dignitaries attending the service.
Rowland and Dodd escorted Patchem and her husband, Paul, to the stage of the high school
auditorium at the beginning of the service to light the Torch of Freedom and Memory.
"When we lost a member of our community, we truly lose part of ourself," Rowland said in
his remarks.
"It is said that good can prevail over bad if good is well organized," he said. "I would add,
that is true if good had Ahn on its side. We can never repay the debt. We can show our
appreciation as we are today. Ahn is a local hero, a hero in the state of Connecticut and hero
to a grateful nation."
Also attending were state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, state Comptroller Nancy
Wyman, representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman and U.S. Rep. Rob
Simmons, state Rep. Andrea Stillman of Waterford, Waterford First Selectman Paul Eccard
and municipal leaders from the region.
At the close of the ceremony, the lights in the auditorium were slowly dimmed so that only
the flickering light from the Torch of the Freedom and Memory showed.
"Today we say farewell to a hero and goodbye to a hometown son," Eccard said. "His spirit
is back here with us now, the spirit of a hero has come home."
Tan Patchem, mother of Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom Chanawongse,
and her husband, Paul Patchem, left, embrace other mourners after a
memorial service at Waterford High School Sunday held in Chanawongse's honor.
He was killed in battle in Iraq
From left, U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, Paul Patchem,
Tan Patchem and Gov. John G. Rowland light a Torch of Freedom
and Memory in honor of Tan Patchem's son, Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom Chanawongse.
22 April 2003:
WATERFORD, Connecticut -- Tan Patchem first heard of Arlington National Cemetery 40
years ago, as a young child living in Thailand.
She recalled learning of it when President John F. Kennedy was shot and remembered
thinking it must be a very special place -- a place where America buries its heroes.
Tan, her husband, Paul, and other family members will make their first visit to Arlington next
week when they will say their final good-byes to another American hero -- her son, Marine
Corporal Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse of Waterford.
The 22-year-old Chanawongse, who was killed in action March 23 near Nasiriyah, Iraq, will
be buried with full military honors in Arlington Monday.
"I never dreamed that I could ever step into a place like that," Tan Patchem said Monday
during a news conference announcing details of the funeral and a Sunday memorial service
in Waterford. "Arlington is a place for heroes and Ahn is a hero. This is the best place for
him to stay. Not only for him, but for me as a mother. It is a great honor."
The memorial service will take place at noon Sunday at Waterford High School.
"Ahn was a 1999 graduate of Waterford High School, so that is the appropriate gathering
place for the community, for this service," Waterford First Selectman Paul Eccard said. "I
urge the community to join with the family in memorializing this Waterford hero. The
purpose really is to try and bring together this community in a way where we can all express
our grief and the caring of a community that has lost one of its own."
Eccard said the planning for the memorial service and funeral was made in concert with the
family and the Marine Corps.
"(Tan and Paul) have demonstrated great grace, courage and dignity in meeting their
responsibilities in helping this community and this nation honor one of their sons," Eccard
said. "The Marine Corps, represented by Captain Brian Anderson, has been wonderful to
work with in putting together the town's memorial service."
The family will leave for Washington immediately after Sunday's memorial service in
Waterford. After Monday's burial at Arlington, the family will hold a Thai memorial service at
a Buddhist temple in Washington. Chanawongse was born in Thailand and came to the
United States at age 8.
The shoreline community rallied around the Patchems last month, when it was first reported
that Chanawongse and five other Marines were missing in action after intense firefights
around Nasiriyah. Nearly 300 turned out for a candlelight vigil for Chanawongse April 8 at
Waterford High School, hoping and praying he would be found and returned home safe.
Last week, 23 days after first being reported as missing, the Patchems were notified his
status had been changed from missing to killed in action.
"The support from the community has been great," Paul Patchem said. "It's been coming
from everywhere."
Two memorial funds have been established. Proceeds from the first will be used to offset
expenses for the memorial and funeral with unused money contributed to a Buddhist
Temple in Boston. The second fund is for a scholarship for Waterford High School students.
"These funds were established because people in the community have been seeking means
of expressing their love for Ahn and his family, and their appreciation of his service to this
community and nation," Eccard said.
Corporal Kemaphoom Chanawongse
Kemaphoom Chanawongse, known to his friends as "Ahn," came to the USA from Thailand
when he was 9. He grew up in Waterford, Connecticut, with his mother and stepfather,
played youth soccer and graduated in 1999 from Waterford High School.
Chanawongse was one of the first casualties of the war. He was listed as missing March 23,
2003, during fierce fighting near the Iraqi town of Nasiriyah. For weeks, his parents and
friends held out hope that he would be among the missing who would come home. More
than 200 people attended a candlelight vigil and prayed for his safety.
Their hopes died Tuesday when three Marines and a chaplain visited the flag-draped home
of his mother and stepfather, Tam. and Paul Patchem. to tell them their son's remains had
been identified.
"Everybody in the community had been praying for his safe return. But it was simply was
not to be," said Representative Rob Simmons, R-Conn., who stayed in close constant touch
with the family. "I spoke to them this morning, and his stepfather said that Ahn is now at
peace. They were holding out hope, but over the past week-to-ten days they were beginning
to realize that the chances of finding him alive were diminished."
Chanawongse, 22, had always wanted to be a Marine, his family said. His grandfather was a
military man in Thailand.
Before leaving for the Persian Gulf he created a Web site with photographs of himself in his
Marine uniform with the caption: "the Thai import with a baby face"
Chanawongse was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp
Lejeune in North Carolina. On Wednesday, a flag flew over the U.S. Capitol building in his
honor.
Simmons said he'll give that flag to the fallen Marine's mother. Flags in Waterford were
flying at half-staff for Chanawongse. His parents hope to bury him at Arlington National
Cemetery.
16 April 2003:
Connecticut couple whose son had been listed as missing in action in Iraq received the
news this week that their son was dead.
Corporal Kemaphoom Chanawongse's remains were positively identified. His parents said
that he will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
"I'm also feeling a lot of pride," said his father, Paul Patchem. "It's like a treasure just got out
of my hand."
Chanawongse, also known as An, went missing in action March 23 after a firefight near
Nasiriyah.
"He finished his life with honor," said his mother, Tan Patchem. "I'm very proud of him."
His parents said the 22-year-old loved being a Marine and enjoyed the camaraderie. His
nickname said it all.
"Chuck. It's short for Chuckles, because everyone smiled when he was with him," Paul
Patchem said.
The Patchems received a final letter from their son the same day they learned he was
missing. He was upbeat and focused.
"To quote him, he said, 'We're doing what Marines do best, make the best out of the worst,'"
his father said.
In that spirit, his family will now honor Chanawongse's life and his service.
"We decided Arlington was the rightful place for him. He's a national hero," Paul Patchem
said. "He went out like a star. This is what he wanted."
The family is still planning the details of the funeral. They are making arrangements for their
son's grandfather, a veteran of the Thai air force, to travel from Thailand for the service,
along with his brother.
16 April 2003:
Waterford Marine Reported Killed In Action
Cpl. Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse Died In Attack Near Nasiriyah
WATERFORD, CONNECTICUT -- Military officials on Tuesday informed the parents of a
missing 22-year old Marine from Waterford that their son had died in an attack near
Nasiriyah more than three weeks ago, ending speculation that he might still be alive.
The Pentagon has not yet announced that Corporal Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse is
dead but in an email sent early Wednesday morning, his parents broke the news to several
friends. Chanawongse was killed March 23, 2003, after Iraqis ambushed the amphibious
assault vehicle he was driving, in a maneuver to take control of a bridge over the Euphrates
River, near the city of Nasiriyah.
"Ahn would want you to know he loves you and wants you to have a fun and happy life as
he lived," wrote Paul and Tan Patchem. "Make the best of every precious moment-- a takeoff of his words in a letter he wrote in February."
A detailed report of the incident will be released after a complete investigation has been
done, the Patchems were told. Their son's remains are in Delaware. "Ahn will take his place
in the Arlington National Cemetery, a place for heroes," they wrote. "A date has not been set
yet."
The eight Marines from Chanawongse's unit, listed as missing since March 23, have been
reclassified as killed in action. Chanawongse, known as "Chuckles" to his fellow Marines,
was the last to be identified.
The Patchems have expressed wishes that Chanawongse's grandfather, a former pilot in the
Thai Air Force, be flown to the U.S. to attend his funeral, said Waterford First Selectman Paul
Eccard. The town is flying its flags at half mast today and has posted a note next to a
collage of photographs hanging at Town Hall that their hometown hero had been lost.
Eccard said that with the family's permission he would like to hold a memorial service in
town, where hundreds of people have offered words of support in recent weeks.
"Now that we know the news is what we had desperately hoped it would not be, we will do
everything we can to support the family," he said.
USMC Photo
Friday, March 19, 2004
Khoi Ton/Norwich Bulletin
Tan Pachem led a candlelight vigil for her son, Marine
Corporal Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse, at Waterford High School.
WATERFORD, Connecticut -- Just days after the war with Iraq began, a half dozen U.S.
Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade were sent to secure a bridge outside the
town of An Nasiriyah when they were ambushed by Iraqi forces.
When the unit failed to return, the six Marines were listed as missing in action. Nearly four
weeks later, their bodies were recovered and returned to the United States for burial. Among
them was a 22-year-old from Waterford, Marine Corporal Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse - the first Connecticut casualty of the war.
"He understood it was dangerous," his mother Tan Pachem said. "And he was proud of
doing it."
Two Marines and six Army soldiers with Connecticut ties have died in Iraq since the start of
the war one year ago today. Chanawongse, a 1999 graduate of Waterford High School, is the
only one from southeastern Connecticut.
"It's very clear to me, that memory and the sense of loss in this community hasn't gone
away," Waterford First Selectman Paul Eccard said. "Each time we hear of a Connecticut
soldier killed -- or any American soldier killed -- it just brings back the memories of March
23, 2003, when Ahn died."
Chanawongse's family established a fund in his memory, awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a
Waterford High School graduate. The community, Eccard said, has embraced the
scholarship as a way of keeping the memory of its local hero alive.
"The intense determination to make sure this scholarship succeeds is remarkable," Eccard
said.
Chanawongse was born in Thailand, coming to the United States with his mother and
stepfather Paul Pachem at the age of 9. He played youth soccer in Waterford, but always had
his sights set on joining the military upon graduation. His grandfather was a veteran of the
Royal Thai Air Force and a hero to the young Chanawongse.
Chanawongse was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His mother said it was a fitting
resting place for her son, her hero.
One year later, parents of fallen Marine carrying on his duty
21 March 2004
WATERFORD, Connecticut -The bedroom down the hall is empty, an emptiness that weighs
heavily on Tan Patchem's heart.
Her son's Kevlar helmet rests on a bookcase shelf. The dog tags from his coffin always hang
from her neck.
It's been more than a year since she and her husband, Paul, dropped of their son, Corporal
Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse, at a New Haven bus station. With the country bracing for an
imminent war, the 22-year-old Marine was headed for Kuwait, where his amphibious unit
would be one of the first summonsed into Iraq.
His unit was ambushed while securing a bridge near Nasiriyah. The young man with a big
smile and a quick wit was killed alongside six other Marines.
''I wake up every morning to know that he's not here. But I realize that the reason he is gone
... was to do his duty,'' Patchem said. ''When I think that, I know I have to wake up and I still
have a duty to do. I just can't be sad forever.''
Chanawongse known as ''Ahn'' to his friends was born in Thailand and was raised in
Waterford. He enlisted right out of high school and was trained to operate amphibious
vehicles as part of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Brigade, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Since his death, the Patchems have seen some of the proudest moments from Iraq: the
toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue, the capture of the Iraqi dictator and the signing of an
interim constitution.
They have also seen some of America's worst tragedies: the suicide attacks at the
international Red Cross headquarters and Iraqi police stations in Baghdad, a deadly
bombing outside the Jordanian Embassy and coordinated ambushes on U.S. troops.
''I have mixed feelings,'' Paul Patchem said. ''For the people who died, I don't want their
deaths to be in vain. I don't want us just to leave and have another Vietnam.''
But he doesn't want anyone else to die.
The Patchems know this is an election year and know the debate that is coming.
''Anything is pretty much fair game,'' Paul Patchem said. ''It is a pretty political subject, as
long as it's an honest debate.''
Chanawongse was confident in his mission when he left for the Middle East. His only real
concern, his family said, was that he was worrying his mom. Photos of him wearing a
Superman T-shirt and smiling with his fellow Marines were carried in newspapers around
the world.
''A lot of people saw in Ahn what they wanted this war to be about,'' Paul Patchem said. ''He
was a champion for freedom.''
The Patchems kept all the letters they received hundreds of them, from people they didn't
know and places they'd never been. Some of the newspapers in Thailand nicknamed him
''Little Brother Ahn,'' Tan Patchem said.
A year later, people in Waterford still offer their support. Anything they can do, just call, they
say.
''It's almost like Ahn is everywhere in Waterford,'' Tan Patchem said.
The Patchems don't know what they'll do with the empty room. For now, it's a memorial.
His favorite books, most about the military, are stacked orderly near the foot of the bed,
which is neatly made.
Photos cover the wall, from Waterford to Camp Lejeune, from the Iraqi desert to Arlington
National Cemetery.
Family of Marine killed in Iraq receive his medals
June 17, 2004
WATERFORD, Conn. -- Relatives of a Marine killed 15 months ago in Iraq were given the U.S.
Navy/Marine Achievement Medal in his honor Wednesday during a ceremony at the high
school he attended.
Students at Waterford High School remembered Cpl. Kemaphoom "Ahn" Chanawongse, a
1999 graduate of the school, during a ceremony celebrating its graduating seniors.
Chanawongse, 22, and six of his fellow Marines were killed March 23, 2003, in an ambush in
southern Iraq while securing a bridge near Nasiriyah.
Chanawongse's parents, Tan and Paul Pachem, were presented with the Navy/Marine
Achievement Medal with Combat Distinguished Device, signifying his "heroic achievement"
in battle.
"This is a very nice day for me," Tan Pachem told the Norwich Bulletin before the ceremony.
"This is a not a sad day."
Marine Captain Brian Anderson, the family's military liaison since Chanawongse was first
reported missing in action on March 23, 2003, also presented the family with a triangular
framed American flag. The flag was flown over Baghdad by Chanawongse's unit shortly after
major combat ended.
The Pachems previously received their son's Purple Heart award.
A $500 scholarship in Chanawongse's memory was given to Alex Pai.
Tan Pachem spoke proudly of her appreciation of the community support she and her family
have received and the importance of the scholarship in keeping the memory of her son alive.
The family wants to increase the scholarship to $1,000 in future years.
"It is our memory of Ahn," she said after the ceremony. "This is how our memory of him will
live on, as long as we have this scholarship to give. We want to help someone in the
community, someone we can help get the education that Ahn had planned to get when he
came home, to get his degree."
Chanawongse was born in Thailand and moved to the United States with his family at the
age of 9. He attended Waterford High School, where he was an avid soccer player and
snowboarder.
He was buried with military honors in April 2003 in Arlington National Cemetery.
CHANAWONGSE, KEMAPHOOM
CPL US MARINE CORPS
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 03/03/1999 - 03/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 05/05/1980
DATE OF DEATH: 03/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 04/30/2003
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 7876
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Courtesy of Barbara McGlynn, Valentines's Day February 2006
Photo By Michael Robert Patterson, May 2008
Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan
Hometown: Enfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 42 years old
Died: March 23, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp
Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed during a battle in Nasiriyah. As many as 10 Marines may have been killed by friendly
fire.
Marine Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan
42, of Enfield, Conn.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed in action near Nasiriyah, Iraq.
His buddies called him “Gump.”
Staff Sgt. Phillip Jordan was so nice to so many people that his pals couldn’t resist comparing him to the
movie character, Forrest Gump. He was the kind of guy who really did help little old ladies across the street.
“He was the nicest guy you could hope to meet. The nicest,” said his wife, Amanda Jordan, from her home
in Enfield, Conn., near Hartford. “His entire life was his family and the Marines.”
The Jordans marked their ninth wedding anniversary last Wednesday. Amanda Jordan said she last spoke
to her husband 10 days ago in a phone call from Kuwait. He said he called because he knew that the onset
of war would keep him from calling on the actual date.
The Jordans have a 6-year-old son, Tyler. “He’s having a really tough time with this,” she said.
Jordan, 42, grew up near Houston and claimed Brazoria, Texas, as his hometown. But he didn’t have much
of a childhood. His mother was killed by a drunken driver when he was a toddler. His father died of heart
failure when he was 13.
At 6-3 and a buff 230 pounds, Jordan was a standout high school football player. He remained avid about
sports and was a good enough bowler that he talked about turning pro after leaving the Marines.
Jordan joined the Marines when he was 27, after a battle with Hodgkin’s disease.
“He loved the Marines. He said that’s what made him what he is,” his wife said. “If he were here, he’d say
he died doing what he was supposed to be doing.”
— USA Today, Associated Press
Marine Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan 42, of Enfield, Connecticut.
Killed in action in the vicinity of An Nasiriyah. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd
Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Died
on March 23, 2003.
Everyone called him Gump because he was so relentlessly upbeat. His son, Tyler, 6, wants to be a Marine
like his father, who was killed in a firefight after a group of Iraqi soldiers feigned surrender. Jordan is shown
with his son Tyler in this May 2002 photo.
Source: MSNBC/Newsweek
Gunnery Sgt. Phillip Jordan
Marine Gunnery Sgt. Phillip Jordan of Enfield, a Texas native based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina,
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He died March
23, 2003 in a battle in Nasiriyah, Iraq. He was 42 years old.
Everything Amanda Jordan says about her husband is in the present tense.
He is a Marine's Marine. People call him Gump, after Forrest Gump, because he's perpetually optimistic. He
worships his 6-year-old son, Tyler, and Tyler worships him.
She speaks in the present, she said, because she's used to everyday life with her husband, Gunnery Sgt.
Phillip A. Jordan, away on deployment with the U.S. Marines. So since the moment that two soldiers and a
chaplain came to her office Monday to tell her that her husband had been killed in combat in Iraq on
Sunday, the reality has yet to set in.
``This is not happening to me,'' she said, composed but tired at her kitchen table Tuesday. ``Today's not
different; it's not that he was here every day and now he's not. We're so used to him not being here.'' She
paused. ``But you know he's coming back.''
Phillip Jordan, 42, a Texas native, was killed along with eight other Marines in a firefight near the Iraqi city of
An Nasiriyah. Jordan, based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd
Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and was ambushed when Iraqi soldiers feigned
surrender before opening fire, Amanda Jordan said.
He was the first Connecticut man killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the second to have died in combat
since Sept. 11 -- Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman of Windsor Locks was killed in Operation Anaconda in
Afghanistan in March 2002.
The couple met when Amanda Jordan, a Connecticut native born in Bridgeport, was working as a paralegal
in California and Phillip Jordan was stationed at Camp Pendleton, she said. Naturally, she knew he was a
Marine when they married in 1994. It was a choice, she said. ``We were going to have a normal family when
he's here, and when he's not, he's doing his job,'' Amanda Jordan said.
Several tours later -- after service in Operation Desert Storm, after Kosovo, after three years based at Camp
Lejeune and another three as a drill sergeant on Parris Island -- Phillip Jordan got his orders last fall to be
based again at Camp Lejeune. Knowing that he would soon be deployed, the couple decided to make
Enfield their home to be closer to family, Amanda Jordan said.
Here, seated at the kitchen table of their Enfield condominium, Amanda Jordan spoke of a man who would
go out of his way for anyone.
If she commented during an ice cream commercial that the ice cream looked good, he was out of the door
``in two seconds flat,'' she said. He fixed flat tires for people he didn't know. Even after nine years, every
Sunday that he was home he fixed a homemade breakfast with bacon, eggs, biscuits, freshly squeezed
orange juice and flowers. He even did laundry.
``He ruined it, but he did it,'' she said.
And he was perpetually optimistic, she said. Even when it came to war. So, sure, he had his moments of
black humor when he joked about how she should collect his life insurance policy -- one lump sum is better
than installments with interest, he told her -- but he was optimistic. Confident. Convinced that he was good
at what he did.
But he wasn't into politics. When one friend asked his thoughts on the war, he responded by avoiding
politics altogether, Amanda Jordan said. ``He just smiled, looked at her, and said, `This is what I do. That's
my job.'''
He told his mother-in-law, Gretchen Marcroft, ``I don't want to go back to the desert, but I have to go back to
do it right this time,'' she said.
But even though he was often gone, he would write. Letters came, and more probably will come even after
his death, in two parts: The first begins, ``Dear Amanda,'' and the second begins, ``Dear Tyler.'' Because he
wanted Tyler to have a letter of his own, Amanda Jordan said.
Tyler adores his father and wants to be a Marine himself, she said. ``Tyler is very proud of his dad for being
a Marine and Phil is the same way with Tyler,'' she said.
When he left the United States on Jan. 4, Amanda Jordan, 34, had a bad feeling. And she's not one of
those people with ESP or gut feelings, she said. But on Saturday, she was ill. On Sunday, she was worse.
And on Monday, when the person on the phone at Camp Lejeune would neither confirm nor deny her
husband's status, she knew. ``Somewhere, he's dead,'' she said, in a hushed voice so that her son wouldn't
hear.
Until Monday, her house was mainly the domain of her son and her two cats. ``Now, every person I know
has been here,'' she said, appreciative of the support she has received. ``There's pizza, soda, candy,
coffee. I don't even drink coffee.''
Friends and family surround her, and they describe Phillip Jordan as his wife does: a Marine's Marine and a
family man.
Even though others called Phillip Jordan ``Gump,'' Jay Paretzsky, Amanda Jordan's stepfather, spoke of
him as Phil. ``If you're not close to it, it's difficult to appreciate what a military person is,'' Paretzsky said. But
his way of describing Jordan was simple: trained to kill but soft to the soul.
The calls from journalists throughout the country began early Tuesday afternoon and hadn't stopped by
evening. But Amanda Jordan was gracious and willing to talk to reporters, in between calls from family,
friends and a network of wives at Lejeune. Because any exposure her husband can get, he deserves, she
said.
