2007
Lance Cpl. Luis J. Castillo
Hometown: Lawton, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: January 20, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves, Marine Forces Reserve?s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Lansing, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
By insisting on accomplishing everything on his own, Luis J. Castillo was an inspiration to his nieces
and nephew. "He wouldn't let anybody do anything for him. He wanted to do it for himself," said his
niece, Adelaida Suarez. "He was a very good role model." Castillo, 20, of Lawton, Mich., died Jan. 20
of gunshot wounds while on patrol in Anbar province. He was assigned to Lansing. Born in Mexico
City, Castillo moved with his family to Michigan when he was 3. He graduated high school in 2004.
Castillo was known for his love of dancing and an ability to light up a room with his sense of humor.
"He was funny," said his sister-in-law, Rosemary Suarez. "He was a friendly person, a person that you
could rely on. He was a happy person, very athletic, and he always enjoyed going to dance parties,"
said his older brother, Juan Suarez. "His goal was to be somebody in life and to become a cop." Pilar
Castillo has many fond memories of her younger brother. A recent one involved a July going-away
party for him at an amusement park when he decided to bungee jump. He also is survived by his
mother, Raquel Garcia.
Governor orders flags lowered to honor Marine
The Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Jennifer Granholm ordered that U.S. flags be lowered Jan. 30 to honor a
Marine from Michigan who died in Iraq.
The order issued Jan. 26 honors Lance Cpl. Luis J. Castillo of Lawton, who died Jan. 20 from
wounds received while conducting combat operations in Anbar province.
Castillo, 20, was assigned to the Marine Force Reserves 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division, in Lansing.
Michigan Marine, soldiers killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
A Marine corporal from Milford, Mich., was killed while serving in Iraq, according to the U.S.
Department of Defense.
Mark D. Kidd, 26, died Jan. 25 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province.
Kidd was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division in Mount Clemens, Mich.
He was one semester away from graduating from Eastern Michigan University, where he was a
pre-law student with hopes of becoming an international lawyer, the Detroit Free Press reported.
He graduated from Wixom Christian School in 1998.
Kidd had served three tours of duty in Iraq before he volunteered to be deployed in August.
He was the third member of the military with Michigan ties to die in Iraq in a week.
Marine Lance Cpl. Luis J. Castillo, 20, of Lawton died Jan. 20, also while conducting combat
operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Lansing.
On Jan. 22, Army Spc. Brandon Stout, 23, of Grand Rapids was killed when an explosive
detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. Stout was assigned to the 46th Military Police Company,
Michigan Army National Guard in Kingsford.
Stout was a 2002 graduate of Kent City High School, about 20 miles north of Grand Rapids. After
being activated in July, Stout deployed to Fort Dix, N.J., and reached Iraq in October. He was
assigned to help Iraqi police with their duties, his mother-in-law, Laura Hinken, told The Grand
Rapids Press.
Hinken, of Grand Rapids, said she regarded Stout as her own son.
“Oh, man, if I gave birth to him, I could not love him any more,” she said. “You met him, and you
liked him right away. He was the most wonderful husband that I could ask a daughter to have.”
Her daughter, Audrey, who lives with Laura Hinken and her husband Gary, learned at the same
time that her husband had died.
Audrey Stout said her husband joined the Guard in June 2003.
“He just really felt called to serve,” she said. “He had hoped to be a chaplain’s assistant when he
joined the Guard. But he was very proud to be an MP.”
The pair met while attending Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing. They were married in May
2005 and she moved back in with her parents after he shipped out.
Stout’s mother, Tracy Anderson, 39, of Kent City, said she was comforted by the fact that her son
believed in what he was doing in Iraq.
“He knew it was his job and he was proud to serve,” Anderson said. “He didn’t complain. He didn’t
try to get out of it. He was very proud to want to go and serve.”
Spec. Brandon L. Stout
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: January 22, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 46th Military Police Company, Michigan Army National Guard, Kingsford, Mich.
Incident: Killed when an explosively formed projectile detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad.
One of the things Brandon L. Stout did while in Iraq was to start collecting soccer balls from home to give to needy
children. "He would always look for something he could do good," said Stout's stepfather, Jeff Anderson. Stout, 23, of
Grand Rapids, Mich., was killed Jan. 22 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was
assigned to Kingsford. "He was always the one to jump forward. If something needed to be done, he would just jump
up and do it," said Stout's squad leader, Staff Sgt. William Paine. "I wish I had 10 more soldiers just like him." Teacher
Rhonda Vanderwest recalled Stout as a sometimes-irrepressible senior in the school choir. "He stood up for his faith
and he stood up for what he believed in," she said. "He wasn't shy about anything." Stout's mother, Tracy Anderson,
was comforted by the fact that her son believed in what he was doing. "He knew it was his job, and he was proud to
serve," Anderson said. "He didn't complain. He didn't try to get out of it." He also is survived by his wife, Audrey. "He
represented everything good about America," Anderson said.
Army Spc. Brandon L. Stout
Died January 22, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
23, of Grand Rapids, Mich.; assigned to the 46th Military Police Company, Michigan Army National
Guard, Kingsford, Mich.; died Jan. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an explosively
formed projectile detonated near his vehicle.
Michigan Marine, soldiers killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
A Marine corporal from Milford, Mich., was killed while serving in Iraq, according to the U.S.
Department of Defense.
Mark D. Kidd, 26, died Jan. 25 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province.
Kidd was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division in Mount Clemens, Mich.
He was one semester away from graduating from Eastern Michigan University, where he was a
pre-law student with hopes of becoming an international lawyer, the Detroit Free Press reported.
He graduated from Wixom Christian School in 1998.
Kidd had served three tours of duty in Iraq before he volunteered to be deployed in August.
He was the third member of the military with Michigan ties to die in Iraq in a week.
Marine Lance Cpl. Luis J. Castillo, 20, of Lawton died Jan. 20, also while conducting combat
operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Lansing.
On Jan. 22, Army Spc. Brandon Stout, 23, of Grand Rapids was killed when an explosive
detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. Stout was assigned to the 46th Military Police Company,
Michigan Army National Guard in Kingsford.
Stout was a 2002 graduate of Kent City High School, about 20 miles north of Grand Rapids. After
being activated in July, Stout deployed to Fort Dix, N.J., and reached Iraq in October. He was
assigned to help Iraqi police with their duties, his mother-in-law, Laura Hinken, told The Grand
Rapids Press.
Hinken, of Grand Rapids, said she regarded Stout as her own son.
“Oh, man, if I gave birth to him, I could not love him any more,” she said. “You met him, and you
liked him right away. He was the most wonderful husband that I could ask a daughter to have.”
Her daughter, Audrey, who lives with Laura Hinken and her husband Gary, learned at the same
time that her husband had died.
Audrey Stout said her husband joined the Guard in June 2003.
“He just really felt called to serve,” she said. “He had hoped to be a chaplain’s assistant when he
joined the Guard. But he was very proud to be an MP.”
The pair met while attending Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing. They were married in May
2005 and she moved back in with her parents after he shipped out.
Stout’s mother, Tracy Anderson, 39, of Kent City, said she was comforted by the fact that her son
believed in what he was doing in Iraq.
“He knew it was his job and he was proud to serve,” Anderson said. “He didn’t complain. He didn’t
try to get out of it. He was very proud to want to go and serve.”
Brandon L. Stout
Saturday, January 27 2007 @ 08:35 AM MST
Contributed by: River97
DetNews.com --One of the things Spc. Brandon L. Stout did during his mission in Iraq was to start
collecting soccer balls from home to give to needy children in Iraq. "He would always look for something
he could do good," said Stout's step-father, Jeff Anderson.
Stout, 23, of Kent City was killed Monday in Baghdad, Iraq, when his Humvee struck a roadside bomb.
Stout was a reservist in the Michigan Army National Guard. He was assigned to the 46th Military Police
Company and was deployed to Iraq in July. Before leaving, he worked as a Transportation Security
Administration screener at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.
Born in Grand Rapids, Stout was raised in Kent City, a small town 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids. He
was a 2002 graduate of Kent City High School.
Stout's family said he "loved serving his president and his country."
"He represented everything good about America," Anderson said. "He did the job that had to be done. War
wasn't his choosing but when the time came he was ready to stand up and serve his country."
Dusty VanderMeer, Stout's brother-in-law, said he was a fun-loving person and devout Christian. "He had a
strong faith in the Lord," said VanderMeer. "He knew who to put first in his life the Lord and Audrey (his
wife)," he said.
VanderMeer was a groomsman in Stout's 2005 wedding. He said Stout and his wife communicated
frequently through instant messages on the Internet.
Stout's wife did not want to comment but VanderMeer said she appeared to be holding up from the news
that her husband was dead.
"It's still kind of surreal," he said. "When things really hit home (for her) it's going to be difficult. She has a
good family and church family to help."
Funeral arrangements for Stout are pending.
He is survived by his wife, Audrey; his parents, Tracy and Jeff Anderson; a brother, Adam Stout; a stepbrother, Andrew Anderson; three step-sisters, Stephanie, Kristina and Elizabeth Anderson; and his
grandparents.
Cpl. Mark D. Kidd
Hometown: Milford, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: January 25, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, Marine Forces Reserve?s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Mount
Clemens, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Even though he had served three tours in Iraq, Mark D. Kidd was called up to serve again last April. "He proudly went
back," said family spokeswoman Paige George. "He told his parents 'If I don't go, someone else will have to.' And he
went with his head held up in honor." Kidd, 26, of Milford, Mich., was fatally shot Jan. 25 while on duty at a
checkpoint between Fallujah and Baghdad. He was a 1998 high school graduate and was assigned to Mount Clemens.
Kidd, who loved jazz music and hanging out with friends, wanted to become an international lawyer and was one
semester away from graduating with a pre-law degree from Eastern Michigan University. "Mark was very brave. He
managed to squeeze three and a half years of studies into an 18-month period," said friend and EMU alumna,
Samantha Moody. Kidd is survived by his father, Frank, and his mother, Janet. "Mark was the very definition of what
it means to be a true American. He was proud of his accomplishments, he was completely selfless and would help his
fellow man at a moment's notice, and he loved his country," Moody said. "Mark will be missed."
Mark David Kidd
Kidd, Mark David Corporal Milford, MI Corporal Mark D. Kidd, age 26 of Milford, died January 25, 2007 in the Anbar
province in Iraq while serving his country as a Marine. He was born April 14, 1980, in Dearborn the son of Frank and
Janet Kidd. Mark graduated from Wixom Christian School in 1998 and attended Eastern Michigan University with
plans on practicing International Law for the US State Dept. He attended Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in
Brighton was a strong Christian man and a true patriot. He enjoyed meeting new people, politics, and listening to
jazz. Mark joined the United States Marine Corp on January 1, 2000 and was on active duty until December 31, 2005.
In April 2006, Mark was asked to serve his country again, and he willingly and proudly returned to active service. He
volunteered to be deployed back to Iraq in August of 2006. In all, Mark served three tours of duty, gladly answering
his country's call to serve against the war on terror. He was proud to be a Marine, and served with honor. At the time
of his death, Mark was a Corporal assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division in Mt. Clemens. Surviving in addition to his parents is his brother, Matthew Kidd of Milford, his
grandparents, Hulda and Dan Piercecchi of Livonia and Wanda and Joseph Kidd of Milford. He is also survived by
numerous extended family members and friends. Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 1, 2007 from 6-8 p.m.
and on Friday, February 2, 2007 from 1-5 and 6-8 p.m. at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, 9455 Hilton Rd. Brighton, 48114. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 3, at 11:00 a.m. also at Cornerstone Church, with
visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Interment with military honors will follow at Brighton Hills Cemetery,
Brighton. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Cornerstone Christian School, Brighton, in
honor and remembrance of Mark. To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit the family web page
at www.keehnfuneralhome.com. Please click on "sign and view family guestbook."
Published in AnnArbor.com on January 31, 2007
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Dedicated Marine Is Laid to Rest
Corporal Felt 'Responsibility to Duty' in Iraq, Brother Says
By Mark Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
During his military career, Marine Cpl. Mark D. Kidd served three tours in Iraq, two of which were
extended. But that didn't stop him from volunteering to return to the service for a fourth tour last year.
Kidd, 26, of Milford, Mich., was killed by a sniper's bullet Jan. 25 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was initially
buried in his home state of Michigan but was brought to Arlington National Cemetery yesterday for
interment, per his wishes.
"My brother was an incredible person. . . . He volunteered to go back," Matt Kidd said. "He said, 'If I don't
do it, somebody else will have to.' "
Kidd's parents, Frank and Janet Kidd, accepted a folded American flag yesterday after bringing their son to
his final resting place. He was the 358th service member killed in Iraq to be buried at Arlington.
Marine Cpl. Mark D. Kidd volunteered for a fourth tour in Iraq, saying, "If I don't do it, someone else will have to,"
according to his brother. His parents, Janet and Frank Kidd, left and center, attended his interment at Arlington. (By
Pouya Dianat -- The Washington Post)
Kidd joined the military in January 2000 and served five years before attending Eastern Michigan
University. In just a year and a half, Kidd took 18 to 25 credit hours a semester and was about a semester
away from graduating with a degree in political science.
"He was very focused on his studies," said Judy Kullberg, a political science professor at Eastern Michigan.
"That was one of the indicators of his level of maturity. His experiences in Iraq had made him very focused,
very intent on getting as much knowledge as he could."
Kidd took an international relations course with Kullberg. He wanted to understand what had brought the
United States to Iraq, she said. He was particularly interested in the causes of war and thinking critically
about warfare.
When Kidd was in Iraq, his mother sent him cookies and other treats two or three times a month, but he
requested reading material. He once called his brother and asked for a copy of economist Milton Friedman's
latest book.
Whenever he had a free moment, he'd be reading," Matt Kidd said. He especially loved politics and foreign
policy.
Kidd subscribed to various foreign affairs magazines, listened to Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan and loved to
eat. He was a tall, slender man who could eat "incredible amounts of food," his brother said.
He also asked a lot of questions. In the service, he would ask his commanding officer half a dozen questions
at a time about such topics as leadership. He often quizzed his professors after class and had a love for
political argumentation that led him to the Model United Nations while in college.
"He loved to debate his entire life," Matt Kidd said. "In fact, he'd actually provoke a group just to get a
debate going on."
Kidd was thinking about attending law school in the Washington area, and he had decided he wanted to work
for the State Department after seeing what its personnel did during his first tour in Iraq.
Eastern Michigan awarded him a posthumous honorary degree, which came with a report card. Despite his
heavy course load, Kidd's lowest grade had been a C in art; otherwise, he'd earned nothing lower than a B,
his brother said.
In April 2006, he volunteered to return to Iraq with the Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based at Mount Clemens, Mich. He had bad knees, bad enough to keep him
from serving. But Kidd talked his way around it to ensure that he could serve again.
"He said, 'We have to be there. We have to take care of it. There's terrible things happening,' " Matt Kidd
said. "He felt the responsibility to duty."
Mark David Kidd
Corporal, United States Marine Corps
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 098-07
January 26, 2007
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Corporal Mark D. Kidd, 26, of Milford, Michigan, died January 25, 2007, from
wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. Kidd was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Mount Clemens, Michigan.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the
Marine Forces Reserve public affairs office at (504) 678-4177.
Dedicated Marine Is Laid to Rest
Corporal Felt 'Responsibility to Duty' in Iraq, Brother Says
By Mark Berman
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
During his military career, Marine Corporal Mark D. Kidd served three tours
in Iraq, two of which were extended. But that didn't stop him from volunteering
to return to the service for a fourth tour last year.
Kidd, 26, of Milford, Michigan, was killed by a sniper's bullet January 25, 2007,
in Iraq's Anbar province. He was initially buried in his home state of Michigan
but was brought to Arlington National Cemetery yesterday for interment, per
his wishes.
Marine Corporal Mark D. Kidd volunteered for a fourth tour in Iraq, saying, "If I don't do it,
someone else will have to,"
according to his brother. His parents, Janet and Frank Kidd, left and center, attended his
interment at Arlington.
"My brother was an incredible person. . . . He volunteered to go back," Matt
Kidd said. "He said, 'If I don't do it, somebody else will have to.' "
Kidd's parents, Frank and Janet Kidd, accepted a folded American flag
yesterday after bringing their son to his final resting place. He was the 358th
service member killed in Iraq to be buried at Arlington.
Kidd joined the military in January 2000 and served five years before attending
Eastern Michigan University. In just a year and a half, Kidd took 18 to 25 credit
hours a semester and was about a semester away from graduating with a degree
in political science.
"He was very focused on his studies," said Judy Kullberg, a political science
professor at Eastern Michigan. "That was one of the indicators of his level of
maturity. His experiences in Iraq had made him very focused, very intent on
getting as much knowledge as he could."
Kidd took an international relations course with Kullberg. He wanted to
understand what had brought the United States to Iraq, she said. He was
particularly interested in the causes of war and thinking critically about
warfare.
When Kidd was in Iraq, his mother sent him cookies and other treats two or
three times a month, but he requested reading material. He once called his
brother and asked for a copy of economist Milton Friedman's latest book.
"Whenever he had a free moment, he'd be reading," Matt Kidd said. He
especially loved politics and foreign policy.
Kidd subscribed to various foreign affairs magazines, listened to Johnny Cash
and Bob Dylan and loved to eat. He was a tall, slender man who could eat
"incredible amounts of food," his brother said.
He also asked a lot of questions. In the service, he would ask his commanding
officer half a dozen questions at a time about such topics as leadership. He often
quizzed his professors after class and had a love for political argumentation that
led him to the Model United Nations while in college.
"He loved to debate his entire life," Matt Kidd said. "In fact, he'd actually
provoke a group just to get a debate going on."
Kidd was thinking about attending law school in the Washington area, and he
had decided he wanted to work for the State Department after seeing what its
personnel did during his first tour in Iraq.
Eastern Michigan awarded him a posthumous honorary degree, which came
with a report card. Despite his heavy course load, Kidd's lowest grade had been
a C in art; otherwise, he'd earned nothing lower than a B, his brother said.
In April 2006, he volunteered to return to Iraq with the Marine Forces
Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based at
Mount Clemens, Mich. He had bad knees, bad enough to keep him from
serving. But Kidd talked his way around it to ensure that he could serve again.
"He said, 'We have to be there. We have to take care of it. There's terrible
things happening,' " Matt Kidd said. "He felt the responsibility to duty."
A fallen marine's wishes were fulfilled this week. On Tuesday, Marine Corporal Mark
David Kidd, who was killed in Iraq the morning of Thursday, January 25, 2007, was buried
at Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors. Mark is the son of Janet and
Frank Kidd. Janet is an art instructor at Fenton High School.
Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson
According to previous reports, Mark was killed at a dangerous checkpoint
between Fallujah and Baghdad and was shot in the neck by a sniper.
He joined the U.S. Marines on January 1, 2000 and was on active duty until
December 31, 2005. He had served in Iraq for three active tours of duty. After
one person in his unit was shot, Kidd chose to stay and do another tour (fourth)
and replace him.
Mark's brother Matt, and his parents attended the private service.
"It was my brother's request," said Matt. "This whole thing is tough."
Matt said his brother strongly believed in the reasons why our country is at war
in Iraq.
"My brother's sacrifice was not for nothing," said Matt.
Navy Chaplain Lieutenant Ron Nordan, right, presides over the burial service for Marine Corps
Corporal
Mark David Kidd, Tuesday, August 14, 2007, at Arlington National Cemetery
A Marine Corps honor guard inspects an American flag prior to its presentation to the parents
of Marine Corps Corporal Mark David Kidd during his burial service, Tuesday, August 14,
2007, at Arlington National Cemetery
A Marine Corps bugler plays taps during the burial service for Marine Corps
Corporal Mark David Kidd, Tuesday, August 14, 2007, at Arlington National Cemetery
KIDD, MARK DAVID
CPL US MARINE CORPS
DATE OF BIRTH: 04/14/1980
DATE OF DEATH: 01/25/2007
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8649
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Posted: 15 August 2007 Updated: 22 August 2007 Updated: 24 August 2007 Updated: 27 August 2007
Updated: 19 October 2007
Mark David Kidd
Mark David Kidd
Milford, Michigan
January 25, 2007
Age Military
26
Marine
Rank
Unit/Location
Cpl
Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division
Mount Clemens, Michigan
Killed while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
From the Tri County Times 01/29/07:
Local marine killed in Iraq
Son of FHS teacher shot by sniper Thursday morning
By: Vera Hogan, Editor
01/29/2007
The war in Iraq has hit home.
U.S. Marine Cpl. Mark David Kidd, 26, of Milford, was killed at a dangerous
checkpoint between Fallujah and Baghdad the morning of Thursday, Jan. 25.
According to the family spokesperson and close personal friend Paige
George, Kidd was shot in the neck by a sniper.
Kidd joined the U.S. Marines on Jan. 1, 2000, and was on active duty until
Dec. 31, 2005. He had served in Iraq for two active tours of duty, however,
one person in his unit was shot and Kidd chose to stay and do another tour
and replace him.
"He didn't have to do that," George said. "That turned his two tours
technically into three."
Kidd was honorably discharged and started attending Eastern Michigan
University, where in 18 months he earned enough credit to graduate with only
one semester left. "He was one semester shy of graduation," George said.
Kidd planned on attending law school, where he was going to major in
international law.
"He was planning on working for the (U.S.) State Department," George said.
"He was ready."
In April of 2006, Kidd was called back to duty with the Michigan Marine
National Guard based out of Selfridge. His unit is still deployed in Iraq.
On the morning of his death, Kidd had just been moved to a dangerous
checkpoint between Fallujah and Baghdad, when he was shot and killed.
Kidd's mother Janet is an art instructor at Fenton High School. "Mark proudly
served the U.S. Marine Corps with honor. May God continue to bless
America," she said.
Kidd's father Frank Kidd said his son had technically served three tours of
duty in Iraq when he was called to serve a fourth. Kidd told his father, "If I
don't go and serve someone will have to, so I will go and serve with honor."
Superintendent Peggy Yates said, "The entire Fenton Area Public School
family mourns the Kidd family's loss. Mark, directly and indirectly, impacted
the lives of many within our district."
Pam Bunka, a Fenton High School instructor and friend to Janet Kidd, said,
"Mark was always thinking about others. During his first tour of duty, he told
his mom how much he looked forward to and appreciated her care packages.
He always shared the cookies and other goodies Janet sent to him, but he said
he felt badly when some of guys serving with him received nothing from
home.
"Janet could not bear to hear this, so she immediately began organizing drives
to send care packages to men serving with Mark," Bunka added. "Just last
week she started her annual Valentine's Day project for our troops. This type
of selflessness and compassion for others is a way of life for the entire
family."
Kidd attended Wixom Christian School. In addition to his parents Frank and
Janet Kidd of Milford, he is survived by a brother, Matthew. His grandparents
are Joseph and Wanda Kidd of Milford, and Daniel and Hulda Piercecchi of
Livonia.
Although details are still pending, Kidd's funeral will take place at
Cornerstone Presbyterian in Brighton.
Marines gather to honor one of their fallen
Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis
Caption: Sgt. Christopher A. Knox, pays his last respects to Cpl. Mark D. Kidd, a 26year-old armorer from Milford, Mich., with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, who was killed in action Jan. 25, 2007. Marines from the battalion
gathered at Camp Baharia to pay their respects to Kidd. Kidd completed four years on
active duty and in April of 2006, Kidd was contacted by a prior service recruiter and
answered the call to duty once again.
CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq - Marines of 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, paused to
honor a man who gave his life for the cost of freedom.
The battalion held a memorial service for Cpl. Mark D. Kidd at Camp Baharia Feb. 3.
Kidd was a 26-year-old armorer from Milford, Mich., assigned to Headquarters and
Service Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
Kidd was killed Jan. 25 while conducting combat operations with Regimental Combat
Team 6 in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"We are here today to mourn and honor his sacrifice. Once again we gather as a band
of brothers to pay honor and respects to one of our fallen brothers," said Lt. Col.
Harold Van Opdorp, the 39-year-old battalion commander from Stafford, Va.
Van Opdorp explained one of the things he thought made Kidd special.
“To fully understand the cost of his sacrifice, after serving several years on active duty he
returned to Michigan to work on his bachelors of arts degree in pre-law at Eastern Michigan
University. His long term goal was to attend law school and practice international law with the
State Department.”
Kidd was devoted to his country and his corps and devoted his life to serving that which he
loved.
“This tells me three things about the quality of the Marine we mourn today,” Van Opdorp said.
“I think that Cpl. Kidd was strongly devoted to a life of service to others, whether serving in
the Marine Corps, or one day using his high intellect in support to the State Department, his
actions display his dedication to the service of others.”
Van Opdorp further told of how Kidd was precisely what the battalion commander thought a
Marine should be.
“Also, because he joined the military and had a future goal of joining the State Department,
he desired to dedicate his efforts and time to the service of his country, and third because he
joined the battalion in April of 2006 means that he joined the unit knowing that he would
serve in combat. What these facts also point to is that Cpl. Kidd is the basic manifestation of
our core values of honor, courage and commitment.”
Maj. Craig Wick, Headquarters Company Commander, remembered Kidd for his intellect and
his desire to pursue knowledge.
“He was a bright young man, very well read, and a good debater. He was always well
equipped to back any of his arguments and I enjoyed talking to him,” said Wick. “The fact
that he asked a lot of questions shows what kind of Marine he was, he was a man that was
always looking for answers, a man that always wanted to better himself through knowledge,”
he added.
He was also remembered for a gift he had to make Marines laugh under some of the worst
conditions.
“He could make you laugh and had a witty sense of humor; if you weren’t quick to listen you
might miss the joke,” said Wick. “He made me laugh on several occasions and in a combat
zone that is truly a gift and it is one of the things that I will miss most about Cpl. Mark Kidd.”
His fellow Marines spoke of his dedication to our mission and to the Iraqi people.
“A lot of people these days don’t understand what the government is trying to do over here in
Iraq, but I think Cpl. Kidd had a grasp,” said Sgt. Greighton L. Short. “He understood what it
means to the Iraqi people and to us to be here.”
His junior Marines spoke of how Kidd sacrificed his time, and of his dedication to make their
deployment easier.
“He was always looking out for his Marines. He looked out for us, he took it as his personal
mission to help his junior Marines,” said Lance Cpl. Randall S. Schwarb. “He did everything he
could to make our deployment a little easier and more enjoyable. I think he took a lot of pride
in that.”
A photo of Kidd was placed beside a memorial of a helmet resting on a rifle with a set of
identification tags hanging from them. A pair of empty combat boots was also placed in front
of the rifle.
Marines from the company came forward to pay their last respects after the ceremony, which
occurred near the banks of Lake Baharia.
Kidd joined the Marine Corps in 2000. He served four years on active duty including a
deployment in 2004 in support of Operation Iraq Freedom.
In April, 2006, Kidd was contacted by a prior service recruiter and answered his call to duty.
He joined Headquarters and Service Company on April 20, 2006, and was activated in June,
2006.
He completed training at Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center
Twentynine Palms, Calif., prior to deploying to Fallujah, Iraq, for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal,
Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Sea Service Deployment 3rd award, and the Armed
Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device.
“How do we best memorialize him? We continue on with our mission with the same resolve
and steadfastness that he displayed, by exhibiting the same determination and dedication and
by keeping a clear understanding of what our task and purpose is here in Fallujah,” Wick said.
“This is what he would want from us.”
Todd McInturf / The Detroit News
Honor guard team members carry the casket of U.S. Marine Cpl. Mark D. Kidd of Milford from a chartered plane to an
awaiting hearse Jan. 31, 2007, after it was returned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township. Kidd was
killed Jan. 25 while serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Pfc. Tarryl B. Hill
Hometown: Shelby Township, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 19 years old
Died: February 7, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves, Marine Forces Reserve?s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Mount Clemens, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Family members said they will remember Tarryl B. Hill as a kind soul who was willing to help with any
chore. "When it would snow, he would shovel," said Kim Hill, his aunt. "He didn't ask for money. Just
a goodhearted kid." Hill, 19, of Shelby Township, Mich., died Feb. 7 in Fallujah when his vehicle rode
over a bomb. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Mount Clemens. His
grandfather, George Hill, said he planned to study chemical engineering at Lawrence Technological
University. After entering the military as a cook in April 2006, he also started to develop an interest in
culinary arts. His family said Hill was very athletic, and loved to play all sports from basketball to darts
and regularly assisted with the youth program at his church. He liked taking apart cameras and radios
and then trying to figure out how to put them back together. Hill, who was raised by his
grandparents, made his grandfather's day when he picked out a T-shirt for him that read: "George
Hill is the father of a Marine." He also is survived by his grandmother, Sue Hill.
Marine from Shelby killed in Iraq
By Jeremy Carroll
C & G Staff Writer
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A 19-year-old Shelby Township Marine who was described as a gentle spirit and someone
with strong family ties, was killed while serving in Iraq.
Pfc. Tarryl Hill died Feb. 7 while involved in combat operations in the Al Anbar providence, near the city of Fallujah,
defense department officials said in a release. He was killed when an improvised explosive device went off at his
vehicle.
Hill was a 2005 graduate of Southfield-Lathrup High School, and recently moved to Shelby Township with his family.
Marci Erby, an assistant principal with the Southfield Regional Academic Campus, said Hill was a gentle spirit.
“He was a student who was very connected to his family,” she said. “We are very, very sorry to hear about his loss.”
Hill was assigned to Marine forces reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based out of
Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.
State flags were lowered to half-staff on Feb. 15 to honor Hill and were ordered to stay there until Feb. 17. Township
flags flew at half-staff in his honor for a week, Supervisor Ralph Maccarone said.
“You don’t get worse news than a son of community has been killed in the defense of our country,” he said. “It’s just
terrible.”
He said the Board of Trustees plans a small video presentation to honor Hill at the Feb. 20 meeting.
Hill is the 21st active serviceman from Shelby Township to be killed in combat action, and the second to have fallen in
Iraq. Pfc. Mark A. Barbret, 22, was killed when an explosive device detonated near the vehicle he was riding in
Ramadi, Iraq, a city 70 miles west of Baghdad, on Oct. 14, 2004.
Hill’s funeral was held at St. Paul Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Detroit on Feb. 16.
You can reach Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@candgnews.com or (586) 279-1110
Detroit-area Marine killed in Iraq wanted to be chemical engineer
By Kristin Longley
The Associated Press
DETROIT — A 19-year-old Marine from Macomb County who joined the military to become a
chemical engineer has died in Iraq, relatives said Friday, Feb. 9.
Tarryl Hill was killed Feb. 7 when his vehicle rode over an improvised explosive device, said his
aunt, Felicia Hill.
The Pentagon had not officially announced the Marine’s death as of Friday evening. Hill said
military officials notified the family about 10 p.m. Feb. 7 that Tarryl Hill died instantly.
“He was one of the best of us,” Felicia Hill said, through tears. “It’s been really hard on all of us.”
Tarryl Hill, a 2005 graduate of Southfield-Lathrup High School in Lathrup Village, was raised by his
grandparents in Shelby Township.
He joined the Marines to pay for college, where he wanted to study engineering, his aunt said.
After entering the military as a cook in April 2006, he started to develop an interest in culinary arts.
“He was interested in a lot of things. He was smart,” Felicia Hill said. “He never expected to be out
on the front lines, and he liked to do everything he could.”
His aunt said Tarryl Hill joined the military with his cousin so neither would be alone. He was very
athletic, and liked to play basketball and football, she said.
“He was very proud to be a Marine,” she said. “We were proud.”
Tarryl Hill’s uncle, George Hill, said his nephew had contacted his grandparents about a week ago,
telling them he had written them a letter. “And he said he had something in that letter that he
wanted them to see. But the letter still hasn’t made it here. The body is going to make it back here
before that letter. And that’s going to be a difficult letter to read.”
Tarryl Hill’s other survivors include his grandparents, mother, two younger sisters and two younger
brothers.
Services were planned for Feb. 16 at a Detroit church, Felicia Hill said.
Shelby Twp. Marine dies in Iraq blast
By Dan Cortez
Detroit Free Press
At his grandson’s graduation from boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., last year, George Hill found a
shirt that declared him as the grandfather of a Marine.
Pfc. Tarryl Hill quickly came over with a shirt that better described their relationship: “George Hill is
the father of a Marine.”
“We raised him from the age of 4 months,” George Hill, 59, said Saturday evening. “I raised him as
a son. He never called me grandfather. He always addressed me as Father.”
Hill, 19, of Shelby Township was killed Wednesday in Fallujah, Iraq, when his vehicle hit a bomb.
He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, a Selfridge-based reserve unit
profiled by the Free Press as Michigan’s Band of Brothers.
A 2005 graduate of Southfield-Lathrup High School in Lathrup Village, Hill and his cousin Steven
Hill joined the Marines last year without telling their grandfather.
The cousins were never separated until Tarryl Hill went to Iraq in December; Steven Hill stayed at
Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
“They looked at each other as brothers,” George Hill said.
Family members said they will remember Hill as a kind soul who was willing to help with any chore.
“When it would snow, he would shovel,” said Kim Hill, 30, his aunt. “He didn’t ask for money. Just a
good-hearted kid.”
Hill was born in Detroit but lived with his grandparents in Lathrup Village until they moved to
Shelby Township two years ago. He was athletic, liked sports and had an interest in taking apart
cameras and radios and then trying to figure out how to put them back together.
George Hill said he planned to study chemical engineering at Lawrence Technological University.
After entering the military as a cook in April 2006, he also started to develop an interest in culinary
arts.
Besides his grandfather, Hill’s survivors include his grandmother, Sue Hill; his mother; two sisters,
and two brothers.
Marine Maj. Shannon Wiley said Saturday that Hill’s remains are expected to return to the United
States this week.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Marines honors two fallen brothers
Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis
Caption: Hospital Corpsman Michael Howard, with C Company, 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, pays his last respects to for Lance Cpl.
Matthew P. Pathenos and Pfc. Tarryl B. Hill, assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion,
24th Marine Regiment, who were killed in action Feb. 7, 2007. Marines from the
battalion gathered at C Company's forward operating base to pay their respects to the
Marines. Pathenos was a 21-year-old field wireman from Ballwin, Mo., and Hill was a
19-year-old cook from Shelby Township, Mich., assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion,
24th Marine Regiment. (photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis)
FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Marines of 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, paused to honor
two men who gave their lives for the cost of freedom here Feb. 17.
The battalion held a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Matthew P. Pathenos and Pfc.
Tarryl B. Hill at C Company’s forward operating base.
Pathenos was a 21-year-old field wireman from Ballwin, Mo. Hill was a 19-year-old
cook from Shelby Township, Mich. Both were assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion,
24th Marine Regiment.
The Marines were killed Feb. 7 while conducting combat operations with Regimental
Combat Team 6 in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
"These heroes went beyond the volunteerism of signing on the dotted line; they were
guys that volunteered to go to combat with our battalion. Like many of you here
today Pathenos and Hill were great young men; the best that America has to offer,”
said Lt. Col. Harold Van Opdorp, a 39-year-old battalion commander from Stafford,
Va. “They put their lives on hold to come to the defense of our great nation."
Capt. Michael Mayne, C Company Commander, remembered his fallen Marines for their great
character as men and as Marines.
“They both had that character that defines successful Marines and successful men. They could
smile in the face of adversity. No matter the circumstances every time I saw these Marines
they were grinning, they were happy and they pushed through,” said Mayne.
One of Pathenos’ fellow Marines remembered him for being such a happy person no matter
what life threw at him.
“He was happy with whatever life gave him,” said Lance Cpl. Robert Cross. “He was proud of
what he overcame in life. He loved his family and his friends, and would light up when he
talked about them.”
Hill was remembered for having an extreme amount of devotion to his fellow Marines.
“He was always concerned with everyone here going in and out of the wire. Even if he didn’t
know you he worried about you,” said Lance Cpl. Alexander Shattuck. “He was proud of us,
proud of himself, proud to serve in Iraq and proud to be a Marine.”
Lance Cpl. Steven Oliver spoke of how proud he was to serve next to two American heroes.
“I consider it an honor to have lived and worked with these Marines,” he said.
Photos of Pathenos and Hill were placed beside a memorial of helmets resting on rifles with a
set of identification tags hanging from them. A pair of empty combat boots was also placed in
front of the rifles.
Marines from the company came forward to pay their last respects after the ceremony.
Pathenos reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in 2003. Following boot camp, he
completed Communication School at 29 Palms, Calif., as a field wireman and subsequently
reported to 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
He was activated in June 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with C Company, 1st
Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
Hill reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in 2006. Following boot camp, he
completed Basic Food Service School at Fort Lee, Va., and was assigned to Headquarters
Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
Hill arrived in Fallujah in December of 2006.
Pathenos’ awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service
Deployment Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
Hill’s awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal,
Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment
Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
“These Marines willingly stepped forward answering the call to arms. These are not the
choices that characterize the ‘me first’ qualities of (some of the fallen Marines’ peers), but
choices that reflect men of the highest quality of character, two patriots that have earned the
respect and gratitude of the nation by selflessly defending American ideals,” Van Opdorp said.
Bishop P.A. Brooks presides over Friday's funeral service for Marine Pfc. Tarryl Hill. The 19-year-old from
Shelby Township was killed Feb. 7 by a roadside bomb in Iraq's Anbar province. His unit -- the 1st Battalion
of the 24th Marine Regiment -- is being chronicled in the Free Press as Michigan's Band of Brothers.
(BRIAN KAUFMAN/DFP)
Pfc Steven and Tarryl Hill
Pfc. Justin T. Paton
Hometown: Alanson, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: February 17, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire in Taramia.
Friends salute Alanson soldier, killed in Iraq
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 10:00 AM EST
By Fred Gray and Maggie Peterson, News-Review Staff Writers
Army Pfc. Justin Paton, 24, the son of Donald and Shelley Paton of Alanson, was killed Saturday in Iraq, a
close friend of the family said Monday.
Jerry Carpentier of Alanson, a friend of the Patons and a custodian at Petoskey Middle School, said he
had spent much of the weekend with the Patons and was able to confirm that Justin had been killed in or
near Baghdad.
Justin’s death was also confirmed by Justin’s uncle, Tom Paton, who was visiting with the family over the
weekend. He said members of Justin’s immediate family were to meet with military officials later
Monday to learn the details of Justin’s death.
Carpentier said he had been friends with the Patons for years, and had known Justin almost from birth.
He said Justin had graduated from Inland Lakes High School in 2000.
Frank Holes, a former principal at Inland Lakes High School, said he remembered Justin as a quiet but
friendly student.
Justin T. Paton—July 2007 Shipment Honoree
Alanson, Michigan man dies in combat in Iraq
Source: CHEBOYGAN DAILY TRIBUNE
(http://www.iraqwarheroes.com/paton.htm)
By Mike Fornes, February 20, 2007
ALANSON - A 2000 graduate of Inland Lakes High School was killed Saturday in Iraq.
The family of Army Pfc. Justin T. Paton of Alanson received notification Monday that he
died when his patrol came under fire 40 miles north of Baghdad.
“We know that he is back in the States now, he's in Dover, Del.,” said Paton's sister,
Stormy Dickinson. “We can't make any kind of arrangements for his funeral until we get a
date when he can come home.”
Dickinson said her brother was a member of the 1st Cavalry Division, Delta Company and
had recently been named the unit's leader. He was deployed to Iraq on Oct. 31, 2006. He had worked as a
rehabilitation technician at Northern Michigan Hospital before joining the Army in 2005.
Family members said that Paton was born on July 4, 1982, and always thought that the fireworks were for his
birthday. “They will be from now on,” all agreed.
Paton's high school football coach remembered him Monday as “a bright young man and a fantastic kid - the kind of
kid you hope your own son grows up to be.”
Inland Lakes Principal Don Killingbeck also recalled a visit he received from Paton, 24, last fall just before he went
overseas. “He stopped in the school last fall,” Killingbeck said. “He had acquired a real physical presence with all his
weight-lifting since I had last seen him, he looked like a pro football player. I gave him an Inland Lakes T-shirt to wear
over there.”
Killingbeck said he had also taught Paton in a driver's education class. “Indian River has lost a good son and a bright
leader, someone who would have come back and had the ability to serve the community and be productive,”
Killingbeck stated.
The son of Donald and Shelley Paton of Alanson, Justin is also survived by a sister, Stormy Dickinson, a brother Alan
Parkey and numerous other family members.
GIs return to their war zone and find it peaceful
‘There’s a lot of bad memories up here. We lost a lot of good guys.’
updated 1/10/2010 4:48:03 AM ET
AP file
This Feb. 19, 2007 photo provided by U.S. Army Sgt. Benjamin Weber, shows him, left, and his comrades from 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment taking up positions on the roof of their post in Tarmiyah after a suicide car bombing.
TARMIYAH, Iraq — Popcorn popping, thought Army Staff Sgt. Jason Fisher. That's the sound the
bullets made as they hit the wall of the American outpost.
It was early morning and Fisher's comrades were still asleep. But he had stayed up overnight,
processing suspects wanted in the killing of an American soldier two days earlier.
His outpost often took gunfire, usually sporadic, but this time it didn't let up. Then he looked out the
window and saw it: a white truck barreling toward the converted police station.
Fisher turned to run. Suddenly, he was flying through the air.
The blast sheared off the front of the building, burying some of the soldiers. Others rushed to dig
them out and find their weapons and flak vests in the rubble.
Coated in cement dust, the soldiers looked ghostlike as they made what would become a more
than four-hour stand, outnumbered nearly 3-to-1 by militants.
It was Feb. 19, 2007, and the U.S. surge was under way. The battle of Tarmiyah would reveal how
tough the core mission would be: push into territory held by Sunni militants and hold it.
Now Fisher and a handful of others are with the forces assigned to Tarmiyah, 30 miles north of
Baghdad, and counting down the days until they leave, likely in early January — part of the U.S.
plan to withdraw all but 50,000 troops by Aug. 31.
For those veterans of "Feb. 19," as they call it, these final days are spent coming to terms with that
battle — of retelling stories of "last time...," "last time..." that offer a warning against complacency
to their young comrades untested by war.
But they're also absorbing the dramatic change since "last time": the peace that has transformed
Tarmiyah from a battleground to a fairly peaceful, ordinary-looking Iraqi town.
___
Back in December 2006, things looked grim. Tarmiyah, near the southern border of the dreaded
Sunni Triangle, lay in the heartland of the insurgency. Threatened with death by al-Qaida-backed
insurgents, Tarmiyah's entire Iraqi police force, whom the U.S. troops were living with and training,
had simply walked away from the job.
The town's only defense was small detachments of U.S. troops rotated in for a few days at a time,
taking them on a hellish 12 mile ride each way through gunfire and roadside bombs, on a route
they called Coyote Road.
The following month, President George W. Bush unveiled the strategy called the surge — to flood
Iraq with 20,000 more troops and extend the tours of some of the soldiers already in Iraq. For the
men in Tarmiyah, a 12-month tour became a 15-month tour.
In February 2007, two platoons of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Calvary Regiment, 1st Calvary Division
out of Fort Hood, Texas, moved into Tarmiyah. The 38 soldiers were part of Demon Company. On
Feb. 17, a sniper killed Pfc. Justin T. Paton. He bled in the arms of his best friend, Fisher. It was a
foretaste of much worse to come two days later, when Fisher saw the suicide truck bomb coming
toward the building.
The truck bomb destroyed most of Demon Company's communications equipment and Humvees.
But the soldiers managed to start a Humvee engine for just a couple of minutes — long enough to
turn on the radio and report being under fire.
Aerial drone
Twelve miles away, at the large American base at Taji, battalion commanders watched the battle
on video from an aerial drone. Word spread quickly. So many soldiers gathered at the operations
center, pleading to go to Demon Company's aid, that commanders ordered them out of the room.
Most continued to linger by the door.
The radio call from the Humvee brought Apache attack helicopters scrambling over Tarmiyah,
cheered by the soldiers on the ground fighting about 100 insurgents who had nearly surrounded
the post's perimeter, by the soldiers' estimate. One Apache was hit by insurgent fire and the pilot
wounded, according to military reports.
When the battle was over, two of the 38 soldiers were dead and 28 were wounded. Sgt. Benjamin
Weber, 23, of Traverse City, Mich., was hit in the face with shrapnel; Fisher's leg was sliced open.
After the battle, those still able to fight were consolidated into one unit. The original two platoons,
"Blue" and "White" were melded into what was darkly nicknamed "the blight platoon."
"You lost your sense of security," said Fisher, 26, of Phoenix, Ariz. "Out there ... on patrol, you
expected this. But not in the patrol base. Not where you slept. Not where you ate. Not where you
played cards with your buddies. The patrol base is the place you were supposed to come back to
and feel a sense of security. You didn't have that anymore."
Maya Alleruzzo / AP
U.S. Army Sgt. Benjamin Weber is seen at his post in Tarmiyah, Iraq, on Dec. 17. He was hit in the face with shrapnel
during 2007's deadly battle of Tarmiyah.
The troops said the attackers suffered heavy casualties before being driven off, though the military
would not release its official count.
The military moved into a youth sports facility in Tarmiyah. "Blight platoon" was withdrawn from the
town, though its able-bodied members would be back within weeks.
Months later "blight" lost five more soldiers to a roadside bomb.
The rest stayed together until their return to the U.S. And when 2nd Battalion's Bandog Company
became the latest to deploy to Tarmiyah, it included a dozen veterans of the battle of Feb. 19,
2007.
"Personally, I went in with a lot of animosity," said Staff Sgt. Jason Moore, 35, of Clinton, Texas.
"There's a lot of bad memories up here. We lost a lot of good guys. Coming back here was like
rubbing salt in the wound." The night before the first convoy came here, many had trouble
sleeping. Commanders tried to ease anxieties, assuring the troops they were not returning to the
same experience.
"It's not the Tarmiyah we left in 2007," said Capt. Mike Doyle, 30, of San Diego, the battalion's
operations planning officer, who had been in the operations center as the 2007 battle unfolded on
a video feed.
Last time, the men said, roadside bombs were constant. Last time, insurgents shot at the convoy.
Last time, children would bang on pots to alert insurgents the Americans were coming.
'What the hell town is this?'