Phillip Jordan's body will soon be flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Amanda Jordan said. Burial
arrangements have yet to be made.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Phillip Andrew Jordan
Gunnery Sergeant Phillip Andrew Jordan, USMC, 42, of Enfield, beloved husband of Amanda (Marcroft) Jordan and
father of Tyler Reece Jordan, was killed in action in An Nasariyah, Iraq, Sunday, (March 23, 2003) while performing his
duties during Operation Enduring Freedom. Gunny Jordan was attached to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines and 2nd
Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, NC. Born on April 20, 1960, in Brazoria, Texas, his military career had given him a
tour of the world. His travels included Guam, Japan, Korea, Greece, Malta, Somalia, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Israel,
Okinawa and Kuwait. In many of these countries, he trained with their own military. Gunny Jordan enlisted in the U.S.
Marine Corps in November 1987. He served as an Instructor at Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton, CA and most
recently he completed a tour as a Drill Instructor in Parris Island, SC. His tours of duty included Desert Storm, Kosovo
and Afghanistan. He was known as a Marine's Marine and was promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant
posthumously. His list of awards include: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal with Gold Star, Coast Guard Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal,
NATO Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi
Arabia), Southwest Asia Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon, Sea
Service Deployment Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit
Commendation, Certificates of Commendation, Meritorious Masts and Letters of Appreciation. Phil easily established
long lasting relationships with his friends. Affectionately called "Forrest" or "Gump" because of his eternal optimism
and love for people, he had a heart as big as the outdoors and would help anyone at anytime. Phil was also called PJ
by many of his fellow Marines. His interests included golf, fishing, bowling and cooking. Phil's greatest joy was
spending time with his son, Tyler and wife, Amanda. Phil is survived by his beloved wife, Amanda; cherished son,
Tyler Reece; mothers-in-law, Gretchen Marcroft and Sharen Brodeur; fathers-in-law, Jay Paretzky and Frank
Marcroft; brothers-in-law, Kyle Marcroft, Jared Brodeur, Seth Brodeur and a host of friends and fellow Marines.
Relatives and friends may attend the Liturgy of Christian Burial on Wednesday, April 2, at 1 p.m. in Holy Family
Church, 23 Simon Road, Enfield, accompanied with full U.S. Marine Corps honors followed by burial in St. Patrick King
Street Cemetery, Enfield. His family will receive friends at Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Road, Enfield on
Tuesday, April 1, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. The family has requested that expressions of sympathy may be in the form of
memorial contributions to the Tyler Jordan Education Fund, c/o Fleet Bank, 777 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06115 to
the attention of Millie Gonzalez.
Published in Hartford Courant on March 31, 2003
Quantico Marine Corps Base in Prince William County, Virginia —
The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Jordan Hall Inscription.
GySgt Phillip A. Jordan
United States Marine Corps
Awarded the Silver Star (posthumously) in action against the enemy while serving as Weapons Platoon Sergeant, Company
C, 1st Battalion, 2d Marines on 23 March 2003 during the battle of An Nasiriyah, Iraq.
GySgt Jordan gave his life doing what he did best, “Taking Care of his Marines”. During the day long battle, he not only
directed effective small arms fire, but he continually exposed himself to enemy fire to resupply and to ensure medical
treatment for his Marines.
His leadership, before and during the battle, symbolizes all that we have come to expect from a Staff Non-Commissioned
Officer.
Erected 2006 by the United States Marine Corps.
Location. 38° 30.998′ N, 77° 17.774′ W. Marker is in Quantico Marine Corps Base, Virginia, in Prince William County.
Marker is on Broadway Street. Click for map. Marker is in this post office area: Quantico VA 22134, United States of
America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. H-3-7 Korea 1950 - 1953
(about 700 feet away, in a direct line); Molly Marine (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mann Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away); Kelly
Hall (approx. 0.3 miles away); Barber Fitness Center (approx. 0.3 miles away); Crusading for Right (approx. 0.3 miles away);
Acquisition of Quantico Marine Reservation (approx. 0.4 miles away); Waller Hill (approx. 0.5 miles away). Click for a list
of all markers in Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Regarding Jordan Hall. Jordan Hall is the barracks for Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCO)
attending Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Academy at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, VA.
Spec. Wilfredo . Perez Jr.
Hometown: Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: July 26, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army
Grenade Kills Soldier Guarding Hospital
By BRAD GROZNIK
Name: Wilfredo Perez Jr.
Home: Ridgewood
Branch: Army
Date of Death: July 26, 2003
Soon after the Perez family lost their son, two girls across the street set up a lemonade stand.
In the hot summer sun, their cups of sweet and sour refreshment were sold to the kids playing and the
grownups mowing.
When the girls called it quits they brought their jar of money over to the Perez
house and told Wilfredo Perez Sr. to donate it in his son’s name.
Spec. Wilfredo Perez Jr. was killed July 26, 2003 in Baghdad, Iraq after a
grenade was thrown out a window of an Iraqi civilian hospital he was guarding.
Two other soldiers – Sgt. Daniel K. Methvin, of Belton, Texas, and Spec.
Jonathan P. Barnes, of Anderson, Mo. – also died in the attack.
The girls were the first to donate to the Spec. Wilfredo Perez Jr. Scholarship
Fund his father set up to award $5,000 to a student at the high school Wilfredo
Jr. attended.
Wilfredo Sr. said he raised almost $100,000 by sponsoring golf tournaments
and dinners. This year the scholarship was granted nonprofit status, allowing
bigger donations to be contributed.
Wilfredo Perez Jr.
He has expanded the scholarship to be offered at the neighboring high school.
He sponsored a platoon serving overseas and offset shipping costs of gift boxes for the troops.
Ideally, Wilfredo Sr. said he hopes to erect a memorial for the veterans of the War on Terror in his town of
Norwalk, Conn.
However, the death of his son has been difficult.
“We’ve learned to cope with it and the holidays are tough,” he said. “Wednesday [Dec. 19] was his birthday.”
Wilfredo Sr. said his son’s room is still the same as when he left it four years ago.
Born in Brooklyn, Wilfredo Jr., 24, lived half of his life in Queens. His father said he still called it home even
when he moved to Connecticut at age 13.
At 17, Wilfredo Jr. joined the Junior ROTC at Norwalk High School and after Sept. 11, at age 23, he enlisted.
His father said he was proud to wear his uniform and serve his country.
According the Wilfredo’s scholarship Web site, his last letter from Iraq arrived the day after the family
learned that he lost his life. “In that letter, written crouched in a Humvee, Jr. told his stepbrother Joseph,
15, that he needed to ‘finish school’ to be able to take care of himself and ‘be the man.’”
Wilfredo Jr. was the second Queens son to have died in the war after fighting began May 1, 2003. He was
first to be killed from Connecticut.
On a popular memorial Web site, his friend, Brandon Reinhardt, of Fort Benning, Ga., wrote he was with
Wilfredo when he died and would never forget him.
“I have a son due in August on the 20th and my son will know who John, Dan, and Will are,” he wrote. “You
are still in my thoughts guys.”
Christy Allington of Austin, Texas, went to high school with Wilfredo Jr. and wrote he was missed.
“He always had this aura about him,” she wrote. “No matter what happened you couldn’t help but laugh and
be happy when you were with him.”
Wilfredo Sr. has reached out to other families who lost sons in the war and currently gets together with
anther father once a month over some beer and pizza. He is also helping the father set up a scholarship fund
in memory of his son.
A memorial fund has been established in honor of my son, Wilfredo Perez Jr.
Spc. Perez, Sgt. Daniel K. Methvin and Spc. Jonathan P. Barnes were killed in Iraq on July 26,
2003, while guarding a children's hospital in Baghdad.
They were part of the Army's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th
Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
Wilfredo's noble service in Operation Iraqi Freedom has helped preserve the security of our
homeland and the freedoms America holds dear. We will not forget Wilfredo's sacrifice or his
unselfish dedication to make the world more peaceful and free.
To make a donation send your checks to:
Perez Jr. Memorial Fund
17 Pine Hill Ave
Norwalk, CT 06855
All donations go towards the memorial fund.
1. To forever honor the memory of Wilfredo Perez Jr. and bring public awareness to fallen soldiers
and to all veterans who have served our country and continue to serve our country.
2. To raise funds to award annual scholarships at Norwalk High School and Brien McMahon High
School in the name of Wilfredo Perez Jr.
3. To erect a memorial to honor of all CT servicemen and servicewomen who have lost
their lives in response to 9/11.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on December 19, 1978, his family always called him "Jr.", and
as a young boy he was into everything and anything.
Jr. was selflessly devoted to his family. A kind-hearted young man, he helped take care of his great
aunt Dawn, who was wheelchair bound, and regularly took his aunt Cathy, sick with cancer, to her
doctor appointments. He also took his grandmother Herminia out shopping and to the casino. He was
very close to and loved his sister Lisa Marie and would do anything for her.
His last letter from Iraq arrived the day after the family learned that he'd lost his life in the line of duty
on July 26, 2003. In that letter, written crouched in a Humvee, Jr., 24, told his stepbrother Joseph, 15,
that he needed "to finish school" to be able to take care of himself and "be the man."
Jr. loved New York City and called Queens his home. He lived half his life there and half in Connecticut,
where he moved to live with his father and attend Nathan Hale Middle School and Norwalk High School.
He loved clothes and shopping; not only buying complete outfits for himself but also buying things for
others.
He loved playing handball. He loved Six Flags and Action Park. As he got older, he loved downhill
skiing, playing golf, riding his motorcycle, and working on his car.
Jr. was always involved. At 13, he marched with the Sea Cadets in the Desert Storm ticker-tape parade
in New York City. At 16, he volunteered at the Special Olympics' World Games in New Haven, Conn. He
also walked in fundraisers for the American Diabetes Society and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. At 17,
he was a member of Junior ROTC at Norwalk High. After Sept. 11, 2001, at age 23, he enlisted. He was
proud to wear the uniform of the U.S. Army and serve his country. The day before he shipped out to
Fort Hood, Texas, he rode in the 2002 Connecticut United Ride to raise money for Fairfield County
police and firemen.
Jr. is survived by his father, Wilfredo Perez Sr., stepmother Vicki Roos, and stepbrother Roman, all of
Norwalk; and his mother, Ann Marie Eccles, sister Lisa Marie, stepsister Teila, and stepbrother Joseph,
all of Queens.
Wilfredo Perez, Jr. was a leader. Strong physically and mentally, handsome and charismatic, he had a
beautiful smile and loved making people laugh. If you knew him only briefly, you would never forget
him.
A college scholarship fund has been established at Norwalk High School and Brien McMahon High
School in Jr.'s name and honor.
Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr.
Hometown: Guilford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 37 years old
Died: August 12, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army Reserves, 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, based at Fort
Meade, Md.
Incident: A fellow soldier tried to wake Eaton and noticed he was not breathing.
Army Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr.
37, of Guilford, Conn.; assigned to the 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, Army Reserve, based at
Fort Meade, Md.; died Aug. 12 in Ramadi, Iraq. A fellow soldier tried to wake Eaton and noticed he
was not breathing.
Guilford family questions death of son in Iraq
Associated Press
GUILFORD, Conn. — The parents of an Army counterintelligence analyst who died in Iraq are questioning
whether their son’s death was unavoidable.
Staff Sgt. Richard Eaton Jr., a counterintelligence analyst, received several intravenous applications of
fluids after a 24-hour firefight in 110-degree weather and was sent back to his barracks the night of Aug. 9.
He was found dead the next morning.
The Army mixed up Eaton’s medical records, and failed to monitor Eaton while he got intravenous fluids,
said his father, Richard Eaton.
“It will always leave the question of whether or not it was necessary that he died. On that basis alone, it was
not necessary,” the elder Eaton said.
The soldier’s father is a spokesman for the University of New Haven, home to the Henry C. Lee Institute of
Forensic Science. Lee and a colleague, former New York City medical examiner Michael Baden, have
helped the Eaton family review Army records.
The Army’s medical examiner reported that Eaton’s body temperature was 105 degrees. It turned out that
another soldier had that temperature, and his records were put in Eaton’s file by mistake, the elder Eaton
said.
Because of the mistake, the medical examiner never tested Eaton’s brain stem, and advanced
decomposition made it impossible to do blood tests.
Baden will review tissue slides taken from Eaton, but the soldier’s father said it is possible that this review
will not resolve whether his son died from the heat or from something else.
The elder Eaton said the Army has been very cooperative in the investigation.
“There are no bad guys here. Things slipped through the cracks, but there was nothing untoward,” he said.
Richard Eaton Jr. was assigned to the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment from Colorado.
Soldier who survived 9-11 strike at Pentagon dies of edema in Iraq, father says
GUILFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut soldier who died in Iraq this week is being remembered as a natural
leader who knew at an early age that he wanted a career in the military.
Army Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr., 37, a counterintelligence officer, died in his sleep Aug. 12, his father,
Richard S. Eaton, said the following day.
“He loved the military. He loved this country, and this was his life and in many respects, his identity,” the
elder Eaton said.
The family has few details about the death, he said, and they do not know whether he died from a strain of
pneumonia that has killed other servicemen.
Maj. Bill Adams, the region’s casualty assistance officer, said the cause of death remains under
investigation but is thought to be a pulmonary edema.
His death came nearly two years after a hijacked airplane crashed into his office at the Pentagon in the
Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was not working at the Pentagon at the time because his office was
being renovated, his father said.
The elder Eaton, a spokesman for the University of New Haven, said his son was working for the
Department of Defense as a civilian at the time of the terrorist attacks.
Eaton was in the Army Reserves and deployed to Iraq in March with the Fort Meade, Md.-based 323rd
Military Intelligence Battalion, said his mother, Sharon Noble Eaton.
Eaton, who went by the nickname “Rick”, was not married and had no siblings.
“Thirty-seven years with Rick is the glass half-full,” his mother said. “He was one hell of an interesting kid. It
was like having 10 kids.”
Eaton grew up listening to stories about family members who served in the armed forces.
A portrait of Civil War Gen. Amos Eaton, with a stern face and bushy beard, hangs over the family fireplace
along with his Civil War sword.
Another ancestor was William Eaton, who helped to reinstate the deposed leader of Tripoli and rescue
American captives in the early 1800s.
The story of William Eaton is being made into a movie called “Tripoli” and starring Russell Crowe. The elder
Eaton said he had looked forward to seeing it with his son.
“I was thinking of writing to the movie people and asking if they would invite my son to the premiere, since
he spent his life admiring his ancestor,” the elder Eaton said.
Both of Eaton’s grandfathers were veterans who loved to tell the boy stories of their service. One was in the
cavalry in World War I; the other was a pilot in World War II.
From a young age Eaton was a leader among his peers, his parents recalled. A preschool teacher once
wrote that the boy was very bright but was inclined to be bossy with his classmates.
At age 6, when the family hired an artist to cut a paper silhouette of the boy, he insisted on wearing a World
War II field cap.
Eaton’s teenage friends called him “GI Joe,” his father said.
As a high school student Eaton had his heart set on joining the Army, but took a car trip to more than a
dozen college campuses to please his parents and talked about majoring in botany or engineering.
After the trip his father told him he had to make his own decision. The young man went to the local
recruiting office and brought a recruiter home to meet his parents.
“He said, ‘He’s old enough to enlist himself at 18, but he really wants your approval,”’ the elder Eaton said.
“Then he explained that they could give him the best work that the military had to offer.”
The younger Eaton was offered a place at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., but declined
because he believed “real soldiering” was done in the field, his father said.
He spent 10 years in South Korea and had appointments in Honduras, Panama and El Salvador.
Trained to be secretive about the details of his work, the younger Eaton was not someone who talked about
his accomplishments, his father said. He never wore his uniform at home and never displayed his awards,
the elder Eaton said.
“The person we know and the military person are, in a way, two different people because the requirements
of the job were such that people didn’t know what he did,” he said.
Eaton’s mother said he was a history buff who loved to read and played soccer. He coached a children’s
soccer team while stationed in Honduras, the family said.
Eaton “epitomized the American tradition of the citizen-soldier,” Gov. John G. Rowland said in a written
statement. Rowland ordered all state flags lowered to half-staff through sundown on the day of Eaton’s
interment. Funeral arrangements have not been determined.
Guilford First Selectman Carl A. Balestracci, a retired teacher, said he taught American history to the
younger Eaton.
The first selectman said Guilford, on the Connecticut coast near New Haven, is “standing by as a
community.”
“We will do what the family would like us to do,” Balestracci said. “The VFW and the American Legion are
standing by.”
State Sen. William Aniskovich, R-Branford, has known the Eaton family for many years. The elder Eaton
held the Senate seat between 1984 and 1986.
“He was a young man who was dedicated to his country,” Aniskovich said. “He was always gung-ho about
his participation in the Army and very serious and committed to what he was doing.”
Soldier awarded Bronze Star posthumously
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The soldier from Guilford who died in Iraq Aug. 12 will be awarded the Bronze Star
for valor.
Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr., 37, was found dead in his bed at a base camp in Ramadi, Iraq, and officials
are looking into heat stress and dehydration as the cause of death.
Maj. John Whitford, of the Connecticut National Guard, said Aug. 20 the award is rare and is given to
someone who serves with valor in combat.
Whitford called it a “high honor” and said it most likely would be presented to the family during or after the
funeral service at the First Congregational Church in Guilford.
An autopsy report on Eaton’s death is not expected to be finalized for up to two months. The official cause
is pulmonary edema, or water in the lungs.
— Associated Press
Guilford soldier who died in Iraq laid to rest
GUILFORD, Conn. — More than 300 people gathered at the First Congressional Church in Army Staff Sgt.
Richard S. Eaton Jr.’s hometown Aug. 23 to remember the career soldier who died in Iraq.
Eaton, 37, died in his sleep of an illness, believed to be a pulmonary embolism. The counterintelligence
officer had been deployed to the Middle East since March.
Eaton, who came from a long line of military men, was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in combat. It was
presented to Eaton’s parents, Richard S. Eaton and Sharon Noble Eaton, Saturday at Grove Street
Cemetery in New Haven.
Eaton was in the Army Reserves and deployed to Iraq with the Fort Meade, Md.-based 323rd Military
Intelligence Battalion. Earlier in his career he served in Honduras, South Korea, Panama and El Salvador.
His godparents, Terry and Joan Ferguson, of Bloomington, Ind., said it was no surprise to family and friends
that Eaton chose a military career.
“He was an ambitious, caring person,” Terry Ferguson said. “We’re really grateful, America is really grateful
for his devotion.”
Eaton was a contractor for the Department of Defense at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
His usual office in the Pentagon was destroyed in the attacks; it was being remodeled at the time and Eaton
was working in an office outside the Pentagon.
Maj. Kevin Cavanaugh, a chaplain with the Connecticut National Guard, praised Eaton’s patriotism and
service.
“His soldiering was an expression of his citizenship,” he said. “He believed in his country and he believed in
freedom.”
About 400 people attended Eaton’s funeral, including state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, state
Rep. Richard Roy of Milford and Lawrence DeNardis, president of the University of New Haven, where the
elder Eaton is a spokesman.
— Associated Press
Birth: February 9, 1966 - New Haven, Connecticut
Died: August 12, 2003 - Ar Ramadi, Iraq
Staff Sgt Eaton was assigned to 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, U.S. Army Reserves,
based at Fort Meade, Maryland as a counterintelligence analyst. Eaton received several
intravenous applications of fluids after a 24-hour firefight in 110-degree weather and was sent
back to his barracks; he was found dead the next morning. He died in his sleep of a
pulmonary edema. The Army mixed up Eaton’s medical records with another soldier’s so they
may never know if the heat or something else killed him. Rick grew up listening to stories
about family members who served in the armed forces. A portrait of Civil War Gen. Amos
Beebe Eaton, with a stern face and bushy beard, hangs over the family fireplace along with
his Civil War sword. From a young age, Rick was a leader among his peers. A preschool
teacher once wrote that the boy was very bright but was inclined to be bossy with his
classmates. At age 6, when the family hired an artist to cut a paper silhouette of the boy, he
insisted on wearing a World War II field cap. As a high school student Rick had his heart set
on joining the Army, but took a car trip to more than a dozen college campuses to please his
parents and talked about majoring in botany or engineering. After the trip his father told him
he had to make his own decision. The young man went to the local recruiting office and
brought a recruiter home to meet his parents. Rick was offered a place at the U.S. Military
Academy in West Point, New York, but declined because he believed “real soldiering” was
done in the field. He spent 10 years in South Korea and had appointments in Honduras,
Panama and El Salvador. Rick was a history buff who loved to read and played soccer - he
coached a children’s soccer team while stationed in Honduras. He left full-time Army service in
1998, joining the Reserves and working as a civilian on intelligence programs with the
Department of Defense, Department of the Army and government contractors. Rick was a
contractor for the Department of Defense at the time of the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks. His usual office in the Pentagon was destroyed in the attacks; it was being remodeled
at the time and Eaton was working in an office outside the Pentagon. He was assigned to a
U.S. Air Force security post in Korea when his Reserve group, the 323d MI Battalion at Fort
Meade, MD, was activated for the war in Iraq. According to the Army, he held “positions of
increasing responsibility in the intelligence community” and in “support of various joint
contingency operations.” During the war, he became attached to the 3rd Armored Cavalry
Regiment, conducting missions in the so-called Sunni Triangle. Rick was not married and had
no siblings. He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in combat. It was presented to his
parents at Grove Street Cemetery.
Burial: Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut - Buried near the gravesite of his
ancestor, Civil War General Amos Beebe Eaton.