This time the journey on Coyote Road passed without incident. Tarmiyah still had checkpoints and
blast walls, but stores once shuttered were open, and the main street was clogged with traffic. This
time, children weren't banging pots; instead they ran to the convoy and waved.
On the way to Tarmiyah, "I was like, 'Who in the hell comes back to a place like this after all that?'"
said Fisher. "And now, I'm like, what the hell town is this? This isn't Tarmiyah. People are waving
at us!"
The veterans of "Feb. 19" are once again working with Iraqi police and soldiers, sometimes on joint
patrols, stopping to talk with the very shopkeepers and others they suspect may have cheered, if
not participated in, the 2007 attack.
"A lot of the guys ... are not able to relax around" the Iraqi forces, said Weber. "I don't trust the
(Iraqi army) or the (Iraqi police). But I can hope that the Iraqis will do their job."
Some of the veterans keep copies of a propaganda video of the battle that turned up on Al-Jazeera
TV, showing the truck bomb blowing up and insurgents celebrating at the collapsed outpost,
claiming to have overrun the Americans. "That never happened," Fisher said contemptuously. "We
held that place."
In an open courtyard, as Fisher, Weber and two others recalled "Feb. 19," newer, rawer soldiers
stopped to listen.
"I think they need to hear this," Weber said later. "... It's important they realize it isn't a game. It's
not fun. People die."
Standing on the roof of the post, bracing against a cold wind, Fisher clutched a silver bracelet
etched with the name of Pfc. Justin T. Paton, his best friend.
"It wasn't just that day," he said. "It was this place."
Before returning to Iraq for their last tour, others in his platoon visited Paton's family. Fisher
couldn't bring himself to do it.
"What do I say? 'I am sorry'?" he said.
The return to Tarmiyah has offered healing, in some ways. For some, the peace that has broken
out in this small town may be a measure of assurance that the sacrifice was worth it.
Shortly after he got back here, Fisher received a letter from Paton's father with an invitation to visit.
After this tour, Fisher plans to make the visit.
"That's the only thing I have left to do," he says.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Pfc. Brett A. Witteveen
Hometown: Shelby, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: February 19, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Grand Rapids,
Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Trent Witteveen remembers talking to his brother, Brett, last month in Iraq and telling him that a
pine tree had fallen on their father while he was cutting it down and it had put a gash in his head. "He
laughed hysterically for about 1.5 seconds and then asked if dad was all right," said Trent Witteveen,
his older brother. "When I said he was, he laughed for about five more minutes. He just loved to
laugh and have fun." Witteveen, 20, of Shelby, Mich., was killed by a roadside bomb Feb. 19 while on
foot patrol near Fallujah. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Grand Rapids. "He
was the toughest football kid. He played with restless abandon," said Mark Hodges, who coached
Witteveen. Last summer, Witteveen left the house for what his father thought was a trip to sign up
for college. Instead, he came home and announced proudly that he had joined the Marines. "It was a
shock, but that was Brett," he said. "After chewing him out for a half-hour, I congratulated him and
told him I understood." He also is survived by his father, Rick; and Trisha Kokx, his fiancee.
PFC. Brett Witteveen
PFC. WITTEVEEN, BRETT Shelby, MI U.S. Marine Corp Pfc. Brett Witteveen passed away Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007 in Iraq
from injuries sustained in the Iraq War. He was born November 11, 1986 in Fremont, the son of Richard "Rick"
Witteveen and Edith "Edie" (Popps) Witteveen. Brett played football at Hart High School and graduated in 2005. He is
survived by his fiance, Trisha Kokx; his father, Richard Witteveen; his brothers and sister, Jason Witteveen, Trent
Witteveen, Jarrod Hunt and Heather Hunt; maternal grandmother, Carol Popps and paternal grandparents, Richard
and Annabelle Witteveen. He was preceded in death by his mother, Edie Witteveen and grandfather, John Popps.
The homecoming procession for Brett will go through the Hart High School grounds today at approximately 5:15 pm.
The procession will then travel through downtown Shelby and arrive at the funeral home at approximately 5:30 pm.
Visitation is Tues., 2-5 and 7-9 pm at the funeral home. The funeral is scheduled for Wed., 11 am at Shelby Road
Baptist Church. For updates, please call the funeral home or visit www.harrisfhome.com and click on Brett's obituary.
Burial with full military honors provided by the United States Marine Corp will follow the funeral service at West
Hesperia Cemetery. You may get directions to the funeral or leave a message of condolence for the family at
www.harrisfhome.com. Harris, Shelby 861-2360 or 1-888-216-9744
Published in Muskegon Chronicle on February 26, 2007
More than 500 say goodbye to Marine
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007, 6:29 PM
AM
Lee Lupo | The Muskegon Chronicle
Updated: Thursday, February 28, 2008, 9:24
Ben Fredman
Trisha Kokx, right, weeps at the coffin of her fiance, U.S. Marine Pfc. Brett Witteveen, alongside Brett's
sister, Heather Hunt, during services at West Hesperia Cemetery on Wednesday. Witteveen was killed
Feb. 18 by a roadside bomb while patrolling in Fallujah, Iraq.
Flags flew throughout Oceana County Wednesday, the day they buried 20-year-old U.S.
Marine Pfc. Brett Witteveen.
Women wept for the young man who was killed Feb. 18, reportedly by a roadside bomb while
patrolling an area in Fallujah, Iraq, with 13 other Marines. Witteveen was the only one killed
during the mission.
Ben Fredman
Sgt. Major Michael Johnston oversees the folding of the American flag that draped the coffin of U.S.
Marine Pfc. Brett Witteveen during services at West Hesperia Cemetery on Wednesday.
Men in uniform saluted his flag-draped casket, then wiped their eyes in open emotion. High
school buddies wore their Hart High School football jerseys over their shirts and ties: a sign
that they were on the same team as Witteveen.
"Brett was a loved guy," said the Rev. Jamie Woodall, pastor of First Baptist Church in Hart
who befriended Witteveen in high school.
Like most of the other speakers, Woodall -- nicknamed "Pastor Dude" by the kids at school -compared the football team to a family.
"Your family," he assured them.
More than 500 people filled Shelby Road Baptist Church Wednesday morning for a service of
music, prayer, sermons and citations that lasted an hour and a half.
"There are several reasons why we have come together today," said the Rev. Mark Sterken,
pastor of the Shelby church, who officiated at the service. "One of them is to hear what God
has to say on a day like today. ... The other is to honor the memory and life of Brett."
The words of honor came from all sides: friends, military personnel, pastors.
"Brett was a guy going places," Woodall said.
A 2005 graduate of Hart High School, Witteveen dreamed of going to college to become a
personal trainer after he'd finished his time in the U.S. Marines. He'd finished training in
September, then was shipped to Iraq in October.
Witteveen was "born to be a veteran," said U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Joe Rossi because he was
born on Nov. 11, 1986 -- Veterans Day.
Following the funeral, mourners followed the hearse bearing Witteveen's body on a 19-mile
trip from the church to West Hesperia Cemetery where he was buried with full military rites,
including a 21-gun salute and a bugler playing "Taps."
Witteveen is survived by his father, Rick Witteveen of Shelby; his fiance, Trisha Kokx of Hart;
his brothers and sister, Jason Witteveen, Trent Witteveen, Jarrod Hunt and Heather Hunt. He
was preceded in death by his mother, Edie Witteveen, who would have turned 45 Wednesday
-- the day Brent Witteveen was buried.
"I believe Brett is enjoying a beautiful reunion with his mother," Woodall said, "and they'll be
with Jesus forever."
For the complete story, return to Mlive.com on Thursday or pick up a copy of Thursday's
Muskegon Chronicle.
Marine Pfc. Brett A. Witteveen
Died February 19, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
20, of Shelby, Mich.; assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment,
4th Marine Division, Grand Rapids, Mich.; died Feb. 19 while conducting combat operations in
Anbar province, Iraq.
Well-liked Marine reservist remembered in Shelby
The Associated Press
SHELBY, Mich. — Friends and relatives are trying to comfort the family and fianc©e of Brett
Witteveen, a 20-year-old Marine reservist from Shelby killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
“Half my heart is in Iraq,” Central Michigan University student Trisha Kokx wrote on her Web site
as she counted the days until her high school sweetheart returned from duty. “Everything I ever
wanted in life I now will never have,” Kokx wrote Feb. 20.
Kokx and Witteveen graduated from Hart High School in 2005.
Witteveen died Feb. 18 while on patrol in Fallujah, according to Grand Rapids-based Alpha
Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment. He had been in Iraq since October, his unit said.
His father, Richard, said the family was not ready to talk about the tragedy, The Grand Rapids
Press and The Muskegon Chronicle reported Feb. 21.
Brett Witteveen was a two-way standout end on Hart’s football team.
Mourners remember Witteveen as a “happy-go-lucky” young man who knew early on that he
wanted to join the military.
“He was just a fun-loving kid, with a great smile, and knew that he wanted to serve his country,”
Hart High Principal Randy Nesbit said.
Nesbit met with a youth pastor and said counselors are available for students. Kokx has two sisters
at the school.
“There are a lot of teachers, elementary on, who had Brett,” Nesbit said. “When it hits close to
home like this, it really does put things in perspective. I knew Brett quite well. He was just a kid
who loved to laugh. Life was fun for him.”
Shelby is located about 55 miles northwest of Grand Rapids.
Birth:
Nov. 11, 1986
Shelby
Oceana County
Michigan, USA
Death:
Feb. 19, 2007
Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq
Pvt Brett Witteveen lived in Shelby Michigan
until middle school. The family then moved to
Hart, Michigan. He was a 2005 graduate of
Hart High school. He played defense and
offense on the school football team. Being
born on the Marine Corp Birthday it was
almost as though he was born to be a Marine.
He was very beloved, women and men cried
ar his services, his football team, school and
church friends openly wept as they saluted
the young mans casket. His minister Rev.
Jamie Woodall of Shelby Road Baptist Church,
described him as a young man of discipline
and purpose. He planned on attending college
to become a personal trainer, once his tour
with the Marine Corp was finished.
Brett finished Marine Corp Training in
September 2006 and went to Iraq in October.
He was part of a 14 man mission in Fallujah,
Iraq, they were struck by a roadside bomb.
Pvt Witteveen was the only Marine to be
killed.
His mother passed away when he was 11, her
45th birthday would have been on the day of
her sons funeral. He marches the streets of
Heaven. May all give honor to such men and
woman.
Burial:
West Hesperia Cemetery
Hesperia
Oceana County
Michigan, USA
Created by: Wisteria
Record added: Mar 07, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 18294884
Alpha Co. Memorial
Bret & Dad
Detroit-based Marines honor fallen Marine
Front Page Synopsis:
Caption: A Marine pays his final respect to Pfc. Brett A. Witteveen, 20, a rifleman with 1st
Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, Feb. 25. Witteveen, a Shelby,
Mich., native, was killed while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, Feb.
19. "Brett was an all-American kid like (the Marines) here," said Lt. Col. Harold R. Vanopdorp,
battalion commander, 1/24. "Witteveen always desired to be part of something that was
bigger than himself and what he could accomplish on his own." (photo by Sgt. Stephen
DeBoard)
FALLUJAH, Iraq – Marines and sailors from A Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment,
Regimental Combat Team 6, paused operations here today to honor a Marine killed in the line
of duty.
Pfc. Brett A. Witteveen, 20, of Shelby, Mich., was memorialized by his fellow leathernecks in a
ceremony at the company’s forward operating base in Fallujah, Iraq. Witteveen was killed
Feb. 19 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
"Brett was an all-American kid like (the Marines) here," said Lt. Col. Harold R. Vanopdorp,
battalion commander, 1/24. "Witteveen always desired to be part of something that was
bigger than himself and what he could accomplish alone."
Vanopdorp also praised Witteveen for joining the Marine Corps at a time when being thrust
into combat was a near-certainty.
“Because (Witteveen) joined the Marine Corps after Sept. 11, 2001, and after the start of
Operation Iraqi Freedom, means he joined the Marine Corps knowing he would most likely
serve in combat. What these facts also point to is that Witteveen was the manifestation of our
core values: honor, courage and commitment,” said Vanopdorp.
Upon graduation from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif., Witteveen attended
School of Infantry to receive his military occupational specialty of 0311, rifleman. After
graduating, he reported to A Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division, based out of Grand Rapids, Mich.
“If there was one person God blessed me with … it was Brett Witteveen,” said Lance Cpl.
Joshua Wolter, a platoonmate of Witteveen’s. “He was the first person to make me know what
it felt like to gain a brother as a Marine. No matter how small you felt in a new environment,
Brett was always there to crack a joke, or just make you feel more at home in a strange
place.”
Witteveen’s awards include the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense
Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on
difficult situation was something I think he lived for. Either to get us to laugh, or to groan, he
reminded us that things were not as bad as they could be if you could laugh,” said Sgt. David
Ogden, Witteveen’s platoon sergeant.
After the memorial remarks, A Company first sergeant 1st Sgt. Kenneth Baum called roll.
When Witteveen did not respond to his name being called, Baum took his place in the
formation.
‘Taps’ followed.
“And now as we come to terms with his ultimate sacrifice, we must reflect on the cost of
losing Pfc. Witteveen. This is our challenge today. We are charged to carry on in the wake of
the loss of Witteveen. We must do so in a manner that reflects his legacy, a legacy that
comfortably places him among our heroes,” said Vanopdorp.
Pfc. Bufford K. Van Slyke
Hometown: Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: February 28, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, Marine Forces Reserve?s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Saginaw,
Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Marine Pfc. Bufford K. Van Slyke
Died February 28, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
22, of Bay City, Mich.; assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment,
4th Marine Division, Saginaw, Mich.; died Feb. 28 while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province, Iraq.
Bay City Marine dies in Iraq
The Associated Press
BAY CITY, Mich. — A Marine from Bay City was shot and killed at a checkpoint in Iraq, his mother
said.
Pfc. Bufford “Kenny” VanSlyke, 22, was slain Feb. 27 in Fallujah, said his mother Cindy L. Fisher,
44, of Bay City.
“Kenny did the checkpoints, and he had all his gear on, but [a shot] went right through his armor,”
Fisher told The Bay City Times for a story March 1.
“He was my hero. He was so young, and his wife just had a baby, and he’ll never get to see him
again,” she said.
Along with his mother, father and two stepparents, VanSlyke leaves behind a wife, Kortni, and the
couple’s 4-month-old son, Kaiden, in Bay City.
Slain Marine from Bay City would laugh in adversity
The Associated Press
BAY CITY, Mich. — A Marine who died after being shot at a checkpoint in Iraq would laugh even in
adversity, but feared he wouldn’t return to see his family, his mother said.
Pfc. Bufford “Kenny” VanSlyke, 22, died this week while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province, the Defense Department said.
“He always had that smile on his face, and it could brighten up a room,” his mother, Cindy L.
Fisher, 44, of Bay City, told The Bay City Times.
VanSlyke arrived in Iraq in mid-December. Along with his mother, father and two stepparents,
VanSlyke leaves behind a wife, Kortni, and the couple’s 4-month-old son, Kaiden, in Bay City.
“His biggest fear was that he wouldn’t be able to come home and see his family,” Fisher said. “He
loved that baby so much. Kenny’s face just lit up when he talked to that baby, and that baby’s face
would light up, too.”
VanSlyke was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division, based in Saginaw.
Maj. Shannon Wiley told the Detroit Free Press that VanSlyke was with the “follow-along” group of
Marines belonging to the Michigan-based 1/24th headquartered at Selfridge Air National Guard
Base who were in training when the other men of the unit went to Iraq in the fall.
VanSlyke previously worked as an electrician and construction worker. He also refereed youth
football games in the Bay City area, and his family said he was looking forward to refereeing again.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Kenny Van Slyke remembered
As a kid, Bufford "Kenny" Van Slyke's smile could get him out of a pickle. As a football referee, his grin
would disarm angry coaches.
Amid the gunfire of Iraq, however, Kenny Van Slyke was up against it. He would laugh even in adversity, but
he was scared when he called home just after Christmas.
U.S. Marine Pfc. Van Slyke, 22, of Bay City, died after being shot Tuesday night in Fallujah. He leaves
behind his wife, Kortni (Morse) Van Slyke, and their 4-month-old son, Kaiden.
"He always had that smile on his face, and it could brighten up a room," said his mother, Cindy L. Fisher, 44,
of Bay City.
Family members said a sniper firing from an elevated position struck Van Slyke in the shoulder,
and the bullet exited through his lower back, according to a Marine gunnery sergeant.
Stapish Cederberg Funeral Home East, 955 Pine Road, Essexville, will handle funeral arrangements, with
details on services announced later.
Van Slyke arrived in Iraq in mid-December, and the first time he called home, Cindy Fisher heard gunshots
in the background.
"Kenny was scared," Cindy Fisher said. "He wouldn't tell me that, because he was always trying to be strong
for me. But he told his dad and his brothers.
"His biggest fear was that he wouldn't be able to come home and see his family. He loved that baby so much.
Kenny's face just lit up when he talked to that baby, and that baby's face would light up, too.
"He knew who his daddy was."
Although Cindy Fisher and Van Slyke's stepfather, Bill Fisher, both served in the U.S. Navy, Van Slyke
joined the Marines for economic reasons, relatives said.
"There weren't many jobs around here so he went into the (U.S. Marine Corps) Reserves," Cindy Fisher said.
"He wanted to go into the military to support his family. He didn't want to go to Iraq, but he knew he had
to."
Van Slyke's mother-in-law, Ashley Morse of Monitor Township, said Kenny Van Slyke hoped to become a
state police trooper or conservation officer, using government money to pay for college after returning home
from military duty.
Cindy Fisher said her son "had an awesome spirit - he was my daredevil, and he would try anything."
Bill Fisher, who spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy, said he urged his stepson to join the Navy, but Van Slyke
went his own way.
"It was our desire that if he was going in, that he go into the Navy, but he had a conversation with me," Bill
Fisher said. "He said 'Dad, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to go all the way with this. I'm going to be the
best Marine."'
Survivors also include his father and stepmother, Keith D. and Tricia Van Slyke, of Spokane, Wash., his
brother, Keith VanSlyke, of Spokane, Wash.; his half brother, Nate Fisher of Bay City; and his half sisters,
twins Gini and Bobbi Fisher of Bay City.
Van Slyke's good friend and second cousin, U.S. Army Pfc. Dominic Prankienas of Bay City, "were
inseparable," Cindy Fisher said.
Prankienas, stationed in Texas and set to go to Iraq himself in a few weeks, "was crushed when he found out
what happened" to Van Slyke, said Derek Prankienas, 17, Dominic's brother.
Kenny Van Slyke worked for a number of years as a referee at high-school football games, and looked
forward to referee work again this fall after returning from Iraq, Bill Fisher said.
Bill Fisher said his stepson's death has not shaken his family's religious beliefs or their belief in their son's
purpose in Iraq.
"We understand the reasoning, that God had a plan for Kenny, and although we don't always agree with his
plans, our faith is still there," Bill Fisher said.
"We are there to protect the freedom of the United States, and Kenny gave his life in protecting that
freedom. The people in the area here may not agree with the reasons we're over there, but Kenny was a true
Marine."
Bobbi Fisher, 15, Kenny Van Slyke's half sister, said Kenny called home several times each week.
"Everybody used to tease him that he was a mamma's boy," Cindy Fisher said. "But he always made sure
that I was all right."
Cindy Fisher said she just missed her son's last telephone call home on Sunday when he spoke with two
siblings.
She said her son chuckled more than once, though, at the sound of her emotional voice recording the
following message, the one posted on the family answering machine:
"You've reached the Fisher residence. If this is Kenny, Kenny, I just want to tell you that I love you bunches
and I'm sorry I missed your call, and I hope to get to talk to you soon.
"I love you. Bye."
Memorial comforts Marines' families
Published: Saturday, November 10, 2007, 9:15 PM
2007, 10:28 PM
Updated: Saturday, November 10,
Lee Lupo | The Muskegon Chronicle
Chronicle
News Service • Dave RaczkowskiMaj. Dan Whisnant, with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines,
presents Kortni VanSlyke with a memorial honoring her husband, Pfc. Bufford K. VanSlyke, who was
killed in February in Iraq. Families and friends of fallen Marines gathered Saturday to dedicate the
grounds of a memorial in Grand Rapids.
GRAND RAPIDS -- It wasn't easy to view the memorial site for his son, Pfc. Brett Witteveen, and four
other U.S. Marines killed in Iraq.
But Rick Witteveen, surrounded Saturday by other families in pain, felt comforted. He envisioned
families walking past on the trail. They might look up and think about his son, his best friend.
He shared hugs and tears with Marines, young and old, some who trained and fought with his 20-yearold son, so proud to serve.
"Every one of them thanked me for my son," said Witteveen, a Shelby resident. "I thanked them back.
They are Marines. They served their country."
West Michigan Marine Reserves dedicated the Fallen Marine Memorial at the U.S. Navy and Marines
Corps Reserve Center on Monroe Avenue NW to honor Witteveen, Sgt. Thomas M. Gilbert of Illinois,
Cpl. Jacob H. Neal of Texas, Lance Cpl. Jonathan B. Thornberry of Kentucky, and Pfc. Bufford K.
VanSlyke of Bay City. They belonged to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, stationed in the
dangerous Anbar province.
A Memorial Day ceremony is planned once the memorial is completed.
The memorial will include black granite pillars with etchings of the fallen Marines, rubble to signify
Fallujah, and a "battlefield cross" -- rifle, boots and helmet. The smooth granite is to show that Marines
turned a dangerous place into one where schools were built, utilities installed and people could find
greater peace.
Hopes and prayers
When Alpha Company and families gathered for a party at Riverside Park in June 2006 before leaving
for Iraq, they hoped and prayed there would be no need for a memorial.
Within hours, they left for training in California, then Iraq.
Lt. Col. Joe Rossi soon met with families. He told them what to expect if a son or husband was killed.
He and others, in dress uniforms, would arrive in a government vehicle. Many parents, worried Rossi
would visit, had trouble sleeping.
"I personally pray that I will never have to knock on anyone's' door," he told them. "And our families
pray I will never visit them."
On Oct. 26, 2006, he drove to Downers Grove, Ill. He didn't need to tell Mike and Terry Gilbert, whose
son attended Western Michigan University, what happened. There are no words, really.
"The family knows why I'm there."
Rossi said the Marines and their families paid an unimaginable price.
The Marines wrote a check: "To lay down their life for another. ... When the time comes, they laid down
their lives, just as they promised they would."
All of the fallen Marines had stories. Neal, originally of Texas, did not have to go to Iraq but
volunteered to keep a promise to his buddy who was sent there.
All are heroes, Rossi said.
Col. Mark Smith said: "There can be no more solemn occasion than why we gather this morning. This is
far more than a dedication. ... You're consecrating as holy this ground. You're consecrating a sacred
birth in honor of your beloved fallen."
After the indoor ceremony, a bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" at the memorial site. Family members
sat in front, holding tight, wiping tears.
The memorial "means the world to us," Mike Gilbert said later. He believed in his son Tommy's cause,
but the loss is profound.
"It's the hardest thing and worst thing I've ever gone through. He was my only son, my best friend."
Brett Witteveen was engaged to Trisha Kokx of Hart. He and his father, Rick, were extremely close. He
lost his mother, Edie, to cancer, at 11.
"It was him and I through most of that time," his father said.
Pfc. James L. Arnold
Hometown: Mattawan, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: March 15, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his unit during combat
operations in Baghdad.
Army SPC James L. "Jimmy" Arnold
ARNOLD, Army SPC
James L. "Jimmy"
Of Mattawan
Died in action Thursday, March 15, 2007 in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jimmy was born
February 22, 1986 in Kalamazoo, the son of Phillip Arnold and Mary Ryan. He was a graduate of
Mattawan High School (Class of 2004) and enjoyed playing hockey and paintball. He was also
instrumental in developing the "Blue Crew" at Mattawan. Prior to going to Iraq, Jimmy was
stationed at Ft. Hood, TX and was in Company B, 1st Battalion 8th Calvary Regiment, 2 Brigade
1st Calvary Division. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Olin and Evelyn
Arnold. Surviving are his father, Phillip Arnold; mother, Mary Ryan; sisters, Amanda Arnold, Laura
Arnold, Christy (Eric) Arnold, Michelle (Tim) Smith; maternal grandparents, Frank and Mary Ann
Ryan; nephews, Ryan and Logan; a niece, Taylor; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. A
service to celebrate Jimmy's life will be held 11:00 o'clock Monday at the Calvary Bible Church,
855 Drake Rd, with Chaplain Major James R. Chapin, officiating. Friends may meet the family
Sunday from 4-8 PM at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 South 9th
Street . Interment will be in Ft. Custer National Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers,
memorials may be directed to the Mattawan High School Foundation. 269-343-1508
www.langelands.com
Published in Kalamazoo Gazette on March 22, 2007
Army Pfc. James L. Arnold
Died March 15, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
21, of Mattawan, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died March 15 in Baghdad when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. Also killed were Army Staff
Sgt. Blake M. Harris, Army Staff Sgt. Terry W. Prater and Army Sgt. Emerson N. Brand.
*****
Michigan soldier remembered as hardworking, honest
The Associated Press
MATTAWAN, Mich. — A 21-year-old soldier from west Michigan who was killed in a blast along
with three others from his unit in Iraq was remembered as competitive, honest and hardworking.
Army Pfc. Jim Arnold, of Mattawan, died March 15 when an improvised explosive device detonated
near his unit during combat operations in Baghdad, the Defense Department confirmed March 17.
A 2004 graduate of Mattawan High School who played high school hockey, Arnold was
remembered as a true sportsman.
“He was one of the best all-around people that I had in my experience coaching,” Pete Gildea, who
coached Arnold for about two years, told the Kalamazoo Gazette. “He was just a good kid to be
around. He had a great sense of humor.
“He was a very honest, hardworking kid.”
Dave Agnew, who also coached him, said Arnold remained interested in his former team.
Even after Arnold had graduated, Agnew said, “He was always coming up and shaking my hand.
He wanted to see how the team was doing. He was interested in the success of the program.”
Family members declined to comment.
Staff Sgt. Blake M. Harris, 27, of Hampton, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Terry W. Prater, 25, of Speedwell,
Tenn.; and Sgt. Emerson N. Brand, 29, of Rigby, Idaho, also were killed in the blast.
All four were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
Mattawan is in Van Buren County about 10 miles southwest of Kalamazoo.
Pfc. William N. Davis
Hometown: Adrian, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: March 17, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team,
1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Tex.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his vehicle during
combat operations in Baghdad.
A video game enthusiast, William N. Davis and his wife named their daughter Aeris after a character in the
video game "Final Fantasy VII." "He liked to play a lot of video games," said his mother, June Davis. Davis,
26, of Adrian, Mich., was killed March 17 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was a 1999 high school
graduate and was assigned to Fort Bliss. Davis spent a lot of time on Fox Lake driving his bass boat while he
and his father fished. He and his mother would race each other up and down the shores of Lake Michigan.
"He was always trying to compete with Mom," she said. Davis grew up in a family with military roots, with
his father serving in Vietnam and his grandfather in World War II. "Billy always wanted to go in," June Davis
said. "I didn''t want my son to go, but he was determined." He liked taking photographs and collecting
knives. "He was a kid at heart," said his mother. "When he met his wife, he was into his family then." In
addition to his daughter, Davis is survived by his wife, Renae. The couple were expecting a son, whom they
planned to name Kaden William Andrew Davis.
William "Billy" Davis
PFC William "Billy" Davis, US Army, aged 26, of Grand Rapids, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2007 in
Iraq. Surviving are his wife of 1 1/2 years, Renae (Bloomberg); daughter, Aeris and an expectant son, Kaden;
his mother, June Davis and Bill Yowaish of Grand Rapids; father, Bill Davis and wife, Rosiland of Montague;
two sisters, Alicia (Ryan) Kooiman, Stacy Davis; a niece, Alexis Kooiman; his mother-in-law, Terrie
Bloomberg; step-brothers, step-sisters, Godparents, many aunts and uncles and friends. He was preceded
in death by his grandmother, Ardith Maxim. Billy was a 1999 graduate of Union High School. A Funeral
Service will be conducted Saturday 2:00 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church where his family will receive
visitors from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. ARSULOWICZ
BROTHERS REMEMBRANCE CHAPEL www.arsulowiczbrothers.com
Published in Grand Rapids Press from March 22 to March 23, 2007
Pfc William N. Davis
April 3rd, 2010 Goto comments Leave a comment Born: October 18, 1980
Died: March 17, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq
Pfc William N. Davis of Grand Rapids, Michigan graduated from Union High School.
Billy grew up in a family with military roots, with his father serving in
Vietnam and his grandfather in World War II. After graduating and working at
Meijer and in landscaping jobs for a few years, he decided to join the Army. He
leaves behind a pregnant wife and a three-year-old daughter as well as his
parents, Bill and June Davis, and two sisters. Billy had planned to return to
the United States on April 14 when they were going to induce labor so he could
be there for the birth. He loved computer games, taking photographs and
collecting knives and climbing bluffs along Lake Michigan. Billy’s son was born
on April 4 2007. Billy died at age 26 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were
Army Sgt. John E. Allen, Army Sgt. Ed Santini and Army Pfc. John F. Landry Jr.
Army
2nd Battalion
12th Cavalry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
1st Cavalry Division
Fort Bliss, Texas
Burial is at Holy Cross Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph C. Schwedler
Hometown: Crystal Falls, Michigan, U.S.
Age:27 years old
Died: April 6, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Navy, Navy SEAL
Incident: Killed by enemy action while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
When Joseph C. Schwedler''s high school football coach asked his players to lift weights three
times a week, he pumped iron five days a week. When his government teacher pushed public
service, Schwedler spoke persuasively about the need to give back to the community.
Schwedler, 27, of Crystal Falls, Mich., was killed April 6 by enemy fire in Anbar province. A
1998 high school graduate, he was assigned to Virginia Beach and was on his second tour.
Schwedler was a class president and a member of the football, basketball and track teams.
"When it came to school work, Clark always went above and beyond what was expected. He
was a natural leader," said Bill St. John, a member of the local school board. His former
football coach, Bill Santilli, said Schwedler was "an outstanding young man. His personality
made those around him feel better and play harder." Schwedler enlisted in the Navy five years
ago and within eight months was accepted for the grueling basic training undergone by
potential SEALs. He is survived by his parents, Joseph and Susan.
Joseph Clark Schwedler
Joseph Clark Schwedler, 27, of Crystal Falls, was killed in action in Al Anbar province, Iraq, April 6, 2007.
Schwedler, a Navy SEAL, was participating in his team's assault on a home occupied by terrorists involved in the
recent downing of a Coalition helicopter. An Iraqi soldier involved in the joint operation also was killed, and two other
SEALs were wounded.
Schwedler, the eldest son of Carl Joseph and Susan Herrington Schwedler of Crystal Falls, was born May 1, 1979, in
Iron Mountain. He graduated from Crystal Falls Forest Park High School in 1997, and attended Michigan State
University before becoming a Navy SEAL. He joined the Navy in 2002. After basic training at the Great Lakes Naval
Station, he completed his training in San Diego and was assigned to SEAL Team FOUR in Virginia Beach, Va. He was
a dedicated member of the SEALs and reenlisted in the Navy while in Iraq during his first tour of duty there in 2005. He
returned to Iraq in October 2006 and had been scheduled to return to the U.S. later this month.
Schwedler participated in many high school activities, including football, basketball, and track. He was active in student
council and served as senior class president. While at Michigan State, Schwedler was a member of the rowing team.
He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, skiing and camping. Schwedler is survived by his parents; his
sister, Catherine, of Ferndale; his brother, Thomas and his sister-in-law, Mary, of West Bend, Wis. His grandparents
are Ann Kavanagh Schwedler and the late John Thomas Schwedler of Port Austin; and Charles Clark Herrington and
the late Jeannette Buckley Herrington, of Bad Axe.
A military funeral will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 14, 2007, CST at the Forest Park High School gymnasium in
Crystal Falls. Further information is available from the Jacobs-Plowe funeral home.
A scholarship fund will be established with the Crystal Falls Area Community Fund, P.O. Box 269, Crystal Falls, MI
49920.
Joseph C. Schwedler
Specialty:
Navy SEAL
BUD/S Class: 246
SEAL Service: 4 years
Rank:
Petty Officer Second
Class
(Special Operations
2)
Age:
27
Home:
Crystal Falls, Michigan
Assigned:
SEAL Team FOUR
Died:
April 6, 2007
Operation:
Iraqi Freedom (Iraq)
Details:
Died April 6, 2007 from enemy fire while assaulting a fortified
Enemy position in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. SEAL teammate
SOC Doug Day was shot 15 times in the same firefight, had his
primary weapon shot out of his hand, drew his secondary, and
killed three of the enemy as he fell to the ground. SEAL SO3 Chris
Judge, despite being wounded, administered life saving aid to Chief
Day after the firefight.
Awards:
Other
Awards:
Joseph (Clark) Schwedler’s SEAL Team FOUR Teammates have
created a Special Tribute to him.
(TBD) and Purple Heart
Iraqi Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Contributions: Joseph Schwedler was part of a dedicated team fighting the
insurgency in Iraq, as part of the larger U.S. effort to bring peace
and stability to that country. On April 6, 2007, he was killed by
enemy fire while participating in his team’s assault on a home
occupied by terrorists who were involved in the recent downing of a
Coalition helicopter. Schwedler first served in Iraq in 2005, and
reenlisted in the Navy while over there. He deployed on his second
tour to Iraq in 2006.
Joseph Schwedler, known as “Clark” by his friends and family, was
an avid outdoorsman and athlete, and a stand- out football and
basketball player throughout high school. In government class, he
spoke about the importance of public service and giving back to the
community. He was a bright student, focused and goal-oriented.
Following two years study at Michigan State University, Schwedler
enlisted in the Navy, and graduated from BUD/S training in 2003.
His shipmates said that it was the SEALs’ embodiment of the Navy’s
core values of honor, courage, and commitment that drew him to
volunteer for SEAL training.
In July 2004, Schwedler was assigned to SEAL Team FOUR, where
his tireless work ethic and ability to accomplish any task established
him as one of the top junior enlisted at the command. He constantly
sought ways to improve himself and his teammates.
In 2006, Schwedler was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Task
Unit Fallujah, where he served as a team leader, sensitive site
exploitation officer and combat advisor to the Iraqi Army, Second
Brigade. He took part in 108 combat missions from October 2006 to
April 2007, and was a driving factor in the Task Unit’s successes.
Memorials:
By virtue of his courage, commitment and sacrifice, Clark Schwedler
has earned the highest respect and gratitude of his fellow SEALs,
the Navy, and our nation.
The Commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group TWO, (who
oversees SEAL Teams 2, 4, 8, and 10), remembered Schwedler
warmly and with gratitude:
“He was a great warrior, teammate and friend to so many of us in
the Naval Special Warfare community, and his spirit and sacrifice
will live on in each of us as we continue to fight the global war on
terrorism.
Petty Officer Schwedler lived by the SEAL Code, and time and again
his actions in training and on the battlefield embodied the physical
agility and mental toughness that characterizes the best of Naval
Special Warfare. He will surely be missed and certainly not
forgotten.”
A former high school football coach recalled Schwedler’s
commitment and determination: When told to lift weights three
times a week, he did it five days a week instead. “That was his
dream – to be a Navy SEAL.”
Clark Schwedler’s SEAL Team FOUR comrades remember him as a
hard working, loyal, and loving teammate, who met each challenge
with unwavering enthusiasm, and set the example for all his SEAL
brothers. He was dedicated to his friends, family, and the service of
his country.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Joseph C. Schwedler dies from 'enemy action while conducting
combat operations'
A U.S. Sailor from Crystal Falls has died during combat missions in Iraq.
The Department of Defense has announced that Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Schwedler died yesterday
from enemy action while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar providence of Iraq. The 27-year-old
was assigned to Navy SEAL Team Four out of Virginia Beach.
Joseph Schwedler graduated from Forest Park High School in 1998. He's the son of Joseph and Susan
Schwedler of Crystal Falls.
Spec. Levi K. Hoover
Hometown: Midland, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: April 7, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his unit in Zaganiyah.
Levi Hoover
Hoover, Spc. Levi Kennith Midland, Michigan Levi Hoover, age 23 years, was killed in action by an IED bomb on April
7, 2007, while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division U.S. Army in Zaganiyah, Iraq. He was born on March 21, 1984
in Parma, Ohio, the son of Kennith William and Belinda (Meyer) Hoover. He attended Midland schools, graduating
from Dow High School in 2002. In high school, he served as a member of the Steering Committee and served on the
wrestling team from his freshman year through his senior year with the guidance of Sam San Muigel who he greatly
admired. He graduated from Delta College in 2004 with an Associate's Degree in Cri-minal Justice. Levi was an
adorable little boy who grew up devoting much of his time to fishing, hunting, camping, and the great outdoors,
frequently accompanied by his family and life-long friends, Jake Pena and Dave Mason of Midland. As a son, a
brother, a grandson, a nephew and a friend, he was always a loving and thought-ful young man who will be forever
missed by so many he leaves behind. We will always be proud of him. He joined the U.S. Army in 2005 in hopes that
this would benefit his anticipated career with the Michigan State Police. After completing his military training, he was
deployed to Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans, Louisi-ana and then to Zaganiyaha, Iraq where his death occur-red. In
addition, he worked part time throughout high school and college at several local businesses including Meijer in the
deli depart-ment and as a cook at Bill Knapps and Bennigans. In the summer of 2004, he worked with the Gladwin
County Marine Patrol-Sheriff's Depart-ment. In the summer of 2005, he worked as a Ranger's Assistant at
Independence Mine State Park in Wasilla, Alaska. Levi is survived by his father, Kennith William Hoover and
stepmother, Sandy Hoover of Cleveland, Ohio; by his mother, Belinda Hoover Brewster and stepfather, Jack David
Brewster of Midland; by his beloved sister, Danielle M. Hoover of Midland, who loved and laughed and stood fast as
best friends at her brother's side throughout his life; by stepbrothers, Jona-thon M. Beyne of Union City, California
and Jack K. Brewster of Marquette. He was engaged to Crystal Alvarez of Orosino, Idaho on Christmas Day of 2006
with wedding plans in the near future. Also surviving are Levi's grandparents: Victor and Ingeborg Meyer of Midland,
Bill and Janet Hoover of Gladwin, Thomas and Jackie Minkel of Haslett, Jack J. Brewster of Mt. Pleasant and Ralph and
Dorothy Snyder of Cleveland, Ohio. Funeral services will take place at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2007 from
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 3109 Swede Avenue, Midland with graveside military rites immediately following
at Mid-land Cemetery. Levi's family will receive friends at the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 West
Wheeler Street, on Monday from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. and at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until time of service.
Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider Shelter House, P.O. Box 2660, Midland, MI 48641
or The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1447, Midland, MI 48641 in Levi's memory. If you cannot visit with the family in
person, please send your condolences through waresmithwoolever.com. Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Directors
Midland, Michigan
Published in Bay City Times on April 14, 2007
Sgt. Todd A. Singleton
Hometown: Muskegon, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: April 8, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using a makeshift bomb and small arms fire in
Baghdad.
Friends remembered Todd A. Singleton as someone who was the life of the party and had a penchant
for correcting their grammar. "We called him ''Teacher Todd,''" said Katie Heckman, the best friend of
Singleton's widow, Stephanie. "We all thought he wanted to be a teacher when he grew up."
Singleton, 24, of Muskegon, Mich., was killed April 8 when his unit was ambushed in Baghdad. He
was a 2000 high school graduate, on his second tour, and was assigned to Fort Hood. "Life is never
going to be the same," said his wife. "I don't know where to begin. Whenever I think about him, my
heart stops." He also is survived by his 6-month-old daughter, Emma. Singleton loved karaoke and his
taste in music ran primarily toward Motown, with a heavy emphasis on the Temptations. He also
loved to decorate cakes and bake alongside his wife in the kitchen. "Neither of us liked to cook, but
we both loved to bake," Stephanie said. "Sometimes it was like: What do you want for dinner? A
cake?" She baked, and he decorated because "he was the creative one," she said. They dreamed of
opening an in-home bake shop one day.
Todd Andrew Singleton
SINGLETON, SGT. TODD ANDREW "VINNY" Fort Hood, Texas (Formerly of Muskegon) Husband of Stephanie Sgt. Todd
Andrew "Vinny" Singleton, age 24, was killed during active combat patrol in Baghdad, Iraq, on Easter Sunday, April 8,
2007. Sgt. Singleton was assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment of Ft. Hood, TX. He was
born June 11, 1982 in Muskegon, MI, to Douglas and Donna (Mullins) Singleton and had been a life resident. He
attended Reeths-Puffer Schools and had been enlisted in the U.S. Army the past 5 years. Among Todd's favorite
things, he liked to hang-out with his "peeps," enjoyed drinking beer, bowling, and shooting pool. His two great loves
were singing karaoke and taking a ride on his motorcycle, which he affectionately named "his baby." On September
24, 2001, he married the former Stephanie L. Hicks in Muskegon and she survives him along with their 6 month old
daughter, Emma Mae Marie Singleton. Also surviving are his parents, Donna and Arthur Dykhouse of Muskegon,
Douglas and Brenda Singleton of Muskegon; brothers and sisters, Tech. Sgt. Scott (Tessa) Sliter, stationed in
Mildenhall, England, Bradley (Michelle) Singleton of Detroit, Andrea (Spc. Michael) Shank, stationed in Ft. Hood, TX,
Michael Botbyl of Twin Lake, Jaqueline Perez of Hawaii, Janae Singleton of Hawaii, and Jayson Singleton of
Muskegon; paternal grandparents, Gerald and Dorothy Singleton of Muskegon; maternal grandmothers, Marilyn
Mullins of Muskegon and Evelyn Dykhouse of Grand Rapids; father-in-law and mother-in-law, James and Kathleen
Hicks of Twin Lake; sisters-in-law, Shelly (John) Carnes of Twin Lake and Katie Leonard of Twin Lake; maternal
grandparents-in-law, James and Doreen Hicks of Muskegon and Edna and Frank Shelder of Honor, MI; and several
aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents,
Thomas and Donna Mullins, and Howard Dykhouse. A FUNERAL SERVICE with Full Military Honors will take place
11:00 AM Wednesday, April 18, 2007 at Fifth Reformed Church (2330 Holton Rd.) with the Capt. John E. Kenny,
Michigan National Guard Chaplain, officiating. INTERMENT will take place at Sunrise Memorial Gardens. VISITATION
with the family will be 6-8 PM Monday and 2-4 and 6-8 PM Tuesday at The Sytsema Chapel Sytsema Funeral Homes,
Inc. 737 Apple Avenue (231) 726-5210 MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: in lieu of flowers may be directed to the
Education Fund for Emma Singleton at Shelby State Bank. Sign the guest book on-line at www.sytsemafh.com
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Soldiers Who Died Together Share Final Resting Place
3 Men Were Casualties of Easter Sunday Fighting in Iraq
By Christy Goodman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 14, 2007
One soldier was on his way home to his baby girl and two others had just arrived in Iraq when they
were killed in Baghdad on Easter Sunday. The remains of the three men were buried together
yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery.
A single silver, flag-draped coffin was set before the men's families. One pink-flowered crape myrtle tree
marks the site, growing next to where the headstone bearing the three names will be placed.
Army Staff Sgt. Harrison Brown, Pfc. David N. Simmons and Sgt. Todd A. Singleton were killed April 8
when enemy forces attacked their units with a makeshift bomb and small-arms fire, the Defense Department
reported. The three soldiers were in the same armored vehicle, family members said.
At yesterday's service, a seven-man squad fired three volleys, and a bugler played in the distance. A few
dozen mourners looked on as Maj. Gen. Alan W. Thrasher presented flags to three mothers, two fathers and
one widow.
The men are the most recent of 366 military personnel killed in Iraq to be buried at Arlington.
Brown and Simmons were members of the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Benning, Ga., and had been in Iraq for about a week. Brown, 31, was on
his fourth tour; Simmons, 20, was on his first. Singleton, 24, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Calvary
Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Calvary Division, based at Fort Hood, Tex.
"He was actually training them. . . . He was supposed to be coming home" to Muskegon County, Mich., said
Shelly Carnes, Singleton's sister-in-law. Singleton's daughter, Emma, was a newborn when he left for his
second tour. Now she is 11 months old, and "she looks just like him," Carnes said.
Singleton was outspoken, a leader, a prankster and "a real good friend," Carnes said. "He would have been a
really good dad. That is what makes me sad. He never got the opportunity to be a dad."
Once, before Singleton's daughter was born, Carnes caught him "rocking nothing in a rocking chair." When
she asked him what he was doing, he answered, 'I'm practicing for my baby,' " Carnes said.
Singleton graduated from Reeths-Puffer High School in Muskegon in 2001 and enlisted in the Army. On
Sept. 24, 2001, shortly after he graduated from basic training, he married Stephanie, his high school
sweetheart.
"I still see his face the last time he walked out the door," Carnes said. "I said: 'Don't worry. I'll take care of
your girls.' He said, 'I know you'll take care of my girls.' "
Simmons, who went by his middle name, Neil, called his mother in Kokomo, Ind., the Saturday before
Easter to say he would be hard to reach while on patrol. "The very next morning he was killed," said
his mother, Teri Tenbrook. She said the armored vehicle that the three men were in was "entirely
destroyed."
Simmons was "everybody's friend," his mother said. "He was a great son. He just had a very big heart and a
huge smile that lit up every room, and he loved what he was doing," she said.
Simmons, the youngest of three children in a tightknit family, graduated from Northwestern High School in
2005. He completed National Guard basic training before going on active duty. He had always wanted to
visit Arlington Cemetery, his mother said. "This is a trip he always wanted to take, but this isn't the way he
wanted to do it," she said. "I can't believe I'm about to go to a service where my son is going to have a
headstone in Arlington."
Brown, too, was known for his smile, said his wife, Delisha Brown. "Everyone admires him for his smile,
how humble he was and willing to help anyone he can," she said. "He always put his soldiers first, before
himself."