User:TC1234 8923/Army Staff Sergeant Richard S. Eaton Jr
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United States Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, Richard S. Eaton, Jr. died on August 12, 2003 in Iraq
Army Staff Sergeant Richard S. Eaton Jr
Bronze Star
Bronze Star
Army Staff Sergeant Richard S. Eaton Jr, a United States Army Counterintelligence Special Agent and twotime Bronze Star recipient died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on August 12, 2003.[1][2]
Assigned to the 323 Military Intelligence Battalion (“Collect & Exploit”)[3] of the U.S. Army Reserve, Eaton's
unit was based out of Fort Meade, Maryland. The 323 Military Intelligence Battalion supports the “Global
War on Terrorism” [4]and deploys units to active duty combat theaters and forward areas including Iraq,
Afghanistan, and other priority military intelligence assignments around the globe.[5]
Special Agent Eaton fell while on a tour of duty nearly two years after the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001 on New York and Washington, DC. While on temporary duty assignment (TDY)[6] at the Pentagon,
Mr. Eaton’s office was destroyed during the September 11th attacks but he survived because his office was
undergoing regularly scheduled renovations that Tuesday morning [7].
Mr. Eaton’s family of Guilford, Connecticut, held a memorial service on August 23, 2003 at the First
Congressional Church[8]. More than 400 mourners attended the service to pay their respects to the Eaton
family. Attendees included Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, State Representative
Richard Roy and State Representative Lawrence DeNardis, as well as the President of the University of
New Haven University [9].
“His soldiering was an expression of his citizenship,” Maj. Kevin Cavanaugh, a chaplain with the
Connecticut National Guard said. “He believed in his country and he believed in freedom [10].”
The Lint Center for National Security Studies created a memorial scholarship to honor the legacy of Special
Agent Staff Sergeant Richard Eaton Jr[11]. “I had the honor of serving with Rick both at home and abroad,”
said James Lint, Chairman of the Lint Center for National Security Studies. “His exemplary achievements
during his career are a testament to the character, conviction, and courage of those who continue to serve
this nation – always out front. The Lint Center is committed to ensuring Rick’s deeds, personal example,
and noble heroism are both honored and memorialized [12].”
Eaton was the son of the late Rick Eaton, who worked UNH’s Advancement Office, and Mrs. Sharon Noble
Eaton [13].
Scholarships:
**January 2010**
Army Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr., Scholarship ($500) Lint
Center for National Security Studies Announces Memorial Scholarship for U.S.
Army Counterintelligence Agent, Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr. Next Scholarship
Submission Date is: 31 Jan 2010 -- Scholarship Application -- Press Release
Staff Sergeant Richard Eaton Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Type
General
Scholarship Status
Interviewing
Date Posted
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Company Information Lint Center For National Security Studies
19808 Crystal Rock Drive
Germantown, 20874
Website: http://www.LintCenter.org
Scholarship
Description
About the 2009 Staff Sgt. Richard Eaton Jr. Memorial Scholarship:
The Staff Sgt Richard Eaton Jr. Memorial Scholarship fund provides $1,000 to recipients
pursuing scholastic study in fields related to Alliance Building, Counterintelligence, Cultural
Understanding, and National Security studies. For more information on scholarship
application requirements, please visit http://www.lintcenter.org/2009/Eaton.htm.
Qualifications
About the 2009 Staff Sgt. Richard Eaton Jr. Memorial Scholarship:
The Staff Sgt Richard Eaton Jr. Memorial Scholarship fund provides $1,000 to recipients
pursuing scholastic study in fields related to Alliance Building, Counterintelligence, Cultural
Understanding, and National Security studies. For more information on scholarship
application requirements, please visit http://www.lintcenter.org/2009/Eaton.htm.
Compensation
$1,000
How to Apply
For more information on scholarship application requirements, please visit
http://www.lintcenter.org/2009/Eaton.htm.
Email Application To
jrl@LintCenter.org
Contact Info
Mr. James. R. Lint
Contact Email: jrl@LintCenter.org
Rense.com
Spared On 911, Army Sgt
Dies In Sleep In Iraq
The Hartford Courant Staff and
Wire Reports ctnow.com
8-15-3
He escaped death when a hijacked jetliner slammed into his Pentagon office on
Sept. 11, 2001, only to have illness take his life while serving in Iraq.
The family of Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr., a U.S. Army counterintelligence
analyst, was notified of his death Tuesday. A fellow soldier, serving with him in
Ar Ramadi, Iraq, tried to wake Eaton, 37, and noticed he wasn't breathing,
according to a Defense Department statement released Wednesday.
"He loved the military. He loved this country, and this was his life in many
respects, his identity," Eaton's father, Richard S. Eaton, said. "Somebody said
...that he was born to the military, but he wasn't. It was just that he loved it."
The family has few details about Eaton's death, his father said, and do not know
whether Eaton died from a strain of pneumonia that has killed other servicemen.
Maj. Bill Adams, the region's casualty assistance officer, said the cause of death
remains under investigation but is thought to be pulmonary edema.
Guilford First Selectman Carl A. Balestracci, a retired teacher, said he taught
American history to the younger Eaton. "That was one of his favorite subjects,"
Balestracci said.
The first selectman said Guilford will "fold in around the family and be as
supportive as we can be.
"We are standing by as a community," he said. "We will do what the family would
like us to do. The VFW and the American Legion are standing by."
Gov. John G. Rowland expressed "tremendous sadness" over the death of Eaton,
the fourth state serviceman to die while deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"His devotion and courage to serve is an example to uphold for all future
generations," said Rowland, who ordered all state flags to be lowered to half staff
until the day of Eaton's funeral. "His life's lesson of faithful service to others will
never be forgotten."
The elder Eaton, a spokesman for the University of New Haven, said his son's
usual office in the Pentagon was being remodeled at the time of the terrorist strike.
He said his son, who was working for the Defense Department as a civilian at the
time, was in a temporary office away from the Pentagon when the military
headquarters was hit by the commandeered airliner.
"As serious as he could be at work, he had the ability to joke in a very dire
situation," Eaton said. "His mother was able to get him on his cell phone, and he
says, `I'm going to a kebab restaurant. Right now, it's the safest place in
Washington to be.'"
The younger Eaton rejoined the military after the attacks and was with the Fort
Meade, Md.-based 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, which deployed to Iraq
in March, said his mother, Sharon Noble Eaton.
Her son, who friends and family called "Rick," was not married and had no
siblings, she said.
"Thirty-seven years with Rick is the glass half-full," Sharon Eaton said. "He was
one hell of an interesting kid. It was like having 10 kids."
Eaton knew from an early age that he wanted to enter the military, his father said.
He grew up listening to stories about family members who served in the armed
forces.
A portrait of Civil War Gen. Amos Eaton, with a stern face and bushy beard,
hangs over the family fireplace along with his Civil War sword. Another ancestor,
William Eaton, helped reinstate the deposed leader of Tripoli and rescue
American captives in the early 1800s.
Both of Eaton's grandfathers were veterans who loved to tell the boy stories of
their service. One was in the cavalry in World War I; the other was a pilot in
World War II.
As a high school student Eaton had his heart set on joining the Army, but took a
car trip to more than a dozen college campuses to please his parents and talked
about majoring in botany or engineering.
Back home, his father told him he had to make his own decision. The young man
went to the local recruiting office and brought a recruiter home to meet his
parents.
"He said, `He's old enough to enlist himself at 18, but he really wants your
approval'," the elder Eaton said. "Then he explained that they could give him the
best work that the military had to offer."
The younger Eaton was offered a place at the U.S. Military Academy in West
Point, N.Y., but declined because he believed "real soldiering" was done in the
field, his father said.
In the years that followed he spent close to 10 years in Korea and had
appointments in Honduras, Panama and El Salvador.
Trained to be secretive about the details of his work, the younger Eaton was not
someone who talked about his accomplishments, his father said.
"The person we know and the military person are, in a way, two different people
because the requirements of the job were such that people didn't know what he
did," Eaton said.
Other Connecticut soldiers who have died in operations in Iraq are Pfc. Wilfredo
Perez Jr. of Norwalk, one of three Army soldiers to die in a grenade attack July 26
while guarding a children's hospital in Baquouba, 45 miles northeast of Baghdad.
Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom Chanawongse, 22, of Waterford, and Marine Gunnery
Sgt. Philip A. Jordan, 42, of Enfield, both were killed March 23 in firefights
outside the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq.
Courant Staff Writers MaryEllen Fillo and Loretta Waldman contributed to this
story. Material from the Associated Press is included.
ctnow.com is Copyright © 2003 by The Hartford Courant
http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-soldierdeath0814.artaug
14,0,506117.story?coll=hc-headlines-local
In Celebration: The Life of
MSgt. Richard Selden Eaton, Jr.
A Memorial Announcement
...In Remembrance
of Richard Selden Eaton, Jr.
February 9, 1966 to August 12, 2003
Taps
***
Go to sleep, peaceful sleep.
May the soldier or sailor God
keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
***
Richard Selden Eaton, Jr. - 2000
Eaton family handout
We celebrate the life of Richard S. Eaton, Jr. who was born to Richard S. and
Sharon Noble Eaton only 37 short years ago.
Rick, Jr., an only child, lived most of his lifetime in Guilford, CT on the coast near
New Haven. Rick, a descendant of John Eaton of Dedham, grew up listening to
stories about the legacy left by his family members who contributed in their own
special way to the history of America. Many of his ancestors were scientists and
educators, several of great renown. His 4th g-grandfather was Amos Eaton, the
founder of Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute. His 2nd g-grandfather, Daniel Cady
Eaton,was a well-known botanist and Yale Professor, author and an original
member and the Secretary of our Association during the 1880s. Rick Jr's ggrandfather was George Francis Eaton, who served in U.S. Naval Reserve during
WWI and was a Yale professor, curator at Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural
History and the scientific leader of the highly chronicled search for the "Lost City
of the Incas" in Machu Piccu, Peru. His own father, Rick, Sr., a former Senator
from Connecticut and the President of our Association, is now a spokesman for
the University of New Haven. Coincidentally, he grew up in the home of
Theophilus Jones, the grandson of Theophilus Eaton, first Governor of New
Haven Colony. The home was built c. 1700 in Wallingford, Connecticut, north of
New Haven.
The stories that Rick liked best, however, were those of the military exploits of
his Eaton forebears. Both of his grandfathers were veterans who loved to tell him
stories of their service; Frederik Selden Eaton was a lieutenant in a mounted
artillery unit from Yale University during WWI and served in a civilian capacity
during WWII; and his grandfather Noble was a pilot in WWII. Over the fireplace
mantel in his family home hangs a portrait of his 3rd g-grandfather, Civil War
Gen. Amos Beebe Eaton, with his stern face and bushy beard, along with his Civil
War sword. The General’s portrait and dress sword have remained in his family’s
possession and were given to Rick, Jr., as they were passed down from father to
son for generations. His favorite hero, however, was William Eaton, who helped
to reinstate the deposed leader of Tripoli and rescue American captives in the
early 1800s.
Rick, Jr. knew he wanted to follow in their footsteps and become a soldier. At the
age of 18, Rick enlisted in the Army and spent 13 years on active duty; nearly 10
years in Korea, as well as various assignments in Honduras, Korea, Panama and El
Salvador. Rick continued to stay in touch through the Army Reserves, and as a
civilian, was an Army counterintelligence analyst assigned to the Pentagon.
Ironically, Rick escaped the events of 9/11 due to construction on his work area
at the Pentagon. Soon thereafter, Rick reactivated his reserve status and was
recalled for duty in January, 2003 leaving for Kuwait in March with the 323rd
Military Intelligence Battalion.
Although his death is still under investigation, initial determination is that he died
in his sleep of pulmonary edema, possibly due to heat exhaustion and
dehydration, on August 12 (August 11 in Iraq), 2003 at a base camp in the town
of Ar Ramadi, Iraq. The investigation will continue, however, as there,
unfortunately, have been similar incidents of military stationed in Iraq. Rick, Jr.'s
funeral was held on August 23 at the First Congregational Church in Guilford. He
will be buried in a family plot at the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven close
to General Amos Beebe Eaton.
His friends, his family and his country have offered their tributes to a good man
and a great American. In a written statement by Connecticut's Gov. John G.
Rowland, the Governor said,
". . .Eaton epitomized the American tradition of the citizen-soldier." In this
statement, Gov. Rowland expressed "tremendous sadness" over the death of
Eaton, the fourth state serviceman to die while deployed in Operation Iraqi
Freedom. "His devotion and courage to serve is an example to uphold for all
future generations," said Rowland, who ordered all state flags to be lowered to
half staff until the day of Eaton's funeral. "His life's lesson of faithful service to
others will never be forgotten."
According to Guilford First Selectman Carl A. Balestracci, who once taught Rick
American History, "The VFW and the American Legion are standing by." Ms.
Gillespie of the Associated Press wrote that State Sen. William Aniskovich, who
had known the Eaton family for many years, stated: "He was a young man who
was dedicated to his country."
Each of us holds in our hearts an example of human greatness, and the long
history of the Eaton families has given us many reasons to joyfully celebrate the
deeds of our loved ones. Rick, Jr. has followed in the grand tradition of his
ancestors as one who now, albeit prematurely, has joined their esteemed ranks.
For his dedicated service, Rick, Jr. was issued the Bronze Star and will be given
the Knowlton Award, which is a Military Intelligence award. He has also been
nominated for membership in the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame at Fort
Huachuca, Arizona. Let us commemorate the courage and service of a great
American as we pay tribute to a life short lived, but full of those qualities we will
forever remember and admire. We honor his life and his service and offer our
heartfelt condolences to his family, with great love to Rick and Sharon. May God
grant peace to you and your families, solace in the midst of your deepest trials,
and hope that continues to make us one nation under God. We will forever
remember Rick as our unsung hero.
For additional information on this great family, see also:
 General William Hadley Eaton
 Amos Eaton, Founder of Rensselaer
 The Dedham Eatons by Daniel C. Eaton (1884)
 Daniel Cady Eaton, Botonist (1834)
 General Amos Beebe Eaton.
 A Soldier's Journal
Sources:
 Statement from Governor John G. Rowland on Staff Sergeant Richard S. Eaton, Jr., United States
Army Reserves, Press Release - August 12, 2003
 Spared On 9/11, Army Sgt Dies In Sleep In Iraq - The Hartford Courant Staff
 "Soldier Dies of Embolism in Iraq" by Diane Scarponi, Guardian Unlimited
Pfc. Anthony D. D'Agostino
Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: November 2, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 16th Signal Battalion, 3rd Signal Brigade, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when insurgents shot down a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Fallujah.
In letters and e-mails from Iraq, Pfc. Anthony D'Agostino asked his family for Kool-Aid to flavor his
water, pictures of his cousins, crossword puzzles and books to help him learn Spanish. "He was
always looking for ways to better himself," said his aunt, Beth Santos. "He wanted to make good
use of his time over there." D'Agostino was among 16 soldiers who died in the Nov. 2 downing of
an Army helicopter carrying troops from Iraq on leave. Stationed at Fort Hood, he would have
turned 21 on Nov. 6. Born at Fort Gordon, Ga., while his father was in the military, D'Agostino
graduated from high school in Waterbury, Conn., with a specialty in electricity. D'Agostino joined
the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, looking for an education, career and a place
to belong, Santos said. He hoped to go to the U.S. Military Academy. When he wrote letters or emails to home from Iraq, he talked about the hot weather and how uncomfortable the situation
was, Santos said. He was proud to be serving in Iraq, family members said. But his family was
nervous. "You never stop worrying," said his aunt, Beth Santos.
Army Pfc. Anthony D. D’Agostino
20, of Waterbury, Conn.; assigned to the 16th Signal Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Nov. 2 in
an attack on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter near Fallujah, Iraq.
In letters and e-mails from Iraq, Pfc. Anthony D'Agostino asked his family for Kool-Aid to flavor his water,
pictures of his cousins, crossword puzzles and books to help him learn Spanish. "He was always looking
for ways to better himself," said his aunt, Beth Santos. "He wanted to make good use of his time over
there." D'Agostino was among 16 soldiers who died in the Nov. 2 downing of an Army helicopter carrying
troops from Iraq on leave. Stationed at Fort Hood, he would have turned 21 on Nov. 6. Born at Fort
Gordon, Ga., while his father was in the military, D'Agostino graduated from high school in Waterbury,
Conn., with a specialty in electricity. D'Agostino joined the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks, looking for an education, career and a place to belong, Santos said. He hoped to go to the U.S.
Military Academy. When he wrote letters or e-mails to home from Iraq, he talked about the hot weather
and how uncomfortable the situation was, Santos said. He was proud to be serving in Iraq, family
members said. But his family was nervous. "You never stop worrying," said his aunt, Beth Santos.
— Associated Press
The Hartford Courant November 9, 2003
Army Pfc. Anthony D'Agostino of Waterbury was one of 16 U.S. soldiers who died after a CH-47 Chinook
helicopter was shot down over Iraq Nov. 2, 2003. He was a communications specialist attached to the 16th
Signal Brigade in Fort Hood, Texas. He was 20 years old.
WATERBURY -- Family and friends filled nearly every seat at the Immaculate Conception Church Saturday
to say goodbye to fallen Connecticut soldier Pfc. Anthony D'Agostino.
D'Agostino was one of 16 U.S. soldiers who died after a CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down over Iraq
Nov. 2.
D'Agostino's parents, Steve D'Agostino and Debbie Granahan, entered the church and watched as two
soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division carefully folded the American flag and gently placed it on their son's
coffin.
``The memory he left with me was his laugh,'' Steve D'Agostino said during the eulogy. ``And what a great
memory that is.''
He described his son as someone who loved playing with Legos as a child, and who was loyally devoted to
the television show ``The Simpsons.'' He remembered giving Anthony his first dirt bike for his birthday in
eighth grade.
``Boy, did he like that bike,'' he said with a small laugh.
More than 200 people packed the church for Saturday's funeral Mass, including U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro,
D-3rd District, Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
The soldier would have turned 21 on Thursday, the day his remains were flown back to Connecticut.
He joined the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and was a communications specialist
attached to the 16th Signal Brigade in Fort Hood, Texas. His family said he had dreams of attending the
U.S. Military Academy and making the military his career.
D'Agostino was born in Georgia, when his father was in the military. He graduated from Kaynor Vocational
Technical School in Waterbury with a specialty in electricity.
The family has established a scholarship fund in his name.
He liked to work on cars in his spare time, and enjoyed hooking up car stereo systems. When his mother
remarried last year, he gave her away wearing his military uniform, his stepfather, Paul Granahan, told the
Republican-American of Waterbury.
The soldiers traveling with D'Agostino were flying out for two weeks of leave. The trip was supposed to be a
vacation, a time for rest and relaxation, his family said.
``I am proud to have known my brother,'' Lisa D'Agostino said during the eulogy. ``And please continue to
support the troops. They will come home soon.''
D'Agostino was the sixth member of the military from Connecticut to die in Iraq. Sgt. David Travis Freidrich
of Naugatuck was killed Sept. 20; Army Staff Sgt. Richard Eaton Jr. of Guilford died Aug. 10; Army Spc.
Wilfredo Perez Jr. of Norwalk died July 26; and Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom Chanawongse of Waterford and
Gunnery Sgt. Philip A. Jordan of Enfield were killed March 23.
As the funeral ended, people stood with their hands to their hearts, softly singing the words to ``The StarSpangled Banner.''
``He died for the land of the free, the home of the brave,'' said the Rev. John Blanchfield, who celebrated
the Mass. ``That is why Anthony is smiling down on us. He did not die in vain. He captured for us a spirit
that will not die.''
- KATIE MELONE And JOANN KLIMKIEWICZ
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
From Kyle Summersett 11/09/04
Here is an attached photo of Anthony D'Agostino, it's all I have right now
but maybe this will help out a little. It was taken in Kuwait shortly before we
entered into Iraq.
Raecher, Belflower, Eberhart, Summersett, D'Agostino
(Click Photo for larger view)
AP News
Anthony D'Agostino joined the military after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,
looking for an education and a career. Born in Fort Gordon, Ga., he was
among 16 soldiers who died in the Nov. 2 downing of an Army helicopter
carrying troops from Iraq on leave. He was stationed at Fort Hood.
Sgt. Maj. Phillip R. Albert
Hometown: Terryville, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 41 years old
Died: November 23, 2003 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Drum, N.Y.
Incident: Died while onboard an MH-53 helicopter that crashed east of Bagram Air Base, in
Afghanistan.
United States Helicopter Crew
Killed In Afghanistan - November 2003
Casualties of Afghan Campaign Honored
Five Were Killed In Copter Crash
By Leef Smith
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Thursday, January 22, 2004
The flag-draped coffin was borne by a horse-drawn caisson and followed by mourners
who made their way through Arlington National Cemetery yesterday to honor four airmen
and a soldier who died when their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan in November.
The men were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, working together in an MH-53M
helicopter when it fell about seven miles east of Bagram Air Base. Nearby villages
reported that the helicopter crashed near a riverbed and caught fire. Officials said
mechanical failure might have been to blame.
Killed in the November 23, 2003, crash were Air Force Major Steven Plumhoff, 33, of
Neshanic Station, New Jersey, and three other airmen, Staff Sergeant Thomas A. Walkup
Jr., 25, of Millville, New Jersey, Technical Sergeant Howard A. Walters, 33, of Port Huron,
Michigan, and Technical Sergeant William J. Kerwood, 37, of Houston, Missouri.
Also killed was Army Sergeant Major Philip R. Albert, 41, of Terryville, Connecticut.
Yesterday, the men's remains were interred with full honors in a common grave whose
headstone will be marked with each of their names. The service included a flyover by an
MH-53 Pave Low helicopter -- the largest, most advanced line of helicopters in the Air
Force's inventory -- from Hurlburt Field, Florida.
A military band and color guard led the procession of mourners, who were bundled in
thick coats to ward off the morning's frigid temperatures. Among them was James G.
Roche, Secretary of the Air Force.
Walkup, a flight engineer with the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field,
was honored in a memorial ceremony December 30, 2003, when his wife, Staff Sergeant
Carissa Walkup, received the flag that covered his coffin, his Purple Heart and a medal
for his service to his country. The couple met at Luke Field in Arizona, where she is
stationed, and they would have celebrated their third wedding anniversary last month.
Walters and Kerwood were also assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron.
Walters, a 15-year veteran, served in the Persian Gulf War. Later, while serving as an
aerial gunnery instructor at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, he helped rescue a
lost hiker in the mountains, according to an Associated Press report.
Kerwood, an 18-year veteran, was among the first troops to deploy to Afghanistan after
the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001,
according to news reports. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping
rescue a downed U.S. pilot in the former Yugoslavia in 1999.
Plumhoff, a pilot and instructor, had been stationed at Kirtland with the 58th Special
Operations Wing. He volunteered for the Afghanistan mission, according to news
accounts.
Albert joined the Army after high school. After 22 years in the military, he was
considering retirement, but events, including the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,
prompted him to stay in the military, the Associated Press reported.
Servicemen Who Perished in Chopper Buried
Wednesday, 21 January 2004
Five servicemen who died together when their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan were
buried together Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.
An honor guard preceded a horse-drawn caisson containing a single flag-draped coffin
with the remains of the five servicemen.
As family members and friends bundled against the cold looked on, a team of soldiers
removed the coffin from the wagon and carried it to the burial site. A solitary drummer
provided the only sound.
After the eulogy, a seven-member military guard standing yards away fired three times.
As part of the ceremony, an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter like the one that went down with
the servicemen aboard flew by.
The five were killed in November when their transport helicopter went down just after
leaving Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, to support a military operation by the U.S.-led
coalition in northeastern Afghanistan. The Pentagon said mechanical failure apparently
caused the crash.
Because their remains were mixed together, the five received a single burial. All five
names will appear on a single tombstone.
They are: Air Force Staff Sergeant Thomas A. Walkup Jr. of Millville, New Jersey; Air Force
Major Steven Plumhoff of Neshanic Station, New Jersey; Air Force Technical Sergeants
Howard A. Walters of Port Huron, Michigan, and William J. Kerwood of Houston, Missouri;
and Army Sergeant Major Phillip R. Albert of Terryville, Connecticut.
Walkup, Walters and Kerwood were assigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida; Plumhoff to
Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; and Albert to Fort Drum, New York.
Folded American flags were presented to the widows of Walkup, Plumhoff, Walters and
Kerwood, and to Albert's mother.
Air Force Secretary James G. Roche was among the dozens of service members at the
ceremony.
Servicemen Who Perished in Chopper Buried
Wednesday Jan 21, 2004
Five servicemen who died together when their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan were
buried together Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.
An honor guard preceded a horse-drawn caisson containing a single flag-draped coffin
with the remains of the five servicemen.
As family members and friends bundled against the cold looked on, a team of soldiers
removed the coffin from the wagon and carried it to the burial site. A solitary drummer
provided the only sound.
After the eulogy, a seven-member military guard standing yards away fired three times.
As part of the ceremony, an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter like the one that went down with
the servicemen aboard flew by.
The five were killed in November when their transport helicopter went down just after
leaving Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, to support a military operation by the U.S.-led
coalition in northeastern Afghanistan. The Pentagon said mechanical failure apparently
caused the crash.
Because their remains were mixed together, the five received a single burial. All five
names will appear on a single tombstone.
They are: Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup Jr. of Millville, N.J.; Air Force Maj.
Steven Plumhoff of Neshanic Station, N.J.; Air Force Tech. Sgts. Howard A. Walters of
Port Huron, Mich., and William J. Kerwood of Houston, Mo.; and Army Sgt. Maj. Phillip R.
Albert of Terryville, Conn.
Walkup, Walters and Kerwood were assigned to Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Plumhoff to Kirtland
Air Force Base, N.M.; and Albert to Fort Drum, N.Y.
Folded American flags were presented to the widows of Walkup, Plumhoff, Walters and
Kerwood, and to Albert's mother.
Air Force Secretary James G. Roche was among the dozens of service members at the
ceremony.
Sunday, January 08, 2006:
On a cold January day almost two years ago, family members and friends of five Special
Forces servicemen killed in an Air Force helicopter crash in Afghanistan gathered at
Arlington National Cemetery for their burial, receiving folded American flags and honored
by a military flyover and a seven-gun salute.
The servicemen were memorialized at the ceremony by a Chaplain, Colonel David E.
Boyles, as "five brave young men who gave their lives not only for their country, but for
friends and family, to keep them free."
Now, the widows of three of the men are suing defense contractors for the wrongful
deaths of their husbands in the 2003 crash, which the Air Force blamed on engine failure
of the MH-53M Pave Low helicopter caused in part by failure of auxiliary fuel tanks to
jettison.
While not unheard of, such lawsuits in wartime are uncommon, and frequently involve
sensitive information about military hardware that the government doesn't want in open
court.
"These are difficult cases to win, but it is not impossible," said Randall Craft, an attorney
with the Holland & Knight law firm who specializes in aviation liability issues.
According to an Air Force accident report, the Pave Low flight dubbed "Beatle 12"
carrying 13 passengers and crew crashed Nov. 23, 2003, about five minutes after it lifted
off from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
The helicopter, which can carry up to 55 people, was part of a Special Operations
"infiltration" mission in the war against Taliban and al-Qaida fighters during Operation
Mountain Resolve. The aircraft was on its third sortie of the day.
A compressor problem caused one of the two engines on the Pave Low to stall, leaving it
with one engine operating and far too much weight to carry in the thin mountain air. The
pilots "attempted to jettison the auxiliary tanks without success" and then the other
engine stalled while an emergency landing was being attempted, the Air Force
concluded.
With all power lost, the helicopter fell from an altitude of about 200 feet onto an uneven
river bank, rolled over and burst into flames. Eight people somehow managed to survive but four Air Force personnel and one Army officer were killed.
Their remains were difficult to identify and were buried together at Arlington under a
single tombstone bearing all five names. Those killed were: Air Force Staff Sergeant
Thomas A. Walkup Jr. of Millville, New Jersey; Air Force Major Steven Plumhoff of
Neshanic Station, New Jersey; Air Force Tech Sergeants Howard A. Walters of Port Huron,
Michigan, and William J. Kerwood of Houston, Missouri; and Army Sergeant Major Phillip
R. Albert of Terryville, Connecticut.
Walters, Kerwood and Walkup were all assigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida. Plumhoff's
home base was Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.; Albert was assigned to Fort Drum, New
York.
Widows Melissa Walters, Kara Kerwood and Yvette LaPointe-Plumhoff have filed lawsuits
in federal court in Miami accusing the Pave Low's maker, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., and two
fuel tank installation and maintenance companies of negligence that led to the crash. The
lawsuits seek an unspecified amount of damages.
None of the women responded to requests for comment for this article.
The Air Force accident report, which by law cannot be used as evidence in civil lawsuits,
concluded that there was "insufficient written guidance" available to check on the status
of the fuel tank jettison system. The lawsuits contend that Sikorsky, Lear Siegler Services
Inc. and Smiths Aerospace LLC never instructed maintenance personnel to perform
necessary electrical tests to assure the tanks would drop in an emergency.
"The jettison system was indispensable to the ability of the MH-53M crew to avoid a crash
by rapidly reducing the helicopter's weight in the event one of the two engines failed
during flight," says one of the lawsuits.
The widows also claim in their lawsuits that the tank design was faulty because it had no
backup jettison system. Sikorsky, a unit of defense contractor United Technologies
Corp., denies that its aircraft or maintenance schedules were to blame, saying that the
Pave Low and its operation "met the standards of the state-of-the-art, scientific
knowledge" and that no red flags had been raised about any defects in the fuel tanks.
Sikorsky also contends that it had no control over possible "misuse" of the helicopter by
the Air Force.
Lear Siegler also denied any liability. Smiths Aerospace said it has not yet confirmed
whether it actually supplied the tanks on the Pave Low, but spokeswoman Jennifer
Villarreal said in an e-mail that the company has begun a review of the tanks and related
equipment as a result of the crash.
"To date, we have not identified any problems with this equipment," she said.
The judge presiding over the case, U.S. District Court Judge Ursula Ungaro Benages, has
not yet set a trial date but the lawsuits have been consolidated into a single proceeding.
A horse-drawn caisson passes tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery
January 21, 2004. The American flag-draped casket represents five fallen airmen
and a soldier who were killed in an MH-53M helicopter accident in Afghanistan
on November 23, 2003
U.S. Air Force Honor Guardsmen carry an American flag-draped casket at a ceremony
held at Arlington National Cemetery January 21, 2004. The single casket represents the
five individuals -- four airmen and one soldier -- who were killed in a MH-53M
helicopter accident in Afghanistan on November 23, 2003.
Air Force Secretary James G. Roche, center, salutes as the casket of five
servicemen killed in Afghanistan is carried to graveside at Arlington National
Cemetery, Wednesday, January 21, 2004.
A U.S Air Force Honor guardsmen cradles an American flag at Arlington
National Cemetery January 21, 2004 during the full honors funeral for five servicemen.
A military firing party fires three volleys of seven at the funeral of
five servicemen killed in Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery,
Wednesday, January 21, 2004.
The next of kin of five servicemen who were killed in Afghanistan on November 23, 2003
mourn at their graveside after they were presented flags at their joint funeral at Arlington
National Cemetery, Wednesday, January 21, 2004. Left to right are Air Force
Staff Sergeant Carissa Walkup, wife of Staff. Sergeant Thomas A. Walkup, Jr, 25,
of Millville, New Jersey, Melissa Walters, wife of Technical Sergeant Howard A. Walters, 33,
of Port Huron, Michigan, and Kara Kerwood, wife of Technical Sergeant William Kerwood, 37,
of Houston, Missouri. Also buried with them were Air Force Major Steven Plumhoff, 33, of
Neshanic Station, New Jersey and Army Sergeant Major Phillip R. Albert, 44, of Terryville, Connecticut.
Unidentified family members embrace each other as they mourn in front of a casket during a full honors
funeral ceremony held at Arlington National Cemetery January 21, 2004.
WALTERS, HOWARD ARLEN
TSG US AIR FORCE
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 11/23/1993 - 11/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 12/07/1969
DATE OF DEATH: 11/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/21/2004
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8121
PLUMHOFF, STEVEN
MAJ US AIR FORCE
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 11/23/1993 - 11/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 03/11/1970
DATE OF DEATH: 11/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/21/2004
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8121
WALKUP, THOMAS ALVA JR
SSG US AIR FORCE
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 12/23/1993 - 11/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 04/06/1978
DATE OF DEATH: 11/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/21/2004
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8121
WALKUP, THOMAS A JR
SSGT US AIR FORCE
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 02/01/1996 - 11/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 04/06/1978
DATE OF DEATH: 11/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 12/30/2003
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8124
KERWOOD, WILLIAM JO
MSG US AIR FORCE
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 11/23/1993 - 11/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 07/12/1966
DATE OF DEATH: 11/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/21/2004
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8121
ALBERT, PHILLIP ROBERT
SGM US ARMY
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 11/23/1993 - 11/23/2003
DATE OF BIRTH: 08/21/1962
DATE OF DEATH: 12/23/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/21/2004
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8121
Photo By Holly, August 2005
Posted: 21 January 2004 Updated: 25 January 2004 Updated: 29 June 2004 Updated: 23 July 2004
Updated: 26 December 2005
Phillip R. Albert
ALBERT, Sergeant Major Phillip R., U.S. Army
Sergeant Major Phillip R. Albert, U.S. Army, age 41, former Terryville resident, died Sunday,
(November 23, 2003) in an Air Force Helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Sgt. Major Albert was born in
Southington on August 21, 1962 and was a son of Germaine (Deschaine) Albert of Plainville and
the late Walter R. Albert. He has served in the United States Army for the past 22 years after
joining the military at the age of 18. He served in the Gulf War in 1991 and was on his second tour
of duty in Afghanistan taking part in Operation Mountain Resolve. He was with the 10th Mountain
Division, stationed at Fort Drum, NY. His awards and decorations include two Bronze Star Medals and the Purple
Heart Medal. In addition to his mother, Sgt. Major Albert is survived by three brothers and a sister-in-law, Camille
Albert, Donald and Jocelyn Albert, and Richard Albert, all of Bristol; four sisters and three brothers-in-law, Joan Vallee
of Plainville, Nancy and Thomas Rama of Bristol, Rinette and Emile Pelletier of Middletown, and Judy and Lucien
Lebel of Kensington; two aunts and an uncle, Priscilla and Thomas Cyr, and Stella LaChance; and several nieces,
nephews, and great nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 9, at 10:30 a.m. from
Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, to St. Ann Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. Burial
with military honors will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home
TODAY between 5 - 8 p.m.
Please note change in memorial donations, which may be made to a memorial scholarship fund to be established in
Sgt. Major Phillip Albert's name sent in care of Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, CT 060105815.www.funkfuneralhome.com
Published in Hartford Courant on December 8, 2003
Honor Our Fallen Soldiers
November 17, 2009 - This past Saturday I had the opportunity to attend a flagpole
dedication ceremony in honor of Army Sgt. Major Philip Albert; a Plymouth native whose life
was taken from us in 2003 while in service to our country. The flagpole was dedicated by Tim
Bobroske and the residents of Quail Hollow Village in Terryville.
Sgt. Major Albert was aboard a transport helicopter near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan
when engine failure brought the helicopter down injuring him and eight of his fellow soldiers.
Albert, despite suffering serious wounds in the crash, brought three of the wounded soldiers
to safety and while attempting to save a fourth, the helicopter exploded taking his life.
Albert joined the military after graduating high school and, as a veteran of the 1991 Persian
Gulf War, was ready to retire from military service when the tragic events of September 11th
inspired him to continue serving; a decision that led him to the ultimate sacrifice at the alltoo-early age of 41.
The event on Saturday was simple, lasting no more than 15 minutes and gaining very little
attention from newspapers and television crews. After all, Veterans Day 2009 had come and
gone. But the simplicity of the event should not take away from its importance. Sgt. Major
Albert, like many of his fellow soldiers, is a hero and deserves to be recognized as such.
During his 22 year military career, he went to work protecting the very values that our nation
was built upon, risking his life for freedom and asking for little in return.
The flagpole, dedicated by Tim Bobroske and the residents of Quail Hollow Village, was a
wonderful tribute to a fallen hero, and a sober reminder that there are men and women
making sacrifices for each of us everyday. I fully recognize there is nothing we can do to
make up for the loss suffered by Sgt. Major Albert and his family but, if we keep his memory
in our hearts and minds then we can allow his spirit to live on through each one of us.
When you have some time to spare during your busy day, take a trip to visit the flagpole at
Quail Hollow Village and spend a few minutes thinking about all that it symbolizes. It is such a
small thing to ask, but then again, we never had to ask our troops for anything.
William A. Hamzy
State Representative, Bristol and Plymouth
Deputy House Republican Leader
Pfc. Jeffrey F. Braun
Hometown: Stafford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 19 years old
Died: December 12, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed by a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad.
Pfc. Jeffrey Braun was adopted by an American family, but he dreamed of starting an orphanage in
Honduras, where he was born. "Jeff always had a plan, a purpose," said the Rev. Richard Forcier,
Braun's family priest. "He had a dream to give back." The 19-year-old from Stafford, Conn., died
Dec. 12 of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. As a
teenager, Braun's hairstyles changed often, friends said. He enlisted in the Army shortly after
graduating from high school, where he was a multi-sport athlete and member of the choir. "My
brother was never afraid to try new things while everyone stood aside and just watched him," Julie
Braun wrote in a letter that was read at the soldier's funeral. "Everyone could feel the warmth of
his personality," she wrote. His parents, William and Meredith Braun, and his sister say they are
continuing his work to start an orphanage.
Jeffrey Francis Braun
PFC Jeffrey Francis Braun, 19, of Westford Rd., Stafford Springs, died Thursday (December 11, 2003),
while serving his country in Iraq. Jeff was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on July 24, 1984. Jeff was a
2002 graduate of Stafford High School, where he was active in sports, including soccer, his first love, track
and field, and wrestling. He was also active in music and the service corp., and worked at local businesses.
Jeff was a member of St. Edward Parish where he served as a lector. He was a paratrooper with the U.S.
Army 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Iraq. Jeff touched the lives of so very many people. His unselfish
nature, love of life, intelligence, enthusiasm, and desire to protect the less fortunate combined to make him
a very special and unique young man. Jeff was actively pursuing his dream of building an orphanage in his
birth country of Honduras and he never deviated from his goal of becoming a physical education teacher
following his military service. Jeff lived an honorable life, did not shy away from the risks of serving his
adopted country, and was directly responsible for helping secure our national freedom. He is a true hero.
Jeff is survived by his loving parents, William E. and Meredith E. (Monti) Braun; a devoted sister, Julie
Braun all of Stafford Springs; his maternal grandparents, Francis and Ruth Monti of Massapequa, Long
Island, NY; an uncle and aunt, Rod and Lisa Monti; a cousin, Zoe Monti all of England; and many family
members and dear friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, December 19, at 1 p.m. at St.
Edward Church, High St., Stafford Springs, CT. Burial will take place at a later date in St. Edward Cemetery,
Stafford Springs. There are no calling hours.
Memorial donations may be made to the Jeffrey F. Braun Fund, Citizens Scholarship Foundation of
Stafford, Stafford Savings Bank, c/o Rose Roszczewski, P.O. Box 25, Stafford Springs, CT 06076.
Introvigne Funeral Home, Inc., 51 East Main St., Stafford Springs has care of the arrangements.
Published in Hartford Courant on December 18, 2003
Army Pfc. Jeffrey F. Braun
19, of Stafford, Conn.; assigned to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, N.C.; died from a non-hostile gunshot wound Dec. 12
in Baghdad.
Soldier from Stafford Springs killed in Iraq
By Peyton Woodson Cooper
Associated Press
STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — A 19-year-old soldier who grew up in Stafford Springs has been killed in
Iraq, his mother said Dec. 12.
Pfc. Jeff Braun died this week, Meredith Braun said. She had not been told how her son died, but was to be
briefed by the military Friday afternoon.
“This is devastating to us and our community,” she said. “He was supposed to be back in February. He was
supposed to be back in a month and a half.”
Braun graduated from Stafford High School in 2002, where he played soccer, wrestled and ran track. He
also performed community service.
“He was a very good student, a good wrestler, a hard working kid,” said wrestling coach Shirzad Ahmadi.
“He never quit. He was a very dedicated man.”
The military had not confirmed Braun’s death, or released the circumstances.
The Rev. Richard Forcier, pastor at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Stafford Springs, said Braun
joined the military after graduating from Stafford High School in 2002.
“He really wanted to join the military to get the experience and get his education,” Forcier said. “He was
planning a college career after this experience was over.”
Braun had a close friend killed in Iraq about three weeks ago, and that really hit him hard, Forcier said.
“His eyes were opened quite a bit to other people’s needs, and I think he was already preparing himself to
give something back when he got out of this experience,” he said.
Stafford High School Principal Francis Kennedy said Braun often spoke about teaching one day.
“He still wanted to pursue his dream (of becoming a teacher) when he got back to the states, but he first
wanted to be a soldier,” Kennedy said.
Students at Stafford High School made a mural in memory of Braun. Hearts colored as the American flag
and pictures fill the banner. Some notes say Braun was “always smiling.”
State Rep. Penny Bacchiochi, R-Somers, said Braun’s death is something felt by everyone in the
community.
“We’re out here in the rural northeast corner of Connecticut and this just brings home how involved each
and every one of us is,” Bacchiochi said. “My heart breaks for that family.”
Braun is survived by his mother, his father William, and a 16-year-old sister, Julie.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Friday. The family expects the body to be returned home in three to
six days, Forcier said.
Braun is the seventh member of the military from Connecticut killed in Iraq this year.
2004
Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda
Hometown: West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 28 years old
Died: January 2, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson,
Colo.
Incident: Killed in a mortar attack on his command post in Balad.
Army Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda
28, of Texas; assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
(Mechanized), based in Fort Carson, Colo.; killed in action when his command post when it came
under mortar attack, on Jan. 2 in Balad, Iraq.
Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda had a busy life ahead of him. There was a wedding to plan, a master’s degree to
earn and a teaching position to pursue.
“He was very excited. He’d be a wonderful teacher; he had a very commanding presence,” said his mother,
Mary Paliwoda.
Paliwoda, 28, of Goodyear, Ariz., was killed Jan. 2 when his command post came under a mortar attack in
Balad, about 50 miles northwest of Baghdad. An engineer, he was based at Fort Carson, Colo. Paliwoda
and his fiancee, Wendy Rosen, were planning a June wedding, said his father, Alfred Paliwoda. He also
wanted to earn a master’s degree and teach at his alma mater, West Point, said his mother.
Paliwoda grew up in Farmington, Conn., and was a standout basketball player in high school.
Many universities sought the 6-foot-7 player, and he chose the prestigious military college, Mary Paliwoda
said. “Originally, he did go there to play basketball. But he was always willing to devote himself for our
country,” she said.
— Associated Press
Capt. Eric Paliwoda
Captain 'Big E' Naturally A Leader
Army Capt. Eric Thomas Paliwoda, who grew up in Farmington and West Hartford, died
Jan. 2, 2004 in a mortar attack on his base at Balad, Iraq. He commanded Company B of
the 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He was 28
years old.
Growing up in Farmington and West Hartford, Eric Thomas Paliwoda distinguished himself as a student, an
athlete and a natural leader.
So when colleges came calling for the 6-foot-6 forward on Conard High School's basketball team, it was the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point that won his heart. An Army career followed, and that took Paliwoda,
28, to Iraq.
The friendly captain known as ``Big E'' died there Friday of wounds suffered when insurgents fired mortars
into his base at Balad, 50 miles northwest of Baghdad.
``He was a truly patriotic, all-American boy, very personable, tall, athletic, well-liked,'' said John Perotti, a
Unionville neighbor whose two sons grew up with Paliwoda. ``You thought someday he might be a U.S.
senator.''
Paliwoda commanded Company B of the 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division. He was due home in April and intended to marry his fiancee, Wendy Rosen, in June. After the
wedding, he planned to earn a master's degree and return to West Point to teach.
``He was very excited,'' said his mother, Mary Paliwoda, of Goodyear and Sedona, Ariz. ``He'd be a
wonderful teacher; he had a very commanding presence.''