Brown, originally from Prichard, Ala., and known by the nickname "Duck," was a graduate of Blount High
School and attended Tuskegee University on a football scholarship. After completing one year, he left
Tuskegee to join the Army in 1995. The next year, he married his high school sweetheart, and they made
Georgia their home.
Before he left for his fourth tour, the Browns' 9-year-old daughter, Kilani, told her father that she didn't want
him to go, Delisha Brown said. He told her, "I would love to be here with you and Mommy, but Daddy has
to go and protect us from the bad guys."
Delisha Brown decided not to attend the services at Arlington, because it would be too hard for her and
Kilani. But she said she knows her husband would be honored to be there. She said she still sleeps with the
computer volume turned all the way up, expecting to hear the chime signaling that her husband is online.
Brown's mother, Chris Ann Brown, his 13-year-old daughter, Alexya Harrison, and other family members
attended the ceremony.
"We loved him so much, but the Lord loved him more. . . . He was extremely special for the Lord to come
and take him on Easter Sunday," Delisha Brown said.
Yesterday's service was the second for the three families. Each soldier had a funeral in his home town in the
spring.
"These soldiers shouldn't be forgotten," Carnes said.
Family, friends lay fallen soldier to rest
By Local reports | The Muskegon Chronicle April 18, 2007, 4:24PM
The body of U.S. Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton, top, is is transported to Sunrise Memorial
Gardens in Muskegon Wednesday after a church service at Fifth Reformed Church in
Dalton Township. Above, the flag-covered casket of U.S. Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton is
at left during a graveside ceremony prior to interment at Sunrise Memorial Gardens in
Muskegon Wednesday afternoon.
In life, U.S. Sgt. Todd A. Singleton was once an unsung hero.
When he was no more than 13 years old, Singleton rescued a friend who had fallen through
the ice from drowning.
Until Wednesday, the story was known only by Singleton's closest friends and family in
Muskegon.
In death, Singleton -- who was killed in Iraq on Easter Sunday -- was being called a "hero"
once again, but this time for all to hear.
"Today we remember Sgt. Todd Singleton: husband, father, son, brother, uncle, soldier, hero.
He was a great American," said Capt. John E. Kenny, the Michigan National Guard chaplain
who presided at Singleton's funeral in Muskegon Wednesday.
Singleton, 24, died of wounds suffered when his unit was ambushed outside Baghdad by
enemy forces using explosives and small arms fire. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq
-- and one of 10 U.S. soldiers and Marines killed Easter weekend.
A congregation of 450 mourners attended Singleton's funeral, performed with full military
rites, at Fifth Reformed Church, 2330 Holton.
Kenny, who called the fallen soldier "a national treasure," assured his family that "an entire
nation grieves for him."
"We have the mission to honor him, so let's make Todd proud," Kenny said.
Chronicle • Cory MorseEdward Jordan, a U.S. Air Force veteran who lives in Flint, stands
with a flag as a procession of cars leave after a funeral service for U.S. Army Sgt. Todd A.
Singleton Wednesday at Fifth Reformed Church, 2330 Holton, in Dalton Township.
Singleton, 24, died of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device and small
arms fire Easter Sunday while serving in Iraq.
Singleton is survived by his wife, Stephanie; his 6-month-old daughter, Emma; his parents,
Donna and Arthur Dykhouse and Douglas and Brenda Singleton, all of Muskegon; and seven
brothers and sisters.
But his comrades, still in Iraq, are also grieving, Kenny said.
"We've lost one of our own," Kenny said. "The sad reality is (these) days are part of our
military life."
Singleton was assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood,
Texas. In Iraq, he was in the Alpha Warriors, Wolf Pack Platoon and drew duty in Sadr City,
Baghdad, one of the war's most dangerous areas, Kenny said.
"He volunteered for the infantry, even though it was dangerous and risky," the chaplain said.
Singleton served two tours of duty in Iraq. He was first deployed in 2004 and again in October
2006, just three weeks after the Singletons' daughter was born. Stephanie Singleton and the
baby moved from Texas back home to Muskegon while he was in Iraq. He was scheduled to
come home the end of April for a two-week leave.
"On that Easter Sunday, all that God had set out for Todd to do was accomplished. As we say
in the army: Mission accomplished," Kenny said.
After the service, a funeral procession of 150 cars traveled across town to Sunrise Memorial
Gardens, 2188 Remembrance, where Singleton was buried. U.S. flags were presented by
military officials to Stephanie Singleton and her husband's parents. He was honored by a 21gun salute, before a lone bugler played "Taps."
Kenny relied on the familiar words of Ecclesiastes to comfort the crowd at the gravesite: "For
everything, there is a season," he said, " ... a time to mourn, and a time to dance ... a time
for war and a time for peace."
For the complete story, return to Mlive.com on Thursday, or pick up a copy of Thursday's
Muskegon Chronicle.
Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton
Died April 08, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
24, of Muskegon, Mich.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died April 8 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit
came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire.
Three Michigan servicemen killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Three servicemen from Michigan have been killed in Iraq, including a Navy SEAL from the Upper
Peninsula and two soldiers.
Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton, 24, of Muskegon, was fatally wounded April 8 as his unit fought
enemy forces in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
Army Pfc. Levi K. Hoover, 23, of Midland, and three other members of his unit died April 7 in a
roadside bomb explosion in Zaganiyah. They were assigned to the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division
based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Clark Schwedler, 27, of Crystal Falls, died April 5 during
combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to Navy SEAL Team Four, based in Virginia Beach,
Va.
Singleton, a 2000 graduate of Reeths-Puffer High School, was married and the father of a 5month-old daughter. He was close to finishing his second tour of duty in Iraq and had planned to
return to school, The Muskegon Chronicle reported.
“We are all devastated,” said his grandmother, Dorothy Singleton of Muskegon. She described
Todd Singleton as a serious person, yet “funny and fun to be around.”
“He was the kind of kid who looked out for others,” she said.
Hoover enlisted in the Army in 2005 in Alaska, where he was working as a ranger’s assistant, and
was deployed to Iraq the next year.
His mother, Belinda Brewster, told the Midland Daily News she had talked with Hoover two days
before his death. He described a deadly roadside bomb explosion.
“I think he was worried,” Brewster said. “It was a dangerous place to be.”
A 2002 graduate of H.H. Dow High School, Hoover was engaged to be married and was planning
to become a police officer.
Schwedler, son of Iron County Trial Judge C. Joseph Schwedler, was a class president,
outstanding student and athlete at Forest Park High School. He was a member of the football,
basketball and track teams.
“When it came to school work, Clark always went above and beyond what was expected. He was a
natural leader,” Bill St. John, a retired teacher and member of the local school board, told The
Daily News of Iron Mountain.
Forest Park football coach Bill Santilli said Schwedler was “an outstanding young man. His
personality made those around him feel better and play harder.”
Todd Andrew Singleton
Sergeant, United States Army
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 407-07
April 09, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sergeant Todd A. Singleton, 24, of Muskegon, Michigan, died April 8, 2007, in
Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the
Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
13 Sepember 2007:
There was a very unique burial Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery, just
outside Washington, D.C. Three soldiers who fought and died together in Iraq
were laid to rest together in a single casket. Among the three was one soldier
who was from Prichard.
Family members of all three soldiers were present to observe full military
honors. Inside the flag-draped casket, the remains of Staff Sergeant Harrison
Brown of Prichard; Private First Class David Simmons of Kokomo, Indiana;
and Sergeant Todd Singleton of Muskegon, Michigan.
Following a 21 gun salute and the playing of taps, family members were
presented with folded American flags. The attached video shows parts of the
ceremony held at Arlington to honor the three soldiers.
The men died Easter Sunday after they came under enemy attack when a
roadside bomb was detonated in Baghdad.
Veterans and schoolchildren, parents holding babies, friends and strangers lined the
streets of Muskegon Monday morning to welcome home the body of U.S. Army Sergeant
Todd Singleton.
Singleton, 24, died of wounds suffered on Easter Sunday when his unit was
ambushed outside Baghdad by enemy forces using explosives and small arms
fire.
Hundreds of people stood at intersections and along city streets, in church
parking lots and outside Veterans of Foreign War posts to honor the fallen
soldier who will be buried with full military rites Wednesday.
"I'm here to pay my respects," said Tom Stafford, 79, of North Muskegon, a
veteran of World War II and Korea.
A member of the Muskegon County Council of Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Stafford was with at least 40 other veterans outside the Wilbur Boyer V.F.W.
Post 3195 on the corner of Grand Haven Road and Porter Street, who formed
an honor guard for the passing motorcade.
"It's sad, real sad," Stafford said. "You see the young family, and that's the
hard part."
Singleton's family followed the hearse bearing his body through the city.
A grief-stricken Stephanie Singleton, 25 -- the soldier's widow -- could be seen
looking out the window at the mourners alongside the road. At least 50 cars
driven by family members, military escorts, motorcycles and police from the
Michigan State Police and Muskegon County Sheriff's Department, as well as
Muskegon and Norton Shores police departments followed behind the hearse.
By 11:45 a.m., the hearse pulled into Sytsema Funeral Home's parking lot.
The jet carrying the body of U.S. Army Sergeant Todd A. Singleton backs into a hanger
Monday at the
Muskegon County Airport in Norton Shores.Beth and Chris Singleton of Muskegon watched the
procession across
the street from Sytsema's at 737 Apple with their two children, Rhayn, 4, and 6-month-old
Salma.
It was intensely emotional for the family.
Chris Singleton, 27, is a "distant" relative of the fallen soldier's. Beth Singleton,
26, went all the way through elementary, junior high and high school with Todd
Singleton in the Reeths-Puffer Public Schools and counts him "as a good
friend."
As the motorcade made its way east on Apple Avenue toward Sytsema's Funeral
Home, Beth Singleton could no longer contain her tears welling.
"At first I wasn't going to come (to the procession)," she said, cradling the baby
in her arms whom she couldn't help but note is "only five days older that Todd
and Stephanie's daughter, Emma."
Beth Singleton and her husband will be at the visitation tonight at Sytsema
Funeral Home. Plus she faces an emotional day Tuesday as a floral designer for
Ray and Sharon's Flowers, designing funeral arrangements for the fallen
soldier.
"I thought about not coming because there's so much else," she said, "but it
didn't feel right not to."
Visitation is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. tonight and 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday
at Sytsema Funeral Home, 737 Apple.
A funeral with full military honors will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Fifth
Reformed Church, 2330 Holton, with the Captain John E. Kenny, Michigan
National Guard chaplain officiating. Interment will take place at Sunrise
Memorial Gardens, 2188 Remembrance.
Singleton was assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry
Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas. He was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Singleton is survived by his wife, Stephanie Singleton; their 6-month-old
daughter, Emma; and his parents, Donna and Arthur Dykhouse and Douglas
and Brenda Singleton, all of Muskegon; and numerous brothers and sisters.
Soldiers Who Died Together Share Final Resting Place
3 Men Were Casualties of Easter Sunday Fighting in Iraq
By Christy Goodman
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Friday, September 14, 2007
One soldier was on his way home to his baby girl and two others had just
arrived in Iraq when they were killed in Baghdad on Easter Sunday. The
remains of the three men were buried together yesterday at Arlington National
Cemetery.
A single silver, flag-draped coffin was set before the men's families. One pinkflowered crape myrtle tree marks the site, growing next to where the headstone
bearing the three names will be placed.
Army Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown, Private First Class David N. Simmons
and Sergeant Todd A. Singleton were killed April 8, 2007, when enemy forces
attacked their units with a makeshift bomb and small-arms fire, the Defense
Department reported. The three soldiers were in the same armored vehicle,
family members said.
At yesterday's service, a seven-man squad fired three volleys, and a bugler
played in the distance. A few dozen mourners looked on as Major General Alan
W. Thrasher presented flags to three mothers, two fathers and one widow.
The men are the most recent of 366 military personnel killed in Iraq to be
buried at Arlington.
Brown and Simmons were members of the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort
Benning, Georgia, and had been in Iraq for about a week. Brown, 31, was on his
fourth tour; Simmons, 20, was on his first. Singleton, 24, was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 5th Calvary Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Calvary Division, based at
Fort Hood, Texas.
"He was actually training them. . . . He was supposed to be coming home" to
Muskegon County, Michigan, said Shelly Carnes, Singleton's sister-in-law.
Singleton's daughter, Emma, was a newborn when he left for his second tour.
Now she is 11 months old, and "she looks just like him," Carnes said.
Singleton was outspoken, a leader, a prankster and "a real good friend," Carnes
said. "He would have been a really good dad. That is what makes me sad. He
never got the opportunity to be a dad."
Once, before Singleton's daughter was born, Carnes caught him "rocking
nothing in a rocking chair." When she asked him what he was doing, he
answered, 'I'm practicing for my baby,' " Carnes said.
Singleton graduated from Reeths-Puffer High School in Muskegon in 2001 and
enlisted in the Army. On September 24, 2001, shortly after he graduated from
basic training, he married Stephanie, his high school sweetheart.
"I still see his face the last time he walked out the door," Carnes said. "I said:
'Don't worry. I'll take care of your girls.' He said, 'I know you'll take care of my
girls.' "
Simmons, who went by his middle name, Neil, called his mother in Kokomo,
Ind., the Saturday before Easter to say he would be hard to reach while on
patrol. "The very next morning he was killed," said his mother, Teri Tenbrook.
She said the armored vehicle that the three men were in was "entirely
destroyed."
Simmons was "everybody's friend," his mother said. "He was a great son. He
just had a very big heart and a huge smile that lit up every room, and he loved
what he was doing," she said.
Simmons, the youngest of three children in a tightknit family, graduated from
Northwestern High School in 2005. He completed National Guard basic training
before going on active duty. He had always wanted to visit Arlington Cemetery,
his mother said. "This is a trip he always wanted to take, but this isn't the way
he wanted to do it," she said. "I can't believe I'm about to go to a service where
my son is going to have a headstone in Arlington."
Brown, too, was known for his smile, said his wife, Delisha Brown. "Everyone
admires him for his smile, how humble he was and willing to help anyone he
can," she said. "He always put his soldiers first, before himself."
Brown, originally from Prichard, Ala., and known by the nickname "Duck,"
was a graduate of Blount High School and attended Tuskegee University on a
football scholarship. After completing one year, he left Tuskegee to join the
Army in 1995. The next year, he married his high school sweetheart, and they
made Georgia their home.
Before he left for his fourth tour, the Browns' 9-year-old daughter, Kilani, told
her father that she didn't want him to go, Delisha Brown said. He told her, "I
would love to be here with you and Mommy, but Daddy has to go and protect us
from the bad guys."
Delisha Brown decided not to attend the services at Arlington, because it would
be too hard for her and Kilani. But she said she knows her husband would be
honored to be there. She said she still sleeps with the computer volume turned
all the way up, expecting to hear the chime signaling that her husband is online.
Brown's mother, Chris Ann Brown, his 13-year-old daughter, Alexya Harrison,
and other family members attended the ceremony.
"We loved him so much, but the Lord loved him more. . . . He was extremely
special for the Lord to come and take him on Easter Sunday," Delisha Brown
said.
Yesterday's service was the second for the three families. Each soldier had a
funeral in his home town in the spring.
"These soldiers shouldn't be forgotten," Carnes said.
Three soldiers who were killed together in Iraq on Easter Sunday were buried together in
Arlington National Cemetery on September 14, last Thursday. When I read about this, I
thought it was odd to have three bodies in the same casket and even odder that it was
more than five months after the soldiers were killed. But I was really surprised when I
read their names - PrivateFirst Class David Neil Simmons, Sergeant Todd Singleton and
Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown of Prichard. "Duck" Brown was the same guy I wrote about
two weeks ago and he was buried in Prichard on April 18, 2007.
It took several days to reach her, but I finally talked to Brown's sister, Mary
Dozier, on Wednesday. She said authorities had called her mother a couple of
weeks ago and said they had found more remains of her brother at the site of
the explosion where he was killed. Remains had also been found of the other two
soldiers killed with him - Simmons and Singleton. The Army wanted to bury all
the remains together at Arlington National Cemetery and offered to pay for
family members to attend the ceremony, which was held last week.
Dozier said she and their mother, Chris Ann Brown, and one of Brown's
daughters and her mother all went to Washington, D.C., for the ceremony. It
was there they found out that a fourth soldier had been injured in the same
attack but had survived with 3rd degree burns and was already back in Iraq on
duty.
Both the other soldiers also had already had funeral services in their
hometowns. Singleton was buried in Muskegon, Michigan, on April 18, 2007,
and Simmons was buried in Kokomo, Indiana, on April 28, 2007. Actually just
his casket was buried in Kokomo. At the ceremony in D.C., his mother, Teri
Tenbrook, said the family knew the casket was empty.
According to the Army, remains belonging to Brown and Singleton had been
positively identified and sent to their respective homes for burial. The Office of
the Armed Forces Medical Examiner sent a specialized team to Iraq where it
conducted another search of the vehicle. While that led to the recovery of
additional remains of Brown and Singleton, none could be identified as
Simmons. AFME officials concluded their examination June 14,2007. The
unidentified, co-mingled remains were released to the Army for group burial.
The group burial, Pentagon officials informed the families, was the first brought
about by enemy fire in Iraq.
As could be expected, Tenbrook is having a hard time getting closure on her
son's death. She said she's still waiting for the final report on what actually
happened on Easter Sunday, hoping that will help.
An honor guard carries a casket containing the mingled remains of three soldiers who died in
Iraq during a
group burial at Arlington National Cemetery September 13, 2007. Staff Sergeant Harrison
Brown, Private First Class
David Neil Simmons, and Private First Class Todd Andrew Singleton were members of the 69th
Armor Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Georgia. They were killed on
April 8, 2007, when they came
in contact with enemy forces using a makeshift bomb and small arms fire in Baghdad.
An honor guard holds a flag to present to the families of three soldiers who died in Iraq during a
group burial
at Arlington National Cemetery September 13, 2007. Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown, Private
First Class David Neil
Simmons, and Private FIrst Class Todd Andrew Singleton were members of the 69th Armor
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Georgia. They were killed on April 8, 2007, when
they came in contact with
enemy forces using a makeshift bomb and small arms fire in Baghdad
An honor guard holds flags to present to the families of three soldiers who died in Iraq during a
group burial
at Arlington National Cemetery September 13, 2007. Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown, Private
First Class David Neil
Simmons, and Private FIrst Class Todd Andrew Singleton were members of the 69th Armor
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Georgia. They were killed on April 8, 2007, when
they came in contact with
enemy forces using a makeshift bomb and small arms fire in Baghdad
The casket carrying the remains of three U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq is carried into place
during a group burial ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery September 13, 2007. Staff
Sergeant Harrison Brown, Private First Class David Neil
Simmons, and Private FIrst Class Todd Andrew Singleton were members of the 69th Armor
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Georgia. They were killed on April 8, 2007, when
they came in contact with
enemy forces using a makeshift bomb and small arms fire in Baghdad
Chris Brown, mother of Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown, cries during a group burial ceremony
for three
U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq at Arlington National Cemetery, September 13, 2007. Staff
Sergeant Harrison Brown, Private First Class David Neil Simmons, and Private FIrst Class
Todd Andrew Singleton were members of the 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Georgia. They were killed on April 8, 2007, when
they came in contact with
enemy forces using a makeshift bomb and small arms fire in Baghdad
Army Major General Alan Thrasher, kneeling, left, presents an American flag to Chris Brown,
mother of Army
Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown, during his joint funeral for Brown, Army Pfc. David Neil
Simmons and Army Pfc.
Todd Andrew Singleton at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Thursday, September 13,
2007
A military honor guard approaches the casket bearing the co-mingled remains of Army Staff
Sergeant Harrison Brown,
Army Pfc. David Neil Simmons and Army Pfc. Todd Andrew Singleton during their joint
funeral at Arlington National
Cemetery Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007. They died April 8,2007, in Baghdad after an attack on their
vehicle
Army Major General Alan Thrasher, left, and members of a military honor guard prepare to
present American flags to the
families of Army Staff Sgt. Harrison Brown, Army Pfc. David Neil Simmons and Army Pfc. Todd
Andrew Singleton during their joint funeral at Arlington National Cemetery Thursday, Sept. 13,
2007. They died April 8,2007, in Baghdad after an attack on their vehicle.
Photo Courtesy of Tom Gugilizza-Smith: October 2007 Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson
Posted: 13 September 2007 Updated: 14 September 2007 Updated: 16 September 2007 Updated: 21
September 2007 Updated: 9 October 2007 Updated: 14 May 2008
Sgt. Todd A. Singleton »
Friends, family pay last respects to fallen soldier
By Local reports | The Muskegon Chronicle April 16, 2007, 10:32PM
Chronicle • Kendra Stanley-MillsRobert Dingman, 26, left, hugs a former Reeths-Puffer
High School schoolmate outside of Sytsema Funeral Home, 737 E. Apple, during the
public visitation of fallen soldier Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton Monday evening. Dingman
and Singleton graduated from Reeths-Puffer High School together in 2000. "We want him
to be remembered as a real good person," Dingman said. "All we can do is remember the
laughs and the good times." Singleton, 24, was killed on Easter Sunday when his unit
was ambushed outside Baghdad, Iraq, by enemy forces using explosvies and small arms
fire.
For Jeremy Hollar, Monday was a day of reunion. And early farewells.
Hollar, 25, of Muskegon arrived an hour before the 11 a.m. homecoming procession honoring
U.S. Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton -- a former classmate and high school buddy who was killed
in Iraq on Easter Sunday.
Sgt. Todd A. Singleton
"We were part of that group of friends you think you'll always be with," Hollar said.
But on Monday, he was standing alongside the road, waiting to see his friend's body escorted
home by a military honor guard and motorcade of as many as 50 cars, motorcycles and
trucks.
"We had this whole group of friends ... the 'peeps.' We hung out together. We went to prom
together. We did everything together, but I haven't seen him in a long time," Hollar said.
Not since both men joined the U.S. Army in 2001, soon after their Class of 2000 graduation
from Reeths-Puffer High School.
He and Singleton hadn't seen each other for a couple years, Hollar said.
"We used to be so close," Hollar said. "I guess you grow up and lose touch ... then, then
something like this happens."
Singleton, 24, died of wounds suffered when his unit was ambushed outside Baghdad by
enemy forces using explosives and small arms fire. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq
-- and one of 10 U.S. soldiers and marines killed Easter weekend.
Singleton's body was flown by chartered jet from Dover to Muskegon Monday. His brother,
Tech. Sgt. Scott Sliter, stationed in Mildenhall, England, accompanied the body home.
"You read in the news all about about guys killed in Iraq, but this is so close to home," Hollar
said. "I mean, I've known him since the eighth grade."
Hollar was one of hundreds of people who turned out for the morning's homecoming
procession, then later that evening for the first of three funeral visitations scheduled.
"I have to be here," said a teary-eyed Hollar. "I have to show my support.
For the complete story, return to Mlive.com on Tuesday, or pick up a copy of Tuesday's
Muskegon Chronicle.
Pfc. Garrett C. Knoll
Hometown: Bad Axe, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: April 23, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his location in Sadah.
Garrett C. Knoll ran a grueling cross country and track schedule for four years in high school. During summers, he
would wake up as early as 4 a.m. for his job at a golf club. "He was a guy who was always full of energy," said Lee
Kahler, his biology teacher and running coach. "He was very enthusiastic. He was a really neat kid." Knoll, 23, a medic
from Bad Axe, Mich., was killed April 23 in a suicide car bombing in As Sadah. He was a 2001 high school graduate
and was assigned to Fort Bragg. His former teacher, Kathy Cregeur, remembers Knoll as "fun loving." "He was always
trying to play a joke," she said. "He was well liked. He got along with other students really well. He was smiling and
happy." Knoll and his friends on the cross country team always liked to play euchre on the bus while traveling to
meets. One day he got on the bus with a battery-operated shuffling machine. "I saw it and was joking with him that
the euchre deck is so small that he didn't need an automatic shuffler," Kahler said. "He said, ''Sure we do.'' That was
Garrett." He is survived by his grandparents, Robert and Ruth Knoll.
Michigan soldier killed in Iraq was athletic, popular
The Associated Press
VERONA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 23-year-old Army medic from Michigan’s Thumb who was killed
in Iraq attended a rural one-room school through eighth grade but jumped right into the social whirl
and sports scene at Bad Axe High School, his former principal says.
Garrett Knoll of Huron County’s Verona Township was killed when a truck bomb exploded next to
his patrol base near Baghdad, grandmother Ruth Knoll told WLEW-AM in Bad Axe.
Nine members of the 82nd Airborne Division were killed and 20 were wounded April 23. It was the
single greatest loss of life for American ground forces in Iraq since Dec. 1, 2005, when a roadside
bomb killed 10 Marines and wounded 11 in an abandoned building near Fallujah.
The soldiers were members of the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, at Fort Bragg, N.C. A civilian interpreter also was wounded.
Knoll, a 2001 graduate of Bad Axe High, lived with his grandparents near Verona, about 100 miles
north of Detroit. He had been serving as a medic in Iraq for two months.
Ruth Knoll said military officials notified her April 24. The Pentagon had not yet announced his
death by midmorning April 25.
Knoll attended the one-room Verona Mills school from kindergarten through eighth grade, said Bad
Axe High Principal Wayne Brady.
Knoll “fit right in” when he moved on to the high school, Brady told The Saginaw News. The
freshman joined the cross country, track and wrestling teams.
“He was a happy-go-lucky kid,” Brady said. “He was very friendly. One thing I remember is his
sense of humor. He was very sharp, very witty. And he had a nice circle of friends.”
Lee Kahler, Knoll’s track and cross country coach and his biology teacher, described him as
“happy, joyful, enthusiastic, eager, always adventuresome.”
“He was a guy who was always full of energy,” Kahler told the Huron Daily Tribune of Bad Axe. “He
was a really neat kid.”
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family, and we will honor his, and their, sacrifice,” said
Bad Axe Mayor Herbert Williams. “As a community, we will do whatever we can to help them heal.”
Garrett Knoll
Friday, April 27 2007 @ 09:20 AM MDT
Contributed by: tomw
Huron Daily News -- BAD AXE — Garrett Knoll was never afraid of hard work.
He ran a grueling cross country and track schedule for four years at Bad Axe High School.
During the summer, he would wake up as early as 4 a.m. for his job at Verona Hills Golf Club.
That hard-working attitude carried over to his military lifestyle. Though he had been enlisted for less than a
year, he became a person soldiers relied on with their lives.
The 23-year-old Knoll, a 2001 Bad Axe High School graduate, was among nine U.S. military personnel
killed Monday when a truck bomb exploded next to their patrol base northeast of Baghdad. Knoll had been
serving as a medic in Iraq for two months.
Knoll's grandparents, Robert and Ruth Knoll of Verona Township, were notified of his death early Tuesday.
Lee Kahler knew Knoll as well as any teacher in the Bad Axe school system. Kahler was Knoll's general
biology teacher, as well as cross country and track coach.
"He was a guy who was always full of energy," Kahler said. "He was very enthusiastic. He was a really neat
kid."
During high school, Knoll worked at Verona Hills Golf Club, a course literally in the backyard of his
grandparents’ home. Knoll and his grandparents were known to start their rounds on No. 16 where their
backyard came out to the course.
Knoll worked on the maintenance/custodial staff, as well as in the bag room at Verona Hills. During the
summers, he would arrive at the course as early as 4 a.m. to do custodial duties, then shift to the bag room
and greet members as they arrived for their tee times.
"He was quiet, but very polite and well mannered," said Verona Hills PGA professional Terry Ernst. "He
was always around the course because of where his grandparents lived. He was a good kid."
Knoll also attended Verona Mills School. His former teacher, Kathy Cregeur, remembers Knoll as "fun
loving."
"He was always trying to play a joke,” she said. "He was well liked. He got along with other students really
well. He was smiling and happy."
She said Knoll liked sports of all kinds, including softball, running and golf. Cregeur said Knoll also was
always willing to help younger students at Verona Mills.
Bad Axe High School Principal Wayne Brady remembers Knoll as well liked and funny.
"He was a nice kid — had a nice sense of humor," Brady said. "He enjoyed his track ... and liked to play golf
— he was always bugging me about playing golf. He had a nice circle of friends that got along real well."
Josh Roggenbuck, owner of the Flower Farm in Bad Axe and a former classmate of Knoll’s, said Knoll “was
a quiet (and) honest kid.” Roggenbuck went to Verona Mills and Bad Axe with Knoll.
"He never seemed to know what he wanted to do with his life, but when he went into the Army he had a
whole new conviction," Roggenbuck said.
Troy Ziehm, Knoll’s second cousin, spent a lot of time with Knoll and his father when they were younger.
He said Knoll's father passed away a few years ago.
"His dad helped raise me, and I tried to return the favor for Garrett,” Ziehm said. “He (Knoll) always kept his
chin up. No matter how bad things seemed to get, it never seemed to affect him.”
Johanna Ziehm, Ubly Community Schools teacher, has known Knoll since his childhood.
"He used to play with my kids when he was little," she said. "He was just a sweetheart as a kid. He was just a
real nice, quiet kid."
Bad Axe teacher Steve Kennedy, like so many others, remembers Knoll's sense of humor.
"He was a funny kid, a good, solid kid,” he said. "And he seemed excited about being in the military."
Kennedy said he remembers Knoll enjoying his time on the cross country squad. "He was a hard worker," he
said. "He wasn’t the star, but he did his part to be a contributing member of the team."
Kahler remembers Knoll and his friends on the cross country team, including Dan Melnik, Randy Krug and
BJ Neeb, always liked to play euchre on the bus while traveling to meets.
"So one day Garrett gets on the bus and he has a battery-operated shuffling machine that he found
somewhere," Kahler snickered. "I saw it and was joking with him that the euchre deck is so small that he
didn't need an automatic shuffler. He said, 'Sure we do.' That was Garrett."
Friends since the third grade, Tim Harris Jr. of Bad Axe, said the last time he saw Knoll was in January when
Knoll was home on (military) leave.
"I drove him to Yale to meet up with a cousin,” said Harris, who also was in the Army.
Harris said the two used to go perch fishing and ran track together.
"I was in a meeting in Bay City (Tuesday) when my (cellular) phone was ringing," Harris said. "I couldn’t
answer it. A guy there at the meeting came and told me a friend of mine died in Iraq. I knew right away who
it was."
Fellow 2001 graduate Dave Osminski said he had lost touch with Knoll over the last few years and was
surprised and shocked to hear his former high school friend was killed. Osminski said he remembers Knoll
as being "outgoing, really nice and fun to hang around with."
Bad Axe Superintendent Jim Wencel was not working for Bad Axe Public Schools when Knoll was a student
there, but he said, "Anytime a young person’s life is taken, it’s a sad situation. I feel for his grandparents."
The soldiers were paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, N.C., the division said
Tuesday. They were members of the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
Knoll is the second Huron County military serviceman to be killed while serving in Iraq.
Sgt. Aaron C. Elandt, 23, of Port Hope, was killed on May 30, 2004. Elandt was a cavalry scout with the 1st
Armored Division and had been in Iraq for 14 months when he was killed as the Humvee he was driving
struck a land mine in Al Musayyib, Iraq, south of Baghdad. Elandt, the son of Paul and Linda Elandt, joined
the Army in March 2002. He was a 1999 Harbor Beach High School graduate. Knoll's grandparents were
scheduled to meet with a military media adviser Wednesday. At that time, they are expected to release a
statement about their grandson's death.
As of Wednesday morning the Department of Defense was not releasing any further information about the
incident and had yet to release the identity of those killed.
Funeral services for Knoll are pending.
Paratroopers killed in Iraq bombing identified
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Apr 29, 2007 13:58:29 EDT
Paratroopers kille
You have been s
http://w w w .army
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The military identified the nine 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers killed this week
in a suicide truck bombing in Iraq.
They were 1st Lt. Kevin J. Gaspers, 26, of Hastings, Neb.; Spc. Jerry R. King, 19, of Browersville, Ga.; Pfc.
Garrett C. Knoll, 23, of Bad Axe, Mich.; Staff Sgt. Kenneth E. Locker Jr., 28, of Wakefield, Neb.; Sgt.
Randell T. Marshall, 22, of Fitzgerald, Ga.; Staff Sgt. William C. Moore, 27, of Benson; Sgt. Brice A.
Pearson, 32, of Phoenix; Spc. Michael J. Rodriguez, 20, of Sanford; and Sgt. Michael L. Vaughan, 20, of
Otis, Ore.
All were members of the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team at Fort Bragg.
The 3,500-member brigade, one of four infantry brigades in the 82nd Airborne Division, deployed to Iraq in
August.
The explosion Monday also injured 20 soldiers from the same unit. It was the largest single death toll for the
82nd Airborne since the Vietnam War and marked the single greatest loss of life for American ground forces
in Iraq since December 2005.
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team also announced on Thursday that it will hold a private memorial service next
month for its 37 paratroopers killed in Iraq since August, including the nine soldiers who died in a truck
bombing this week. Hardest hit has been the brigade’s 73rd Cavalry Regiment, a reconnaissance and scout
unit that has lost 20 paratroopers.
The May 8 memorial service will be open to members of the 82nd Airborne and their families, division
spokesman Maj. Tom Earnhardt said.
“This is an effort to add some closure for the
families and rear personnel.”
Spc. Daniel W. Courneya
Hometown: Nashville, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 19 years old
Died: May 12, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum,
N.Y.
Incident: Killed when their patrol was attacked in Taqa by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives.
Michigan soldier killed in weekend ambush in Iraq
The Associated Press
VERMONTVILLE, Mich. — Students at Maple Valley High School are remembering slain Army Pfc.
Daniel Courneya in their own, personal way this week.
They are putting together a memorial for the former student killed May 12 with three other soldiers
in an ambush in Iraq.
“It’s a tribute of photos, posters, plaques and a picture of him in his uniform,” school special
education and discipline secretary Kelly Zank told The Associated Press on May 15.
Grief counselors are meeting with students this week. The school’s flag also is flying at half-staff
and will stay that way through any local services for the 19-year-old who graduated in 2005, Zank
said.
His death was announced May 14 over the school’s public address system, and a moment of
silence was observed, she said.
Courneya was well-known in the small community southwest of Lansing. He was a member of the
school’s track and soccer teams and played clarinet in the band.
He was part of a U.S. convoy attacked before dawn on May 12 south of Baghdad. Besides the four
Americans killed, an Iraqi soldier also was slain.
Three other American soldiers are missing and feared captured by al-Qaida. U.S. troops have
questioned hundreds of people and detained 11 in the search for them, the military said May 15.
Wendy Thompson, Courneya’s mother, said his wife, Jennifer, called family members the night of
May 12 to tell them he had been killed, The Grand Rapids Press reported.
Thompson, 38, said her husband, Army Spc. David Thompson, was returning from Iraq after
learning of his stepson’s death.
Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya was killed in Iraq May 12 2007 after his vehicle was attacked by
insurgent forces near al Taqa, Iraq.
Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, was an infantryman assigned to Company D, 4th Battalion,
31st Infantry Regiment.
A native of Nashville, Mich., Courneya enlisted in the Army in June 2005 and completed
basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Ga.
Courneya's awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, National Defense Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Infantry
Badge and the Army Service Ribbon.
By KIRK SEMPLE; DAMIEN CAVE, KARIM HILMI AND MUHAMMED ABD AL-SATTAR CONTRIBUTED REPORTING.
Published: May 16, 2007
G.I.'s Who Were Ambushed Were Based in New York
BAGHDAD, May 15
The seven American victims of a deadly weekend ambush south of Baghdad were soldiers from the 10th
Mountain Division, based in upstate New York, military officials said Tuesday, as thousands of troops
continued an intensive search for three of the men, who were presumed captured by Sunni Arab insurgents.
The military confirmed the names of three of the four soldiers killed in the attack early Saturday: Sgt. First
Class James D. Connell Jr., 40, of Lake City, Tenn.; Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Nashville, Mich.; Pfc.
Christopher E. Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Va.
It said all of the soldiers were members of Company D, Fourth Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, Second
Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, which is based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
According to a military spokesman in Baghdad, Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, the soldiers were stopped in
two vehicles out of view of other members of their unit at the time of the attack. They had been assigned to
watch for insurgents planting bombs on the roads.
The two Humvees were incinerated in the attack. An eighth man, an Iraqi Army soldier who was working as
an interpreter for the Americans, was killed in the attack.
Colonel Garver said members of the same unit who heard the explosion immediately called for a small
pilotless reconnaissance aircraft to search the area. It detected the two burning vehicles 15 minutes later.
The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella insurgent group that includes Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, has said it is
holding the three missing soldiers, though the group has yet to provide any proof of this claim. It issued a
taunting message on Monday, telling the Americans that their search was ''in vain.''
Since the predawn attack on Saturday, about 4,000 American troops backed by Iraqi forces, attack
helicopters and aerial drones have been sweeping the area where the attack occurred, about 12 miles west of
the predominantly Sunni Arab town of Mahmudiya.
The American military command said Tuesday that it had detained 11 people, including 4 that the military
has classified as ''high value,'' and conducted more than 450 interrogations in connection with the search.
Maj. Kenny Mintz, operations officer for the Second Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, said
the brigade was using ''all available means'' to find the missing soldiers, according to a statement issued by
the military.
''We're trying to isolate the areas where we think they could be,'' Major Mintz said. The captors, he added,
''don't have freedom of movement.''
American and Iraqi troops have focused their search on towns and villages around Mahmudiya, including
Yusifiya, which has long been active with Sunni Arab insurgents.
''The situation is very tense right now,'' Jamal al-Dulaimi, 35, a truck driver in Yusifiya, said in a telephone
interview on Tuesday. ''The Americans are searching the area inch by inch. They search a house and return
to search it again in a few hours, or the next day, and they might do it several times for each house.''
American forces have been broadcasting messages through loudspeakers mounted on trucks, ordering
people to turn in their weapons and share information about the captured soldiers, Mr. Dulaimi said.
Violence continued elsewhere. In the deadliest attack of the day, a car bomb in Muqdadiya, in Diyala
Province northeast of Baghdad, killed at least 20 people and wounded 50, a provincial police commander
said. Witnesses said the explosion released white, choking smoke, the commander said.
A bomb on a road in Mahmudiya killed one person and wounded four, though the American and Iraqi
troops searching for the missing soldiers did not appear to be the target, an Interior Ministry official said.
A government security official in Tikrit said Tuesday that gunmen shot an Iraqi man who had contracted to
supply food to American forces near Yathrib, 40 miles north of Baghdad. A policeman and a civilian were
shot and killed by gunmen in Tikrit on Monday night, the official said.
Sgt. Thomas G. Wright
Hometown: Holly, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 38 years old
Died: May 14, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 46th Military Police Company, 210th Military Police Battalion, Kingsford, Mich.
Incident: Died May 14 enroute to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat
related illness while serving at Balad, Iraq.
Thomas G. Wright's younger brother said he treated everyone with honor and respect. "He made
many friends quickly," said Paul Wright. "When my brother passed away in a foreign place, I found
some comfort that he died around friends." Wright, 38, of Holly, Mich., died May 14 en route to
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center after suffering a heart aneurysm in Balad. He was assigned to
Kingsford. A 1987 high school graduate, Wright was an avid bicycle racer. When not performing
National Guard duties, Wright held jobs at Wilson's Leather, Best Buy and a car interior company, and
he owned his own equipment assembly business. He guarded airports after the 2001 terrorist
attacks, cleaned up New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and trained Iraqi soldiers. "He had a heart
for his soldiers," said 1st Lt. David Skurda. "There's something to be said about a man who joins the
Army and goes through basic training at age 31." He had just signed on for six more years in the
Army. "He was a true patriot," said Master Sgt. Denice Rankin. He also is survived his wife, Kate, and
the couple's 5-year-old daughter, Alexis.
Michigan soldier who was in Iraq dies after sudden illness
The Associated Press
GRAND BLANC, Mich. — A Michigan National Guard soldier who had been stationed in Iraq died
after suddenly falling ill.
Sgt. Thomas G. Wright, 38, of Grand Blanc, died May 13 while in flight to Germany for treatment,
Master Sgt. Denice Rankin, a public affairs specialist for the Michigan National Guard, told The
Flint Journal for a story May 17.
The official cause of death has not been determined.
Wright was called up in 2002 and spent two tours in Iraq. Initially, he went to Iraq with the 144th
Military Police Company out of Owosso. His current tour was with the Army National Guard’s 46th
Military Police Company out of Kingsford and Cheboygan.
Wright’s 2003 tour began a month before the birth of his only child, Alexis. In February, Wright was
home on a two-week leave.
During that visit, he spent time with his wife, Katherine, and took Alexis to a Daddy-Daughter
dance.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Thomas G. Wright dies 'from a non-combat related illness'
GRAND BLANC TWP. - Sgt. Thomas G. Wright, 38, was a dedicated soldier, avid bicycle racer and loving
husband.
But his 4-year-old daughter, Alexis, came first.
"His daughter was the twinkle in his eye," said Valentina Binion, a former co-worker at Wilson's Leather in
Auburn Hills' Great Lakes Crossing shopping center, where Wright was an assistant manager for two years.
"He always talked about how much he loved her."
Wright, who died Sunday in Iraq after possibly suffering an aneurysm, spent time with his daughter and his
wife, Katherine, while on leave for two weeks in February, taking Alexis to a daddy-daughter dance in Grand
Blanc.
When Alexis was born in 2002, Wright pulled strings to be at Katherine's side even though he was assigned
to security detail at the Pentagon at the time.
"He was always doing the best he could to take care of his family," said 1st Lt. David Skurda, formerly
Wright's platoon leader with the 144th Military Police Company, a Michigan Army National Guard unit
based in Owosso.
Wright was deployed to Iraq last July with the Guard's 46th Military Police Company out of Kingsford and
Cheboygan, said Master Sgt. Denice Rankin, a public affairs specialist for the Michigan National Guard.
Wright, who joined the National Guard seven years ago, provided airport security after the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks and spent a month in New Orleans cleaning up after Hurricane Katrina. He was promoted
to sergeant Jan. 1, 2004.
He performed his military duties with bravery and commitment, Skurda said, earning a Bronze Star, a Joint
Services Achievement medal and a long list of other decorations.
"He was a very faithful (non-commissioned officer)," Skurda said. "I can still hear his voice as clear as day:
'Yes, sir. No problem, sir.' I never heard anything negative come out of his mouth.
"He was the kind of guy you could always rely on."
Friends said Wright's family is taking his sudden death hard.
"His dad is absolutely devastated," said Jeff Nofpz, bike racing coach to Wright and his younger brother,
Paul, since they were young boys.
Katherine, who married Wright in 1993, is heartbroken, "but now she's coming to grips with it a little bit
more," Skurda said.
Wright's parents, Florida residents, are staying with Katherine and Alexis at their home in Grand Blanc
Township, Skurda said.
"(Wright's death) was a shock to everybody," he said. "He was a fit person."
For about 15 years, Wright was a member of the Flying Rhinos bicycling club, sponsored by Kinetic Systems
in Clarkston, competing at the state and national levels.
"He wasn't great, but he was good," said Skurda, owner of Kinetic Systems. "He was enthusiastic, and he was
always there. He put down a set of goals and worked to achieve it."
Wright grew up in Rochester and lived in Auburn Hills for several years before moving his family to the Flint
suburb.
When not performing National Guard duties, he held jobs at Wilson's Leather, Best Buy and a car interior
company, and owned his own equipment assembly business.
"He was a regular guy," Skurda said. "He was just wonderful, nice. He was like Jimmy Stewart in 'It's a
Wonderful Life.'"
From the Flint Journal
Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski
Hometown: Standish, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: May 19, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort
Drum, N.Y.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb detonated near his unit in Latifiyah.
Justin Daniel Wisniewski
Wisniewski, Justin Daniel
Standish, Michigan
Justin Daniel Wisniewski, age 22 years, was loved by everyone who knew him. Born on December 11,
1984, Justin made a lasting impression on anyone who was lucky enough to meet him. He is remembered
as always putting other people first. Justin was a soldier at heart, and made it official in 2004 when he
joined the US Army. He was proud to fight for the United States and for his family and friends. On May 19, 2007 he
made the ultimate sacrifice and passed through the gates of Heaven to greet his cousin Mark Niernberg and
grandfathers, Patrick Wisniewski and Chester Kozlowski. He left behind a lot of people who grieve for their loss but
are so proud of their soldier and their hero.
Among these people are his parents, Daniel and Cheryl Wisniewski, and his siblings: Jason Wisniewski, Jessica
Wisniewski and Jodi (along with Eric and Hunter) Trombley. Also left behind were grandmothers, Beulah Kozlowski
and Olga Wisniewski (and friend, George Tardif), aunts and uncles, Don and Sandra Niernberg and Chet and Kathy
Kozlowski; cousins, Tina and Cary Hutchinson (along with Olivia and Haley), Bob and Melissa Niernberg (along with
Hayden and Hudson), Bill and Michelle Niernberg (along with Lena, Graham and Raina), and Chris and Tanya
Niernberg (along with Isabel and Nicholas). Extended family include his girlfriend, Beth Wenkel, and good friends:
Sean Thorpe, Michael Stawowy, Andrew Dunn, Matthew Bonnau, Brandon Dickhausen and many, many others.
Justin was always able to put a smile on everyone's face. He lived every day of his 22 years as full as possible. If he
wanted to do something, he never put it off until tomorrow. Justin never wanted much, just to raise his family in a
log house on the east side of Standish. He did not like anyone to make a big deal over him or to fuss, but he is just
going to have to deal with it this time. If he did not want anyone to grieve for him, then he should not have been
such a great son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, boyfriend or friend. But the truth is, he was the best and he was
our hero in more ways than one.
Justin, we will all miss you forever and longer. God must have had a plan when he took you away, but we will never
understand it. We cannot understand it. but we can honor you like the hero you are. Good bye, until we meet again.
And you make sure you are listening, because we are going to have a lot to tell you until we can hold you in our arms
again.
Visitation for Justin will be on Saturday, May 26, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at the R.O. Savage Funeral Chapel in
Standish and on Sunday, May 27, 2007 from 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at the Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church in
Standish, with a 7:30 p.m. prayer service. Rite of Christian burial will be on Monday, May 28, 2007 at the
Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. Justin will lie in state from 9:00 a.m. until time of the service.