Those leadership qualities showed themselves early. When someone was needed to lead Irving A. Robbins
Middle School students in singing ``Happy Birthday,'' Paliwoda was the one who stepped forward, recalled
teacher Ted Lindquist.
At Conard, Paliwoda continued to excel. Although captain of the varsity basketball team, he made time for
younger teammates, playing one-on-one with freshmen during his senior year.
He was a good athlete, distinguished by his work ethic. ``In the summers, the rest of us would be fooling
around and he would be out on the basketball court,'' said teammate and friend Nicholas Sergi. ``He
basically carried our team for a couple of years.''
And when the coach needed him to take on a role that removed him from the limelight, Paliwoda did it
because it was for the good of the team, recalled Conard basketball coach John Benyei.
``He was one of the hardest working and most dedicated kids we ever had,'' Benyei said. ``He was the sort
of kid that coaches talk about years after they leave because you know they are going to be successful.''
Not surprisingly, colleges courted him. ``He was wildly sought after as a basketball player,'' said Mary
Hourdequin, his guidance counselor at Conard. ``He was such an outstanding young man.''
Paliwoda chose the U.S. Military Academy because it seemed the best fit for his personality, Hourdequin
said. ``It was really what he wanted,'' she said. ``He was the type of student they were looking for. He had
tremendous self-discipline.''
In a 1992 interview with The Courant, shortly after making an oral commitment to play basketball at West
Point, Paliwoda said basketball played a minimal role in his decision.
``It came down to education,'' he said at the time. ``You can't compete with a West Point education.''
Paliwoda played basketball his first year at West Point, then switched to football and played tight end until
he injured his shoulder. During his last two years, he was a hammer thrower on the track team, winning a
league championship.
His outgoing personality made him popular with other cadets and faculty at the military academy, said Col.
W. Chris King, a West Point professor who was Paliwoda's adviser. After completing his mandatory fiveyear commitment to serve, Paliwoda chose to stay in the Army.
``Eric really liked being an officer in the U.S. Army,'' King said. ``He loved [his] troops, and loved taking care
of the young men and women he was responsible for.''
Paliwoda's West Point roommate, Capt. Jeffrey Csoka, said Paliwoda was with those men and women
when mortar rounds began falling on his command post, fatally wounding him.
``He liked working with soldiers,'' said Csoka, who married Paliwoda's sister, Allison. ``He was a great
leader.''
In an effort to better understand Iraq and its people, Paliwoda asked his parents to mail him books about
Iraqi culture, his mother said. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Paliwoda's unit lifted a curfew
and restricted its patrols to major roads as a show of respect.
As a company commander, Paliwoda negotiated with Iraqi tribal leaders. ``At one point he said he felt like
the mayor of the town,'' his mother said.
Many of Paliwoda's friends called West Point after learning of his death and have told King they plan to
return to the academy for his funeral and burial.
``He's coming back to West Point,'' King said.
- DAVID OWENS And DANIELA ALTIMARI
Courant Staff Writers Jesse Leavenworth, Carolyn Moreau, Dave Drury, Stephanie Reitz, Daniel P. Jones
and the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Photo courtesy of Academy Photo
Army Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda, 28, Goodyear, Ariz.; killed Friday when his command post came under
attack in Balad; assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
(Mechanized); Fort Carson, Colo.
Burial is tentatively scheduled for Monday 12 January 2004 at the West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY.
By Rick Scavetta, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, January 8, 2004
Rick Scavetta / S&S
Capt. Eric Paliwoda, a Connecticut native who in May took command of Company B, 4th Engineer
Battalion, is remembered by soldiers as a gentle giant who cared for his troops.
Rick Scavetta / S&S
Spc. Dennis Kerr, 20, of Sparks, Nev., a member of the 4th Infantry Division band, plays taps for Capt.
Eric Paliwoda, commander of Company B, 4th Engineer Battalion.
Rick Scavetta / S&S
A squad from the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment scout platoon fires a 21-shot volley Wednesday
to honor Capt. Eric Paliwoda.
Soldiers in Iraq mourn captain
By Rick Scavetta, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, January 8, 2004
BALAD, Iraq — Last Friday, as enemy mortar shells rained down on Forward Operating Base
Eagle, Capt. Eric Paliwoda rushed to his mobile trailer to don his gear.
One of nine shells that fell that afternoon sent shrapnel into Paliwoda, snuffing the life out of a
company commander described by his troops as a gentle giant who took good care of them.
“He put on a tough persona, but then he’d turn around and tell you a joke,” said Sgt. 1st
Class Michael Smith, 2nd platoon sergeant. “Everybody’s felt a big loss.”
Soldiers from Company B, 4th Engineer Battalion, gathered Wednesday to pay tribute to
Paliwoda.
The 1997 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point took command of the company
in May. A 28-year-old Connecticut native, Paliwoda was engaged to Wendy Rosen. He is
survived by his parents, Alfred and Mary.
He also leaves behind a company of combat engineers who are both saddened by his death
and determined to find the enemy fighters responsible for a wave of recent mortar attacks.
The soldiers are getting used to hearing incoming shells.
“You hear a boom, with a sort of crack to it,” said Sgt. Joseph Kokes, 25, of Woodbury, Minn.
“If it’s real close, you hear it whistle.”
That afternoon, many soldiers thought the first mortar impact was a controlled detonation of
captured explosives, said Cpl. Keoni Escobido, 23, of Honolulu, who was in his trailer playing
video games when the attack began.
“When you hear that second blast, you know it’s an attack,” Escobido said. “We grab our gear
and run to the tracks.”
Soldiers in Company B are trained to take cover if rounds land close. Then they grab gear,
mount vehicles and head out to find their attackers.
During the barrage, flying shrapnel struck Staff Sgt. Todd Moyer as he ran toward his squad,
said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Smith, 37, of Willits, Calif.
Moyer was wounded in the arms and back. He was evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical
Center in Germany, where he is recovering, Smith said. After the attack, helicopter crews
located four Iraqis near where the rounds were fired.
As troops were reeling from the loss, Iraqi insurgents struck again Monday. Thirteen mortar
rounds fell on their camp. Working from a local informant, soldiers are holding six more Iraqis
who are now being interrogated.
An Iraqi artillery officer is suspected of helping the enemy mortar crews fire effectively, said
Lt. Col. Nate Sassaman, commander of 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment.
“The last two attacks have been fairly accurate,” Sassaman said, adding that he intends to
take out the mortar cell.
Company B is attached to Sassaman’s battalion. Since last April, the company has operated in
some of the theater’s toughest areas: Tikrit, Kirkuk, Samarra and Balad. It has done
everything from demolishing weapons caches to conducting infantry raids.
This week, Company B engineers were allowed time off from missions as they improve force
protection measures around the camp, which they renamed FOB Paliwoda in honor of their
fallen commander.
“This has brought everyone closer,” Smith said. “We’ll just keep doing the same things, as a
team. We’ll keep going out after them.”
Army Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda
Died January 02, 2004 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
28, of Texas; assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
(Mechanized), based in Fort Carson, Colo.; killed in action when his command post when it came under
mortar attack, on Jan. 2 in Balad, Iraq.
Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda had a busy life ahead of him. There was a wedding to plan, a master’s degree to
earn and a teaching position to pursue.
“He was very excited. He’d be a wonderful teacher; he had a very commanding presence,” said his mother,
Mary Paliwoda.
Paliwoda, 28, of Goodyear, Ariz., was killed Jan. 2 when his command post came under a mortar attack in
Balad, about 50 miles northwest of Baghdad. An engineer, he was based at Fort Carson, Colo. Paliwoda
and his fiancee, Wendy Rosen, were planning a June wedding, said his father, Alfred Paliwoda. He also
wanted to earn a master’s degree and teach at his alma mater, West Point, said his mother.
Paliwoda grew up in Farmington, Conn., and was a standout basketball player in high school.
Many universities sought the 6-foot-7 player, and he chose the prestigious military college, Mary Paliwoda
said. “Originally, he did go there to play basketball. But he was always willing to devote himself for our
country,” she said.
— Associated Press
PALIWODA, Capt. Eric Thomas
United States Army Captain Eric Thomas Paliwoda, 28, formerly of West Hartford and Farmington, was killed in action
on Friday, (January 2, 2004) in Balad, Iraq. Born February 23, 1975 in Hartford, Eric was the beloved son of Alfred and
Mary Paliwoda of Sedona, AZ. In addition to his parents, his sister and brother-in-law Allison and Captain Jeff Csoka
of Clarksville, TN, his fiancee Wendy Rosen of Hartsdale, NY, and his uncle, aunt, and cousins Thomas, Susan,
Michael, and Cailin Luneburg of Danville, CA survive him. Eric is predeceased by his maternal grandparents Phyllis and
Thomas Luneburg and paternal grandparents Helen and Jan Paliwoda. Growing up in Farmington, Eric attended West
District Elementary School and Irving A. Robbins Middle School. Eric graduated from West Hartford's Conard High
School in 1993, where he was an exceptional student and an All-State and All-American honored basketball player.
During high school, he received a congressional nomination and was accepted to attend the United States Military
Academy at West Point, New York. Eric entered the Academy in 1993 and over his four years there was a member of
Army's Division I Basketball and Track & Field teams. He graduated from West Point in 1997 with a Bachelor of
Science degree and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Following graduation from
the Academy, Eric traveled to Fort Hood, TX where he served as both a Platoon Leader and an Executive Officer for
an Engineering Battalion. He then moved to Fort Carson, CO where he was the Battalion Personnel Officer and
Assistant Brigade Engineer for the 3rd Engineering Battalion. Eric's extensive military education included graduation
from the Engineer Officer Basic course, the Scout Platoon Leaders Course, the Armor Officer Advanced Course, the
Combined Arms Services Staff School, and the Cavalry Leaders Course. Over the course of his career, Eric was
awarded both the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal twice, the National Defense
Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. He will also be honored with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star
posthumously. Eric had served as Company Commander for Bravo Company, 3rd Engineering Battalion, 4th Infantry
Division, Fort Carson, CO as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom since April 2003. He had also recently been chosen to
return to West Point as an instructor in the Department of Environmental Studies. Eric will be terribly missed by all of
those who knew, loved, and cherished him. As a special leader and friend, he reached, touched, and changed many
lives during his brief time on this earth. Services will be held Monday, January 12, 1:30 p.m. in the Old Cadet Chapel
at West Point, New York. Burial will follow at West Point Military Cemetery. Flowers may be sent to the William F.
Hogan Funeral Home, 135 Main Street, Highland Falls, New York, (845) 446-2868.
Published in The Hartford Courant on January 8, 2004
Capt. Eric Paliwoda
Captain 'Big E' Naturally A Leader
The Hartford Courant
January 7, 2004
Army Capt. Eric Thomas Paliwoda, who grew up in Farmington and West Hartford, died Jan. 2, 2004 in a
mortar attack on his base at Balad, Iraq. He commanded Company B of the 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He was 28 years old.
Growing up in Farmington and West Hartford, Eric Thomas Paliwoda distinguished himself as a student, an
athlete and a natural leader.
So when colleges came calling for the 6-foot-6 forward on Conard High School's basketball team, it was the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point that won his heart. An Army career followed, and that took Paliwoda,
28, to Iraq.
The friendly captain known as ``Big E'' died there Friday of wounds suffered when insurgents fired mortars
into his base at Balad, 50 miles northwest of Baghdad.
``He was a truly patriotic, all-American boy, very personable, tall, athletic, well-liked,'' said John Perotti, a
Unionville neighbor whose two sons grew up with Paliwoda. ``You thought someday he might be a U.S.
senator.''
Paliwoda commanded Company B of the 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division. He was due home in April and intended to marry his fiancee, Wendy Rosen, in June. After the
wedding, he planned to earn a master's degree and return to West Point to teach.
``He was very excited,'' said his mother, Mary Paliwoda, of Goodyear and Sedona, Ariz. ``He'd be a
wonderful teacher; he had a very commanding presence.''
Those leadership qualities showed themselves early. When someone was needed to lead Irving A. Robbins
Middle School students in singing ``Happy Birthday,'' Paliwoda was the one who stepped forward, recalled
teacher Ted Lindquist.
At Conard, Paliwoda continued to excel. Although captain of the varsity basketball team, he made time for
younger teammates, playing one-on-one with freshmen during his senior year.
He was a good athlete, distinguished by his work ethic. ``In the summers, the rest of us would be fooling
around and he would be out on the basketball court,'' said teammate and friend Nicholas Sergi. ``He
basically carried our team for a couple of years.''
And when the coach needed him to take on a role that removed him from the limelight, Paliwoda did it
because it was for the good of the team, recalled Conard basketball coach John Benyei.
``He was one of the hardest working and most dedicated kids we ever had,'' Benyei said. ``He was the sort
of kid that coaches talk about years after they leave because you know they are going to be successful.''
Not surprisingly, colleges courted him. ``He was wildly sought after as a basketball player,'' said Mary
Hourdequin, his guidance counselor at Conard. ``He was such an outstanding young man.''
Paliwoda chose the U.S. Military Academy because it seemed the best fit for his personality, Hourdequin
said. ``It was really what he wanted,'' she said. ``He was the type of student they were looking for. He had
tremendous self-discipline.''
In a 1992 interview with The Courant, shortly after making an oral commitment to play basketball at West
Point, Paliwoda said basketball played a minimal role in his decision.
``It came down to education,'' he said at the time. ``You can't compete with a West Point education.''
Paliwoda played basketball his first year at West Point, then switched to football and played tight end until
he injured his shoulder. During his last two years, he was a hammer thrower on the track team, winning a
league championship.
His outgoing personality made him popular with other cadets and faculty at the military academy, said Col.
W. Chris King, a West Point professor who was Paliwoda's adviser. After completing his mandatory fiveyear commitment to serve, Paliwoda chose to stay in the Army.
``Eric really liked being an officer in the U.S. Army,'' King said. ``He loved [his] troops, and loved taking care
of the young men and women he was responsible for.''
Paliwoda's West Point roommate, Capt. Jeffrey Csoka, said Paliwoda was with those men and women
when mortar rounds began falling on his command post, fatally wounding him.
``He liked working with soldiers,'' said Csoka, who married Paliwoda's sister, Allison. ``He was a great
leader.''
In an effort to better understand Iraq and its people, Paliwoda asked his parents to mail him books about
Iraqi culture, his mother said. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Paliwoda's unit lifted a curfew and
restricted its patrols to major roads as a show of respect.
As a company commander, Paliwoda negotiated with Iraqi tribal leaders. ``At one point he said he felt like
the mayor of the town,'' his mother said.
Many of Paliwoda's friends called West Point after learning of his death and have told King they plan to
return to the academy for his funeral and burial.
``He's coming back to West Point,'' King said.
- DAVID OWENS And DANIELA ALTIMARI
Courant Staff Writers Jesse Leavenworth, Carolyn Moreau, Dave Drury, Stephanie Reitz, Daniel P. Jones
and the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2010, The Hartford Courant
Sgt. Benjamin L. Gilman
Hometown: Meriden, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 28 years old
Died: January 29, 2004 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 41st Engineer Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Incident: A weapons cache near the troops exploded outside Ghazni, Afghanistan.
Benjamin L. Gilman
GILMAN, Benjamin L. Sgt. Sgt. Benjamin L. Gilman, 28, beloved son of Edith R. Gilman,
of Allan Court, Meriden, died Thursday, (January 29, 2004) due to an accidental
explosion, while he and members of his unit were attempting to dispose of a weapons
cache in Ghazni, in Afghanistan. Born in Meriden, May 21, 1975, Ben was a lifelong
Meriden resident. A graduate of Orville H. Platt High School in Meriden, he had been
employed by the Roy Rogers in the Westfield Shopping Mall in Meriden for several years,
and had received awards for his volunteer work at the former Meriden-Wallingford
Hospital. He enlisted in the US Army in 1996, and was serving as a Team Leader with the
41st Engineering Battalion, Headquarters Company, TF 2-87, the 10th Mountain Division, from August 5,
2003 to January 29, 2004, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was the recipient
of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, post-humously, the Army Achievement Medal with Device, the
Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the
Kosovo Campaign Medal with Device, the Army Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal for Kosovo. He also
held an Expert Badge with two Devices. Ben was and avid sports fan who's favorite teams were, the New
York Yankees, the Chicago Bulls and the Denver Broncos. Besides his mother Edith, he is survived by his
maternal grandmother, Ruth A. Gilman of Tacoma, Wash., his aunt, Rose Miskar, his two uncles, Edward
and Elmer Gilman, all of Washington, several cousins, and many close friends, including his Big Sister,
Jean Moran, and her husband, Louis Pontacoloni and their children, Joe, Sam, Jon and Michaella
Pontacoloni, all of Wethersfield. He was predeceased by maternal grandfather, William Gilman and an
uncle, Henry Gilman. Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services, with full military honors, on
Saturday, February 14, in the First Congregational Church of East Haven, (The Old Stone Church), 251
Main St., East Haven, CT, at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Karen Johnson, Pastor, officiating. Interment will be
private. There will be no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be sent to the Sgt. Benjamin L. Gilman Scholarship Fund, c/o
Mayor's Office, City of Meriden, 142 East Main St., Meriden, CT 06450, or to the Nutmeg Big Brothers/Big
Sisters, 6 Fairfield Boulevard, Wallingford, CT 06492. Arrangements are under the direction of the
Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main Street, Ext., Wallingford.
Published in Hartford Courant on February 11, 2004
Sgt. Benjamin Gilman
Soldier Buried With Full Honors
The Associated Press
February 15, 2004
Army Sgt. Benjamin Gilman of Meriden, a combat engineer with the Army's 41st Engineering Battalion, died
Jan. 29, 2004, in an accidental explosion while his unit tried to dispose of a weapons cache in Ghanzi,
Afghanistan. He was 28 years old.
EAST HAVEN -- A brokenhearted mother buried her only son, Sgt. Benjamin L. Gilman, with full military
honors Saturday.
Before a packed church, Edie Gilman recounted how her son called from Afghanistan shortly before he died
just to say he loved her.
Gilman, 28, of Meriden, died in an accidental explosion Jan. 29 while he and members of his unit were
trying to dispose of a weapons cache in Ghanzi, about 90 miles southwest of the capital, Kabul.
Saturday's funeral was at First Congregational Church, the church where Gilman was baptized.
Gilman was a combat engineer with the Army's 41st Engineering Battalion, attached to the Fort Drum, N.Y.based 10th Mountain Division. Members of the division made up a firing squad that offered a 21-gun salute
at the funeral, and a bugler from the division sounded taps.
Military officials posthumously awarded Gilman the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, and gave his mother
an American flag.
Gilman and his unit were the ``cream of the crop,'' Brig. Gen. Byron S. Bagby, assistant division commander
of operations, told reporters after the funeral. Bagby served with Gilman in Afghanistan, and said the two
lived about a mile apart.
Christine Rahardjo, an East Haven woman who was friends with Gilman, said that her 3-year-old daughter
``loved him to death.'' She received a letter from him at her home Friday, she said.
``It was written five days before he died, and it was telling us about the mission, and he was so excited, and
he couldn't wait to do it,'' she said.
Gilman, a graduate of Platt High School and a lifelong Meriden resident, joined the Army in 1996. He was
active in the region's Big Brother/Big Sister program.
Besides his mother, he is survived by a grandmother, Ruth A. Gilman of Tacoma, Wash., two uncles and
several cousins.
At Christmas, Edie Gilman received a card in the mail from her son, written while he was overseas.
He wrote in the card: ``You are the person that keeps me going. You brought me into a cynical world and
taught me everything that makes me the man I am today. I love you for that. I just hope I can keep it up.''
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten, or redistributed.
Spec. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder
Hometown: Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: April 7, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Incident: Died from injuries sustained on April 4 in Mosul when her convoy vehicle was hit with a
makeshift bomb.
When Spc. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder joined the Army, she created a new family for herself in the
military. "She was a daughter to me," said Sgt. Thomas Smith Jr., who was stationed with AveryFelder at Fort Lewis, Wash. She even called me dad." Avery-Felder, 22, of Bridgeport, Conn., died
April 7 of injuries sustained on April 4 when her vehicle was hit with an explosive. In high school,
Avery-Felder played basketball and sang in the choir. She later took classes at Southern Connecticut
State University toward a career in early childhood education, but left school after completing her
freshman year. She joined the Army soon afterward, in 2000. Friends remembered Avery-Felder as
a strong, caring woman. "She told me, 'Never, even let them see you cry or they'll walk all over
you,'" said Odessa Blackwell, a high school friend. "She was so tough." Survivors also include her
parents and her husband.
Tyanna Avery-Felder
AVERY-FELDER Tyanna Avery Felder, age 22, of Tacoma, Wash., entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, April 7,
2004, while serving the United States Army in Iraq. She was educated in the City of Bridgeport. McKinley Elementary
School, Dunbar Middle School, Kolbe Cathedral High School, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven. She
Joined the US Army in 2001 and was stationed in Tacoma, Wash. She is survived by her husband, Adrian Felder, of
Tacoma, Wash.; her parents, Ray and Ilene "Patty" Avery; A sister Danene; and a brother, Ray Jr., all of Bridgeport.
Her maternal grandmother, Carrie Booker Fleming and her husband, Venro, of Bridgeport; father-in-law and motherin-Law, Calvin and Annette Felder, of South Carolina; two brothers in law, Antwone Felder and his wife, Monique and
Andre' Felder, all from South Carolina; two nephews, Kiaeem and Kedron, of South Carolina; and a host uncles, aunts,
cousins, great-uncles and great-aunts, other relatives and friends. Services will be conducted at Mount Aery Baptist
Church, 73 Frank Street, Bridgeport, on Thursday, April 15, 2004, at 12:00 noon. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 12
noon. Following ceremony Interment will be conducted in Lakeview Cemetery, Bridgeport, CT, with full Military
Honors. The Lester Gee Funeral Home, 1390 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, will be in charge of all arrangements.
Published in Connecticut Post on April 13, 2004
Army Spc. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder
22, of Bridgeport, Conn.; assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry
Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died April 7 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained April 4 when her
convoy vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device in Balad, Iraq.
First Connecticut woman killed in Iraq is laid to rest
By Laura Walsh
Associated Press
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Army Spc. Tyanna Avery-Felder, the first woman from Connecticut killed during
the war in Iraq, was remembered as a fighter, a friend and a hero.
“Although we are sad at her passing, we are exceptionally proud of her and of her service,” Gov. John G.
Rowland told those gathered for her funeral inside Mount Aery Baptist Church. “Our world is a better and
safer place because of individuals like Tyanna. We are forever in her debt.”
Family, friends and clergy members filled every pew at the church. The soldier’s parents, Ray and Ilene
Avery, and husband, Army Spc. Adrian Felder, sat quietly in the front pew and listened as mourners spoke
of her strength, infectious smile and kind heart.
“Tyanna was my soldier and I knew her very well,” said Sgt. Thomas Smith Jr., who was stationed with
Avery-Felder at Fort Lewis in Washington. “She was a daughter to me. She even called me dad.”
“I can tell you she was a joy to be around,” he said, fighting back tears. “She was respected and loved by
her military family.”
Avery-Felder, 22, who grew up in Bridgeport, was killed on April 7 when the truck she was in hit a makeshift
bomb — a week before she was scheduled to go on leave to visit her family in Bridgeport. Her family had
been preparing codfish balls, macaroni and cheese and other foods she loved for her arrival.
Bishop Franklin L. Fountain Jr., recalled Avery-Felder’s grandmother coming to him a few weeks before she
died to tell him that she was coming home.
“And then the bad news came,” he said softly. “Tyanna has lived her life. The life that Tyanna has lived has
spoken for her today.”
As Schanavia Felder, a cousin by marriage, played “Amazing Grace” on a saxophone, mourners gently
swayed and hummed the tune. About 20 large bouquets of red and white flowers and two framed pictures of
the soldier surrounded Avery-Felder’s flag-draped coffin.
Avery-Felder attended Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport, where she played basketball and sang in
the choir. She later took classes at Southern Connecticut State University toward a career in early childhood
education, but after completing her freshman year, she changed her plans.
High school friend Odessa Blackwell shared a story of Avery-Felder helping her through a problem she was
having with a boyfriend.
“She told me, ‘Never, even let them see you cry or they’ll walk all over you,”’ Blackwell said, which was met
by laughter. “She was so tough.”
Rowland, Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi, state Sen. Ernest Newton, D-Bridgeport, and Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal all spoke during the service.
“She leaves for us a living legacy, a model, an example of public service,” Blumenthal said. “Let us make
this nation worthy of her sacrifice so that her service will not have been in vain.”
Avery-Felder is one of 13 people from Connecticut killed in Afghanistan or Iraq. She was awarded both the
Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
Bridgeport soldier killed in Iraq
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A soldier who grew up in Bridgeport was killed in Iraq after being hit by shrapnel,
family members and government officials said.
Army Spc. Tyanna Avery-Felder, 22, a graduate of Kolbe Cathedral High School, was scheduled to return
home in mid-April for a 15-day leave, relatives told the Connecticut Post. She is the first female soldier from
Connecticut killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2003.
Two Army officers visited her parents’ home in Bridgeport’s East End on April 7 to inform them of their
daughter’s death, family members said. The officers did not say where or when Avery-Felder was killed, and
they released little information about her death.
“They said she was hit by shrapnel in Iraq, but that is all they could tell us,” her mother, Ilene “Patricia”
Avery, told the Post.
The Department of Defense had not officially listed Avery-Felder on its casualty list, and would not confirm
the death. No other information was immediately available.
Avery-Felder, the 11th soldier from Connecticut to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2003, was
stationed with the Stryker Brigade at Fort Lewis south of Tacoma, Wash. She was married in 2002 to a
soldier she met there, Adrian Felder.
When she was deployed to Iraq last year, her husband remained in Seattle.
“She didn’t want to go there, but she committed herself so she was going to follow through to the end,” her
mother said.
Relatives gathered at the Avery home shortly after her parents received the news of her death.
“I used to call her baby girl all the time,” said her father, Ray Avery, sobbing into his clasped hands.
Avery-Felder, the middle of three children, had planned for a career working with children and enrolled in
Southern Connecticut State University, but left after a year.
“She just came home one day and said, ‘Mom, I just joined the Army,’ and we took it from there,” Ilene
Avery said. Avery-Felder did her basic military training in South Carolina in November 2001.
“I remember we were at graduation at boot camp and one of her drill instructors came over and whispered
in her father’s ear, ‘She’s a tough customer. We couldn’t break her,”’ her mother said, wiping tears from her
face. “That was Tyanna. She was kind-hearted, but she could force her opinion on you.”
Avery-Felder’s sister, Danene, 26, also cried as she remembered her sister.
“I can’t believe she is gone. I just talked to her on the phone Friday. She called me at work and told me she
was coming home next week,” she said.
Her mother added, “She was doing what she wanted to do. That is the course she chose and we have to
accept it. Now, we as a family have to come together.”
Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi knew Avery-Felder’s family.
“Going to defend the United States, her country, in battle is something to absolutely salute,” Fabrizi said.
“However it’s extremely unfortunate to have to lose such young people to war.”
Gov. John G. Rowland’s office immediately ordered state-flown flags lowered to half-staff until her burial. No
date had been set.
“Her individual bravery and willingness to serve has directly contributed to our safety and security here at
home,” Rowland said in a written statement. “We will be forever indebted to Spc. Felder and the selfless
example she has left for each of us.”
Spec. Tyanna Avery-Felder
Soldier From Bridgeport Is State's First Woman To Die in Iraq
Spec. Tyanna Avery-Felder
The Associated Press
April 10, 2004
Army Spec. Tyanna Avery-Felder died April 6, 2004, about two days after she was wounded by a roadside
bomb in Iraq. She was a cook with the Army's Stryker Brigade, based in Fort Lewis, Wash. She was raised
in Bridgeport, and was the first woman from Connecticut to die in Iraq. She was 22 years old.
Army specialist Adrian Felder and Army specialist Tyanna Avery-Felder had a whirlwind romance, topped
off with a December 2002 wedding.
The couple was stationed at Ft. Lewis in Washington state, in different jobs and different Army units.
A year after the wedding, Avery-Felder shipped out for Iraq with the Stryker Brigade, while her husband's
unit, the 1st Special Forces Group, stayed behind.
She was killed this week when the truck she was riding in hit a makeshift explosive device on the road - a
week before she was scheduled to return to Connecticut for scheduled leave. Avery-Felder was 22.
"She was the best thing that ever happened to me," Felder said Friday, with tears in his eyes.
He and other relatives held a news conference filled with tears and laughter, combined with pride for AveryFelder's service and accomplishments.
"What she does she does all the way - the whole nine yards," said her mother, Ilene Avery.
She grew up in Bridgeport and attended Kolbe Cathedral High School, a Roman Catholic school, where she
played basketball and sang in the choir. Her family displayed a photo of Avery-Felder, beaming in a royal
blue cap and gown as she received her diploma.
Avery-Felder then took classes at Southern Connecticut State Universityi n New Haven toward a career in
early childhood education, but after completing her freshman year, she changed her plans.
"She came home one day and said, `Mom, I joined the Army,'" her mother recalled. "I said `Oh.' And that
was that."
"She was a very determined person, so I knew I wouldn't be able to change her mind," said her older sister,
Danene.
Felder, who originally is from South Carolina, said his wife enlisted because she wanted to get out of
Bridgeport, to further her education and meet new people.
She worked as a cook for the Stryker Brigade. Another cook who was friends with Felder introduced them.
On their first date they saw the movie "Queen of the Damned," starring R&B singer and actress Aaliyah,
who also died at age 22, in a plane crash in 2001.
They married Dec. 20, 2002. She left for Iraq in November 2003.
Felder recalled his wife was scared to go. "Anybody would be," he said.
Avery-Felder would call or send messages by computer often. Sometimes, she would cry, her husband
said. "As time went on, she got stronger," he said.
On the Sunday before she was killed, she called her husband and sent an instant computer message to her
mother to tell them she would soon be leaving on a convoy.
Her mother said she never wanted to know when a convoy was happening because she worried so much
for her daughter's safety.
Convoys to move supplies are dangerous because soldiers are exposed on the road. Attacks on trucks are
sometimes done with improvised explosive devices - homemade bombs that are either detonated on
contact or by remote control, said Maj. John Whitford, director of communications for the Connecticut
National Guard.
Such a device exploded around the 5-ton truck Avery-Felder was riding in on Sunday. She suffered
shrapnel wounds and was going to be flown Wednesday to a military hospital in Germany when she died.
She had been scheduled for a leave home the following week. Her family was preparing codfish balls,
macaroni and cheese and other foods Avery-Felder loved, and her cousins were excited about a shopping
trip they had planned.
The family does not yet know when a funeral will be held, but they said she would be buried in Bridgeport.
"She's coming home," her mother said.
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten, or redistributed.
Sgt. Felix M. Delgreco
Hometown: Simsbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: April 9, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army National Guard, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, Army National Guard, New Haven, Conn.
Incident: Killed by a makeshift bomb and small arms fire while on patrol in Baghdad.
Sgt. Felix Delgreco
Simsbury Soldier's Youth, Exuberance Remembered
The Hartford Courant
April 9, 2004
Army Sgt. Felix Delgreco of Simsbury, a member of C Company, 102nd Infantry in Bristol, was killed April 9,
2004 while on patrol in Baghdad, when his vehicle struck an improvised bomb and was attacked with small
arms. He was the first member of the Connecticut Army National Guard to die in Iraq. He was 22 years old.
One of retired music teacher John Zenisky's fondest memories of former student Felix Delgreco is how the
youngster would "wail" on his harmonica at the spring rock 'n' roll and blues concert at Simsbury High
School.
Such enthusiasm was a common theme of the recollections shared Sunday by those who mourned
Delgreco, a former Simsbury High student who was killed Friday in Iraq.
"He was a very gregarious kid and very outgoing," Zenisky said. "He loved to play that harmonica."
Delgreco, 22, of Simsbury, was a sergeant in the Connecticut Army National Guard. He was killed while on
patrol in Baghdad, when his vehicle struck an improvised bomb and was attacked with small arms fire. He
died two days after arriving in Baghdad, and was the first member of the Connecticut guard to die in Iraq.
A member of Simsbury High's Class of 1999, Delgreco played trumpet in the jazz band. He worked as part
of the backstage technical crew on school plays and other performances.
He also was an Eagle Scout. Zenisky was invited to Delgreco's induction ceremony.
"He was proud of that achievement," he said. "I was happy to be there because he was such a great kid and
he was well-liked by his classmates. He always had a smile on his face all the time."
"He was one of those kids you just wanted to bring home and adopt," said Bergouhi Spencer, Delgreco's
high school Latin teacher of four years.
Spencer remembers Delgreco as a boy with a keen curiosity and a joy to have in class. She took her Latin
class to Europe every year and Delgreco was along for four of them. She gave her students Latin
nicknames, but Delgreco came ready-made with a moniker.
"Felix means lucky or happy in Latin and we used to kid him about that," she said. "I can just see him sitting
there."
Spencer said he could also still see him basking on the steps of a Florence cathedral, blending in with his
trademark European beret-style cap, which he wore on all the trips abroad.
"He was just a part of the fabric, sitting there in the sun," Spencer said.
Delgreco would often come back and visit his former teacher, once proudly wearing his uniform, she
recalled. She learned of his death Saturday night.
"This morning throughout [Easter] service, I'm thinking about new life, resurrection and I can't reconcile the
two right now in my mind," Spencer said. "He's fitting into heaven right now because he was such an angel."
As a teen, Delgreco had an abiding interest in the military and enlisted in the guard in 1999 while still in high
school. He became a member of C Company, 102nd Infantry, in Bristol.
The company left Connecticut on Jan. 8 for Fort Hood, Texas, and became part of the 39th Brigade from
Arkansas. The unit arrived in Kuwait last month and began patrolling in Baghdad on Wednesday.
East Windsor resident Patricia Shary's son Christopher, 25, is also in Delgreco's company and is serving in
Iraq. The youngest of Shary's 10 children, Christopher also served in Bosnia with Delgreco and called
Saturday to give his parents the news.
"It's very upsetting," Patricia Shary said about Delgreco's death Sunday. "I'm scared to death for my son. I
can't imagine what [Delgreco's] family is going through. This is an awful thing.
"What I don't understand is we are trying to help these people and they seem to be attacking us from every
direction. It's very scary, but my son is a brave person," she said.
Delgreco was not married and had no children. At his family's home on Alcima Drive, a
shaded cul-de-sac just off Route 167, yellow ribbons were tied to a tree and a large
American flag hung from a front window. Many flags at neighboring homes were at halfstaff. Delgreco's parents declined to speak to reporters. Funeral arrangements have not
been finalized.
Simsbury Selectman Joel Mandell said his sadness at the news was shared by many in
town.
"There's a great sense of loss when anyone of any age gets killed," said Mandell, who
served in Europe in the Army 40 years ago. "Obviously, it gets magnified when that loss
comes from your town and from your state."
"This really brings it home because you don't think about people from your own town being
over there," said Carrie Carpenter of West Simsbury, a senior at Suffield Academy.
"[Delgreco] is so young it makes me think of my own friends."
Another community was particularly affected - Company C's home in Bristol, a city where
10 years ago a monument to National Guard members was erected on the north side of
Memorial Boulevard.
The 102nd Infantry - based in New Haven with companies in Bristol, Manchester and New
Britain - goes back to colonial times. In 1672, the Regiment of New Haven County was
born. In different incarnations, it fought in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. It
officially became the 102nd in 1917 on its way to France in World War I, and served again
in World War II.
"This just shows you how vitally important our reserves have become," said former Bristol
Mayor Frank N. Nicastro Sr., who spent 24 years in the National Guard.
Nicastro said that before Iraq, many people thought the Guard only comes out during
floods.
"These aren't weekend warriors anymore," Nicastro said. "That's very insulting. They are
sent to war zones and combat zones and are putting their lives on the line every day for
us."
- PETER MARTEKA, And RINKER BUCK
An Associated Press report was included in this story.
Felix Delgreco always soaked up his surroundings, fitting in easily whether he was in high school
study hall or on the sunny steps of an Italian cathedral. "He was one of those kids you just wanted
to bring home and adopt," said Bergouhi Spencer, his high school Latin teacher for four years. "He
was just a wonderful young man with a smile on his face." Sgt. Delgreco, 22, of Simsbury, Conn.,
was killed April 9 when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb and gunfire in Baghdad. His
National Guard unit was based in Bristol, Conn. Spencer remembered Delgreco as a keenly curious
boy who joined her Latin class for four annual trips to Europe. She recalled how he basked on the
steps of a Florence cathedral, blending in with his trademark European beret-style cap that he wore
on all the trips abroad. "He was just a part of the fabric, sitting there in the sun," Spencer said.
Connecticut Army National Guard Sgt. Felix M. Delgreco
Died April 09, 2004 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
22, of Simsbury, Conn.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, Army National Guard, New Haven, Conn.;
killed April 9 when an improvised explosive devise and small-arms fire struck his mounted patrol in
Baghdad.
Friends, family remember fallen soldier
Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — Sgt. Felix DelGreco, the first Connecticut National Guardsman to die in Iraq, was
remembered Saturday as someone full of love, life, and dreams to one day run for president.
“He was just very good at everything he did,” Eric Allen, a friend of DelGreco’s since first grade, told the
hundreds who filled St. Joseph’s Cathedral for his funeral.
In their late-night talk sessions, DelGreco used to tell him about his 2024 presidential campaign over french
toast or a game of pool, Allen said. He inspired his friend to join the Coast Guard, and promised him a spot
in his administration or on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Military officials said DelGreco, 22, of Simsbury, was killed April 9 when his vehicle was struck by a
roadside bomb and gunfire.
His unit, the Bristol-based C Company, 102nd Infantry, had arrived in Kuwait in March, and began
operations in Baghdad two days before his death.
“A solider at age 17. A leader at age 22. He was the all-American kid from next door,” Gov. John G.
Rowland said.
DelGreco enlisted in the Guard while still a student at Simsbury High School. A former Eagle Scout, he truly
lived the Boy Scout oath, said Richard Gugliemetti, DelGreco’s former scoutmaster.
He recalled how he quickly became a favorite cook on camp outs, despite some of his strange, original
recipes. His military comrades also appointed him unofficial cook during a nine-month stint providing
security at West Point last year, Gugliemetti said.
“Simply put: Felix DelGreco made us all better people,” he said.
The soldier was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He
had served a six-month tour in Bosnia in 2001, and volunteered to go to Iraq in December, said Maj. Gen.
William Cugno, commander of the Connecticut National Guard.
“In my mind, he was a hero,” Cugno said.
Since March 2002, 13 military servicemen and women with Connecticut ties have died in Afghanistan and
Iraq.
Simsbury soldier found a way to fit in
HARTFORD, Conn. — Felix Delgreco always soaked up his surroundings, easily fitting in, whether it was in
a Simsbury High study hall or on the sunny steps of an Italian cathedral.
The 22-year-old Simsbury man, the first Connecticut National Guardsmen to die in Iraq, was remembered
and mourned on Easter Sunday by former school teachers and administrators.
“He was one of those kids you just wanted to bring home and adopt,” said Bergouhi Spencer, Delgreco’s
high school Latin teacher of four years. “He was just a wonderful young man with a smile on his face.”
Delgreco, a sergeant in the Bristol-based C Company, 102nd Infantry, was killed during an ambush on his
patrol in Baghdad on Friday. Military authorities said his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb and gunfire.
His unit arrived in Kuwait in March and began operations in Baghdad just two days before his death.
As a teen, he had an abiding interest in the military and enlisted in the Guard in 1999 while still in high
school.
“He was a great guy, popular with his friends,” assistant principal Walter Zalaski said Sunday. “He just fit
into Simsbury.”
Delgreco was not married and had no children. His parents declined to speak to the media and funeral
plans were unavailable. Gov. John R. Rowland ordered flags to remain at half-staff until sundown on the
day of Delgreco’s funeral. He was the second Connecticut soldier to die in Iraq in the past week. Bridgeport
Spc. Tyanna Avery-Felder died Tuesday when the truck she was riding in hit a makeshift explosive device
along the road.
Since March 2002, 13 military servicemen and women with Connecticut ties have died in Afghanistan and
Iraq.
Delgreco’s unit, the 102nd Infantry is one of the oldest serving companies in Connecticut. Established in
1672, the unit has been involved in the major wars in U.S. history, beginning with the Revolutionary War
until the present. He deployed to Bosnia in 2001 and to West Point in 2003 in the operation ordered up by
President Bush for homeland defense.
While stationed at West Point, Delgreco was checking the credentials of alumni returning for a 10-year
reunion when he spotted a familiar face. Spencer’s son, a West Point graduate, was back for reunion.
“Of all the people, it was Felix who checked him into West Point,” Spencer said. “Of all the people.”
Spencer remembers Delgreco as a boy with a keen curiosity and a joy to have in class. She took her Latin
class to Europe every year and Delgreco was along for four of them. She gave her students Latin
nicknames each year, but Delgreco was the exception, she recalled fondly. He came ready-made with a
moniker.
“Felix means lucky or happy in Latin and we used to kid him about that,” she said. “I can just see him sitting
there.”
Spencer said also still see him basking on the steps of a Florence cathedral, blending in with his trademark
European beret-style cap that he wore on all the trips abroad.
“He was just a part of the fabric, sitting there in the sun,” Spencer said.
On a trip to the rolling countryside of southern Spain, the class was near a monastery perched atop a hill
and accessible by donkey. While Spencer’s group was assembled at the foot of the hill, her husband,
Arthur, was taking in the sights through his binoculars.
“We were just looking around viewing the scenery and there’s Felix,” Bergouhi Spencer said. “Way up at the
top we could see him with another student. They just climbed up. It was something he wanted to do. He was
just like a native everywhere he went.”
Delgreco would often come back and visit his former teacher, once showing up proudly in his uniform, she
recalled. She learned of his death Saturday night and memories came flooding back of the boy that always
fit in.
“This morning throughout (Easter) service, I’m thinking about new life, resurrection and I can’t reconcile the
two right now in my mind,” Spencer said. “He’s fitting into heaven right now because he was such an angel.”
— Associated Press
Sgt. Felix M. Delgreco Scholarship Fund
CTNG Foundation, Inc.
360 Broad Street, #53
Hartford, CT 06105-3795
Connecticut Army National Guard Sgt Felix Mario Delgreco, Jr
September 1st, 2009
Birth: July 18, 1981 – Connecticut
Death: April 9, 2004 – Baghdad, Iraq
Sgt. Delgreco was assigned to 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry, Army National Guard, New
Haven, Connecticut. He was killed when an improvised explosive devise and small-arms fire
struck his mounted patrol. Felix was an Eagle Scout who used to tell a friend about his plans
to run for president in 2024. As a teen, he knew he would join the military and enlisted in the
Army National Guard in 1999 while still a student at Simsbury High School in Simsbury,
Connecticut. He deployed to Bosnia in 2001 and to West Point in 2003 in the operation
ordered by President Bush for homeland defense. He became a favorite cook on camp outs,
despite some of his very strange, original recipes. In fact, his military comrades appointed
him unofficial cook during the nine-month stint at West Point. Felix volunteered to go to Iraq
in December and in March his unit arrived in Kuwait and began operations in Baghdad two
days before his death. His unit, the 102nd Infantry, is one of the oldest serving companies in
Connecticut. Established in 1672, the unit has been involved in the major wars in U.S. history,
beginning with the Revolutionary War until the present. Felix was full of love, life and dreams.
On visits back home, he would often show up proudly in his uniform at his old school. He was
awarded a posthumous Purple Heart, Bronze Star and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
Burial: Unknown
Spec. Jacob D. Martir
Hometown: Norwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: August 18, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed in a small-arms fire attack while on patrol in Sadr City.