Father James M. Fitzpatrick will be officiating the service, with burial in the Pine River Cemetery in Standish with full
military honors. Memorials according to wishes of the family.
R.O. Savage Funeral Chapel
Standish, Michigan
Published in Bay City Times from May 25 to May 26, 2007
Standish Army sergeant, 22, killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
STANDISH, Mich. — A 22-year-old Army sergeant from Northern Michigan was killed by the blast
of an improvised explosive device in Iraq, the Pentagon said Monday.
Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski, 22, of Standish died Saturday in Lutfiyah, the Defense Department said
in a news release. It said he was wounded when the explosive detonated near his unit.
He was a 2003 graduate of Standish-Sterling Central High School, which held a moment of silence
for him Monday afternoon, The Bay City Times said. A picture of him in uniform was posted at the
school.
Wisniewski was from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
Standish is about 25 miles north of Bay City and about 120 miles north of Detroit.
SLIDESHOW: Pain from Standish soldier's loss will 'never go away,' family
says
Amy L. Payne | Booth Mid-Michigan
Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski, killed in Iraq, was buried last Memorial Day. Since then, his
hometown of Standish has honored the fallen soldier in numerous ways. The pain of his loss
will 'never go away,' said his mother. For the soldier's family and friends...
Daniel and Cheryl Wisniewski, parents of U.S. Army Sergeant Justin D. Wisniewski, look out at the
decorated bridge and flags where their son's friends and peers have created this tribute. Justin died in
Iraq last year when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit. He was 22.
STANDISH - Beneath the silos, an oriole flits above the gravel road, landing to dine on orange
halves in Daniel and Cheryl Wisniewski's back yard.
The family house dog, Molly, looks for handouts, too - and, occasionally, for intruders.
It's late May, and an unseen visitor - truth - is home to roost on this Arenac County farm.
U.S. Army Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski of Standish died a year ago when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his unit in Iraq.
Loved ones buried him last Memorial Day.
"It'll never go away - he's our son," Cheryl Wisniewski said, through tears, when asked if it
had become any easier to deal with the 22-year-old's death.
Daniel Wisniewski, 58, a retired dairy farmer, turned his back and walked away at the
question, overcome with emotion.
"We probably don't cry every day, like we did a year ago," Cheryl Wisniewski said. "Just
imagine - one of your kids going away, and never coming back."
Justin Wisniewski, an all-conference football player at Standish-Sterling Central High School
who won awards for his carpentry skills, last spoke with his family May 18, 2007.
He died the next day, while searching for three U.S. soldiers kidnapped by terrorists.
"One time I was talking to him on the phone and I said 'Justin, how come you never tell me
anything? Is it because you can't? Or is it because you won't?'
"And he said 'Both.'"
Cheryl Wisniewski, 55, calls the day of her son's death - May 19 - "the anniversary."
The Wisniewskis and their children - Jason Wisniewski, Jessica Wisniewski and Jodi Trombley aren't the only ones remembering his sacrifice.
Last week - on May 19 - Daniel and Cheryl Wisniewski drove down Palmer Road, in Standish
Township, on their way to town. They found some of their late son's friends bolting four metal
flagpoles on two concrete abutments on the Pine River bridge.
Last May, after Justin's death, friends painted the abutments white. Then, in large letters,
they added Justin's name, dates of birth and death, and the phrase "Our Hero" on one
abutment.
On another abutment, invoking Justin's nickname, they painted "Wiz We Love You!!!!" Visitors
used felt-tip markers to write personal thoughts on the concrete.
The U.S. flag, the Michigan state flag, the U.S. Army flag and the flag of Justin Wisniewski's
10th Mountain Division now fly from the bridge.
Tributes to the late soldier have come regularly, and in various ways, in the last year - at a
Loyalty Day parade in Standish, on sweatshirts sold at Standish-Sterling Central High School,
and in ceremonies at Resurrection of The Lord Catholic Church.
"It is painful, every time it's brought up," Daniel Wisniewski said. "But it makes you feel good,
too. Justin deserves it."
In the weeks before his death, Justin Wisniewski received the U.S. Army Commendation
Medal for maneuvering his fire team across open terrain to establish a landing zone for a
medical-evacuation helicopter that saved the life of his wounded platoon leader.
Wisniewski's parents said he didn't do well at bringing school work home, but he took to the
U.S. Army. An oil painting displayed near the family's kitchen table shows him at ease, with a
rifle in his hands.
"Even as a kid, when we had the cows, Justin would get up in the morning, before school, and
do his chores," Daniel Wisniewski said. "Then he'd rush around and do his chores at night,
just so he could play on the football team."
The war in Iraq, though, brought life-threatening adversity. Seven of Justin Wisniewski's
fellow soldiers came to Wisniewski's home last weekend in honor of their fallen friend.
One soldier, 1st Lt. Seth Reimers, has undergone 17 surgeries after a mortar blast. Capt. Ian
Perry, near Reimers at the time of the blast, has lost sight in one eye, and lost partial use of
one arm.
Staff Sgt. Bob Simonovich, near Justin Wisniewski in the May 19 explosion last year, now
wears a hearing aid.
"I never asked them how bad it was over there," Cheryl Wisniewski said. "I could only
imagine the hell they went through.
"When they came for the weekend, I wanted to hear the good things. I didn't want to hear
the bad. I can't change it, and hearing it will just hurt us more."
Daniel Wisniewski took time on the anniversary of his son's death to lower an American flag to
half-staff in his front yard.
"I'll probably leave it that way until Tuesday," he said.
Floral arrangements have arrived at the farmhouse in the past week, sent by family friends.
Daniel and Cheryl Wisniewski, along with each of their children, keep a photo of their fallen
soldier inside their vehicles.
Plastic totes filled with cards, mementos and gifts are stored upstairs at the farmhouse along with the young soldier's belongings.
Justin Wisniewski is seemingly everywhere - except back home.
"I wish there was no parent who ever had to go through this," Cheryl Wisniewski said. "This is
not the way it's supposed to be. Our kids are supposed to bury us."
Words, however, can bring comfort, especially when they're from Justin.
The soldier wrote home from Iraq to a girlfriend, and his parents keep part of the letter with a
photo of their son placed near the kitchen table.
"If something was to happen to me here, I want you to know I will always be with you
watching over you and protecting you," Sgt. Wisniewski wrote.
"I will always be your soldier no matter what happens. I will never leave your side in life or
death. But if you ever need me look up to the sky, say my name and I will be there."
The soldier's parents will stay home this Memorial Day, waiting to chat with visitors.
Sometime today, though, they'll visit their son's grave, not far from where Justin Wisniewski
loved to hunt deer and catch fish. In Pine River Cemetery, a couple of miles from Saginaw
Bay, Justin Wisniewski is home.
"Justin said when he came back, he was never leaving Arenac County again," Cheryl
Wisniewski said.
"We kept his wish."
http://blog.mlive.com/baycitytimes_extra/2008/05/slideshow_pain_from_standis
h_s.html
Justin D. Wisniewski
Wednesday, May 23 2007 @ 02:34 AM MDT
The Saginaw News -- STANDISH -- Silence fell Monday afternoon on Standish-Sterling Central
High School as a small community recognized Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski with a moment of tribute.
Wisniewski, 22, died Saturday in Lutfiyah, Iraq, from wounds suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his unit, the Department of Defense said Monday.
"He served his country and provided us freedom," said Principal Mark Williams, who was assistant principal
during the four years Wisniewski walked the school halls.
Wisniewski was with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
The son of Dan and Cheryl Wisniewski of Standish, he was a 2003 graduate of Standish-Sterling Central.
"He served his country proudly, and for that, he'll be a distinguished alumni here at Standish-Sterling
Central forever," said Mayor Kevin King, a government teacher at the school.
King said he had the pleasure of knowing Wisniewski for about 10 years, as a teacher and a family friend.
"You go into teaching for many reasons," he said. "Having the ability to meet someone like Justin is one of
those reasons. He was a quality character, someone we flat-out will never forget."
At 6-feet 2-inches, Wisniewski was a lineman for the football team, weighing in at 235 pounds.
His personality was just as big.
"He had a knack for making everyone else around him happy," King said. "He was always happy -- he had
a million-dollar smile."
After graduation, Wisniewski enlisted in the military, along with good friend Andrew Dunn, who is in New
York awaiting deployment after he marries high school sweetheart Lauren Szostak in June. The two friends
enlisted along with classmates Michael Stawowy and Matt Bonnau.
"He made a decision to serve his country in a time of war," King said. "That says a lot about his
character."
The military has not released details whether Saturday's death was an isolated incident or whether others
died in the blast. Wisniewski was home a month ago and was due home again in August, friends said.
"He was the recipient of an Army Commendation Medal," Williams said. "The reason why he received that
is because he helped create a landing zone for a Med-Evac helicopter, which resulted in the survival of his
injured platoon leader."
King said he kept in touch with Wisniewski, and had the chance to catch up with him on trips home to
Standish.
"I did see him just about every time he came home on leave," he said. "I saw him about five weeks ago,
and he was the same old Justin."
Funeral information is pending, although Williams said it likely will take place at the school to
accommodate the many expected to attend.
Some paid tribute Monday, stopping to view the fallen soldier's military picture pinned to a school bulletin
board.
King said Wisniewski came from a supportive family and has one brother, Jason, and two sisters, Jessica
and Jodi.
Jessica, 24, has posted an online tribute, saying she'll spend the rest of her life remembering her brother.
"We have spent the last two years without him, the last two Christmases, the last two Thanksgivings," she
wrote. "Now we will spend the rest of our lives without him."
With that, she also left these words from her brother: "If I don't make it out of this place, remember that I
will always be your soldier. All you have to do is look to the sky and say my name and I will be there.
"I will protect you and watch over you."
SGT Justin D. Wisniewski, of Standish Michigan, was born on the 11 th of December
1984. Justin graduated from high school in 2003 and entered the service at Fort Sill,
Oklahoma on the 3rd of March 2004.
Justin served as a Squad Leader for 2nd Platoon and a Team Leader for 3rd Platoon, A
Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment. Justin also served as a gunner
during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2.5 with Task Force 2-15 Field Artillery.
SGT Wisniewski�s awards include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), the Purple Heart,
the Army Commendation Medal with Valor, the Army Achievement Medal (4 OLC), the
Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign
Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat
Action Badge, the Weapons Qualification Badge (EXPERT) and the Drivers Mechanic
Badge.
Justin was a friend of many peers, leaders, and Soldiers within the battalion. His
commitment to the men under his charge, accomplishment of any mission, and his
country will be missed by all.
SGT Wisniewski is survived by his brother, two sisters, and his parents. We join them
in mourning the loss of a truly remarkable man, Soldier and friend.
Pfc. Casey P. Zylman
Hometown: Coleman, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: May 25, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield
Barracks, Hawaii
Incident: Died May 25 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb exploded near his vehicle May
24 in Tallafar, Iraq.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Casey P. Zylman dies of 'wounds suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his vehicle'
A 22-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier who was a leader and an athlete in his community of Coleman,
Mich., died in Iraq after being wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq, the Pentagon reported yesterday.
Pfc. Casey P. Zylman was the 17th member of the 25th Infantry Division to die in Iraq since the unit arrived
there in late August.
The Pentagon said Zylman was injured Thursday in Tallafar when a roadside bomb was detonated near his
vehicle and he died Friday of the wounds. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team.
The soldier's father, Randy Zylman, said in a telephone interview from Coleman that his son attended
Northwood University, a business college in Midland, Mich., for two years after high school and then went
to a community college.
"He just didn't know what he wanted to do and asked me one day about joining the Army," Zylman said. As
an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Zylman said he wasn't keen about the idea, but his son joined the
Army in July 2005.
The family, including Casey's mother, Jamie, and sister, Amie, last talked to him about a month ago, Zylman
said. "We talked to him every two weeks on the phone, then I think he got a little busier.
"He was always upbeat. He never talked much about the war. It was always just chitchat. We told him what
was going on and he told us about his friends."
Zylman said his son was on the honor role from the first grade through 12th and was a good athlete. He
planned to return to college after leaving the service in 2008.
Coleman High School Principal Mary Pritchford said Casey was "an excellent student and very fine athlete,"
according to a story from the Associated Press. He was a student-council member, "a true leader in his class
and just an excellent person," she said.
Joe Albaugh, Coleman High football coach, told the Detroit News fellow students looked up to Casey
Zylman, who was a motivator. "He wouldn't let you quit," he said.
Albaugh introduced him to the crowd at a Coleman basketball game when he was home from the military
and he received an ovation.
The senior Zylman said his son was home last Thanksgiving. "He used up his R and R, so probably wouldn't
be due home for a visit until November or December."
The family was talking about coming to Hawaii when their son's unit returned to Schofield Barracks,
Zylman said. "We still might. We still have to support those kids. We can't dictate what the government does
but we sure can support the kids that are helping us."
From the Star Bulletin
Pfc. Shawn D. Gajdos
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 25 years old
Died: June 6, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit:Army, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort
Riley, Kan.
Incident: Killed when his unit was attacked by insurgents using makeshift bombs and small arms fire.
Shawn D. Gajdos''s desire to assist others less fortunate always shone through. His favorite movie
was "Pay it Forward." He had a morning ritual of sharing a glass of milk with a cat. He''d take a drink
and then give a drink to the feline. In Iraq, he and another soldier briefly adopted a camel spider,
giving it food and shade. "He''d do anything for anyone," said Kay Shepard, whose home was like a
second one for Gajdos. Gajdos, 25, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was killed June 6 in a roadside bombing
and artillery attack in Baghdad. He was a 2000 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley.
His interests included biking, swimming and climbing mountains. He recently became addicted to
Soduku puzzles but held a long fascination with video and role-playing games. In Iraq, Gajdos yearned
for Andes mints and Trident strawberry-kiwi gum. He was taking online courses from Central Texas
College. "He told us that he never regretted going into the service," said Shepard. "He told us it was
the best decision he ever made." He also is survived by his mother, Brenda Richards, and father,
Anthony Gajdos.
Shawn Douglas Gajdos
Shawn Douglas Gajdos, age 25, gave his life for freedom, serving in the US Army in Iraq. He will be lovingly
remembered by his mom, Brenda Richards; his father, Anthony Gajdos; his siblings, Tammie (Kyle) Den Boer, Shandra
(Chris) Tingley, Derek (Candy) Gajdos; his grandparents, Douglas and Vicki Ingram; his nieces and nephews, Danica
Den Boer, Derek Gajdos, Alex Gajdos, Zachary Gajdos; his uncles, aunts and cousins, who had a special place and
influence in Shawn's life. A time for relatives and friends to visit with Shawn's family will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to
9 p.m. Thursday, at the Cook Memorial Chapel, 4235 Prairie St. SW (east building). Funeral services will be held 11
a.m. Friday at Grand Rapids First - Lighthouse Auditorium, 2100 44th St. SW, in Wyoming. The family welcomes
entries in their Memory Book online at www.cookfuneralservices.com. In honor of Shawn, contributions may be
made YWCA of West Michigan. Cook Funeral and Cremation Services
Published in Grand Rapids Press from June 12 to June 14, 2007
Granholm orders flags lowered to honor Grand Rapids soldier
The Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered that U.S. flags in Michigan be flown at
half-staff on Friday to honor a soldier from Grand Rapids who was killed in Iraq.
Army Spc. Shawn D. Gajdos, 25, died from wounds suffered after his unit was attacked in
Baghdad by insurgents using improvised explosive devices and small arms fire.
Gajdos was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan.
Families, friends say Michigan Marine, soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, Mich. — A Marine and a soldier from Michigan have been killed in Iraq, their
families and friends said.
The military on June 7 notified the family of Ronald Kestner, of Charlotte, of his death, WILX-TV in
Onondaga reported. The circumstances of the death and where he was stationed weren’t
immediately available.
Spc. Shawn Gajdos, 25, of Grand Rapids, was killed June 6 in a roadside bombing and artillery
shelling, friend Kay Shepard told The Grand Rapids Press.
The U.S. Department of Defense had not confirmed the deaths of either Kestner or Gajdos by
early afternoon on June 8.
Kestner has a wife, three children, two stepchildren and one grandchild, the TV station said.
Charlotte is located about 17 miles southwest of Lansing.
Gajdos enlisted about 18 months ago. He had been in Iraq since February after shipping out of
Fort Riley, Kan., Shepard said.
He repeatedly told people that enlisting in the Army was the best choice he’d ever made and that
he was helping people who needed it most, she said. His favorite movie, “Pay It Forward,” is about
a movement to perform good deeds with the belief that those who are helped will do the same for
others, eventually improving the world.
“To some people, Iraq seems like a big, bad, ugly place, but Shawn was willing to do whatever it
took to help,” Shepard said. “He saw it as a place that he could make a difference.”
Gajdos’ interests included biking, swimming and climbing mountains.
She said only hours before her friend was killed, he had called Shepard to say that he loved and
missed her. It sounded to her as if there was a hint of concern in his voice.
“You wonder if somehow, some way, he knew,” Shepard said. “It was one of those calls that I think
he felt like he had to make because there wasn’t going to be a tomorrow.”
Family, friends remember soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Sgt. Matthew Soper
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 25 years old
Died: June 6, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army National Guard, 1461st Transportation Company (Combat Heavy Equipment), Michigan Army National
Guard, Jackson, Mich.
Incident: Died of wounds suffered from a makeshift bomb in Bayji, Iraq.
Matthew Ryan "Big Slick" Soper
SOPER,
SGT. MATTHEW RYAN
"BIG SLICK" — A member of the Michigan Army National Guard 1461st Transportation Company who was killed in
action on Wednesday, June 6, 2007 in Baji, Iraq. Matthew was our son, our brother, our friend, our hero. He was the
"light" of his family and a part of a chain that will forever be changed but never broken. He was brave, he was strong,
and lent to us for too short of a time. Our nation has benefited from his bravery and heroism and his family will be
forever blessed for being a part of his life. Matthew is survived by his parents, Warner K. and Shirley J. Soper; sisters,
Amy (Jay) Ciokajlo, Jodi (Jonathan) Bradley; brothers, Warner (Kristy) Soper, Adam (Sarah) Soper, Cole Soper, Alex
Soper, Abram Soper; grandmothers, Laveta Potter, and Elizabeth Soper; nieces and nephews, Caitlyn and Meg
Ciokajlo, Gabrielle and Eve Bradley, Kilian and Luke Soper; and kindred brothers, Derek Eisele and A.J. Curtis. He was
preceded in death by his grandfathers, Alfred Puhr, Kenneth Soper, and Werner Thuli. Mass of the Christian Burial
will be held at Lumen Christi High School gymnasium on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. with Father Bernard
Reilly and many other local celebrants officiating. The family will greet friends and family at St. Mary Star of the Sea
Church on Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment with Military Honors will take place at St. John's Catholic Cemetery.
Those who wish may direct memorial contributions in Matthew's honor to Lumen Christi Athletic Fund or the St.
John's Cemetery Memorial Monument Fund in Matthew's honor. Friends may view Matthew's obituary, tribute video
and send condolences to the family at wetherbyfuneralhome.com.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to friends and the community for the tremendous
outpouring of love and support shown to them during this difficult time.
WETHERBY FUNERAL HOME wetherbyfuneralhome.com 517-787-7511
Published in Jackson Citizen Patriot from June 14 to June 16, 2007
Lumen Christi High School, Miscellaneous »
Remembering Sgt. Matthew Soper
By Chad Livengood
June 07, 2007, 7:56AM
Sgt. Matthew Soper of Jackson, a member of Army National Guard, was killed Wednesday
in Iraq.
"He told me 'If I die there, don't think I didn't die doing what I love,'"
Soper's oldest sister, Amy Ciokajlo, told a Citizen Patriot reporter last night on the steps of
her parent's S. Webster Street home.
Family photoSgt. Matthew Soper of Jackson died Wednesday in Iraq.
Soper, 26, was deployed in June 2006 with the 1461st Transportation Company.
He was scheduled to return to home in August. It was his second deployment.
In February 2005, Soper returned home from a year in Iraq with the 1462nd Transportation
Company. Soper is the third soldier from Jackson County killed in Iraq and the first to die
from the 1461st Transportation Company in two wars.
MySpace photo: Sgt. Matthew Soper
Thousands attend emotional funeral for Soper
By Tom Perrin June 19, 2007, 10:07PM
CITIZEN
PATRIOT • ERIN MASHShirley and Warner Soper follow the casket carrying their
son, Sgt. Matthew Soper out of Lumen Christi High School after his funeral Mass on
Tuesday.
By Danielle Quisenberry dquisenberry@citpat.com -- 768-4929 and Chris Gautz cgautz@citpat.com -- 768-4926
To honor a soldier many had never met, they came in the thousands. They waved American
flags, stood at rigid attention or wiped away tears for a family overcome by loss.
About 1,500 people Tuesday crowded into the Lumen Christi Catholic High School gymnasium
for Sgt. Matthew Soper's funeral mass. Hundreds more lined Jackson streets, watching
silently, as the hearse carrying Soper's body made a somber journey to St. John's Cemetery
on E. South Street.
"This man gave his life for our freedom," said Daniel Barnes of Jackson, a leather-clad biker
who did not know Soper but rode in the funeral procession with more than 300 other vehicles.
"The very least we can do is show our respect."
Soper, 25 died June 6 in Baji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device hit his patrol vehicle.
He was serving his second tour of duty with the Jackson-based Michigan Army National Guard
1461st Transportation Company.
Tuesday, a silent crowd rose to its feet in reverence as his flag-draped coffin was taken
through a light rain and into the high school gym. Soper's weeping family walked slowly
behind it.
His seven siblings, their spouses and his parents, Shirley and Warner Soper, filled the front
rows of the gym as Father Bernard Reilly, of St. Mary Catholic Church in Jackson, delivered
the homily.
"(Soper) was unique and had that unique place in the family ... and in your hearts," said
Reilly, standing at a podium flanked by red, white and blue flowers.
As he and others spoke, men and women dabbed their eyes with tissues. Soper's best friend,
Sgt. Derek Eisele, shook with emotion when Reilly referred to him and A.J. Curtis as
"brothers" to Soper.
Many who had been able to maintain composure broke down as they viewed a slide show of
family photos, accompanied by live acoustic guitar versions of popular country music songs,
"An American Soldier" and "If You're Reading This."
CITIZEN PATRIOT • ERIK HOLLADAYStaff Sgt. Jeff Venneman hugs Ashley Lott after the graveside
service for Sgt. Matthew Soper. "I served with Matt," a choked-up Venneman said. Both Lott and
Venneman served with Soper during his first tour in Iraq.
Pictures spanning Soper's life -- from a boy with his face smeared with food to a soldier
kissing a niece -- had men wiping their eyes.
Toward the end of the Mass, Soper's brother-in-law, Jay Ciokajlo, fought his emotions as he
read a poem Soper wrote. Soper's friends found it in his room in Iraq after he died.
An excerpt:
"I am that which others do not want to be.
I went where others feared to go.
And did what others failed to do.
I asked for nothing from those who gave nothing ...
At least some day I will be able to say that I was proud of what I did and who I am."
CITIZEN PATRIOT • ERIK HOLLADAYA member of the Honor Guard carries a flag past a portrait of
Soper during the funeral Mass at Lumen Christi High School. The flag covered Soper's casket. About
1,500 people packed the high school's gymnasium for the service.
Ciokajlo continued by sharing memories of Soper, who nicknamed himself "Big Slick."
"He was extreme. He wanted to be extreme in all he did. He did not get lost in a crowd,"
Ciokajlo said. He was the "life of the party" and "all that and a bucket of chicken to the
ladies," he said, drawing laughs from Soper's family.
It was a light moment in an otherwise serious ceremony.
More than 100 military personnel attended the funeral, standing at attention as Maj. Gen.
Thomas Cutler awarded Soper with the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. The Purple Heart is
awarded to soldiers wounded in combat. The Bronze Star honors acts of heroism or
meritorious service.
When the 1-hour, 45-minute service ended at about noon, more than 200 cars and trucks and
about 100 motorcycles made their way along the five-mile procession to the cemetery for a
grave-side service.
The family rode in a white recreational vehicle marked with Soper's name on its side as those
along the route stood for what amounted to a silent parade for a soldier everyone called
heroic.
Among them was Andrea Beeler of Napoleon, whose brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Brent Beeler,
22, was fatally shot in the chest Dec. 7 while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. He was serving with a
Lansing-based Marine Corps Reserve company.
"I figured I should be here," said Beeler, 19. Community support got her family through the
rough time after her brother's death, she said, holding a small flag. "I don't know what I can
do as one person, but I know it helped me."
About 100 feet away, David Kughn, a 59-year-old Vietnam War veteran, stood on the corner
of Jackson Street and Washington Avenue tightly gripping a 5-foot American flag and wearing
a red, white and blue polo shirt.
"We wouldn't be able to stand out here today and do what we want if it wasn't for them,"
Kughn said as procession vehicles approached a 25-by-40 foot American flag, waving about
40 feet above Washington Avenue.
The enormous patriotic symbol was strung up near Mechanic Street by Blackman and Spring
Arbor township fire department ladder trucks to honor Soper. The flag was loaned to
Blackman by the Hot Air Jubilee.
All the support was "wonderful," said Soper's aunt, Sandy Cannons of Jackson. "It just
touched the hearts ... I know it meant the world to Shirley and Warner and the kids."
Master Sgt. Bill Bain said in 20 years of military service he has never seen such an outpouring
of support. "I was really amazed how this community stepped up."
Bain served with Soper when he toured Iraq in 2004 and 2005 with the National Guard
1462nd Transportation Company, based in Howell.
It always hurts when a soldier dies, he said, his face showing obvious signs of expelled tears.
"But he was one of our own ... He was one of the best."
Staff writer Holly Klaft contributed to this story.
CITIZEN PATRIOT • J. SCOTT PARKThe funeral procession for Sgt. Matthew Soper
makes its way along Washington Avenue in downtown Jackson on Tuesday
afternoon.
CITIZEN
PATRIOT • ERIK HOLLADAYWarner Soper, left, helps his wife, Shirley, back to their
vehicle as she clutches the flag that covered their son's casket.
Army Sgt. Matthew Soper
Died June 06, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
25, of Kalamazoo, Mich., died June 6 in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised
explosive device. He was assigned to the 1461st Transportation Company (Combat Heavy
Equipment), Michigan Army National Guard, Jackson, Mich.
Two soldiers with Michigan ties killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
JACKSON, Mich. — A 26-year-old Michigan Army National Guard sergeant who regularly assured
his family in e-mail messages that he believed in what he was doing in Iraq has been killed, the
family says.
Matthew Soper of Jackson died this week, the military told his family June 6. The circumstances of
his death were not immediately available, and the Pentagon had not announced the death early
June 7.
“He told me, ‘If I die there, don’t think I didn’t die doing what I love,’ ” his sister, Amy Ciokajlo, 36,
told the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Soper returned from his first Iraq tour in February 2005 and took classes at Kalamazoo Valley
Community College until he was called up again in June 2006, his sister said. Soper was to have
returned in August.
“He was just counting down the days until he could come home,” said aunt Sandy Cannons of
Jackson.
Soper quit Jackson Lumen Christi High School but later earned a high school equivalency degree.
“The military really did turn him around,” Ciokajlo said.
A soldier who grew up in Dearborn Heights also was killed in Iraq when an improvised bomb
detonated near his vehicle June 3.
Pfc. Joshua D. Brown, 26, of Tampa, Fla., talked on the phone with his father about a week before
his death, the Detroit Free Press said.
“He told me, ‘Don’t worry because God is very faithful.’ That was great to hear him tell me that,”
said Wayne Brown of Dearborn Heights. “I was concerned about how he was doing and his
spiritual life, and that was reassuring to me.”
Born in Southfield, Brown graduated from Fairlane Christian School in 1998. He played baseball,
basketball and soccer, and participated in target shooting and martial arts.
“He was outgoing, very personable,” his father said. “He was a friendly guy, but he was tough too.”
Family remembers soldier killed in Iraq for playfulness, humor
The Associated Press
Army Sgt. Matthew Soper’s family last saw him when he surprised everyone and came home in
March to celebrate his grandmother’s 80th birthday.
“That was his style — the grand entrance,” said Soper’s oldest sister, Amy Ciokajlo. He would walk
into a room and “light everyone up,” said his aunt, Sandy Cannons, and recalled him dancing to
“Hillbilly Deluxe” by Brooks & Dunn.
Soper, 25, of Kalamazoo, Mich., died June 6 in Beiji, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an explosive.
He was assigned to Jackson and was on his second tour.
Soper was filled with jokes and pop-culture references, and always had a new catchphrase from a
movie or song. Of course, he needed a nickname, so he gave himself one: “Big Slick.”
He then proceeded to give similar nicknames to others in the family. His brother Cole was “Big
Country,” because of his love of the outdoors. His father, Warner, became “Big Swiss” because he
was born in Switzerland.
He would sign off each e-mail from Iraq as being from “a bona fide war hero.”
“He did that to make us laugh, instead of worry,” said his sister, Jodi Bradley.
He also is survived by his mother, Shirley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7osAoKWekLw
Supporting America’s Largest Overseas U.S. Military Hospital
Landstuhl Hospital Care Project
Army Pfc., age 25, of Kalamazoo, Mich., died June 6, 2007 in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds sustained
from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1461st Transportation Company
(Combat Heavy Equipment), Michigan Army National Guard, Jackson, Michigan.
Matthew R. Soper—September 2007 Shipment Honoree
Soldier Dies “doing what I love”
Source: JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT
(http://blog.mlive.com/citpat_extra/in_memory_of_sgt_matthew_soper/)
By Danielle Quisenberry
In every e-mail, every call, Sgt. Matthew Soper assured his family in Jackson that he believed in the cause. "He told
me—‘If I die there, don't think I didn't die doing what I love,'" said Soper's oldest sister, Amy Ciokajlo.
Soper, 26, of Jackson was killed this week in Iraq, where he was serving with the Michigan
Army National Guard's 1461st Transportation Company, based in Jackson.
Wednesday evening, two men in uniform arrived at his family's home on S. Webster Street, walking through trees
decked with yellow ribbons, to deliver the news that left the tight-knit family numb. "This isn't supposed to be
happening to us," said Ciokajlo, 36, sitting on her parents' front porch late Wednesday and dabbing her eyes with a
tissue.
In front of her, dozens of family friends were gathered on the dark lawn, holding candles and reciting the Lord's Prayer.
One held a sign that read, "You're in our prayers. United we stand."
Soper is the third soldier from Jackson County killed in Iraq and the first to die from the 1461st Transportation
Company in two wars. This was his second tour in Iraq.
Just about two years ago, Soper's family was celebrating his return from the war. He returned home in February 2005
after nearly a year fighting with the 1462nd Transportation Company of Howell. As part of his 2005 homecoming
celebration, Soper cut down yellow ribbon around an elm tree in his parents' yard. "My dad put the yellow ribbon up the
day I left for Iraq, and I chopped it down," Soper told the CITIZEN PATRIOT. "I made it."
After his return, he spent some time in Kalamazoo, taking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College until he
was called to duty last year. He was among 299 soldiers mobilized in Jackson last June for deployment with the
1461st Transportation Company. It is a truck-driving unit that transports tanks in huge vehicles the Army calls HETs,
for heavy equipment transport.
The 1461st is expected to return home in August. "He was just counting down the days until he could come home,"
said his aunt, Sandy Cannons of Jackson.
She and the rest of the family last saw Soper—the fifth of Warner and Shirley Soper's eight children—when he
surprised everyone and came home in March to celebrate his grandmother's 80th birthday. "That was his style—the
grand entrance," Ciokajlo said.
He would walk into a room and "light everyone up," Cannons said and recalled him dancing in March to "Hillbilly
Deluxe," a country song by Brooks & Dunn.
Sgt. Brian Guenther of Jackson served with Soper in Iraq in Soper's first tour. Guenther said they did not know each
other well—"I was in admin and he was out on the trucks"—but Soper was "a pretty gung-ho guy."
"He wanted to be there," Guenther said. "He volunteered to come back again. He was well respected."
Cannons spoke repeatedly of the pride she takes in her nephew. "I was always proud of him, even when he was
naughty."
As a boy, he made some mistakes, Ciokajlo and Cannons said; one was dropping out of Lumen Christi High School,
though he later earned his GED.
But his service in the military changed him, Ciokajlo said. "He's turned into a great human being. The military really did
turn him around." Soper was considering making a career of the armed services, his sister said. He joined to "call
something his own," she said. He was afraid he had caused disappointment and wanted to do something that would
make others proud.
It is clear he did that. "I've told him every chance I got how proud of him and how honored I felt to be his sister,"
Ciokajlo said. She said he was inspired by the positive things that were happening in Iraq and refused to watch news
reports he considered negative. They never showed the good things, he would complain.
Ciokajlo said Soper led caravans while in Iraq, manning the front vehicle gun. "I can't imagine how many lives he
saved," his sister said.
The 1461st Transportation Company was last deployed for the Gulf War in 1990. Two detachments of soldiers, one
including Soper, have served in Iraq with other units.
Soper’s friends home for funeral
Source: JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT
(http://blog.mlive.com/citpat_extra/in_memory_of_sgt_matthew_soper/)
By Holly Klaft
Derek Eisele and Matthew Soper were inseparable. They had spent
nearly every day together since they were classmates at Jackson Catholic Middle School. They joined the Michigan
Army National Guard together, fought next to one another on their first tour in Iraq and headed out together with the
1461st Transportation Company for the second.
"We couldn't get away from each other," Eisele said. "He was my roommate, my gun partner and my battle buddy. You
Matthew Soper with his brother, Adam, and his best
friend Derek Eisele.
feel 100
times safer when it's your best friend protecting your back."
So when the pair parted ways earlier this year for different
assignments, the separation caused some uneasiness.
It was two months before they would see one another again,
when Soper surprised Eisele by stopping at his base.
"Maybe it was God saying Matt's got to see you one more time," Eisele said.
Two weeks later, Soper, 25, was killed when an improvised bomb struck his vehicle. His death devastated friends and
relatives who say they're trying to mend the gaping hole in their lives. Soper's funeral is at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the
Lumen Christi High School gymnasium.
Coming home
After learning of their son's death, Shirley and Warner Soper spent the next week "knocking down doors" to bring his
best friends and military family home. They succeeded last week when four, including Eisele, returned to Michigan.
"It's what Matthew would have wanted, and it's what we wanted," Shirley Soper said. "They needed to be here." The
trip home was a relief for Soper's close friends, who were told they wouldn't be able to attend the funeral.
"I would have been a wreck if they didn't let me come home," said John Phelps, Soper's longtime friend who is a
communications officer in the 1461st. "This is what I needed to do, to come home and be with the people who knew
and loved him like I did. I'm so grateful just to make it back so I could say goodbye to my brother."
Nearly 500 soldiers attended Soper's memorial service in Iraq, Phelps said. "Everyone knew he was a hero," he said.
"He was always busy looking out for everyone else."
Battle bonds
During the first week of their tour in Iraq three years ago, Eisele and Soper's convoy was struck by a bomb while
traveling from Kuwait. Eisele said having Soper at his side helped him get through the anxiety.
"Your heart drops, and it races," Eisele said. "We got that feeling that this is going to happen to us every day. It took
awhile to get used to but just having a familiar face and seeing each other, you'd feel more like you were home."
Eisele was with Soper when he was moved up to the position as gunner. Soper loved it and would volunteer for the
dangerous position as lead gunner, eagerly telling friends about the roadside bombs he was able to spot.
"He'd come back and say 'I found another one. No big deal,'" said Soper's girlfriend, Alicia Oleksiak, who served with
him in the 1461st. "Everyone relied on Matt. They knew when he was up there, nothing was getting by."
Soper was in a great mood when he left with his convoy the day his vehicle was struck, Oleksiak said. He was set to
return home in August and weeks earlier had spent hours discussing plans with Eisele for a raucous welcome-home
party.
For Oleksiak, it still doesn't seem real. "When they told me what happened it felt like my heart was getting ripped out of
my chest," Oleksiak said. "I don't think I've ever cried so hard in my life."
A somber return
Shirley Soper met her son's casket Wednesday at Jackson County Airport, greeting him as if he had just stepped off
the plane with his company. Some family members didn't go, knowing it would be too heartbreaking for them to bear.
"As a mother it was something I had to do," she said. "I got to kiss him 100 times. I got to see his face and touch his
hands."
Army officials tell soldiers to write letters to their families in case something should happen to them, but Soper brushed
off the idea during his first tour, reassuring everyone he would return home, Warner Soper said.
Before returning to Michigan, Eisele headed to Soper's barracks to pick up some of his personal items. Stuck under his
computer was an envelope addressed to his family in case he didn't make it home alive.
"I didn't know he could write like that. It was so beautiful," Warner Soper said in tears. In the three-page letter Soper
thanked his family for everything they've done and let them know he would continue to watch out for them.
"It said if we wanted to talk to him, just to look up and I'll be the first star you see," Shirley Soper said. "I looked up at
the stars for him last night."
Thousands attend emotional funeral for Soper
Source: JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT
(http://blog.mlive.com/citpat_extra/in_memory_of_sgt_matthew_soper/)
By Danielle Quisenberry and Chris Gautz; staff writer Holly Klaft contributed to this story.
To honor a soldier many had never met, they came in the thousands. They waved
American flags, stood at rigid attention or wiped away tears for a family overcome by loss. About 1,500 people
Tuesday crowded into the Lumen Christi Catholic High School gymnasium for Sgt. Matthew Soper's funeral mass.
Hundreds more lined Jackson streets, watching silently, as the hearse carrying Soper's body made a somber journey
to St. John's Cemetery on E. South Street.
"This man gave his life for our freedom," said Daniel Barnes of Jackson, a leather-clad biker who did not know Soper
but rode in the funeral procession with more than 300 other vehicles. "The very least we can do is show our respect."
Soper, 25 died June 6, 2007 in Baji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device hit his patrol vehicle. He was serving
his second tour of duty with the Jackson-based Michigan Army National Guard 1461st Transportation Company.
Tuesday, a silent crowd rose to its feet in reverence as his flag-draped coffin was taken through a light rain and into
the high school gym. Soper's weeping family walked slowly behind it.
His seven siblings, their spouses and his parents, Shirley and Warner Soper, filled the front rows of the gym as Father
Bernard Reilly, of St. Mary Catholic Church in Jackson, delivered the homily. "(Soper) was unique and had that unique
place in the family ... and in your hearts," said Reilly, standing at a podium flanked by red, white and blue flowers.
As he and others spoke, men and women dabbed their eyes with tissues. Soper's best friend, Sgt. Derek Eisele, shook
with emotion when Reilly referred to him and A.J. Curtis as "brothers" to Soper.
Many who had been able to maintain composure broke down as they viewed a slide show of family photos,
accompanied by live acoustic guitar versions of popular country music songs, "An American Soldier" and "If You're
Reading This." Pictures spanning Soper's life—from a boy with his face smeared with food to a soldier kissing a
niece—had men wiping their eyes.
Toward the end of the Mass, Soper's brother-in-law, Jay Ciokajlo, fought his emotions as he read a poem Soper wrote.
Soper's friends found it in his room in Iraq after he died.
An excerpt: "I am that which others do not want to be.
I went where others feared to go.
And did what others failed to
do.
I asked for nothing from those who gave nothing ...
At least some day I will be able to say that I was proud of what
I did and who I am."
Ciokajlo continued by sharing memories of Soper, who nicknamed himself "Big Slick."
"He was extreme. He wanted to be extreme in all he did. He did not get lost in a crowd," Ciokajlo said. He was the "life
of the party" and "all that and a bucket of chicken to the ladies," he said, drawing laughs from Soper's family. It was a
light moment in an otherwise serious ceremony.
More than 100 military personnel attended the funeral, standing at attention as Maj. Gen. Thomas Cutler awarded
Soper with the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. The Purple Heart is awarded to soldiers wounded in combat. The
Bronze Star honors acts of heroism or meritorious service.
When the 1-hour, 45-minute service ended at about noon, more than 200 cars and trucks and about 100 motorcycles
made their way along the five-mile procession to the cemetery for a grave-side service. The family rode in a white
recreational vehicle marked with Soper's name on its side as those along the route stood for what amounted to a silent
parade for a soldier everyone called heroic.
Among them was Andrea Beeler of Napoleon, whose brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Brent Beeler, 22, was fatally shot in
the chest Dec. 7 while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. He was serving with a Lansing-based Marine Corps Reserve
company.
"I figured I should be here," said Beeler, 19. Community support got her family through the rough time after her
brother's death, she said, holding a small flag. "I don't know what I can do as one person, but I know it helped me."
About 100 feet away, David Kughn, a 59-year-old Vietnam War veteran, stood on the corner of Jackson Street and
Washington Avenue tightly gripping a 5-foot American flag and wearing a red, white and blue polo shirt.
"We wouldn't be able to stand out here today and do what we want if it wasn't for them," Kughn said as procession
vehicles approached a 25-by-40 foot American flag, waving about 40 feet above Washington Avenue.
The enormous patriotic symbol was strung up near Mechanic Street by Blackman and Spring Arbor township fire
department ladder trucks to honor Soper. The flag was loaned to Blackman by the Hot Air Jubilee.
All the support was "wonderful," said Soper's aunt, Sandy Cannons of Jackson. "It just touched the hearts ... I know it
meant the world to Shirley and Warner and the kids."
Master Sgt. Bill Bain said in 20 years of military service he has never seen such an outpouring of support. "I was really
amazed how this community stepped up." Bain served with Soper when he toured Iraq in 2004 and 2005 with the
National Guard 1462nd Transportation Company, based in Howell.
It always hurts when a soldier dies, he said, his face showing obvious signs of expelled tears. "But he was one of our
own ... He was one of the best."
Tough but gentle is how community remembers Matthew
Source: JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT
(http://blog.mlive.com/citpat_extra/in_memory_of_sgt_matthew_soper/)
By Holly Klaft
Matthew Soper was "one of the toughest kids you'd ever meet." The rough-and-tumble 26 year old volunteered to go to
Iraq and take on the dangerous position of lead gunner in the Michigan Army Guard's 1461st Transportation Company.
He was such an aggressive athlete in high school, football coaches moved him up to the varsity team in his
sophomore year. "He was a risk-taker," said Herb Brogan, head football coach for Lumen Christi High School. "He was
always challenging the limits, and he had that enthusiasm."
Family, friends and Jackson residents mourned the loss of the devoted soldier, who they said always gave 100 percent
to serving his country. "He loved the Army," said Soper's godmother Karen Manser. "It really meant something to him
to fight for his country."
Soper loved Lumen Christi football and showed his pride for the military by wearing his uniform to his younger brother's
games, Brogan said. "He was awfully proud of what he was doing and it was more or less his calling," he said.
Soper was a "natural athlete" and played basketball and football his freshman and sophomore years at Lumen Christi.
He also played baseball his freshman year. Coaches and teammates said the skilled basketball forward and football
defensive end was an aggressive player who stood out as a leader.
"He never backed down from anything," said friend and former teammate Andy Hawley. "He was one of the few
sophomores that got moved up to varsity and he just stepped right in and wasn't intimidated."
Though he was tough on the field, he was always gentle with the children who knew and looked up to him, said Pat
Neville, junior varsity football and basketball coach for Lumen Christi. "It was such an enjoyable time seeing him
interact with the little kids," Neville said. "He was this big kid taking care of little kids. Some high school kids think
they're too good to play with kids, but he really played with them."
Soper always made time for the people in his life—especially the children—and was a favorite uncle.
"He loved to tease the kids and get them riled up, but he was always really gentle," said Manser, an assistant to the
principal at St. Mary's School in Jackson.
Soper was supposed to visit a second-grade class at the school when he returned. The class had been sending Soper
care packages and letters since his deployment a year ago and prayed for him every day, Manser said. They were
putting together another bundle of packages and letters to send him this month.
Manser said Soper's niece, Meg, loved him so much she told the family she "needed to go to heaven to be with uncle
Matt." "He was really a special boy and a good kid," Manser said, fighting back tears. She said the family has been
amazed by the outpouring of support from the community.
"You have all the respect and admiration in the world for those kids who serve and say a prayer for them every night,"
Brogan said. "There's nothing in the world you can say to make anyone feel better. All you can do is be there."
Matthew Soper
Friday, June 08 2007 @ 10:39 PM MDT
Contributed by: River97
The Jackson Citizen-Patriot -- Shortly after Shirley Soper received news her son had been killed in Iraq, a
military representative asked what could be done to make things better.
Sgt. Matthew Soper's mother had only one request Wednesday: "Bring Derek Eisele home."
Eisele had been Matthew Soper's closest friend since their days at Jackson Catholic Middle School.
Eisele, too, is fighting in Iraq, where he and Soper were sent in June 2006 as part of the Michigan Army
National Guard 1461st Transportation Company, based in Jackson. It was their second Iraq tour together.
Eisele, a sergeant, is having to deal with the death of his compadre without the comfort of his friends and
family who have been gathering and grieving since they received word this week Soper was killed.
Soper died Wednesday when an improvised explosive device hit his patrol vehicle.
"They were together 24/7," said Eisele's mother, Mickey Eisele of Jackson. They always had each other's
backs, she said, damp-eyed after a short conversation with her son, who was delivered the dreaded news at 3
a.m. Thursday. On the phone, he was sobbing, she said.
About 60 days ago, Eisele, 24, and Soper, 26, went on separate missions for the first time, and Eisele was not
with Soper at the time of his death.
"(Derek) is not good, not good at all," Mickey Eisele said.
The family is working with the military to see if he can come back to Michigan for the funeral. They want
him in Jackson, Soper's father, Warner, said.
"Derek is part of the family," said Soper's brother-in-law, Jay Ciokajlo. "He needs to be here. Matt would
have wanted it."
It would mean "the world" to Soper for Eisele to be home, said the pair's "third amigo," Andrew "A.J."
Curtis, 25, of Jackson. Curtis and Eisele have been friends since the fifth or sixth grade. Soper and Curtis
have been lifelong pals. "Pretty much, we were brothers. No doubt about it," Curtis said, taking long pauses
to control his emotions.
For Eisele and Soper, the brotherly bond grew stronger as they both stepped into camouflage.
"You can't go to sleep in tents with bombs going off and not get closer when you are already best friends,"
said Mickey Eisele, standing outside the Soper house, crowded Thursday with sisters, brothers, nieces and
neighbors.
Soper and Eisele were friends throughout their years at Lumen Christi High School, joined the National
Guard together and accompanied each other on every mission during their first tour in Iraq with the National
Guard 1462nd Transportation Company, based in Howell.
"They finished each other's sentences," Mickey Eisele said.
Outside of uniform, the two -- often joined by Curtis -- did things a lot of guys in their 20s do. "Maybe it's
our personalities. We just had a good time together," Curtis said.
They dated women, played pool, went to the lake and partied -- but never at the expense of their families.
"They didn't shirk family time," Ciokajlo said.
The Soper and Eisele families are close, Mickey Eisele said.
With their sons at war, they've become closer, worrying in groups, said Eisele, who called Soper her "second
son."
She had planned to have a pig roast, celebrating Derek Eisele and Soper's scheduled return in August -much like the raucous party organized upon the pair's 2005 homecoming.
They'll still have the party, but it won't be the same, Mickey Eisele said.
"It was supposed to be for the two of them."
Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle
Hometown: Ortonville, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: July 5, 2007 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2d Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173d Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy
Incident: Killed by enemy small arms fire and indirect fire in Kunar province, Afghanistan.
Miracle Boxes are care packages for our troops serving overseas.
They contain a variety of items, including socks, pocket foods, letters from home and "a whole lot
of love". Also in each Miracle Box we add a "Prayer Cloth" or “Pocket Flag” reminding our Troops,
we are praying for them.
We call them "Miracle Boxes" in honor of Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle,
a Michigan Soldier who gave his life defending his unit.
http://thedesertangel.org/mission.htm
Army Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle, 22
Ortonville, Mich.
Pfc. Miracle was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne
Brigade, Vicenza, Italy; died July 5, 2007 of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire and indirect
fire in the Watapor Valley of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. He was patrolling in a village in the Watapor
Valley when his unit came under fire; He gave his life defending his unit. He had only been in
Afghanistan 35 days.
His sister, Jeannette Miracle-Leshan, told the Detroit Free Press, "He was very proud of what he was
doing, and we were proud of him, too. We believe he died a hero." He was the youngest of seven
siblings and "loved being in a big family."
The Brandon High School graduate was a standout running back for the school's football team, said
principal Michael Ferguson.
"Joe was a good student and an outstanding young man. ... You would want to have a whole football
team of Joe Miracles," Ferguson told The Flint Journal. "It's a loss we can't describe. ... It's a loss for all
of us." Ferguson said Miracle was a standout running back for the school's football team and a leader
who was respectful of others.
Miracle decided to join the military in 2006 after attending Oakland Community College.
"I think he missed the camaraderie of the football team, and he loved the physical aspect of it," said his
sister. "He chose the airborne right there in the recruiter's office."
Miracle-Leshan said her brother was home for a visit in April before shipping out to Afghanistan. She
said he was anxious about the assignment, but felt like he was doing what he’d been
prepared to do.
Military officials told Miracle’s family that he would receive several posthumous awards,
including a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a NATO medal, his sister said.
Ortonville is located about 37 miles north-northwest of Detroit.
Army Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle was killed in action on 7/5/07.
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his
friends." John 15:13
Miracle Season
Opening Day featured an opportunity for the BJB organization and families to show their support for the
family of Pfc. Joseph Miracle, a former player and soldier recently killed in combat. The Jr. Blackhawks
designated Miracle as the "Honorary Captain" of the 2007 Jr. Varsity season and presented his family
with a check for $250 for the foundation they are setting up in his name.
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School mourns soldier killed in Afghanistan
Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published September 14, 2007
Clarkston — It was three days into the school year and, in front of Everest Academy, 420 children gathered under a
sunny sky. In front of them, a photo of a soldier was displayed, and four uniformed men from the United States Army in
solemn ceremony raised the nation's flag in honor of one who had died for his country.
At a school that teaches that all should be done for the glory of God, the students at Everest were there to honor the
son of one of their teachers, Judy Miracle. Her son, Joe, had been killed at war in Afghanistan July 5, trying to protect
his fellow soldiers from an enemy.
"The world is a place where you need strong values and support systems," Judy had said before the Sept. 7 military
flag raising, while talking about her son. "That's one of the things that Joe learned first-hand."
Last week, the school community showed that they valued Joe Miracle's life, his example as a faithful Catholic, his
family, and especially his mother. And with a Christian spirit, the staff and students at Everest became the Miracle
family's support system.
Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
Everest Academy fourth-grader Luke Allen (left) and fifth-grader Joshua Ferguson hold a photo of the late Joe Miracle, a parishioner at Our Lady of
the Lakes Parish in Waterford Township, during a military flag raising at the school Sept. 7. Miracle was killed in combat in the U.S. Army in July.
Joe's story
In April, 22-year-old Pfc. Joe Miracle, dressed in his Army uniform, stood before the students at Everest Academy,
where Judy was teaching history and geography. He was on leave from active duty, and he agreed to teach them
about the Army — he'd been in it about a year.
A question came from one of the students: "How did you decide to become a soldier?"
"I prayed about it," Joe said.
Judy describes her son as a young man who didn't stray from faith in Christ. When Judy started teaching at Everest
nine years ago, a much-younger Joe Miracle — though he didn't attend the school himself — came to know the Legion
of Christ, the religious community who sponsors the school.
And though Joe was the youngest child out of seven born to Judy and her husband, Glenn, his parents noticed the
deep foundation of faith upon which he built a high school life as a superb athlete with many friends.
In fact, Judy recalls the impact Joe's faith had on her own life.
She noticed the reverence Joe had for the Eucharist. She admired him when he would be determined to attend Mass
— sometimes even in uniform before a football game. She recalls him during the World Youth Day celebration in
Toronto, standing in a rainstorm in the middle of a field, having his confession heard by a priest.
She was glad that, as a teenager, Joe took a mission trip to Mexico with the Legion of Christ. The young man came
back from the trip with nothing more than the clothes he had worn — he gave all he'd brought to the poor families he
was with.
And she saw him searching for a deeper bond with Christ, recalling that Joe would even open the Bible with friends of
his from the Baptist faith.
For the most part, Joe was quiet in his faith, yet not afraid to share it, Judy said. And his relationship with God came to
the surface the day he decided to join the Army.
"He realized," Judy said, "that protecting his country and protecting innocent people was a vocation. He took it as a
mission that you have to value life — but you have to value the freedom that you have, and support it any way that you
can."
Joe served in the 173rd Army Airborne Infantry. After eight months being stationed in Vincenza Italy, he was assigned
to fight in the War on Terror in Afghanistan. His unit was designated as a Medvac unit. Their responsibility was to
protect those who would recover wounded soldiers.
They were stationed near a stronghold of the enemy, Al Qaeda. Joe was shot and killed by a sniper.
Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
Glenn and Judy Miracle look on during the military flag-raising Sept. 7 to honor their son.
A community mourns
The days that followed were hard ones for the Miracle family.
Letters came from Joe's combat unit. Joe's actions saved the lives of others, they said.
They called him "one of the elite," "100-percent warrior," and "humble."
And they said that, no matter where he was, Joe found a way to pray. He always got to Mass.
Word spread quickly about Joe's death. The Miracle family wasn't overly active at their parish, Our Lady of the Lakes
in Waterford Township — but Judy's bond with the pastor grew from that point.
"With Joe, we reached out. His family was in the larger parish community," said Fr. Lawrence Delonnay, pastor of Our
Lady of the Lakes Parish, who also presided at the funeral Mass for a soldier from the parish in 2003. "That is the most
loving thing you can possibly do when somebody is in extremes like that, to hold them to yourself."
The community at Everest rallied around the Miracle family, too. Even though it was well into summer vacation,
children from Judy's class came forward.
"As soon as the families found out, the girls in the middle school wanted to come and do something that would help
them," said Maura Plante, a friend of Judy's who works in admissions for the school.
Two dozen girls from Everest wrapped silverware for the funeral luncheon. Students from both Everest girls and boys
schools served at the luncheon.
"What they wanted people to see was, 'This is what we can do for the Miracle family right now,'" Plante said.
Even the families of students who no longer attended Everest came back to console the Miracle family. More than
1,000 people came to the funeral Mass. And last week — two months after the funeral — many of the school parents
stood behind their children to witness the flag raising in honor of Joe.
"That support there was just unbelievable, and it still is," said Judy Miracle. "There is like a mission now to show
support to one of the staff that's lost a child in war, and also just to show all the young people how much we value that
kind of sacrifice."
Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
Members of the U.S. Army hold the flag as it’s being raised at the Sept. 7 ceremony at Everest Academy. The flag-raising was in honor of Joe
Miracle, whose mother teaches at the school.
An example of faith
As the school year gets underway, the Miracle family still questions how death could claim a prayerful and healthy 22year-old, willing to sacrifice for his friends.
And any spiritual director is hard pressed to explain exactly why it happened.
Still, Christ is making Himself present through the community that mourns with the Miracles.
And Joe's example stands as a Gospel lesson, added Fr. Juan Guerra, the Legion of Christ priest who took Joe and
his peers on the mission trip to Mexico.
"What we can learn from him is that we need to live ready to go at any moment, so that our Lord can find us ready —
as he told us in His Gospel, in the book of His life," Fr. Guerra said. "Soldiers have to be ready at any time. As we
know, in our lives we have to be ready to go whenever our Lord calls us."
Memories of Joe, too, have had an impact on the Miracle family and friends, Judy Miracle said. Joe's death has put
before his brothers and sisters the seriousness of God's promise of eternal life, causing them to examine their
relationship with Christ and the Church.
Joe's father, Glenn Miracle, though not Catholic himself, can always look back on a call from Italy last Christmas he
received from his youngest son. It was a testament to Joe's deep faith, he said.
"Dad," Joe had said over the phone, "will you go to midnight Mass with mom? I'm not there, and I always go with her."
"So," Glenn said, "this non-Catholic went to midnight Mass. And it was beautiful."
To begin the flag-raising ceremony last Friday, Everest principal Fr. Daniel Pajerski, LC, led the congregation in
prayer. As is tradition at the school, Fr. Pajerski started by saying "Christ, our King." The students replied, "Thy
kingdom come."
Staff members say it's a reminder that everything done is done for Christ.
At Everest, the staff and students think of Joe Miracle, his prayer and his sacrifice, and appreciate his life as one lived
in Christ. And even in the first days of class, they live their own Christian duty of loving their neighbors, the Miracle
family, and comforting those who mourn.
"As a Catholic community, that's what we do," Plante says. "When something is really hard, we have to go to our
knees, we have to pray, we have to support each other — and we want people to know that our faith is what is going to
get us through this."
Sgt. Allen A. Greka
Hometown: Alpena, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 29 years old
Died: July 13, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 3d Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 3d
Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Georgia
Incident: Killed when a land mine exploded during a foot patrol in Jisr Diyala,
Iraq.
Marie Lockwood, a former teacher of Allen A. Greka's, called him very intelligent and said he
set himself apart in school. "I remember that Allen was independent and vocal and he had
high expectations of himself," said Lockwood, who taught Greka for two years. She said he
was like an older brother who kept his classmates in line. Greka, 29, of Alpena, Mich., was
killed July 13 by a land mine detonation during a foot patrol in Jisr Diyala. He was assigned to
Fort Benning. Steven Greka described his son as a "very professional soldier" who "loved what
he did." He said his son was a very outgoing person who enjoyed reading. "Anything he read
he retained. He was very intelligent," he said. Greka rooted for the New York Giants and the
Boston Celtics. When he was in the fifth grade, a family friend gave him a copy of the Air Force
survival guide. "He spent hours reading and studying that thing. Before too long he had
memorized every word in that book," said his father. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and a
daughter, Lillith, a baby. Greka also had a 4-year-old stepdaughter, Rose.
Army Sgt. Allen A. Greka
Died July 13, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
29, of Alpena, Mich.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga.; died July 13 of wounds sustained from a land
mine detonation during a dismounted patrol in Jisr Diyala, Iraq.
Fort Benning soldier dies in Iraq after land mine blast
The Associated Press
ALPENA, Mich. — A Michigan soldier stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., and remembered for his
professionalism in military service has died of wounds from a land mine detonation during a patrol
in Iraq.
Army Sgt. Allen A. Greka, 29, of Alpena, died July 13 after being wounded in Jisr Diyala, the
Department of Defense said in a statement July 15. His family learned of his death July 13.
“It’s very hard to deal with, but we’ve been getting a lot of support from everyone in the area,” his
father, Steven Greka, told The Alpena News.
Allen Greka and his wife, Jennifer, were married about a year ago. The couple had a 4-month-old
daughter, Lilith. Greka also had a 4-year-old stepdaughter, Rose, his father said.
Steven Greka described his son as a very professional soldier who loved what he did and enjoyed
reading.
“Anything he read he retained,” Steven Greka said. “He was very intelligent.”
Allen Greka also is survived by his mother, Patti Greka. Funeral arrangements were pending
Monday.
Greka was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd
Infantry Division, at Fort Benning.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Allen Greka remembered
Oh, sure, Allen Greka probably could have landed a job at the LaFarge Presque Isle Quarry when he finished
high school. After all, his dad worked as a driller at LaFarge, the fourth largest crushed stone quarry in
North America and one of the largest employers in upstate Michigan.
But Greka wanted to get away from the Thunder Bay region, where, hopefully, more opportunities would
present themselves to an ambitious teenager. "There weren't a whole lot of options here for my son," said
Steven Greka, a lifelong resident of Alpena, Mich., a town of 12,000 on the Lake Huron shore. One option
was the Army, which he joined right out of Alpena High.
"We all thought he made the right decision," said the elder Greka. "I know he loved what he was doing." Sgt.
Allen Greka, 29, had just re-enlisted for the second time and was considering a career in the Army, one that
might one day lead to a good job in law enforcement. "That was his dream, anyway," said his father Tuesday
morning.
But Allen Greka was not able to live out that dream. Less than a week after his first wedding anniversary, on
Friday the 13th, Greka died of wounds suffered from a land mine detonation in Jisr Diyala, Iraq.
"It's tough on me and my wife," Steven Greka said. "Allen was our only child. It's very hard to believe that he
won't be coming home this time. For every minute we go on, two seconds are OK, and 58 are bad." Allen
Greka didn't leave with the rest of Fort Benning's 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, when it was deployed
in March.
"He was allowed to stay here until Jennifer, his wife, delivered the baby," Steven Greka said. "Then he
rejoined his unit in Iraq." Lillith Greka recently turned 4 months old. A .50-caliber machine gunner on a
Humvee, Allen Greka was no stranger to combat.
"Oh, he could tell some stories about the war," said the elder Greka. "His unit (from Fort Polk, La.) was in a
firefight almost every day. One time he disarmed a rocket propelled grenade that had zipped past his leg and
stuck right in the Humvee."
One thing for sure about Allen, said his dad: "He was a good shot." As a young boy, father taught son the art
of target shooting. "He was so proud when he won a marksmanship medal in basic training," recalled
Steven.
Later on, he and best friend Brad Dean loved to go duck hunting. "That's about the only hobby he had," he
added. "That, and cheering the New York Giants in football and the Boston Celtics in basketball. They were
his teams."
Another indication that Allen might be headed toward a military career came when he was in the fifth grade.
"A friend of ours gave him a copy of the Air Force survival guide," Steven said. "He spent hours reading and
studying that thing. Before too long he had memorized every word in that book."
Neither Patti Greka nor Allen's grandmother Mary Jane Greka could talk about the past few days. "We're
devastated," said Patti, "but I must ask you to speak to my husband about our son."
Funeral services were incomplete on Tuesday. The Karpus-Hunter Funeral Home in Alpena will handle the
arrangements. Allen Greka's death was the 20th suffered by 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team soldiers since
the unit was deployed in late March.
From the Ledger Enquirer
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Allen A. Greka dies 'of wounds sustained from a land mine detonation
during a dismounted patrol'
Alpena has lost one of its own in Iraq.
Army Sgt. Allen Greka, 29, died Friday after sustaining wounds from a land mine
detonation. According to a news release from the Department of Defense, the incident
occurred while Greka was on a dismounted patrol in Jisr Diyala, Iraq.
Greka and his wife, Jennifer, just celebrated their first anniversary July 8. The couple
had a four-month-old daughter, Lilith. He also is survived by his parents, Steven and
Patti Greka of Alpena. Greka also had a four-year-old stepdaughter, Rose, whom Greka
thought of as his own, his father said. He also is survived by his grandparents, Chester
and Mary Jane Greka, and Katie Twite.
Steven Greka said the family learned about his son’s death at about 11 p.m. Friday
evening. He said it was devastating news.
“It’s very hard to deal with but we’ve been getting a lot of support from everyone in the
area,” he said.
Steven Greka described his son as a “very professional soldier” who “loved what he
did.” He said his son was a very outgoing person who enjoyed reading and was very
smart.
“Anything he read he retained. He was very intelligent,” Steven Greka said.
Greka first enlisted in the Army in 2000 and graduated the basic armored recon course
at Fort Knox, Ky. in August 2000. He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, Camp Gary
Owen, Korea, and Fort Polk, La.
At Fort Polk, he was deployed with the 2nd ACR serving as a M2 gunner with Killer
Troop. After his first OIF deployment, Allen was transferred to D Troop 1/509th IN
where he served as an OPFOR primary trainer. He re-enlisted and was assigned to the
3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division
at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Marie Lockwood, a former teacher of Greka’s at Alpena High School, also called him
very intelligent. She said he set himself apart in school.
“I remember that Allen was independent and vocal and he had high expectations of
himself,” said Lockwood, who taught Greka for two years. She said he was like an older
brother who kept his classmates in line.
Ironically, Lockwood said she remembers Greka as a person who was always willing to
question authority. She said for him to join the armed forces would have seemed like
the farthest thing from her mind back then. But she said those qualities probably
served him well while he was in uniform.
A lasting tribute
Diane Speer
POSTED: September 20, 2009
News Photos by Diane Speer
Family members of Navy Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga and Army Sgt. Allen A. Greka, two
Alpena soldiers killed in the line of duty in Iraq, get their first look at the Fallen Heroes
Memorial.
Hundreds of people gathered Saturday at the Besser Museum to honor two fallen heroes from
Norteast Michigan who paid the ultimate price while serving their country in Iraq.
A new Fallen Heroes Memorial dedicated to Navy Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga and Army
Sgt. Allen A. Greka was unveiled on the museum grounds as family members, brothers in
arms both active and retired, and the community at large turned out in full support. The
solemn and dignified dedication ceremony, which started with a military helicopter flyover,
included several brief but heartfelt messages.
Skip Bushart, president of the Fallen Heroes Memorial Foundation and himself the father of a
soldier killed in action, served as master of ceremonies. The monument in Alpena is the 24th
one Bushart has helped to dedicate in Michigan for a soldier from the state who was killed
during the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In presenting the invocation, Father David Greka spoke about how both men "shed their blood
so that we could live in a free and democratic society."
That theme was echoed by guest speakers U.S. Navy Commander Master Chief Richard
Hastings and Col. Ewin (Sam) Sansom, base commander of the Combat Readiness Training
Center in Alpena. The two were overcome with emotion as they reflected on how selflessly
Alpena's two fallen heroes served their country, and they urged the community to never
forget what they did.
"They figured out there's more to life than themselves" Hastings said of Darga and Greka.
"They figured what it means to have honor and display honor. They honor their moms and
dads, their wives and children, their hometowns and their state, and ultimately they honor
their country by making the ultimate sacrifice."
Besser Museum Facilities Manager Randy Shultz, who spearheaded efforts to raise $10,000 for
the monument, expressed appreciation to the families of both men for wanting it placed on
the museum grounds.
Sansom told the crowd the monument honors Darga and Greka so they are never forgotten
and that it is appropriately installed at the museum.
"Part of the museum's purpose is to educate," Sansom said. "We want to educate kids on
what it takes to be a free country. We want anyone bringing kids to the museum to stop at
this memorial and remember."
Ashes from an American flag and a sampling of earth taken from each of the succeeding 23
memorial sites throughout the state was combined with the soil at the museum and then
blended into the concrete that formed the base for the Fallen Heroes Memorial. Bushart said
that each of the soldiers brothers in life and unified in purpose are now together in death and
not to be forgotten.
Soil taken from the ground at the museum also will now become a part of any future
memorials that are erected in Michigan until, according to Bushart, there are no more
monuments to be built.
"May our great nation never forget these brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice,"
Bushart said.
Saturday's ceremony also included a posting and retiring of the colors by VFW Post #2496,
singing of the national anthem by Nancy Everett, performance of "Remember the Fallen
Heroes" song written by local resident Calvin Howard, a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace"
and "Taps" by Doug Frame, and the raising of the American flag and a Lest They Be Forgotten
flag for the fallen.
Pfc. Christopher D. Kube
Hometown: Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 18 years old
Died: July 14, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort
Carson, Colo.
Incident: Killed by a makeshift bomb in Baghdad.
‘I ain’t no baby’ — Troops remember a fallen comrade who faced his fears in Iraq
By Robert Burns
The Associated Press
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq — It was sad, and sadly unremarkable.
Army Spc. Christopher D. Kube was memorialized July 19 in a packed theater at this outpost in
east Baghdad. Another fallen soldier. Another reminder, far from the public spotlight, of the grief
that hits not only families of this war’s casualties but also their comrades in arms.
He was 18.
He was a newlywed.
He was killed July 14, eight months after he arrived in Iraq on a deployment that made him
nervous from the start, as one fellow soldier remembered. Back at his home station, Fort Carson,
Colo., he drew attention for being so young, so short, so slight and so cheerful.
“When I saw him I asked, ‘How old are you, 10?’ ” recalled his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Eugenie
Byron-Griffin. “‘What are you doing here? You’re a baby.’ He looked me straight in my eye, with his
chest poked out like he does, and he said, ‘I’m 17, and I ain’t no baby. I’m a man.’ ”
Tears flowing, she added: “Everyone in the unit used to mess with him because he was so small.
And almost always he would fight hard to prove his manhood. Like when he purchased his first
vehicle and bragged about how little he paid for it.”
He was determined, Byron-Griffin said: “Even when he was afraid, he would face his fear straightup. And that was what he did when he enlisted in the Army. He said he was afraid he would deploy
to Iraq. But he wanted to make a better life for himself and his family.”
Born on Sept. 7, 1988, in Sterling Heights, Mich., Kube enlisted on Oct. 25, 2005, just making the
minimum legal age of 17 for joining the military.
Last November he and his unit said their goodbyes and headed for war.
July 14, as he stood in the gun turret of an armored Humvee that was ferrying a team of soldiers to
a meeting to promote reconciliation among rival Iraqi religious rivals, a roadside bomb — the
leading killer of American soldiers — struck him, killing him instantly.
Kube was with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry
Division. Originally assigned to supply duty, he volunteered to be a gunner and a driver in convoys
that ferry commanders and, in some cases, visiting VIPs. He chose danger.
His memorial was, in some ways, like those held almost every evening across Baghdad and
beyond. A chaplain gave an invocation. The soldier’s commander gave a heartfelt tribute. Fellow
soldiers recalled their time together, their sense of loss, their grief and pain.
It was commonplace and yet so extraordinary, knowing that this youngster’s death was another
loss for an America torn by four years of war, divided over how to end it, weary of the cost in blood
and treasure.
In their remembrances, no soldiers questioned the war. Instead they honored a life. They sat in
silence as a series of photos of Kube were projected on a large screen. Words of tribute flashed on
the screen.
“You were like a little brother to us all,” wrote one.
“I feel sorry for the rest of the world,” wrote another.
Music played in the background.
At the foot of a stage a helmet with Kube’s name band around it sat atop an upright rifle, his dog
tags dangling, a pair of desert combat boots neatly in front.
“To my fellow soldiers I say, Kube is gone but never forgotten,” said Capt. Steve Poe, his company
commander. “I ask you to pick it up and drive on. That’s what I believe Kube would do. He’s just
that kind of guy.”
1. I saw his picture in the daily pics thread yesterday, and it really hit me hard. I found this article on him,
he is a hero, may he rest in peace, and thanks to his family for raising such a brave young man.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq (AP) -- Army Spc. Christopher D. Kube was memorialized
Thursday in a packed theater at this outpost in east Baghdad. Another fallen soldier. Another reminder, far
from the public spotlight, of the grief that hits not only families of this war's casualties but also their
comrades in arms.
He was 18.
He was a newlywed.
He was killed on July 14, eight months after he arrived in Iraq on a deployment that made him nervous
from the start, as one fellow soldier remembered. Back at his home station, Fort Carson, Colorado, he drew
attention for being so young, so short, so slight and so cheerful.
"When I saw him I asked, `How old are you, 10?"' recalled his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Eugenie ByronGriffin. "`What are you doing here? You're a baby.' He looked me straight in my eye, with his chest poked
out like he does, and he said, `I'm 17, and I ain't no baby. I'm a man."'
Tears flowing, she added: "Everyone in the unit used to mess with him because he was so small. And
almost always he would fight hard to prove his manhood. Like when he purchased his first vehicle and
bragged about how little he paid for it."
He was determined, Byron-Griffin said: "Even when he was afraid, he would face his fear straight-up. And
that was what he did when he enlisted in the Army. He said he was afraid he would deploy to Iraq. But he
wanted to make a better life for himself and his family."
Born on September 7, 1988, in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Kube enlisted on October 25, 2005, just making
the minimum legal age of 17 for joining the military. Last November he and his unit said their goodbyes and
headed for war. Last Saturday, as he stood in the gun turret of an armored Humvee that was ferrying a
team of soldiers to a meeting to promote reconciliation among rival Iraqi religious rivals, a roadside bomb -the leading killer of American soldiers -- struck him, killing him instantly.
Kube was with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
Originally assigned to supply duty, he volunteered to be a gunner and a driver in convoys that ferry
commanders and, in some cases, visiting VIPs. He chose danger.
His memorial was, in some ways, like those held almost every evening across Baghdad and beyond. A
chaplain gave an invocation. The soldier's commander gave a heartfelt tribute. Fellow soldiers recalled their
time together, their sense of loss, their grief and pain. It was commonplace and yet so extraordinary,
knowing that this youngster's death was another loss for an America torn by four years of war, divided over
how to end it, weary of the cost in blood and treasure.
In their remembrances, no soldiers questioned the war. Instead they honored a life. They sat in silence as a
series of photos of Kube were projected on a large screen. Words of tribute flashed on the screen. "You
were like a little brother to us all," wrote one. "I feel sorry for the rest of the world," wrote another. Music
played in the background.
At the foot of a stage a helmet with Kube's name band around it sat atop an upright rifle, his dog tags
dangling, a pair of desert combat boots neatly in front.
"To my fellow soldiers I say, Kube is gone but never forgotten," said Capt. Steve Poe, his company
commander. "I ask you to pick it up and drive on. That's what I believe Kube would do. He's just that kind
of guy."
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Christopher Kube remembered
The parents of Pfc. Christopher D. Kube readily admit their oldest son had problems growing up in a
structured society in Shelby Township.
But Kube, killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq on Saturday, worked to improve himself and
knew at an early age that he wanted to join the Army.
Kube's father, David Kube of Fraser, and mother, Debbie Krupski of Flint, said they were extremely proud
when their son graduated at the top of his class at the Michigan Youth Challenge Academy.
They were proud when he enlisted in the U.S. Army and are very proud that he was serving his country in
Baghdad. They were devastated when they learned Monday that Kube was killed Saturday in Baghdad.
Kube died when an improvised explosive device hit the truck he shouldn't have been on and exploded. Kube
had volunteered for the mission.
Kube's mother said she and her five children and ex-husband formerly lived in the Shelby Forest Mobile
Hope Park on Schoenherr north of 22 Mile Road. She now lives in Flint.
Pfc. Kube's father, David Kube, now lives in Fraser with four other children.
"Christopher has gone though many challenges and struggles and stood up to everything you could
imagine," Krupski said. "He was a gunner in the Army, and was so proud of it. He died a hero."
Krupski said her son showed everyone what it meant to be strong. She said he faced an uphill battle most of
his life, and it was generally his fault. He had to learn discipline and had to learn how to take orders, she
said.
David Kube said his son enjoyed riding his dirt bike and often rode cross-country events. He also enjoyed
fishing and hunting.
"Chris was a troubled youth and was scared about getting a job after high school (he got his GED)," said
David Kube. "When he was 16 years old he knew he wanted to go into the Army."
That's when he enrolled in the Michigan Youth Challenge, a military boot camp for youth. His father said he
had great leadership skills.
"We weren't worried about Chris being in Iraq," said Kube. "Chris told me not to worry about him. I tried
not to worry, but you can't stop thinking of him."
Kube, who works at Camau Pico East on 23 Mile Road in Macomb Township, said he prayed for his son
daily. He carries a photo of his son in his tool box.
His parents said they gave him permission to enlist when he turned 17. Kube was sent to boot camp at Fort
Leonard Wood, Mo., where he performed his advanced infantry training and became a truck driver. While in
Colorado at Fort Carson last year, he met and married Tianna.
"Shortly after that, last October, they shoved him right to Iraq," said Krupski. "Now, I hope everyone just
doesn't think of Christopher as a number. I hope Christopher didn't die in vain. He wasn't even supposed to
be on that truck."
Kube volunteered to go on the mission in which he was killed. Krupski said his best friend was on a truck
behind Kube's.
In a letter to Krupski, the soldier wrote, "Chris, you weren't even supposed to be there. I love you brother."
He called Kube his "everyday hero."
Kube has four siblings; brother Jonathan, 15; twins Jessica and Jason, 12; and sister, Jennifer, 9.
From the Macomb Daily
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Christopher D. Kube dies 'of wounds suffered from an improvised
explosive device'
SHELBY TOWNSHIP - A teen who got his parents' permission to join the Army at 17 has
been killed in the blast of an improvised explosive device in Iraq.
Pfc. Christopher D. Kube, 18, of Macomb County's Shelby Township died Saturday in
Baghdad. He was one of two Michigan soldiers reported killed in Iraq last week.
Kube was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colo., the Defense Department said.
"He volunteered for that mission," his mother, Debbie Krupski, said Monday from the
family's home, about 15 miles north of Detroit. "My son wasn't even supposed to be there."
Kube was a gunner and the only soldier killed in the explosion, Krupski told The Detroit
News.
Kube's parents let him enlist in the Army at 17, and he shipped out to Iraq in October, one
month after turning 18.
"He enjoyed the military," his mother said. "He always met the challenge."
She said she last saw her son in February when he was on leave. While home, he married his
girlfriend, Tianna, whom he met in Colorado.
Krupski said Kube loved riding dirt bikes and deer-hunting with his father.
He was the oldest of five children. Other survivers include father David Kube, brothers John
and Jason, and sisters Jessica and Jennifer.
From the Lansing State Journal
Soldier Dies After Enlisting At 17
Kube Killed In IED Explosion
POSTED: 12:22 pm EDT July 17, 2007
FORT CARSON, Colo. -- The Department of Defense has identified two more Fort Carson soldiers who have
died in Iraq.
Pfc. Christopher D. Kube, 18, of Sterling Heights, Mich., died Saturday in Baghdad from wounds he suffered
from an improvised explosive device, or IED, the Defense Department said Monday. He was on a mounted patrol
when his vehicle hit an IED.
Kube was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry
Division, based at Fort Carson, Colo.
During his Army career, Kube was awarded a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal,
Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.
Kube got his parents' permission to join the Army at 17, a year earlier than the Army allows recruits to sign up on
their own.
"He volunteered for that mission," his mother, Debbie Krupski, said Monday from the family's home, about 15
miles north of Detroit. "My son wasn't even supposed to be there."
Kube was a gunner and the only soldier killed in the explosion, Krupski told The Detroit News.
Kube's parents let him enlist in the Army at 17, and he shipped out to Iraq in October, one month after turning 18.
"He enjoyed the military," his mother said. "He always met the challenge."
She said she last saw her son in February when he was on leave. While home, he married his girlfriend, Tianna,
whom he met in Colorado.
Krupski said Kube loved riding dirt bikes and deer-hunting with his father.
He was the oldest of five children. Other survivors include father David Kube, brothers John and Jason, and
sisters Jessica and Jennifer.
Funeral arraignments were incomplete, his mother said Monday.
Soldier On Second Tour Killed
The Department of Defense also announced the death of Spc. Robert D. Varga, 24, of Monroe City, Mo., on
Monday.
Varga died from a noncombat related incident that is currently under investigation. He was assigned to the 984th
Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion at Fort Carson.
Varga was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. He had previously served from January 2004 to January 2005.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Pfc. Charles T. Heinlein Jr.
Hometown: Hemlock, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: July 31, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat
Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his vehicle in Baghdad.
Charles T. Heinlein
Heinlein, Pvt. Charles T. (Charlie) Formerly of Hemlock Pvt. Charles T. Heinlein was killed in the line of
duty in Iraq on July 31, 2007 at the age of 23 years. He was born September 7, 1983 to Thomas Heinlein
of Hemlock and Nina Heinlein of Texas. He attended Merrill Schools and also Hemlock High School. He
was a member of Merrill Congregational Church. Surviving besides his father and mother are his wife,
Jessica, of Washington; his grandmother, Donna Lynch, Hemlock; his sister, Jody Heinlein and his niece,
Logan, both of Texas; several aunts, uncles and cousins and his beloved extended "family" of friends. Funeral service
will take place Wednesday, August 8, 2007 in Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial service will take place at 6:00
p.m. Friday, August 10, 2007 at the Hemlock-Merrill V. F. W. Post, 17595 W. Gratiot Road.
www.casefuneralhome.com Published in Saginaw News on MLive.com on August 5, 2007
Charles T Heinlein Jr
Monday, August 06 2007 @ 09:02 AM MDT
Contributed by: tomw
The Saginaw News -- Thomas Heinlein recalls one of his last conversations with his son, Pfc.
Charles T. Heinlein Jr., who was stationed in Iraq with the U.S. Army.
"We talked on the Internet all the time, and he told me he was running out of the cough drops and things
I'd sent over," Thomas Heinlien said. "But he told me, 'I'll survive. There's a guy here who never gets a
package; send him one instead.'
"My son was a trouble-maker, he was someone who would always find ways to irritate people, but he also
was the kind of guy who thought of others."
Charles Heinlein, who grew up in Hemlock and lived with his wife, Jessica, in Washington state, was one of
three soldiers who died Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle in
Baghdad, the Department of Defense announced this weekend.
The 23-year-old Heinlein died along with Spc. Zachariah J. Gonzalez, 23, of Indiana and Pfc. Alfred H.
Jairala, 29, of Hialeah, Fla. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade,
2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Wash.
He had received the Army Commendation, National Defense Service, Iraq Campaign, and Global War on
Terrorism Service medals, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
Donna Lynch of Hemlock said her grandson had talked about enlisting, but she didn't know which branch.
"Then he decided it would be the Army," Lynch said. "He said it was hard at first, but after he got adjusted
Charlie said it would be his career."
Educators in Merrill and Hemlock remember him as a "decent young man" who wanted to grow up his own
way.
"He's a hero in my eyes today, no matter what," said Rudy Godefroidt, the Hemlock school superintendent
who was the principal at the high school when Charles Heinlein attended. "We had a few discussions when
he was a student here -- he wasn't involved in athletics or drama or music or anything like that, but he
was always a decent young man. He's a hero now."
Thomas Heinlein said he'll miss the homecoming.
"We had a Christmas vacation planned, a marathon session watching our favorite TV shows, venison chops
that he only knew how to cook right; dinner at the Outback restaurant, his favorite place to eat," he said.
"I told him we'd need two leaves for everything he had planned."
Charles Heinlein was first scheduled to come home at the end of June, but the military extended his tour
of duty by three months. He was tired of sand and tired of the food, his father said, but he never tired of
doing his duty.
"Charlie would tell you that we needed to be in Iraq," Heinlein said. "He helped with a school there one
time and with a hospital another time. He always talked about the people he met, a lot of good people.
You have to realize Charlie didn't have friends, he considered everyone family.
"He always said we would do a lot better out there if generals were running the war instead of politicians."
Heinlein will travel to Arlington, Va., this week for funeral services and burial Wednesday at Arlington
National Cemetery outside Washington, D.C.
A memorial service is planned for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Hemlock-Merrill VFW Post 7302 in
Hemlock.
"His grandma plays cards here every week, and she was so proud of him," said Sherri L. Watson, the bar
manager at the post. "We signed him up as a member and paid his first dues, and then we heard what
happened.
"We wanted to do something for his family."
So many people have called to ask what they can do, said Lynch, who lives in Hemlock.
"We were really close," she said of her grandson. "When he got older, he didn't always agree with
everything I said, but he always had a good heart."
"You can look at my son in one of two ways," Heinlein said. "He walked to his own rhythms, all at once
playing to different times at different speeds.
"Or he's like the black rose that turns blood red, beautiful with a lot of thorns. He was far from perfect, but
he was more of a man than anyone I know."
Richland Township memorial to be dedicated at veterans post
Published: Saturday, July 31, 2010, 4:30 AM Gus Burns | The Saginaw News
RICHLAND TWP. — Relatives of four soldiers who died in the latest Middle East conflicts are attending the
dedication of a new veterans memorial in Richland Township today, says Darlene D. Rose, 53, of Ingersoll
Township.
Courtesy The Battle Cross Memorial at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7302, 17595 Gratiot in
Richland Township.
The dedication begins at 2 p.m. and is expected to last an hour.
Rose is the wife of Michael B., 55, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7302, 17595 Gratiot in
Richland Township, where the memorial was erected July 2. Michael Rose was a child and remembers
when the more-than 50-year-old hall was built by his father and other are veterans, Darlene Rose said.
“The monument is called the Battle Cross and is a beautiful bronze sculpture containing the likeness of a
soldier’s helmet, rifle and combat boots,” post leaders said. “It is an awesome sculpture.”
It’s dedicated to four deceased soldiers, U.S. Army Spc. Richard A. Goward, 32, of Midland; U.S. Marine
Lance Cpl. Justin D. Reppuhn 20, of Hemlock; U.S. Army Sgt. Ralph N. Porras, 36, of Merrill; U.S. Army
Pfc. Charles T. Heinlein Jr., 23, Hemlock.
However, there are aspects of the memorial that are tributes to all veterans, Rose said, such as the etched
words, Pacific and Atlantic, meant to pay tribute to veterans of World War II and the Korean wars; and the
use of black granite “to honor the fallen of the Vietnam War and to say welcome home.” On the front of the
north-facing benches, it reads: “All gave some, some gave all.” Speakers, a soloist, minister and color guard
will participate in the dedication ceremony, Rose said.
Pfc. Jordan E. Goode
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: August 11, 2007 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed by a makeshift bomb in Zormont, Afghanistan.
Jordan Emil Goode
GOODE, Pfc. Jordan Emil Of Kalamazoo, MI
Age 21
Jordan Emil Goode was unexpectedly called home on Saturday, August 11, 2007. He was born December 14, 1985,
the son of Sheri and Tony Goode. He was the middle child of three boys (older brother, Domonique and younger
brother, Kelsey). He graduated from New City High School, on June 2004. Jordan's daughter, Amirah Goode was born
July 30, 2005. He later went on to join the U.S. Army as a Calvary Scout in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was married
October 28, 2005, to Aubrey Powell. In 2006, he was stationed in Fort Bragg, NC. He deployed to Afghanistan in
January 2007. He was due home in October of 2007. Jordan had a zest for life, he loved anything that involved risktaking. He was a fun-loving man, who could make the most of a bad situation with his laugh, and could light up a
room with his smile. He loved drawing, and also had a passion for hip-hop music, and writing his own lyrics. He never
left home without his skateboard. He was dedicated to his career and believed he served for a cause all his own. He
made it a point to be a unique individual, who spoke his mind. He portrayed a tough exterior, but had a heart of gold.
Surviving to cherish his memory are his wife, Aubrey J. Goode; daughter, Amirah Goode; parents, Tony and Sheri
Goode; older brother, Domonique Goode; younger brother, Kelsey Goode; his grandparents, Dorothy and Emil
Goode; great grandmother, Dessie Cheatom, all of Kalamazoo, MI; grandparents, Lori and Harold Lash; greatgrandmother, Virginia Lash; aunt and uncle, Marcia and Brent Lash; cousins, Breanna and Sierra Lash, of Vicksburg,
MI; aunt, Jane Goode and cousin, Brian Goode, both of Kalamazoo, MI. Jordan also considered Spc. Steven Wray, Pfc.
Kevin Bigby, Spc. David Shade, Staff Sgt. Keith Hambright and many other Brothers in Arms, his family. He also had a
host of many friends, more than he ever knew. A Memorial Service is being held 1:00 PM, Tuesday at the Christian
Life Center, with Military Honors. Friends may meet with the family 4-6 PM, Saturday at the Harper Funeral Home,
521 Douglas Avenue, 342-1000 . In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Amirah Goode's Trust Fund, LaSalle
Bank. Published in Kalamazoo Gazette on August 17, 2007
August 13, 2007
Release #08-002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
82nd Airborne Division Paratrooper dies in Afghanistan
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — An 82nd Airborne Division Paratrooper died from injuries sustained when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol in Zormont, Afghanistan Saturday.
Pfc. Jordan E. Goode, 21, of Kalamazoo, Michigan was a scout with 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th
Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 82nd Abn. Div.
“Pfc. Goode was a great guy with a wonderful smile; the kind of person everyone enjoyed having around,” said Capt Jace
Neuenschwander, Troop B commander.
Goode joined the Army in August 2005. He completed Cavalry Scout One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox,
Kentucky February 2006. He completed the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2006.
Goode reported to the 82nd Abn. Div. in April 2006 and was assigned to 4th Sqd., 73rd CAV Regiment as a
scout.
“Pfc. Goode was an excellent vehicle driver who clearly demonstrated that he understood the
importance of his role in the scouts. He consistently demonstrated his commitment and dedication during
each mission,” said Army Lt. Col. David J. Woods, commander of the 4-73rd Cavalry Regiment. “Our
thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Goode’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army
Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the
Overseas Ribbon, the Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.
Goode is survived by his wife, Aubrey Jean Goode; his daughter, Amirah Staice Kalei Goode, both of Fort
Bragg, North Carolina; his father, Tony M. Goode; and his mother, Sheri L. Goode, both of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The unit will hold a memorial service in Afghanistan.
Monday, August 13 2007 @ 06:59 PM MDT
Contributed by: River97
MLive.com -- DETROIT (AP) — Jordan E. Goode enjoyed doing things on the
edge — whether skateboarding, snowboarding or jumping from military planes.
"He loved the thrill. That's why he went Airborne," his mother, Sheri Goode told The
Associated Press Monday. "Once when Jordan snowboarded, he went down the end of a
slope and there was no snow at the bottom. He had a concussion."
Pfc. Jordan Goode, 21, is the latest soldier from Michigan killed in Afghanistan. He was lead driver in a
five-truck convoy when a roadside bomb exploded Saturday beneath his vehicle, his mother said.
The Department of Defense said Monday that Jordan Goode was wounded in Zormont. He was assigned
to the 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort
Bragg, N.C.
"He was a great kid and he loved his family," Sheri Goode said. "He believed in what he
was doing and he was doing the right thing."
He and his family spoke often through a Web cam they bought him, his mother said.
"I talked to him (last) Monday for about 15 minutes online," Sheri Goode said. "I asked if
he was ready to come home and he said, 'Yeah.'
"He wanted to be out of his boots. Jordan said he was so tired of being in his boots."
Jordan Goode was due to come home on leave in October and was planning to take his wife, Aubrey, to
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Sheri Goode said her son was concerned after his unit recently was moved to a new camp in
Afghanistan.
"This past week, he said something to his wife that he might not come back. That was something he
had never said before," Sheri Goode said.
Jordan Goode spent two years at Kalamazoo Central High School and graduated in 2004 from New City
High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after graduating and was shipped to Afghanistan in
January.
Aubrey Goode said she was introduced to her future husband by a friend while in middle school.
"The first time I saw him skateboarding, I had a crush on him," she said.
They continued as friends for several years and became a couple as seniors in high school.
They were married nearly two years ago, when she was expecting the couple's daughter, Amirah.
Sheri Goode said her son surprised everyone by joining the Army.
"We were trying to get him into art school. He was an absolutely phenomenal artist," she said. "But his
girlfriend was pregnant at the time. He decided to step up to the plate, do the right thing and provide
for his family."
That was typical of Jordan, said close friend Brian Gallagher.
"He was very independent — he was always sure of what he was doing," Gallagher said. "He did
everything 100 percent."
Funeral services were pending.
Jordan Goode also is survived by his father, Tony; and brothers, Dominique and Kelsey.
Chief Warrant Officer Christopher C. Johnson
Hometown:Michigan, U.S.
Age:31 years old
Died:August 14, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit:Army, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Incident: Died of injuries suffered when his helicopter crashed in Taqaddum.
Before deploying to Iraq, Christopher C. Johnson took his children - ages 4, 7 and 10 - to share
with them the special places where his father had taken him when he was young. His mother,
Mary Johnson, said the children "just adored their daddy." In fact, he was working on adopting
them since they were his wife's children from a previous marriage. Johnson, 31, who grew up
in Grand Rapids, Mich., died Aug. 14 when his helicopter crashed in Taqaddum. He was a 1994
high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Wainwright. Johnson joined the military in 1994
and went on to become a Green Beret. After being part of covert operations around the
world, he decided to pursue his dream of flying. He had assured his mother it would be safe to
fly a Chinook. "He always told me, 'Mom don't be afraid because it's the fastest, the biggest
and the safest.' And he told me he wouldn't have to kill anybody, that he would be
transporting things and helping people. He always wanted to help people," Mary Johnson said.
He also is survived by his wife, Vivian.
Christopher Charles Johnson
Chief Warrant Officer, United States Army
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 1011-07
August 16, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died August 14, 2007, in Al
Taqqadum, Iraq, of injuries suffered when their helicopter crashed. They
were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49,
Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Killed were:
Chief Warrant Officer Christopher C. Johnson, 31, of Michigan.
Chief Warrant Officer Jackie L. McFarlane Jr, 30, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Staff Sergeant Sean P. Fisher, 29, of Santee, California
Staff Sergeant Stanley B. Reynolds, 37, of Rock, West Virginia
Specialist Steven R. Jewell, 26, of Bridgeton, North Carolina
The incident is under investigation.
15 August 2008:
Christopher C. Johnson had looked danger in the eye many times before as a
Green Beret, but it was his dream of flying for the armed services that led him
to train to become part of a helicopter crew.
The 31-year-old pilot, who grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and
graduated from Tri-Unity Christian School, accomplished his goal and was
doing what he loved when he was killed Tuesday near Anbar province in Iraq.
His CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed during a routine post-maintenance test
flight, killing all five on board.
Charles and Mary Johnson of Gallup, New Mexico, were informed of their
son's death Wednesday morning.
"I found out a helicopter crashed yesterday when I was on the computer and
saw a news flash. I clicked on it and saw that it was a Chinook and it was
about the area that we knew he was in," Mary Johnson said in a telephone
interview Wednesday.
"He always promised to call or e-mail when there was a crash so that we knew
he was safe," she said. "After a whole night of not hearing from him, we knew
something was wrong."
Johnson, a member of Task Force Dragon, had been in Iraq for less than a
month, his mother said.
The Army said the helicopter was conducting a test flight when it went down
near Taqaddum air base. The Army did not immediately identify the victims,
but Army officials in Alaska said the five were assigned to the 1st Battalion,
52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49 based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Johnson's family has been told the crash was an accident. The military said
the incident remains under investigation.
Johnson, a husband and father of three, had joined the military in 1994 and
went on to become a Green Beret. After being part of covert operations
around the world, he decided to pursue his dream of flying.
He had assured his mother it would be safer to fly a Chinook. "He always told
me, 'Mom don't be afraid because it's the fastest, the biggest and the safest.'
And he told me he wouldn't have to kill anybody, that he would be
transporting things and helping people. He always wanted to help people,"
Mary Johnson said.
Family friend Elaine Stam of Albuquerque didn't know Christopher Johnson
but she sure did hear a lot about him from his parents.
"His dad was just so proud of him," she said. "He just lived for Chris'
telephone calls or e-mails. He just loved it. He was so proud."
Stam said she was devastated after hearing the news Wednesday. "You just
can't believe it. One month in Iraq and he's gone," she said.
Johnson's dream of flying included coming home and earning a pilot's license
for fixed-wing aircraft, his mother said.
Before deploying to Iraq this summer, Johnson took his children -- ages 4, 7
and 10 -- to Grand Rapids and Chicago to share with them the special places
where his father had taken him when he was young.
Mary Johnson said the children "just adored their daddy." In fact, he was
working on adopting them since they were his wife's children from a previous
marriage. His wife and children were living in Huntsville, Alabama, during
Johnson's deployment.
The pilot had plans to return to Gallup with his family to surprise his parents
for Christmas. Instead, the family was dealing with questions of why as they
began to prepare for a funeral.
Mary Johnson said her son will be buried in Rehoboth, just east of Gallup.
She said he loved the area.
27 August 2008:
REHOBOTH, New Mexico - The body of Army Chief Warrant Officer
Christopher Charles Johnson was laid to rest on top of a rocky hill on
Saturday morning in a private burial service attended by family members, a
few close friends, and military personnel.
Members of the National Guard carry casket of Army Warrant Officer
Christopher C. Johnson on Saturday morning at Rehoboth Cemetery.
Johnson, 31, a Chinook helicopter pilot and former Green Beret, died on
August 14, 2007, after his helicopter crashed in Anbar Province, Iraq. Johnson
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49,
Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Johnson’s parents, Mary and Charles “Chuck” Johnson, are residents of
Gallup. Johnson’s wife, Vivian, and their children, Victoria, Jonathan, and
Dylan, have been residing in Huntsville, Alabama, during Johnson’s tour of
duty in Iraq.
The Rev. George Vink of California, the father-in-law of Johnson’s sister,
Dawn, presided over both the burial and memorial services. Although Vink
admitted the family was grieving deeply from the devastating loss of Johnson,
as Christians, he said, their faith and trust in God remain strong. This was one
of the themes that ran throughout both services, from the reading of Psalms
121 at the beginning of the burial service to the benediction at the conclusion
of the memorial service.
The family chose to have Johnson’s body buried in the scenic desert hillside,
south of Rehoboth, where Johnson, an avid motorcyclist, had enjoyed riding
his Harley Davidson. Soldiers from the 1116th Transportation Company of
the New Mexico Army National Guard in Gallup, the 126th Military Police
Company of Grants, and the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry
Brigade of Farmington, served throughout the burial service.
During the service, Vink said he knew Johnson’s father, Chuck, had raised all
his children with the teaching that true joy in life comes from putting Christ
first, others second, and oneself last. This idea was repeated throughout the
memorial service that followed, in which several speakers spoke about
Johnson’s faith in God, his devotion to his country, and his love for his family.
“We sow the remains of Chris in the confidence of the resurrection,” said
Vink of Johnson’s faith.
Emotions were held in check until Vink committed Johnson’s body to be
buried. Many mourners began to sob quietly after “Taps” was played and
military pallbearers began to fold the flag that had been draped over the
casket. General Mark Dow, deputy adjunct general with the New Mexico
National Guard, presented the flag to Vivian Johnson and presented a second
flag to Mary and Chuck Johnson.
In the memorial service that followed at Rehoboth Christian Reformed
Church, community members filled the sanctuary to near capacity. Through
photographs, stories, and songs, family members and friends shared the Chris
Johnson they knew and loved: a spunky little boy who called himself “Christougher” who once went out into a street where he stopped cars while dressed
in a Superman costume, a teenager who loved pickup trucks and motorcycles
and gave his parents more than their fair share of gray hairs, a young man
who loved being in the military and lived life to the fullest, and a loving
husband and father who was brought to tears when his young stepson,
Jonathan, thanked him for becoming his dad.
Chief Warrant Officer Sam Waldon, one of Johnson’s closest friends
throughout his military career, said he and Johnson were brothers, who had
just been raised in different parts of the country. They had wanted to move to
the same military base after Johnson’s tour of duty in Iraq, he explained, so
they could raise their children together.
Waldon said Johnson’s dedication to duty was something that most people
would never understand. Whether Johnson was serving in the infantry,
Special Forces, or flying a helicopter, Waldon said, “He loved it all.”
Johnson was a hard-headed and impatient guy, he added, who wanted to
share the responsibility of serving in Iraq. If Johnson “could play the rewind
button” of his life, Waldon said, Johnson would live it again the same way.
“Courage and honor,” Waldon said. “Those are the two words Chris lived
by.”
Johnson’s uncle, Rog Bruins, compared Johnson’s life to a race like the one
described in the New Testament book of Hebrews. Although Johnson’s race
proved not to be a long one, Bruins said, Johnson ran it with discipline,
perseverance, and direction.
“Chris is my hero,” said Bruins, noting that Johnson was a man who loved
God, loved his family, and loved his country.
Betty Wieland, from Johnson’s home state of Michigan, described herself as
Johnson’s “other mother.” As a young man, she explained, Johnson moved in
with her after his parents moved to Gallup.
“His boisterous presence filled all the empty spaces,” she recalled. “He
brought love and laughter and unpredictability and hope.”
Although Johnson died a young man, Wieland said, he packed more living
into his 31 years of life than other people do in 80 years.
“He truly lived,” added Wieland, who said the purposes which God created
Johnson are now complete. Wieland said God challenges “us to embrace life
and death as fully” as Johnson did.
“Thanks be to God for the gift of loving Chris,” she concluded.
A memorial scholarship fund is being established at Rehoboth Christian
School, the school where Johnson’s father is a middle school science teacher.
Donations for the Christopher Johnson Scholarship Fund can be mailed to
Rehoboth Christian School, P.O. Box 41, Rehoboth, New Mexico 87322.
NOTE: There will be a group burial for this aircrew at Arlington National
Cemetery on Friday, 3 October 2008, following services in the Post Chapel at
Fort Myer, Virginia.
Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson
Posted: 1 October 2008 Updated: 5 October 2008
New Mexico family mourns pilot killed in Iraq
By Susan Montoya Bryan
The Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Christopher Johnson looked danger in the eye many times before as a
Green Beret, but it was his dream of flying for the armed services that led him to train to become
part of a helicopter crew.
The 31-year-old pilot accomplished his goal and was doing what he loved when he was killed Aug.
14 near Anbar province in Iraq. His CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed during a routine postmaintenance test flight, killing all five on board.
Charles and Mary Johnson, of Gallup, N.M., were informed of their son’s death the next morning.
“I found out a helicopter crashed yesterday when I was on the computer and saw a news flash. I
clicked on it and saw that it was a Chinook and it was about the area that we knew he was in,”
Mary Johnson said in a telephone interview Aug. 15.
“He always promised to call or e-mail when there was a crash so that we knew he was safe,” she
said. “After a whole night of not hearing from him, we knew something was wrong.”
Johnson, a member of Task Force Dragon, had been in Iraq for less than a month, his mother
said.
The Army said the helicopter was conducting a test flight when it went down near Taqaddum air
base. The Army did not immediately identify the victims, but Army officials in Alaska said the five
were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49 based at Fort
Wainwright.
Johnson’s family has been told the crash was an accident. The military said the incident remains
under investigation.
Johnson, a husband and father of three, had joined the military in 1994 and went on to become a
Green Beret. After being part of covert operations around the world, he decided to pursue his
dream of flying.
He had assured his mother it would be safer to fly a Chinook.
“He always told me, ‘Mom, don’t be afraid because it’s the fastest, the biggest and the safest.’ And
he told me he wouldn’t have to kill anybody, that he would be transporting things and helping
people. He always wanted to help people,” Mary Johnson said.
Family friend Elaine Stam, of Albuquerque, said she didn’t know Christopher Johnson but she
heard a lot about him from his parents.
“His dad was just so proud of him,” she said. “He just lived for Chris’ telephone calls or e-mails. He
just loved it. He was so proud.”
Stam said she was devastated after hearing the news Aug. 15.
“You just can’t believe it. One month in Iraq and he’s gone,” she said.
Johnson grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated from Tri-Unity Christian School before his
parents moved to Gallup.
His dream of flying included coming home and earning a pilot’s license for fixed-wing aircraft, his
mother said.
Before deploying to Iraq this summer, Johnson took his children — ages 4, 7 and 10 — to Grand
Rapids and Chicago to share with them the special places where his father had taken him when he
was young.
Mary Johnson said the children “just adored their daddy.” In fact, he was working on adopting them
since they were his wife’s children from a previous marriage. His wife and children were living in
Huntsville, Ala., during Johnson’s deployment.
The pilot had plans to return to Gallup with his family to surprise his parents for Christmas. Instead,
the family was dealing with questions of why as they began to prepare for a funeral.
Mary Johnson said her son will be buried in Rehoboth, just east of Gallup. She said he loved the
area.
1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds
Hometown: White Pidgeon, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: August 17, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
Incident: Killed when insurgents attacked his vehicle using a makeshift bomb
and small arms fire in Baghdad.
WHITE PIGEON, Mich. (AP) - Like both of his brothers, Jonathan W. Edds was a top student at White Pigeon High
School who received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. His brief military career ended in
Baghdad, Iraq, where he was killed by a homemade bomb, a funeral home said Monday. Edds, 24, who died Friday,
was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and most recently lived with his wife of about two years, Laura, in Fort Benning, Ga. He
was a first lieutenant in the Army. Other surviving family members include his parents, Julia and Barry, pastor of
White Pigeon Church of Christ, and his two brothers, Capt. Joel Edds of Fort Drum, N.Y., and Cadet Josh Edds of West
Point, N.Y. The U.S. Department of Defense had not released information about Jonathan Edds' as of Monday
afternoon. "Just an outstanding family," school principal Pat West told the Kalamazoo Gazette for a story published
Monday. "The boys' accomplishments speak volumes about Barry and Julia and the boys themselves - their work
ethic and determination. All the right stuff, this family has it. It's a great loss." Edds excelled in the classroom and was
a solid performer on his high school's cross country and basketball teams before graduating in 2001, West said. "He
was good at everything," the principal said. "But from my perspective, John's outstanding characteristic was his
kindness towards others. He was just a friend to all students." Joel Edds, who recently returned from a 16-month tour
in Afghanistan, said it was his brother, who went by the nickname John, who first came up with the idea of going to
West Point. Joel entered in 2000 and John followed a year later, while Josh, the youngest brother, is starting his
senior year at the academy. Joel Edds said Jonathan Edds went to the Mideast last winter and recently was selected
to be a scout platoon leader, in charge of about 40 soldiers whom he led on reconnaissance missions. He was killed
during the first week in his new position. "John loved what he did," said his older brother. "John loved his solders. He
loved his country and he believed in the mission." A funeral service and burial with military rites will take place next
week at the military academy. Local arrangements were being handled by the Farrand Funeral Home in White
Pigeon.
Jonathan W. Edds
Jan. 18, 1983 - Aug. 17, 2007
WHITE PIGEON - First Lieutenant Jonathan W. Edds, 24, died Friday in Baghdad, Iraq. Survivors include his wife, Laura,
of Ft. Benning, GA; parents, Barry and Julie Edds of White Pigeon; brothers, Joel (Kasey) Edds of Ft. Drum, NY, Josh
Edds of West Point; grandparents, George and Dixie Musolff of White Pigeon. Services are pending. Friends may call
from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Church of Christ. Farrand Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Published in South Bend Tribune on August 20, 2007
The silence of goodbye
West Point mourns death of '05 graduate
Taps is played in the West Point Cemetery yesterday as 1st Lt. Jonathan Edds is laid to rest.
By Alexa James
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 08/28/07
West Point — It takes about 15 minutes to walk the path from the Cadet
Chapel to the West Point Cemetery. The 100 or so cadets don't talk as they file
past colonels' houses, sweaty underclassman and postcard views of the
Hudson River.
When pressed, they answer questions.
"Yes, ma'am, we were excused from class today."
"No, ma'am, I have not done this before."
Save a few polite answers, the line is silent. Trailing behind them in a black
limousine is a member of their senior class. Josh Edds, 22, will bury his
brother today, and these cadets have come to be with him.
Edds' brother, 1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds, 24, was a cadet just two years ago.
He was killed Aug. 17 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
Unspoken among the cadets yesterday was a simple fact of life at West Point:
Most of them are headed to that same dangerous place.
There is a third Edds brother, and he too went to West Point. Capt. Joel Edds,
25, is the oldest of the three Michigan brothers, an '04 graduate. He returned
from Afghanistan in May, a couple of months after John deployed to Iraq.
"I can't put into words how it feels to have a brother here," said Capt. Edds,
who spent three years at West Point with John. "When I had a tough day, I
just called John and said, 'Do you wanna go get dinner? Do you wanna go for a
run?'"
It was Capt. Edds who drove four hours from Fort Drum to West Point to tell
Josh their brother was dead.
At the cemetery, the brothers took seats with their parents at the edge of the
grave. The cadets and the families, the officers and the friends, filled in around
them, standing on the lawn.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, 55 West Point graduates have died in combat. Roughly
half were buried at the Academy. First Lt. Edds will lie at the back of the
cemetery, near a hedgerow separating the graveyard from a parking lot and a
fitness center.
No one speaks as the flag is lifted from the casket. No one speaks when the
shots fire. No one speaks when the trumpets call.
His brother's death rattled Josh Edds enough that he almost skipped one of the
ceremonies West Pointers look forward to most — the bestowing of the
jeweled class rings to seniors last weekend. His oldest brother talked him back
into it. Josh wore the ring, under his white gloves, to the funeral.
It's so quiet at the cemetery, the cadets can hear the dry crunch of officers'
shirt sleeves when they salute and the soft clink of the medals on their chests
as they walk past.
1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds USA (KIA)
Cullum: 61538 Class: '05 Cadet Company: C2 Date of Birth: January 18, 1983
Date of Death: August 17, 2007 - View or Post a Eulogy
The Department of Defense announced the death of 1LT Jonathan W. Edds:
1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds, 24, of White Pigeon, Mich., died Aug. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered
when insurgents attacked his vehicle using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort
Benning, Ga.
He was born Jan. 18, 1983, in Hamilton, Ohio, to Barry B. and Julie A. (Musolff) Edds. He graduated in
2005 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, he was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army,
serving as a Scout Platoon Leader since his deployment to Iraq in March 2007.
On July 2, 2005, he married Laura Russel in Boone, N. C.
He is survived by his wife,Laura Edds of Fort Benning; parents, Barry and Julie Edds; brothers, Capt. Joel
(Kasey) Edds, USMA 2004, Cadet Josh Edds, and his grandparents. Funeral services and military rites will
be held at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
FALLEN WARRIORS: West Point graduate was easygoing, grounded
(courtesy Laura Edds) Jonathan Edds 3: 1st Lt. Jonathan Edds inside his tank in Iraq. He was with the 3rd Brigade,
3rd Infantry Division, 2-69 Armor Battalion from Fort Benning, Ga.
Photo Credit: Courtesy Laura Edds
Jonathan Edds 2: 1st Lt. Jonathan Edds and his wife, Laura, on the day he deployed to Iraq in March, 2007.
Photo Credit: Courtesy Laura Edds
Jonathan Edds 5: 1st Lt. Jonathan Edds, left, with some of his Army buddies in Iraq.
Photo Credit: Courtesy Laura Edds
Jonathan Edds 6: The three sons of the Rev. Barry and Julia Edds, Joel, Josh and Jonathan, all graduated
from West Point. The middle son, Jonathan, was killed in Iraq Aug. 17, 2007.
Sgt. James S. Collins Jr.
Hometown: Rochester Hills, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 35 years old
Died: August 28, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 303rd Military Police Company (Combat Support), U.S. Army Reserve, Jackson, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Kirkuk.
James S. Collins Jr. and his wife, Amy, were married Nov. 23, 2005, in his parents' home when it
appeared he was about to be deployed. The Rev. Jess Monticello, who conducted the wedding,
remembered the day well. "What a blessing to me to see two people so in love with each other," he
said. Collins, 35, of Rochester Hills, Mich., died Aug. 28 in Kirkuk of wounds suffered during combat
operations. He was a 1990 high school graduate and was assigned to Jackson. His hobbies included
hunting, water-skiing, hiking and watching the Detroit Red Wings, and he had a beloved Labrador
retriever, Sadie. "He was just a great guy," said Collins' neighbor, Mark Curtiss. He played football and
ran track before getting his degree in criminal justice from Lake Superior State University. He also
was part of a singing group called The Madrigals, which traveled the world performing. He served in
the Marines for four years before enlisting with the Army Reserves. When he was young, he'd read
and reread a book on D-Day. Collins also is survived by a son, Dawson. "To us, Jim will always be a
hero," read a statement from Collins' parents.
James S. Collins Sr.
JCP Obit Flag
JCP Obit Photo
COLLINS,
SGT. JAMES S., SR. - Age 35, passed away August 28, 2007 in Iraq, 303rd Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserves.
Beloved husband of Amy; dear father of Dawson; loving son of James and Marilyn; dear brother of Joanna Collins;
and grandson of Jeannette Maul. Funeral service at A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, 2600 Crooks Rd. (between
Maple and Big Beaver), Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. Family will receive friends Tuesday, 1 to 5 and 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Memorial tributes to the Wounded Soldier Relief Fund or Dawson's College Fund, c/o Comerica Bank, 260 Brown Rd.,
Auburn Hills, MI 48326 or any Comerica Bank branch. View obituary and share memories at
www.DesmondFuneralHome.com www.MLive.com/obits Published in Jackson Citizen Patriot on September 2, 2007
SPREAD THE WORD: IRAQ-NAM
LETTING THE FACTS, EVENTS AND PEOPLE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Sunday, September 02, 2007
James S. Collins Jr. dies 'of wounds suffered during combat operations'
A yellow ribbon is tied to a tree outside the brick house in Summit Township where Army Sgt. James S.
Collins lived before serving in Iraq.
Tuesday, the ribbon became a memorial.
Collins, 35, who worked in Jackson as a mechanic for the Army, was killed in combat while serving with the
303rd Military Police Company, an Army Reserve unit based in Jackson. He died in Kirkuk, Iraq.
A second soldier from the 303rd Military Police was severely injured in the same incident, said Joshua
VanBuskirk, unit administrator for the company.
Collins is survived by his wife, Amy; a son, Dawson; his parents and a sister. A funeral is planned in Royal
Oak.
Originally from Rochester Hills, Collins began working full-time at the Jackson Army Reserve Center as a
light-wheeled vehicle mechanic in December 2005.
Nine months later, he was one of 170 members of the 303rd Military Police Company called up for
deployment to Iraq.
Duties of the unit involve combat support. They provide convoy security and train Iraqi police.
Before Collins, no soldier from the company had been killed in action, but the number of wounded is "in the
high teens," VanBuskirk said.
Through a family-support liaison for the company, Collins' wife issued a short statement.
"We are very proud of him and we love him," Amy Collins said. "We support the men and women who are
serving their country."
Collins' neighbor, Mark Curtiss, said Collins and his wife moved in about six months before he was sent
overseas.
"He was just a great guy," Curtiss said. "I could tell he was proud of what he was doing."
The Army released a statement from Collins' parents: "We are very proud of our son, Jim, as are his wife, his
son, and his sister. To us Jim will always be a hero. He did his duty as he saw it and was proud of his service
to his country."
The family requested that media not contact them at this time, an Army spokesman said.
Few details are released about combat circumstances that led to Collins' death, but VanBuskirk confirmed a
second soldier was wounded severely. That soldier, who has not been identified by name, is from Atlanta,
VanBuskirk said.
On Sept. 13, the 303rd Military Police Company marched down Michigan Avenue in a light rain before
leaving Jackson.
Soldiers in the 303rd include about 150 men and 20 women. More than half were assigned from other units
in Minnesota and Ohio to bolster the ranks. Twenty percent volunteered to serve second or third
deployments, according to an Army spokeswoman.
The company is expected to return to Jackson in November.
From the Jackson Citizen Patriot
POSTED BY IRAQNAM AT 8:36 PM
James S. Collins Jr.
Friday, August 31 2007 @ 03:37 AM MDT
Contributed by: James Van Thach
Detroit Free Press -- A Michigan soldier died on Tuesday from wounds suffered during combat
operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
Sgt. James S. Collins, 35, a native of Rochester Hills, died in Kirkuk. He was assigned to the 303rd Military
Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve in Jackson.
Major Annmarie Daneker, a spokeswoman for the Army Reserve 88th Regional Readiness Command, said
she did not have details on the incident that lead to Collins’ death.
Collins, who lived in Jackson with his wife and son, worked for the Army Reserve full-time in Jackson as a
light wheeled vehicle mechanic — the same job he was assigned to do in Iraq, Daneker said.
"I was crushed," said Mark Curtiss, one of Collins’ neighbors in Jackson. "He’s over there fighting for us
and we’re back here doing our daily thing. It was sad."
Collins joined the 303rd in December 2005 and was deployed to Iraq with about 170 other soldiers from
the company in September 2006. Their main mission, Daneker said, was to provide security to convoys.
She said it’s unclear when the company was scheduled to return.
Curtiss said Collins’ wife had mentioned she thought her husband was scheduled to come home sometime
after Thanksgiving. Curtiss said he was home Tuesday when soldiers showed up to give Collins’ wife the
news. She wasn’t home, so they waited about 30 minutes until she arrived.
"They waited ‘til she went in," he said, "and then they went up to the door."
Sgt James Stephen Collins Jr
February 10th, 2010
Born: January 13, 1972
Died: August 28, 2007 in Iraq
Sgt. James Collins of Michigan grew up in Rochester Hills and was a 1990 graduate of
Southfield Lathrup High School where he played 4 years of football and track. He attended
Northwestern Michigan University in Traverse City, before obtaining a degree n Criminal
Justice for Lake Superior State University where he graduated with honors. He was involved
with a singing group called “The Madrigals” that traveled the world performing. He served in
the United State Marine Corps. for 4 years before re-enlisting in the Army Reserves. Even as a
child Jim loved the Military. On many occasions when he was young, he would check out the
book on D-Day from the library and read it from cover to cover. His love for machinery goes
back to his youth, when he would always take things apart and then put them back together.
This passion continued in his military career, working on large trucks known as an ASV. He
was considered an AGR, Active Guard Reservist, and served in the 303rd Military Police
Company for combat support. He was always proud of being in the military, where he truly
enjoyed the military structure – he was very patriotic. Sgt. Collins was extremely loyal,
honorable and had an incredible work ethic. He enjoyed life to the fullest by working hard and
playing hard. Family was of the utmost importance to him. Deep down he was a kind soft
hearted man who would go to the ends of the earth to protect his loved ones. In May of 2007,
he hosted a party at his home for all of his family. He was honored and thrilled to give his
home for this family occasion. In his free time, Jim loved to hunt, water-ski, go hiking and
watch the Red Wings. He and his best friend would spend time in Cadillac and northern lower
Michigan hunting, hiking and spending time with family. Always at his side was his faithful
companion “Sadie”, his lab who enjoyed nature as much as Jim did. His company was
deployed to Iraq in September 2006 and charged with conducting convoy security operations
there. Jim was a friendly laid-back guy who liked the Red Wings. He died in Kirkuk, Iraq, of
wounds suffered during combat operations at age 35.
Army
Reserves
303rd Military Police Company
(Combat Support)
Jackson, Michigan
Burial is at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan – Sec 74 Lot 122 Site 5
Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner
Hometown: Muskegon, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 40 years old
Died: August 30, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Striker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division,
Fort Lewis, Wash.
Incident: Killed when his vehicle struck an makeshift bomb in Al Noor.
Daniel E. Scheibner, who stood 6-foot-1, gained the nickname "Smoke" and helped with day-to-day
platoon operations. "That platoon was pretty much his family," said Carmen Jones, a family friend.
"He watched over those guys and did everything he could for those guys. They all thought a lot of
him." Scheibner, 40, of Muskegon, Mich., was killed Aug. 30 when his vehicle struck an explosive in
Noor. He was a 1986 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis. "He was one of those
people who had this wonderful sense of humor and he always did the right thing. He was very
committed and grounded in his values," said a sister-in-law, Barb Badolati. He spent 20 years in the
Army and served in the 1991 Gulf War. He loved working on his big truck, playing golf and took his
family camping and visited Mount Rainier. He is survived by his wife, Ann, and son, Tyler, 12 "Danny
was a truly great father and husband," said Kasi Scheibner, another sister-in-law. "He had a smile that
lit up a room when he entered it. He had so much more to do." "His dedication never wavered," said
Jill Aker-Ray, a sister-in-law.
Daniel E. Scheibner
SCHEIBNER, SFC DANIEL E. Husband of Ann Ft. Lewis, Tacoma, Washington Formerly of Muskegon SFC Daniel E.
Scheibner, age 40, lost his life in action in Al-Noor, Iraq on August 29, 2007. Dan was born on March 18, 1967 in
Muskegon, MI to Louise (Saum) Scheibner. He graduated from Mona Shores High School in 1986 and the following
year enlisted in the U.S. Army, eager to serve his Country. On June 9, 1990 he married his true love and soul-mate,
Ann Aker also from Muskegon. Their son Tyler was born on February 25, 1995 in Hawaii. Dan's 20 year military career
began at Larson Barracks, Germany and included service in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, NC, and as a drill
sergeant at Fort Sill, OK. At Fort Lewis he was assigned to the Charlie Battery of 1st Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field
Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, and 2nd Infantry Division. As a Stryker member, he led about
25 men in 1st Platoon of Charlie Battery. He was a Gulf War veteran. Family was first for Dan. Ann and Tyler were the
center of his life as was Dan for them. He was a loving son and brother, whose bear hugs and infectious smile will be
dearly missed. Dan loved life and lived it to the fullest. He never did anything half way. His "need for speed" was
evident in his love of NASCAR racing and his "Road Warrior" GMC Jimmy. Like his Grandpa Saum, he loved to golf and
played as often as possible. Dan is survived by his beloved wife, Ann (Aker) and son, Tyler (12); mother, Louise (Saum)
Scheibner; sister, Diane (Jack) Cottrell; brother, David (Kasi) Scheibner; sisters-in-law, Barb Badolati and Jill (Dave)
Ray; brother-in-law, Dan (Kathleen) Aker; his nieces and nephew, Danny Cottrell, Sydney and Sam Scheibner, Taylor
Ray, Kayla Aker; aunts, uncle, and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Terri (Debard) Aker.
THE MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be celebrated at 11:00 AM Saturday, September 8, at St. Francis de Sales
Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr. Thomas G. Simons, presiding and with Full Military Honors. There will be no
visitation prior to the service. Share memories with the family at their on-line guest book at www.sytsemafh.com A
memorial college fund has been established for Dan's son, Tyler. Checks should be made payable to: USAA College
Savings Plan, FBO Tyler G. Scheibner. They can also be mailed to: USAA College Savings Plan, P.O. Box 659453, San
Antonio, TX, 78265-9825. Arrangements by The Walburn Chapel Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc. 1547 W. Sherman Blvd.
(231) 759-8565
Published in Muskegon Chronicle on September 5, 2007
Daniel E. Scheibner
Saturday, September 01 2007 @ 06:07 AM MDT
Muskegon Chronicle -- Daniel Scheibner was supposed to retire from the military last April.
But the 20-year U.S. Army veteran and 1986 Mona Shores graduate agreed to delay that retirement for
one last mission.
So, Scheibner, a Sgt. 1st Class, went back to Iraq because his sister-in-law, Barb Badolati, of Grand Haven,
said "he was the most dedicated person you've ever met. He was really dedicated to his family and
country.
"He was one of those people who had this wonderful sense of humor and he always did the right thing. He
was very committed and grounded in his values."
Family and friends of the 40-year-old are mourning his loss today, remembering the man whose smile "lit
up a room," said Kasi Scheibner, Daniel's sister-in-law of Norton Shores.
Scheibner, who also served in the 1991 Gulf War, died Wednesday. Two soldiers told his wife, Ann, of his
death at 7 a.m. Thursday. Details of his death and memorial service were not available at press time.
He is the ninth soldier with ties to the area to die.
"It's so so sad," Badolati said today by telephone from Tacoma, Wash., where Scheibner, his wife, and his
son, Tyler, lived. "Now my 12-year-old nephew doesn't have a father."
Ann Scheibner was taking her husband's death hard, family members said.
"He and Ann were soul mates and he was a great family man," sister-in-law Kasi Scheibner said.
In addition to his wife and son, Daniel Scheibner is survived by his mother, Louise, his sister, Diane, and
brother, David, all of Norton Shores.
"He left here a child and became a man in the service," Kasi Scheibner said. "That was something we were
really proud of." According to family and friends, Daniel Scheibner was scheduled to rotate soon into a
noncombative role in Iraq.
"His mother was so happy, because he was going into the headquarters in Iraq," said Ada Filka, a
neighbor and friend of Daniel's mother, who raised her three children as a single mother. Badolati said
being an officer doesn't make a lot of difference when you are fighting in Iraq. "That's the problem," she
said. "Over there, rank doesn't matter anymore. He was just in a Humvee and he was trying to lead kids
who are going over there without training and experience."
Struck an explosive in Noor, Iraq
d70f8f0f9957157
0
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In this undated photo provided by the family, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner from Muskegon, Mich., is shown.
Scheibner, 40, was killed Aug. 30, 2007, when his vehicle struck an explosive in Noor, Iraq. He was a 1986 high
school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis. (AP Photo/Family Photo)
Muskegon Chronicle Extra Archives
Special reports and features by the Muskegon Chronicle.
Muskegon mourns its fallen hero: Slideshow, photos
By Lee Lupo | The Muskegon Chronicle September 11, 2007, 10:19AM
Chronicle • Ken StevensA hearse transports U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner past St.
Francis de Sales Catholic Church Thursday afternoon. Approximately 360 second- through fifth-grade
students from Lincoln Park Elementary School lined up with 144 kindergarten through fourth-grade
students from Muskegon Catholic Central Elementary School to pay their respects. Scheibner, 40, was
killed August 29 in Al Noor, Iraq when his vehicle struck an IED.
Chronicle •
Kendra
Stanley-MillsNorton Shores resident Carol Silvernail, 70, wipes away tears as the hearse
carrying the body of fallen soldier U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, stops
in front of his alma mater Mona Shores High School Thursday afternoon. "We just wanted
to pay respects for saving our country," she said as she stood with her husband, Dan
Silvernail.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner came home to a hero's
welcome Thursday.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of Muskegon and Norton Shores to pay their final
respects to the fallen soldier, killed in Iraq last week while on patrol.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of Muskegon and Norton Shores to pay their final
respects to the fallen soldier, killed in Iraq last week while on patrol.
Scheibner, 40, died when the Humvee in which he was a passenger was hit by a roadside
bomb. A platoon sergeant, he was four months into a 15-month deployment in Iraq.
After 20 years in the Army, he was scheduled to retire at the end of his tour of duty.
"He gave his life in service," said his sister, Diane Cottrell, of Muskegon who rode with her
family in the homecoming procession led from Muskegon County Airport through town by
police, firefighters and military escorts. "He gave it for all of us."
A grateful community turned out to honor his -- and the family's -- sacrifice.
Chronicle • Ken StevensLincoln Park Elementary School Multi-Age teacher Amy Recor, at left,
holds a sign about her baby she is expecting in January as a procession for U.S. Army Sgt. 1st
Class Daniel E. Scheibner passes by Thursday afternoon. Second-grade students from the
school are pictured from left to right: Megan Swanker, 8, Grace Ginman, 7, Claire Myhre, 7,
(saluting), Braden Twining, 7, and Carter O'Neil, 7.
As the hearse carrying his flag-draped casket moved slowly past those who gathered along
the route, veterans spontaneously stood at attention and saluted their comrade.
Women wept at the sight. Schoolchildren waved flags and held banners that proclaimed
Scheibner "Muskegon's hometown hero." People stood arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand. They stood
with hands and hats held tightly over their hearts.
"I don't know. I just had to be here," said Barbara Nehra, 83, of Roosevelt Park. "I don't know
the family, but I just had to let them know I cared."
Chronicle • Ken StevensLeft to right, Roxane Teed of Muskegon, Nancy Stebbins of Fruitport, Brenda
Kerfoot of Holland and Pam Homan of Spring Lake hold a sign as they wait for the procession of U.S.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner to pass St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church Thursday
afternoon.
In a particularly emotional scene, the procession of vehicles came to a complete halt in the
middle of Seminole Road in front of Mona Shores High School -- from which Scheibner
graduated in 1986. The entire school body -- all 1,380 students -- gathered around the school
choir, orchestra and band that performed the school's alma mater in his honor.
Courtney Boynton, 17, a Mona Shores senior choir member was in tears before the music
even started.
"You always hear about the soldiers over there (in Iraq) wondering if people even think of
them. Knowing what he was doing over there ..." she said, stopping halfway through her
sentence.
"Hats off to him," said her friend, Brittany Guest, also a 17-year-old senior.
The homecoming procession also stopped briefly near the house where Scheibner grew up,
within walking distance of the high school. Friends and neighbors had lined the curbs with
flags.
Chronicle • Kendra Stanley-MillsAs the hearse carrying the body of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E.
Scheibner, 40, makes its way to his alma mater Mona Shores High School Thursday afternoon, Molly
Studier, 17, along with her classmates from her student leadership class, helps hold a banner that
reads "Thank You SFC Dan Scheibner, Muskegon's Hometown Hero."
"There was something drawing me here. I have an awful lot of pride and admiration for what
he gave ... what he did. It's the right thing to be here," said Darryl Rasch, 45, of Fremont who
took off work to ride his motorcycle to Muskegon.
When he arrived, he found -- much to his surprise -- that his mother, Barbara Crandall, 67, of
Newaygo, had also made the trip.
Chronicle • Ken StevensLincoln Park Elementary School third-grade students James Hutchison, 9, left
and Cameron Erndteman, 8, hold flags prior to a procession for U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E.
Scheibner Thursday afternoon.
Crandall has been friends with Louise Scheibner -- Daniel Scheibner's mother -- since
kindergarten.
"I had to be here, that's all," Crandall said.
Her sentiments were echoed from one end of the route to the other. At St. Francis de Sales
Catholic Church, where the church bells tolled as a sign of mourning, more than 400 kids from
Muskegon Catholic Central Elementary, West Shore Lutheran and Lincoln Park Elementary
schools waited with signs and flags. Workers at Kaydon Corp. across the street left their posts
to honor the soldier.
Roosevelt Park Police Chief Bill Wiebenga, who was in the procession's lead car, estimated
"thousands" of people lined the route.
"It was really impressive," he said. "The people of Muskegon can feel proud of themselves
today."
John Jemerson, 60, of Muskegon stood, holding a blue 82nd Airborne flag as his private salute
to Scheibner.
Although Scheibner was most recently assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery
Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis in Tacoma,
Wash., he had served in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C.
So has Jemerson's son, Staff Sgt. Jarrad Jemerson, who is a veteran of 13 years in the Army
and two tours of duty in Iraq. John Jemerson is a Vietnam-era veteran.
"I know what a lot of us went through," he said. "That's why I had to be here."
But for Ruth Hekkema, 43, of Muskegon, something much more personal brought her to
Scheibner's homecoming. She is his first cousin. Surrounded by her husband, David Hekkema,
43; daughter Meredith, 16; and Joey, 10, she stood with tears in her eyes at the number of
people who turned out.
"He was loyal to his family, his job and his country," she said. "It's nice to know people know
that."
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Daniel Scheibner remembered
For four months, Louise Scheibner faithfully went to mass every morning at St. Mary's Catholic Church in
downtown Muskegon, praying for her son's safe return from Iraq.
She kept pictures of him in his uniform on her refrigerator door and crossed off each day he served his
country on her calendar.
"C'mon, you've got to get through another day, Danny," she'd say out loud, even though she was the only one
in the kitchen.
At night before she went to bed, she petitioned God some more, using her mother's worn rosary beads to say
the prayers she learned as a child, praying him home.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Scheibner, 40, was so close to safety when he was killed Aug. 29 in Al Noor,
Iraq, the victim of a roadside bomb.
A platoon sergeant who had 20 years in the Army, Scheibner was on his last combat mission. He was being
reassigned that day to headquarters where he'd handle administrative duties.
But first, he wanted to show the new platoon sergeant the ropes. Scheibner hopped in the back seat of the
Humvee; the new sarge sat in front next to the driver where Scheibner usually sat. When the bomb went off,
only Scheibner was killed.
"It was literally his last mission," says his sister, Diane Cottrell of Muskegon.
Four months into a 15-month deployment in Iraq, Scheibner was scheduled to retire when he came home
stateside.
"It's so hard to understand," says Louise Scheibner, a woman who confesses her faith has been shaken. "My
heart's been torn out. I'll never be whole again." Knowing Danny, as the family still calls him, he was
laughing and talking with the new platoon sergeant when the bomb hit. The military authorities assure his
family death came instantly.
"He was laughing, and then he was in heaven," his mother says, searching for comfort wherever she can.
"We're the ones who are suffering now." Daniel Scheibner is survived by his wife, the former Ann Aker of
Muskegon, whom he told everyone was the "love of his life" even after 17 years of marriage. He leaves their
12-year-old son, Tyler, a child who told his grandmother they "need to be strong right now." Ann and Tyler
Scheibner live in Tacoma, Wash., where Daniel Scheibner was stationed at Fort Lewis.
Other survivors include his mother, Louise Scheibner, 67; sister, Diane Cottrell, 43; brother, David
Scheibner, 41; and the rest of his family in Muskegon. The Scheibner family has faced adversity before.
In 1971, Louise Scheibner's husband abandoned her and the kids. She was left as their sole support and their
"little family," as she lovingly calls them, drew close together to survive. "Now we're the ones who have to
get through another day," Louise Scheibner says.
Spreading his wings
When Daniel Scheibner was 5, his mother found the baby of the family on the rooftop, checking out the
world. "Look, Mommy!" he shouted to her.
He always had an adventurous streak. He climbed every tree in the neighborhood, built forts in the woods
with his brother and "what one didn't think of, the other did," Louise Scheibner says. Only 14 months apart
in age, everyone thought the Scheibner boys were twins, and even though they had the usual brotherly
rivalry, they were always best friends.
"Still are," David Scheibner says.
In 1987, Danny Scheibner told his mom he wanted to follow his older brother, David, and join the Army. He
was 20 and wanted to see what life had to offer and "spread his wings and see what there was outside of
Muskegon," his brother says.
He served in Germany and Hawaii. He was a drill sergeant in Fort Sill, Okla., where he took his basic
training earlier. He served in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Most recently, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade
Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash.
Twenty years ago, Louise Scheibner had her worries. "As a mother, I was worried," she remembers, "but I
thought: We're civilized now. There will never be another war, not after Vietnam. We've learned our lesson."
Four years into his 20-year hitch in the Army, Daniel Scheibner went to battle in the first Gulf War. "I was
beside myself," Louise Scheibner says.
She immediately tied a yellow ribbon around a favorite tree in her front yard and kept it there until he came
home. The minute he was deployed to Iraq in March, Danny's mother tied a new ribbon around the same
tree. Earlier this week, someone placed flowers at the foot of the tree, in memory of the fallen soldier.
Today the hearse carrying Daniel Scheibner's body home will stop briefly at the house where he grew up
within walking distance of Mona Shores High School. The last time everyone in his family was together was
in March when the Muskegon relatives went to Washington state. They'll return to Fort Lewis for another
funeral Sept. 19.
"No parent should have to go through this," Louise Scheibner says. "It scares me how many more we're
going to lose before this war is done." On Sunday morning, she went to Mass, as usual. "I'll still pray for our
soldiers. I'll pray for their families," she says. "I'll pray for my Danny."
A sense of duty
His family says he was "larger than life," a 6-foot, 2-inch tall guy who'd grab hold of people and give them
"rib-crushing" hugs. Danny Scheibner loved to tinker with cars and trucks. His first car was a 1966 Cadillac
that he bought for $75 and nursed back to life. "He couldn't keep it in gas," his mother says.
They describe him as "big-hearted," the kind of man who looked for the common thread between strangers.
In Iraq, he befriended an Iraqi barber who lost all of his equipment -- so Scheibner went to his PX and
bought the barber some clippers so he could work
Being a platoon sergeant was more than a job. "He loved taking care of his men," David Scheibner says. In
return, the soldiers called him "Smoke," a name reserved for field artillery platoon sergeants. But the men's
respect extended to his family. Scheibner's men always called Ann Scheibner "Mrs. Smoke."
In spring, Scheibner put in for retirement, but before he received his orders, he was deployed to Iraq. The
day he shipped out, the U.S. Army extended soldiers' overseas duty from 12 months to 15 months.
Tragedy struck two months after Scheibner landed on Iraqi soil. Over Father's Day weekend, two of his men
were killed by a roadside bomb. The sergeant, a veteran of two wars, delivered their eulogy. A month later,
two more of his men were severely injured. "Then last week, it was Danny's day," his mother says.
Spec. Todd A. Motley
Hometown: Clare, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: September 14, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 6th Squadron, 9th U.S. Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad.
Lori Enos, Todd A. Motley's former principal, won't forget the message Motley stressed during a
speech last year to students at an alternative school. "He came in to talk about serving in the military,
and about his experiences. He was promoting finishing school, hanging in there, and not giving up,"
Enos said. "If you have a goal, keep pushing to reach that goal," Motley told the kids. "He emphasized
that." Motley, 23, of Clare, Mich., was killed Sept. 14 in Baghdad when an explosive detonated near
his vehicle. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood. In 2003, students
voted Motley most athletic, teacher's pet, most artistic and most likely to succeed. "He was just a
great kid," Enos said. Enos said his character was evident the day she handed him his diploma and
Quality Student Award - an honor decided by the staff and given to only a few students. "The face
that I can see was a quiet sense of satisfaction," she said. "When you looked at his face, you knew he
was proud of himself but he was humble about it." Motley also is survived by two daughters, Hannah
and Kaylee.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew D. Blaskowski
Hometown: Levering, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 27 years old
Died: September 23, 2007 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza,
Italy
Incident: Killed when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations in Asadabad,
Afghanistan.
Matthew Blaskowski
FOB VEGAS, Afghanistan — SFC Matthew Blaskowski, 27, of Possoleone, Italy, was called
home to be with his Lord Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, in Fob Vegas, Afghanistan.
Matthew was born March 5, 1980, in Petoskey, the son of Terry and Cheryl (Goode)
Blaskowski.
Matthew was an avid sportsman, enjoying many outdoor activities throughout his youth. He
was a life member of the North American Hunting Club and the 173rd Airborne Society. In
their younger years, Matt and his brother Stan were always playing soldiers together, and
always had each other's back no matter what they did.
Matthew enjoyed 4H, including having raised a Reserve Grand Champion Hog. He attended
Cheboygan Area School and graduated in 1998. Matthew made many friends throughout his
school years. Over the past few years, Matthew attended college between deployments,
earning a degree is Wildlife Forestry Conservation. He hoped to someday teach at West Point
Military Academy.
He began his military career in 1997 at the age of 17, joining the Michigan Army National
Guard with his best friend, Gabe Jones. Two weeks after high school graduation, they left for
basic training in June of 1998. Upon completion and graduation of basic training, Matthew
returned home and worked for six months, after which he enlisted full time Army, stationed in
Ft. Drum, N.Y., from 1999-2002. While serving the 10th Mountain Division, he deployed to
peacekeeping in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After Sept. 11, 2001, he deployed to Aberdeen
Proving Grounds, Md., to ensure security there.
Since 2002, Matthew had been with Army Airborne "The Rock," stationed in Vicenza, Italy, at
Camp Ederle. In April 2005, Matthew deployed to Afghanistan, where he was Squad Leader
for Chosen Company Weapons Squad called "The Clydesdales." On May 3, 2005, he was shot
in the leg by enemy fire during intense fighting, while pulling PFC Tyler Wilson, who was
severely injured, to safety. Matthew received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his
actions that day.
On June 3, 2006, Matthew married his true love, Daniela Cadore, in Nove, Italy, where they
built a home together. Before his second deployment to Afghanistan, Matt and Daniela were in
Cheboygan in April of 2007, where family and friends gathered to celebrate their marriage.
Matthew was deeply respected and loved by everyone he served for and with. He deployed to
Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, known as the "Valley of Fire," in May 2007 as 1st Platoon
Leader, Battle Company, 2nd 503rd Infantry. Because of his leadership capabilities and his
loyal character, Matthew was their youngest platoon leader.
He is survived by his wife, Daniela Cadore of Italy and her parents, Mario Cadore and Ernesta
Lanzarin. Matthew also leaves behind his parents, Terry and Cheryl Blaskowski of Cheboygan;
a brother, Stanley (Rebecca) Blaskowski, and their children, Keegan and Haley of Cheboygan.
He is additionally survived by his grandmothers, Shirley Blaskowski of Cheboygan and Amelia
Signori of Italy. Matthew will be greatly missed by his brothers-in-law, Michele Cadore
(fiancé Francesca), their children Gael and Netera, Luca (Serenella) Cadore and their
children Sara and Maya. Many aunts, uncles, and cousins, and his extended military family,
especially brothers and sisters of "The Rock," will deeply miss his presence.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Stanley Blaskowski; grandparents, Robert and
Shirley Goode; and an aunt, Pamela Blaskowski.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, Oct. 3, from 2 to 9 p.m. at St. Mary/St.Charles Catholic
Church in Cheboygan, with a Memorial Service beginning at 8 p.m.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the Cheboygan High
School Gymnasium. The Rev. Paul Megge will officiate. Burial will be at Sacred Heart
Cemetery in Riggsville immediately following.
Memorial contributions in Matthew's name may be made to P.V.A. (Paralyzed Veterans of
America) or through anysoldier.com.
The Christian Funeral Home is caring for the family.
This obituary was originally published in the Record-Eagle.
Capt. Daniel Kearney, Battle Company commander, and Army 1st Lt. Bradley Winn, platoon
leader for 1st Platoon, render honors to Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Blaskowski during a
memorial ceremony conducted Sept. 28 at Camp Blessing, Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
Blaskowski served with Winn as platoon sergeant for 1st Pltn., Battle Company, 2nd
Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne). (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Caldwell)
TF Rock remembers Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Blaskowski
By Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Caldwell, 173rd ABCT Public Affairs
Oct 4, 2007 - 11:33:37 AM
Blackanthem Military News
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Soldiers from Task Force Rock gathered to remember the life and
service of Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Blaskowski at a memorial ceremony conducted Sept. 28 at Camp
Blessing in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
Blaskowski died Sept. 23 from gun-shot wounds when his platoon’s forward operating base was attacked by
insurgents.
Blaskowski enlisted as an infantryman Nov. 17, 1998. His first duty station was at Fort Drum, N.Y., with the
10th Mountain Division. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry, as a rifleman and a scout. He was
later assigned as a team leader in 4th Bn., 31st Inf. in the same division.
After completing Airborne School in 2002, he reported to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy,
where he was assigned to the 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf. (Airborne).
Blaskowski served in multiple leadership positions in “The Rock.” Those positions included team leader in
Battle Company, battalion assistant operations sergeant in Headquarter and Headquarters Co., 2-503rd,
and rifle and weapons squad leader in Chosen Co. during Operation Enduring Freedom VI where he earned
a Silver Star. His most recent leadership position was as platoon sergeant for 1st Platoon in Battle Co.
His personality and long tenure with “The Rock” left a lasting impression on the battalion and all of the
people with whom he served, particularly Army 1st Lt. Bradley Winn, 1st Platoon leader, Battle Co. The two
worked closely together since they met in March during a training rotation in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
“It was hard to not get along with Sergeant Ski because his personality and humor were so infectious to so
many people,” said Winn during the ceremony.
“He was the mentor and platoon sergeant that I had always dreamed of,” Winn said, “leading from the front
and being an everyday hero that all of the Soldiers, including myself, looked up to. Sergeant Ski was the
epitome of a professional Soldier that will forever set the bar for Battle Company, Chosen Company and the
whole Rock family.”
“Sergeant Ski passed away doing what he did best. Taking charge and being the great NCO that everyone
knows him to be,” Winn said.
“He was always quick to greet you with a friendly insult and make you laugh,” said Army Sgt. Brian Hissong
of Chosen Co. in remarks written for the ceremony.
“He would go out of his way to help Soldiers with any problem they might have, spending his entire day
fixing someone else’s problem because that’s how much he cared about his Soldiers,” stated Hissong.
“He was the type of leader that elevated the Soldiers under him, and even the people around him to perform
better,” Hissong said. “Not unlike a quarterback or great player in sports, he could help elevate his team to
excellence. This was Sergeant Ski.”
“He was the kind of man that would immediately light up a room with his presence and personality,” wrote
Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Carey, Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 2-503rd in remarks written for the
ceremony.
“He was never the center of attention, but it wasn’t the same without him around,” Carey said. “He could
bring something to a crowd that no one else could: a true, honest, take-me-as-I-am personality.”
“Matt loved being a Soldier. His unmatched leadership and professionalism is what non-commissioned
officers in the United States Army should strive to match. He was a Soldier’s Soldier,” said Carey.
“The magnitude of his life is a testament to the kind of man he was,” Carey said, “He will be missed greatly.”
Blaskowski is survived by his wife Daniela of Vicenza, Italy, and his parents Terry and Cheryl Blaskowski
and family of Levering, Mich.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
Paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne) render honor to Sgt. 1st Class
Matthew D. Blaskowski during a memorial ceremony conducted Sept. 28 at Camp Blessing,
Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Blaskowski died in combat Sept. 23. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt.
1st Class Jacob Caldwell)
The helmet, rifle, ID tags, boots and photo are displayed in memory of Sgt. 1st Class
Matthew Blaskowski during a memorial ceremony conducted Sept. 28 at Camp Blessing,
Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Blaskowski died in combat Sept. 23. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt.
1st Class Jacob Caldwell)
Military: Northern Michigan soldier killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
HEBRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Two years after being wounded and rescuing a fellow soldier
during combat, an Army sergeant from northern Michigan has been killed in Afghanistan.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27, died Sept. 23 in Asadabad after insurgents assaulted
his unit using small-arms fire, the Defense Department said Sept. 25.
“They told us that Matt died from chest wounds and that his camp was attacked,” his father, Terry
Blaskowski, told the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. The American flag was lowered at his home near
Levering in Cheboygan County’s Hebron Township.
Matthew Blaskowski had told his family last week he had four days off coming up, “and he was
looking forward to that,” Terry Blaskowski said.
Matthew Blaskowski was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart two years ago, during a
previous tour in Afghanistan. He was shot in the leg in a firefight, during which he pulled another
wounded soldier to safety.
While recuperating at home, he told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that U.S. troops frequently
encountered hostile fire while searching for Osama bin Laden.
“It has to get worse before it gets better in any war,” he said. “I think we’ve reached that point in
Afghanistan.”
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade
Combat Team, in Vicenza, Italy.
A 1998 graduate of Cheboygan Area High School, Blaskowski was married in 2006.
“He worked hard and always had a lot of friends who wanted to be close to him,” said Ed
Jeannotte, an accounting and business education teacher. “He treated people well, and he would
stick up for other kids. He was the type that would volunteer to help, and you could count on him.”
Blaskowski played on the football, basketball and track teams in high school. He also enjoyed
hunting, fishing and motorcycles, said Shirley Blaskowski, his grandmother.
“We’re mad and we’re sad and we’re tired,” she told the Record-Eagle. “He was very proud of what
he was doing, but we didn’t want to lose him. He was very brave and very strong — maybe too
brave.”
#1
10-08-2007, 12:04
Carl Shefferd
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 325
Echo-Charlie Ranger
SFC Matthew D. Blaskowski
10-4-07. Doc Willey and I rode North to Cheboygan, Michigan to attend the funeral of an exceptional
soldier. SFC Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27 of Levering, Michigan. SFC Blaskowski was killed in action while
serving with the 173d Airborne Brigade on combat operations in Afghanistan.
Having been asked to go and represent the Society of the 173d Airborne Brigade and Chapter 17 we
also attended as Patriot Guard Riders. It was a very busy and emotionally draining day.
I tell you, nobody breaks out to serve their community and their veterans like rural America. There isn't
a big city in the country that can compare to what we witnessed on 10-4-07. - I set my alarm to 0500,
got dressed and walked down main street 'til I found an open restaurant. There were many locals inside
and I got the hairy eyeball from all of them. Being dressed in my leathers they soon asked if I was in
town to attend the funeral. After the initial words were spoken I was treated like I was someone
special. (usually I get run out of town by the local gestapo.) The waitress said my breakfast was free as
someone came in and layed down $300. to cover the cost of breakfast to any volunteer who show up to
go to the funeral. - After returning to the hotel, showering and changing to class A uniform I met the
honor guard, Matthew's beautiful wife and Matthew's best friend, SSG ? The Army had allowed him to
take an early R&R to go to his friends funeral. (Pardon me but I didn't take notes and my memory
sucks.) They had been up partying together so I did the duty of passing out Excedrine and cups of
water to swallow them down with. (some traditions in the Airborne never change)
The funeral at the local high school was standing room only. Afterward the procession wound through
the downtown area and approximately 8 miles to the cemetery. Everyone that could not go to the high
school lined the procession route and honestly there were so many people you'd think it was a 4th of
July parade instead of a funeral. After the procession left the city limits people from the outskirts stood
by the road to honor their fallen hero and to give him one last goodbye. Amazing! - There was also a
good 200 bikes in the procession from Patriot Guard Riders. Our own Doc Willey was asked to lead the
procession behing law enforcement as he and 5 others were flying full sized flags from their bikes. Law enforcement was well represented as there were officers from the local police, county sheriff and
the state police.
If any of you would care to join Patriot Guard Riders it doesn't cost you anything but time invested,
gasoline to get there and back and maybe a few shed tears if you get emotional like I do. There is no
pressure because it is all voluntary and you come and donate what time you can. You will find there's a
lot of good people like yourselves out there and maybe make some new friends because of it.
www.patriotguard.org
Birth:
Mar. 5, 1980
Emmet County
Michigan, USA
Death:
Sep. 23, 2007, Afghanistan
Sgt. 1st Class Matt Blaskowski of Cheboygan, Michigan was a 1998 graduate of Cheboygan Area High
School where he played on the football, basketball and track teams. Beyond school sports he also
enjoyed hunting, fishing and motorcycles. He joined the United States Army two weeks after
graduation. During the past few years, Matthew attended college between deployments, earning a
degree is Wildlife Forestry Conservation. He hoped to someday teach at West Point Military Academy.
In early May 2005 he was shot in his right leg during a fierce firefight in Afghanistan while pulling
another injured soldier to safety. He was honored for his actions taken and injuries sustained during
Operation Enduring Freedom VI. A narrative of the event read as follows: "Numerous times, Staff Sgt.
Blaskowski placed himself at great risk while engaging the enemy positions and relaying directions to
his machine gun crews. Blaskowski's unwavering valor and understanding of his mission fixed a
determined enemy and prevented them from maneuvering in any direction, thereby allowing 1st
Platoon to destroy 17 enemy in the orchard, breaking all resistance in the valley. Blaskowski fought
with dogged determination even after he was wounded in the leg pulling a wounded soldier to safety,
maintaining his position for another hour until he was able to help other wounded soldiers to safety. He
received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his actions that day. Matthew was an avid sportsman,
enjoying many outdoor activities throughout his youth. He was a life member of the North American
Hunting Club and the 173rd Airborne Society. In their younger years, Matt and his brother Stan were
always playing soldiers together, and always had each others' back no matter what they did. Matthew
enjoyed 4H, including having raised a Reserve Grand Champion hog. He was preceded in death by his
grandfather Stanley Blaskowski; grandparents Robert and Shirley Goode; and an aunt, Pamela
Blaskowski. Matt was killed in eastern Afghanistan by a sniper on his second tour in Afghanistan at age
27.
Army
2nd Battalion (Airborne)
503rd Infantry Regiment
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Vicenza, Italy
Burial:
Sacred Heart Cemetery
Riggsville
Cheboygan County
Michigan, USA
Created by: Zoe Jane
Record added: Sep 24, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 21744606
U.S. Army Gen. John Abizaid, U.S. Central Command commander, congratulates Staff
Sgt. Matthew Blaskowski, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment
(Airborne) on receiving the Silver Star for gallantry in combat during a fire fight May 3,
2005, in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. The ceremony took place in November at Kandahar
Airfield, Afghanistan.
Remembering An American Hero - SFC Matthew
Blaskowski KIA Kunar Province Afghanistan 23 Sept
2007

Sep 23, 2009 at 1:56 AM
It seems impossible that it has been two years since SFC Matthew Blaskowski was killed
by the enemy during a firefight. The emotion still runs so deep.
SFC Matthew Blaskowski - KIA 23 Sept 07 - Fire Base Vegas
Last September 23rd (2008) I was walking across the US Army Post, Caserme Ederle, in Vicenza, Italy to the
MP station to obtain my “permission slip” to be on post. I knew the significance of the date. I’d realized it
from the moment I woke up – actually for many days prior – yet I was doing everything in could to distract
myself. As I walked along I looked to my right and saw Terry and Cheryl Blaskowski at the Memorial for the
Sky Soldiers who had been Killed in Action. I remember stopping in my tracks and watching them place a
bouquet of red, white and blue flowers at the Memorial as Cheryl wiped tears from her eyes and Terry
reach to touch the Memorial. Then they hugged.
SFC Blaskowski - Center Section - Top Left Photo
I was finally able to move my feet again and continued on to the MP station so as not to be any more of an
interloper than I already had been. My heart was physically aching and tears were streaming down my
face. One year ago that day SFC Matthew Blaskowski was killed by a sniper’s bullet at Firebase Vegas,
Afghanistan. Even though another year has passed it all still seems so fresh; so painful; so unbelievable
that Matt is not on this earth with us.
In some ways it was “easier” last year. Cheryl and Terry were in Vicenza with Matt’s beloved
widow, Daniela and all of his battle buddies. They spent time together every day and night. They
were invited for dinners and lunches where they were continually regaled with stories about Matt
from his fellow brothers in arms. Stories about his leadership, his actions under fire with the
enemy, his integrity and fairness, his ability to party with the best and his never ending sense of
humor and ability to pull off the best practical jokes. There was an abundance of laughter, tears
and hugs. It often felt as if Matt was with them. And they remembered Matt with Daniela, the
absolute love if his life, and her family.
Blaskowski wedding 2
Blaskowski wedding 3
This year it’s quieter. Terry and Cheryl find themselves in the house where Matt grew up. Every room full
of memories of Matt. The quiet is deafening and painful. Even a walk out the back door is difficult
because they see where, as a youngster, Matt played with his brother, cousins and friends. As he grew
older Matt would set up targets to blow up with his dad’s guns, ride the 4 wheeler into the woods, sit
around a fire with family and friends or be the life of the party at a cookout. The only connections with
Daniela and Matt’s Battle Buddies this year are the phone and the internet. The weeks leading up to today
for Terry and Cheryl and for Matt’s brother Stan and his wife Becky have not been easy. Parents aren’t
supposed to bury their children.
Firebase Vegas high in the Hindu Kush Mountains in the Kunar Province of northeastern
Afghanistan was a new firebase. It was actually still under construction. SFC Blaskowski had
made many suggestions for the construction of the firebase and the Command was more than
happy with his ideas. By all accounts the morning of 23 September 2007 began as any “normal”
day at the firebase. Word came that COL Ostlund (then LTC Ostlund) was flying out to Vegas to
promote then SSG Blaskowski to SFC. Battlefield promotions don’t happen every day. It was truly
a special occasion. Everyone began to prepare for their Battalion Commander’s visit. Just after
the helicopter landed LT Winn directed that a security sweep be conducted around the perimeter.
SFC Blaskowski could have instructed any number of Soldiers in his Platoon to make that sweep
but he did it himself.
A firefight broke out and within seconds the call for “MEDIC” rang through the air. SFC Blaskowski
was down. He’d been hit by a sniper’s bullet. The Soldiers tried to get through the gun fire to
SFC Blaskowski. When they did they attempted to give him CPR until the doctor who had
accompanied COL Ostlund that day could attend to him. Nothing could be done to save Matt’s life.
He was promoted to SFC posthumously.
Matts memorial at Asadabad 1
At his memorial service in Afghanistan LT Brad Winn said, “It was hard to not get along with
Sergeant Ski because his personality and humor were so infectious to so many people.” He went
on to say, “He was the mentor and platoon sergeant that I had always dreamed of, leading from
the front and being an everyday hero that all of the Soldiers, including myself, looked up to.
Sergeant Ski was the epitome of a professional Soldier that will forever set the bar for Battle
Company, Chosen Company and the whole Rock family.”
“Sergeant Ski passed away doing what he did best. Taking charge and being the great NCO that
everyone knows him to be.”
SGT Brian Hissong shared these thoughts about SFC Blaskowski at the memorial, “He was always
quick to greet you with a friendly insult and make you laugh. He would go out of his way to help
Soldiers with any problem they might have, spending his entire day fixing someone else’s problem
because that’s how much he cared about his Soldiers, He was the type of leader that elevated the
Soldiers under him, and even the people around him to perform better. Not unlike a quarterback
or great player in sports, he could help elevate his team to excellence. This was Sergeant Ski.”
SSG Jeremy Carey, one of Matt’s best friends and his grilling buddy added, ““He was the kind of
man that would immediately light up a room with his presence and personality. He was never the
center of attention, but it wasn’t the same without him around. He could bring something to a
crowd that no one else could: a true, honest, take-me-as-I-am personality. Matt loved being a
Soldier. His unmatched leadership and professionalism is what non-commissioned officers in the
United States Army should strive to match. He was a Soldier’s Soldier. The magnitude of his life is
a testament to the kind of man he was. He will be missed greatly.”
SFC Blaskowski enlisted as an infantryman Nov. 17, 1998. His first duty station was at Fort Drum,
N.Y., with the 10th Mountain Division. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry, as a
rifleman and a scout. He was later assigned as a team leader in 4th Bn., 31st Inf. in the same
division.
After completing Airborne School in 2002, he reported to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza,
Italy, where he was assigned to the 2-503rd (Airborne).
SFC Blaskowski served in multiple leadership positions in “The Rock.” Those positions included
team leader in Battle Company, Battalion assistant operations sergeant in Headquarter and
Headquarters Co., 2-503rd, and rifle and weapons squad leader in Chosen Co. during Operation
Enduring Freedom VI where he earned a Silver Star. His final leadership position was as platoon
sergeant for 1st Platoon in Battle Co. He had earned a college degree in Wildlife Forestry
Management and aspired to teach at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Former Army Paratrooper Matt Burden of Blackfive published a two part story about SFC
Blaskowski in his “Someone You Should Know” series. In Part 1 he writes about the events of May
3, 2005 when SFC Blaskowski’s actions under fire saved the life of a Soldier. SFC Blaskowski's
platoon was ambushed and spent 5 hours in a firefight. One of Matt’s Soldiers was wounded.
Matt ran through the bullets to pull his man to safety. Matt was shot in the leg. His actions
earned him the Silver Star, American’s third highest military valor award. SSGs Choay and
Brannan also received Silver Stars that day for their actions in the same firefight. They were the
first Soldiers from “The Rock” (173rd, 2-503) to receive Silver Stars since Vietnam.
Matt was medevaced to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany. While there he was
presented a Purple Heart. Matt gave this interview from his hospital bed while at Landstuhl.
SFC Matthew Blaskowski at Landstuhl
Just as he said he would Matt was back with his Soldiers three months after being wounded and completed
the deployment with them.
In April 2007, before deploying to Afghanistan for the second time, Matt and his bride Daniela
traveled to Michigan to spend time with his family. A few days before they returned to Italy Matt,
Daniela and Matt’s parents went to one of his favorite spots, Tacquamenon Falls, in Upper
Michigan. This photo is one of Cheryl’s favorites of Matt.
Matt at Tacquamenon Falls April 2007
Matt loved to ride motorcycles with his parents. This photo was taken just hours before he and Daniela
boarded a plane back to Italy. It was his last ride with his parents. As Terry, Cheryl, Stan and Becky drove
away from the airport after seeing Matt and Daniela off on their flight back to Italy Stan told his parents
that something just “didn’t feel right this time.” It was foreboding to say the least.
May 2007 Last Bike Ride With Parents Hours Before Leaving for Italy
After Matt's and Daniela's visit his parents decided to have the bike to the left custom painted for Matt.
They were going to give it to him after the deployment.
Cheryl and Terry and War Torn 1
Stan rides the bike in honor of his brother. Every time he rides he goes by to visit Matt.
In Part 2 of his "Someone You Should Know series about SFC Blaskowski, Matt Burden tells one hilariously
funny story about Sergeant Ski bear hunting with his father and uncles, his marriage to Daniela and his time
in Afghanistan prior to and including his death. You really have to go read about the bear hunt.
Matt Blaskowski was taken from us way too soon. He has left a void in the lives of so many that seems
impossible to fill.
Matt’s Aunt Andrea compiled this video of the day he returned to Michigan for the last time.
Tissue Warning!
Some Gave All
Matt was welcomed home by hundreds of family members, friends and Patriots. The route was lined for
miles.
Final Ride Home
Matt’s funeral service was held at the high school gymnasium where over 3,000 people attended to say
their final farewells to a man they loved and respected.
I wrote the following in a post at Tanker Brothers blog on October 4, 2007, the day Matt was laid to rest
“Our prayers along with our deepest and most sincere condolences go out to Matt’s wife, parents, brother,
extended family and friends and to his comrades left behind. There is no way to adequately express our
thoughts at this time. If one takes the time to read about SFC Blaskowski on the internet one finds story
after story about the man he was. He lived his 27 years as a shining example of what humanity should be.
It is apparent that Matt touched the lives of anyone who met and knew him in any capacity. He was the
best of the best. He lived a selfless life in many ways – one of which was his choice to serve this nation as
a member of the United States Army – to defend our freedom and continue to ensure our safety and
security. Matt gave his all for us. This nation owes more to SFC Matthew Blaskowski than we could ever
give. May his family know that we grieve with them in this time of sadness and loss and that we are
thankful for the man he was. May they find comfort in remembering all that Matt was, all that he did and all
that he gave throughout his life.
Rest in peace Matt. Our prayers are with you. I know the gates of heaven were standing wide open when
you passed through and the angels were there to meet you.”
I’ve never visited Matt’s gravesite to say my farewell. I guess I keep trying to convince myself
that one day he’s going to pop out from somewhere in true Sergeant Ski style and say, “Gotcha”
with that ear to ear smile. His mom, Cheryl, laughed when I told her that. She said it sound like
something he would do. But the reality is that Matt is in heaven and everyone who knew him
misses him like hell.
Say a prayer for Matt today. And say a prayer for his family. Most of all take a minute to
remember Matt.
http://tankerbabelc985.vox.com/library/post/remembering-sfc-matthew-blaskowski-kiakunar-province-afghanistan-23-sept-2007.html
SFC Matthew Blaskowski - KIA 23 Sept 07 - Fire Base Vegas
Two years ago today I received the following email from SFC Matthew Blaskowski.
Leta,
Sorry I have not been able to send you a thank you. I came to a base with internet
for a few days and then back out to the firebase I will go. Thank you so much for all
of the packages. The soldiers and I appreciate everything greatly. Everything you
send is perfect nothing goes to waist. I will try and write once a month and give you
an update on our conditions here. We recently got a generator out there so we have
power for a few hours everyday. We get mail about twice a month by air. It's like
christmas every time and most of the packages by far are from you. The name of my
platoon's base is called Firebase Vegas. We are slowly but surely making it better. I
have alot of pictures of the soldier's and "Vegas" that I will try and send to you next
time I get to the internet. Thank you again for all of your packages. Also the people
that are in contact with you who also send us things. The soldier's and I appreciate
everything you do for us and we try to write a letter at least every time we get mail,
but we only get to send out mail when someone carries all the letters out to mail
them and that does not happen very often. thanks again for all of your support.
Matt Blaskowski
It would be the last email I ever got from Matt. On 24 Sept 2007 I awoke to this email in my
inbox:
Leta,
It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that our friend, Matt Blaskowski was
killed yesterday during an attack on Firebase Vegas. I truly wish I could have called
you with this news, but as you know, communication here is difficult at best.
XXXXXXXXXX
There are so many significant days when I miss Matt more than ever and can't seem to make the tears
diminish; his birthday, the anniversaries of the day he was shot, the day he came home, the day he was
buried, his birthday. Today has been one of those tear filled days. I am so fortunate to have had Matt
Blaskowski in my life - albeit for such a short time. I am equally as fortunate that his mom, dad and
brother have all welcomed me into their family. I miss you like hell Matt. I miss you like hell.
In Honor and Memory of SFC Matthew Blaskowski - Battle Co, 2/503 Infantry
(Airborne)

Nov 15, 2007 at 11:31 PM
SFC Matthew Blaskowski - KIA 23 Sept 07 - Fire Base Vegas
I never met SFC Matt Blaskowski. I didn't need to meet him to know that he was truly one of those "One in a Million"
individuals. All I needed was too google him to read about his many and meaningful accomplishments - about the
phenomenal human he was to anyone and everyone with whom he came in contact. He was someone I hoped to
meet one day when his deployment was over.
In late August 2007 I received the following email from Matt:
Sorry I have not been able to send you a thank you. I came to a base with internet for
a few days and then back out to the firebase I will go. Thank you so much for all of
the packages. The soldiers and I appreciate everything greatly. Everything you send is
perfect nothing goes to waste. I will try and write once a month and give you an
update on our conditions here. We recently got a generator out there so we have
power for a few hours everyday. We get mail about twice a month by air. It's like
christmas every time and most of the packages by far are from you. The name of my
platoon's base is called Firebase Vegas. We are slowly but surely making it better. I
have alot of pictures of the soldier's and "Vegas" that I will try and send to you next
time I get to the internet. Thank you again for all of your packages. Also the people
that are in contact with you who also send us things. The soldiers and I appreciate
everything you do for us and we try to write a letter at least everytime we get mail,
but we only get to send out mail when someone carries all the letters out to mail them
and that does not happen very often. thanks again for all of your support.
I never got those photos from Matt. I wish I had. Because instead of the photos I received the following email the
morning of Sept 24, 2007:
It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that our friend, Matt Blaskowski was
killed yesterday during an attack on Firebase Vegas. I truly wish I could have called
you with this news, but as you know, communication here is difficult at best.
Many events have occurred since that day. Most of them are personal and private so I won't share them
here. What I do want to share is that, within a few days of learning that Matt gave his life for this
nation, a friend of mine and I decided to do whatever we could - whatever it took - to find a way to get
support to Matt's entire Battalion. We wanted to do so in honor and memory of Matt. We began to call
and email everyone we knew. The response was great. My friend and I often talked about wanting to
share that this effort was in Matt's memory but didn't. We both felt that his family should be asked and
the time never seemed appropriate.
I spoke with Matt's mother today and told her what we had been doing. I asked her if she would mind if
we shared with all of you that this is for Matt. Mrs. Blaskowski is one of the strongest and most inspiring
women I have ever talked to in my life. Our conversations will remain private but no mother has ever
loved a son like she loved Matt and loves his brother Stan. No mother has ever been more proud of her
sons than she of hers.
Althought the Blaskowski family continues to grieve, his mother gave me the "OK" to dedicate this mission
to Matt and his memory. So Matt...our mission to make every Sky Soldier KNOW they are loved,
appreciated and supported is for you.
Matt was laid to rest on October 4, 2007. I wrote this tribute to Matt at Tanker Brothers. Please take a
minute to read the post but, more importantly, to say a prayer for Matt, his wife, parents, brother,
extended family, Army family and friends. While the words are often used I couldn't mean them more
when I say that this world is a much better place because of SFC Matthew Blaskowski.
Rest in Peace my friend. Rest in Peace.
Staff Sgt. Donald L. Munn II
Hometown: Saint Clairs Shores, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 25 years old
Died: October 11, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed by a makeshift bomb that exploded near his unit.
Donald L. Munn II
Jan. 2, 1982 - Oct. 11, 2007
Staff Sgt. Donald L. Munn II, gave his life Oct. 11, 2007, in Baghdad, Iraq, during the
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Donald was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry
Division, and Ft. Hood, Texas. Donald had been in the U.S. Army for five years as an M.P.
Donald met his wife in Germany, where both were stationed together.
Donald was born Jan. 2, 1982, in Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Donald is survived by his wife, Jennifer Munn (Salvador); and daughter, Jordan Lyn of Fairfield; mother,
Rae Richards-Randazzo of Bellaire, Mich.; father, Donald Munn of Las Vegas, Nev.; sister, Courtney Pyles
of Caspar, Wyo.; and grandmother, Dorothy Richards of St. Claire Shores, Mich.
Friends are invited to a visitation from 4 to 9 tonight at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, 2700
Dover Ave., Fairfield.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. Burial will follow in the
Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bryan-Braker Funeral Home, 425-4697.
Army Staff Sgt. Donald L. Munn II
Died October 11, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
25, of St. Clair Shores, Mich.; assigned to Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas; died Oct. 11 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his unit.
St. Clair Shores, Mich. soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. — A soldier from Michigan was killed when an explosive detonated
near his unit, the Department of Defense announced Oct. 12.
Army Staff Sgt. Donald L. Munn II, 25, of St. Clair Shores, died Oct. 11 in Baghdad.
Munn was leading his platoon on a mission when he sensed something was wrong and tried to get
all of his men out safely, said Dorothy Richards, his grandmother. She said Munn was the last to
leave when the bomb exploded.
“He’s 25 years old and had a whole life ahead of him,” Richards, who raised Munn, told The Detroit
News for a story posted Oct. 12 on its Web site. “He was fighting for his country trying to make
everything right for his daughter and this is what happens.”
Munn recently married Jennifer (Salvador) Munn, a soldier from California he met while they were
stationed in Germany. They had a daughter, Jordan Lynn, who is 1 year old.
Munn was assigned to Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
A member of the Lake Shore High School Class of 2000, Munn attended Western Michigan
University for a year before joining the Army.
“He wanted to go into the Army to fight for his country,” Richards said, adding that this was his
second tour in Iraq.
Munn was scheduled to come home at the end of the month, but his stay was extended by three
months. He wasn’t expected back until February.
“He was very quiet and very caring,” Richards said.
David Krenzer, who had known Munn since the fourth grade, said Munn also loved sports and was
a fan of the Detroit Tigers and the Notre Dame football team.
“He was loved by everybody,” Krenzer told The News.
Munn is survived by his wife, daughter and grandmother, along with his mother, Rae Richards, of
Bellaire; father, Donald Munn, of Las Vegas; and sister, Courtney Pyles, of Casper, Wyo.
Munn’s funeral will be held in California, where his wife and daughter live.
A local memorial service was being planned at Bagnasco & Calcaterra Funeral Homes in St. Clair
Shores. No date has been set.
Donald L. Munn II
Saturday, October 13 2007 @ 12:17 AM MDT
Detroit News -- A U.S. Army military police officer from St. Clair Shores died in Iraq on Thursday
when an explosive device detonated near his unit, the Department of Defense announced Friday.
Staff Sgt. Donald L. Munn II, 25, was leading his platoon on a mission when he sensed something was
wrong, according to his grandmother, Dorothy Richards of St. Clair Shores. Munn focused on getting all of
his men out safely but he was the last to leave when the bomb exploded.
"He's 25 years old and had a whole life ahead of him," said Richards, who raised Munn. "He was fighting
for his country trying to make everything right for his daughter and this is what happens."
Munn recently married Jennifer (Salvador) Munn, an Army soldier from California he met while they were
stationed in Germany. They had a daughter, Jordan Lynn, who is 17 months old.
Munn was assigned to Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. A member of the
Lakeshore High School Class of 2000, Munn went to Western Michigan University for a year before joining
the Army.
It was his second tour in Iraq. He came home and then re-enlisted, according to Richards. Munn was
scheduled to come home at the end of the month but his stay was extended an additional three months.
He wasn't expected back until February.
"He was very quiet and very caring," Richards said.
Munn enjoyed sports, especially baseball, according to childhood friend, David Krenzer. He was a fan of
the Detroit Tigers and the Notre Dame football team.
"He was loved by everybody," said Krenzer, who has known Munn since fourth grade.
Besides his wife, daughter and grandmother, Munn is survived by his mother, Rae Richards, of Bellaire,
Mich.; father, Donald Munn, of Las Vegas and sister, Courtney Pyles of Casper, Wyo. Munn's funeral will be
held in California, where his wife and daughter live.
A local memorial service is being planned at Bagnasco & Calcaterra Funeral Homes, 25800 Harper Ave., St.
Clair Shores. No date has been set.
Honoring our Active Military Members and Veterans This Armed Forces Day
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 8:41am
MAY 15th, 2010 at SCS Memorial Park
The Senior Center of the Shores (SCOTS) is raising funds to support the military men and women of St.
Clair Shores, currently serving abroad. Our goal is to send 100 “Taste of Home” boxes to those who are
selflessly serving to preserve the American way of life. These boxes will include various personal-use items,
along with snacks and homemade cookies.
This endeavor began in an effort to “pay it forward” to active Michigan military personnel in honor of the
many veterans who have served. It will also honor two members of the United States Army, St. Clair Shores
residents, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Iraqi Freedom:
Staff Sergeant Donald L. Munn II, Age 25
Killed in Action October 11, 2007
Specialist Stephen M. Okray, Age 21
Killed in Action December 24, 2008
Your donation will provide emotional support and the knowledge they are not forgotten. This effort is also
being supported by the St. Clair Shores Kiwanis International and the families of SSG Munn and SPC Okray.
We have been able to secure American Idol, Josh Gracin, a Michigan native. The cost for Mr. Gracin is
$7500. The sponsor for Mr. Gracin will be able to have exclusivity for presenting him as the featured artist.
We have media partners in place for this event (WYCD, C&G papers, Macomb Daily, and Free Press). Your
logo will be displayed on all materials promoting this event.
Please note on donation: Operation “Taste of Home-Josh Gracin.”
SCOTS is a 501c3 charitable organization.
Your gift will be gratefully appreciated and will carry with it the military spirit of “never leaving anyone
behind.” If you have any questions regarding this, please call 586-498-2414. Thank you for your
consideration and generosity.
Sincerely,
Sue Zanoni Sue Fickau
President, SCOTS St. Clair Shores Senior Center Coordinator
Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks
Hometown: Troy, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 28 years old
Died: November 9, 2007 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Marines, Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Aranus, Afghanistan.
Friends recall fallen Marine
Friday, November 16, 2007
Kurt Hildebrand, The Record-Courier
Friends of U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Phillip Allen Bocks, who was killed in an ambush in Afghanistan last
week, are asking Douglas County residents to fly their flags at half staff on Monday.
Bocks grew up in Truckee and attended Truckee High School and for three years was stationed at Pickel
Meadow Mountain Warfare Training Center near Coleville, Calif., south of Douglas County.
Gardnerville resident Jennifer Pickering said Bocks had several friends in Gardnerville while he was
stationed at the Pickel Meadow Mountain Warfare Training Center.
"We are asking that people fly their flags at half staff in his memory, especially given what a wonderful
person he was and the service he gave his country."
Bocks worked with Pickering's husband.
"He would stay up here with us quite a bit when he wasn't on the base," Pickering said.
"He would call and ask what was for dinner and then we would be in the kitchen making it," she said. "He
was a great friend to many of us down here. Even when he was having a bad day, he found a way to make
himself and everyone else laugh."
Pickering said Bocks' friends will miss him greatly.
"He will always be in our hearts and memories," she said.
Services for Bocks are 1 p.m. Monday at Pickel Meadows.
Bocks' friend Gardnerville resident Nicole Gesselman said he enjoyed going camping and wakeboarding.
"We always went camping and we have a boat and he loved go wakeboarding with us every weekend," she
said. "He was very special to us and he was our friend and our hero."
Gesselman expressed her sympathies to Bocks' family.
"You have a wonderful son and he will always be remembered and loved," Gesselman.
Bock would ride dirtbikes with a group of friends in the East Valley at "The Ranch," Gesselman said.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Phillip Allen Bocks
Mountain warfare advisor is among 6 U.S. troops killed in an ambush
Military deaths / Marine Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks, 28, Truckee
January 13, 2008|Tiffany Hsu, Times Staff Writer
The opportunity to work in the mountains of Afghanistan was too good for Phillip Allen Bocks to
pass up, especially after he had spent two years teaching others how to survive in difficult terrain.
The Marine Corps sergeant had been stationed at the Pickel Meadow Mountain Warfare Training
Center near Bridgeport, Calif., showing other troops how to use pack mules for combat in rugged
regions.
Friends said he was getting restless. So, last spring, Bocks volunteered to serve as an advisor with
an embedded training team in eastern Afghanistan's mountainous Nuristan province. It was,
friends said, a perfect fit for the easygoing but adventurous native of Troy, Mich.
"He was at that point in his career and life where he was trying to figure it all out for himself," said
Sgt. Arlen Gentert, who worked with Bocks at the Bridgeport center's horse stables. "He was
excited about going. This was his chance to do what he'd been teaching."
On Nov. 9, Bocks and 13 other U.S. soldiers were returning from a meeting with elders from the
village of Aranus when they were ambushed by militants using rocket-propelled grenades and
firearms, said Capt. Abel Espinosa from the Bridgeport center. Bocks, 28, died immediately. Five
other Americans died in the attack and eight were wounded, Espinosa said. Three Afghan soldiers
were killed.
The next day, Bocks' father, Kent Bocks, 63, was driving from Truckee, Calif., to San Jose when he
heard news of an attack in Afghanistan on the radio, he said. He wondered whether his son had
been affected. Not until half an hour later, when representatives from the Marines called asking for
a meeting, did he realize that his son was dead.
Bocks is also survived by his stepmother in Truckee, his mother in Detroit and an uncle and
cousins in Reno.
A gun and outdoors enthusiast, Bocks joined the military in 2000 at age 20, training at the Marine
Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. He had no relatives in the military, and his father said
family members did not understand his desire to join.
"He kind of had to explain himself to us, but he never regretted the decision," his father said. "He
loved it from the beginning. He was probably going to stay in and become a lifer."
Before he signed up for service in the Middle East, with training stops in Japan and Hawaii, Bocks
had been scheduled to transfer from the Bridgeport center to another unit.
Former Truckee student dies in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
TRUCKEE, Calif. — A former Truckee High School student has been killed in an ambush in
Afghanistan, according to his family.
Marine Corps Sgt. Phillip Bocks, 28, who moved with his family from Michigan to Truckee when he
was in seventh grade, attended schools in Truckee through the 11th grade. He joined the Marines
in 2000.
For three years, Bocks was stationed at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center near
Bridgeport, Calif.
The attack that killed Bocks and five others in eastern Afghanistan on Nov. 9 brought the number
of deaths of American servicemen to 101 for the year, making it the deadliest year for American
troops in that theater.
The Marines were killed while returning from a meeting with village elders in Nuristan province,
attacked my militants wielding rocket-propelled grenades.
Eight other Americans were wounded and three Afghan soldiers killed in the ambush.
Family survivors include Bocks’s father, Ken Bocks of Truckee; his stepmother, Monica Bocks of
Truckee; and his mother, Peggy Bocks of Troy, Mich., the Sierra Sun reported Nov. 13.
A military service will be held at a later date in Bridgeport.
Mountain Warfare Training Center dedicates classroom to fallen
Marine
3/5/2010 By Gunnery Sgt. Sergio Jimenez, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
Twentynine Palms
MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif. — IV
id=ctl00_PlaceHolderMain_EditModeControls_ctl03__ControlWrapper_RichHtmlField style="DISPLAY:
inline">
A very special Marine is gone but not forgotten. This was the message Marines and sailors made clear to his family
and friends at the dedication ceremony of the Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks Mountain Leaders Classroom at the multi-purpose
building here Tuesday.
Bocks, a 28-year-old former Mountain Leaders Course instructor stationed here, was killed during combat operations
Nov. 9, 2007. His platoon was hit with direct fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades from multiple
positions during an enemy ambush while returning from a meeting with village elders in Afghanistan’s Nuristan
Province, according to the official casualty report.
A Michigan native and Truckee, Nev., resident, Bocks moved with his family to Nevada when he was in the seventh
grade. He attended Truckee schools until the 11th grade, then returned to Michigan where he graduated high school.
Long-time friend and neighbor, Gary R. Schroeder, knew Bocks for 17 years. He said he remembers Bocks as both the
young boy who was looking for direction in life and as the man who later found it in the Corps. The transformation
was evident, said Schroeder. “He took to the Marine Corps like a water dog to the river. The Marine Corps was very
good for him.”
Just how good is evident by the plaque that now hangs over the doorway of the room where Bocks spent so much time,
first as a student, then as an instructor.
It reads: “As a Mountain Leader, Pack Master, and Embedded Training Team Advisor, Sgt. Bocks epitomized the
ethos and dedication of a Mountain Warrior.”
Bocks’ journey to MWTC began when he enlisted in the Marine Corps May 9, 2000. That same year, he graduated
from basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. He then reported to the School of Infantry East
at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he graduated and became a Marine Corps rifleman. He later served with Company A,
1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where he deployed in support of
Operation Southern Watch from Sept. 1, 2001 to Feb. 3, 2002. Sgt. Bocks then deployed to Afghanistan in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom from May 5 to Aug. 15, 2003, according to his service record book.
He arrived at MWTC in 2004, where he completed the Summer Mountain Leaders Course and the Winter Mountain
Leaders Course, before becoming a Mountain Leader and an instructor.
“I just think the classroom dedication is such an honor,” said Kent A. Bocks, his father, after the ceremony. “In coming
here to the Mountain Warfare Training Center, he fell into the most perfect situation a Marine could ever want to have.
He loved it here. He loved the outdoors. He was a hiker, he was a skier and loved everything to do with snow,” said
Mr. Bocks.
“He loved animals. He loved dogs, cats, and was just wonderful with them.“
So it was no surprise to Mr. Bocks when his son volunteered to train to become a “Mule Pack Master,” who teaches
Marine Corps units alternative methods for transporting crew served weapons, ammunition, supplies and wounded
personnel to and from rugged and inaccessible areas using mules.
“All the things he could ever want in life, he had here. He was as happy as I’ve ever seen him. The friends that he had
here were just the best friends a young man could ever ask for.”
But it wasn’t perfect for Bocks. Friends said he yearned to return to Afghanistan to practice what he was teaching and
make a difference in the war.
This was the type of Marine Bocks was, said Gunnery Sgt. Charles M. Evers, a good friend from 3rd Platoon,
Company B, Anti-terrorism Battalion, Reno, Nev.
“It’s a well-deserved recognition that couldn’t bear a better name. I know he loved this place and I know he loved what
he did up here,” said Evers, who first met Bocks when Evers was as an an instructor and he was a student at the
Summer Mountain Leaders Course in 2004. “After he became an instructor, we became good friends and worked and
played together for about a year and a half.”
Evers remembers Bocks as a Marine who always had a smile on his face and never let anything get him down. “He
was a clown, a good clown, and someone who was always there for you no matter what. He was a good man, just a
good dude all-around.”
In a solemn speech outside Bocks’ classroom, Col. Norm Cooling, commanding officer of MWTC, expressed the
gratitude Marines and the nation feel for Bocks’ service.
“The ultimate sacrifice, in my mind, quite honestly, was not made by Sgt. Bocks. It’s made by you, his family
members and those who knew, worked with and remember him,” said Cooling. “You will always have that piece
missing in your lives...his service, his love for you.”
Cooling told family members and those present what most Marines believe: Bocks is now serving in a better place.
Then he paraphrased the closing stanza from the Marine’s Hymn, “If the Army and the Navy ever look on Heaven’s
scenes; They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines.”
In his short life, Sgt. Bocks contributed more to his fellow man, fellow comrades-at-arms, and to the units he served in,
said Cooling. “He touched more people in more ways than many of us could in a lifetime,” he said. “The evidence of
that is why we are all here today.”

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-Sgt. Maj. Douglas E. Power, the sergeant
major of MWTC, (left), Col. Norman L. Cooling, the commanding officer of MWTC, Marines and family members observe a
moment of prayer at the dedication ceremony of the Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks Mountain Leaders Classroom at the multipurpose building Feb. 22. Bocks, a 28-year-old former Mountain Leaders Course instructor, was killed during combat
operations Nov. 9, 2007. His platoon was hit with direct fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades from multiple
positions during an enemy ambush while returning from a meeting with village elders in Afghanistan’s Nuristan Province,
according to the official casualty report., Gunnery Sgt. Sergio Jimenez, 2/23/2010 6:11 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-Ryan Bocks, cousin of Sgt. Bocks, is
greeted by a family member after the dedication ceremony of the Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks Mountain Leaders Classroom at the
multi-purpose building Feb. 22. Bocks, a 28-year-old former Mountain Leaders Course instructor, was killed during
combat operations Nov. 9, 2007. Ryan said he will miss going skiing with Bocks now that he his gone, but is very proud
Bocks was a Marine., Gunnery Sgt. Sergio Jimenez, 2/23/2010 6:24 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A plaque is displayed above the newly
dedicated Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks Mountain Leaders Classroom after a ceremony at the multi-purpose building here Feb. 22.
Bocks, a 28-year-old former Mountain Leaders Course instructor, was killed during combat operations Nov. 9, 2007.,
Gunnery Sgt. Sergio Jimenez, 2/23/2010 6:27 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-Friends and family members of Sgt. Phillip
A. Bocks pose for a photograph inside the newly-dedicated Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks Mountain Leaders Classroom after a
ceremony at the multi-purpose building here Feb. 22. Bocks, a 28-year-old former Mountain Leaders Course instructor
stationed here, was killed during combat operations Nov. 9, 2007. Those who knew Bocks described him as a dedicated
Marine and loyal friend., Gunnery Sgt. Sergio Jimenez, 2/23/2010 6:33 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A plaque is displayed above the newly
dedicated Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks Mountain Leaders Classroom after a ceremony at the multi-purpose building here Feb. 22.
Bocks, a 28-year-old former Mountain Leaders Course instructor, was killed during combat operations Nov. 9, 2007.,
Gunnery Sgt. Sergio Jimenez, 2/23/2010 6:42 AM
Remembering Sgt. Phillip Allen Bocks
Friday, November 16, 2007
Record Courier Staff Reports
It is always so hard to hear about the loss of any military personnel in the Middle East conflict this
country is facing right now. To me it means another one of this country's youngest and brightest hopes for
our future is forever gone. It hits me even harder when the lost life is someone I have met and talked
with. Such is the case of Sgt. Phillip Bocks, who lost his life in Afghanistan, on Nov. 9.
It was the first part of December of 2005, when I did a three part series of Pickel Meadow stories which
meant spending some time at the Mountain Warfare Training Center near Bridgeport, a place I thoroughly
enjoy visiting. One of the stories was about the course in high-country packing, provided by MWTC which
appeared on the front page of The Record-Courier, Dec. 16, 2005.
I remember the day I went to do the story. It was well below freezing and I needed to be at the Pickel
Meadow center by 6 a.m. This meant driving the Walker Canyon at "0-dark-30." I know a lot of civilian
and military personnel who make that drive every day at that time of the morning and sometimes under
even worse conditions but it was still a little nerve-racking to me to drive that dark curving, icy road so
close to the Walker River. Even so, I was so excited about where I was going and what I was going to be
doing, the drive didn't really bother me that morning.
I had finished my first interview in the mess hall and, by the time the sun came up, the day was warming
to bearable. I was to meet with base operations chief, Master Sgt. Anthony Parkhurst, who in turn, would
introduce me to pack master Sgt. Robert Scott and head wrangler Sgt. Phil Bocks at the stable.
Warmly greeted by sergeants Scott and Bocks, I remember being so impressed with the organization of
equipment, the condition of the animals and the skills the two sergeants displayed in the handling of the
mammoth jack mules they used for pack training. Moreover, the sense of pride they both took in the job
they were doing was evident. The one thing I found a little disconcerting was that I found myself getting
"Yes ma'amed" to death and thinking this was a term that should be reserved for my mother. I was
starting to feel just a little old but then realized the Marine training of being respectful and polite was
exemplified in both these young men and my feelings of being very old melted into something more like
being very impressed with them.
Sgt. Bocks gave me a tour of the tack room with its deckers, sawbucks, panniers, headstalls and lead
lines all neatly in place, immaculately cleaned and polished. With obvious pride in his voice, he explained
the rooms contents, the work involved in caring for it and the need for all the care. I could tell how much
he loved what he was doing just by the way he talked about the jobs. He explained how he was learning
to be a Ferrier, the importance of proper animal care and packing skills to the Marines who were
stationed in Afghanistan. How the mountainous terrain made vehicle transport impossible and that the
ability to handle a pack mule was a life saver.
Next, he ushered me out to a big holding pen, which, from the early morning sun, was starting to thaw
into mushy, mucky mire. Sgt. Bocks told me where to stand as he released several mules into the
compound in order to catch one for their demonstration which resulted in a momentary rowdy romp,
churning the mud into the consistency of a thick soup, before one finally allowed capture. Again I saw
patience and skill as the two sergeants worked with the herd and the captive mule they were going to
pack.
I remember that day so clearly. I remember how they both left me with such a warm comfortable feeling
at the end of the interview. Just talking to them made me realize our country was being represented by
some of the finest young people in the world.
Knowing the final outcome of Sgt. Bocks' life, I find it so sad that he did not have to return to
Afghanistan, he went of his own choosing, but, after meeting him that one time, I fully understand his
motivation to return for another tour of duty. True to his dedication, it was somewhere he felt he needed
to be.
I am proud to say, that for one fleeting moment, I had the chance to know Sgt. Bocks. God bless
him...God bless our military...God bless their dedication and God bless the fact that because of them,
our way of life in this country will keep on keepin' on.
A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Monday at Mountain Warfare Training Center, Pickel Meadow for Sgt.
Phillip Allen Bocks.
-- Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 7825121, ext. 213, or after hours at JHILL47@aol.com.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mcp9WVzAFA8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv_osLugpq8&feature=related
Former Truckee student dies in Afghanistan
Marine sergeant taught at Winter Warfare Center
Phillip Allen Bocks attended schools in Truckee before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. He was killed on
Friday while stationed in Afghanistan.
By Patrick McCartney
Sierra Sun, pmccartney@sierrasun.com
November 12, 2007
Former Truckee High student Phillip Allen Bocks died Friday in Afghanistan, when he was killed in an
ambush after meeting with town elders, his family said Monday.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Bocks was born March 1, 1979, and moved with his family from Michigan to
Truckee when he was in seventh grade. He attended Truckee schools through the 11th grade.
At Truckee High, Bocks acted in school plays and was a member of the swim club.
“He loved to act, especially in the play, ‘Li’l Abner,’” said Monica Bocks of Truckee, Phillip’s stepmother.
While living in Truckee, Bocks spent weekends skiing and snowboarding. He returned to Michigan to
complete high school, and developed a flair for cooking. He then worked for several Detroit restaurants
before joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 2000.
After training at Parris Island, S.C., Bocks was stationed at bases around the world, including Hawaii, Japan
and Bahrain before his recent assignment to Afghanistan.
For three years, Bocks was stationed at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center near
Bridgeport, Calif., where his family says he honed his leadership skills while sneaking out to ski whenever
possible.
“He trained people how to survive a winter experience,” Monica Bocks said. “He thrived in the Corps.”
Bocks also learned to shoe horses and mules, training to be a farrier. According to a 2005 article in the
Marine Corps News Room, Bocks was a “mule pack master,” training Marines how to use pack mules when
fighting in rugged, inaccessible landscapes.
“Our job is to get the Marines comfortable around the animals, to be confident in packing them, in caring for
them, and for the Marines to be proficient at leading them on resupply missions by the end of the training,”
he told an interviewer.
Bocks was training Marines at the Mountain Warfare center in February, when he was interviewed for
another Marine Corps News Room article.
“Establishing a solid base of knowledge is crucial for these Marines going out to live on a mountain,” Bocks
said. “The main focus is utilizing the same type of training applied in warm weather and using it in the
different elements.”
According to his stepmother, Bocks did not have to return to Afghanistan, “but he was dedicated to his
mission.”
According to the Associated Press, the attack that killed Bocks and five others in eastern Afghanistan Friday
brought the number of deaths of American serviceman to 101 for the year, making it the deadliest year for
American troops in that theater.
The Marines were killed while returning from a meeting with village elders in Nuristan province, attacked
my militants wielding rocket-propelled grenades, the AP reported.
Eight other Americans were wounded and three Afghan soldiers killed in the ambush.
Family survivors include Bocks’ father, Ken Bocks of Truckee; his stepmother, Monica Bocks of Truckee;
his mother, Peggy Bocks of Troy, Mich.; an uncle, Spence Bocks of Reno; cousins Mike Bocks, Gretchen
Bocks, Arlo Bocks, Meagan Bocks, Ryan Bocks and Jenna Bocks, all of Reno; and other relatives living in
California, Nevada, Michigan, North Carolina and Georgia.
A military service will be held at a later date in Bridgeport.
Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks, 28, from Troy, Michigan
Marine Sgt. Phillip Allen Bocks died last Friday during combat operations in Aranus,
Afghanistan, along with five other soldiers who were remembered so beautifully yesterday in
a separate IGTNT diary. Sgt. Bocks was assigned to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare
Training Center in Bridgeport, California.
Sgt. Bocks attended Truckee (California) schools from 7th through 11th grades, according to
the Truckee newspaper Sierra Sun. At Truckee High, Sgt. Bocks acted in school plays and
was a member of the swim club.
"He loved to act, especially in the play, 'Li'l Abner'," said Monica Bocks of Truckee, Phillip's
stepmother. When he was living in Truckee, Sgt. Bocks spent his winter weekends
snowboarding and skiing. He returned to Michigan for his final year of high school, and it was
there that he developed a love of cooking. Sgt. Bocks worked for several Detroit restaurants
before he joined the Marines in 2000.
After initial training at Parris Island, South Carolina, Sgt. Bocks enjoyed various assignments
atbases around the world, including Hawaii, Japan and Bahrain, before his recent assignment
to Afghanistan.
For the past three years, Sgt. Bocks had been stationed at the Marine Corps Mountain
Warfare Training Center near Bridgeport, California, where his family says Bocks "honed his
leadership skills while sneaking out to ski whenever possible!"
"He trained people how to survive a winter experience," Truckee resident and stepmother
Monica Bocks said. "He thrived in the Corps."
Sgt. Bocks also learned how to shoe horses and mules, training to be a farrier. According to a
2005 article in the Marine Corps News Room, Sgt. Bocks was a "mule pack master," which
meant he trained Marines how to use pack mules to help the soldiers get to the rugged,
inaccessible landscapes they were asked to fight in.
"Our job is to get the Marines comfortable around the animals, to be confident in packing
them, in caring for them, and for the Marines to be proficient at leading them on re-supply
missions by the end of the training," Sgt. Bocks told the interviewer.
Sgt. Bocks was training Marines at the Mountain Warfare center in February, when he was
interviewed for a second Marine Corps News Room article.
"Establishing a solid base of knowledge is crucial for these Marines going out to live on a
mountain," Sgt. Bocks said. "The main focus is utilizing the same type of training applied in
warm weather and using it in the different elements."
According to his stepmother, Sgt. Bocks did not have to return to Afghanistan, but he was
"dedicated to his mission."
Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks is survived by his father and stepmother in Truckee, and an uncle and
cousins in Reno.
A photo of this handsome soldier can be viewed here. Condolences may be read here and
here.
Our hearts go out to the families and friends who loved Phillip A. Bocks. Please accept our
condolences for your terrible, tragic loss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVYgsYiE2yU
Pfc. Joseph M. Lancour
Hometown: Swartz Creek, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: November 10, 2007 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza,
Italy
Incident: Died of wounds sustained when his patrol was attacked by direct fire from enemy forces in Aranus,
Afghanistan, on Nov 9.
Service for fallen soldier today
By Tiffany McCurley Bierlein | Kalamazoo Ga...
November 18, 2007, 10:34AM
With a mop of long hair and an infectious smile, Joe "Joey" Lancour was a fun-loving teenager
who was a touch unpredictable.
He loved football and baseball, yet, according to family, was a couch potato.
Several photos illustrate him keeping a stern face, yet those who know him say the goodnatured young man was a prankster who often made others laugh without even trying.
So, when the 2004 Ludington High graduate announced he was joining the Army in 2006,
some family members said they couldn't help but be shocked. But it was one thing that he
was quite serious about. For some it didn't sink in until his long locks were sheared.
He trained as a paratrooper at Fort Benning, Ga., and was assigned to the 173rd Airborne
Brigade. He was sent to a base in Italy, then was deployed to Afghanistan in May.
In war less than a year, Joseph Michael Lancour, 21, was killed Nov. 10 in the mountains of
eastern Afghanistan.
According to the Department of Defense, he was one of five soldiers whose patrol was
attacked in Aranus, Afghanistan. All were killed in the attack.
Spc. Kyle White of Seattle, Wash., served in the same platoon as Lancour. He was among
many who attended Saturday's visitation in Ludington.
"He was one of the best soldiers I've ever known," said White. "He loved to have a good time.
He was always joking around, he was full of life and lived every second."
All afternoon Saturday, people streamed in and out of Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation
Center in Ludington. Family and friends hugged, watched a slideshow presentation and slowly
flipped through many albums highlighting Lancour's life. Some soldiers in military uniform
also came to pay their respects.
Even though it's been a week since the family was notified, Lancour's grandmother, Mary
Neihardt of Cadillac, said it continues to be a shock he is gone.
"I'm devastated. I felt this would never happen to him. I had faith that he would be OK," his
paternal grandmother said.
Older sister Debbie Mast, of Grand Rapids, said "Joey went from Burger King Joe, who was
employee of the month, to G.I. Joe, defender of our country."
Baby sister Victoria Roach, 14, who is in middle school, smiled through tears when she
recalled her mop-headed brother. She said when he announced he was joining the Army, "I
didn't think he was serious ... he was a couch potato. He ate everything in sight and never
gained an ounce of weight."
She wrote in an essay that in one of his last visits home, they sat together and watched one
of his favorite shows, "Iron Chef," which appears on the Food Network. He told her he'd like to
be a chef one day.
She wrote: "I am very proud of my brother, whether he died saving another man's life, or was
just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I know he loved what he did, he loved it to death,
but I never thought that would one day become a literal statement. I will always think of him
as my fourth favorite sister, my lazy brother, and now, my hero."
Lancour is survived by his mother, father, stepmother and five sisters.
The funeral is at 1:30 p.m. today in the Ludington High School gymnasium. Burial is in
Bachelor Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL-0mdEg0U4&feature=player_embedded
On 9 November 2007 five Soldiers of the 173rd, 2-503 "Chosen Few" and a Marine attached to them were killed while
returning to Firebase Bella in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Please take a few minutes today to remember them; to
pray for them and to honor them. And also pray for their families, brothers in arms and friends who miss them
every day.
CPT Matthew C. Ferrara Sgt Phillip Bocks
SPC Sean K. A. Langevin CPL Lester G Roque SGT Jeffery S. Mersman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EFqmkIKeZw&feature=related
PFC Joseph M. Lancour
26 June 1986 – 9 November 2007
Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment
SPC Joseph M. Lancour was born on 26 June 1986 in Cadillac, Michigan. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on 8
February 2006.
After completing Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT) and attending Airborne School at Fort
Benning, Georgia, SPC Lancour arrived at Caserma, Ederle in Vicenza, Italy for his first duty assignment.
SPC Lancour was immediately assigned as a Rifleman in Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd
Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
SPC Lancour conducted his first deployment to Afghanistan in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
VIII in May 2007. During his service, SPC Lancour participated in numerous combat patrols and manned a
critical observation post at Bella Combat Outpost providing security and observation of the surrounding
mountainous terrain.
SPC Lancour’s awards include: Bronze Star Medal (Posthumous), Purple Heart (Posthumous), Army Good
Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror
Service Medal, Army Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal,
Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Basic Parachutist Badge
SPC Lancour's family and high school staff talk about what great young man he was here and here.
Ludington soldier killed in Afghanistan
By The Muskegon Chronicle
November 13, 2007, 10:14AM
LUDINGTON -- A U.S. Army soldier from Ludington was killed in the mountains of eastern
Afghanistan, his parents said Monday.
Spc. Joe Lancour, 21, was killed Friday by small arms fire during an ambush, his mother,
Starla Owen, and his father, Rob Lancour, told the Ludington Daily News.
Joe Lancour was one of five soldiers whose patrol was attacked Friday in Aranus, Afghanistan,
the Defense Department said. Two of the soldiers died that day and Lancour and two others
died Saturday.
Joe Lancour is the 12th area soldier to die in fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq.
He graduated in 2004 from Ludington High School, which observed a moment of silence in his
honor Monday. He had recently moved to Swartz Creek, located about 170 miles southeast of
Ludington in Genesee County.
After enlisting in the Army in 2006, Lancour trained as a paratrooper at Fort Benning, Ga.,
and was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, his parents said. He served in Italy before
being deployed to Afghanistan.
"He was proud of what he did," Owen said, adding that her son was upset to learn his unit
had been attacked while he was home on leave in August. "He said he had to get back for
them."
His parents described Lancour as a fun-loving youth who enjoyed skateboarding, camping and
fishing. He played on Ludington High School's football and baseball teams.
"He was kind of a skinny football player, but he'd go out there and play hard," said Steve
Brockelbank, the school's athletic director. "He was a good kid and he got along with others."
Ludington High School/Junior High Complex Principal Mark Boon described Lancour as polite
and generous.
"We just had a Veterans Day ceremony here Friday but this hits a little closer to home," said
Ludington High School/Junior High Complex Principal Mark Boon.
In addition to his mother, father and stepmother, Joe Lancour leaves behind five sisters, LHS
senior Debbie "Nikki" Lancour, eighth-grader Victoria Roach, Aja Thomas of Arkansas, and
Danielle Roach and Deborah Mast of Grand Rapids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZwnDVsbgWc&feature=related
Pfc. Casey P. Mason
Hometown: Lake, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: November 13, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command,
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Incident: Killed when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire in Mosul.
Former classmate Carrie Kendrick recalled debating politics with Casey P. Mason while riding the
school bus. "He would always say he was going to run for president, and he'd tell me how he planned
to change things," Kendrick said. "He'd talk about how things were going to be different when he
got" to the White House. "He said government would be person to person, not person to group. He
said he'd take everyone's opinion into account, not just do things because that was the way he
thought it should be." Mason, 22, of Lake, Mich., was killed Nov. 13 by small-arms fire in Mosul. He
was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Schofield Barracks. Mason joined the Army in
October 2006 after working at Lux Funeral Home and the Mobile Medical Response ambulance
service. He had passions for golfing, riding all-terrain vehicles, computers and firearms. Lux Funeral
Home owner Charlie Lux said Mason visited before leaving for Iraq. "The last thing I told him was to
come home safe," Lux said. "No one ever dreamed this would happen." He is survived by his parents,
Jeffrey and Robbin.
Army Pfc. Casey P. Mason
Died November 13, 2007 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
22, of Lake, Mich.; assigned to the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th
Theater Sustainment Command, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Nov. 13 in Mosul, Iraq, of
wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using small-arms fire.
Hawaii-based soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
HONOLULU — The Pentagon says a Hawaii-based soldier was killed Nov. 13 when his unit was
attacked in Iraq.
Pfc. Casey P. Mason, of Lake, Mich., was fatally wounded by small-arms fire in Mosul. The 22year-old Mason was assigned to the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th
Theater Sustainment Command, at Schofield Barracks.
Mason joined the Army in October 2006 and was assigned to Schofield in April. His company
deployed to Iraq in September.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that he is the 159th service member with Hawaii ties to die in
Iraq since the U.S. invaded the country in March 2003
A memorial service is to be held in Mason’s honor next week at Schofield.
Funeral home makes arrangements for ex-worker killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Lux Funeral Home will be handling one of its own when the body of
Army Pfc. Casey Mason returns from Iraq.
The 22-year-old from the Clare County community of Lake went to work at Lux Funeral Home after
graduating from Farwell High School. He joined the Army last year and was assigned to a military
police unit based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Mason was killed Nov. 13 when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire in Mosul, Iraq.
“The last thing I told him was to come home safe,” funeral home owner Charlie Lux told the
Morning Sun. “No one ever dreamed this would happen.”
Former classmate Carrie Kendrick recalled debating politics with Mason while riding the school
bus.
“He would always say he was going to run for president, and he’d tell me how he planned to
change things,” Kendrick told The Saginaw News. “He’d talk about how things were going to be
different when he got” to the White House.
“He said government would be person to person, not person to group. He said he’d take
everyone’s opinion into account, not just do things because that was the way he thought it should
be.”
The funeral home said Nov. 16 that services for Mason would be held soon.
Cpl. Jason T. Lee
Hometown: Fruitport, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: November 18, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort
Lewis, Wash.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb detonated during a mounted patrol in Baquabah.
Jason T. Lee entered the military in May 2004, intending to join an airborne unit. He transferred to the infantry after
he was injured, his father said. "I said, 'I don't have a problem with you joining the military," Thomas Lee said. "But
why the airborne, the infantry? He said: 'I am big. I am strong. It's my calling, Dad. If it's not me, who else is it going
to be?'" Lee, 26, of Fruitport, Mich., was killed Nov. 18 by an explosive in Baqubah. He earned his GED in 2005 and
was assigned to Fort Lewis. "He was a good guy. One of a kind. The best there is," said his brother Ryan. Lee was
known to march to his own drummer. "He was very much a free spirit," said Kerri Jacobs, who taught him Spanish.
"He was always carrying a guitar. The kids really liked him - he got along with everyone." Kim Smith remembered that
Lee took a class in social responsibility from her in the spring of 1998. "He was a very, very bright young man," Smith
said. "He was not afraid to speak his mind, but he was very kind." He also is survived by his wife, Lisa.
Jason Thomas Lee
LEE, ARMY CORPORAL JASON THOMAS (Husband of Lisa) Stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA (Formerly of Fruitport) Army
Corporal Jason Thomas Lee, age 26, died during active combat patrol on Sunday, November 18, 2007, as a result of
an improvised explosive device in Baqubah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th
Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based in Fort Lewis, WA. He was born June 18, 1981 in Walnut
Creek, CA to Thomas M. and Susan L. (Livingston) Lee and had lived in the Fruitport area since age 11. He attended
Fruitport High School and was proud to have earned his GED at M-TEC. On October 16, 2006, he married the former
Lisa Evelyn Hill in Seattle, WA, and she survives him, along with his parents, Thomas and Susan Lee; 2 brothers, Sean
Robert Lee and Ryan Edward Lee, all of Fruitport; his grandmother, Constance Livingston of Duluth, MN; his motherin-law, Lori Estes of Grand Haven; 3 brothers-in-law, Scott (Deb) Hill, David (Adriane) Hill, and Johnny Hill; and longtime friend, Ryan Stull. A FUNERAL SERVICE with Full Military Honors will be held 11:00 AM, Wednesday, November
28, 2007, at Calvary Church of Fruitport (5873 Kendra Rd.) with Captain John E. Kenny, Michigan National Guard
Chaplain, and Rev. Dr. William E. Rudd, Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, co-officiating. VISITATION open to the public
will be held 2-8 PM Tuesday with Cpl. Lee's family present 6-8 PM at The Lee Chapel Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc.
6291 S. Harvey Street (231) 798-1100 MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS may be directed to Save the Music Foundation,
c/o Ariel Usatin, 1515 Broadway Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10036 or the Armed Forces Veterans Home
Foundation, 5211 Auth Road, Suiteland, MD 20746. Sign the guestbook on-line at www.sytsemafh.com
Published in Muskegon Chronicle on November 25, 2007
CPL Jason T. Lee
Nov-20-2007 » Filed Under: 4/2 SBCT
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
Cpl. Jason T. Lee, 26, of Fruitport, Mich., died Nov. 18 when an improvised explosive device detonated
during a mounted patrol in Baquabah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry
Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the Lee family, as well as his friends and comrades.
Gift giving turns deadly for Stryker soldiers
MICHAEL GILBERT; THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: 11/21/07 1:00 am | Updated: 11/21/07 8:31 am
Three Stryker soldiers were killed Sunday in Diyala Province, apparently when a suicide bomber struck as
they were passing out soccer balls and treats to local children.
The Department of Defense identified the Fort Lewis soldiers as:
• Pfc. Marius L. Ferrero, 23, of Miami.
• Cpl. Jason T. Lee, 26, of Fruitport, Mich.
• Cpl. Christopher J. Nelson, 22, of Rochester, Thurston County.
All were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry
Division. It is one of two battalions that moved up from Baghdad last month to Baqouba to prepare to take
over in Diyala Province.
The Fort Lewis soldiers, who deployed in April, are taking on a larger area of operations to cover for a
cavalry brigade that is returning to Fort Hood, Texas, next month.
Three other 4th Brigade soldiers were killed last week in a pair of bombings farther north in the new battle
space, in Mukhisa.
In all, the brigade has lost six soldiers in a week, after seven weeks without a fatal casualty.
Baqouba was the scene of heavy fighting over the summer involving another Fort Lewis unit, the 3rd
Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, to force out al-Qaida in Iraq fighters who’d taken over much of the city. The
3rd Brigade has since come home.
The commander of U.S. troops in northern Iraq, Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, said Monday that there are
challenges but that he is confident the 4th Brigade, with Iraqi security forces, would be able to cover the
expanded territory.
In a conference call with Pentagon reporters, Hertling said Iraqi units in the area are “speaking the same
language tactically and operationally that we are. And they’re going after the same enemy that we are, so
that eases the transition a little bit.”
Sunday’s attack apparently took place when a suicide bomber detonated himself while troops were giving
away soccer balls and other goodies to Baqouba children. The Associated Press quoted a wounded boy
who said an explosion occurred just after soldiers had beckoned him and his friends to their vehicles to get
the gifts.
The AP reported that at least three children were killed and seven others wounded.
A news release by the U.S. military command in Baghdad said the three soldiers “were killed as a result of a
suicide vest attack” and the Defense Department in its release said they died “when an improvised
explosive device detonated during a mounted patrol.”
Fort Lewis officials said they had no further details, and U.S. military spokespersons in Baghdad couldn’t be
reached.
Ferrero’s mother, Maribel, told the Miami Herald that she celebrated an early Thanksgiving with her son
when he was home earlier this month to grieve the death of his grandfather. Looking back, she and other
family members said it almost seemed like he was saying his goodbyes.
“He wanted us to give him a Thanksgiving dinner, and it seemed like it was a farewell,” she told the Herald.
“Sometimes you get a feeling.”
Lee’s father, Thomas, told the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press that he last talked to his son about a week ago.
Lee is also survived by his wife, Lisa.
“He said he could see a difference from when he got there. The people are confiding in us,” the elder Lee
told the Press. “He said, ‘Dad, I’m making a difference.’”
Nelson’s death was reported on the front page of The News Tribune on Tuesday. His father, John, told the
Centralia Chronicle he joined the Army after graduating from Rochester High School in 2003. After a hitch at
Fort Stewart, Ga., he volunteered to move to Fort Lewis to join the 4th Brigade.
He is survived by his wife, Angela. Her father, Leo Marquez, told The Olympian that his son-in-law was “just
a goodhearted guy” who played football in high school.
He enjoyed riding all-terrain vehicles and was drawn to children, often ignoring other adults in favor of
playing with younger brother, sisters, nieces and nephews.
“He just wanted to serve his country and he believed in what was going on,” Marquez said.
Michael Gilbert: 253-597-8921 mike.gilbert@thenewstribune.com blogs.thenewstribune.com/military
Fort Lewis troops and families have paid a dear price, with 174 lives lost across a broad swath of
Iraq. Read more on our military blog, FOB Tacoma, at blogs.thenewstribune.com/military.
Dad recalls last talk with soldier in Iraq
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2007, 4:13 PM
The Grand Rapids Press
Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2007, 7:15 PM
Courtesy Photo
Army Cpl. Jason Lee was killed in Iraq on Sunday, shortly after he told his parents over the phone, "I'm making a
difference."
It is not a conversation Thomas Lee will soon forget.
Lee spoke to his son, Army Cpl. Jason Lee, about a week ago, as he related how things were going in Iraq.
"He said he could see a difference from when he got there. The people are confiding in us.
"He said, 'Dad, I'm making a difference,'" said Lee, a resident of Muskegon County.
Three days later, Lee and his wife, Susan, learned their son had been killed while on a Nov. 18 patrol
northeast of Baghdad.
Lee becomes the 147th soldier with Michigan ties killed in the Iraq war, as the number of soldiers killed
approaches 4,000.
According to the Department of Defense, Lee, 26, was killed with two other solders from the 1st Battallion,
38th Infantry Regiment, when a roadside bomb exploded during a mounted patrol in Baquabah.
Thomas Lee recalled when his son informed him of his decision of joining the Army.
He entered the military in May of 2004, arriving in Iraq in June, about seven months after he and his wife,
Lisa, were married.
Lee enlisted with the idea of joining its airborne ranks, but transferred to the infantry when he was injured,
his father said.
"I said I don't have a problem with you joining the military," he said. "But why the airborne, the infantry?
"He said, 'I am big. I am strong. It's my calling, Dad. If it's not me, who else is it going to be?'
Soldier returns to hero's welcome
Published: Monday, November 26, 2007, 12:49 PM
12:56 PM Lee Lupo | The Muskegon Chronicle
Updated: Monday, November 26, 2007,
Stevens VFW
members from several Muskegon area posts salute as the hearse with the body of U.S. Army Cpl. Jason
Thomas Lee passes by VFW Post 3195 at 5209 Grand Haven Monday morning. Lee was killed Nov. 18 in
Baqubah, Iraq. Lee's body arrived at Muskegon County Airport and was transported to Sytsema Funeral
Home's Lee Chapel, 6291 S. Harvey, in preparation for Tuesday's visitation. The funeral is scheduled
Wednesday at Calvary Church, 5873 Kendra in Fruitport Township.
Chronicle • Ken
One of Fruitport's heroes came home today.
The body of U.S. Army Cpl. Jason Thomas Lee was returned to his hometown this morning in
preparation for his funeral Wednesday.
Lee, 26, was killed Nov. 18 in Baqubah, Iraq. He was one of three soldiers from the same unit
killed when an improvised-explosive device detonated during a patrol.
Katherin
Kraus, 67, and her grandsons Aaron Barnhill, 1, and Alex Barnhill, 3, watch as the procession for fallen
U.S. Army Cpl. Jason Thomas Lee approaches the VFW Post 3195 at 5209 Grand Haven Monday
morning. "I'm glad I'm bringing them (grandsons) out ... that they know," she said. They are all from
Fruitport Township
Chronicle • Ken Stevens
Clusters of people lined up along the fence at Muskegon County Airport as the plane bringing
Lee's body landed around 9 a.m. and taxied to a hangar where the coffin was loaded into a
waiting hearse. Family members, officials and a veterans group gathered on the tarmac.
Firetrucks and sheriff's cruisers then led a procession that carried the body from the airport to
Sytsema Funeral Home's Lee Chapel, 6291 S. Harvey in Norton Shores.
Public visitation will be 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. His family, which includes his
parents, Thomas and Susan Lee of Fruitport, wife Lisa, and brothers Sean Robert and Robert
Edward Lee of Fruitport, will be at the visitation from 6 to 8 p.m.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Calvary Church, 5873 E. Kendra in Fruitport, and
will include full military honors.
Kerrie Boone of Norton Shores brought her 4-year-old son, Keldon, to the airport to watch the
procession.
"I didn't know him, but when I saw in the paper he was coming, I wanted to show support for
the family," Boone said. "So many people are not supportive."
A group of airport workers holding flags also gathered outside the airport to pay their
respects. They included Mike Austgen of New Era, Josie Rose of Norton Shores and Chanel
Lardie of Muskegon Heights.
"They deserve to come home to a hero's welcome," Rose said.
That feeling was echoed by a Vietnam veteran who would give his name only as Mike. He said
he didn't receive a hero's welcome when he returned from war in 1969, but that he wants to
be sure today's soldiers are remembered.
Lee was the 13th serviceman with West Michigan ties to die in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Fallen soldier's name added to list of heroes
Published: Friday, March 14, 2008, 9:22 PM
Updated: Friday, March 14, 2008, 9:30 PM Lee
Lupo | The Muskegon Chronicle
The
name of Cpl. Jason Lee of Fruitport, who was killed in Iraq Nov. 18, will have his name added to a
monument at the Fruitport Veterans Memorial Park.
A fallen soldier from Fruitport Township will be honored at an upcoming ceremony and his
name will be added to a veterans monument.
U.S. Army Cpl. Jason Lee, 26, who attended Fruitport High School, died Nov. 18 while serving
in Baqubah, Iraq, northeast of Baghdad.
His name soon will be engraved on a monument at the Fruitport Veterans Memorial Park in
the village of Fruitport. The park is just off Third Avenue, between Park and Maple streets.
The township board on Monday unanimously agreed to pay part of the cost to have Lee's
name engraved on the monument. VFW Post No. 3734, 5201 Airline, has offered to pay a
share of the engraving cost, estimated to be around $100, Township Treasurer Rose Dillon
said.
The township plans to honor Lee during a Memorial Day ceremony at the park on May 25,
Dillon said.
"Fruitport really rallied around him and shared in his family's sorrow," she said.
The Fruitport soldier was one of three killed when an improvised-explosive device detonated
during a patrol. All three were members of the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th
Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based in Fort Lewis, Wash.
Lee attended Fruitport High School from 1997-99 and received his diploma from Muskegon
Public Schools' M-TEC program.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa; his parents, Thomas and Susan, of Fruitport; and brothers,
Ryan and Sean.
Fruitport soldier dies in Iraq
The Associated Press
FRUITPORT, Mich. — A soldier from west Michigan has been killed while serving in Iraq.
Army Cpl. Jason Lee, 26, of Fruitport died Nov. 18 after an improvised explosive device detonated
during a mounted patrol in Baqubah, northeast of Baghdad. Two other soldiers also were killed by
the roadside bomb.
Thomas Lee said he spoke Nov. 15 with his son, who told him he believed the U.S. military was
succeeding in its mission in Iraq.
“He said, ‘Dad, I’m making a difference,’ ” Thomas Lee told The Grand Rapids Press.
Jason Lee entered the military in May 2004 intending to join an airborne unit, but transferred to the
infantry after he was injured, his father said.
“I said, ‘I don’t have a problem with you joining the military. But why the airborne, the infantry?’ ”
Thomas Lee said. “ ‘He said: ‘I am big. I am strong. It’s my calling, Dad. If it’s not me, who else is it
going to be?’ ”
Lee was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team,
2nd Infantry Division, of Fort Lewis, Wash. Besides his parents, Thomas and Susan Lee, he is
survived by his wife, Lisa.
Sgt. Peter C. Neesley
Hometown: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 28 years old
Died: December 25, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart,
Ga.
Incident: Died of an undetermined cause in a non-combat environment in Baghdad.
Grosse Pointe Farms soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. — A 28-year-old soldier from suburban Detroit died Christmas
day in Iraq, the military said.
Sgt. Peter C. Neesley, of Grosse Pointe Farms, died of an undetermined cause in a non-combat
environment in Baghdad, the Defense Department said Dec. 26 in a release.
“He was just a sweet young boy,” longtime neighbor Jane Woodruff told the Detroit Free Press.
“The Army was wonderful. ... It put discipline in his life.”
Neesley was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
3rd Infantry Division, at Fort Stewart, Ga.
The military is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
The Associated Press left a telephone message Dec. 26 with the public affairs office at Fort
Stewart.
Sgt. Peter Neesley with his dog, Boris, in Iraq.
Deceased soldier's dogs flown from Iraq to Mich.
Posted 2/9/2008 1:49 AM |
By Natasha Robinson, Associated Press
GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. — The family of Peter Neesley had one wish to fulfill after the Army
sergeant died in Baghdad on Christmas Day.
They yearned to retrieve two stray dogs that he had taken in, and cared for. He was attached to them, and
expressed in e-mails and phone calls how he wanted to bring them home to Michigan.
For weeks, the family has fought to have at least that part of Peter's life given back to them.
On Friday afternoon, their wish came true.
As Mama, a black Labrador mix, and Boris, her white-and-brown spotted puppy, hopped out of a minivan,
the family ran and knelt in the wet streets to greet them.
Peter Neesley's sister, Carey, cried.
"It's been such a long, complicated struggle and to see them finally come home is just amazing," she said.
Neesley said things hadn't been normal since the family learned that her 28-year-old brother had died in his
sleep.
The dogs were picked up in Baghdad this week by Rich Crook, a rapid response manager for the Utahbased Best Friends Animal Society, which helped arrange the animals' transport after learning about them
from media reports. Gryphon Holdings LLC, an American-owned airline with service to Iraq, agreed to fly
the dogs from Baghdad to Kuwait City.
While Neesley's fellow soldiers cared for Mama and Boris, a veterinarian with the Iraqi Society for Animals
vaccinated the dogs and arranged for the health certificates allowing them to travel to the United States.
Crook and the dogs arrived in Washington D.C. on Thursday and drove to the Grosse Pointe Farms home
of Neesley's mother, capping a four-week transfer that involved elected officials.
Much of the family, including an aunt of Peter's who flew in from New Jersey, gathered at the home. A
banner welcoming Mama and Boris hung outside of the brick house with red, white and blue balloons tied to
a bannister.
"There were times when we would have a roadblock and then all of a sudden it would open up, so we knew
we were on the right track," Crook said.
Carey's son, Patrick, looked at Peter as a father figure and was excited about having the dogs home. Later
in the afternoon, one of his best friends called to see if he could come over and play with Patrick and the
dogs.
"Patrick, when we started this a few weeks ago, said he just wanted to love them and hold them and take
care of them and all of that," said Peter's aunt, Julie Dean. "It's going to be tremendous comfort for the
family."
Carey says the family doesn't have any major plans for the new pets.
"We're just going to love them, work on housebreaking, and that kind of stuff," she said. She's still waiting
for it all to sink in.
"I think it's going to be more of a reality as the days go on and we kinda come back to normal," she said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Carey hugs Jim Crook, a rapid response manager for Best Friends Animal Society, as Mama, a black Labrador mix is
held on arrival from Iraq, Friday, in Grosse Point Farms, Michigan.
Patrick Neesley, left, and his mother, Carey Neesley, center, pet Boris, one of two dogs who were adopted by Carey's
deceased brother, Peter.
Army Sgt. Peter C. Neesley is seen in Baghdad taking care of Boris, foreground, and Mama. Neesley's family was not
surprised to hear he had adopted the two stray dogs outside his military base, because he had always done so in
Michigan.
Peter C. Neesley
Wednesday, December 26 2007 @ 04:26 PM MST Contributed by: James Van Thach
The Detroit News -- A 28-year-old soldier from Grosse Pointe Farms was killed on Christmas Day in Iraq,
the U.S. Department of Defense said Wednesday.
Sgt. Peter C. Neesley died of an undetermined cause in a noncombat environment in Baghdad.
Neesley was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.
The military is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, according to the statement.
A family member who answered the phone at Neesley's home Wednesday said the family was not
commenting on the death for the media at this time.
He added that there was no information about a funeral.
Kim Gerlach, a teacher at Pere Gabriel Richard Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Farms, met Neesley
briefly last month when the soldier came to the school to visit students.
"He talked about the good soldiers in Iraq were doing, helping and protecting children over there," she said.
"He showed us pictures of an old shopping mall he stayed at for a while."
The visit was arranged through Neesley's sister, who has a son who attends school at Richard, Gerlach said.
The soldier met with 70 or more students.
Gerlach said she received a call Wednesday from a co-worker about Neesley's death.
"He's a very nice, honest person," the teacher said. "He came in while he was on a five-day leave and talked
to us."
Photo by Randy Wilcox
Carey Neesley holds Boris, one of two stray dogs her late soldier brother, Sgt.
Peter C. Neesley, cared for while serving in Iraq. The dogs were recently
transported to the United States to live with Neesley and her family — something
her brother had wanted to do when his tour of duty ended.
A sort of homecoming
Farms family finds comfort raising stray dogs soldier cared for in Iraq
By K. Michelle Moran
C & G Staff Writer
GROSSE POINTE FARMS — For two former street dogs, 5-month-old Boris and his
mother, 1 1/2-year-old Labrador retriever mix Mama, are remarkably sweet, friendly
and sociable.
That says as much about their former caregiver as it does about the one-time strays.
During a tour of duty in Baghdad, lifelong animal lover Sgt. Peter C. Neesley
“adopted” the dogs, giving them food, shelter, and most importantly, loving attention.
Although he didn’t know how, Neesley dreamed of bringing the dogs back home with
him to Grosse Pointe Farms when his tour was over.
Then, inexplicably, Neesley, 28, was found dead in his sleep in a non-combat
environment on Christmas Day 2007. The cause of his death was still under
investigation at press time.
For his family back home, who’d received e-mailed photos of a beaming Neesley with
the dogs he’d befriended, his story seemed destined to be another tragedy, another
terrible casualty of war. Instead, Neesley’s own compassion has inspired dozens of
strangers, from a senator in Washington to a veterinarian in Iraq, to make his final wish
come true and bring Boris and Mama to Michigan.
Since they arrived in Grosse Pointe Farms Feb. 8, the two dogs have had a lot of
adjusting to do. After initial suspicion, they’ve befriended the Neesley family’s two 8year-old golden retrievers, the placid Gussie and Noah. After coming from a place
where temperatures routinely soar into the 90s and above, Boris and Mama still don’t
like winter in Michigan, nor do they care to be outside when it’s raining or snowing.
Thanks to the example set by Gussie and Noah, though, the dogs from Iraq are slowly
learning to enjoy playing in the snow.
Most recently, Invisible Fence personnel have offered their services and training to
keep the dogs safe in their own yard.
“Thousands of dogs are lost or killed every year,” said Jack Miltz of Invisible Fence in
a statement. “We couldn’t imagine that happening to these dogs or the Neesley family.”
The dogs’ arrival was a rare bright spot in recent weeks for the Neesley family, said
Peter’s older sister, Carey Neesley, 31.
“It’s a huge comfort,” she said of having Boris and Mama. “It’s helped us. It restored a
little bit of our faith in life and humanity. They’ve given us a reason to smile and laugh
sometimes, which has been really hard to do over the last couple of months.”
Carey Neesley carries herself with remarkable grace and composure, but there’s
tremendous sadness in her eyes and around the edges of her voice. She said Peter was
“the closest thing to a father” her 10-year-old son, Patrick, had. The energetic, talkative
boy fondly remembers roughhousing with his uncle, who knew exactly the right thing
to send Patrick for Christmas: Toys ‘R’ Us gift cards.
“He was filled with so much life and so much compassion and so much giving,” Carey
Neesley said. “To be honest, it still hasn’t sunk in yet. He was my best friend.”
A middle child, Carey Neesley said her brother — who had briefly attended military
school — joined the military shortly after high school. He was stationed for three years
at Fort Hood in Texas. After his term was up, he returned home for a year, but she said
he missed the structure of military life, and he missed the many close friends he’d
made. When one of his best friends was killed in combat, he re-enlisted in an attempt to
prevent any of his other friends from experiencing the same fate.
“He didn’t necessarily support the war,” Carey Neesley said. “He re-enlisted because he
felt like he needed to protect his friends.”
In May 2007, Peter Neesley began his tour of duty in Iraq. Assigned to the 3rd
Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort
Stewart, Ga., his job as a scout was to patrol neighborhoods in search of weapons.
Carey Neesley said her brother would also ask the neighborhood residents if they
needed food, water or medicine, and seek medical attention for children in need.
“He was a humanitarian, and that’s why he did what he did, to try to make things
better,” she said. His sister and nephew pitched in, too, organizing a drive at Patrick’s
school, Richard Elementary, where Peter had visited and spoken to several classrooms
full of kids last November.
Peter first encountered Mama and her two pups in the neighborhood while he was on a
routine patrol. He began feeding them, but one day, Carey said one of the pups was hit
and killed by a car.
“That broke Peter’s heart,” she recalled.
Although he wasn’t allowed to have dogs on the base with him, she said Peter wanted
to keep a close watch on the remaining pair. That’s when he and some of his friends
built a doghouse at the edge of the base for Mama and Boris.
When they return to the U.S. in July, Carey Neesley said her brother’s fellow soldiers
have said they will try to bring the doghouse back with them.
The story has attracted national media attention, and Carey Neesley thinks she knows
why.
“There’s something very heartwarming about Peter’s actions,” she said softly. “In the
midst of all of this (violence), he was able to take these two (dogs) and turn them into
family away from home. For him to care so much about these two little stray animals
probably gave him a feeling of being human again.”
Another animal lover, St. Francis of Assisi, penned a simple prayer for peace that is still
recited centuries later. It includes the lines, “Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.”
Centuries later, those words are reflected in the life of a fallen soldier. For grieving
relatives, nothing can replace the loved one they lost. But they take comfort in carrying
on his efforts to care for a couple of stray dogs, whose loving nature reminds them of
the gentle man who once tended to them.
You can reach Staff Writer K. Michelle Moran at kmoran@candgnews.com or at (586)
498-1047.
2008-01-10
News
Farms soldier laid to rest
An Army honor guard pays tribute to Sgt. Peter Neesley
with a 21-gun salute. Photo by John Lundberg
January 10, 2008
For Army Sergeant Peter Neesley, the Army life was the only way to go. He took great pride in serving his country, and
that is what friends and family spoke of as he was memorialized last Saturday at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial.
On an overcast and wet day, mourners packed the War Memorial ballroom to pay tribute to Neesley, 28, who died in
Iraq Christmas Day. Family members choked back tears as they recounted Peter's keen sense of humor and his love
for his family.
"He was the best brother that anyone could have," said Carey Neesley, his sister. "He was a father to my son, Patrick.
We're going to miss him very much."
Neesley, who enlisted in the Army in February 2000, had been stationed in Iraq recently. He returned home on leave
last fall, where he had a chance to visit Gabriel Richard Elementary School to visit with Patrick's class. During the visit,
he spoke of the humanitarian efforts U.S. military personnel had been involved in while stationed there, said his
mother, Christine.
"He would talk about helping the children there and feeding stray dogs," she said. "My daughter put together care
packages filled with collars and toys (for the animals)."
Peter Neesley's 2000 enlistment photo. Photo provided by Neesley Family.
To that end, Neelsey's family is attempting to adopt two stray dogs, Mama and Boris, that were under his care in Iraq.
They want the animals brought to Michigan to serve as a living legacy to his humanitarian efforts.
Following the ceremony, a police escort led the hearse from the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Photo by John
Lundberg.
"We're all just trying to pull it together for Peter," Christine said.
Neesley was put to rest with full military honors. Soldiers hailed him with a 21-gun salute and there were not many dry
eyes when Taps was played following the ceremony.
During the service, Neesley was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, The
Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Good
Conduct Medal. A separate service was held by his comrades in arms in Iraq
Jan. 3, where his commander and fellow soldiers paid tribute to his wit and
dedication to duty.
'He was the best brother
that anyone could have.'
Carey Neesley
"I received a call on Monday from his friends who said they are taking care of Peter's dogs (in Iraq)," Christine said.
"They are feeding them and making sure they're well taken care of."
The family has established the Sgt. Peter C. Neesley Memorial Fund through Verheyden Funeral Home on Mack in
Grosse Pointe Park to solicit funds to help transport the dogs to Michigan, Christine said. She added that several
humanitarian groups have contacted the family offering assistance.
"We've contacted Sen. Carl Levin's office, who said they would get back to us (later this week)" she said. "Gov.
Jennifer Granholm called Carey yesterday and talked with her."
The cause of death has not been formally established. A private autopsy was performed on Saturday, but Christine
said it would be about a week before they get the results.
The Army will not release preliminary results.
Neesley is survived by his father Robert; his mother; and sister; brother; Theodore; and his nephew.