Spec. Jacob D. Martir
Last Goodbye For Proud Soldier
By MARK SPENCER Courant Staff Writer
August 28, 2004
WILLIMANTIC - Army Spec. Jacob D. Martir, a native of Puerto Rico who grew up in Willimantic and
Norwich, was killed Aug. 18, 2004 by small-arms fire while on patrol in a part of Baghdad known as Sadr
City. He was 21 years old.
When Spec. Jacob Martir told his cousin two years ago that he was going to re-enlist in the Army, she tried
to talk him out of it.
Martir, 21, originally had joined in 2000, fulfilling a dream he had held since childhood to be a soldier. But
that was before Sept. 11. The world was a different, more dangerous place by the time he re-enlisted for
four years in May 2002.
"He always wanted to go and fight," Nancy Ramos, his cousin, said minutes after leaving his funeral Friday.
Martir was killed Aug. 18 when his patrol came under small-arms fire in Sadr City, a huge slum in Baghdad
that has seen intense fighting in recent months.
Don Primavera, a family friend, said Martir was a "happy-go-lucky kid" who liked to joke around. Born in
Caguas, Puerto Rico, he moved to Connecticut when he was young, living in Willimantic and Norwich. He
attended Norwich Free Academy briefly, earned his high school equivalence diploma at Westover Job
Corps Center in Chicopee, Mass., then enlisted when he was 17.
"It made him proud to be able to serve his country," Primavera said.
At his funeral, Martir was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for meritorious service. Martir was
the 14th member of the military with ties to Connecticut who has died in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"He told his mother he wanted to join and he wanted to die a soldier," said Maj. Gen. William Cugno,
adjutant general and commander of the Connecticut National Guard.
Martir's mother Lydia Gutierrez came from Miami, where she lives with three of Martir's five siblings, for the
funeral at Potter Funeral Home in Willimantic. They were joined by family and friends, some of the state's
highest elected officials, and those who did not know Martir, but wanted to support his family.
"This young man is part of the new `greatest generation,'" said Gov. M. Jodi Rell, using a phrase that has
come to refer to those who lived through World War II. "It's their selfless duty to county that truly makes
them heroes."
Rell and Cugno spoke at the public funeral, which the media did not attend at the family's request.
In addition to honoring Martir, Rell said, she attended the funeral to show support to a mother who had lost
her son.
"As a mother myself - it's awfully hard to express that feeling - but it's every parent's worst nightmare," she
said.
It was the same reason Christie Gilluly of Norwich came. She did not know Martir or his family, but her son
is a captain in the Army, has served in Iraq and is training to be a Green Beret.
"It's important for families to support families," she said, wiping tears from her eyes after the funeral.
Martir served with Alpha Troop, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, based in Fort
Hood, Texas. The division has seen heavy fighting since being sent to Iraq in March and is scheduled to
return in March 2005, said Dan Hassett, a spokesman at Fort Hood.
Five soldiers in Martir's troop have been killed since April, he said.
Martir was buried with military honors at Maplewood Cemetery in Norwich. A dozen floral arrangements,
including an American flag made out of carnations, were placed on the ground near the grave.
Maj. Kevin Cavanaugh offered prayers and a 15-gun salute was fired.
As Gutierrez, Martir's mother, was handed the folded flag from his coffin, she clutched it to her chest with
both hands, then accepted a red carnation.
As she approached her son's coffin, she covered her eyes with one hand, gripping the flag and flower in the
other.
Still crying, she laid the flower on the coffin, gently swept her hand across it and stepped back.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
When Jacob D. Martir told his family he wanted to become a soldier, they knew to take the 15year-old seriously. "He was the kind of kid who when he said he was going to do something, did it,"
said his aunt, Noemi Martir. Martir, 21, from Norwich, Conn., was killed Aug. 18 by hostile fire in
the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. When the
future soldier expressed an interest in the military, his eldest sister bought him an Army jacket and
Army pants. He wore them constantly. "He always wanted to become a hero," Olga Gutierrez said
of her son. "As a mother, you cry. You want the best for your kids. You don't want them to die that
way. But Jacob did everything he needed. I feel proud." The youngest of eight children, Martir was
a native of Cagus, Puerto Rico. He came to Connecticut as an infant.
Chief Warrant Officer William I. Brennan
Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 36 years old
Died: October 16, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Wheeler Army Air Field,
Hawaii
Incident: Killed when their helicopter collided with another helicopter in Baghdad.
As a child, William Brennan liked to ride his bicycle with the family cat, Ralph, on his head. When he
was older, his many nieces, nephews and cousins called him "Uncle Buck," after the sloppy but
lovable character in the John Candy film. A goofy youngest child, Brennan made friends wherever
he went. Brennan, 36, of Bethlehem, Conn., died Oct. 16 when his helicopter collided with one
piloted by another soldier. He leaves behind his wife, Kathy, with whom he served in the Army in
Bosnia, and two daughters, Katelin, 4, and Cassidy, 2. They live in Hawaii, where Brennan was
stationed at Wheeler Army Air Field. In an Easter letter to his sister from Iraq, Brennan spoke of his
fears and the prayers he said before getting into the aircraft. "It is not the fear of death that weighs
me down, it is the feeling of not being there for my three girls," he wrote. "There is a very real
chance that something bad could happen and they would never know me."
William I. Brennan
BRENNAN, William I. Chief Warrant Officer 3 William I. Brennan, Army helicopter pilot, 36, of Bethlehem, was killed in
action in Baghdad Iraq, on Saturday, (October 16, 2004). William was the loving husband of Kathy Martinez Brennan
and father of Katelyn and Cassidy. William was born in Waterbury on September 6, 1968 to the late Nicholas I. and
Rosalie C. (Dunne) Brennan of Bethlehem. He attended St. John the Evangelist School in Watertown and graduated in
1986 from Holy Cross High School in Waterbury where he was on the lacrosse and wrestling teams. William was an
Eagle Scout and a member of the Pine Meadow, CT 4-H Club. While attending Mattatuck Community College he was
serving in the National Guard. After receiving his associate's degree, William joined the United States Army and
pursued his dream of flying helicopters. He has served in the armed forces for 13 years, recently being deployed in
January from Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii to Iraq. In addition to his wife and daughters, Will is survived by his
grandpa, Paul Horvay Sr., of Winsted, Neil and Marge Brennan of Shady Side, MD, Patrick and Katherine Brennan of
Corpus Christie, TX, Nicholas and T.J. Brennan of Woodbury, Patricia and Harry Traver, Mary-Kate and John Scenti
all of Bethlehem and Briana and Peter Wall of Woodbury; eight nieces, nine nephews; many cousins, aunts, uncles
and friends too numerous to mention individually. Calling hours will be held at the Carpino Funeral Home, 750 Main
St., South, Southbury on TODAY from 1-4 p.m. Mass will be held on Monday, October 25 at 10 a.m. at the Church of
Nativity, East St., Bethlehem.
In lieu of flowers, a trust fund has been established for William's children. Contributions should be sent to: W.I.
Brennan Children Trust Fund: c/o Naugatuck Savings Bank Attn: Woodbury Office, 672 Main St., So. Woodbury, CT
06798.
Published in Hartford Courant on October 24, 2004
Chief Warrant Officer William Brennan
Bethlehem Native Dies In Iraq
By JOANN KLIMKIEWICZ And MARYELLEN FILLO Courant Staff Writers
October 19, 2004
Army Chief Warrant Officer William Brennan died Oct. 16, 2004 when the helicopter he was flying collided
with another over Baghdad. He grew up in Behlehem, Conn., and leaves a wife and two daughters in
Hawaii. He was 36 years old.
When one of William Brennan's nieces e-mailed him last year to sign a petition against the brewing U.S.-led
war in Iraq, the Army helicopter pilot gently declined.
No one prays for peace more than a soldier, the Bethlehem native replied in an e-mail.
"If the U.S. ends up going to war against Iraq, I will be there. Yeah, maybe there is oil involved. Yeah,
maybe there is a lot of politics involved. But if I can end one person's suffering that is caused by a man such
as Saddam [Hussein]," he wrote, "I could care less what anybody thinks."
On Saturday, the 36-year-old died when the Bell helicopter he was flying collided with another over
Baghdad, the U.S. Defense Department said Monday. Brennan leaves his wife, Kathy, and two daughters,
who live in Hawaii.
And as Brennan's tightknit family continued to digest the loss Monday, they recalled him in much the same
way as his e-mail suggests: a man who believed in the mission he was handed and a soldier who wanted to
make a difference.
"I'm proud of him and I'm proud of what he did," Theresa "T.J." Brennan, Brennan's sister-in-law, said during
a brief afternoon lull in a day filled with telephone calls, television interviews and funeral arrangements. She
and other family members gathered for several hours at her restaurant and inn, Curtis House, in Woodbury
- just next door to the rural eastern Connecticut town of 7,200 in which Brennan grew up the youngest of
seven children.
Brennan, his family said, was not nervous about leaving for Iraq. He was a capable soldier whose 15-year
military career included a tour in Bosnia and flying surveillance helicopters around New York City after the
Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
What he did not like was leaving behind his wife of six years and his daughters. The separation was so hard
for Brennan that in some ways he wondered if his two-week return this summer to his family in Hawaii was
a mixed blessing - he would get to see the smiling faces he had not seen since December only to have to
leave them again.
"He was hoping to finish his tour and then leave Hawaii, where he has been stationed, for a permanent
assignment somewhere in the South. He loved it there," T.J. Brennan said.
She sat in front of her computer at Curtis House, opening e-mails that Brennan and his family had
exchanged over the months. There were photos of Brennan leaning against a helicopter and a picture of
one of his daughters with a painted tattoo of an army helicopter - the kind her daddy flew - on her cheek.
Brennan's family remembered him Monday as a prankster, a fun-loving dad who doted on his daughters.
Even as an adult, he was a kid who still collected comic books and had a weakness for Snickers bars.
"If you ever saw the "Little Rascals Show" - he was just like that, always doing something," said his older
brother, Nick Brennan, the memory prompting a smile across his weary face.
As a kid, Will rode around the neighborhood with Ralph, the family cat, perched on his head.
He was the kind of guy who would make a friend wherever he went, a person who could make the most
serious of folks crack a smile, his family said.
His nieces nicknamed him "Uncle Buck," after the goofy movie character played in a 1980s comedy by the
late John Candy.
"He was like a 36-year-old child," Theresa Brennan, 18, said of her uncle. "The party didn't start until he was
there."
Theresa Brennan received a Halloween card from her uncle on Saturday - the day before the family learned
of his death.
"He wrote, `Wow, time truly flies and I remember you being a little girl and now you're 18," she said Monday,
wiping her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. "He said, `I'm going to make it up, the time that we lost.'"
Theresa Brennan knew her uncle's service in Iraq was dangerous, but the possibility of injury or death
seemed remote.
"I just saw him being the old man that would tell his war stories, you know?"
The cause of the accident that killed Brennan, a chief warrant officer, and the other pilot, Capt. Christopher
Johnson, 29, of Missouri, is under investigation. Both men were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th
Aviation, 25th Infantry Division out of Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii.
Brennan is the 17th person with ties to Connecticut killed in Afghanistan or Iraq since March 2002.
William Brennan was an altar boy, graduating in 1986 from Holy Cross High School in Waterbury. He was
a Boy Scout and 4-H member in Bethlehem and played lacrosse in high school, his family said.
Called "Will" by most of the family, he received his associate's degree from Mattatuck Community College
before joining the Army and becoming a pilot. His inspiration was his late godfather, William Horvay, an
Army helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam.
His late father, Nicholas Brennan, was a commander in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and an uncle
was a bomber pilot in World War II and in Korea.
On Monday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell requested that all state flags be lowered to half-staff until sundown on the
day of his interment.
"My heart goes out to the Brennan family," Rell said. "No words can make their loss any easier to bear. I
honor CWO Brennan for his service to our nation and I know the entire state joins me in mourning his loss."
In one of the e-mails the family shared Monday, Brennan wrote the niece who had asked him to sign the
anti-war petition that he supports the right to demonstrate but also supports America's intervention in Iraq.
"Throughout your family's history there have been many times [your father, grandfathers, uncles and
cousins] had to leave to defend freedom. Do not ever take your right to free speech for granted.
Demonstrate all you want.
"I love demonstrations. The ones that realize that someone fought and died for them to have that right, I
respect even more. Love, Uncle Will."
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Cpl. Kevin J. Dempsey
Hometown: Monroe, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: November 13, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed during the U.S. assault on Fallujah.
Cpl. Kevin J. Dempsey
Marine Known As 'Jack' To All
Marine Cpl. Kevin J. Dempsey of Monroe died Nov. 13, 2004 in an explosion in Al Anbar Province in Iraq.
Dempsey, a graduate of New Canaan High School, was in the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, attached to
the II Marine Expeditionary Force. He was 23.
To the Marine Corps, he was Cpl. Kevin J. Dempsey of Monroe, Conn. To a lot of people in the state that
now mourns his death, he was Jack.
Jack the wrestler. Jack the football player. Jack the New Canaan High School graduate. Jack, who enlisted
with the Marines not long after 9/11.
Kevin "Jack" Dempsey, 23, died Saturday in an explosion in Al Anbar Province in Iraq - the latest in a list of
troops killed this month in that province, where the U.S. has been waging an all-out assault on the
remaining insurgents in Fallujah. The Department of Defense says at least 38 U.S. troops have died and
almost 300 have been wounded in the occupation of the city west of Baghdad.
Dempsey was in the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, attached to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The day after Dempsey died, Army Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. forces in the war, spoke with
troops in Fallujah, saying that the city was under control. He said the last few pockets of insurgents were
being pursued, and they would be knocked out to the last man.
That brand of tough dialogue matches the tough, dedicated Marine that friends describe Dempsey as being.
"He just loved the Marines to death," said Wayne Hildebrand, a friend who wrestled on the same team as
Dempsey, the New Canaan Rams.
Both Dempsey and Hildebrand joined the service after high school; Hildebrand joined the Army. "He loved
what he was doing, and I guess that's what matters."
The two talked on the phone before Dempsey went to Iraq. "He was kind of pumped about it," Hildebrand
said. "I wished him good luck and to come back safely. Unfortunately, it didn't all work out that way."
Over the weekend, Marines took news of his death to his mother, Barbara Dempsey, who lives in Monroe.
She is making arrangements for her son's remains, which may arrive today at an Air Force base in Dover,
Md., said 1st Sgt. William McCoy at the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center in New Haven.
"Right now, she's still in shock," McCoy said of Dempsey's mother. "We're trying to make it as easy on her
as possible."
Barbara Dempsey said Monday, "He was the love of our life. He had so much to offer the world. We're so
very proud of him."
A Marine will escort the body from Maryland to Connecticut, McCoy said, marking the return home after
what amounted to less than three months in the war for Dempsey. McCoy said Dempsey had just finished a
short duty in Haiti and was sent to Iraq in September.
Before Dempsey left, he hung out with Connecticut friends, including Jennifer Carafa. She knew he was
going to war, but she wasn't concerned.
"The way he talked to me, I wasn't worried at all," she said. She described him as a big-brother type, an
older protector. Monday night, she was on her way to Monroe, to gather with Dempsey's family and friends.
Their mourning was reflected across the state Monday.
"We did a moment of silence for him," said Tony Pavia, principal of New Canaan High School. He thinks the
school will likely start a scholarship or award in his name. "We want to make sure that we remember him."
Gov. M. Jodi Rell called for flags to fly at half-staff until he is buried. "All of Connecticut joins me in honoring
his service to our nation," she said in a statement.
And U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, the congressman from Dempsey's district, visited Barbara Dempsey, his
staff said. Shays said in a statement: "We grieve with Cpl. Dempsey's family."
Paul Gallo, who coached Dempsey in wrestling until his 2000 graduation, remembered him as a serious kid,
the kind an adult could sit down and talk to. Dempsey's father had died young. Dempsey seemed to have
been left with a sharp focus and a hardened will.
With only a couple of years of wrestling, he wasn't the most technically adept, Gallo said. But the 189-pound
wrestler was tough. "He just went out there and tried to destroy his opponent," he said. "You were scared
walking out against him."
"He was a fighter his whole life," Gallo said. "He wasn't afraid of anything."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
After graduating from high school, Kevin J. Dempsey took some courses at the University of Connecticut, trying to
figure out where to go with his life. The answer came at noon on Sept. 11, 2001, when Dempsey called a Marine
recruiter he knew. "When he saw both buildings go down, he just couldn't take it," said his sister, Jennifer Dempsey.
Known by his middle name, Jack, Dempsey enlisted in March 2002. The 23-year-old from Monroe, Conn., died Nov.
13 while patrolling Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. An animal lover, Dempsey as a child
would plead with his mother to take the family to the zoo. When he was at Camp Lejeune, he cared for a stray dog he
had found. Yet he was strong. His late father called him Jack, after the famous boxer Jack Dempsey. He was also
called Tiger, "because of his fearless personality," Jennifer Dempsey said. Jack Dempsey was a 2000 high school
graduate. "He was never afraid of any opponent," said Paul Gallo, Dempsey's wrestling coach. "He had a lot of
character, and I'm so proud of him. Dempsey also is survived by his mother, Barbara.
Kevin John Dempsey
DEMPSEY, Cpl. Kevin John Cpl. Kevin John Dempsey "Jack", 23, passed away Saturday, (November 13, 2004) in
Iraq. He was born Dec. 9, 1980, in Sharon, the son of Barbara Lane Dempsey of Monroe; and the late D. Kevin
Dempsey. Cpl. Dempsey was a U.S. Marine, serving in Iraq. Besides his mother, he is survived by his sister, Jennifer
Dempsey of Stamford. His funeral service will be held Wednesday, November 24, 9 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena.
Interment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Greenwich. Friends may call TODAY, 2-9 p.m. at Leo P. Gallagher & Son
Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street, Greenwich. Memorial contributions may be made to USMC Toys For Tots, Navy Marine
Corp Reserve Ctr., 30 Woodward Ave., New Haven, CT 06512. Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, has care of
arrangements.
Published in Hartford Courant on November 23, 2004
Lt. Col. Michael J. McMahon
Hometown: West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 41 years old
Died: November 27, 2004 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks,
Hawaii
Incident: Killed in a plane crash in Bamian, Afghanistan.
Ltc. Michael J. McMahon
McMAHON, LTC. Michael J. LTC. Michael J. McMahon went to the Lord, Saturday (November 27,
2004). Born into a military family in 1963, he was predeceased by his older brother, Dennis R.
McMahon, III and his mother Elizabeth Cook McMahon. He is survived by his wife, LTC. Jeanette
McMahon; sons, Michael Jr., Thomas M., and Dennis IV. Wake is 7-9 p.m. Thurs., Dec 9, at
Hogan's Funeral Home, 135 Main St., Highland Falls, NY. His burial Mass is at Holy Trinity Chapel,
West Point, 1:30 p.m., Dec.10, followed by internment at the Post Cemetery with his brother.
Attending immediate family are his dad, LTC. Dennis R. McMahon Ret., and wife, Dr. Melanie
Crandall McMahon; sisters Lezle McMahon Harris with husband Jon, Nora McMahon Boyer with
husband Daniel, Kelly McMahon Cook with husband Dave, and Stacie McMahon Ferry with husband LTC. Michael
Ferry. The family sends an open INVITATION to friends attending the above services to join in the "Celebration of
Mike's Life" following at Eisenhower Hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for all remembrances go to the MIKE McMAHON FUND, St. John Vianney School,
940 Keoulu Dr., Kailua, HI 96734.
Published in Hartford Courant on December 8, 2004
Lt. Col. Michael J. McMahon
Ex-West Hartford Resident Among 3 Soldiers, 3 Civilians Killed
By JEFFREY B. COHEN Courant Staff Writer
December 2, 2004
Army Lt. Col. Michael J. McMahon, who grew up in West Hartford and graduated from Conard High
School, died Nov. 27, 2004 in a plane crash in the mountains near Bamiyan, Afghanistan. McMahon, 41, left
a wife, also a lieutenant colonel, and three children.
A U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who grew up in West Hartford died in a plane crash high in the snow-capped
mountains of Afghanistan Saturday, the Pentagon said Wednesday, apparently becoming the highest
ranking Army officer killed in that country during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lt. Col. Michael J. McMahon, 41, died in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, with two other soldiers and three civilians
when their civilian contract plane crashed atop Baba Mountain, which rises to 16,600 feet and was covered
in fresh snow, said Ghulam Mohammed, a senior police official in Bamiyan.
McMahon was the 20th person with Connecticut ties to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
He is to be buried next week at West Point, a family member said.
McMahon died on a return flight from a division headquarters meeting at Bagram Air Force Base, a family
member said. He had been in the country for six months.
"The indications we have is that [the plane] got into a valley and tried to gain altitude quickly," Maj. Gen. Eric
Olson said. "The pilot apparently recognized that he was not going to be able to gain altitude quickly enough
and tried to make a very dramatic turn, didn't make it and crashed into a very narrow valley."
A plane carrying the bodies of the six victims back to the United States left Bagram, Afghanistan, on
Tuesday evening, bound for Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, military spokesman Maj. Mark McCann
said.
Killed with McMahon were Chief Warrant Officer Travis W. Grogan, 31, of Moore, Okla.; and Spec. Harley
D. Miller, 21, of Spokane, Wash., as well as three civilian crew members aboard the plane.
According to a U.S. Army website, www.army.mil, only one other lieutenant colonel has died in Operation
Enduring Freedom, and he died in Turkey.
Nora Boyer, one of McMahon's sisters, said the family learned of his disappearance on Saturday.
"Between him and me it was always, `Mike, are you having the time of your life?'" she said Wednesday
night in a phone call from her home in New Jersey. "And he'd be saying, `Yep, Nora, I'm having the time of
my life.'"
"He was a man who loved his troops and would take care of them," Boyer said.
In addition to being a leader, her brother was also a juggler, so adept at juggling rocks that locals would
invite him into their homes to juggle, and then turn in their weapons, Boyer said.
Born at Fort Campbell, Ky., and raised in West Hartford, McMahon graduated in 1981 from Conard High
School, where he was a cheerleader. "He was a real rah-rah guy," Boyer said. He was the son of Elizabeth
and retired Lt. Col. Dennis McMahon. McMahon's stepmother was the late Maria O'Neil McMahon, a
Hartford native and former professor in the social work department at St. Joseph College in West Hartford.
McMahon graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1985 and was commissioned in the
aviation branch. He married his wife, Jeanette, in 1987. She is also a lieutenant colonel. They have three
children.
Beginning his service as a platoon leader and executive officer in the 101st Airborne Division, McMahon
would serve in various capacities at home and abroad in Europe and Korea before taking control of the 3rd
Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii on June 24, 2003.
In Afghanistan, McMahon commanded Task Force Saber, which covers the western region of the country,
according to military websites. Under his command were the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment of the
25th Infantry Division (Light) and Company B, 193rd Aviation Intermediate Maintenance, Hawaii Army
National Guard. Together, they were responsible for provincial reconstruction teams supporting security and
reconstruction efforts in the cities of Herat and Farah, the military said.
McMahon believed in preparing to be great by being good at the basics, he said in a statement of
philosophy on a military website. "Fundamental soldiering (marksmanship, common tasks, force protection)
must be second nature to all troopers," he wrote. "[T]he chain of command is sacred and is what truly sets
us apart from those we've sworn to defend."
"The health of the squadron is measured by the leadership we practice, the discipline we demand, and the
expectation of safety we require," he wrote.
McMahon had just completed a monthlong set of missions into the mountains, where he was commander,
when he called his family members on Thanksgiving, Boyer said.
And he had a lot to be thankful for - especially his recently received birthday package of a family movie, an
Army football T-shirt, and a banged-up bicycle helmet, she said.
The helmet was to remind him to keep his combat helmet on when he took off his helicopter pilot's helmet,
she said. Because one time, he didn't.
"He quelled some sort of uprising outside of Herat when he was involved in rescuing people from a U.N.
compound," Boyer said, adding that it was then that he was hit in the head with a rock in the process - an
incident for which he got a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, family members said.
So when they talked on Thanksgiving, McMahon told his sister that he'd wear the bicycle helmet with pride.
"He said he was going to put the helmet on and try to take care of himself better," she said.
Kelly Cook, another sister, said her brother was "charismatic, energetic, the pied piper, people followed him
everywhere, and he didn't say a bad thing about anybody. He'd ignore you if you did."
And he was a multi-tasker, she said. "He's the only person I knew who could watch TV, work on his
computer, and beat all his nieces and nephews at Skip-Bo at the same time," she said. Skip-Bo is a card
game, she said.
"They'd say, `Mike, Mike, pay attention,'" she said. "And he'd say, `I am paying attention.' And then he'd
beat everybody."
"Our hearts are broken," she said. "My heart is broken."
The plane was a fixed-wing CASA 212 and was designed to fly in and out of the kind of short, rough air
strips used to supply American forces deployed in remote areas of the country to search for Taliban and alQaida militants.
The U.S. Air Force contracted the plane from the Florida-based Presidential Airways.
McCann said the plane's flight recorder had been retrieved, but it was not clear what it showed about the
crash.
According to military news reports, McMahon's soldiers and others from Kandahar Airfield were about more
than waging war - this July, his soldiers volunteered in Shah Wali Kot, a town two hours north of Kandahar
for "Making A Difference Day."
"Those windows were full of bricks from when the Taliban used the building as a jail. We're here to help
[clean up the school] and make this a community project," McMahon told a military public affairs officer for
an article published on the 25th Infantry's website.
The town's children helped in the effort, he said.
"They're the future of Afghanistan. They're the ones that jump in and join us," he said.
A private prayer service for the three soldiers was scheduled for today at the base.
An Associated Press report is included in this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Staff Sgt. Henry E. Irizarry
Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 38 years old
Died: December 3, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, New York
Incident: Killed by roadside blast while on patrol in Taji.
Staff Sgt. Henry E. Irizarry
Bomb In Iraq Kills Waterbury Soldier
By MARYELLEN FILLO The Hartford Courant
December 7, 2004
Army Staff Sgt. Henry E. Irizarry of Waterbury died Dec. 3, 1004 in Taji, Iraq, when a roadside bomb
detonated near his vehicle. He was 38 years old.
WATERBURY -- A 38-year-old soldier from Waterbury was killed in Iraq when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his vehicle, the Department of Defense announced Monday.
Staff Sgt. Henry E. Irizarry died Friday in Taji, where his unit was on patrol, the department said.
``He wasn't happy about going to Iraq, but he knew it was his duty,'' said his widow, Jessica Irizarry, who
said she learned of her husband's death Friday night. ``He was in the reserves for 20 years, and he took the
responsibility seriously. He was such a good man.''
Irizarry was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, of New York. Army officials said Irizzary's
duties included reconnaissance and gathering information on the enemy.
On Monday, however, it was not his military ability that his wife recalled, but the personal side of a man she
described as the love of her life and ``the best father in the world.''
``He loved his children more than anything,'' said Jessica Irizarry, who met her husband in New York, where
they both lived before moving to Waterbury six years ago.
``We met through a friend,'' she recalled. ``And even after all these years of being married, I still loved the
way he still looked at me. I knew from the look how much I meant to him.''
The family moved to Connecticut in 1997. They were married for seven years, and have three children. He
has two from a previous relationship, and was a grandfather.
Jessica Irizarry described her husband as kind and generous, taking delight in making sure the couple and
their children took a vacation each year and spent time together whenever possible.
``He loved Disney World in Florida,'' she said. ``And he loved to go to movies.''
Henry Irizarry was a leader at Aposento Alto Pentecostal Church in Waterbury.
``Church was very important to him,'' his wife said.
He was employed at Industrial Heaters in Waterbury.
State and local officials mourned the loss of another Connecticut resident.
"It is so sad to hear of the death of another soldier from Connecticut," said Gov. M. Jodi Rell. "We are
seeing once again that war is taking a heavy toll on our nation's servicemen and women, as well as their
families and friends. I ask everyone in our state to help Staff Sergeant Irizarry's family through this tragedy
by keeping them in their thoughts and prayers. I also ask everyone to honor his service by keeping in their
prayers all of the men and women now risking their lives overseas to serve our nation."
Waterbury Mayor Michael J. Jarjura also offered condolences.
``I and our city are greatly saddened by the loss of this brave Waterburian who was fighting for the liberty
and freedom in the world,'' Jarjura said in a statement. ``Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family,
and the city will do whatever it can to assist them. We salute Army Staff Sgt. Irizarry's bravery, and are
moved by the sacrifices he and all enlisted men and women make for their country.''
State flags are already at half-staff in honor of Army Lt. Col. Michael J. McMahon, who died Nov. 27 in a
plane crash in Afghanistan.
Rell has ordered state flags to remain at half-staff until both soldiers have been interred. Details of funeral
arrangements have not been announced for either McMahon or Irizarry.
At least 21 people with Connecticut ties have died in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2002.
Staff Writer Anne Marie Somma contributed to this story, which also includes a wire report.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
After a brief meeting with his future wife Jessica, Henry E. Irizarry pestered a mutual friend for weeks to get together
with her again. Finally, the friend passed on Henry's number and she agreed to dinner _ and soon became entranced
with his green eyes. "When he met his wife, he changed his ways a bit and became a family man," said Sgt. 1st Class
Raul Colon Jr., who knew Irizarry for 15 years. "He loved his wife. He loved his kids." Irizarry, 38, of Waterbury,
Conn., died in a bomb explosion on Dec. 3. His National Guard unit is located in New York City. Irizarry was a
factory worker and 20-year veteran who was looking forward to retirement. Born in Puerto Rico, Irizarry moved to the
Bronx with his family when he was 7, his wife said. Colon knew Irizarry for 15 years and remembers catching baseball
games and parties early in their friendship. The family moved to Connecticut in 1997 in search of an easier life, Jessica
Irizarry said. They were married for seven years and had four children and a stepdaughter. In his final letter from Iraq,
Henry Irizarry told his wife to make plans for a family Christmas because he was coming home on leave.
Staff Sgt. Henry Irizarry
Tuesday, December 07 2004 @ 08:18 AM MST
NYDailyNews -- New York wept again yesterday for a fallen hero as yet another soldier from a
Manhattan-based reserve unit was killed in Iraq.
As funerals were being planned for two soldiers, the military announced that Staff Sgt. Henry Irizarry, a
son of the Bronx, was killed when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb outside Baghdad.
"He loved being a soldier," said Brenda Irizarry, the slain man's sister, in her Brooklyn apartment. "Ever
since he was little, he wanted to be one."
Irizarry, 38, father of four and a devout born-again Christian, had told his wife in his last letter he hoped to
be home for Christmas.
Instead, he became the third soldier from Manhattan's 69th Infantry Regiment of the Army National Guard
to die in Iraq in recent days.
"Staff Sgt. Irizarry risked his life to spread the cause of freedom and to make our world safe from threats
of terror," Gov. Pataki said.
Last week, Bronx firefighter Christian Engeldrum and Long Island security guard Wilfredo Urbina were
killed when their Humvee drove over a similar roadside bomb near Fallujah.
On a windy, rain-swept day, the flags flew at half-staff for all three slain soldiers at the unit's
headquarters, on Lexington Ave. and E. 26th St.
"He had been in Iraq only one month," said Irizarry's widow, Jessica. "He was a good
man."
Even Irizarry's youngest son knew something was terribly wrong when military officers in
full dress uniform came to knock on the door of the family's home Saturday.
Jacob Irizarry, 5, started sobbing when the soldiers started to tell his mom that his dad
had been killed in Iraq Friday.
"He overheard what the men said and began to cry," said Jessica Irizarry.
Henry Irizarry was killed when insurgents set off a remote-control bomb, blowing him out of the right side
of his military vehicle, authorities said.
Three other men in the Humvee survived the attack near the town of Taji, 30 miles north of Baghdad.
Born in Puerto Rico, Irizarry moved with his family to the Bronx as a teenager and graduated from William
H. Taft High School.
He grew up idolizing his father, who joined the Army and fought in the Korean War.
"He wanted to be brave, like him," Brenda Irizarry said.
Irizarry's wife met him at a party and later cajoled a friend into handing over his phone number. He
agreed to a dinner date, and it changed their lives.
Irizarry has three sons and a daughter, ranging in age from 5 to 18. Looking for a better life, he moved a
few years ago to Waterbury, Conn.
He joined the Army Reserves when he was 18, but had never been sent abroad until this year. Even
though his unit saw plenty of action, Irizarry told his wife not to worry when he called home.
"He said, so far, he was okay," she recalled, choking back tears.
Just days before he died, Irizarry called his sister to tell her he was being sent to a more dangerous area
of Iraq.
"The last thing he said was he didn't know when he was going to talk to us again," said Brenda Irizarry.
"Then he said, 'God bless you.' He always said that. He was a very spiritual person."
The grieving widow said her husband did not agree with the decision to invade Iraq - but believed it was
not his role to question his commanders.
"I don't see any clear reason for this war, but what can you do?" she asked. "He was a soldier and had to
fulfill his duty."
Brenda Irizarry is happy her brother will be buried with the highest military honors, even though it will not
help his four children grow up without their father.
"It's good they're honoring him. It shows they know what a good soldier they lost," she said, clutching his
Army photographs. "But we'd rather have him home."
Conn. soldier wrote he'd be home for holiday
Before Iraq leave, died in bomb blast
By Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press | December 7, 2004
HARTFORD -- In his final letter home from Iraq, Staff Sergeant Henry E. Irizarry told his wife to make plans
for a family Christmas because he was going to be on leave.
Instead, Jessica Irizarry is making funeral arrangements. Her husband died Friday when a bomb exploded
near his vehicle in Taji, Army officials said yesterday.
Irizarry, 38, left his Waterbury home in October, his wife said. A 20-year Army veteran, he was looking
forward to retirement.
"I worried, of course, but he said nothing was going to happen," she said yesterday. "He was going to come
back. Everything was going to be OK."
Born in Puerto Rico, Irizarry moved to the Bronx with his family when he was 7, his wife said.
Jessica and Henry met through a mutual friend. Henry pestered the friend for weeks to get them together
again. She agreed to dinner and immediately noticed his green eyes, her favorite feature on her husbandto-be.
"When he met his wife, he changed his ways a bit and became a family man," said Sergeant First Class
Raul Colon Jr., a friend for 15 years. "He loved his wife. He loved his kids."
The family moved to Connecticut in 1997 in search of an easier life, Jessica Irizarry said. They were married
for seven years. He had four children and a stepdaughter, family members said.
A factory worker, he loved movies and family vacations to Disney World.
Irizarry was assigned to the First Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, based in New York City.
"It is so sad to hear of the death of another soldier from Connecticut," Governor M. Jodi Rell said. "We are
seeing once again that war is taking a heavy toll on our nation's service men and women, as well as their
families and friends."
Henry Irizarry's mother lives in Waterbury, his father in Puerto Rico.
The Connecticut flag was already at half-staff in honor of Army Lieutenant Colonel Michael J. McMahon,
who died Nov. 27 in a plane crash in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Rell has ordered state flags to remain at halfstaff until both soldiers are buried. Details of funeral arrangements have not been announced for either
McMahon or Irizarry. Jessica Irizarry said she thinks her husband's body will be home by the end of the
week.
At least 21 people with Connecticut ties have died in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2002.
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
BLAST IN IRAQ CLAIMS ANOTHER SON OF CITY
Bronx native swells New York's toll of sacrifice
BY KERRY BURKE, ALBOR RUIZ AND DAVE GOLDINER DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Tuesday, December 7th 2004, 6:49AM
NEW YORK WEPT AGAIN yesterday for a fallen hero as yet another soldier from a Manhattan-based
reserve unit was killed in Iraq.
As funerals were being planned for two soldiers, the military announced that Staff Sgt. Henry Irizarry, a son
of the Bronx, was killed when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb outside Baghdad.
"He loved being a soldier," said Brenda Irizarry, the slain man's sister, in her Brooklyn apartment. "Ever
since he was little, he wanted to be one."
Irizarry, 38, father of four and a devout born-again Christian, had told his wife in his last letter he hoped to
be home for Christmas.
Instead, he became the third soldier from Manhattan's 69th Infantry Regiment of the Army National Guard to
die in Iraq in recent days.
"Staff Sgt. Irizarry risked his life to spread the cause of freedom and to make our world safe from threats of
terror," Gov. Pataki said.
Last week, Bronx firefighter Christian Engeldrum and Long Island security guard Wilfredo Urbina were killed
when their Humvee drove over a similar roadside bomb near Fallujah.
On a windy, rain-swept day, the flags flew at half-staff for all three slain soldiers at the unit's headquarters,
on Lexington Ave. and E. 26th St.
"He had been in Iraq only one month," said Irizarry's widow, Jessica. "He was a good man."
Even Irizarry's youngest son knew something was terribly wrong when military officers in full dress uniform
came to knock on the door of the family's home Saturday.
Jacob Irizarry, 5, started sobbing when the soldiers started to tell his mom that his dad had been killed in
Iraq Friday.
"He overheard what the men said and began to cry," said Jessica Irizarry.
Henry Irizarry was killed when insurgents set off a remote-control bomb, blowing him out of the right side of
his military vehicle, authorities said.
Three other men in the Humvee survived the attack near the town of Taji, 30 miles north of Baghdad.
Born in Puerto Rico, Irizarry moved with his family to the Bronx as a teenager and graduated from William
H. Taft High School.
He grew up idolizing his father, who joined the Army and fought in the Korean War.
"He wanted to be brave, like him," Brenda Irizarry said.
Irizarry's wife met him at a party and later cajoled a friend into handing over his phone number. He agreed
to a dinner date, and it changed their lives.
Irizarry has three sons and a daughter, ranging in age from 5 to 18. Looking for a better life, he moved a few
years ago to Waterbury, Conn.
He joined the Army Reserves when he was 18, but had never been sent abroad until this year. Even though
his unit saw plenty of action, Irizarry told his wife not to worry when he called home.
"He said, so far, he was okay," she recalled, choking back tears.
Just days before he died, Irizarry called his sister to tell her he was being sent to a more dangerous area of
Iraq.
"The last thing he said was he didn't know when he was going to talk to us again," said Brenda Irizarry.
"Then he said, 'God bless you.' He always said that. He was a very spiritual person."
The grieving widow said her husband did not agree with the decision to invade Iraq - but believed it was not
his role to question his commanders.
"I don't see any clear reason for this war, but what can you do?" she asked. "He was a soldier and had to
fulfill his duty."
Brenda Irizarry is happy her brother will be buried with the highest military honors, even though it will not
help his four children grow up without their father.
"It's good they're honoring him. It shows they know what a good soldier they lost," she said, clutching his
Army photographs. "But we'd rather have him home."
dgoldiner@nydailynews.com
Spec. Robert W. Hoyt
Hometown: Ashford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: December 11, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army National Guard, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard, Bristol,
Conn.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near their Humvee in Baghdad.
Robert W. Hoyt yelled to his buddies that he loved them all as they carried him on a stretcher to a
waiting helicopter. They figured Hoyt was going home to recover from wounds he sustained when a
bomb detonated near his convoy in Baghdad, that he'd welcome them all home in the spring.
Within a few hours, they learned they'd never see him again. "I hate it. I hate it," said Sgt. Charles
McDonald. "We thought he was going to make it. He was fighting." Hoyt, 21, of Ashford, Conn.,
died Dec. 11. He was based in Bristol, Conn. Steve Pozzato, one of his best friends, said he, Hoyt
and Hoyt's brother grew up together. The three boys played with Legos, graduated to video games,
and as teens formed a rock band called Clarion. "I'm going to mourn him as my brother," Pozzato
said. Hoyt was a 2001 high school graduate. English teacher Pat Baruzzi said Hoyt would write often
about his family, especially his mother. "He always had the desire to do the right thing," she said.
"He was the strong, silent type." Hoyt is survived by his parents, Kathleen and Thomas.
Robert William Hoyt
HOYT, Robert William Robert William Hoyt, 21, a beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, friend, warrior, combat
veteran and Hero, died Saturday, (December 11, 2004) in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his HMMWV while conducting convoy operations. Hoyt was assigned to the Army National Guard's C
Company, 1st Battalion 102nd Infantry, Bristol. Robert Hoyt was born in Manchester to Kathleen and Thomas D. Hoyt,
Sr. He grew up in Mansfield, was a 2001 graduate of Edwin O. Smith High School and enlisted in the Connecticut
National Guard in 2002. Hoyt had a love for sports and music. He played football and ran track in high school. He also
coached football for the Mansfield youth league. He was an employee of Wing Foot Commercial Tire. Soldiering is an
affair of the heart, and it is that spirit, that fundamental commitment to volunteer, to place the Nation's needs above
one's own, that makes Robert Hoyt one of the best Soldiers in the world today. Robert Hoyt was a great Soldier, who
voluntarily answered the call to duty. He was a true hero. He was predeceased by his grandmother, Etta Zwick and his
grandfather, Ross Russell. Survivors include mother, Kathleen Hoyt of Storrs, father, Thomas Hoyt of Ashford; his
brother, Thomas Hoyt, Jr.; two sisters, Ginger and Amber Hoyt; grandmothers, Clara Russell and Nancy Cunningham;
grandfathers, Samuel Zwick and Paul Cunningham; 26 aunts and uncles; many cousins and countless friends. A
Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, December 21, 11 a.m. at St. Mary Church, 1600 Main St., Rt. 31, Coventry with
the Rev. Dr. Bruce Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Mansfield Center Cemetery. Calling hours will be held TODAY,
December 19, 3-9 p.m. at St. Mary Church, 1600 Main St., Coventry.
Memorial contributions may be made in Robert's name to the Robert W. Hoyt Memorial Scholarship, c/o Deborah
McCracken, New Alliance Bank, 6 Storrs Rd., Willimantic, CT 06226.
Published in Hartford Courant on December 19, 2004
Spc. Robert Hoyt
By STEVEN GOODE The Hartford Courant December 15, 2004
Army Spc. Robert Hoyt, a member of the C Company, 102nd Infantry Battalion from Bristol, was killed Dec.
11, 2004 when his armored vehicle struck a bomb in Baghdad. He was a graduate of E.O Smith High
School in Storrs and has family in the Ashford area. He was 21 years old.
Rob Hoyt and Steve Pozzato grew up together in Ashford, where they were next-door neighbors and best
friends. They did typical kid things such as riding bicycles, playing video games and football and forming
their own rock `n' roll band.
After they graduated from E. O. Smith High School in Storrs in 2001, the two got jobs, lived together for a
while and continued to pursue their dream of becoming professional musicians.
Until the day Hoyt announced that he was joining the Connecticut National Guard.
"I never saw it coming," Pozzato said Tuesday. "He just wanted to do something. And if he felt like doing
something, he did it."
Spec. Hoyt, 21 - born on the 4th of July - was killed Saturday near Camp Taji, Iraq, when a bomb planted in
the road detonated beneath his armored Humvee. He was thrown onto the roadway, and as the air filled
with smoke was run over by a truck. Hoytwas with a unit escorting trucks loaded with confiscated Iraqi
ammunition from Camp Taji, which is northwest of Baghdad, to another base for destruction.
"He died doing what was expected," Pozzato said. "He died a soldier, and he was a damn good one."
Pozzato, 21, remembered that Hoyt, whom he had known since age 3, was a talented drummer and
songwriter for their band, called Clarion.
"All our songs had a theme, a point to them: Give it everything you got," Pozzato said. "And everything he
did, he did all the way."
At E. O. Smith Tuesday, several teachers recalled Hoyt as a quiet, intelligent, independent student with a
sense of humor and a joy for music and life.
"He always had the desire to do the right thing," said Pat Baruzzi. "He was the strong, silent type."
Baruzzi, who had Hoyt in her English class for his junior year, said he would write often about his family,
especially his mother, Kathleen Hoyt.
"He really was a fine young man," she said.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant