2006
Lance Cpl. Jason T. Little
Hometown: Climax, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: January 7, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed when his tank was attacked with a makeshift bomb while conducting combat
operations near Ferris.
Jason T. Little
LITTLE, Jason T.
LCPL, USMC
Climax
Marine Lance Corporal Jason Thomas Little died Saturday evening, January 7, 2006, when his
tank was attacked with an improvised explosive device near Ferris, Iraq. Jason loved his country
and wanted to help spread freedom and democracy throughout the world. He was extremely
proud to be a Marine and his quiet intensity proved his reliability and loyalty to his country, his
unit, and most importantly, his comrades. He had been in Iraq since September, 2005, when his
unit, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, left Camp
Lejeune, NC. Jason enlisted in April of 2004 and was on his first tour of duty in Iraq. Jason was
born May 29, 1985, in Battle Creek, MI, a son of Thomas J. and Jacqueline R. (Wolf) Little. He
graduated from Climax-Scotts High School in 2003 and attended classes at Kalamazoo Valley
Community College before entering the Marine Corps. In high school, Jason's interest in
computers led him to look into career training in computers and electronics. He also enjoyed
politics and was a member of the Young Republicans. Jason was a quiet young man who enjoyed
working and playing hard and spending time with his friends and family. He was respected and
loved by many and his actions proved his mettle. Jason was preceded in death by his paternal
grandmother, Beverly Little, in 2001. He is survived by: his parents, Thomas and Jacqueline
Little of Climax; a sister, Stephanie Little of Lansing; a brother, Derek Little of Climax; paternal
grandfather, Donald Little, Sr., of Kalamazoo; maternal grandparents, Elmer & Geraldine Wolf
of Climax; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services will be held 12:00 noon
Tuesday at Calvary Bible Church, 855 Drake Rd, with the Rev. James Dyke and CDR Paul
Burmeister, CHC, USN, officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by the United
States Marine Corps will follow in Fort Custer National Cemetery. Visitation will be held
Monday from 2-4 & 6-8pm at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre
Ave. Memorials should be directed to: Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd.,
Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057.
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 030-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2006
Media Contact: Marine Corps Public Affairs - (703) 614-4309 Public/Industry(703)4280711
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of five Marines who were
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom:
Lance Corporal Kyle W. Brown, 22, of Newport News, Virginia
Lance Corporal Jeriad P. Jacobs, 19, of Clayton, North Carolina
Lance Corporal Jason T. Little, 20, of Climax, Michigan
Corporal Brett L. Lundstrom, 22, of Stafford, Virginia
Lance Cpl. Raul Mercado, 21, of Monrovia, California
All five Marines died on January 7, 2006.
Mercado was killed when his vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device
while conducting combat operations near Al Karmah, Iraq.
Spec. Walter B. Howard II
Hometown: Rochester, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 35 years old
Died: February 2, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Carson, Colo.
Incident: Died when a makeshift bomb exploded near his M1 Abrams tank in Balad.
Walter B. Howard
Friday, February 10 2006 @ 05:54 PM MST
Contributed by: River97
www.southbendtribune.com -- MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (AP) -- A soldier from Michigan
died after an improvised explosive device blew up near his M1 Abrams tank in Iraq, the military
said.
Spc. Walter B. Howard II, 35, who grew up in Macomb County's Clinton Township, was
married about two years ago and re-enlisted in the military last summer to help provide a steady
income for his family, said his mother, Carolyn.
Howard's wife and 15-month-old daughter live on base at Fort Carson, Colo., family members
said.
"I feel he should be honored as a hero," Carolyn Howard said Saturday. "He was going to make a
career out of the military. He wouldn't even tell us the danger he was in."
Howard died in Balad on Thursday of injuries sustained that day in the blast in Ashraf, the
Defense Department said in a statement issued late Friday.
Howard joined the Navy a few months after graduating from Fraser High School. He returned to
Michigan three years later, but stayed in the active reserves and frequently went on exercises
while working with computers in the automobile design field, his family said.
After meeting his wife at work and getting married, the couple moved to nearby Rochester.
Their daughter was born in November 2004. Because he experienced several layoffs in his field,
Howard decided to join the Army.
His father, Walter B. Howard, said his son was one or two classes away from getting an
associate's degree in a computer field. He was working toward a four-year degree so he could
become an Army officer, Howard said.
The parents were told of his death by their daughter-in-law, who telephoned from Colorado on
Thursday. Later that night, uniformed soldiers came to the parents' Clinton Township home, said
Carolyn Howard.
"There's something about you seeing that person at the door and you know it's final," she said.
Howard was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th
Infantry Division.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Army Cpl. Walter B. Howard II
Remember Our Heroes
Army Cpl. Walter B. Howard II, 35, of Rochester, Michigan.
Cpl. Howard died in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained earlier that day in Ashraf, Iraq, when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his M1 Abrams tank. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort
Carson, Colorado. Died on February 2, 2006.
By Tom Watts
Macomb Daily Staff Writer
Army Cpl. Walter B. Howard II of Clinton Township was buried Wednesday with military
honors and remembered as a shy, neighborhood boy who emerged as an American hero.
Howard, 35, died Feb. 2 of injuries suffered in Ashraf, Iraq, when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his M1 Abrams tank.
"He was an awesome person," Howard's wife, Jamie, said following an emotional and patriotic
military ceremony at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township. "He was so awesome."
Howard would have turned 36 on Feb. 12. He leaves behind his wife of just two years and 15month-old daughter, Katherine, who was restless "like her daddy" during the funeral
proceedings at First Baptist Church in Sterling Heights.
Howard's father, Walter Howard, said he hoped the funeral was the last for American troops
serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"I hope it's the last one," Howard said after Army officials presented Howard and his wife,
Carolyn, with a U.S. flag draped over their son's coffin. "He was a good boy."
Jamie Howard, a native of Shelby Township, also received a tightly bound military-wrapped
U.S. flag during ceremonies attended by hundreds.
"Walter was so quiet and shy," said Tammy Zobel, Howard's neighbor during his youth in
Clinton Township. "He was so wonderful and caring; he was just a momma's boy. And he died
protecting America."
Howard was honored with three distinguished medals Wednesday from U.S. Army Brig. Gen.
John Bartley: the Purple Heart, Bronze Star medal and Combat Action patch.
"Walter is an American hero," Bartley said. "He was a good man living the good life."
Howard served three years in the Navy in the 1990s, but after terrorists struck on Sept. 11,
2001, the 1988 graduate from Fraser High School re-enlisted in the U.S. Army to support
America and provide financial stability for his family.
Howard first became an active reserve at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in 2002 and joined
the Seabees before he enlisted in the Army last year.
Howard left Michigan in December for Fort Carson, Colo., where he was assigned to the
Army's 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team and 4th Infantry
Division at Fort Carson. He was sent to Iraq in January.
According to the U.S. Army, the improvised explosive device went off under the M1 tank he
was in during a nighttime maneuver. Howard's father said the IED "exploded in its underbelly."
Three other soldiers riding in the tank survived the explosion.
"I served with Walter in the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion," said Matt Howard of
Wyandotte, who is not a blood relative to Walter Howard but bound by "military blood."
"I remember him mostly by his big smile," Howard said. "He was missed by us as soon as he
left us to join the Army. We all knew he did it to support his family."
Cpl. Howard was also remembered for his passion for hunting, although his first love was his
family.
"He was so proud of his daughter's (Katherine) milestones," said Brig. Gen. Hartley, who
recited Howard's top three achievements as "family, duty to country, and loyalty to
comrades."
Cpl. Howard was born Feb 12 1970, Son of Walter and Caroline Howard, Father to Katherine
Grace Howard, Husband to Jamie Howard and Brother to Pam and Lisa. Walter lived in
Rochester Hills for a short time before he was posted to Iraq.
Army Cpl. Walter B. Howard II was killed in action on 02/02/06.
Cpl. Ross A. Smith
Hometown: Wyoming, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: February 9, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Incident: Killed by a makeshift bomb while conducting combat operations against enemy forces
near Fallujah.
Ross A. Smith
Corporal Ross A. Smith, aged 21, of Wyoming, was killed in action on Thursday, February 9, 2006 while
serving his country in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was born on March 4, 1984 and
graduated from Wyoming Park High School in 2002. He loved sports and hangin' out with his friends,
girlfriend and brothers. He joined the Marines after High School because he wanted to serve his country.
This was his Third Tour of Duty in Iraq. He always enjoyed his time on leave so he could spend time with
his family and friends and he looked forward to civilian life and going into business. Ross saw many in his
Marine Corps Unit injured and killed in Iraq and he had a tattoo made in their honor. Ross was preceded
in death by his grandparents, Bill and Ike Hoogeveen, Helen Anderson, Joan Smith, and his uncle, Bill
Hoogeveen. He will be greatly missed by his parents, Mark and Susan Smith; brothers, Matt (Brie), and
Luke; nephews, Dylan, Kaleb; girlfriend, Samantha Legg; grandfather, Edwin Smith of CA; uncles, Mike
Hoogeveen, Brian Hoogeveen, Glenn Smith, Tracy Smith; "special aunt", Mary Chew; aunts, Cathy Smith
and Jane (Mike) Fleck; cousins, Cody, Jason and Stanson Smith, Angela, Rachelle and Nicole Hoogeveen
and many Marine brothers and civilian friends. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday at
Grand Rapids First Church, 2100 44th Street SW, Wyoming, with Rev. Sam Rijfkogel, officiating.
Interment Rest Lawn Memorial Park. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Cpl. Ross
A. Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund at Wyoming Park High School. Condolences may be sent online at
www.mkdfuneralhome.com
Corporal Ross A. Smith
Wyoming, Michigan
Corporal Ross A. Smith, aged 21, of Wyoming, Michigan, was killed in action on Thursday, February 9, 2006 while
serving his country in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was born on March 4, 1984 and graduated from Wyoming
Park High School in 2002. He loved sports and hangin' out with his friends, girlfriend and brothers. He joined the Marines
after High School because he wanted to serve his country. This was his Third Tour of Duty in Iraq. He always enjoyed his
time on leave so he could spend time with his family and friends and he looked forward to civilian life and going into business.
Ross saw many in his Marine Corps Unit injured and killed in Iraq and he had a tattoo made in their honor. Ross was
preceded in death by his grandparents, Bill and Ike Hoogeveen, Helen Anderson, Joan Smith, and his uncle, Bill Hoogeveen.
He will be greatly missed by his parents, Mark and Susan Smith; brothers, Matt (Brie), and Luke; nephews, Dylan, Kaleb;
girlfriend, Samantha Legg; grandfather, Edwin Smith of CA; uncles, Mike Hoogeveen, Brian Hoogeveen, Glenn Smith,
Tracy Smith; "special aunt", Mary Chew; aunts, Cathy Smith and Jane (Mike) Fleck; cousins, Cody, Jason and Stanson Smith,
Angela, Rachelle and Nicole Hoogeveen and many Marine brothers and civilian friends. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 18th, 2006, at Grand Rapids First Church, 2100 44th Street SW, Wyoming, with Rev. Sam Rijfkogel, officiating.
Interment Rest Lawn Memorial Park.
Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff Friday for Serviceman Killed in Iraq
February 15, 2006
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered that United States flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan
waters be lowered for one day on Friday, February 17, 2006, in honor of Marine Corporal Ross A. Smith of Wyoming who died
February 9 while on active duty in Iraq. Flags should return to full-staff Saturday, February 18.
Marine Cpl. Smith, 21, was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations against
enemy forces near Fallujah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
Under Section 7 of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code, 4 USC 7, Governor Granholm, in December 2003, issued a
proclamation requiring United States flags to be lowered to half-staff throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters to honor
Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty.
When flown at half-staff or half-mast, the United States flag should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the
half-staff or half-mast position. The flag should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.
The Marine Color Guard, placing Corporal Ross' flag draped casket in the hearse.
Marine Cpl. Ross A. Smith
Died February 09, 2006 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
21, of Wyoming, Mich.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; attached to the 2nd
Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward); killed Feb. 9 by an improvised
explosive device while conducting combat operations near Fallujah, Iraq.
*****
Wyo. Marine killed by IED on third Iraq tour
WYOMING, Mich. — The Defense Department on Monday confirmed the death of a
Marine from western Michigan who was killed in Iraq.
Cpl. Ross A. Smith, 21, of Wyoming, died Thursday from an improvised explosive
device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Fallujah, the
department said.
Smith was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Another member of the unit, Pfc.
Javier Chavez Jr., 19, of Cutler, Calif., also was killed.
Smith’s death was first reported last week by his parents, who said they were notified of
his death at their home near Grand Rapids on Thursday.
Smith was a June 2002 graduate of Wyoming Park High School who enlisted in the
Marines before his senior year. He was on his third tour in Iraq and was months away
from finishing his four-year obligation to the armed forces when he was killed, his family
said.
— Associated Press
Hundreds say goodbye to fallen Marines at Camp Pendleton
ceremony
By: WILLIAM FINN BENNETT - Staff Writer | Posted: August 19, 2006 12:00 am
CAMP PENDLETON -- One Marine after another filed onto the stage of a Camp Pendleton
theater Friday to bid a final farewell to eight of their comrades who died in Iraq during the 3rd
Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment's most recent deployment to Iraq.
As part of a memorial ceremony for the men, eight rifles stood on the stage, each topped with a
helmet and draped with dog tags. A young man's photo stood in front of each rifle.
At the end of the ceremony, after most of the 700 Marines and sailors had left the auditorium,
dozens of others stayed behind and climbed onto the stage to stand or kneel before the photos of
the their fallen brethren. Some just bowed their heads. Others kissed the dog tags or patted the
helmets in farewell.
But one Marine lingered on the stage longer than most, his eyes squeezed shut in silent
reverence. Finally, Lance Cpl. Scott Kelly, 22, rose, kissed the helmet and dog tags of his friend,
Lance Cpl. Rex A. Page, and limped out of the auditorium. Outside, he leaned on the cane he
uses after being wounded by a roadside bomb in March. Kelly spoke of the young man he had
come to know in Iraq.
Marines place boots in front of each of the eight memorials for Marines with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, who were killed in Iraq, during a memorial service at Camp Pendleton Friday.
"He was my younger Marine; I trained him," Kelly said. "He was an outgoing, happy kid, always
willing to help out. He always had a smile on his face."
Page was a 21-year-old rifleman from Kirksville, Mo. He died from combat wounds in late July
in the violence-ridden Anbar province.
The other fallen Marines honored Friday were Pfc. Sean T. Cardelli, Cpl. Ross A. Smith, Pfc.
Javier Chavez Jr., Lance Cpl. Benito A. Ramirez, Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar, Cpl. Jason W.
Morrow and Lance Cpl. Geofrey R. Cayer.
The Marines who served with the honored troops said they had lost friends and brothers.
After the memorial services, at which he participated as part of the four-man color guard, 18year-old Cpl. Humberto Soto said he was hit hard by the death of Ramirez, who died fighting in
Anbar.
"It's hard to lose a friend, a terrible feeling," Soto said.
Before the men left for Iraq, they took a road trip together to visit Ramirez's family in Edinburg,
Texas, Soto said.
"We got to be close," Soto said.
His friend had "lots of plans," he said of Ramirez, who told him he wanted to go to work in his
father's trucking business after he got out of the Marine Corps.
Soto said Ramirez was finishing up his third tour of duty in Iraq when he died in combat in May
in Anbar province.
"He was about to get out," Soto said. "The morning (he got killed) I saw him wallking to chow -he was all happy."
The seven-month deployment was not without controversy. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment suffered a blow when eight of its members were recently charged with kidnapping,
murder and related charges in the death of an Iraqi civilian.
The Marines are alleged to have kidnapped 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad from his home in
the Iraqi village of Hamdania and bound and shot the man before staging a death scene to make
it appear he was planting a roadside bomb.
The first of the initial hearings related to the charges are set to begin next month.
After Friday's memorial service, company Cmdr. Cpt. Monte Powell said he seriously doubted
whether the allegations will overshadow the heroic performance of Marines in the regiment.
"People understand -- the truth will come out," Powell said.
Among the other men honored Friday was 19-year-old Hanford resident Chavez, who had just
married his childhood sweetheart when he left for Iraq last New Year's Eve for his first tour of
duty. A few weeks later, he was killed by a roadside bomb, according to military officials.
Around the same time, the life of Smith, 21, was also cut short by a roadside bomb. Smith, who
was from Wyoming, Mich., was on his third tour in Iraq.
Cardelli, 20, was killed during a small-arms fight near the city of Fallujah in early February,
according to the Pentagon.
Cayer was 20 years old when he died in July in what military officials called a "nonhostile
incident." He was a native of Fitchburg, Mass., a small city near Boston. In an interview with the
North County Times around the time of his death, lifelong friend Chris LeBlanc said, "he was
proud to be a Marine, and he knew he had a job to do."
The 27-year-old Morrow called Anaheim his home. He was on his third tour when he was killed.
Before heading out on his final deployment, the longtime Angels fan received a standing ovation
for throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of the American League
Championship Series in October.
Plouhar, 30, died from wounds suffered in combat in June, according to Defense Department
officials. After his death, The Associated Press reported that he was one of the recruiters featured
in a segment of Michael Moore's scathing anti-Bush documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Father Raymond Plouhar told reporters his son willingly participated in the movie but didn't
know the movie was critical of the war. His father also said his son, who enlisted in the Marine
Corps in 1996, took four years off from active duty to serve as a recruiter after donating one of
his kidneys to his uncle.
Plouhar told reporters at the time that he was steadfast in his opinions on the war.
"If we walk out now, my son died for nothing and that will make me mad," he said.
After Friday's service, Maj. Gen. Jay Paxton stood at the edge of the stage offering his
condolences to family members as they made their way up the stairs.
Afterwards, the 1st Marine Division's Paxton said that the memorial service was "a most
appropriate and fitting recognition of the valor of service of these eight Marines.
"They made us all better, lifted us all up," Paxton said.
His feelings were echoed by Temecula resident Cpl. Ryan Hapney, who said that most of the
Marines in 3/5, as it is known, live together, play together and fight together.
This is "like a final goodbye; it's very touching," Hapney said.
Marine Corps officials said family members of the men asked not to be interviewed by the press.
- Contact staff writer William Finn Bennett at (760) 740-5426, or wbennett@nctimes.com.
Posted in Local on Saturday, August 19, 2006 12:00 am Updated: 5:38 am.
Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard II
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 32 years old
Died: February 22, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Carson, Colo.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle near Balad.
Curtis Tyrone Howard II
Howard, Curtis Tyrone II Ann Arbor, MI Staff Sergeant Curtis Tyrone Howard II, 32, served his country
with honor and distinction in Iraq and Kuwait. He was a member of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat
Team, 4th Infantry Division. On Febru ary 22, 2006, while on his second tour of duty during a mission in
the town of Balad, Curtis made the ultimate, heroic sacrifice. Born in Birmingham, AL, June 18, 1973,
Curtis attended Ann Arbor Public Schools and graduated from Huron High School in 1991. While at
Huron, he ex celled as an athlete and was a member of the varsity basket ball team. After graduation,
Curtis attended Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL. His father had served in the Army and
Curtis followed his dad's footsteps and enlisted in the United States Army on April 28, 1993. He was a
military man. A professional soldier who was dedicated and committed to his family and to his country.
He was stationed at Ft. Carson, CO. and served in Bosnia, Kuwait, South Korea and Iraq. Curtis married
Icela on August 24, 1994 in Junction City, Kansas. He leaves to cherish his memory two sons, Dominic
and Christion, a daughter Tatiana and their mother Icela of Colorado Springs, CO., and daughter Valencia
Williams of Phoenix, AZ. Parents Curtis T. and Linda B. Howard, and sister Marquita Y. Howard of Ann
Arbor, MI. He was preceded in death by his older sister Tamara Denise and Grandfather Herbert. Curtis
al so leaves to cherish his memory, his loving Grandparents, Mary T. Howard, and John D. and Hattie
Brown of Birming ham, AL. Four aunts, Gloria H. Franklin of Silver Spring, MD, Diane Reynolds, Joyce and
Adrienne Brown all of Birming ham, AL. Four uncles, Herbert T. Howard (Marie) of Charlotte, NC, Johnny
and Harold Brown of Long Beach, CA, and Eric Brown of Birmingham, AL. Great Uncle David Howard, (af
fectionately known as Uncle Buddy) of Birmingham, AL. He leaves great uncles, great aunts, a host of
cousins, a host of friends and four special friends, Kareem Harris of Au gusta, GA., Noah and Corey
Maurer and Ricco Rowry of Ann Arbor. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Friday, March 3,
2006 at the Nie Family Funeral Home, 2400 Carpenter Rd. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 am,
Saturday, March 4, 2006 at Second Baptist Church, 850 Red Oak, Ann Ar bor, where Rev. Mark J. Lyons,
is the pastor. Rev. Dr. Joseph N. Cousin, pastor of Bethel AME Church will be officiating and delivering
the eulogy. Cur tis will be laid to rest with full military honors at Arborcrest Memorial Park, 2521 Glazier
Way. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Curtis T. Howard, II, Children's Scholarship Fund,
please make checks payable to Curtis T. Howard, Sr. To read his life story, sign the guestbook and to
leave a memory, please visit his personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com.
Published in AnnArbor.com on March 2, 2006
Army Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard II
Died February 22, 2006 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
32, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; killed Feb. 22 when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley fighting vehicle near Balad,
Iraq. Also killed were Sgt. Gordon F. Misner II and Spc. Thomas J. Wilwerth.
*****
Michigan flags lowered in honor of Ann Arbor soldier, comrades
LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered that U.S. flags across the
state be lowered to half-staff Monday and Tuesday in honor of Michigan military
personnel who recently died while on active duty in Iraq.
On Monday, flags should be lowered to honor Army Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard II of Ann
Arbor. Howard, 32, died Feb. 22 when a roadside bomb went off near his vehicle near
Balad.
Howard was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 4th Infantry Division in Fort Carson, Colo.
On Tuesday, flags should be lowered to honor Army Pfc. Allan A. Morr of Byron. Morr,
21, died Feb. 22 when an improvised explosive device detonated during patrol
operations in Hawijah.
Morr was assigned to the Army’s 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade
Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Ky.
— Associated Press
Curtis T. Howard II
Wednesday, March 01 2006 @ 04:57 AM MST
www.mercurynews.com -- ANN ARBOR, Mich. - An Army staff sergeant from
Michigan has been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, his family said in a statement.
Curtis T. Howard II, 32, was on his second tour in Iraq as a member of the Army's 4th Infantry
Division when the incident occurred.
The Army had not released details of Howard's death, but it said on Thursday that three 4th
Infantry soldiers were killed Wednesday when their vehicle struck a bomb near Balad, 50 miles
north of Baghdad.
Friends and family members gathered Thursday afternoon at the Ann Arbor home of Howard's
parents, Curtis and Linda. John Woods, a family friend, read a statement saying the family was
devastated by Howard's death.
"Right now, it's all very hard to comprehend. Our hearts and prayers go out to other members
of our son's unit, the 4th Infantry Division, who also made this ultimate sacrifice. Curtis loved
the military. He was a wonderful son, father and brother. This was the career he chose. We
certainly respect and honor his choice," Woods said.
The minister at Howard's church, Bethel AME, recently read a letter from Howard to the
congregation, said Joetta Mial, former principal at Huron High School, from where Howard
graduated in 1991.
"It was about a friend of his that was just killed and he wrote, `Say a prayer for his parents,'"
said Mial, a church member. "I got the funniest feeling. It was, `My gosh. I hope he hurries up
and gets home,'" Mial told The Ann Arbor News.
Edward Klum, an assistant coach when Howard played on Huron's basketball team,
remembered Howard taking responsibility for a loss in a big game.
"Right after the game, he came up to me and said, `Coach. I didn't play hard enough,'" Klum
said. "That's just the kind of kid he was."
Sgt. Curtis Howard's parents are still seeking answers
By anash
May 26, 2008, 9:09AM
Leisa Thompson | The Ann Arbor News
Linda and Curtis Howard Sr. and their daughter, Marquita, sit by the grave of their
son and brother, Army Staff Sgt. Curtis Howard II, at Arborcrest Memorial Park on
Wednesday. The soldier was killed in Iraq in February 2006 and his family is trying
to find out exactly how he died, but are finding it hard to get all the details from the
government.
Curtis Howard has yet to open a Federal Express overnight package he received
more than two years ago. It holds his son's autopsy report.
Undoubtedly, that document would shed light on what happened on Feb. 22, 2006,
when U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard II was killed in Iraq by a roadside
bomb.
But the Ann Arbor father says reading that report would be too traumatic as he and
his wife still struggle with the death of their only son.
"We haven't gotten past that hurdle yet," he said. "Not yet."
They know the autopsy report will be horrific. The funeral director advised them not
to view their son's body.
"I would have some closure if we saw Curtis' body," said Linda Howard, Curtis'
mother. "I cannot get closure." So they search for it in other ways.
Until the Howards find the strength to read the autopsy report, they are trying to
piece together some of their son's final day from conflicting accounts from the
military.
They're also looking for things the autopsy won't reveal. Why was the tank they
went out to secure left unattended, as they've been told secondhand? Did anyone
witness the explosion that killed Howard and two other soldiers with him?
Curtis T. Howard II
Curtis Howard said their quest for answers isn't an all-consuming mission, but they
hope more details will help them grieve.
"We just want to know the circumstances of what happened on the last day of his
life," Curtis Howard said. "That closure. ... Now, we are at the stage we have all
these questions, and we want some answers. Now, I really want to find out what
happened."
Through a series of conversations with Army officials, soldiers and relatives of
soldiers, they've pieced together unofficial accounts of their 32-year-old son's final
day.
The military said Curtis T. Howard II, a 1991 Huron High School graduate, died with
two other soldiers when the Bradley fighting vehicle he was in hit a roadside bomb.
But Curtis Howard has some doubt about the military's official account.
On Feb. 23, 2006, the Howards learned of their son's death. They asked military
officials if their son suffered. They were told he died instantly.
But a few months after the funeral, Curtis Howard noticed a discrepancy in a March
29, 2006, letter the military sent them. This letter said their son was airlifted out
and died en route to the hospital. The letter said doctors pronounced him dead once
he arrived at Balad Airbase in Iraq.
Curtis Howard said he also was told by an Army casualty officer - those assigned to
families of soldiers who are killed - that the two other soldiers who died that day
were burned but their son was on top of the vehicle and didn't suffer burns.
More information came from a network of soldiers in their son's unit, as well as
relatives of those soldiers.
One soldier's relative told the Howards about a soldier who cradled their son until
he died. They heard that soldier still had nightmares from being covered with blood
and had to take constant showers.
Hearing those details secondhand, Curtis Howard decided to press the military for
more information. But they were told no official report of the incident existed.
Three months ago, Curtis Howard's hopes were raised when he spoke to an
administrator at an Army base in Fort Knox, Ky. He asked for information, and over
the phone, the administrator read from a report.
She said their son died en route to the hospital and read that "the soldier sustained
burns and blast trauma." The report also included details the Howards didn't know,
like the exact combat gear their son was wearing - right down to the ear plugs.
Curtis Howard thought perhaps there was a large file on their son they hadn't
discovered.
But there wasn't. And it was one of their more frustrating discoveries.
Until October 2006 - more than three years into the war - the military didn't
routinely investigate "hostile deaths," said Army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Anne
Edgecomb.
"After reviewing our practices, the Army determined that we should investigate all
deaths, which allows us to provide the families of our fallen the most accurate
information available," Edgecomb wrote in an e-mail to The News.
In a phone interview, Edgecomb said the investigations sometimes uncover more
details about soldiers killed in action.
She said investigators now talk to witnesses and others in the area, learning
sometimes that a blast caused a vehicle to roll over and kill soldiers - not the blast
itself. She said a roadside bomb can disable a vehicle, and fire from the enemy can
kill soldiers. "It could be a whole lot of things," Edgecomb said.
Curtis Howard said he's disappointed it took the Army so long to do additional factfinding of deaths. "They have a traffic accident over there, they do a report," he
said. So in a folder, the father keeps all the different files from the military.
He filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get a report that listed his son's
body armor and equipment on that final day.
It arrived April 4 - just one more piece in a puzzle they keep trying to put together.
Curtis Howard has e-mailed some soldiers in his son's unit several times in the past
year, but hasn't received a response. He said he doesn't want to pressure them,
but is determined not to quit.
And he knows he has a large piece of that puzzle in the autopsy report. It remains
unopened, sealed in a cardboard package dated April 14, 2006.
A few weeks ago, the Howards discussed eventually opening that package. Perhaps,
they thought, someone with medical expertise should read it first and tell them
about it. But for now, it stays unopened.
"Sometimes," the father says, "not knowing is better than knowing."
Pfc. Allan A. Morr
Hometown: Byron, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: February 22, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during patrol operations in
Hawijah.
Allan Andrew Morr
MORR, Allan Andrew US Army PFC - Of Byron, age 21, died Wednesday, February 22, 2006 as the result
of his vehicle being hit by a roadside bomb in Hawijah, Iraq. Funeral service was held at 11AM today.
Published in Flint Journal from March 1 to March 6, 2006
Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans
Hometown: Flushing, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: March 1, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army National Guard, 1st Battalion,125th Infantry Regiment, Saginaw, Mich.
Incident: Died at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Tex., from injuries sustained on
Nov. 21, when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during combat operations in
Habbaniyah.
Soldiers lose brave battle to survive
Published: Monday, November 13, 2006, 8:23 AM
Updated: Monday, February 04, 2008,
8:34 AM
Katie Youmans knew when she packed her bags for San Antonio that her husband, Josh,
had been severely burned in an explosion in Iraq.
So the day after Thanksgiving last year, nearly seven weeks after giving birth to daughter
MacKenzie, she and her baby girl set off to see her husband.
Youmans thought she was prepared, but she could not have known the kind of heartbreak
the next year would bring.
Her life was one of many that dragged into a months-long devastating tailspin after Nov.
21, 2005.
That was the day an improvised explosive device in Iraq ripped through a Humvee carrying
five Army National Guard members from Michigan.
Pfc. John W. Dearing was killed instantly. Horribly burned, Sgt. Spencer Akers, Sgt.
Matthew Webber, Sgt. Duane Dreasky and Sgt. Joshua Youmans were left fighting for their
lives.
'He was my only son'
Around the same time Katie Youmans was rushing to her husband's side, three Army
officers including a chaplain were visiting Dearing's family in the Detroit suburb of Hazel
Park.
The soldier's father, also named John, was driving a furniture truck with a colleague when
his wife, Katherine, the younger John's stepmother, called his cellphone.
She broke into sobs, and he barely heard the voice of an Army officer come on the line
saying, "Your son was killed."
"I threw my phone across the truck," he remembered. "I had one more delivery left. There
was no way I could do it.
"He was my only son."
The elder Dearing, a Vietnam veteran, remembers walking into a bingo hall to find his
mother, Mary, to tell her the news.
"I collapsed," he said. "She collapsed. I was proud of him. I just really didn't want him to
go."
The younger John Dearing's widow, Amanda, was just 19 when she got the news her
husband of five months had died, just two months after his 21st birthday.
She couldn't stop crying.
For Christmas 2005, the elder Dearing got a golden retriever that was born the day his son
died. He named him Chipper, after his son's favorite Atlanta Braves player, Chipper Jones.
And through his grief, Dearing hoped for the recovery of his son's four comrades.
To Texas for treatment
The four surviving soldiers were airlifted from their base near al-Habbaniyah, first to
Landstuhl Regional Army Medical Center in Germany, then to the burn unit at Brooke Army
Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Isolated in intensive care rooms, the men lay swaddled in bandages, some barely
recognizable with more than half of their bodies and faces burned.
The 450-bed Texas facility has 40 beds dedicated to the Institute of Surgical Research Burn
Unit, the only one of its kind in the Department of Defense. Nearly 600 burn victims from
Iraq have been treated there, many with third- and fourth-degree wounds that have seared
through layers of tissue.
"It's almost exclusively from IEDs at this point," said Maj. Sandra Wanek, a burn trauma
surgeon at Brooke who helped treat the four soldiers.
Treatment and chances of recovery depend on the injury, Wanek said. First, burned tissue,
a potential host for bacteria and fungus, is removed and replaced with tissue transplanted
from any unburned skin.
"Burn care is extremely painful, but these guys rarely complain. They're thankful. By and
large, they don't feel bad about what happened to them. They feel like it was worth it. They
are very brave," Wanek said.
"We've had some good saves and some horrible losses. I'm from Michigan, so I knew where
all of these guys were from. It's hard, because you get pretty involved with their families."
Without the protection of skin, organs including the heart and lungs are at risk for infection
- the biggest threat.
Badly burned soldiers are so vulnerable that wives, mothers and fathers wear face masks
and gloves to see them in the ICU.
"They look different, but whatever (families) imagined is almost worse in most cases than
what they see," Wanek said.
It is still too hard for Katie Youmans, 30, to talk about seeing her husband after the attack.
He was severely burned, bandaged, frail and often medicated. He asked to see his wife, and
sometimes for a cigarette (a request always denied).
"I was like, 'This might be a good time to quit,'" Katie remembered.
There was the day she told him, "Josh, the president is coming," and he gave her a look
that said, "Yeah, right."
Then, in walked President Bush.
"I told you," Katie later told her astonished husband.
A special meeting
But even the president may not have been a match for another special visitor.
"He asked one time when he would get to see his daughter," said Josh Youmans' mother,
Becky, who spent three months in San Antonio, during which time her son mostly
responded with nods and faded in and out of consciousness.
Finally, the 5-month-old girl who was nicknamed "Diva" for stealing the show wherever she
went at the hospital, got to meet her father.
By the time little "Kenzie" was brought into the room, Josh Youmans' condition was
declining. His eyes were closed, and he was comatose.
It was a private moment for the family.
"It was just important to me to have them both in the same room, at the same time and
alive before he passed away," Katie said in an e-mail.
The rest of those minutes are too hard to share with anyone who wasn't there, she said.
'A darn good soldier'
On Dec. 8, the soldiers lost Akers, their team leader and oldest member.
Nearly 75 percent of his body had been burned, a lot of it blistering his head and face.
When they visited their son, Don and Carol Akers never had a chance to converse with him:
He remained heavily sedated and on morphine until he died.
Had he lived, it would have been a hard life, family members say.
"He was a hero before he ever got there, as far as I was concerned," Don Akers said. "A
darn good soldier."
Spencer Akers was supposed to come home to Michigan and sign off on his first house over
Thanksgiving. For weeks, his parents had trekked the 60 miles from their home in Tustin to
Traverse City where Spencer worked, spotting "for sale" signs and checking real estate
listings.
They finally found it: a white, three-bedroom ranch nestled on nearly two acres of land. It
was surrounded by big trees and on older property just like their son wanted. They e-mailed
him a picture.
"If you like it then I will like it," he wrote back.
But days before his scheduled arrival, the Akerses learned he wasn't coming home.
"All we knew was that he was conscious when they found him, and he knew he was in
friendly hands," Don Akers said.
Grief made worse
Maj. Gen. Thomas Cutler, who grew up in Saginaw, where the unit was based, visited the
three surviving soldiers with wife Chris in January.
"As difficult as all of that was, they were still holding their heads up high and were proud to
serve," he said.
"I was honored to have known these men. They were truly American heroes."
But one by one, hopes were shattered.
Katie Youmans watched, preparing for the worst, as her husband's condition suddenly went
downhill.
After four months of hanging on, Josh Youmans died March 1.
The week of the funeral, family members struggled with more than grief: A radical Kansas
religious group that protested soldiers' funerals with hateful signs such as "Thank God for
Dead Soldiers" was planning to come to Flushing.
On the day of the funeral, though, hundreds of people supporting the family gathered
outside, shielding them from the six Westboro Baptist Church members and holding signs
such as "We love you Sgt. Youmans."
"I can't thank them enough," Katie Youmans said.
She and her mother, Cathie Draheim, later joined the fight in Michigan to pass a law
banning such protests.
"I've saved all of the articles about it," Katie said. "I'll tell (MacKenzie) her papa fought so
they could do that, but it wasn't right."
The last one falls
In the tight-knit communities in southern Mecosta County, hundreds of people had rallied
around Matthew Webber.
A whole hometown was heartbroken when the former honor student died from
complications from his burns April 27.
A candlelight vigil in Webber's honor was scheduled at his former high school football field in
Stanwood.
Meanwhile, Duane Dreasky never knew he was the lone survivor. News of his comrades'
deaths was kept from him.
"He had his ups and down," mother Cheryl said. "We tried to keep his spirits up."
Dreasky, the soldier who reportedly once turned off the hot water while some comrades
were showering, gained media attention in the hospital where he famously tried to raise a
bandaged arm to salute the president.
He knew wife Mandy - who also was in the military and had finished a tour in Iraq - was
nearby.
But after eight months, on July 10, Dreasky also lost his battle to live.
"He was born to be a soldier, and he lived his life's dream," Cheryl Dreasky said.
Her daddy's eyes
Wisps of reddish baby hair sweep over little MacKenzie's head as she squirts out an impish
giggle in the wallet-sized picture Katie Youmans carries.
"That was Josh's favorite picture," Youmans said. "He kept asking to see it."
MacKenzie recently celebrated her first birthday. She has her father's hair color, her
mother's nose.
Her giggle is almost as "crazy" as the one her father was known for.
But it's in MacKenzie's eyes - the same piercing blue eyes everyone noticed about Josh that Katie sees her husband every day.
"Her eyes just look into your soul, just like his did," she said.
At a restaurant booth on a recent fall day, Katie Youmans' gold diamond wedding ring
sparkled as she sifted through a pile of "MacKenzie photos."
There is MacKenzie playing, laughing and just being a toddler trying to take her first steps.
It's a glimpse of a big world of experiences she has already lived through without her dad.
'Sleep tight'
It's hard for Youmans to go back to Feb. 2, 2005, the day she found out she was pregnant.
The last year and a half seems like a blur.
When she went into labor, her husband found out via an instant online message.
In the delivery room, her best friend, Krista Frame, was tagged as the birthing coach.
"I was on the phone with (Josh), telling him everything that was going on," Frame said. "He
kept asking how Katie was and how MacKenzie was. I kept telling him they were OK."
The IED blew up nearly six weeks later.
Youmans doesn't want to remember her husband as a burn victim, but as the man he spent
most of his life being.
"He was my best friend, and I was his. We were lucky to have found each other," she said.
"We were really lucky."
The reminders are everywhere.
On Sept. 16, the day the couple would have celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary,
MacKenzie was baptized.
A first Christmas without him is near. Veterans Day was Saturday. This month is the oneyear anniversary of the blast.
Katie Youmans' younger brother, Will Draheim, 28, an Army specialist, recently was also
deployed to Iraq.
It helps, she said, to be connected to the other families.
Many of the military men she's met have become "like protective brothers."
Families like that of Capt. Anthony Dennis, who was Josh's commander, have become close
friends.
Then there's her biggest refuge.
She's the little princess known to clap and laugh when other people clap, because she
"thinks they're all clapping for her."
Or who has recently learned to "fake cry" and "fake fall" in a wily attempt to snag attention.
"She has just brought so much joy into our lives. I don't know how we'd all get through this
without her," Youmans said.
Youmans spends these days with her daughter and working part time in youth ministry at a
church in Chesaning.
She buried her husband March 11, but only recently picked a headstone.
"It's hard because it's so final," she said quietly.
She used to always tell him "sleep tight," and he'd respond with "don't let the bedbugs
bite."
The black marble headstone with an American flag etched into it will read, "Sleep tight:
Papa, husband, hero."
Published: Sunday, November 12, 2006, 8:03 AM
04, 2008, 10:20 AM
Updated: Monday, February
Matt Bach | Flint Journal
Nov. 21, 2005, was a cool fall day at the base near al-Habbaniyah, Iraq, and the five men
from Michigan had spent the morning meeting with Iraqi police forces.
Afterward, they set out to patrol the town of fewer than 20,000 people just a couple of
miles away. Their assignment: Report back on the "atmosphere."
They spent much of the day at a large indoor marketplace packed with trinket vendors.
Then the five men, with their body armor and guns, crammed into the last of four enclosed,
armored Humvees and headed back to base in midafternoon. Along a dusty road dotted
with palm trees and irrigation ditches, the caravan trailed through the lush green farming
area of the Euphrates Valley.
The men's ages spanned 14 years. They hailed from all over the state. They came from
different worlds and had different dreams.
Less than a mile from safety, they rolled straight toward the most lethal weapon in the Iraqi
insurgents' arsenal.
They might as well have driven into hell.
The bond
They were joined by a mission in Iraq:
 Sgt. Joshua Youmans, a first-time father from Flushing Township, counting down the
days to meeting his newborn daughter.
 Sgt. Spencer Akers, days away from buying his first house.
 Pfc. John Dearing, a newlywed whose bride of five months waited at home.
 Sgt. Matthew Webber, an honors student already looking beyond college.
 Sgt. Duane Dreasky, an ex-football player who talked about the cross-country trip he
would take with his wife.
Army National Guard Capt. Anthony Dennis was the group's commander.
"That day, it's like Dec. 7, 1941," said Dennis, evoking Pearl Harbor. "It will live in me, and
more than likely in the rest of the guys deployed with us, forever."
Signing up
Youmans was famous for his trademark, high-pitched "crazy laugh" but quiet around people
he didn't know. His lifelong dream? To be a police officer. In 2003, he told wife Katie that he
wanted to join the Army National Guard out of respect for the job.
"He said, 'If you don't want me to, I won't,'" Katie Youmans said. "But I supported him
because we always supported each other.
"This was something he really wanted to do."
On his 25th birthday, days before he was sent for training for Iraq, he got big news: Katie
was pregnant.
John "J.W." Dearing's innocent, freckle-faced look hid his mischievous side.
The 2003 graduate of Oscoda High School loved baseball, hunting with his dad and being a
free spirit.
Born in a military family, he joined the Reserves when he was still in high school. Then,
home after a tour of duty in Egypt, he volunteered to go to Iraq.
One day while on a nine-day leave from training, he donned his olive class-A uniform, and
he and sweetheart Amanda, neither one old enough to gamble, got married in her parents'
backyard.
Instead of a honeymoon, Dearing left for Iraq a week later.
Everyone knew Duane Dreasky was born to be a soldier, despite his teddy-bear heart and
even before he started wearing fatigues to school.
He was always trying a new adventure: scuba, skydiving, martial arts.
But knee problems kept the burly former Walled Lake Western football player and wrestler
from joining the military.
It took desperate letters to local elected officials to get him into the Michigan Army National
Guard in 2003, a dream come true. After a year in Cuba, he volunteered to go to Iraq.
"He literally volunteered and begged and pleaded until they said yes," mother Cheryl said.
"He wanted to go on a mission."
And then, Duane, 30, promised he would take Mandeline, "Mandy," his best friend and wife
of nearly six years, on a trip across the country.
Spencer Akers figured if he went to war, fewer married men would have to.
The 1988 Pine River High School graduate, a jokester but passionate about the military, was
a 1991 Gulf War vet almost 35 years old when he volunteered to go to Iraq.
"He's been a soldier since he was 5 years old," father Don said.
Before leaving for Iraq, Spencer worked part time selling big-screen TVs at the Best Buy
store in Traverse City, where he planned to buy his first house.
Matthew Webber was "the pretty boy," president of the student council, a National Honor
Society member, a three-sport athlete and member of a college fraternity.
He was earning a business and marketing degree at Western Michigan University, where
everyone who knew him liked him.
In 1999, he joined the National Guard to earn money for college, never expecting to go into
active combat. But six years later, at age 22, he did.
First taste of death
The five men - some of them "weekend warriors" together in the Guard - were all sent to
Iraq in June 2005 with the 140-member Saginaw-based Company B of the 125th Infantry
Regiment.
Back home, families would sit near computers into the night and early morning, never
wanting to miss a moment their soldiers were online.
"He would talk just like a regular person," Dreasky's mother, Cheryl, remembers. "He'd say,
'I just got in from work, another day down.'"
Akers would write to his father, Don: "I don't care what the media says. The job is being
done here. It just won't be done overnight."
Dearing asked for sweets to hand out to Iraqi kids and sent his new bride pictures of himself
- watching for enemies on a guard tower, on a walkie-talkie, with comrades. "I love you,"
he wrote in a caption.
On Nov. 4, a land mine detonated near a Humvee. The resulting death of Army Spc.
Timothy Brown, 23, of Cedar Springs was the first in their company.
"They were in a very, very dangerous area, and they were doing a lot of very challenging
work. It was very clear they were taking good care of one another," said Maj. Gen. Thomas
Cutler, head of the Michigan National Guard, who visited the men in Iraq and saw pictures
of all of the enemies they helped seize.
"They were proud of that work because they were making the streets safer."
The blast
Camp Habbaniyah is tucked between Fallujah and Ramadi in central Iraq, about 45 miles
west of Baghdad in one of the most treacherous parts of the country. A big part of the
125th's mission was to rebuild Iraqi police forces and capture and kill insurgents and
terrorists.
"These guys were helping make the country a better place," said Dennis, their commander.
Among the perils they faced were improvised explosive devices, or roadside bombs, the
insurgents' weapon of choice. Easy to make, hard to spot and wickedly effective, they are a
main cause of soldier deaths and injuries in the Iraq war.
On Nov. 21, with the soldiers on the road back to their base after patrol, an unseen enemy
triggerman watched the convoy and set off his IED as the fourth Humvee passed. The
explosion blazed through the vehicle and its five men.
Dearing died instantly. Furious flames ravaged his four comrades with horrific burns, some
bone deep.
"I'm still having trouble talking about it," said Dennis, who was in the second Humvee. "It
was devastating. They were all part of my family."
What happened next is a blur.
Other Humvees were radioed in. Fellow soldiers quickly evacuated the men's scorched
bodies into vehicles in the midst of rabid flames.
Mostly conscious, the men's faces showed courage as they were loaded into other Humvees,
the doors shutting behind them.
"It was a very significant, traumatic experience for every single one of us ... that's been
burned into our memories," Dennis said. "When they say 'band of brothers,' there's no
comparison to it. There will always be that bond.
"I could not have asked for a better group of guys."
Several men stayed back to search the area. (About a month later, a sister company
detained a suspect, military officials said, but any outcome is unknown.)
It took just 30 minutes to get the wounded men to a medical base in Habbaniyah. There,
they received prompt medical care, which most likely included immediate oxygen and shock
treatment.
Charred areas of their skin were wrapped with dry, sterile gauze.
"The trauma platoon said that getting them there so quickly is what extended their lives,"
Dennis said. "It was already disastrous, but they said if they had stayed out there any
longer, it would have been even more disastrous."
The men were treated and stabilized at the base before being airlifted to Landstuhl,
Germany.
Within days, the men - covered in bandages, all in critical condition - were taken back to the
United States together by a specially equipped Air Force C-17 transport plane that has been
described as "an intensive care unit in the sky."
Doctors and nurses aboard its flights treat badly burned soldiers throughout the nearly 12hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean. An ambulance meets the plane at San Antonio
International Airport, about 15 minutes away from Brooke Army Medical Center's burn unit
in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
On Thanksgiving night, the four men arrived at this state-of-the-art military burn unit,
where many burn victims from Afghanistan and Iraq start down a long road to recovery,
even in the best-case scenario.
A new life
Back in Flushing Township, Katie Youmans was adjusting to life as a new mom.
Time off from youth ministry at a Chesaning church was spent changing diapers, feeding
and trying to set a sleep schedule for her and Josh's new daughter, MacKenzie.
It was about 10 a.m. in Iraq nearly two months earlier that she had sent Josh an important
instant message: "My water just broke."
Hours later, the couple became parents to a healthy baby girl with thin, butter-blond
strands of hair and ocean-blue eyes.
In the delivery room at Hurley Medical Center, Katie Youmans' best friend, Krista Frame who had attended Lamaze classes with Katie - was at her side instead of her husband.
But when Josh Youmans called the hospital room from halfway around the globe, he stayed
on the phone until he could hear his newborn's cries.
From his post more than 6,000 miles away and in a time zone 12 hours ahead, Josh
Youmans watched on a Web video camera as MacKenzie slept in her bassinet. He proudly
showed off pictures from the more than 200 e-mailed to him.
Katie Youmans had spent less than eight weeks bonding with her baby girl, who still hadn't
met her dad, when Army officers dressed in green, basic-duty uniforms came to this tiny
township looking for her.
They had bad news.
Timeline
 FEBRUARY 2005: Army National Guard Sgt. Joshua Youmans, Sgt. Spencer Akers, Pfc.






John Dearing, Sgt. Matthew Webber and Sgt. Duane Dreasky, all from Michigan, are
called up and start training for duty in Iraq.
JUNE 2005: Their unit, Saginaw-based Company B of the 125th Infantry Regiment, leaves
for Iraq.
OCT. 6, 2005: Youmans' daughter, MacKenzie, is born in Flushing Township.
NOV. 4, 2005: In the first fatality within Company B, a land mine kills Army Spc. Timothy
Brown, 23, of Cedar Springs.
NOV. 21: An improvised explosive device hits the five Michigan men's Humvee. Pfc. John
Dearing dies instantly; the other four men are pulled, badly burned, from the wreckage.
BY NOV. 23: The men are flown to a German hospital.
NOV. 24: On Thanksgiving night, all four men arrive at Brooke Army Medical Center's burn
unit in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
How the attack happened
 On Nov. 21, Youmans, Akers, Dearing, Webber and Dreasy were in the last of four armored






Humvees returning from a midday patrol in al-Habbaniyah, Iraq, a couple of miles from
their base.
 Traveling through a lush farming area on a tree-lined dirt road, the returning caravan reached
a point less than a mile from Camp Habbaniyah. It's not known how far apart the vehicles
were.
 As the fourth Humvee passed, an insurgent remotely detonated an improvised explosive
device. The blast killed Dearing and badly injured the other four men.
 Within 30 minutes, soldiers in the other Humvees and more that were radioed in evacuated
the wounded men to a medical base across from Camp Habbaniyah.
Flight for life
Doctors raced to save the four wounded men. Within just four days (Nov. 21-24) they were
stabilized at a medical base in Habbaniyah, airlifted to Landstuhl, Germany, then flown to
San Antonio, to the Brooke Army Medical Centeris burn unit in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
All five of the Michigan soldiers attacked on Nov. 21 received the Bronze Star and the Purple
Heart.
THE SOLDIERS:
Pfc. John Dearing
AGE: 21
HOMETOWN: Hazel Park
EDUCATION: Graduate of Oscoda High School
MILITARY: Joined National Guard, 2003
FAMILY: Wife Amanda
Sgt. Spencer Akers
AGE: 35
HOMETOWN: Traverse City
EDUCATION: Graduate of Pine River High School in Leroy



MILITARY: Served in Gulf War, 1991; volunteered to go to Iraq, 2003.
FAMILY: Single
Sgt. Joshua Youmans
AGE: 26
HOMETOWN: Flushing Township
EDUCATION: Attended alternative high school in Flushing
MILITARY: Joined National Guard, 2003
FAMILY: Wife Katie, daughter MacKenzie, 1
Sgt. Matthew Webber
AGE: 23
HOMETOWN: Stanwood
EDUCATION: Graduate of Morley Stanwood High School; attended Western Michigan
University
MILITARY: Joined National Guard, 1999
FAMILY: Single
Sgt. Duane Dreasky
AGE: 31
HOMETOWN: Novi
EDUCATION: Graduate of Walled Lake Western High School
MILITARY: Joined National Guard, 2003
FAMILY: Wife Mandeline
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Army National Guard Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans
Remember Our Heroes
Army National Guard Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans, 26, Flushing, Michigan
Sgt Youmans Died at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, on March 1, 2006,
from injuries sustained when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee during combat
operations in Habbaniya, Iraq on November 21, 2005.
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, March 12, 2006
By Beata Mostafavi
bmostafavi@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6210
FLUSHING - For the first few weeks after becoming a father, Sgt. Joshua Youmans watched his
baby girl sleep in her bassinet via a Web camera from Iraq.
Little blue-eyed, blond-haired MacKenzie recently got to meet her father in person for the
first time as he recovered at a Texas hospital from injuries suffered in the war.
On Saturday, nestled in a pink- and green-striped blanket, the 5-month-old sat in a relative's
arms in the front row at her father's funeral.
MacKenzie always will know what a hero her father was, Youmans' wife, Katie, told the crowd
that filled nearly all of the 600-plus seats at St. Robert Catholic Church.
"His impact on the world will never be forgotten," said an emotional Katie, who had been
married to Youmans nearly six years.
Later, as her husband was buried at Flushing Cemetery, she bent down to kiss his coffin,
clutching the folded American flag that had blanketed it during the funeral.
Joshua Youmans was 26 when he died nearly two weeks ago at Brooke Army Medical Center in
San Antonio, Texas. He had spent the past four months there receiving care after a Humvee
he was riding struck a land mine, leaving him severely burned.
He was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service.
Katie Youmans spoke of the last few memories she shared with her husband before he died,
such as when she told him President Bush was paying him a visit at the hospital, and he
balked at the news.
"When (the president) walked in and said 'Hi Josh,' he said, 'Wow, you weren't kidding,'" Katie
said, drawing laughter.
Or how nurses at the hospital were amused by his "tough guy" act when he refused pain
medication, only to regret it soon after.
But she will also treasure their ordinary times together, such as eating barbecue wings during
dinners out and playing with their dog, Sweetie.
Or how at night she'd always say "Sleep tight," and he would respond with "Don't let the bed
bugs bite."
"Josh and I completed each other," she said. "He was my soul mate and the love of my life.
We knew how lucky we were to have found each other.
"I am so grateful to have been a part of his life."
She said people who knew him remember his "crazy laugh," "wicked sense of humor,"
playfulness and loving, caring nature.
He joined the Army National Guard more than two years ago because he had such great
respect for the job, she said.
She said after learning he was going to be deployed to Iraq, he told her he wanted to go "to
protect our country" and the freedoms of his then-unborn child.
In the time he was there, the two would meet regularly online to chat, which made him late
to duty at least one time.
And even though he couldn't physically be in the delivery room the day MacKenzie was born,
he listened on the phone until he heard her newborn cry.
He loved to watch his daughter on the Web video camera after she was born.
"Just so he could see her being a baby," Katie said.
She spoke of the stories he shared with her, such as playing with Iraqi children in a village.
"Even though his life was lived way too short, he made the most of it," she said. "He was so
proud to be a part of the infantry. He truly was an American hero."
Katie's tribute was followed by the country song "American Soldier." Meanwhile outside the
church, the low tunes of "Hero" and "Born in the USA" wafted out of a white pickup truck
painted in red and blue stripes and stars.
Army National Guard Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans, died 03/01/06.
Cpl. Nyle Yates III
Hometown: Lake Odessa, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: March 16, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air
Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Incident: Killed when he came under small arms fire by enemy forces during combat operations in
Bayji.
Soldier from western Michigan was humorous, straightforward
LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — A soldier from western Michigan, who was remembered for
being humorous and straightforward, has died while serving in Iraq, his former high
school principal said.
Lakewood High School Principal Mike O’Mara told The Grand Rapids Press that he
learned of the death of Nyle Yates from the soldier’s family on Thursday. Yates was a
2002 graduate of the Lake Odessa school.
“He was a quiet kid who did what he was supposed to do in school,” O’Mara said. “He
came as a baby-faced freshman all of 5’5” and left as a 6’1” senior who always had a
smile on his face.”
Yates joined the Army in 2002 and was on his second tour in Iraq, the newspaper
reported Saturday.
Ferol Ball, of Lake Odessa, said her son, Joey Day, was a close friend of Yates.
“(Yates) was a very straightforward, honest, loving and caring individual,” she said. “He
served his country, he wanted to, and unfortunately he gave his life. But without men
and women like him, it would be a more dangerous world. I have four sons and can’t
imagine losing one.”
As of Saturday afternoon, the military hadn’t released any information on Yates.
The Sentinel-Stanard of Ionia reported that after Yates graduated from high school, his
family moved to the Eagle-area, near Lansing. There were no telephone listings under
the last name Yates in Eagle.
Funeral arrangements had not been announced, and additional details weren’t
immediately available
— Associated Press
*****
Michigan soldier killed in Iraq
LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — A soldier from a community located between Grand Rapids
and Lansing was killed while serving in Iraq, the Department of Defense announced.
A defense department statement released Monday said Army Cpl. Nyle Yates III died in
Bayji, Iraq, on Thursday “when he came under small arms fire by enemy forces during
combat operations.”
Yates, a 22-year-old from Lake Odessa, was assigned to a unit that operated out of Fort
Campbell, Ky.
Yates’ death was confirmed last week by Lakewood High School Principal Mike O’Mara,
who said he learned of the death from the soldier’s family. Yates was a 2002 graduate
of the Lake Odessa school.
— Associated Press
Nyle & His Mom
Nyle & Friend Jessica
Spec. Andrew K. Waits
Hometown: Waterford, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: April 13, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during combat operations in
Baghdad.
Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema
Hometown: Hudsonville, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 27 years old
Died: April 25, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg,
N.C.
Incident: Killed when he came under enemy fire during combat
operations in Baghdad.
Richard Herrema
Sgt. 1st Class Richard Herrema, aged 27, of Hudsonville, MI, was taken home to be with his Lord after he
was killed in combat during operations, April 25, 2006 in Iraq against known enemies of the United
States of America. Rick was preceded in death by his grandfather, Peter VanderVeen, and his uncle, Gary
Herrema. Rick is survived by his parents, Richard and Mary (VanderVeen) Herrema; his sisters, Kate and
Janie Herrema; his grandparents, Richard and Lorraine Herrema and Winnie VanderVeen; his uncles,
aunts and cousins, Paul and Jan Gillisse (Tony and Amanda, Letha, Ben), Brian and Denise Herrema (Nick,
Rachel, Derek, Lauren), Boyd and Heide Herrema (Adam, Aubrey, Aaron), Rich and Betsy VanderVeen
(Julia, William), Bruce and Lynnell Kole (Craig and Diana, Brad and Bethany (Olivia), Aleisha), Andy and
Beth Gort (Andrea and JR, Michele) and his lifelong friends Dave Offringa and Ryan Roede and his Army
friends Josh Woehr, Andy Bardeen, Stephen Johnson, Jason Marker and Ian Carrese. Rick was a 1997
graduate of Unity Christian High School, and was a member of the Forest Grove Christian Reformed
Church. He was loved and admired by all who met him because of his strength, generosity and quite
confidence. He was a leader who believed in his cause and always relied on his strong Christian faith. He
was a proud soldier, ready and willing to serve his country with all of his extensive Army training. He has
received numerous awards and decorations of which included Special Forces and Ranger Tabs, and
Airborne and Air Assault Badges. He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal for valor, the
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. One of Rick's
favorite Bible passages was Luke 23:42-43: "Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into
your kingdom.' And Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"
Funeral services will be held Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the Hudsonville Reformed Church, 3950 - Highland
Dr. Hudsonville, with Rev. Steven Steenstra officiating. Interment Forest Grove Cemetery. Friends may
meet with the family at the VanderLaan Funeral Home Thursday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Donations may
be made to Tuition Assistance at Hudsonville Christian School and Unity Christian High School.
VANDERLAAN-HUDSONVILLE
Published in Grand Rapids Press from May 3 to May 4, 2006
Killed in Baghdad,Iraq, when he came under enemy fire during combat operations.
DATE POSTED: APRIL 27, 2006
PRESS RELEASE: Special Forces Soldier dies in Iraq
U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Apr. 27, 2006) — A U.S. Army Special
Forces Soldier based here died April 25, 2006, during combat operations in central Iraq.
Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema was killed in combat during operations April 25, 2006, in
Iraq against known enemies of the United States of America.
He was born March 28, 1979, in Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated from Unity Christian
High School in Hudsonville, Mich.
He first entered the U. S. Army as an infantryman on Jan. 11, 1999. After completion of
initial Basic Entry Training, he was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry
Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky., and then as a Squad
Leader in Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Brigade,
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell. He graduated from the Special Forces
Qualification Course in June 2003 as an 18D SF Medical Sergeant and was assigned as an
instructor in G Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at
Fort Bragg, N.C. His last assignment was as a team member assigned to the U. S. Army
Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
In addition to the Special Forces Qualification Course, he completed numerous military
courses including the Air Assault Course; the Combat Lifesaver Course; the Ranger Course;
the Basic Airborne Course; the Special Operations Medical Sergeant Course; the Basic
Noncommissioned Officer Course; the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course; and
the Military Freefall Course.
His awards and decorations include two Army Commendation Medals, five Army
Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal,
the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian
Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with
numeral two, and the Army Service Ribbon. During his career he had also earned, the
Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and both
the Special Forces and Ranger Tabs.
Herrema was posthumously promoted to Sgt. 1st Class. He was also posthumously awarded a
Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart, and
the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He is survived by his parents, Richard and Mary Herrema, and his sisters, Katie Lynn and
Janie Lynn Herrema.
Richard J. Herrema
Friday, April 28 2006 @ 06:13 AM MDT
www.newsobserver.com -- A Fort Bragg soldier with one of the Army's
most elite units was killed Tuesday in a helicopter assault in Baghdad.
Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema, 27, of Hudsonville, Mich., died Tuesday when
he came under small-arms fire, according to a Defense Department news
release.
Another release described his last assignment as "a team member assigned to
the U.S. Army Special Operations Command." Herrema, who in 2003 was made a
Special Forces instructor after just four years in the Army, had a long list of
qualifications, even by Special Operations standards. Friends and family declined
to discuss his recent work or unit in detail.
His father, Richard Herrema of Hudsonville, said his son's unit had received
information about some insurgents and mounted an attack. Herrema was the
first off the chopper and was hit almost immediately. He died later at a field
hospital.
Friends and relatives said he was a committed Christian. His last contact with his
family was an e-mail message at Easter in which he told them he had been able
to attend chapel, his father said.
His mother, Mary, said he was a pleasure to raise.
"He always was a special son, " she said. "He was the kind that saw work before
you even asked him to do it."
He placed only God above his family and doted on his younger sisters, she said,
doing things such as hiring a limo for their prom.
He was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated from Unity Christian High
School in Hudsonville, near Grand Rapids. His high school principal, Jack Posta,
said that even though Herrema had graduated in 1997, his death rocked the
school.
"It's a big topic with the teachers," he said. "They all loved him.
"He was the kind of kid who didn't talk much, but when he did, you knew that he
meant what he said," Posta said.
He entered the Army in January 1999, and though he hadn't been an athlete in
high school, his father said that military life seemed to come naturally to him.
"As soon as he got in, he just took a liking to it and moved pretty quickly from
one thing to another, always doing really well," he said.
Herrema liked to work on old cars and had taken up surfing since coming to Fort
Bragg, his father said.
It was his first deployment to Iraq, and he had been eager to get there, his
father said.
Instead of the usual two-man notification team from a local base, six soldiers
from Fort Bragg, including some of Herrema's friends, came to Michigan to break
the bad news Tuesday, he said.
Herrema was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Defense
Meritorious Service Medal and the Purple Heart.
Survivors include his parents and younger sisters, Katie and Janie Herrema.
Pro-American group drowns out Anti-military protestors at
soldier's funeral
Hudsonville - Hundreds of people turned out Friday to show their support for the family of 27year-old Army Sergeant First Class Rick Herrema. Herrema's funeral was held in Hudsonville.
He died April 23rd from a gunshot wound in Iraq.
A small group of people representing the Westboro Baptist Church out of Kansas showed up
Friday morning to chant anti-American slogans in front of the church. They say members of the
military are dying in Iraq because they defend a country that supports homosexuality.
In counter protest, a couple hundred civilians gathered across the street, chanting "USA" waving
American flags, and holding signs that say "God Bless Rick Herrema". In addition, an estimated
150 motorcyclists arrived to block the small group of Westboro Baptist protestors.
The gathering caused some traffic problems on Highland Drive in front of the Hudsonville
Reformed Church. The Mecosta County Sheriff is also attended Friday's funeral to assess the
situation. Saturday a funeral for 23 year old Army Sergeant Matt Webber will be held at MorleyStanwood High School. Webber died earlier this week from injuries he suffered in a roadside
bomb attack 5 months ago.
Stay with WZZM-13 News for continuing coverage of this story on-air and on-line.
Sgt. Matthew A. Webber
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: April 27, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army National Guard, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), Army National
Guard, Saginaw, Mich.
Incident: Died in the Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Tex., of injuries sustained when a
makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during combat operations in Habbaniyah, on Nov.21,
2005.
Matthew Alan Webber
Matthew Alan Webber, age 23, of Stanwood, Michigan went to be with his Lord on Thursday, April 27,
2006 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He was born October 30, 1982, in Grand
Rapids, the son of Alan and Jayne (DeBoer) Webber and graduated from Morley Stanwood High School
in 2001. Matt continued his education towards a Business and Marketing degree at Western Michigan
University where he was also a member of the SigEps Fraternity. In 1999, Matt Joined the Army National
Guard and was called to active duty in June of 2005. He was eventually stationed at Habbaniah, Iraq
where he was subsequently injured while protecting our country's freedom. Matthew fought a
courageous battle while at Brooke Army Medical Center, largely due to the wonderful care of the special
nursing staff in the burn unit. Throughout his life, Matt touched many people and will be greatly missed.
Surviving are his four parents, Vince and Jayne Hardy of Stanwood and Alan and Karen Webber of
Hudsonville; five grandparents, Jake and Lois DeBoer of Iowa, Raymond Webber of Iron River, William
Vanstee of Grand Rapids, and Sally Hardy of Grand Rapids; three brothers, Andrew Webber and Joshua
Hardy, both of Stanwood, and Brandin (Jamie) Klein of Grand Rapids; and many aunts, uncles, and
cousins. The funeral service celebrating Matt's life will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 6, 2006, at
the Morley Stanwood High School with Rev.'s Linda and Cornelius DeBoer officiating. Burial will follow in
the Pine Plains Cemetery in Big Rapids. Matthew's family will greet friends on Thursday, May 4, 2006
from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday, May 5, 2006 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Trinity Fellowship Evangelical Free Church
(Perry Street, just west of U.S.131) in Big Rapids. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions for the
"Matthew Webber Fund" (to be used for scholarships and soldier family assistance) may be left at the
church, the High School, or in care of the Mohnke Funeral Home, where arrangements were entrusted.
Published in Grand Rapids Press on May 2, 2006
Spec. Brock L. Bucklin
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 28 years old
Died: May 31, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Incident: Died of a non-combat related cause in Balad.
Brock L. Bucklin
Cpl. Brock L. Bucklin, age 28, formerly of Cascade, died May 31, 2006 while serving in Iraq. Surviving are
his son, Jacob Bucklin; parents, Duane and Dawn Bucklin of Caledonia; four brothers and one sister,
Shawn (Sandra) Bucklin, Pete Bucklin, Spc. Brad (Kelly) Bucklin, Wayne Bucklin, Becky (Rick) Cummings;
grandparents, Donald and Nellie Varner and Anna Grace Bucklin; and one nephew, Jamie Holt. Brock
was a 1997 graduate of Forest Hills Central High School currently stationed at Ft. Carson, CO. Funeral
Services will be Friday, June 9 at 1 p.m. at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, 600 Forest Hill SE. Interment
Cascade Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials to The Home Front Cares, Inc., P.O. Box
38516, Colorado Springs, CO 80937-8516. The family will receive friends Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and
6 to 9 p.m. at Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 4291 Cascade Rd. SE at Kenmoor east of I-96.
www.metcalfandjonkhoff.com
Army Spc. Brock L. Bucklin: Bucklin was seldom seen without his twin brother, Brad, a
soldier serving in Germany. Weighing in at about 100 pounds, the boys were called the
"spider monkeys" for their ability to pull off amazing wrestling moves with their small
bodies. "They are identical twins, and I'm talking personalities and everything else," said
Tom Walters, who coached the Bucklins during their high school years. Brock Bucklin,
28, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was fatally injured May 31 when a chain hoist snapped. A
1997 high school graduate, he was assigned to Fort Carson, Colo. "He could make
friends immediately with anybody," Capt. Sterling Packer said. "In fact he would be your
friend whether you wanted him to or not. He had that effect on people. He had the
uncanny ability to make friends instantaneously regardless of rank, status or nationality.
The Bucklin twins were born minutes apart and Brock was inspired to enlist in 2004,
deciding what was good enough for Brad, who had joined the Army about a year before,
was good enough for him. He also is survived by his parents Duane and Dawn, and a
son, Jacob Alexander.
Cpl. Alexander J. Kolasa
Hometown: White Lake, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: May 31, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 704th Main Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Died of non-combat related causes in Baghdad.
Alexander J. Kolasa
Friday, June 02 2006 @ 06:51 AM MDT
Mercury News -- WHITE LAKE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A soldier from suburban
Detroit who died in Iraq served his country with the same pride he had in it while growing up,
his mother said Thursday.
Cpl. Alexander J. Kolasa, 22, of White Lake Township in Oakland County, died of noncombat
causes, the Defense Department announced.
Kolasa's mother, Kathy, said in a telephone interview that her son was manning a guard tower
north of Baghdad on Wednesday when he suffered a heart attack.
"It was very sudden," she said. "From the information I got, he collapsed, they performed CPR
for 30 minutes, they electro shocked him. Then they helicoptered him out to a hospital, and
that's where he died."
Asked if family members had any idea that Kolasa had heart problems, Kathy Kolasa said
"absolutely none."
Alex Kolasa graduated from Lakeland High School in 2003 and joined the Army in June 2004.
"He wasn't sure if he wanted to make a career out of it," his mother said. "He wanted to
become a mechanic. He knew finances were tight and he knew the Army was the way to do it.
"He was incredibly proud of the country he grew up in," Kathy Kolasa said. "When 9/11
happened, he was so incredibly angry, he wanted to do something for the country he grew up
in."
Kolasa wrote a letter to his family - one paragraph for each member - that was to be opened
only "in case something happened to him," his mother said. Below his signature he wrote,
"Proudly served."
Kolasa had been in Iraq for six months. He and his widow, Cari, 27, would have celebrated
their first wedding anniversary Monday.
"They never got to live together as husband and wife," Kathy Kolasa said. "Her term for him
was, `He's incredible.'"
Kolasa is also survived by his father, David, and an older sister and brother. His body was
expected to be brought to Michigan in seven to 10 days.
"It's never going to be easy, and it's never going to be the same," Kolasa's mother said.
Kolasa was assigned to the 704th Main Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division,
based at Fort Hood, Texas.
Two other Fort Hood soldiers died this week, the Pentagon said.
Capt. James A. Funkhouser, 35, of Katy, Texas, was killed Monday by the same car bomb that
killed two CBS crew members and seriously injured correspondent Kimberly Dozier. An Iraqi
interpreter also was killed in the blast, and six U.S. soldiers were injured.
The other Fort Hood soldier, Spc. Bobby R. West, 23, of Beebe, Ark., died Tuesday from
injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near him during patrol.
Army Cpl. Alexander J. Kolasa: Kolasa loved tearing up cars? not necessarily putting them
back together. "He liked to consider himself his own special kind of MacGyver," said his mother,
Kathy. "He'd say he could make a part, if he didn't have it." Kolasa, 22, of White Lake, Mich.,
suffered a heart attack and died May 31 while on guard duty in Baghdad. He graduated high
school in 2003 and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. "I'm proud of him," his mother said. "I
want the world to know how proud I am." His mother regrets that her son and his wife, Cari
McClellan, never had the opportunity to live together. They were married in a hasty civil
ceremony just before he deployed. "She never got to be a wife," she said. Kolasa, who loved to
fish and skydive, was a mechanics specialist who repaired light trucks and Humvees. After his
death, his wife opened an envelope containing a one-page letter the soldier left her in case he
never returned. In the letter, Kolasa said he was proud to be a soldier. "He believed in what he
was doing," his wife said. "He said the soldiers did not want pity. They were proud to serve."
Lance Cpl. Brandon J. Webb
Hometown: Swartz Creek, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: June 20, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Brandon J. Webb
Webb, Lance Corporal Brandon J., Swartz Creek, Michigan. Age 20, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006 in Iraq.
Funeral service will be held at 4PM Friday June 30, 2006, with full Military Honors at the Swartz Funeral
Home, 1225 West Hill Road in Flint, Pastor Terry Sims officiating. Burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
Those desiring may make contributions to the VFW-Amvets Post #3720 or Swartz Creek area Fire
Department. Visitation 5-8PM Wednesday and 2-4 and 6-8PM Thursday and 2PM Friday until the time of
the service at the funeral home. Brandon was born on April 12, 1986, in Mesa, Arizona. He served his
country in the United States Marine Corps. Brandon was a member of Swartz Creek Area Fire
Department, VFW Post #3720 and Amvets. He enjoyed baseball, golf and hockey. Surviving are mother,
Ann Christofferson of Swartz Creek; brother, Austin Christofferson of Phoenix, AZ; father, Kevin Webb of
Chandler, AZ; many aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of special friends.
Published in Saginaw News on MLive.com on June 26, 2006
Brandon J. Webb
Lance Corporal, United States Marine Corps
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 585-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2006
Media Contact: Marine Corps Public Affairs - (703) 614-4309
Public/Industry(703)428-0711
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of four
Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Corporal Christopher D. Leon, 20, of Lancaster, California
Lance Corporal Brandon J. Webb, 20, of Swartz Creek, Michigan
Private First Class Christopher N. White, 23, of Southport, North
Carolina
Staff Sergeant Benjamin D. Williams, 30, of Orange, Texas
Leon died June 20, 2006, from wounds received while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to
5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Okinawa, Japan.
Webb, White, and Williams all died June 20, 2006, while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all
assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
Media with questions about Leon can call the Okinawa Public
Affairs Office at 011-81-611-745-0790. Media with questions about
Webb, White, and Williams can call the Camp Pendleton Public
Affairs Office at (760) 725-5044.
Red Mountain grad killed in Iraq
Rebekah Sanders
Courtesy of the The Arizona Republic
June 23, 2006
A Marine who was raised in the East Valley and graduated from Red
Mountain High School in 2004 died in Iraq on Tuesday.
A roadside bomb exploded while Lance Corporal Brandon Webb,
20, was driving an SUV in Fallujah, killing him and two other
soldiers, according to his mother, Ann Christofferson.
Funeral arrangements had been set for this weekend in Swartz
Creek, Michigan, where Christofferson lives, but Marine officials
told her Thursday morning that her son's body would not be
released in time.
After the funeral next week, he will be buried at Arlington National
Cemetery.
Webb was scheduled to return home from Iraq on August 2, 2006.
"He had always wanted to be a Marine, even when he was a little
kid," Christofferson said.
When Webb told his mom he had joined, "I was scared to death for
him, but I wanted him to know he had all of my support," she said.
Christofferson said she talked to her son last week. "He was joking
and laughing. But he had also seen stuff he hoped he never had to see
again."
"The only thing he hated was not being able to sleep in a bed," she
said.
Webb grew up in Tempe and attended McClintock High School his
freshman and sophomore years, where he pitched and played first
base on the baseball team. When his mother moved to Michigan, he
followed, but missed friends in Arizona so much that he returned to
the Valley for his senior year.
"We were pretty much inseparable," said Private Marcus Otero, 20,
of Mesa. Webb lived with Otero's family during senior year. "He
was the closest thing to a brother I've ever had."
Webb and his mother worked as firefighters in Michigan after Webb
graduated, but he decided to become a Marine a year later,
persuading Otero to join the military as well.
The two saw each other at Christmas last year and were planning to
spend time together in September after Webb returned and before
Otero left for his tour of duty in Iraq.
Otero and Webb remained close with their McClintock baseball
coaches, Terry and Kerry Reeder, after high school.
Webb called Kerry Reeder from Iraq a few weeks ago, saying he
wanted to move back to the Valley after the military and help coach
the team.
"He loved baseball," Reeder said.
In his history classes this semester, Reeder used Webb as an example
when discussing the conflict in Iraq and offered the students extra
credit to write Webb letters.
With the hectic pace of the end of the semester, Reeder hadn't had
time to mail them yet.
"I've got 30 letters on my desk right now," he said. "It gives new
meaning to those letters."
He plans to give them to Christofferson when he and his brother go
to the funeral.
"He was one of those kids that didn't want to be in the limelight, but
he liked being around everybody," said Reeder, whose brother
owned a Water & Ice store where Webb worked. "He was just a
good kid."
Christofferson said the community in Swartz Creek has been
supportive, bringing food to her house, calling and dedicating a
brick for Webb at the city's proposed veteran's memorial.
Otero said Webb's death still doesn't seem real.
"He had all kinds of things going for him. He was almost done with
Iraq. He was even figuring out what kind of car he wanted to get
when he came home," Otero said.
"The last thing he said was, 'I'm almost ready to come home. I'll see
you soon.' "
6 July 2006:
A 20-year-old Marine lance corporal from Michigan was buried
today at Arlington National Cemetery.
Brandon Webb of Swartz Creek was killed last month when a bomb
detonated under his vehicle in Iraq.
Family members say he always wanted to be a Marine since he was a
young boy.
Webb lived in Arizona for most of his life.
However, while serving as a firefighter in Swartz Creek he decided
to enlist in the Marines in May 2005.
About 30 family members and friends gathered at the cemetery,
which has more than 250-thousand grave sites.
He had served in Iraq since January and was scheduled to return to
the U-S on August 2nd.
July 7, 2006
From the time he was a young boy, Brandon Webb wanted to be a
Marine. Generations of his family had served in the Marine Corps
and Webb saw public service - as a firefighter and a Marine - as his
calling.
The 20-year-old Marine lance corporal from Swartz Creek,
Michigan, was buried Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery
after he was killed June 20,2006, when a bomb detonated under his
vehicle in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.
"He was committed to everything he got into," said his mother, Ann
Christofferson. "He never quit anything."
Webb lived in Arizona for most of his life and was a 2004 graduate of
Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona. Along with his mother,
Webb served as a firefighter in Swartz Creek, about 10 miles
southwest of Flint, and decided to enlist in the Marines in May 2005.
About 30 family members and friends gathered at the cemetery.
Under overcast skies, six Marines in dress uniforms gently removed
Webb's flag-covered casket from the hearse and brought it to the
grave site.
During a brief eulogy, Navy Chaplain Lieuetnant Ron Nordan asked
mourners to "honor the memory of this great hero." Following his
remarks, a seven-member Marine guard fired three shots and a
Marine presented Christofferson with the American flag that had
covered his casket.
Young Marine Was Eager To Follow in Uncle's Path
Death Came Just Weeks Before Scheduled Return
By Tara Bahrampour
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Friday, July 7, 2006
Brandon J. Webb was good at a lot of things.
"He was an amazing student," said his older brother, Austin W.
Christofferson. "He loved baseball. He liked to pitch. And he loved
painting Warhammer figurines."
A Marine gunnery sergeant presents a folded U.S. flag to Austin W. Christofferson, brother
of Lance Corporal. Brandon J. Webb,
who was killed June 20 along with two other soldiers from his unit in Iraq
The miniature models of game characters are hand-painted and
assembled by the player, and Webb, 20, was a whiz.
"They were really realistic," said Christofferson, 22. "He was great
at it."
He was also a firefighter, a job he did with his mother in Michigan
after the family moved there from Tempe, Ariz., where he grew up,
according to the Detroit Free Press. He took a leave from that job
last year to follow another of his passions: the Marines.
"He always wanted to be a Marine," his brother said. "His uncle
Eddie was also a Marine."
Uncle Eddie never went to war, but Webb was sent to Iraq. The
lance corporal was due to return home Aug. 2, his mother, Ann
Christofferson, told the Arizona Republic. But Webb was killed in
combat in Anbar province June 20, 2006. Two other soldiers from
his unit, Private First Class Christopher N. White, 23, of Southport,
North Carolina, and Staff Sergeant Benjamin D. Williams, 30, of
Orange, Texas, also were killed that day. The men were assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, California.
Corporal Jonathan Santiago, a Camp Pendleton spokesman, said the
deaths are under investigation.
At Arlington National Cemetery yesterday, the sun beat down as
mourners watched six Marines slowly lift Webb's flag-draped coffin
out of a silver-colored hearse. As the Marines held the flag aloft over
the coffin, Lieutenant Ron Nordan, cemetery chaplain, spoke of the
cemetery's history as a place to lay the nation's heroes to rest.
"Today we add another hero to the list," he said.
Seated a few feet from the coffin and dressed in black, Webb's
mother listened and at one point dropped her face into her hands. A
few mourners dabbed at their eyes as a rifle salute was fired and a
bugler played taps.
Marcus Otero, 20, of Mesa, Arizona, told the Republic that Webb
had lived with his family during his senior year of high school and
was like a brother to him. The report said that Webb had persuaded
Otero to join the military as well, and that he will leave for Iraq this
fall; the two had planned to spend time together after Webb
returned and before Otero left.
Otero told the newspaper that Webb was ready to come home and
had even picked out the car he wanted to buy upon his return.
Austin Christofferson said he admired his brother's initiative.
"He led by example," he said. "He put off a real example of how to
live your life."
Marine Honor Guards carry the coffin of Marine Lance Corporal Brandon J. Webb, 20, of
Swartz Creek, Michigan, during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery,
Thursday, July 6, 2006
A Marine Honor Guard hands off the flag that draped the coffin of Marine Lance Corporal
Brandon J.
Webb, 20, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National
Cemetery Thursday, July 6, 2006
Marine Honor Guards hold the flag that draped the coffin of Marine Lance Corporal
Brandon J. Webb,
20, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery,
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Ann Christofferson, center, mother of Marine Lance Corporal Brandon J. Webb, 20, from
Swartz Creek, Michigan,
receives the flag that draped her son's coffin during a funeral ceremony at Arlington
National Cemetery,
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Posted: April 2006 Updated: 6 July 2006 Updated: 9 July 2006
Updated: 17 September 2006
Photo Courtesy of Holly, September 2006
Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar
Hometown: Lake Orion, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 30 years old
Died: June 26, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Marine Recruiter in 'Fahrenheit' Mourned
By SHARON COHEN
The Associated Press
Saturday, July 8, 2006; 11:07 PM
LAKE ORION, Mich. -- He was a stern-faced sniper _ and a soft-hearted Marine who handed
out candy to kids in Iraq. He was a warrior who wrote poetry about life and death.
He was featured in Michael Moore's antiwar documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11," portrayed as an
overzealous Marine recruiter who targeted poor kids.
But Staff Sgt. Raymond Plouhar was far more complicated than that.
And it was that complicated man who died in Iraq in late June, as he served with some of the
same men he had recruited years ago. It was that complex man who was buried Friday, by a
family that honored his service but would never forget his humanity.
"He had a huge heart," says his widow, Leigha.
Plouhar was a Marine for 10 of his 30 years, but he had dreamed of joining the military ever
since he was a little boy who liked to watch "M-A-S-H" on television and dress in fatigues and a
camouflage shirt.
He entered the Corps straight out of high school, was trained as a sniper and traveled the world _
Bosnia, Sudan and Israel. He had a ramrod posture and a fierce pride in his appearance: He once
ironed his uniform and polished its brass buttons for two hours before allowing his mom to
photograph him.
"He told me lots of times that he learned what could be accomplished .. if you put your heart and
soul in it _ and he put his heart and soul in the Marine Corps," says his father, also named
Raymond. "He was gung-ho from the time he signed his name until the day he died."
His signature was a memorable one.
His birth certificate read Raymond James Byron Anthony Charles Plouhar _ he was named after
all his grandfathers. He followed a long family tradition of military service that included a
grandfather who earned a Purple Heart in World War II and an older sister, Toni, who was in the
Army.
Plouhar carried a Bible from his grandfather, Raymond, to Iraq. He kept it in his left shirt pocket
next to his heart. Tucked inside was a photo of his wife and their two sons, Raymond, 9, and
Michael, 5.
As devoted as he was to the Marines, Plouhar had a full life outside the military. He liked to hunt
and camp, take canoe trips and fish with his boys.
He was known as a charmer, a good talker, a champion of the underdog (always defending and
befriending kids picked on in school) and though he was trained to fight and kill, he preferred the
role of peacemaker.
"He didn't like turmoil," recalls his mother, Cynthia. "He wanted everybody to be happy, to get
along. ... He'd say 'Life's too short to sweat the small stuff.'"
As family members gathered last week in their lakefront home 30 miles north of Detroit, they
lined the walls and windows with photo collages that tell Raymond Plouhar's life in chapters.
There's the grinning kid with the protruding ears (a coach once joked he looked like a
Volkswagen with the doors open) proudly holding up the bass he caught.
There's the sturdy athlete grappling with an opponent around a wrestling circle and posing in the
green-and-white football uniform of the Lake Orion Dragons.
There's the young man in love, sitting with high school sweetheart, Leigha, on his dad's Harley
on their way to the prom, then years later, together again, he in Marine blue, she in white, on
their wedding day.
Then there's the tough-minded Marine in helmet and combat gear _ doling out candy from a
plastic bag two months ago to schoolchildren in Iraq.
"He admired the Iraqi people," his father says. "He said, 'Dad, even though I can't understand a
word they're saying, if we were back home ... we'd be buddies.'"
Plouhar was killed on June 26 by a roadside bomb in Anbar province in his second tour of duty
in Iraq, weeks before he was to return home. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Plouhar's family says he had no qualms about returning to Iraq and he believed conditions had
improved since his first tour in 2005.
"I never worried," Leigha says, "because ... in my head, he was indestructible and nothing could
ever happen to him because he was so good at what he did."
His mother says her son preferred to be at the center of the action. In an undated entry in a blog
on MySpace.com, Plouhar said "you can call me crazy" but he liked being in Iraq. "Someone has
to do it plus I love what I do," he wrote.
Plouhar did step back from active duty for four years and worked as a recruiter in Flint so he
could donate a kidney to his uncle.
It was as a recruiter that Plouhar was seen in Moore's award-winning "Fahrenheit 9/11." The
segment shows Plouhar and another Marine in a mall parking lot in a depressed suburb of Flint;
it suggests the two men were cynically hunting for poor teens to sign up, rather than go to a
wealthy suburb where they'd likely be rejected.
Plouhar's father says his son told him he had been misled and believed he was being filmed for a
documentary that would appear on the Discovery Channel. (Moore's office didn't return calls or
e-mail messages seeking comment.)
"He cried when he found out what it really was," his father says. "He never dreamed that it was
going to be something to slam the country, which he dearly loved."
The movie, to be precise, is primarily a criticism of the Bush administration's actions after the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
And yet, the elder Plouhar also says he doesn't see anything wrong with his son's actions. "If you
really watched just the part with my son in it," he asks, "how could you not say that he was
standing tall and proud?"
His parents say they've seen only the segment featuring their son. Leigha Plouhar says her
husband asked her not to watch the film _ and she never has. Nor has Stephen Wandrie, his
friend of 20 years, who says Plouhar was hurt by the film, but told him:
"'You know what? I know what I do is good for this country and every one of those people I'm
recruiting _ those guys are my brothers.' "
In the past month, the bloodshed that has become part of the daily life in Iraq seemed to edge
closer and closer. He was shaken up in two explosions.
Two weeks before he died, his mother says, he called and she could hear the strain in his voice.
But he tried to be reassuring. "He said, I'll be all right. I don't have much longer. ... I'm ready to
come home. I'm ready."
And yet he seemed prepared for the possibility he wouldn't.
In a poem he sent to his family last year _ a poem now enlarged to floor-to-ceiling size, and
covering a wall of the Plouhar home _ Plouhar said he knew he could die serving his country and
was ready to make the sacrifice.
"I will leave my loved ones, my kids, my wife ...," he wrote. "Do not feel pity for me, for this is
my choice. ... This is me. This is who I am. I am a Marine to the very end."
Raymond Plouhar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SSgt Raymond J. Plouhar
United States Marine Corps
May 26, 1976 – June 26, 2006 (aged 30)
Raymond Plouhar in the 2004 movie, Fahrenheit 9/11.
Place of birth
Lake Orion, Michigan
Place of death
Anbar Province, Iraq
Allegiance
United States of America
Service/branch
United States Marine
Corps
Years of service
1995 - 2006
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Unit
3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
Battles/wars
Awards
Iraq War
Purple Heart
Raymond James Bryon Anthony Charles Plouhar (May 26, 1976–June 26, 2006) was a Staff
Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps killed by a roadside bomb in the Anbar Province of
Iraq, while serving in the Iraq War on June 26, 2006. His death raised media attention because he
had been filmed in 2004 in the politically charged Michael Moore documentary film Fahrenheit
9/11.
Plouhar was acting as a recruiter for the Marine Corps at the time he was filmed by Moore,
whose film portrayed Plouhar attempting to enlist recruits in Moore's hometown of Flint,
Michigan. At the time, Plouhar was then taking time off from active duty in the wake of his
having donated a kidney to an uncle.[1] Plouhar's father reported that his son willingly allowed
himself to be filmed, and was unaware that Moore was making a film critical of the Iraq War.[2]
Other Marines filmed in the segment claimed they were deceived, saying they were not told that
the filming was associated with Moore, or would be used to criticize their activities. They did not
make explicit whether they had asked the purpose of the film; however, the Marines indicated
that Moore's crew represented themselves as a New York based television production company,
Westside Productions, interested in making a small documentary on high school career
choices.[3]
A ten-year veteran of the Marine Corps, Plouhar was an infantry unit leader assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Marine Corps
Base Camp Pendleton, California. He had been part of a unit engaged in projects to rebuild and
revitalize schools in Iraq. He reportedly had 38 days left on his tour of duty at the time of his
death.[2] He is survived by his wife and two children.[4]
MARINE SSGT RAYMOND PLOUHAR, R.I.P.
By Michelle Malkin • June 28, 2006 02:21 PM
The DoD announced today the death of Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar, 30, of Lake Orion, Mich.:
Plouhar died June 26 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Plouhar was exploited by Michael Moore in his crockumentary, Fahrenheit 9/11:
A U.S. Marine and one-time recruiter who appeared in Michael Moore’s acclaimed documentary
“Fahrenheit 9/11″ has died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.
Although Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar willingly appeared in a segment of the 2004 film, his father,
Raymond, said Tuesday that his son didn’t realize that it was for a movie critical of the war.
Raymond Plouhar said that all his 30-year-old son ever wanted to do was serve his country.
“I remember when he fell in the bathtub and cut his chin when he was 6 years old, and the only way I
could get him to go to the hospital was to tell it was a MASH unit,” Raymond Plouhar said. “I’m proud
that my son wanted to protect the freedom of this country whether we all agree with the war or not.”
The younger Plouhar died Monday of wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Al
Anbar province of Iraq, the Defense Department announced Tuesday.
Plouhar, of Lake Orion, about 30 miles north of Detroit, was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, First Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He signed up for the Marines immediately after graduating from Lake Orion High School, where he
wrestled and played football, his father said in a telephone interview.
The 57-year-old Plouhar said his son took four years off from active duty to serve as a recruiter in Flint
after donating one of his kidneys to his uncle.
During that time, the Marine was filmed as part of “Fahrenheit 9/11,” about the Bush administration’s
actions after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The 10-year Marine’s sister and grandfather served in the Army. He had only 38 days left in Iraq and had
been there a little more than four months during his most recent tour, his family said.
“I’m devastated, sad and proud,” Plouhar said of his only son. “This just makes me devoted even more to
his belief that people need help in Iraq, and he felt that he was helping.”
He said his son was teased a lot as a young kid and protected people as he grew up.
“He liked to protect the underdog,” the father said. “All of his buddies from school called saying, `He was
my friend when nobody else would be.’”
More on Plouhar’s kidney donation:
As a highly skilled marksman, he is trained to make split-second decisions in life and death situations.
Likewise, he did not hesitate to react when he received the news of a family member in distress..
Second Marine Division’s Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar decided to give the gift of life – - in the form of one of
his kidneys – - to his uncle, Tim Kennedy.
The sergeant from Surveillance, Target and Acquisition Platoon, Weapons Company, 2d Battalion, 2d
Marine Regiment, was home on leave for Easter 1998, when his mother told him of his uncle’s
hospitalization.
Kennedy, a husband and father of two girls, was diagnosed with renal kidney failure, a potentially lifeending disease that required an organ transplant, according to Plouhar.
“As soon as I found out, I offered to be tested [as a donor],” said the Lake Orion, Mich., Marine.
Plouhar’s wife, Leigh, was hesitant about his eagerness to donate at first.
“I was angry at him,” she said.” I was upset ’cause he didn’t discuss it with me. He just decided to do it.”
Leigh’s concern centered on her own immediate family – - her husband and their toddler, Raymond.
“It took her a few months to agree,” said Plouhar. “I explained to her that when they’re in need, you help
family. That’s the way I was raised.”
The Marine’s command also ensured that he understood the repercussions of organ donation.
Plouhar sought the advice of his platoon sergeant at the time, Staff Sgt. Greg S. Tyler, now a scout/sniper
instructor at Stone Bay.
“I told him to think of his family first,” said Tyler of Santa Ynez, Calif. “I reminded him that this could
affect the rest of his life.”
“They (his command) were really supportive,” Plouhar said.
He was also advised that he might be charged convalescent leave and would incur all medical costs if
complications occurred. Additionally, he was advised that if he died during or after the operation, he
would forfeit his serviceman’s group life insurance benefits.
The infantryman knew the risks associated with the procedure and conducted his own feasibility
assessment. He researched the disease and consulted with a U.S. Naval medical officer to preclude a
hereditary condition.
“At age five, my dad lost a kidney, but has since lived a healthy life,” he said in defense of his rational. “If I
do develop problems later in life, donors in Michigan are considered top candidates for organ
replacement.”
Later in 1998, the II Marine Expeditionary Force Commanding General granted approval shortly before
Plouhar deployed to the Mediterranean region with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The transplant was performed Jan. 9, which coincidentally is Plouhar’s grandmother’s birthday.
Plouhar was quoted in the Marine Corps News when the 3/5 deployed in January of this year:
Although the thought of being away from their loved ones wasn’t favorable, Operation Iraq
Freedom veteran Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar said, “The job needs to be done.”
God bless this remarkable Marine and his family.
this is me this is who i am
i am a Marine to the very end
i will live, i will fight, i will kill, i will die
i live by the motto that is Semperi Fi
i come to countries in far off lands
to fight for freedom for which most are too scared to stand
do not judge me for what i do
for what i do i do for you
i will kill for those who cannot kill
i will die for those too scared to
i will leave my loved ones, my kids, my wife
i will leave them all behind to give you a better life
i have seen and done things that will haunt my dreams
i have given up many things for you to be free
do not feel pity for me, for this is my choice
i chose this life so people like you can have a voice
i will die on my feet, i will not live on my knees
i will do this so America can stay free
this is me this is who i am
i am a Marine to the very end
-Sgt. Raymond PlouharMarine remembered for his generosity
July 8, 2006
BY LORI HIGGINS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Leigha Plouhar, center, watches as Marines carry her husband's casket Friday at the funeral at Lake
Orion High School. Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond Plouhar, a 1996 Lake Orion High School graduate, was
killed in combat in Iraq last month and buried with full military honors. Hundreds turned out for the
funeral service. (Photos by HUGH GRANNUM/Detroit Free Press)
Raymond J. Plouhar's funeral was a celebration.
Of the life he chose. Of the sacrifices he made. Of the impact he had.
"He gave his uncle a kidney, and he died for his country. That sums it up right there," said Tammy
Brown, a former coworker of Cynthia Plouhar, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond Plouhar's mother.
Sgt. Plouhar, 30, a 1996 graduate of Lake Orion High School and a father of two, was killed in combat
June 26 by an improvised explosive device in Iraq.
Hundreds of people filled the auditorium at Lake Orion High School on Friday morning for his funeral.
Outside, dozens holding American flags lined the school's driveway.
Terry McKinnon of Highland Township held his flag high as a man playing taps on a bagpipe exited the
school, followed by Sgt. Plouhar's casket, which was draped with a flag and carried by Marine
pallbearers.
His family, many of them weeping, quickly filed into waiting limousines.
And as the funeral procession was led away from the high school by a group of motorcyclists, McKinnon
folded up the flag he had been holding. He came to the funeral because he and Sgt. Plouhar shared a
mutual friend, and because he's a Marine veteran. Just this week, he signed up to join the Patriot Guard.
"We like to be out here to support our country," McKinnon said of the Patriot Guard, mostly made up of
motorcyclists who travel to the funerals of fallen troops nationwide to shield families from protesters
and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Sgt. Plouhar was a platoon leader assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He left behind sons Raymond, 9,
and Michael, 5, and a wife, Leigha, whom he called "my biggest hero" on his MySpace.com Web page.
There, he also wrote about both of his tours in Iraq, saying: "You can call me crazy but I like," coming to
Iraq. Someone "has to do it, plus I love what I do."
Though he didn't know Sgt. Plouhar, Scott Marks of Los Angeles, who was visiting relatives in Pontiac,
said it was important for him to attend the funeral.
"The Marine Corps is my fraternity. When I see a Marine, I speak to him. And when one falls, a part of
you falls, because he's your buddy. It touches you," said Marks, a Marine veteran whose relatives live
next to Sgt. Plouhar's grandmother.
Sgt. Plouhar had been scheduled to return home from Iraq at the end of this month. Last year, his work
as a Marine recruiter was featured in Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11," which was critical about
the Bush administration's actions after the 9/11 attacks. It was an appearance he hated, his family has
said. And the Marines accused the movie's production company of duping Sgt. Plouhar's recruiting unit
into cooperating.
But Mary Cottrill, a family friend, said he may best be known for his friendly personality and giving
nature. He described himself online as having interests in the outdoors.
"But my biggest interests have to be my wife and kids. They are my life, that might sound kinda corney
but it's true," he wrote.
Cottrill knew Sgt. Plouhar's mother through their work with Lake Orion Community Schools. She heard
of the sacrifice he made in donating a kidney to his uncle. Cottrill, a bus driver for the district, met Sgt.
Plouhar several years ago at his grandmother's funeral.
"He was making sure he made the rounds and he talked to everyone," Cottrill said Friday.
In addition to his wife and sons, he is survived by parents Cynthia and Raymond Plouhar Sr.; sisters Toni
Plouhar and Marie Martinez, and grandmother Shirley Kennedy.
Pendleton Marine dies in Iraq
By: North County Times - | Posted: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 12:00 am
A staff sergeant based at Camp Pendleton has died from wounds suffered during combat action in Iraq, the Defense
Department announced Tuesday.
Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar, 30, of Lake Orion, Mich., succumbed Monday to unspecified wounds suffered
during combat operations in the lethal Anbar province, the Defense Department said.
Plouhar was among several Marines featured in a May 10 story written by Cpl. Mark Sixbey for the 1st Marine
Division in Iraq.
The story chronicled a May 9 visit by a group of Marines to the Al Nabatiya Elementary School near Fallujah and
how Plouhar and others visited with the children and gave them candy as they delivered toys and school supplies
and evaluated the school for a remodeling project.
Plouhar was identified in the story as the sergeant for Jump Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
He joined the Marine Corps on Aug. 24, 1995.
His awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, a Marine Corps
Good Conduct Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Medal and a Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon.
Plouhar was assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force, which now has 25,000 Marines and sailors from Camp
Pendleton and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station on assignment in the dangerous Anbar region west of Baghdad.
His death is the 298th recorded among locally based Marines and sailors.
Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar: Gung-ho barely described Plouhar. "I remember when
he fell in the bathtub and cut his chin when he was 6 years old, and the only way I could get him
to go to the hospital was to tell it was a MASH unit," said his father, also named Raymond.
Plouhar, 30, of Lake Orion, Mich., was killed June 26 by a roadside bomb in Anbar province. He
was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif. He enlisted after graduating from high school in 1996,
where he wrestled and played football. He had previously deployed to Bosnia and the Sudan
and was on his second tour in Iraq. He served as a recruiter in Flint after donating one of his
kidneys to his uncle. During that time, he was filmed as part of "Fahrenheit 9/11." His family said
he was unaware it would be critical of the war. "He hated it," said his sister, Toni. Plouhar was
teased a lot as a young kid and protected people as he grew up. "He liked to protect the
underdog," the father said. "All of his buddies from school called saying, 'He was my friend
when nobody else would be.'" He is survived by his wife, Leigha, and sons, Raymond, 9, and
Michael, 5.
LAKE ORION, Mich., July 9, 2006
'Fahrenheit' Marine Laid To Rest
Raymond Plouhar Went From Michael Moore Movie To Iraq And Back Home
AP) He was a stern-faced sniper — and a soft-hearted Marine who handed out candy to
kids in Iraq. He was a warrior who wrote poetry about life and death.
He was featured in Michael Moore's antiwar documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11," portrayed
as an overzealous Marine recruiter who targeted poor kids.
But Staff Sgt. Raymond Plouhar was far more complicated than that.
And it was that complicated man who died in Iraq in late June, as he served with some
of the same men he had recruited years ago. It was that complex man who was buried
Friday, by a family that honored his service but would never forget his humanity.
"He had a huge heart," says his widow, Leigha.
Plouhar was a Marine for 10 of his 30 years, but he had dreamed of joining the military
ever since he was a little boy who liked to watch "M-A-S-H" on television and dress in
fatigues and a camouflage shirt.
He entered the Corps straight out of high school, was trained as a sniper and traveled
the world — Bosnia, Sudan and Israel. He had a ramrod posture and a fierce pride in his
appearance: He once ironed his uniform and polished its brass buttons for two hours
before allowing his mom to photograph him.
"He told me lots of times that he learned what could be accomplished... if you put your
heart and soul in it — and he put his heart and soul in the Marine Corps," says his father,
also named Raymond. "He was gung-ho from the time he signed his name until the day
he died."
His signature was a memorable one.
His birth certificate read Raymond James Byron Anthony Charles Plouhar — he was
named after all his grandfathers. He followed a long family tradition of military service
that included a grandfather who earned a Purple Heart in World War II and an older
sister, Toni, who was in the Army.
Plouhar carried a Bible from his grandfather, Raymond, to Iraq. He kept it in his left shirt
pocket next to his heart. Tucked inside was a photo of his wife and their two sons,
Raymond, 9, and Michael, 5.
As devoted as he was to the Marines, Plouhar had a full life outside the military. He liked
to hunt and camp, take canoe trips and fish with his boys.
He was known as a charmer, a good talker, a champion of the underdog (always
defending and befriending kids picked on in school) and though he was trained to fight
and kill, he preferred the role of peacemaker.
"He didn't like turmoil," recalls his mother, Cynthia. "He wanted everybody to be happy,
to get along... He'd say 'Life's too short to sweat the small stuff.'"
As family members gathered last week in their lakefront home 30 miles north of Detroit,
they lined the walls and windows with photo collages that tell Raymond Plouhar's life in
chapters.
There's the grinning kid with the protruding ears (a coach once joked he looked like a
Volkswagen with the doors open) proudly holding up the bass he caught.
There's the sturdy athlete grappling with an opponent around a wrestling circle and
posing in the green-and-white football uniform of the Lake Orion Dragons.
There's the young man in love, sitting with high school sweetheart, Leigha, on his dad's
Harley on their way to the prom, then years later, together again, he in Marine blue, she
in white, on their wedding day.
Then there's the tough-minded Marine in helmet and combat gear — doling out candy
from a plastic bag two months ago to schoolchildren in Iraq.
"He admired the Iraqi people," his father says. "He said, 'Dad, even though I can't
understand a word they're saying, if we were back home... we'd be buddies.'"
Plouhar was killed on June 26 by a roadside bomb in Anbar province in his second tour
of duty in Iraq, weeks before he was to return home. He was assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in
Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Plouhar's family says he had no qualms about returning to Iraq and he believed
conditions had improved since his first tour in 2005.
"I never worried," Leigha says, "because... in my head, he was indestructible and nothing
could ever happen to him because he was so good at what he did."
His mother says her son preferred to be at the center of the action. In an undated entry
in a blog on MySpace.com, Plouhar said "you can call me crazy" but he liked being in
Iraq. "Someone has to do it plus I love what I do," he wrote.
Plouhar did step back from active duty for four years and worked as a recruiter in Flint
so he could donate a kidney to his uncle.
It was as a recruiter that Plouhar was seen in Moore's award-winning "Fahrenheit 9/11."
The segment shows Plouhar and another Marine in a mall parking lot in a depressed
suburb of Flint; it suggests the two men were cynically hunting for poor teens to sign up,
rather than go to a wealthy suburb where they'd likely be rejected.
Plouhar's father says his son told him he had been misled and believed he was being
filmed for a documentary that would appear on the Discovery Channel. (Moore's office
didn't return calls or e-mail messages seeking comment.)
"He cried when he found out what it really was," his father says. "He never dreamed
that it was going to be something to slam the country, which he dearly loved."
The movie, to be precise, is primarily a criticism of the Bush administration's actions
after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
And yet, the elder Plouhar also says he doesn't see anything wrong with his son's
actions. "If you really watched just the part with my son in it," he asks, "how could you
not say that he was standing tall and proud?"
His parents say they've seen only the segment featuring their son. Leigha Plouhar says
her husband asked her not to watch the film — and she never has. Nor has Stephen
Wandrie, his friend of 20 years, who says Plouhar was hurt by the film, but told him:
"'You know what? I know what I do is good for this country and every one of those
people I'm recruiting — those guys are my brothers.'"
In the past month, the bloodshed that has become part of the daily life in Iraq seemed
to edge closer and closer. He was shaken up in two explosions.
Two weeks before he died, his mother says, he called and she could hear the strain in his
voice. But he tried to be reassuring. "He said, I'll be all right. I don't have much longer...
I'm ready to come home. I'm ready."
And yet he seemed prepared for the possibility he wouldn't.
In a poem he sent to his family last year — a poem now enlarged to floor-to-ceiling size,
and covering a wall of the Plouhar home — Plouhar said he knew he could die serving
his country and was ready to make the sacrifice.
"I will leave my loved ones, my kids, my wife...," he wrote. "Do not feel pity for me, for
this is my choice... This is me. This is who I am. I am a Marine to the very end."
Spec. Joseph P. Micks
Hometown: Rapid River, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: July 8, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, Warner Barracks, Bamberg,
Germany
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Mine Protected Vehicle (RG-31) during
combat operations in Ramadi.
Army Cpl. Joseph P. Micks
Died July 08, 2006 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
22, of Rapid River, Mich.; assigned to 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade,
Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany; died July 8 when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his mine protected vehicle during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
Also killed were Staff Sgt. Omar D. Flores, Sgt. Al’Kaila T. Floyd and Cpl. Troy C.
Linden.
Slain soldier gets final wish – a burial in Germany
By Michael J. Feeney
Associated Press
DETROIT — The family of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq plans to fulfill his last wish — to
bury him in Germany where he had planned to raise a family with his German wife.
Army Spc. Joseph P. Micks, 22, of Rapid River, Michigan, died Saturday in Ramadi,
Iraq, when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle, the Pentagon said. Two other
soldiers from the 54th Engineer Battalion died in the explosion.
Micks was just months away from finishing his tour in Iraq and had plans to rejoin his
wife in Germany, his mother, Amy Micks, said in a telephone interview.
“He wanted to go and make a difference,” she said Monday night. “He wanted to help
end things. He was a happy kid and always wanted to help others.”
Micks was assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, Warner
Barracks, in Bamberg, Germany.
While serving in Germany, he met and married his wife, Ramona, his mother said.
“Through her wishes and Joe’s wishes, his burial will be in Germany, where they were
going to build a family,” she said.
However, Micks’ body first will be flown to Michigan for a memorial service at the
Gladstone Armory this weekend.
Micks began a one-year tour of Iraq in November, but there was talk that he could have
been released as early as September, Amy Micks said.
“He wanted to come home,” said his mother, who last spoke to her son two weeks ago.
“He saw too much over there — all of the killing and his friends dying.”
Micks was an altar server at the family’s church, a Boy Scout, loved to collect sports
memorabilia and fixed the computers of neighbors in their tight-knit community, his
parents said.
“He was our hero. He stood up for our land and he gave everything he had,” she said.
“We love him and wish he was here.”
Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007
Public Law 110-41
by the 110th Congress of the United States
Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007
Public Law 110-42:
Extension of the Andean
Trade Preference Act→
Pub.L. 110−41, 121 Stat. 233, H.R. 692, enacted June 29, 2007.
Note: This is the original legislation as it was initially enacted. Like many laws, this statute may have
since been amended once or many times, and the text contained herein may no longer be legally current.
Follow the interlinks within the content or check to see What Links Here for more.
110TH UNITED STATES CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
An Act
To amend title 4, United States Code, to authorize the Governor of a State, territory, or possession of
the United States to order that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or
possession in the event of the death of a member of the Armed Forces from that State, territory, or
possession who dies while serving on active duty.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled,
[edit] SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment
Act of 2007´´.
[edit] SEC. 2. FINDING.
Congress finds that members of the Armed Forces of the United States defend the freedom and
security of the United States.
[edit] SEC. 3. PROCEDURE FOR NATIONAL FLAG TO BE FLOWN AT
HALF-STAFF IN THE EVENT OF THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OF THE
ARMED FORCES.
(a) Issuance of Proclamation.—
Subsection (m) of section 7 of title 4, United States Code, is amended in the sixth sentence—
(1) by inserting ``or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or
possession who dies while serving on active duty´´ after ``present or former official of the
government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States´´; and
(2) by inserting before the period the following: ``, and the same authority is provided to the
Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of
Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia´´.
(b) Federal Facility Consistency With Proclamation.—
Such subsection is further amended by inserting after the sixth sentence the following new
sentence:
``When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of
Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at
half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the
death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal installation or
facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that
proclamation.´´.
Approved June 29, 2007.
Staff Sgt. Duane J. Dreasky
Hometown: Novi, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 31 years old
Died: July 10, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army National Guard, 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery, Army
National Guard, Lansing, Mich.
Incident: Died at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Tex.,
of injuries sustained when a makeshift bomb exploded near his
Humvee in Habbaniyah on Nov. 21, 2005.
Duane Joseph Dreasky
Sergeant, United States Army
EWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 660-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 12, 2006
Media Contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000
Public/Industry(703)428-0711
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sergeant Duane J. Dreasky, 31, of Novi, Michigan, died on July 10,
2006, in the Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of
injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near
his HMMWV in Habbaniyah, Iraq, on November 21, 2005. Dreasky
was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 119th Field
Artillery, Lansing, Mich.
Media with questions about this soldier can call the Michigan National
Guard Public Affairs Office at (517) 481-8145.
Friday, July 21, 2006:
NOVI, MICHIGAN -- A public memorial service will be held Saturday
at Walled Lake Western High School's football field for a Michigan
National Guard soldier who died from injuries suffered in Iraq.
Sergeant Duane Dreasky of Novi, who suffered burns over 75 percent of
his body during an attack in Iraq, died July 10 in Texas.
"He played on that (Walled Lake football) field, he loved that school
and loved the Warriors," said Mandeline Dreasky, his wife.
Sergeant Dreasky was riding in a Humvee near al-Habbaniyah when it
was hit by an improvised explosive device on Nov. 21, 2005.
Dreasky was airlifted out of Iraq and ended up at an Army burn center
in San Antonio, where President Bush toured on January 1, 2006.
Dreasky tried to salute when Bush entered. His story was featured in
The Detroit News on June 30, 2006.
"Duane served honorably and embodied the Army values, especially
selfless service and personal courage," said Major General Thomas G.
Cutler, the Adjutant General, Michigan National Guard.
Survivors include his wife, Mandeline; parents, Cheryl and Rodger
Dreasky; and sister, Dawn Harvey.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. today in the O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral
Home, 41555 Grand River, Novi.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Walled Lake Western
High School Football Stadium, 600 Beck Road, Commerce Township.
Burial will be Tuesday in Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials can be sent to Duane J. Dreasky Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box
23116, Lansing, MI 48909-3116.
Novi GI succumbs to war injuries
While recovering from severe burns suffered in insurgent attack,
Guardsman defied condition to salute visiting Bush.
Michigan Army National Guard Sergeant Duane Dreasky, who suffered
burns over 75 percent of his body during an attack in Iraq, died in a
Texas military hospital after an eight-month fight for his life.
Sgt. Duane Dreasky is shown in Iraq. He was the last survivor of the
five-man Humvee unit that was hit by an improvised explosive device
Nov. 21.
"He went out with so much dignity," his wife, Mandeline Dreasky, said
Tuesday.
"He fought and defied death four times. We had hoped that he would
make it."
Dreasky, 31, of Novi died Monday at the Brooke Army Medical Center
in San Antonio.
He had been living a life-long dream of serving his country when the
Humvee in which he was riding near al-Habbaniyah, Iraq, was hit by an
improvised explosive device on November 21, 2005.
He was airlifted out of Iraq and ended up at the San Antonio burn
center, where President George W. Bush toured on January 1, 2006, and
met with soldiers. Sergeant Dreasky, in bandages, tried to salute when
Bush entered the room. The Detroit News featured a photo of Bush and
Dreasky along with an article on the front page on June 30.
Dreasky had been recovering at a military hospital in Texas. When President Bush
visited January 1, 2006, he tried to lift a bandaged hand in salute
His death is the 88th from Michigan in the Iraq war, and he is the
seventh soldier to die from Michigan Army National Guard Company
B, 125th Infantry, based in Saginaw. The unit has suffered the highest
number of casualties of any unit from Michigan that has served in Iraq.
He was also the last survivor of the five-man Humvee unit that was
attacked on November 20, 2005.
The shock of his death resonated beyond his family.
"He was a big imposing, somewhat intimidating person who loved kids
and they loved him," said Kim Anderson, whose son took martial arts
classes from Dreasky.
"He just tried to make his family proud, and he definitely did that."
In addition to his wife, survivors include his parents, Cheryl and Roger;
sister Dawn Marie Harvey; grandmother Virginia Lach; grandparents,
Duane and Dorothy Peterson.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Memorial contributions can be sent to the Duane J. Dreasky
Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 23116 Lansing, MI 48909-3116.
Debbie Schlussel: Go to This American Hero's Funeral Saturday (in
Detroit Area)
By Debbie Schlussel
Two weeks ago, American hero, Sergeant Duane Dreasky, a brave U.S.
soldier and Army National Guardsman, passed away--after 8 valiant
months fighting to live.
The Michigan-based man was the last of several U.S. military victims of
a terrorist IED targeted at the HumVee in which they were riding.
Despite horrible burns over 75% of his body, he tried to salute President
Bush when he visited his hospital room and established a scholarship to
help others--even though he was in dire straits himself.
Tomorrow (Saturday) Morning is his funeral. Many readers in the
Detroit area have asked me if it is a public service, and, indeed, it is. In
fact, unfortunately, protesters are reported planning to demonstrate
outside. If you live in the Detroit area, I recommend that you attend.
The information, from Detroit News reporter Edward Cardenas, is:
Sergeant Duane Dreasky, American Hero, RIP
A public memorial service will be held Saturday at Walled Lake
Western High School's football field for [Duane Dreasky,] a Michigan
National Guard soldier who died from injuries suffered in Iraq.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. today in the O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral
Home, 41555 Grand River, Novi.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Walled Lake Western
High School Football Stadium, 600 Beck Road, Commerce Township.
Burial will be Tuesday in Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials can be sent to Duane J. Dreasky Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box
23116, Lansing, MI 48909-3116.
Posted by Debbie on July 21, 2006 05:17 PM to Debbie Schlussel
Mich. soldiers arrive for comrade's Arlington burial
Edward L. Cardenas
Courtesy of The Detroit News
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE -- Dozens of soldiers from Michigan
National Guard's Company B, 125th Infantry touched down this
morning in the nation's capital to honor a fallen comrade from Novi
who died July 10, 2006, from injuries suffered in Iraq.
The journey for the burial of Sergeant Duane Dreasky at Arlington
National Cemetery was an emotional one for the soldiers.
During their one-year deployment in Iraq, six soldiers from the unit lost
their lives, the most of any Michigan National Guard unit. Dreasky
became the seventh member to die when he succumbed to injuries he
suffered when his Humvee was hit with an improvised explosive device
in al-Habbaniyah, Iraq, on November 21, 2005.
The Novi native, who dreamed of becoming a soldier since he was 9
years old, suffered third-degree burns over 75 percent of his body. He
clung to life at a Texas military hospital, even managing a handshake
when President George W. Bush visited his room in January, but
ultimately died of complications from his injury.
Family and friends gathered for his funeral Saturday at Walled Lake
Western High School. On Tuesday, his comrades came from across the
state to fly in a Michigan Air National Guard C-130 airplane to be with
their "brother" and his family one last time. The soldiers landed shortly
after 10 a.m. and were headed to a 1 p.m. burial service.
Dreasky is to be buried on the same day Governor Jennifer M.
Granholm ordered that United States flags throughout the state of
Michigan and on Michigan waters be lowered for one day to honor him.
Soldier Fought for His Life for 8 Months
By Arianne Aryanpur
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
For nearly a year after the explosion, Sergeant Duane Dreasky fought
for his life and stayed alive -- despite the third-degree burns that
covered three-quarters of his body.
Every morning, nurses at Brooke Army Medical Center's burn unit in
San Antonio dressed his wounds. In the afternoon, he welcomed visitors:
his wife, his family and President Bush, who once toured the facility.
An Army honor guard carries the coffin of Staff Sgt. Duane J. Dreasky, of Novi, Mich., at
Arlington National Cemetery
But on July 10, 2006, nearly eight months after he was admitted to the
burn center, Dreasky, of Novi, Mich., died of his wounds. He was 31.
Yesterday, mourners gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor
Dreasky, the 251st person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be
buried there. A motorcade followed the silver hearse carrying his coffin
to Section 60. More than 100 people got out of cars and a chartered bus
into the stifling heat. Dreasky's parents, Cheryl and Roger, and wife
Mandeline led the procession to grave site 8407.
A spokeswoman for the medical center said Dreasky was the last
surviving soldier of a roadside bomb that exploded near his Humvee in
Habbaniyah, Iraq, on November 21, 2006. Four other soldiers in the
Humvee died of complications from wounds sustained in the explosion.
Dreasky was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 119th
Field Artillery, based in Lansing, Michigan. But joining the military
wasn't simple. Because of knee problems, Dreasky had to petition
several state officials before he was accepted, the Detroit News reported.
"He definitely was a true patriot," said Master Sergeant Denice Rankin,
a spokeswoman for the Michigan National Guard. "He tried so hard to
get into the military to serve his country."
Shortly after enlisting in 2003, he volunteered to serve in Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba. He had been back home from that assignment for only four
months when he volunteered for Iraq in 2005. Dreasky was deployed
with Company B, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment.
Over the sound of airplanes and chirping insects yesterday, Army
Chaplain Lane Creamer delivered a Protestant service. "Almighty God,
we commend Duane into thy loving hands," Creamer said. Later, a
soldier presented an American flag to Dreasky's wife and another to his
parents.
As mourners walked to their cars and Dreasky's family remained at the
grave, the faint sound of a bugler playing taps at another funeral was
heard in the distance.
Dreasky was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant and received a
Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His other awards included an
Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Iraq
Campaign Medal and a Combat Action Badge.
Mandeline Dreasky also served in the Michigan National Guard but was
working as a paralegal when her husband was wounded, according to
news reports. When Dreasky was admitted to Brooke Army Medical
Center, she became a volunteer there and lived on the grounds to be
closer to him.
"He went out with so much dignity," she told the Detroit News this
month. "He fought and defied death four times. We had hoped he would
make it."
In hallowed ground: Michigan soldier is laid to rest
July 26, 2006
BY JEFF SEIDEL
Courtesy of the Detroit Free Press
Five Michigan Army National Guard soldiers were injured November
21, 2005, in Habbaniyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device
exploded under the Humvee they were riding in. Specialist John Wilson
Dearing died in the explosion. Sergeant Duane Dreasky was the last of
the five to die. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry
Regiment from Saginaw.
Under a gray, cloudy sky on Tuesday, six soldiers carried a silver casket
from the hearse to Section 60, Grave 8407, in Arlington National
Cemetery -- the final resting place of Sergeant Duane Dreasky, who died
July 10 from injuries suffered in Iraq.
Mandy Dreasky, his widow, walked slowly behind the casket, followed
by more than 100 friends, family and fellow soldiers, including 43 who
flew from Lansing on Tuesday morning in a cargo plane.
Dreasky, 31, of Novi, Michigan, was the 10th member of the Michigan
Army National Guard to die serving in Iraq. He was the first of them to
be buried in Arlington.
Dreasky's 1st Battalion, Company B, 125th Infantry out of Saginaw was
especially hard hit in Iraq, with one of the highest casualty numbers for
any Michigan unit in the 3-year-old war. Of the 94 soldiers with
Michigan ties who have died, seven were from the 1st Battalion, and five
of those were from a single explosion.
"It was overcast and gray at the start, and that's how I felt," said
Lieutenant Obie Yordy, 35, of Marshall, who served with Dreasky. "But
at the end, it kind of lit up and the sun came out. This was an honor.
Duane would have cried. I felt guilty that I'm here and he's not."
Dreasky was injured Nov. 21, 2005, in Iraq while riding in a Humvee
with four other Michigan soldiers. Specialist John Wilson Dearing, 21,
was killed instantly.
The other four soldiers were rushed to Brooke Army Medical Center in
San Antonio. They had suffered severe burns and fought valiantly,
battling intense pain and countless surgeries -- some for weeks, others
for months -- but none survived.
Sergeant Spencer Akers, 35, of Traverse City died December 8, 2005.
Sergeant Joshua Youmans, 26, of Flushing Township died March
1,2006.
Sergeant Matthew Webber, 23, of Stanwood died April 27, 2006.
Dreasky, who was never told the others had died, was the last one.
"It's sad," said Captain Anthony Dennis, who served with Dreasky.
"This guy was an American hero."
Dreasky, who played football at Walled Lake Western High School,
joined the Michigan Army National Guard in 2003. He was deployed to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before he volunteered for duty in Iraq.
Before he left, Dreasky told his mother, Cheryl Dreasky of Novi, that he
wanted to be buried at Arlington.
He was buried with honors in an area of the cemetery devoted to
soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dreasky was the 251st person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be
buried at Arlington.
A firing party fired three volleys.
"This is what Duane wanted," said Major General Tom Cutler of the
Michigan Army National Guard. "America just lost an outstanding
young person."
For the soldiers who served with Dreasky and returned home just last
month, it was an emotional experience, going to a place several called
"hallowed ground." They spent a few minutes walking the area,
snapping pictures and visiting the Tomb of the Unknowns, watching the
changing of the guard.
"This is overwhelming," said Staff Sergant Scott Cortese, 36, of
Harrison Township.
Staff Sergeant Rob Witgen, 39, of Williamston served with Dreasky in
Cuba and Iraq. Witgen was not surprised when Dreasky fought to live,
for so many months, enduring so much pain while showing so much
dignity and class. He added that Duane's wife and parents, Roger and
Cheryl, went through hell, trying to nurse him back to health.
"He was the epitome of a soldier," Witgen said. "He was a fighter. His
body gave out before his will."
As a bugler played taps, the family gathered at the grave site and a
helicopter buzzed in the distance. The media was kept in the distance,
forbidden to talk to the family.
At the end of the 30-minute ceremony, Mandy Dreasky touched the
casket tenderly, while gripping a freshly folded American flag.
Before the family left, four workers lowered the casket into the ground.
They rolled up the ceremonial carpet and picked up the chairs on which
the family members sat.
The Michigan soldiers filed onto a bus. They were covered with sweat
and drying tears. The bus pulled onto a roadway, which led out of the
cemetery, where more than 300,000 are buried. The soldiers looked out
the windows at thousands of white tombstones, lined in perfect rows.
The bus passed another hearse at the side of the road, another grieving
family sitting on chairs in front of a casket.
'He was my brother'
Michigan Guardsmen bury Novi soldier in Arlington
Edward L. Cardenas and Gordon Trowbridge
Courtesy of The Detroit News
Michigan National Guard Brig. Gen. Robert Taylor presents the American flag to Mandeline
Dreasky, Staff Sgt. Duane Dreasky's widow, at the soldier's funeral. See full image
A bugler plays "Taps" during Dreasky's funeral, against the backdrop of scores of other fallen
soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Dreasky received a posthumous promotion to staff
sergeant. See full image
Staff Sgt. Scott Cortese ponders the day ahead on the C-130 flight to Dreasky's funeral. "I've
never been to Arlington (National Cemetery) before so I know it's going to be a pretty moving
experience," he said. See full image
On their way to say goodbye to a fallen comrade, aboard a noisy
transport plane and later a bus headed to Arlington National Cemetery,
they traded stories -- not as much about how their friend died, but how
he lived.
They remembered Staff Sergeant Duane J. Dreasky's gung-ho attitude,
how he was proud of the sharp, starched lines of his uniform and his
spit-shined boots. They chuckled over how he once turned off the hot
water to a friend's shower as a practical joke. How he made a cake out
of Twinkies and Ho Hos for a birthday celebration.
Most of all, members of Michigan National Guard Company B, 125th
Infantry remembered Dreasky as a fighter -- a soldier who battled for
eight months before dying July 10, 2006, from burns suffered when a
roadside bomb struck his Humvee in Iraq. He was 31.
"Even though I was his leader, he had qualities I wanted to have," said
Staff Sergeant Keenon Wallace, who supervised Dreasky during an
earlier deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "He wasn't 'like' my
brother. He WAS my brother."
Dreasky, whose National Guard unit has suffered more casualties than
any other Michigan Guard unit so far, became a symbol of hope as he
struggled to recover, even attempting to salute President George W.
Bush during the president's visit to his room in January.
His story was profiled in The Detroit News on June 30.
Dreasky's final journey marched past street markers carrying the
names of historic giants -- Eisenhower, Bradley, Marshall -- and
stopped, appropriately, on York Drive, named for a simple sergeant
who became a hero on a battlefield far from home.
Then, the short walk from a hearse to Section 60, Grave 8407 of
Arlington, where Dreasky, who had dreamed from his youth of serving
as a soldier, received a soldier's burial, with rifle volleys fired in salute
and the mournful call of "Taps" sounding across neat rows of white
headstones.
Dreasky is among 90 Michiganians to die in Iraq, and is the first
Michigan National Guard member to be buried at Arlington. There are
251 other U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq who have been buried at Arlington.
He was posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant, and
honored Saturday with a memorial service on the football field at his
alma mater, Walled Lake Western High School.
His friends and fellow soldiers -- about 50 of whom flew to Arlington
early Tuesday from Michigan for the funeral -- could think of no better
place to rest for a man who glowed with pride at being a soldier.
"If I had an army (of soldiers) like him, I wouldn't have a job to do,"
said Sergeant Major Dan Lincoln, whom Dreasky begged for a spot on
deployments to Cuba and then to Iraq.
The Michigan soldiers gathered before dawn Tuesday, first at Selfridge
Air Force Base in Macomb County to board a C-130 transport plan for
a short flight to Lansing, where more boarded, and then for a two-hour
flight to Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C.
Staff Sergeant Tom Barrett, 25, of Kalamazoo became close friends with
Dreasky while they roomed together in Cuba.
They knew each other well enough that Dreasky once played a practical
joke on Barrett, shutting off the hot water to his shower. And Dreasky
made Barrett a Twinkie-and-Ho Ho birthday cake when Barrett turned
23.
"There wasn't one thing he did poorly as a soldier," said Barrett. "Here
he is, a National Guard soldier who's supposed to work one weekend a
month and two weeks a year, and he would constantly volunteer to
serve."
Others remembered Dreasky's pride at being a soldier, and the uniform
he wore.
"To see his knowledge of the military, you would think he had been a
soldier for 15 years, not three," said Capt. Anthony Dennis, Dreasky's
company commander.
Volunteering had gotten Dreasky into the military in 2003, and to Iraq
with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment. And it
put him on a Humvee near Habbaniyah, Iraq, on November 21, 2005.
Dreasky wasn't scheduled for the mission, said Sergeant First Class
Kevin Nemetz, but he was eager to go. "His enthusiasm and work ethic
were unrivaled," he said.
The soldiers were hoping to set up an ambush for insurgent bombmakers, but instead, a roadside bomb ripped through a Humvee in their
convoy.
Private First Class John Dearing, 21, of Hazel Park died instantly.
Three others died in the following months from injuries in the blast Sergeant Spencer C. Akers, 35, of Traverse City; Sergeant Joshua V.
Youmans, 26, of Flushing Township; and Sergeant Matthew A. Webber,
23, of Starwood.
Dreasky fought on despite burns over three-quarters of his body,
receiving treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio,
Texas, the Army's top burn center. Nemetz said the company drew
encouragement from his battle, even as other soldiers injured in the
blast died.
"It was constantly reopening wounds," Nemetz said. "Then we hung
our hats on Dreasky."
Which brought the soldiers Tuesday to Arlington, on a hill overlooking
the Potomac River and Washington in one direction, the Pentagon in
another.
They arrived early for the 1 p.m. ceremony, took the short walk to the
Tomb of the Unknowns, where they watched the solemn changing of the
guard.
Then they walked back to the spot just off York Drive -- named for
another sergeant, Alvin York, who won a Medal of Honor during World
War I.
The men in sharp green uniforms lined up behind Dreasky's family,
listened to the words of an Arlington chaplain drift over the grass: "The
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
Then came the crack of the rifle salute, the playing of "Taps."
"It puts some closure on that day," said Dennis, the Bravo Company
commander.
"I wish it had a better ending."
As they walked back to their waiting bus, Dreasky's widow, Mandeline
Dreasky, approached the group, which gathered close to listen.
According to Barrett, Mandeline Dreasky told the soldiers she was
proud they came and that her husband would have been proud of them.
When she had finished speaking, they broke into applause.
Sergeant Duane Dreasky of Novi, Michigan, is buried Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.
He was injured
with four others in November. 2005. One was killed. The others fought for life, but succumbed
after weeks or months in the hospital. Dreasky, the last of the five, died July 10
Members of the U.S. Army's Old Guard render honors Tuesday at the burial of Michigan
National Guard
Staff Sergeant Duane Dreasky, who died July 10 of complications from wounds sustained
while on duty in Iraq.
Dreasky was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery
The U.S. flag is presented to Dreasky's widow, Mandy. Seated next to her are his
parents, Cheryl and Roger Dreasky.
"This guy was an American hero," said a soldier who served with Dreasky
Arlington: repository for U.S. war dead
About 300 killed in Iraq alone are now buried there
29 December 2006
Perhaps no place illustrates the toll of the Iraq war more vividly than
Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery. In this "garden of stone," in
ruler-straight rows, rest one-tenth of the Iraq war's American dead,
whose number now approaches 3,000.
Privates lie beside officers. Soldiers beside Marines. Muslim troops
beside Christians and those of other faiths.
Many were seasoned veterans, but most -- 60 percent -- never reached
age 25.
Some died in fierce battles, trading bullets and rockets with a flesh-andblood foe. But as the insurgency gained momentum in the past year,
almost half of the servicemen and women fell to a faceless enemy,
victims of remote-detonated IEDs, improvised explosive devices.
Like Army National Guard Sergeant Duane Dreasky of Novi, Michigan.
Each branch of service is represented here, though the Army has taken
two-thirds of the Iraq war losses.
There are other grim statistics: More than two dozen fell at age 18; 62
were women; nearly one-quarter of those who died came from just three
states, California, Texas and New York, according to casualty figures,
which also show recent monthly death totals climbing to levels not seen
since the war's early days.
Each of the fallen resting here on a grassy slope facing the Washington
Monument could stand for many others -- traditional heroes decorated
for acts "above and beyond the call of duty," and those whose families
say their heroism consisted of putting on their country's uniform during
a time of war.
Arlington honors each with a glistening 232-pound Vermont marble
headstone marked with the most basic of information -- and a number.
Dreasky lies down the row in space No. 8407.
Here is the story behind that number.
Years of football and jiujitsu had taken a toll on Duane Dreasky's knees.
But when the recruiters told him he was ineligible to serve, he
bombarded local officials with letters until they finally let him enlist in
the Michigan Army National Guard.
Twenty-one percent of those lost in Iraq were in the Guard or Reserve,
none more determined than the man known as "Big D."
When the beefy martial-arts instructor was told that his weight didn't
present "a good image for an NCO," he went on a crash diet, ran with a
40-pound rucksack and lost about 50 pounds.
Dreasky's wife, Mandeline, was also in the Guard and was severely
injured during a 2003 deployment to Kuwait. But her husband had
waited more than 10 years for his chance to serve, and she didn't stand
in his way.
Dreasky begged his way into a 13-month tour at Guantanamo Bay, then
almost immediately badgered his superiors into letting him join Bravo
Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, on its deployment to
Iraq. Once there, the 31-year-old sergeant acted more like a new recruit,
constantly asking his superiors, "Anything else need to be done, boss?"
And so it was on the morning of November 21, 2005.
A group of eight Humvees was heading out into al-Habbaniyah. Dreasky
was supposed to be off duty to give a younger forward observer a
chance to learn the ropes, but he managed to pester his weightlifting
buddy, Sergeant Matthew Webber, into giving another guy the day off.
As they prepared the vehicles, Dreasky, Webber and Staff Sergeant
Michael Haney made plans to meet at the gym after chow for a workout.
Before they parted, Dreasky flashed his trademark smile and uttered a
favorite line from the movie "Gladiator": "Strength and honor."
The day's mission was to take "atmospherics" in town and to bait
insurgents -- who'd been sowing the streets with improvised explosive
devices -- into making a move. They already had.
The Humvees were returning to base after about an hour's work when
two bombs, buried about a foot beneath the road's surface, exploded.
With a muffled WHUMP-WHUMP, Dreasky's vehicle burst into flames.
Specialist John Dearing died instantly. The remaining four were burned
almost beyond recognition. Despite excruciating pain, Dreasky did not
cry out. Instead, he was obsessed with finding his rifle, so it wouldn't be
left behind for the enemy.
Dreasky was evacuated with the other wounded. That night, Staff
Sergeant Mark "Doc" Russak, the unit's chief medic, prayed in the
camp's makeshift chapel, then returned to his bunk, where he captured
the torment of the moment in his journal.
"I don't think the men of Bravo could take another death right now," he
wrote, "and I know it would crush me."
But the deaths would keep coming: Sergeant Spencer Akers in
December; Sergeant Joshua Youmans, who never got to hold the
daughter born during his deployment, in March; Webber in April.
Dreasky, who was not told of the others' deaths, battled to recover at
San Antonio's Brooke Army Medical Center.
When President Bush visited there in January, Dreasky moved to salute.
Bush lightly touched Dreasky's bandaged right arm and said: "You
don't need to salute. I need to salute you."
Finally, on July 10, 2006, the IED of months before claimed its final
victim.
The day before he deployed, Easter Sunday, the boy who once got in
trouble for wearing camouflage to elementary school, asked his mother
to promise him something.
"Mom, this is war. Anything can happen," Cheryl Dreasky recalls him
saying. "If something happens to me, you don't rest until I'm buried in
Arlington."
After the funeral, when the bugle's echo had faded and the brass shell
casings from the rifle salute were collected, Mandy Dreasky gathered
her husband's comrades around her.
"You all need to continue to be soldiers," she said. "Because that's what
Duane would have wanted. And that's what he would have done."
But some of Dreasky's comrades wonder if Iraqis truly appreciate the
sacrifices being made on their behalf.
"These people, you just see the apathy in them and you're like, 'Why am
I here?' You know?" says Staff Sergeant Jeremy Plaxton, who served
with Dreasky. "If they don't want it, I can't make them accept freedom
and fight for it.
"Personally," he says, "I wouldn't give up one Dreasky for the entire
country of Iraq."
Posted: 21 July 2006 Updated: 22 July 2006 Updated: 25 July 2006 Updated: 26 July 2006
Updated: 21 August 2006 Updated: 27 September 2006
Updated: 29 December 2006 Updated: 25 August 2007
Duane J Dreasky
Novi, Michigan
July 10, 2006
Age Military
31
Army
Rank
Sgt
Unit/Location
Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 119th
Field Artillery
Lansing, Michigan
Died on July 10, in the Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas,
of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
HMMWV in Habbaniyah, Iraq, on Nov. 21.
Duane, tried to raise a bandaged arm to salute when President Bush visited his hospital
room in January.
The Detroit News 06/30/06
Born to be a soldier
Survivor becomes symbol of hope for Mich. unit that lost 6; Guardsman's
spirit inspires Bush
Edward L. Cardenas / The Detroit News
Sgt. Duane Dreasky of Novi never expected a bedside visit from his
commander in chief, but even swaddled in bandages, his response was
immediate.
"He tried to salute, and the president said, 'You don't need to salute, I need to
salute you,' " his wife, Mandeline Dreasky, recalled of the five-minute visit
her husband shared with George W. Bush at Brooke Army Medical Center in
San Antonio. "He was so proud and I was emotional for him. Bush is his
hero."
As the only survivor of a blast in Iraq that killed four of his comrades,
Dreasky has become something of a symbol of hope for a Michigan National
Guard unit that has lost six citizen soldiers -- more than any other unit in the
state.
He also is an example of how advances in evacuation techniques -- and new,
cutting-edge care at U.S. military hospitals -- are allowing more soldiers to
survive injuries that might have killed them in previous conflicts.
For Mandeline Dreasky, the drama of her husband's condition began on a day
in November, when she arrived at her in-laws' Novi home, knowing Army
officers were waiting inside with potentially devastating news about her
husband.
When she realized they were wearing their basic-duty uniforms instead of
dress blues, her fear gave way to hope.
"I knew we had a fighting chance," she recalled. "I went straight in and asked
where is he and when could I get to him."
The nearly eight months since that day have been a daily battle for survival
for Duane Dreasky, 31, who is in critical condition.
The former Walled Lake high school football player and martial arts
enthusiast suffered third-degree burns over 75 percent of his body when a
bomb exploded near his Humvee on Nov. 2.
Dreasky is one of more than 18,000 U.S. soldiers who have been injured in
Iraq, according to the Department of Defense, and one of an estimated 472
from Michigan. So far, 2,529 have died nationally, 86 of them from
Michigan.
In Dreasky's case, he is benefiting from a new Army burn center whose
medical staff has made 51 flights in a specially equipped jet to an Army base
in Germany to take 233 patients to San Antonio. It is the only military burn
center of its kind in the country.
Maj. Elizabeth Mann, a clinical nurse specialist for the burn center, said the
prompt evacuation and access to immediate care is giving soldiers like
Dreasky a fighting chance.
"There has been some research where we have taken civilian traumas, and
soldiers who have come from overseas, and their outcomes are the same," she
said.
Blast hit Humvee
The biggest threat to Dreasky's health now is a bacterial attack on his heart
valve, family and medical staff say. Because he is a burn victim, surgery is
impossible, so he has to fight a condition called endocarditis, inflammation of
the heart, through antibiotics.
"He keeps fighting and overcoming. It is a testimony to his fortitude," said
Mandeline, known as "Mandy," his wife of six years. "We rely on each other.
His eyes light up when he sees me and he responds quite well. He always
responds to me."
Dreasky was on patrol near al-Habbaniyah, Iraq, with four other Michigan
soldiers from Company B, 125th Infantry, when their Humvee was hit by an
improvised explosive device. Pfc. John W. Dearing, 21, of Hazel Park, was
killed instantly.
Sgt. Spencer Akers, Sgt. Matthew Webber and Sgt. Joshua Youmans all
suffered severe burns and were airlifted to Landstuhl, Germany, and
ultimately to the burn unit at the hospital at Fort Sam Houston in Texas.
Complications from the burns and their injuries slowly claimed the men who
rode with Dreasky. Akers, 35, of Traverse City was in command of the
Humvee and died Dec. 8. Youmans, 26, of Flushing died March 1. Webber,
23, of Kalamazoo died April 27.
News of their deaths has been kept from Dreasky, who asks about them daily.
Capt. Anthony Dennis of Otisville, commander of Dreasky's National Guard
unit, was riding in the same Humvee patrol when the remote control bomb
exploded. The patrol was to go through al-Habbaniyah and report on the
"atmosphere" of the town and observations to his commanders, Dennis said.
After the bomb exploded near Dreasky's Humvee, Dennis ran to help. He
recalls closing the door on the vehicle as Dreasky was evacuated to a nearby
medical center.
"He was last the guy evacuated," Dennis said. "He gave me a look that said,
'I'll be back.' "
He taught martial arts
Throughout his life, Dreasky has never shied away from a challenge, or his
desire to become a soldier. His loved ones said "he was born to be a soldier"
and wore fatigues to school.
He enjoyed studying military history and was athletic, playing high school
football at Walled Lake Western.
That athleticism also delayed his entry into the military because he had some
knee problems. Despite those injuries, he continued to get in shape for the day
he would be able to enlist.
He scuba dived, sky dived, ran track and wrestled. He also became a marital
arts instructor, working out of Michigan Martial Arts in Farmington Hills.
He met Mandy in 1994 when they both worked at Guardian Armored
Security in Highland Park. Coincidentally, she was in the military -- the
1775th Military Police Company out of Pontiac.
The couple married in March 2000, and Mandy Dreasky was deployed to Iraq
in 2003 to provide convoy escort. Back at home, Duane Dreasky helped
support the unit by transporting members to training in Wisconsin and
helping them communicate with loved ones overseas. Still, he was unable to
join the military himself because of his health problems.
After several letters to local elected officials, Duane Dreasky was finally able
to realize his dream of joining the Michigan Army National Guard in June
2003. After he completed boot camp, he was deployed to Cuba, where he was
stationed for a year.
When Duane Dreasky returned to Michigan from Cuba in November 2004, he
became a full-time National Guard recruiter. His time at home with his wife
and family was short because he volunteered to be deployed to Iraq.
"They needed him, and he felt like he should go," Mandy Dreasky said.
"Duane is a proud soldier and believes in this county and what it stands for."
She first learned of his injuries on Nov. 21 while helping her mother
redecorate her house. She got a call from her mother-in-law to come to her
house before heading home.
A paralegal, Mandy Dreasky was preparing to go to law school when the
bomb literally shook her world. She dropped everything at that moment to be
next to her husband.
"It was easy. Duane is everything to me," she said. "We are best friends who
just happened to get married."
Quick care is lifesaver
Mann, the burn center nurse, said more soldiers like Dreasky are surviving
their injuries because of an evacuation program that gets them care quickly.
Badly burned soldiers overseas are transported to Landstuhl, Germany, where
they are taken by a specially equipped Air Force C-17 that is like a "flying
intensive care unit" back to the United States.
As their 12 1/2 -hour flight crosses the Atlantic, requiring a midair refueling,
doctors and nurses treat their patients.
Upon arrival into San Antonio International Airport, they are transported by
ambulance on the nearly 15-minute trip to the hospital.
Once at the hospital, work begins to remove the burned skin, which is "just a
medium for infection, bacteria and fungus," Mann said.
While patients are receiving treatment to remove the burned skin,
occupational and physical therapy is started to help them relearn daily tasks
such as how to brush their teeth, walk or use their hands.
"The rehabilitation is key to the long-term outcome. Once they survive a
burn, they have to live their life," said Mann. "It is a long, long road."
Meanwhile, Mandy is working to set up a foundation for Duane when he is
finally released from the hospital, although doctors say it's too early to know
when that might be.
The foundation will fund scholarships for Walled Lake Western students who
want to pursue a career in medicine in addition to helping special-needs
children attend Special Olympics events, she said.
"I want to have a job for him when he gets out, so he doesn't have to search
for a job," she said referring to work he could do for the foundation.
In December and April, Gen. Thomas Cutler, adjutant general of the
Michigan National Guard, and his wife, Chris, visited the soldiers in the burn
unit.
"I was taken by the situation and how strong (Mandeline Dreasky) was,"
Chris Cutler said, adding she has kept in contact with her by phone, letters
and through prayer.
"There is a special bond in the 125th," she said. "I am glad to be part of it."
You can reach Edward L. Cardenas at (586) 468-0529 or
ecardenas@detnews.com.
July 12, 2006, - 5:15 pm
Sgt. Duane Dreasky, RIP: Terrorist IED’s Brave Victim Fought for Months
to Live
By Debbie Schlussel
On the 4th of July, I wrote about Sgt. Duane Dreasky of Company B, 125th Infantry Regiment–
who valiantly fought to live, despite burns over 75% of his body. “Born to Be a Soldier,” the
Army National Guardsman was the lone survivor of a terrorist IED explosion that hit a HumVee
on November 21, last year.
He was in Iraq because, although he finished a year-long tour of duty guarding prisoners at
Guantanamo Bay, he volunteered to go. He could have remained safely in Michigan as a
recruiter, where he was assigned.
Sadly, he died Monday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, after fighting to
live for eight months. He was 31 years old. Details from one of two touching pieces by The
Detroit News’ only decent reporter, Edward Cardenas:
Wounded War Vet Duane Dreasky w/ Bush, Before Injuries
“He went out with so much dignity,” his wife, Mandeline Dreasky, said Tuesday.
“He fought and defied death four times. We had hoped that he would make it.”
He had been living a life-long dream of serving his country when the Humvee in which he was
riding near al-Habbaniyah, Iraq, was hit by an improvised explosive device on Nov. 21, 2005.
He was airlifted out of Iraq and ended up at the San Antonio burn center, where President
George W. Bush toured on Jan. 1 and met with soldiers. Sgt. Dreasky, in bandages, tried to
salute when Bush entered the room. . . .
Sgt. Duane Dreasky & Wife/Fellow Soldier Mandeline
He was also the last survivor of the five-man Humvee unit that was attacked on Nov. 20.
The shock of his death resonated beyond his family. “He was a big imposing, somewhat intimidating
person who loved kids and they loved him,” said Kim Anderson, whose son took martial arts classes
from Dreasky. “He just tried to make his family proud, and he definitely did that.”
Memorial contributions can be sent to the Duane J. Dreasky Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 23116
Lansing, MI 48909-3116.
Even though he passed from this world, Dreasky is a symbol of the determination, struggle, and
will to survive of all our brave men who are protecting our freedom. When he was alive and in
tremendous pain, Dreasky and his wife thought of others, setting up a foundation for scholarships
for special needs kids to attend the Special Olympics and for others to pursue medical careers–
the address of which is above.
Read both of Edward Cardenas’ moving pieces–here and here–about Duane Dreasky.
More on Duane Dreasky, from the October 15, 2005 issue of The Iron Soldier (Official
Newsletter of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Al-Anbar Province, Iraq):
Although he recently finished a year long stint in Guantanamo, Cuba guarding detainees, Sgt.
Dreasky volunteered for duty in Iraq.
Dreasky utilized his professional expertise to create panoramic views of terrain sketches at all
guard towers occupied by his platoon. He also used his initiative to take digital photos with a
new picture system. The pictures he took were used to create a targeted mission and check out
suspicious activity.
Sgt. Duane J. Dreasky epitomizes the Army values and lives by the Warrior Ethos. His
leadership, attention to detail, and professionalism is a credit to himself and the Michigan Army
National Guard.
Sgt. Dreasky is married to another outstanding Soldier from the Michigan Army National Guard,
and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mandy Dreasky is a former Sgt. 1st Class from the
1775th Military Police Company. She was wounded in action while serving
during OIF 03.
Sgt. Duane Dreasky, American Hero, Rest In Peace. May God Bless You.
July 28, 2006, - 6:42 pm
American Hero’s Last Good-Bye: Sgt. Duane Dreasky Goes to Arlington
By Debbie Schlussel
We’ve written quite a bit about Michigan National Guardsman, Sgt. Duane Dreasky (here, here,
here, and here), who fought for 8 months to survive wounds from a terrorist attack near
Habbaniyah, Iraq. The heroic Dreasky suffered burns over 75% of his body, but still tried to
salute President Bush when he visited his bedside.
Dreasky wasn’t even supposed to be in Iraq because after a year as a guard in Guantanamo Bay,
he was assigned to be a recruiter in Michigan. But he volunteered to go.
Staff Sgt. Duane Dreasky is Buried in Arlington Natl. Cemetery
Sadly, after a valiant fight, Sgt. Dreasky, at age 31, passed away, just over two weeks ago. His memorial
service was Saturday in Walled Lake, Michigan. On Tuesday, this American hero was buried at Arlington
National Cemetery, an honor he certainly has earned. He was also promoted in rank to Staff Sgt.
Here is an excerpt of the coverage from The Detroit News’ Edward Cardenas and Gordon Trowbridge:
They remembered Staff Sgt. Duane J. Dreasky’s gung-ho attitude, how he was proud of the
sharp, starched lines of his uniform and his spit-shined boots. They chuckled over how he once
turned off the hot water to a friend’s shower as a practical joke. How he made a cake out of
Twinkies and Ho Hos for a birthday celebration.
Most of all, members of Michigan National Guard Company B, 125th Infantry remembered
Dreasky as a fighter . . . .
“Even though I was his leader, he had qualities I wanted to have,” said Staff Sgt. Keenon
Wallace, who supervised Dreasky during an earlier deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. “He
wasn’t ‘like’ my brother. He WAS my brother.” . . .
“If I had an army (of soldiers) like him, I wouldn’t have a job to do,” said Sgt. Maj. Dan Lincoln,
whom Dreasky begged for a spot on deployments to Cuba and then to Iraq. . . .
Staff Sgt. Tom Barrett, 25, of Kalamazoo became close friends with Dreasky while they roomed
together in Cuba. . . .
“There wasn’t one thing he did poorly as a soldier,” said Barrett. “Here he is, a National Guard
soldier who’s supposed to work one weekend a month and two weeks a year, and he would
constantly volunteer to serve.”
Staff Sgt. Duane Dreasky
From the Detroit Free Press:
Maj. Gen. Tom Cutler of the Michigan Army National Guard [said] “America just lost an
outstanding young person.” . . .
Staff Sgt. Rob Witgen, 39, of Williamston served with Dreasky in Cuba and Iraq. Witgen was
not surprised when Dreasky fought to live, for so many months, enduring so much pain while
showing so much dignity and class. . . . “He was the epitome of a soldier,” Witgen said. “He was
a fighter. His body gave out before his will.”
Staff Sgt. Duane Dreasky, American Hero, Rest in Peace.
Sgt. Alkaila T. Floyd
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 23 years old
Died: July 13, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, Bamberg, Germany
Incident: Died in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained on
July 8 when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Mine Protected Vehicle in Ramadi.
Staff Sgt. Michael A. Dickinson II
Hometown: Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: July 17, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group, U.S.
Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed when his dismounted patrol encountered enemy forces small arms fire in Ramadi.
Michael A. Dickinson
Thursday, July 20 2006 @ 04:13 AM MDT
Contributed by: River97
Battle Creek Enquirer -- After three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Army
Staff Sgt. Michael A. Dickinson II of Battle Creek was preparing to leave
the war.
"He told me he was on his last mission and he would be home," Dickinson's
mother, Vicki Dickinson said Tuesday, a day after her son was killed by a sniper in
Ramadi, Iraq. "But he's not supposed to come home like this."
Dickinson was with a Marine Corps patrol when the sniper killed him and wounded
another soldier, his family was told. He was one of three American soldiers killed in
separate attacks on Monday. The other two died in Baghdad.
A member of the 4th Psychological Operations Group from Fort Bragg, N.C.,
Dickinson was scheduled to leave Iraq by the end of the month. He was packing
and training his replacement. He wanted to continue his studies to be a physician's
assistant and work in a clinic in his wife's native home of Puerto Rico.
Now his mother and other members of his family in Battle Creek are preparing to
travel to Fort Bragg to join Dickinson's wife, Glorygrace, their daughter, Abigail, 2,
and his wife's four children for a memorial service Thursday. Local services are not
yet scheduled.
A 1998 graduate of Harper Creek High School, Dickinson and his adopted brother,
Darrell Morris, decided in the 11th grade they wanted to join the Army, following
his late father and both grandfathers, who were in the military.
"He came from a long line of fighters," his mother said, "and he believed in his
country. He left for the service one month after graduation."
Even as youngsters, the brothers awoke at 3 a.m. for peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches and milk so they would grow and be ready for the Army.
Dickinson had been working in the relatively safe area of Fallujah, his family said,
but was concerned about some members of his unit in Ramadi and volunteered two
or three months ago to transfer there.
Ramadi, which has more than 400,000 residents and is described as one of Iraq's
most violent cities, has roadside bombings and gunbattles every day. U.S. patrols
have been confined to small sections of the city, and tribal leaders who have
cooperated with U.S. forces have been assassinated or forced to flee the country,
according to the Associated Press.
"He was safe but he felt they needed him and he was going to be with them," his
sister, Carmen, 27, said.
"He volunteered because he was confident he could bring those boys home," his
mother said.
Michael Dickinson felt it was his job to make sure everyone returned from the
mission and that was true even on the mission where he died, family members
said.
"The Marines really respected Michael," his mother said. "The men cared about him
and they said they will find the sniper who shot him. He died a hero."
Carmen Dickinson said she watched her brother mature while in the military even
as she remembers wrestling with her brother when they were children growing up
on Vale Street, where Vicki Dickinson still lives.
"I used to kick his butt," she said. "I would pulverize him and then I would run."
Later, she saw him developing principles.
When she snuck out of the house late at night, Michael informed their mother.
"He felt obligated to tell," she said, "because he was worried about me being on
the streets and he felt what he was doing was right."
In school, Dickinson wasn't the best student.
"He was smart but he didn't like school," Carmen Dickinson said. "His life was
social, he slid by."
"He believed in doing his homework," his mother said, "but not in turning it in."
Active in football and basketball and in the band, Dickinson is pictured in his high
school yearbook wearing a football jersey, a gold chain and his signature smile.
Al Miller, principal of Harper Creek High School during the 1997-98 and 1998-99
school years, remembers Dickinson's grin.
"He was always friendly and outgoing," said Miller, who currently serves on Harper
Creek's school board. "He had a positive attitude and always dealt with people in a
mature and positive way. He was admired and respected by both staff and
students."
In another yearbook photo, Dickinson is featured with fellow student Shannon Hill
while participating in the school's annual holiday project, in which students donated
their time, food, money, clothes and toys to help 25 Harper Creek families during
the holidays.
Miller said Dickinson would come back to the school and visit after graduation. The
two would engage in casual conversation.
Michael Nauss, assistant superintendent of Harper Creek Community Schools, said
Tuesday he spoke with Vicki Dickinson and offered condolences on behalf of the
Harper Creek educational community.
"As a district, we work to develop responsible citizens of a global society," Nauss
said. "Michael's service to our country is an honorable example of what it truly
means to be a responsible citizen."
It was in high school that Dickinson began spending time with his best friend,
Jason Feasel.
"I considered him my brother," Feasel said Tuesday at his Springfield business. "I
have known him since seventh grade but we started hanging out our freshman
year. We did everything together. When you click with someone you just click with
them. He was easy to get along with and he was a great guy.
"He would do anything for anyone just like he did for his country."
Feasel was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in July 2003 and, when Dickinson
returned from Iraq that month, the first stop was Feasel's hospital room.
"It meant a lot to see him coming through he door," Feasel said.
"He had just bought a DVD player and he said, 'Hey man, you got a better use for
this.' And I watched a ton of DVDs. He would give you the shirt off his back."
Feasel talked to Dickinson on Thursday. "He was telling me the place he was at
was crazy and he was so happy to come back home. He was talking about his
daughter and he had pictures to send me but he I didn't get those pictures."
Feasel also watched his friend mature and become a family man.
"I lost my best friend. It's a killer. But I am glad I got to be part of his life and I am
glad he got to be part of mine."
Dickinson didn't tell his family much about the war or his job.
"We didn't understand how much danger he was in," Carmen Dickinson said. "He
didn't talk about things over there."
"But he supported the military," Vicki Dickinson said. "What they asked of him was
what he was going to do. It was his job and he was going to do his job."
She said people should remember her son as someone who was caring and "who
took his responsibility in life seriously and wanted to do nothing but good."
"And what is more patriotic than giving your life for your country willingly. He
thought he was needed so he answered the call. I am very proud of my son."
Staff Sgt. Michael A. Dickinson II
United States Army
KIA 17 July 2006, Ramadi, Iraq
Tributes
Memorial Page Established by- Vicki Dickinson
In Honor Of SSG. Michael A. Dickinson II
SSG. Dickinson was KIA July 17,2006 in Ramadi, Iraq by
a sniper. He had been in Fallujah whe he volunteered to go to Ramadi.
He ha only 9 days left before coming home. This was his 2nd time there.
He had been in Afganistan twice also. Michael was in A Co 9th POB (A).
My 26 year old son was a wonderful father of 5,a loving son, a caring
brother and a loyal soldier. We are all so proud of this young man who
gave his life for what he believed in.He is truly My Hero, My Son"
Michael graduated from Harper Creek High school in June, 1998. One week
later he left for the Army. He had enlisted in the delayed entry program
when he was 17.Mchael always knew he wanted to be in the Army.As a
child he would sit on his grandfather's lap and listen intently as Grandpa
told his war stories. Michael always loved his family and had no
problems letting his feelings be known. He was such a very special young
man.He is greatly missed by all who have known him.
April 14, 2008
Vicki Dickinson
My Son, it has been almost 2 yrs. since you gave your
life in service to our country and the wound to my heart is still as
fresh as it was the day I received the news. I just want you to know how
very much you are missed and loved. Your birthday should be April
20....you should be 28 that day. Instead, I will be lighting a candle in your
memory.... sitting and reliving some of my wonderful memories of you
as a sweet, funny and loving little boy who grew up to be an honorable,
respectful young man. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and
shed tears for the loss of my baby boy who was always so very special and
dear to me. I have always been proud of you and shall continue to be,
as you are a true hero. I love you, My Hero, My Son.
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, July 27, 2009) - Soldiers from the 4th
Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), gathered at the Smoke Bomb Hill Dining
Facility for the unit\'s 2009 Memorial Breakfast July 17. Staff Sgt. Michael A.
Dickinson, who died July 17, 2006, while deployed with the 9th PSYOP Battalion to
Ar Ramadi, Iraq, was honored during the breakfast. Dickinson's wife, Glorygrace,
and four of their five children were in attendance. Capt. Eric Leetch, a chaplain with
the 9th PSYOP Bn., said Dickinson sacrificed a lot when he died, but his family that
has to deal with the loss of a loved one continues to sacrifice every day. Joel
Sonnenberg, author of "Joel," brought his message of overcoming challenges to the
Dickinson Family and members of the 4th PSYOP Group. In 1979, at the age of two,
Joel Sonnenberg suffered burns to 85 percent of his body when a tractor trailer
smashed into his family's car at a toll booth. At the Shriner's Burn Hospital in
Boston, Joel underwent many skin grafts and spent months recovering before being
released. During his life, Joel has been an inspiration to those around him. He's had
many accomplishments including becoming an Eagle Scout, captain of his soccer
team, Olympic torch bearer, and Discover Card National tribute award winner.
These days, Sonnenberg travels as a minister and motivational speaker. "I always
looked for strength in scripture," he said. "There's a verse in 2nd Samuel that says
'The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward
appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" When asked why the Group's
chaplains chose Joel to speak at an event like a memorial, Leetch said, "Life is
about facing and overcoming challenges and no one exemplifies that idea more
than Joel Sonnenberg. He has an authentic platform from which to speak to
Soldiers about the possibility of facing, and overcoming, life's most difficult
circumstances. He proves that the extraordinary is within everyone's grasp." To
show the unit's appreciation for Joel's inspiring words, Col. Curtis Boyd, 4th PSYOP
Group commander, gave Joel a certificate of appreciation, a unit coin, and
welcomed Sonnenberg as an honorary member of the 4th PSYOP Group.
Spec. Dennis K. Samson Jr.
Hometown: Hesperia, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: July 24, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Incident: Killed by enemy small arms fire in Taqaddum.
Dennis K. Samson Jr.
SPC. SAMPSON, JR. DENNIS K. Hesperia, MI Army Specialist Dennis K. Samson, Jr., of Hesperia, died
Mon., July 24, 2006 of injuries sustained from enemy fire in Ramadi, Iraq. He was born Sept. 1, 1981 in
Bufort, S. C. Dennis was a 2000 graduate of Hesperia High School where he was a four year member of
the cross country team. He joined the United States Army in 2004. Dennis had attended the Ferry United
Methodist Church. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Dawn and Randy Ackley of Hesperia; his
father, Dennis Samson, Sr. of Seattle; his brother, Pfc. Dana Samson with the U.S. Army in Iraq; his sister,
Micki Martin of Hesperia; grandparents, Tom and Linda Bennett of Hesperia; stepsisters, Danielle
(Kendall) Jeppesen of Muskegon and Leslie Preston of Muskegon; stepbrothers, Randy Ackley II of North
Carolina and Jerry Ackley of Hesperia; step grandparents, William and Lee Ackley of Hesperia; stepgreatgrandmother, Yvonne Bennett of Fremont; and several aunts and uncles. Visitation will be Wed., 6-9
p.m. at the funeral home. The funeral service will be held Thurs., Aug., 3, 1 p.m. at Fremont Wesleyan
Church, 918 Garden Avenue in Fremont. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Ferry United Methodist Church
are appreciated. Interment: Otto Twp. Cemetery. You may leave a message of condolence for the family
or get directions at www.harrisfhome.com. Harris, Shelby 861-2360 or 1-888-216-9744
In Flanders Fields
John McCrae, 1915.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
The thundering line of battle stands,
And in the air death moans and sings;
But Day shall clasp him with strong hands,
And Night shall fold him in soft wings.
Julian Cronwell....KIA, 1915
1st Sgt. Aaron D. Jagger
Hometown: Hillsdale, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 43 years old
Died: August 9, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during during combat
operations in Ramadi.
Aaron D. Jagger
Tuesday, August 15 2006 @ 06:57 AM MDT
Contributed by: River97
Toledo Blade -- HILLSDALE - A veteran U.S. Army soldier and 1980 graduate of Camden High
School was killed in Iraq last week by an enemy explosive, the U.S. Defense Department
announced yesterday.
Army 1st Sgt. Aaron D. Jagger, 43, was among three soldiers who were killed Wednesday when
a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq.
He was a member of the Army's 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division. He
was stationed out of Friedberg, Germany.
A guitarist and vocalist in his company's band, The Bandits, Sergeant Jagger often performed
with the group at memorial services for fallen soldiers, his mother, Carol Bailey, said in a
telephone interview from her home in Rossville, Ga.
The victim has a wife and four daughters living in Germany, and another daughter who lives in
Rossville, Ga., Mrs. Bailey said. His father, Dale, and a brother, Anson, live in Hillsdale, she
said. Family in Hillsdale could not be reached for comment last night.
"He believed in what he was doing and thought it was the right thing," Mrs. Bailey said.
Sergeant Jagger was born in Hillsdale and lived in the area through high school. He first began
playing guitar when he was 13 and went on to participate in numerous school musicals and
plays, Mrs. Bailey said.
Shortly after graduation he moved to Rossville and worked at a hospital for a year before
deciding to enlist in the Army with the hope of gaining money to attend college, his mother said.
"After he got out of high school and got a job, he realized he wasn't really going to get anywhere
without a degree," Mrs. Bailey said.
He took college courses at various schools over the years wherever he happened to be stationed,
and had interest in business administration. He finally acquired enough credits for a bachelor's
degree, but never officially graduated, Mrs. Bailey said.
Sergeant Jagger had been serving his third tour of duty in Iraq. He had previously served two
tours in Bosnia and was a tank commander during the Persian Gulf War, his mother said.
"He was gone from here for months at a time," she said. "We hadn't seen him in almost two
years."
Sergeant Jagger will be buried at Berg Cemetery in Hillsdale next to his younger brother, Quintin
Jagger, who died two years ago from brain cancer.
Services are being handled by the Hampton-Kurtz Funeral Home in Hillsdale. A date for the
services was not available.
Soldier recounts how first sergeant broke the rules to help him get his
life in order
By MATT MILLHAM Stars and Stripes Published: September 5, 2006
FRIEDBERG, Germany — After watching his roommate get blown up by a mortar and losing
two close friends in another attack 44 days later, Pfc. Joshua Revak is at a profound low.
It doesn’t help that he credits one of those friends with rescuing him.
The friend helped him out about a year and a half ago, when Revak, with the 1st Battalion, 37th
Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, was in more kinds of trouble
than he knew.
He compared joining the Army to buying a car you can’t test drive.
He thought he’d bought a lemon.
He’d gotten in trouble a couple times and lost rank. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol.
Friends still tease him about the day he got caught sleeping at attention.
“There were times that I would wake up just still so drunk from the night before that I couldn’t
even see straight,” the 25-year-old Revak said.
Joshua Revak, singer of “The Bandit Song,” practices his guitar and vocals while he was deployed to
Camp Nimur in northwest Iraq earlier in the year. Revak, who has recorded numerous songs about fallen
comrades and life in Iraq, said he has lost inspiration to sing and play after the death of his mentor, 1st
Sgt. Aaron Jagger.
MONTE MORIN / S&S
Then a guitar lesson changed everything.
Revak, from Duluth, Minn., was at his happiest playing guitar, and wanted to get better.
That’s how he met 1st Sgt. Aaron Jagger, the battalion’s “Cobra” Company first sergeant and a
fantastic guitar player. Jagger agreed to teach Revak guitar for $20 a lesson. He saw Revak’s
potential both as a musician and a soldier. He also saw the young soldier as a disaster waiting to
happen.
After their second lesson, Jagger didn’t ask for his $20.
“By the end of the lesson, he’s like, ‘Dude why don’t you move in upstairs?’” Revak recalled. “I
was like, ‘What?’”
Even though they weren’t in the same unit, Jagger’s offer clearly broke the Army’s fraternization
rules. Both men knew what breaking those rules meant. They had an idea of what would happen
if they didn’t.
Revak thought passing up Jagger’s offer would be akin to suicide.
He moved in with Jagger, his wife and his three youngest daughters. Two older daughters were
already out of the house. The whole family welcomed the addition.
“They treated me like one of their own,” Revak said. “He could’ve got in trouble for what he did,
you know.”
It was at this point that Revak started to love the Army.
For the next 11 months, until the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment “Bandits” deployed to Iraq,
Revak lived in secret in an upstairs room that had been Jagger’s music room. Jagger became
Revak’s surrogate father and one of his closest friends. Even though they spent a lot of time
together, nobody outside the house knew they were so close, Revak said.
“We played a lot of music for church and everything else. He was my teacher, and I followed him
everywhere I could,” Revak said.
Revak met his wife, Marta, while living with the Jaggers. And after their first date, Revak
brought Marta home to meet the Jaggers as if they were his own family. They were the first to
meet her.
The couple married in Denmark on Dec. 22, 2005, just weeks before Revak deployed to Iraq.
The couple had a daughter, Keilah, July 6. The name means “citadel” in Hebrew.
Before deploying, Revak and Jagger gained fame among the Bandits by recording a rock version
of the unit song, which is played before daily battle updates in Iraq and leads off battalion
functions.
But in Iraq, the two became better known for the original songs they wrote for fallen comrades.
They regularly performed at memorial ceremonies for soldiers and Marines who died there.
“Most of them were for good friends,” Revak said.
Revak’s days of playing memorial ceremonies in Iraq ended halfway through his second Iraq
tour. Revak was injured in late June when a 120-mm mortar fell just feet away from where he
was standing in Ramadi, Iraq. His roommate in Iraq, Sgt. Terry Lisk, took the brunt of the blast
and died within minutes. Revak was medically evacuated to Germany.
“Watching Revak carted out of here, that really hurt,” said Maj. Matthew Van Wagenen,
executive officer of the 1-37. “Along with Revak leaving, a lot of our music went too.”
Jagger was distraught over Revak’s injury, which smashed bones in his right foot and ankle and
clipped part of the Achilles tendon in his left. Jagger had his wife, Sandie, bring the bedridden
soldier Jagger’s own guitar.
“It’s his baby,” Revak said. “I used to watch him play it.”
A bit more than a month later, Jagger and two other soldiers, including Revak’s close friend Spc.
Shane Woods, were killed by a roadside bomb in Ramadi.
The deaths of Jagger and Woods devastated Revak, who now considers writing and playing
songs for troops’ memorial ceremonies a part of his life he won’t go back to.
“I just feel like the music, the music died,” he said.
For days after Jagger and Woods died, Revak forgot about his shattered right foot, encased in a
black cast with the Bandits’ trademark skull logo. He didn’t know whether to sit or stand. He
was furious, but didn’t have anything at which to direct his anger.
Mourning with Sandie really helped him get past that, he said. He visited Jagger’s family a
couple times “and just grieved, and talked and told stories about the funny things that he did. He
did some off-the-wall stuff,” Revak said.
Of all the off-the-wall stuff, moving a private into his home might have taken the cake. But
Revak is sure his life is better for what Jagger did for him.
“He figured he could help me,” Revak said, “and he did in more ways than he ever knew.”
First Sgt. Aaron Jagger was scheduled to come back to his hometown of
Camden with his wife and five daughters for a family reunion the first week in
July.
He and his brother, Anson Jagger, 41, of Camden planned on playing music and
celebrating with 150 family members.
Instead, his leave time was canceled at the last minute and his family decided to
stay at their home in Germany while he was deployed to a then unknown
location. His wife and daughters finally made it to Hillsdale County yesterday,
but, as Anson said, "not for the same reason. It's gonna be a little more somber."
Aaron Jagger, 43, and two other soldiers were killed while stationed in Ramadi,
Iraq, Aug. 9 when a roadside bomb exploded near their Humvee. The incident
occurred during his second tour in Iraq, following two tours in Bosnia and
serving in Operation Desert Storm in the early '90s.
With 24 years of service and 7 1/2 years of combat experience, 1st Sgt. Jagger
was used to action and assured his family that his return to Iraq would be
uneventful.
"He promised us nothing would happen to him," Anson Jagger said, recalling
the conversation.
The loss of Aaron Jagger comes on the heels of the death of younger brother
Quinn Jagger, who died two years ago from brain cancer at age 36. Quinn
Jagger was a graduate of Hillsdale Col-lege and a school teacher.
Anson Jagger recalled writing Quinn's eulogy with Aaron Jagger on what would
be his last visit to Camden.
"I really had a chance to express to him how important it was that he was OK. I
said, 'Aaron, do not make me go through this again.'"
Aaron Jagger will be buried 10 feet from his little brother. Aaron Jagger was described by a
friend as, "A little shorter...spiked hair and a quick smile, but very serious eyes...An amazing
worshipper, an amazing musician."
Having picked up music as a Camden-Frontier High School student, he has played and sang in
bands and worship teams all over the world. Anson Jagger described how his brother's musical
interests began in rock 'n' roll, moved through country and into contemporary Christian as he
underwent a "reconversion," of his faith. He led worship services in the U.S., Germany and out
in the field in Iraq. His talents as a songwriter attracted the interest of Contemporary Christian
artist Dwayne Jones who recorded Jagger's song, "It Was Me," on his album "Humble Me."
"His personality was so engaging," said Anson Jagger, "he was a real good front man, and after
he found Jesus he was quite a witness to other servicemen."
One friend of Aaron Jagger recalled how he went beyond his musical talents to reach out to
others in a letter. "Aaron saved my life when I was on the emotional edge," wrote the anonymous
friend. "He could have gotten in trouble for what he did for me, but he did it anyway."
Aaron Jagger's brother and father recounted the Tuesday night they found out he had been killed.
"I went to bed pretty early," said Anson Jagger, "and my son took the call from Sandy (Jagger's
wife) in Germany. I thought I was dreaming. It was terrible."
Anson left his home to tell his father the news, but was concerned that his oldest son, Seth, 19
wasn't home yet. "When something like this happens, you just worry to death where your kids
are." Upon arriving at his father's house, he found his son there, playing music with some friends
in Aaron and Anson's "legendary band room" where they played together as teenagers.
"The irony of the news of Aaron, and Seth playing music at the same time..." Aaron Jagger's
father had only one word to describe his reaction to learning of his son's death: "Disbelief."
It was the belief, however, of Aaron Jagger that drew so many to his through his music, worship
and friendships. In a Mother's Day card sent to his step-mother, Phyllis Jagger in May, he
reflected on that belief and the impact of it in his life: "For if it was without the Christian love,
understanding and, yes, even the discipline, I would not be the man I am today." Though the
majority of his service was spent living in Germany, Anson Jagger believes that his brother's
patriotism and American resolve were only strengthened by his time away.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," Anson Jagger said, "He would remember life in
Hillsdale County as bigger than life. His patriotism was driven in by the dreams of the freedoms
we have back home. The irony of it is those who have those bigger than life dreams of home are
the ones who don't get to live them out."
Aaron Jagger leaves behind his wife, Sandy, 34; twin daughters Tessa and Ashley, 13; daughter
Kelly, 12 and daughters Nicole, 21 and Kirstin, 17 from a previous marriage and step-daughters
Maja and Elaine, daughters of his first wife; his sister, April, 45; brother Anson, 41; father, Dale
68; mother, Carol Bailey of Chattanooga, Tenn., and step-mother, Phyllis, 69.
No final plans have been made for funeral services. A viewing is tentatively planned for Friday
evening at Kurtz Funeral Home in Hillsdale. Source: The Hillsdale Daily News, Hillsdale, MI,
Aug. 16, 2006, extracted
September 22, 2007.
Sgt. Gabriel G. DeRoo
Hometown: Paw Paw, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 25 years old
Died: August 20, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd
Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Incident: Killed when he encountered enemy forces using small
arms fire during combat operations in Mosul.
Sgt. Gabriel De Roo Age 25, fell by enemy fire, Aug. 20, 2006, in Mosul, Iraq. A loving husband,
father, son, and noble hero, now stands with his Savior in heaven. Gabriel was born April 1,
1981, to David and Laura De Roo, and he grew up in Paw Paw, Michigan. As a teenager he
entrusted his life to Christ, a decision that shaped the rest of his life. After attending college, he
enlisted in the Army and joined the Stryker Brigade stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. He desired to
serve his God and his country, and he impacted everyone around him by his integrity, work
ethic, and gentleness. Before his first year-long tour in Iraq he fell in love with Hannah Suko,
and they were married Dec. 31, 2004, after his return home. A year later their lives were
blessed with a baby boy, Gabriel II. In late June 2006 he left for Iraq to serve his second tour
with the Stryker Brigade. On August 20, 2006, he was killed in action by small arms fire. He had
said that if anyone died, he wanted it to me him so that his buddies would have time to get
right with the Lord. "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13 He will be dearly missed by those he leaves behind: his wife and baby, his parents,
sisters (Angel, Chastity, Charity, and Patience), father-in-law and mother-in-law, Mark and
Nancy Suko, of Gig Harbor, and many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews. A
memorial service was held on Aug. 28, at Fort Lewis Army Base. The funeral service will be held
at 11am Aug. 30, 2006 at Temple Baptist Church, Tacoma. An interment service will be held 3
pm, Aug. 30, at Tahoma National Cemetery. Arrangements by Haven of Rest. A website with
pictures and guestbook is available at www.gabrielderoo.us .
Published in News Tribune (Tacoma) on August 30, 2006
In Memory of Gabriel G. Deroo
Sgt. Gabriel De Roo, 25, fell by enemy fire, Aug. 20, 2006, in Mosul, Iraq.
A loving husband, father, son, and noble hero, now stands with his Savior
in heaven. Gabriel was born April 1, 1981, to David and Laura De Roo,
and he grew up in Paw Paw, Michigan. As a teenager he entrusted his life
to Christ, a decision that shaped the rest of his life.
After attending college, he enlisted in the Army and joined the Stryker
Brigade stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. He desired to serve his God and his
country, and he impacted everyone around him by his integrity, work
ethic, and gentleness. Before his first year-long tour in Iraq he fell in love
with Hannah Suko, and they were married Dec. 31, 2004, after his return
home. A year later their lives were blessed with a baby boy, Gabriel II.
In late June 2006 he left for Iraq to serve his second tour with the Stryker
Brigade. On August 20, 2006, he was killed in action by small arms fire.
He had said that if anyone died, he wanted it to me him so that his buddies
would have time to get right with the Lord. “Greater love has no man than
this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 He will be dearly
missed by those he leaves behind: his wife and baby, his parents, sisters
(Angel, Chastity, Charity, and Patience), father-in-law and mother-in-law,
Mark and Nancy Suko, of Gig Harbor, and many brothers-in-law, sistersin-law, nieces, and nephews.
Kalamazoo News Archive
Tears and tributes at Fort Custer National Cemetery
Memorial Day observance Sunday
By Jim Borden May 25, 2008, 9:23PM
John A. Lacko | Special to the Kalamazoo GazetteThe Battle Creek High School Air
Force ROTC Color Guard retire the colors at the end of the Memorial Day Program
at Fort Custer National Cemetery Sunday afternoon.
AUGUSTA -- At the end of Memorial Day ceremonies at Fort Custer
National Cemetery, Laura DeRoo, of Paw Paw, and Julia Edds, of White
Pigeon, hugged each other, whispering into one another's ears.
They had just joined an exclusive group, recipients of the Gold Star
flag, presented to mothers and other survivors of soldiers who have
died or been killed in current U.S. military conflicts.
"It doesn't get easier," said Laura DeRoo, whose son, U.S. Army Sgt.
Gabriel G. DeRoo, 25, was killed in Mosul, Iraq, on Aug. 20, 2006. "As
a family who's lost a son -- it's your life. It's never the same."
Edds agreed.
"This one (Memorial Day) has been hard," said Edds, whose son, 24year-old U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jonathan Edds died from injuries from an
explosive and small-arms fire in Baghdad on Aug. 17, 2007.
"I cry every day, and I know it gets easier to accept. Everyone says it
will get easier," said Julia Edds, who attended the event with her
husband, the Rev. Barry Edds, pastor of White Pigeon Church of
Christ.
The Gold Star flag and a plaque were also presented to Jacqueline
Little, mother of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Jason T. Little, 20, of
Climax, and to Vicki Dickinson, mother of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael
Dickinson of Battle Creek. The Fort Custer National Cemetery Advisory
Staff also had prepared to present the flags to the survivors of other
fallen soldiers, whose families were not in attendance. They were Luis
J. Castillo, 20, of Lawton, killed in January 2007; James L. Arnold, 21,
of Mattawan, killed in March 2007; and Brian Lee Morris, 38, of
Centreville, killed in August 2005.
Both the DeRoos and the Edds have other children who are in the
military, and they say they support their children's choices.
"I'm proud of them," Julia Edds said of her two sons who serve. "We
stand behind them 100 percent."
The annual Fort Custer Memorial Day remembrance brought out close
to 3,000 people, according to program chair Sherry D. Swann. The
event started with a flyover by four jets from the Michigan Air National
Guard's 110th Fighter Wing. The day was also filled with music,
including tributes from Aaron Tyler of the By Chance Gospel Group,
whose "God Bless the USA (I'm Proud to be an American)" inspired
some of the veterans to lock hands and raise their arms in salute.
Those attending the service included Jack J. Lindsay, 87, of Richland,
and his wife, Sally, and daughter, Ann. Lindsay, a retired sergeant
major, served in World War II from 1941 to 1945 and in the Korean
War from 1950 to 1953.
"You still don't ever get (over) the feeling of not thinking of the other
guys," especially now that the U.S. has soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan, said Lindsay, wearing one of his old Army fatigue green
infantry caps. "It kind of sickens you to think of it."
But he was pleased by the turnout. "Just to see the people -- it shows
that some people care."
Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga
Hometown: Alpena, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 34 years old
Died: August 22, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Navy, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two, serving
with the 1st Marine Logistics Group
Incident: Killed when his Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team was
struck by a makeshift bomb while responding to a previous strike in
Anbar Province.
Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga...
... is someone you should know.
I had the honor and privilege today of riding with fellow Patriot Guard Riders on a
mission to serve as a member of his pre-memorial service honor guard, as a
detail member making up a Corridor of Flags and as a rider in an honor motorcade
escorting Chief Darga's family from the chapel at Little Creek Amphibious Base to
the memorial reception.
It was an emotional time.
Chief Darga was killed by an IED in Iraq on the 22nd of August. He leaves behind
Karie, his wife of 12 years and Kailey Rose, his beautiful 2 year old daughter.
Pray that God will rest his soul and grant peace and comfort to his loved ones.
Paul J. Darga—March 2007 Shipment Honoree
Little Creek petty officer killed by bomb in Iraq
Source: by Kate Wiltrout, The Virginian-Pilot (August 24, 2006)
Karie Darga 's husband was gone more than he was home the past few years—which
made the few months they had together this spring with their young daughter extra
special.
Paul J. Darga, a chief petty officer based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in
Virginia Beach, headed back to Iraq in June for his fourth Middle East tour. He was
killed by a homemade bomb Tuesday in the Al Anbar province, the Department of
Defense announced Thursday. Darga was 34.
"The few months he was home before this deployment we were closer than we've ever
been," said Karie Darga, who met her future husband in high school in Alpena, Mich. "If
this had to happen, my last memories of him are the best they could be."
Married since 1994, the couple has a 2-year-old daughter, Kailey Rose.
The past 12 months had been momentous for Paul Darga, who was born in Spain and
lived in Japan as an Army brat before his father retired and the family moved to
Michigan.
Last September, Darga was promoted to chief petty officer. He was a member of the
Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two.
Early this year, he spent more than two weeks of leave from the Middle East visiting his
mother, who was dying of cancer. He'd been given the option of going to Michigan to
see her while she was still alive, or returning to the United States for her funeral, family
members said.
"He needed the time with her when she could talk," Karie Darga said from her Norfolk
home. "They had some wonderful conversations. He treasured that time." His mother
died in March.
On May 26, less than a month before he returned to Iraq, Darga was one of about 20
members of the Little Creek unit awarded a Bronze Star for Valor for their work
disposing of bombs, unexploded weapons and weapons caches while in combat. "It
meant a lot for him to be honored, but he truly believed he was doing his job," Karie
Darga said.
During a six-month deployment that ended in February 2005, the award citation said,
Darga oversaw 163 ordnance disposal missions. He supervised the disposal of more
than 6,000 pounds of captured explosives, and his team defused 40 IEDs, or
improvised explosive devices. "His outstanding performance, dedication to duty and
courage while performing his duties under hostile fire were critical to the success of
coalition operations under the most extreme and austere conditions," the citation says.
His father and stepmother traveled from Michigan for the ceremony. Jack Darga said
Thursday that he had a feeling while saying goodbye to Paul that weekend that he
wouldn't see his youngest child again. "For the last six months I just had a premonition,"
Jack Darga said from his home in Cheboygan, Mich. "I knew it was going to happen."
Lt. Jim Hoeft, a spokesman for the Navy's Expeditionary Combat Command, said Darga
is the second Navy explosive ordnance disposal team member to be killed in combat in
Iraq. His team had been responding to a strike Tuesday when a second IED exploded,
according to the Department of Defense.
Karie Darga said her husband believed completely in the U.S. mission. He knew the
risks and was fully trained and confident in his abilities, she said.
Paul Darga started his 16-year Navy career as a Seabee, then went to diving school
and joined an underwater construction team at Little Creek. After a number of
assignments and 12 months of rigorous EOD training in Florida, Darga and his wife
returned to Hampton Roads in April 2002, when he joined Little Creek's EOD Mobile
Unit Two.
Two years later, Karie Darga gave birth to their daughter. "His heart began to melt the
day I found out that I was pregnant," she said.
In his little free time, Paul Darga enjoyed woodworking and tinkering on his beloved
green 1995 Mustang. Karie Darga would work with him under the hood; the couple did
everything together, she said.
On Saturday, she said, they spent a few hours on the phone, talking about everything
and nothing, reveling in their newfound closeness. They last spoke on Monday, the day
before he was killed, for about 15 minutes.
Now her thoughts have turned to planning his memorial service—and figuring out a way
to preserve her husband's memory for their daughter. She's decided to create a box in
which she and others who loved Paul can place items that help explain to Kailey who
her father was.
Bomb technician attached to Pendlton unit killed in Iraq
Source: by MARK WALKER, Staff Writer, North Country Times
A U.S. Navy chief petty officer who specialized in detecting and removing explosives
died in a roadside bomb attack in the Anbar province of Iraq, the Defense Department
announced.
Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga was killed while responding to an earlier roadside
bombing when his team was struck by another improvised explosive device, the
military's term for the weapons responsible for a majority of the combat deaths and
injuries in Iraq.
Darga was on his second tour of duty in Iraq and was attached to the 1st Marine
Logistics Group based at Camp Pendleton. Married and the father of one, he was
assigned to the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk, Va.
In May, Darga was awarded a Bronze Star with Combat Valor for his actions during a
previous deployment to Iraq… When he was awarded the Bronze Star, Darga was cited
for his actions in Iraq from August 2004 to February 2005. During that time, he and his
team of specialists identified and rendered safe 40 roadside bombs and a wide array of
other explosives, according to the citation accompanying the award.
Darga was a native of Lansing, Mich. He joined the Navy in 1992 and became a chief
petty officer in September 2005.
In addition to the Bronze Star, he had three Navy Marine Corps Achievement medals,
two Good Conduct medals and a Humanitarian Service Medal.
The members of Landstuhl Hospital Care Project were honored to remember Paul
during the month of March 2007 with our shipments to the Landstuhl Regional Medical
Center in Germany, and U.S. military hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our thoughts
and prayers remain with Paul's family and friends today and in the years to come.
A lasting tribute
Diane Speer POSTED: September 20, 2009
Hundreds of people gathered Saturday at the Besser Museum to honor two fallen
heroes from Northeast 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.
Diane Speer can be reached via e-mail at lifestyles@thealpenanews.com or by
phone at 358-5691
This newly erected Fallen Heroes Memorial — the 24th one in Michigan — was
installed Saturday on the grounds of the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan.
Staff Sgt. Eugene H.E. Alex
Hometown: Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 32 years old
Died: September 2, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit:Army, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort
Wainwright, Alaska
Incident: Died at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered on
Aug 30 when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire in Baghdad.
Eugene H. E. Alex
Alex, SSG Eugene H. E. Fort Wainwright, Alaska and formerly of Reese Funeral services will take place at
2:00 p.m., Monday, September 11, 2006 from Christ Lutheran Church in Reese. Pastor Tom Senge will
officiate. Eugene's family will receive friends at the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home, 9940 Saginaw
Street, Reese on Sunday from 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m. and at the church on Monday from 1:00 p.m.
until time of service. Full Military Honors will be presented under the direction of the Ft. Knox 16th
Calvary Regiment. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Alex family. If
you are unable to visit with the family in person you may send your condolences through
waresmithwoolever. com Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Directors Reese, Michigan
Published in Bay City Times on September 10, 2006
Eugene Alex
Wednesday, September 06 2006 @ 10:03 AM MDT
Detroit Free Press -- Staff Sgt. Eugene Alex turned 32 on Aug. 30. It also was the
day he was wounded by small-arms fire on traffic control duty in Baghdad, Iraq.
On Saturday, the former Reese and Bay City native died at the Landstuhl Regional Medical
Center in Germany.
No other details about his injuries or the circumstances in which he was shot were released by
the Pentagon.
Alex was a cavalry scout who served with the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd
Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska.
He also was a "wonderful husband and excellent father" of two boys and a girl, ages 11, 8,
and 6, respectively, said Sue Huntley, his mother-in-law.
Alex is the first member of the 3,900-member 172nd Brigade killed since U.S. Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced the unit's extended deployment in July.
In Fairbanks last month, Rumsfeld said he could not promise that the full brigade would be
home by the holidays.
Alex also is the second member of a Stryker Brigade, an armored tank unit, to die in Iraq. The
first was Sgt. Gabriel G. DeRoo, 25, of Paw Paw, who was killed in August.
Alex, who grew up in Reese and later lived in Bay City, was back in Alaska earlier this year
recuperating for three months from neck injuries he sustained when his unit was hit by a
roadside bomb in Iraq last October, Huntley said.
"He got through that roadside bomb and we thought he would be OK," she said.
Alex joined the Army in May 1996. He was recently married and had been working at a granary
when he decided to enlist so that he could better provide for his family, Huntley said.
He served at Ft. Knox in Kentucky and Ft. Hood in Texas before going to Ft. Wainwright in
September 2003.
He also was previously stationed in Bosnia and Korea.
"As a 10-year member of America's all-volunteer Army, Sergeant Alex willingly set aside the
comforts of home to defend our nation and extend freedom to an oppressed people. Alaskans
are proud to have had him as a part of our community, and we honor his memory," said
Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski.
"He was a happy-go-lucky guy," Huntley said. "He always had a smile on his face."
In addition to his children, Alex is survived by his wife, Melissa; his parents, Ronald and Sally
Alex of Greenie, and two sisters who live in Reese.
SLIDESHOW: Fallen soldier's family tries to carry on with
just memories of husband and father
Published: Tuesday, May 27, 2008, 10:04 AM
AM Amy L. Payne | Booth Mid-Michigan
Updated: Tuesday, May 27, 2008, 10:06
REESE - As a military wife, Melissa Alex followed her husband, U.S. Army Staff Sgt.
Eugene Alex.
When Eugene Alex died in Iraq in 2006, she followed his wishes, moving their three
children to his hometown of Reese, in Tuscola County.
These days, Melissa Alex, 32, just tries to pursue happiness.
Alexander Cohn | Times PhotoMelissa Alex recalls flying to Germany to be with her husband,
Staff Sgt. Eugene Alex, shortly before he died from wounds he received in Iraq in 2006.
"Since Eugene passed, I think I'm more a 'Follow your heart and do what makes
you happy' kind of person," Melissa Alex said. "Because you just don't know what
one day will bring."
Melissa Alex, more than many, knows the possibilities.
Before he left for Iraq in the fall of 2005, Eugene Alex told his wife that if anything
happened to him, he wanted her to move with their three children to Reese,
population 1,400.
About a year later, at 6 a.m. Aug. 30, 2006, the phone rang at the Alex home on
an Army base in Alaska.
"I received a phone call telling me my husband was shot by a sniper in the head
and that he was in critical condition," Melissa Alex said.
That morning, Alex found herself on a jet heading from Fairbanks, Alaska, to
Washington, D.C.
That night, she met with reality.
"I was in a hotel by myself, and I called the hospital in Germany, and they asked
me if my husband was an organ donor," Melissa Alex said, breaking into tears.
The next day, the soldier's wife flew to Germany.
In Germany, Alex made her way to a hospital rooming house where she hoped to
find relief from Eugene Alex's parents, Ron and Sally Alex of Glennie, who had
arrived before her.
"I remember crawling up the steps inside that home, and I begged them to tell me
that it wasn't Eugene, and that everyone was wrong," Melissa Alex said.
"They told me it was him, and that it was a bad situation, and that I had some
decisions I had to make."
In the hospital room with her husband, and with Eugene Alex given no chance for a
meaningful recovery, Melissa Alex remembered his wishes again.
"He didn't want to be (incapacitated)," she said. "If he couldn't walk and talk and
play with his kids, he'd rather be dead."
She decided to remove her 32-year-old husband from life support, and to donate
his organs.
"I let him go," Melissa Alex said. "They presented him with his Purple Heart shortly
before I made the choice."
About a month after Eugene Alex's death, his wife moved with their children Austin, Zackery and Autumn - to a home near Reese.
http://blog.mlive.com/baycitytimes_extra/2008/05/falle
n_soldiers_family_tries_t.html
"Everyone knew Eugene and it would be kind of a place for the kids to meet other
people who knew their dad in a different capacity - he played baseball and football
here," said Melissa (Szenay) Alex, a Bay City native and 1995 graduate of Bay City
Western High School.
"At first it was OK because I didn't have to explain everything to everybody,"
Melissa Alex said.
While Reese offered a fresh start, there have been drawbacks.
"It's been hard, too, with all eyes on us," Alex said. "Sometimes it's a little
suffocating in terms of privacy."
Melissa Alex has begun dating again, and there's a man in her life. She has her
home up for sale and - if it sells - plans to move to Freeland.
Eugene Alex had prepared for the worst in the event he didn't return from war,
Melissa Alex said. He purchased a life-insurance policy that has provided invaluable
financial benefits.
Melissa Alex said he also gave her advice that - at the time - she didn't want to
hear.
"He had said that if he didn't come back, when the time's right, you'll find
somebody to love you and to love your children," Melissa Alex said.
Tomorrow, the Alex family will mark a low-key Memorial Day.
"Of course, we'll probably go out to the cemetery to see Eugene, but we try not to
get wrapped up in dates," Melissa Alex said.
"I can't, because it's so overwhelming for myself. How would it be for the kids?"
Melissa Alex urges Americans to think of soldiers - and their families - on Memorial
Day, and every day.
She said she had to speak up at a meeting of a young mothers' group in Reese
when one of the moms complained about a husband leaving for a week on a
business trip.
"I said 'How would it be if he was gone for a month?'" Alex said. "I don't think the
average person realizes the amount of time and sacrifices that the soldiers and
families make."
Melissa Alex said she'll decline an invitation to attend a Memorial Day brunch
tomorrow with Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
"Sometimes," Alex said, "enough is enough, and that's heartbreaking, and it's
emotional.
"But you just don't want to deal with it anymore. It's not that we will ever, ever
forget Eugene. But sometimes you just have to say 'Enough is enough.'
"We just try to live every day honoring Eugene, and doing things that he would
approve of."
The Alex kids - 12-year-old Austin, 10-year-old Zackery and 8-year-old Autumn have helped create a memorial garden, in the front yard, in honor of their late
father.
Austin Alex was quick to fetch a painting of his dad, eagerly showing it to a
reporter, when asked about Eugene Alex.
"He was a lot of fun," Austin said.
"You know what?" Melissa Alex added. "You can ask all my kids, and each one will
say 'I have a memory of my dad.'
"But there are kids who don't."
Remembering SSG Eugene Alex this 9/11
65 By gksquire9
3 Years Later
I just want to let you all know that I originally wrote the following story about Eugene Alex three years
ago when I was serving in Iraq. For me, I do not like to turn the television on and see all the 9/11
tributes. It's hard. I have been to Ground Zero in New York and have fought our Nation's enemies
on their home turf to ensure (hopefully) that the awful events that occurred eight years ago will never
happen again. It's a tough day for me and many I have served with, and it is made harder because I
always associate this day with the loss of Eugene. This morning I emailed Melissa Alex, Eugene's
widow, and asked her for permission to re-publish this write-up. With her blessing I submit the
following. God Bless Melissa Alex, her family, and the thousands affected by the events of
September 11th, and the years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan since then.
BAGHDAD (11 September 2006)--On the morning of 30 August, his 32nd birthday, at about a
quarter after 11, Sergeant Alex made his last volunteered movements. Moments later, while
conducting patrols with C Troop, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, Eugene Alex was down. A
single shot to the head had started in motion the inevitable. A few days later, with his wife, Melissa,
at his side, Eugene Henry Eli Alex was pronounced dead.
I used to call him the man with four first names. He was a great-hearted guy from Michigan and I met
him as a Platoon Leader in Bravo Troop during the aging Alaskan summer of 2003. He wasn't one of
my Soldiers but his platoon's office was right next to mine and we shared the same paper thin drab
government office wall where conversation bled through as if it didn't even exist. I liked SSG Alex
right away.
I first thought of his death as a tragedy, and in many ways it is. Since I heard the news and had
time to reflect on him, I have come to realize that his loss was less tragic and more an example of
fortitude, perseverance, and honor. He died honorably doing what he wanted to do, serving on the
line with Soldiers at death's door.
The "extension" of the 172nd Stryker Brigade caused more than a ruffle of anger when it was
announced at the end of July, just days before many of the main body of the Brigade was to return
home to Alaska after a year in Iraq. Wives, husbands, parents, girlfriends, anyone associated with
the Brigade, were for lack of a more tasteful euphemism, pissed off. Some Soldiers had actually
made it all the way back to Alaska before they were told that they would have to return to Iraq and
join their demoralized Brigade in Baghdad. Pissed off indeed. Now some Soldiers had to say goodbye to their families and loved ones again, without any knowledge of when they would return home.
End of summer plans, leave, fishing trips, moose hunting, enrollment of kids in new schools,
apartment deposits, plane tickets, wedding plans, first communions, and changes of duty station
were all put on hold or thrown out indefinitely. Pissed off for sure.
As a Brigade we knew nothing about the extension other than Baghdad and Iraq needed our
help. As you hear senior officials tell it, we have been the "best of the best" in mission after mission
during our stay in Iraq. This is to take nothing away from the Marines, Airmen, Navy Seals, other
coalition troops, and some exceptionally brave Iraqi fighters we have worked and fought with--this is
just the official story which intentionally, or just incidentally was meant to pump up our egos. So, if
we're the best, and only the best can help save this nation from plunging into a civil war, well, you
get the picture. Now five years after the events in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.
shook our nation and tested our will, we are here for our second straight 9/11 instead of home with
our families.
We were at the end of a year's worth of blood-stained effort and grin-and-greet handshakes with
politicians, Imams, civil and religious leaders. The end of a year's worth of training Iraqi Army
Soldiers and Iraqi Police how to defend themselves and their people. We were at the end of our war
psyche. But for one man a new start loomed. For Eugene Henry Eli Alex of Michigan, there was a
chance to return to the line.
Back in September of 2005 the 4-14 Cavalry was fresh in our practically brand new uniforms and
vehicles having just arrived in the desert outpost of Rawah. A combat sandbox in austere conditions
was just what the CAV lived for. They would go out on "presence and counter-insurgency patrols"
every day and every night until the Euphrates River Valley all the way west to Syria was clear and
free of terror. It was an overwhelming job that would be like trying to dam a glacier on the Sun, but it
was our job.
Shortly after we arrived in Rawah SSG Alex was in a Stryker that was struck by an IED (Improvised
Explosive Device). While not technically wounded by enemy action, SSG Alex did sustain a
concussion and the blast also aggravated a pre-existing back problem. SSG Alex left Rawah, Iraq,
and the rest of us behind to heal up in Alaska. He was gone for nearly five months and by all
accounts he was written off as nearly any Soldier evacuated out of theater who never returned. But
Sergeant Alex did come back.
In January of this year SSG Alex came back to Iraq, Rawah, and the 4-14 but was re-assigned to
Headquarters and Headquarters Troop. His back, still an issue, and the unknown mental scars of
being blown up kept him "in the wire" and found him in a pretty important job: life-support
sustainment specialist. It was damned cold in Rawah in January and SSG Alex was dubbed,
"Generator 7" the guy you went to when the generators and heaters crapped out, which was often. I
hadn't seen him in months but his smile, man o' man that great biiiiiiiiig smile, and that giggly,
infectious laugh was as present as they ever were. He was back.
I spoke with SSG Alex often, daily even, as it was nearly every morning and every night that our
tent's heater and power shut down. But I also spoke to him about home, his wife, Melissa, and his
kids, places called Saginaw and Reese, Michigan snf mostly I just liked talking and joking around
with him. And though we weren't that close, and though in some circles officers "fraternizing" with
non-coms is strictly interpreted, in that Iraqi desert those were good talks and as well as could be
expected in a war, pretty good times, so I would proudly tell anyone in my chain of command that
Eugene Alex was my friend.
Back in our days of Bravo Troop SSG Alex was the guy that the Soldiers loved to be around. "He
had a ready joke in his pocket," said Captain Chris L'Heureux, Alex's commander in C Troop. And he
really did. That guy could make you laugh after you just lost two grand on the Super Bowl. Ummm,
let's see, if Heureux in French means "happy" and the captain said Eugene Alex made the troops
happy, we'll consider him an expert witness. Alex also coached our troop's softball team but couldn't
play because of his bad back. Melissa would bring the kids and the other wives would show up, too.
I always liked and respected that about the Army wives - - they really support their Soldiers in all that
they do.
And in the off hours SSG Alex was my designated driver many times, making sure his own Platoon
Leader and I would not get into too much trouble. But we did get him to sing karaoke with us and by
himself twice. I truly won't forget that.
All of these memories and thoughts of what was, and what might have been, brings me back to the
extension. Once it was official that the Brigade would head to the heart of Iraq and help stem the
violence, SSG Alex did something that would define "character" forever in my book. While many
were flat-out tired mentally, he volunteered to return to a line Troop to lead Soldiers and fight the
enemy. Duty. Honor. Personal Courage. All the things that the Army tells us define a leader and a
good person. In that single, unselfish act, SSG Eugene Alex assured himself that his death would
always be seen as honorable, not tragic. He was re-assigned to C Troop, my old Troop and joined
the already battle-tested and proven leaders like SFC McDowell, SFC Sheehan, and 1SG
Borkowski. Be it by attitude or personality, Alex fit in right away.
Now I know it is incredibly difficult for Melissa and the kids, as it is with all the people Eugene
touched, but his death should be remembered for a lot more than just our first of the extension. SSG
Alex died contributing to a sharp decline in violence in the capital. August, our first month here in
Baghdad, saw the horrific murders of innocent people by death squads, as well as all other violence
(small arms fire, IED's, suicide bombers) decrease significantly. And during the March of the 7th
Imam where nearly 400 civilians died last year as a result of panic caused by a bomb threat, roughly
only 20 people lost their lives this year. It was because of the resolve and fortitude of the Brigade
and the thousands of other Soldiers like SSG Eugene Alex who helped lessen the blow here. In
other venues of life 20 dead would be horrific. In the reality you don't see on CNN and Fox News,
sadly but true, this is progress.
It isn't up to me to say that SSG Alex died the way he wanted to. But I can say that he died doing
WHAT he wanted to do: helping his Soldiers help these people be safer.
For many in the 4-14 and for Melissa Alex and her kids there is an irreplaceable void. At the
memorial service attended by nearly 600 Soldiers for Eugene Alex last week CPT L'Heureux said it
best, "You couldn't go into a room where Sergeant Alex had just been and not know he was there."
Eugene Henry Eli Alex, the man with four first names, had that presence and even in that void we
know he is here.
Sgt. Ralph N. Porras
Hometown: Merrill, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 36 years old
Died: September 2, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed by mortar fire during dismounted combat operations in Yusufiyah.
Ralph Nicholas Porras
Porras, Sgt. Ralph Nicholas, Merrill, Michigan. U.S. Army serving in Iraq. Funeral Service will take place
11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 13, 2006, at the W.L. Case and Co. Funeral Chapel 201 N. Miller Rd.
Chaplain Major Jeffrey Haw-kins will officiate. Friends may call at the Chapel from 2:00-5:00 and 7:009:00 p.m. Tuesday and then from 9:00 a.m. Wednesday until the time of the funeral service. Those
planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider the Michigan Military Relief Fund. Ralph was
an unforgettable person. He has touched many lives and leaves behind many friends and loved ones.
Our family is extremely proud of him as an individual and for his dedicated to our country. Ralph is our
hero. This is a tremendous loss and he will be greatly missed. www.casefuneralhome.com
Published in Saginaw News on MLive.com from September 10 to September 11, 2006
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.
Sgt. Jeremy E. DePottey
Hometown: Ironwood, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: September 11, 2006 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Incident: Died of injuries suffered in a single vehicle accident in
Asadabad, Afghanistan.
Jeremy Edward DePottey (1979 - 2006)
Jeremy Edward DePottey, 26, a U.S. Army sergeant, died Monday, Sept. 11, 2006,
near Asadabad, Afghanistan, while on patrol supporting Operation Enduring
Freedom.
Funeral: 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22, at Northstar Baptist Church in McMillan, Mich.,
Pastor Paul Williams officiating. Interment: Sandtown Cemetery in Portage Township, with full
military honors. Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Beaulieu Funeral Home in Newberry, Mich.
Memorials: The family kindly requests that expressions of sympathy be directed to Sgt.
DePottey's children.
Sgt. DePottey was born Sept. 20, 1979, son of Gerald DePottey and Mary Burlingame. He
resided in McMillan, Mich., for eight years and was formerly employed at Fosters Hardware in
Newberry. He briefly resided in Bessemer before enlisting in the U.S. Army on April 1, 2002.
Sgt. DePottey was preceded in death by his father, Gerald, and grandfather, John Burlingame.
Survivors: His wife, Jacqueline, of Arlington, whom he married Feb. 18, 2006, in Pamelia, N.Y.;
children, Jeremy Edward II and Cierra Mae, both of Bessemer, Mich.; stepson, Dylan Watkins of
Arlington; mother and stepfather, Mary Burlingame and Duane Jordan of McMillan, Mich.;
brother, Joshua Burlingame and fiancee, Tiffany Hasty, of Newberry, Mich.; stepbrother, Duane
Jordan Jr. and fiancee, Nola Guenther, of McMillan, Mich.; grandparents, Geraldine Ewalt of
Stanton, Mich., Emma Pnacek of McMillan, Mich., Claudia Derry of Standish, Mich., and
Howard Collins of AuGres, Mich.; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Published in Star-Telegram on September 19, 2006
Capt. Justin D. Peterson
Hometown: Davisburg, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 32 years old
Died: October 1, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine
Palms, Calif.
Incident: Died from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Anbar Province.
VETERANS DAY 2008 TRIBUTE / All Marines
On this day of Veterans Day 2008, to Captain Justin Peterson, and all Marines
and their families:
Thank you for your courage, thank you for your sacrifice, and thank you for
standing up when your nation needed you.
We appreciate the commitment to our country that the Marines and their
families have made. Our nation is blessed because our liberties have been
defended by brave men and women in the past and we are blessed to have
brave men and women defend our liberties today.
By law, Veterans Day is set aside to honor our nation's military veterans both
living and dead, who served in time of war. The focal point for national
observance is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
At 11:00 am on 11 November, a color guard that includes all military services
executes "Present Arms." The President of the United States lays a wreath upon
the tomb, steps back, and salutes. A bugler plays Taps. A grateful nation has
not forgotten.
The Marine's Prayer
Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make
me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best
self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to
live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones, and Thee without
shame or fear. Protect my family.
Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of
responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be
proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors
and to the duties my Country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Help
me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions
which I must uphold.
If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to
resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again.
Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may
understand the answer to my prayer.
Semper Fi
Once a Marine, Always a Marine
Burial / Honorable Military Burial Captain Peterson
Great Lakes National Cemetery
4200 Belford Road
Holly, MI 48442
(248) 328.0386
Remembering Justin / Dave Colliver (high school friend )
I am extremely sad to have found this site as I knew Justin as a high school
friend/soccer teammate. He was our soccer goalie my junior year his senior year. I
looked up to Justin and I knew he was a leader and that is how he conducted himself
on and off the field. Justin was a good man in high school and I always remember him
with a smile and a laugh. I never was in touch with Justin after high school but I know
he was a great Marine. He was the kind of person that makes me proud to be an
American. It is with deep regret to have learned of Justin's passing. I just want to pass
along my condolences to Justin's family and friends. I'm very sorry I am writing this so
late. He will be missed. Dave
The newlyweds...Justin and Patty Peterson.
Justin D. Peterson
Friday, October 06 2006 @ 03:58 AM MDT
Contributed by: River97
The Mercury News -- DETROIT - A Baptist minister's son who wanted to follow his
grandfather's example and join the Marines has died in a noncombat vehicle crash while serving
in Iraq.
Marine Capt. Justin D. Peterson, a father of three, died Sunday from injuries he received in an
accident in Anbar province, the Defense Department said. The accident's cause was under
investigation.
Peterson, 32, was a supply officer assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif. He had been in Iraq for six months, his
family said.
Peterson's grandfather, Don Woodworth, had been a warrant officer in the Marines.
"From the time he was old enough to talk about a career, Justin wanted to follow in his
grandfather's footsteps and be a Marine," his family said in a statement released by Harrison
Funeral Home in Springfield Township. "Justin was proud to be an officer in the U.S. Marines."
He was from the unincorporated community of Davisburg in Springfield Township, about 35
miles northwest of Detroit.
The son of a Baptist minister, Peterson enlisted in the Marine Corps out of Southfield Christian
High School in 1992, his wife, Patricia Peterson, said. He later earned a business degree at
Taylor University, an evangelical Christian school in Upland, Ind., and received an officer's
commission.
"For one who has spent 35 years speaking to audiences of all sizes, suddenly my vocabulary
seems woefully inadequate to express either the heartache or the pride that overwhelms our
extended family," his father, the Rev. Dale Peterson, said in an online memorial posting.
"To know that you lived - in life and in death - the values and principles that your mother and I
endeavored to instill in you only augments the value of your life - to us as your parents, to the
country that you served, and to the those who will experience the freedoms that you have helped
to secure," he wrote.
Peterson had three children - 6-year-old Jared, 2-year-old Jayden and 6-month-old Caitlin, born
three days before his deployment to Iraq.
His 21-year-old brother, Joshua, who is also stationed in Iraq, was granted leave to attend the
funeral.
Other survivors include his mother Ginna, brother Jordan, sisters Charity and Joy, and
grandparents Don and Libby Woodworth.
Justin D Peterson
Davisburg, Michigan
October 1, 2006
Age Military
32
Marine
Rank
Capt
Unit/Location
1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force
Twentynine Palms, California
Died from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
From WMU News 10/07/06:
Flags lowered Tuesday for Capt. Justin Peterson
Oct. 7, 2006
KALAMAZOO--By order of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. flags on all
campuses of Western Michigan University and throughout Michigan will be
lowered for one day, Tuesday, Oct. 10, in honor of Marine Capt. Justin D.
Peterson, who died Oct. 1 from injuries sustained while on active duty in Iraq.
Capt. Peterson, age 32, of Davisburg, Mich., died from injuries sustained in a
noncombat-related vehicle accident in Al-Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Flags should return to full-staff Wednesday, Oct. 11.
In December 2003, Gov. Granholm issued a proclamation requiring U.S.
flags to be lowered to half-staff throughout the state of Michigan and on
Michigan waters to honor Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in
the line of duty.
Michigan was among the earlier states to honor its fallen sons and daughters
by lowering flags. Sixteen states now follow the practice, including Alaska,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota,
New Jersey, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian
Hometown: Lathrup Village, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: October 21, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
http://ourfallensoldier.com/nicholasmanoukianmemorialpage.html
LCpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian
Lathrup, MI
United States Marine Corps.
October 21, 2006
"For my Son"
I know you probably have a thousand things to do today. Well...now
you have a thousand and one!
Son, I just want you to take a minute to read this. I know your days
are busy, but I hope they are giving back to you as much as you give to
them.
And I know there a moments when things could be better, but I hope
you'll remember that good things come to good people and that...without
a doubt..you are one of the best.
There are so many wonderful things about you. But I think that the
most admirable thing of all, at least to me, is that you do the things
you do with an inner strength and a special kind of love. That's just the
way you are.
You give life a gleam that most people only carry a glimpse of.
Nick is gone from our world but he lives in our memories and our
hearts. More importantly he lives with an eternal spirit in the presence of
God. Until the day we will all see one another again and spend eternity
together..
In Loving Memory of LCpl Nicholas J. Manoukian USMC age 22 killed on
Oct 21, 2006
1st Marines 6th Batallion 2nd Marine Div.
IED attack Ramadi, Iraq
Awarded two Purple Hearts posthumously
You will always be the love and joy of my heart...
I love you, Mom
Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Manoukian (22) was killed when
his Humvee drove over an IED in Iraq
Published: Apr 23, 2008 @ 7:02 PM
Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian 22, had been back in Iraq only one month before he
was killed in Anbar province when the Humvee in which he was riding drove over an improvised
exploding device.
Manoukian, son of Mary Manoukian Calhoun of Lathrup Village, married his junior high school
sweetheart while he was home on leave.
The young couple had one month and one week together before he was deployed to Iraq in
September, said his wife, Danielle Manoukian, 22.
A radio operator, Manoukian was one of four Marines based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., to die in the
explosion Saturday and one of two from southeastern Michigan, the Pentagon said Monday. The
Defense Department identifi ed the others as Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of
Chelsea; Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Elrod, 20, of Salisbury, N.C.; and Cpl. Joshua C. Watkins, 25, of
Jacksonville, Fla.
"He was my only child," Calhoun said, describing how her son loved to draw, loved playing
drums, enjoyed ice hockey and snowboarding, loved to cook and was a giving person.
The 2003 Royal Oak Kimball High School graduate was to come home on leave in July. Shortly
before that, he called his mother to let her know he and Danielle, whom he met when they were
14, had decided to get married while he was home.
"We had 10 days to plan a wedding, and her mother and I pulled it off in 10 days," his mother
said.
The two got married at Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Royal Oak, and
Manoukian was baptized and had his first Communion that day, as well, she said.
"If there were two people meant for each other, it was Nick and Danielle," his mother said.
"They'd been together a long time. Then they drifted apart. But they knew they'd end up together.
"I got to dance with my son at his wedding," she said, gratefully, between sobs. "I was looking
forward to having a granddaughter," Calhoun said. Manoukian had planned to adopt Danielle's 2year-old son, Nico, and they planned to buy a house and have a child after he came home from
Iraq.
Then the doorbell rang Saturday.
"I never even questioned or imagined it would just be a month, and that was it," said Danielle,
who lives in Royal Oak.
"I'm happy that I got to live with him. He was a person who would give and give. He was the
first to volunteer. I just feel so privileged that I got to love somebody so much and he loved me
so much."
Growing up, "Nick was the love of his dad's and my life," Calhoun said. "He lost his dad (Isaac
Manoukian) at 12 and after that several other family members. He was a strong kid. I used to tell
him we were the survivors. I want people to know he was a vibrant young man. He loved his
family and was so giving," said Calhoun, who is now married to Manoukian's stepfather, Gary
Calhoun.
The family also celebrated Manoukian's 22nd birthday while he was home. He spent his 20th
birthday in boot camp and his 21st birthday in Iraq. He and Danielle also celebrated all of the
holidays he would miss while in Iraq, including Halloween. He gave her an engagement ring in
an Easter basket she made for him when they were in high school.
Before Manoukian was recruited into the Marines, he took art classes at Oakland Community
College and worked part time at the Evergreen Nursing Home, where he was the cook.
"He loved to cook," his mother said. "He was fabulous drummer. He used to play from the time
he was little. He got a beautiful set of drums when he was 12.
"My dream for Nick was college," his mother said. "He had such a kind, generous heart, and he
gave the tightest, best hugs in world. I can't imagine living the rest of my life without him,"
Calhoun said.
Danielle said she and her new husband had met at 14 and started dating at 15.
"We had always planned to marry. We would talk on the phone eight hours and fall asleep while
we were talking. Then we would talk while we were getting ready for school in the morning."
Describing their love as like that portrayed in the movie "Notebook," she said, "He loved me like
that. I loved him like that."
Manoukian called her when he could from Iraq and said it "was just terrible there; it wasn't
getting any better.
"I always started to cry at the end of calls. I said, You are coming home.' And he would say he
was. I felt like he knew he was coming home, and it made me feel like he was," she said.
Services for Manoukian are pending the return of his body to the United States.
Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth
Hometown: Chelsea, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: October 21, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine
Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar
Province.
Clifford R. Collinsworth
Collinsworth, Clifford R. Chelsea, MI Age 20, was defending our country in Ar-Ramadi, Iraq
and was killed in the line of Duty on October 21, 2006. He was born on January 22, 1986 in Ann
Arbor, Michigan the son of Donald and Trisha (Steger) Collinsworth. Clifford graduated from
Chelsea High School in 2004 and played football and wrestled. Six days after graduating from
High School Clifford enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune , NC. He was a member of the Herbert McKune American Legion Post 31 of Chelsea
and loved to be with his family and his buddies. Surviving are his parents of Chelsea, sister
Melissa (Derek Eaton) Collinsworth of Chelsea, grandparents;Clifford Collinsworth of Chelsea,
Mark Steger of Chelsea, Donald (Harriet) Wild of Ann Arbor, and great grandparents, Edward
(Jean) Ingalls of Rochester Hills, MI. Also surviving are his aunts and uncles Jeff Steger of
Chelsea, Randy (Debbie) Ellis of Chelsea, John (Carrie) Garrison of Hamburg, and Jimmy
Collinsworth of Chelsea; as well as, several cousins including Jimmy Collinsworth and Jamie
Westcott Collinsworth. He was preceded in death by his grandmother Norma Collinsworth in
July of 2000. Funeral services will be held on Monday October 30, 2006 at 11 a.m. from the
Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home 901 N. Main, Chelsea. Burial will take place at Oak Grove East
Cemetery, Chelsea. Expressions of sympathy can be made to Toys for Tots. The family will
receive friends at the funeral home Sunday from 2-4 and 6-8 with Marine Corps League 414
ceremony.
Published in AnnArbor.com from October 27 to October 28, 2006
Semper Fi and God Bless
One of Chelsea's own, Marine Lance Corporal Clifford R. Collinsworth, was laid to rest
today in Oak Grove Cemetery. Corporal Collinsworth was killed in combat operations in Al
Anbar province, Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded next to his Humvee. He was a
member of the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This was Corporal Collinsworth's second tour of
duty in Iraq.
Chelseans stood in the downtown with U.S. flags as the funeral procession drove by to
stand in solidarity with Corporal Collinsworth's family and friends. The funeral procession
was led by the Chelsea Police Department motorcycle unit. The Chelsea Area Fire
Authority raised their aerial ladder with a United States flag hanging from the basket over
Main Street.
Clifford was the second Chelsean to die in Iraq. Army Specialist Donald R. McCune II was
killed in Iraq on August 5, 2004.
Once again, the Chelsea community will respond to tragedy and close around the
Collinsworth family to help them through difficult days to come. The thoughts and
prayers of my family and the entire Chelsea community are with the family and loved
ones of Corporal Collinsworth.
Lance Cpl. Troy D. Nealey
Hometown: Eaton Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: October 29, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps
Reserve, Lansing, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Before he rejoined his unit, Troy D. Nealey told his mother that if the worst happened,
he wanted a memorial to benefit 4-H kids. "He loved agriculture," said Annette. "He was
exposed to farm life, and he loved the cattle and crops. If he'd been born on a farm, I
think that would have made him the happiest." Nealey, 24, of Eaton Rapids, Mich., died
Oct. 29 in combat in Anbar province. He was a 2001 high school graduate and was
assigned to Lansing. He played sweeper on the soccer squad and anchored relay teams
in high school. In his senior year, he received the soccer coaches' award. "Kids like him
made coaching very enjoyable," said Joe Honsowitz, his former soccer coach. "He was
always positive. I never heard him once be negative about anything. He was a model
player." He helped his dad, Norman, a builder, on construction projects and helped his
woodworking teacher run electrical wiring in a pole barn. "He was 5 feet 6, but he had a
big heart and a big smile," said his mother. Nealey's pickup truck showed his colors. "The
truck had two stickers," his mother said. "One was 'Cowboy Up,' and the other was the
Marines."
Mourners gather around the casket of Marine Lance Cpl. Troy D. Nealey at the Rosehill
Cemetery in Eaton Rapids, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2006. Nealey, 24, assigned to
Charlie Company in teh 1st Battaliion, 24th Regiment of the 4th Marine Division, was
killed Oct. 29 while serving in Iraq. (MANDI WRIGHT/DFP)
Steven Rosales, 18, of Mason plays taps at the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids,
Mich., where Marine Lance Cpl. Troy Nealey was laid to rest. (MANDI WRIGHT/DFP)
Friends and family members release balloons in memory of Marine Lance Cpl. Troy
Nealey who was laid to rest at the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids. (MANDI
WRIGHT/DFP)
Veterans Doug Kosloski, 64, of Lancing, left, Gene Miller, 71, of Grand Ledge, Curt
Peterson, 65, of Dewitt, and Robert Briggs, 71, of Grand Ledge look over where Marine
Lance Cpl. Troy Nealey will be laid to rest at the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids.
(MANDI WRIGHT/DFP)
The hearse carrying Marine Lance Cpl. Troy Nealey arrives at the Rosehill Cemetery.
(MANDI WRIGHT/DFP)
A fly over in the missing man formation flies over the furneral of Marine Lance Cpl. Troy
Nealey at the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2006.
Nealey, 24, died in the line of duty in Iraq, Oct. 29. (MANDI WRIGHT/DFP)
POSTED: NOV. 12, 2006
Laughter amid funeral tears
Fallen Marine, 24, was jack-of-all-pranks
BY AMBER HUNT
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
They came with stories of Troy Nealey the prankster, the farmer, the electrician,
the brother to everyone he knew.
And then there was Lance Cpl. Troy D. Nealey, the U.S. Marine.
On Saturday, Nealy, 24, was honored with a funeral service in his hometown of Eaton Rapids, a
rural city near Lansing.
"I always thought he was pretty much invincible," said friend Jason Ottney, who was a grade
behind Nealey in high school.
But Nealey wasn't invincible. He was killed in action in Fallujah, Iraq, on Oct. 29. A Reserve
Marine assigned to the Charlie Company in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of the 4th Marine
Division, Nealey had been overseas just a month when he died.
David Johnson, principal of Eaton Rapids High School, and teacher Ben Gellis -- both of whom
grew to be friends with Nealey -- read messages from family, friends and fellow Marines about
Nealey, a broad-smiled young man who had no trouble finding dates.
Among the comments:
"He showed me what it was to be a Marine."
"His positive attitude, his big smile ... will never be forgotten."
"That was our Troy -- annoying at times, but always a true friend."
Gellis said he struggled to find a way to honor the man who hoped to be an electrician or a
farmer.
He finally decided: "I planted a tree in Troy's memory. I planted it in my yard," he said. "It's
Troy's tree."
But while the comments drew sniffles and sobs from the audience of more than 1,000, some
drew laughs as well.
Other friends shared tales of Nealey dangling fake spiders from rafters at animal auctions to
scare passersby.
He loved going to bonfires, and he'd been known to duct tape a friend or two to a chair.
Pastor Scott Boles of the First Baptist Church in Eaton Rapids said Nealey's family has been
inundated with support and well wishes.
Support came from beyond Eaton Rapids. Overseas in Iraq, when one group of Charlie Company
Marines learned of their comrade's death, they raised a flag, then lowered it to half-staff.
Family friend Tonya Clough said her daughter, Chelsea, 6, offered her the most comfort about
Nealey's death.
"She said, 'Mom, you're so silly,' " Clough said. " 'There's another star in the sky, and we can talk
to Troy whenever we want.'
"So if you need any advice, come talk to Chelsea."
Contact AMBER HUNT at 313-222-2708 or alhunt@freepress.com.
Troy Nealey remembered
On the drive from Eaton Rapids to Detroit to rejoin his unit, the conversation between Marine
Lance Cpl. Troy Nealey and his mother took that "what-if" turn.
"He said he wanted a memorial to benefit the 4-H kids who won the livestock showman awards,"
Annette Nealey recalled Tuesday night. "He'd been in 4-H for 10 or 11 years, and he'd shown
livestock. Troy wanted the money to go the kids."
Nealey, 24, was killed Sunday in action in Anbar province in Iraq. A Reserve Marine assigned to
the Charlie Company in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of the 4th Marine Division, Nealey and
the other men of the Michigan-based outfit shipped out last month in one of the largest
Michigan deployments to the war in Iraq.
The unit recently completed training at Twentynine Palms, Calif., and is expected to be in Iraq
for a seven-month tour of duty. The Defense Department announced Nealey's death Tuesday
afternoon.
"He joined the Marines, he didn't go to college," his mother said. "He felt the Marines would give
him the opportunity to grow. He joined the Reserve Marines, and he realized the war was on and
he might be involved. He was proud to be a Marine."
Nealey had hoped to be an electrician -- his father Norman Nealey is a builder -- but his mother
said his heart was really on a farm.
"He loved agriculture," she said. "He was exposed to farm life, and he loved the cattle and crops.
If he'd been born on a farm, I think that would have made him the happiest."
His last civilian job before going on active duty was milking cows on a dairy farm, she said.
Nealey's pickup truck showed his colors. "The truck had two stickers," his mother said. "One was
'Cowboy Up,' and the other was the Marines.
A graduate of Eaton Rapids High School, he played sweeper on the soccer squad and anchored
relay teams. "He was 5 feet 6, but he had a big heart and a big smile," she said.
In his first e-mail home, Nealey asked his mother to send hard candy that he could hand out to
Iraqi kids. Annette Nealey said she and others had started gathering Jolly Ranchers and Beanie
Babies when she got the news of his death. She said her son was a realist.
"He told me he was scared, and I told him, 'But, Troy, I want you to be scared. Be smart, be
brave, but don't be a hero,' " his mother said. "And he told me he wouldn't be a hero."
Nealey's funeral will be held Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. at Eaton Rapids High School.
From the Detroit Free Press
Eaton Rapids Marine left mark on many
EATON RAPIDS - The war in Iraq is hitting home for many in this small community where
Marine Lance Cpl. Troy Nealey is being remembered as the "all-American boy."
Nealey, a 2001 graduate of Eaton Rapids High School, died in combat Sunday in Iraq's Al Anbar
province, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
"He was good-looking, polite, kind and well- regarded by everyone that knew him," Eaton
Rapids High School Principal Dave Johnson said.
Nealey, 24, is the first member of the armed forces from this city of 5,330 to be killed in the war.
He's the 12th with known ties to mid-Michigan to have died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"It's always so tragic listening as the numbers go up," said family friend Rick Smith. "But it
didn't really sink in until yesterday. Now, it's really hit home."
Scott Boles, pastor of First Baptist Church of Eaton Rapids, said Nealey's parents and two
younger brothers were notified of his death Sunday evening.
"They're so proud of what he's done, but they are deeply grieved," Boles said on the family's
behalf. "There's been a great outpouring of support from the community. The family has
appreciated that, but now they just need a few days alone."
Nealey was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division, out of Lansing.
"We all knew him and really liked him," said Johnson, who announced the loss to the school
Monday morning. "I can literally close my eyes and still see him walking down the hall.
"Sometimes I would be leaning against the wall in the hallway as classes changed and he would
always make me smile if he walked by. "If he was with a group of people, there would be
laughter. He was such a great kid."
Boles got to know the Nealey family - parents Norman and Annette and their sons Troy; Todd, a
sophomore at Michigan State University; and Michael, who is in the eighth grade - when he
moved into the house next door in 2000. Boles said Troy Nealey was a "respectful kid with a
positive outlook" who loved his country. "He was always so approachable," Boles said. "I have
never met any kid so respectful of adults."
Nealey was involved in 4-H throughout his childhood, Boles said, and played soccer all four
years of high school. He helped his dad, a builder, on construction projects and helped his
woodworking teacher run electrical wiring in a pole barn.
In his senior year, the wing defender received the coaches' award. "Kids like him made coaching
very enjoyable," said Joe Honsowitz, the Greyhounds' former soccer coach. "He was always
positive. I never heard him once be negative about anything. He was a model player."
Friends said Nealey's parents supported his decision to enlist, a decision he made knowing he
might not make it home, Boles said. "He knew the dangers, and he was willing to do whatever it
took to serve his country," Boles said. "He was just proud to wear that uniform."
From the Lansing State Journal
Marine's mom remembers her fallen son with pride
EATON RAPIDS - Annette Nealey said talking about her son Troy helps bring some comfort.
She smiles as she recalls his generosity and sense of humor. But the fact of his loss is still so
fresh, she pauses often, tears in her eyes as she remembers.
Marine Lance Cpl. Troy Nealey, a 2001 Eaton Rapids High School graduate, died Oct. 29 while
conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. His death came about a month after he arrived
in Iraq with the 24th Marine Regiment.
Troy, 24, was killed when the vehicle in which he was traveling was hit by a rocket-propelled
grenade, according to information provided to the family by the Marine Corps. Of the four
Marines in the vehicle, Troy was killed and another was seriously wounded.
Annette Nealey said it's her understanding the attack came as part of the Iraqi insurgency.
Since news of his death became public, the family has been "overwhelmed by the outpouring of
love and support from this community," she said.
"Troy had a very big heart. He was so generous, fun loving and had a wild sense of humor," she
said. "He found humor in everything in life. And he had lots of very close friends."
Troy was a Marine reservist, part of Company C out of Lansing. He joined the Marine Corps in
January 2004. Before leaving for Iraq in September, he had trained in California for four
months. That training included six weeks of intense preparation at Twentynine Palms, where,
Annette said, all Marines headed for Iraq spend time before deployment.
Troy last saw his family - mother Annette, father Norm and his two brothers, Todd and Michael
- in early August, when he was home on leave for about a week. Once he arrived in Iraq on Sept.
29, Annette said, she was able to speak to her son three or four times via satellite phone.
"If he could get to a phone, his girlfriend, Lauren Wood, was usually the first one he called. But I
was next on the list," she said. Annette last spoke with Troy a week before he was killed. "He said
he was getting ready to do his laundry and looking forward to his first shower in a week."
He worried about family
He also said he was worried about the family being worried about him.
"But I told him: 'Troy, you are not going through this alone. You have to realize that what you
are going through in this time in your life is important to all of us. (The worst) could happen to
anyone at anytime, and we know that.' "
"I know, Mom," she said her son replied.
The family learned of Troy's death last Sunday evening, when several uniformed Marines rang
their doorbell.
"It was the stereotypical scene," Annette said. "I remember seeing the Marines' hats come off
and those words, 'We regret to inform you.' It didn't seem real."
Family proud of Troy
Despite their grief, the family emphasizes how proud they are of what Troy was doing for his
country. "I am very proud of my son," Annette said. "I've always known that men and women
would be called to serve their country and to protect what we have here.
In the United States "we can go out for the evening - go to the movies or go to the mall - and not
have to worry that we could be attacked, anytime, anywhere. Someone has to protect that."
She said that before Troy left home in August, headed back to California for more training, he
was aware of what he was likely heading into. "He said, 'This is what I have been trained to do. I
want to go over there, do my job and come home,' " Annette said.
The Nealeys are life-long Eaton Rapids residents. Troy was the oldest of three sons.
Todd, 21, is a junior at Michigan State University and is in Officer Candidate School for the
Marines. Once he gets his degree, he will make the decision whether to sign up as an officer,
Annette said.
The youngest Nealey, Michael, is in eighth grade at Eaton Rapids Middle School.
Annette said Troy was always protective of his brothers, especially Todd because of their
closeness in age. She said the 24th Marines are known as the "Band of Brothers," and Troy had
his own band of brothers growing up.
She said she fondly recalls the close bond between brothers Troy and Todd and their neighbors
and friends, Luke and Charlie Betts. Luke also is a Marine and has served in Iraq.
Her family has a long history of military service, Annette said. As a teen, she had dreams of
joining the Air Force. Of her six brothers, four were in the service. Two served in Vietnam.
"Our family has never questioned its support of the military," she said. As part of Marine
tradition, Troy's body will have an official Marine escort home, Annette said. One of his team
leaders during his training, Marine Cpl. Eric Miller, will have that honor.
Memorial service
A memorial service for Troy has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Eaton Rapids High
School gym. Annette said she sees it as an invitation to the community to celebrate Troy's life.
His friends are being asked to write down some of their memories of Troy to be shared during
the service. "There are other boys from Eaton Rapids that will be and have been affected by this,
too," Annette said.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Troy D. Nealey killed in combat
"He always had a smile for you, he always had time for you," Barbara Rogers says of her
grandson Troy. "He was famous for his bonfires, he was famous for his smiles," she says.
Many people who knew him describe him as a kid with a sneaky smile. "You just wondered what
he was up to," says family friend Rick Smith.
He was well-liked in his years at Eaton Rapids High School, and outside school, he was
passionate about the outdoors, 4-H, and the farm animals he showed competitively.
The uniform he wore proudly as part of a legacy--the new generation from a long line of soldiers
in the family who fought in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. "This is our first not to come
home," Rogers says. "I think Troy would want to be remembered that he did it for us."
While she remembers him, she cherishes an accidental memento. She wasn't home the last time
her grandson called her just before he shipped off to the mideast. He left a voicemail, and now
she can hear him say goodbye anytime she wants. "That message is on my machine. That's
priceless, right now," she says, with tears in her eyes.
His mother Annette Nealey declined to speak on camera, but spoke at length off camera about
the boy she says he just wanted to do his job in Iraq. He was there just one month with the
Lansing-based Charlie Company when his humvee was hit.
Nealey leaves behind his parents, his grandmother, a girlfriend, and two younger brothers. The
middle brother Todd is in the Marine reserve. Nealey's funeral is planned for November 11th at 1
pm at Eaton Rapids High School. His family plans to create a scholarship in his name for 4-H
using his life insurance from the Marines.
TROY D. NEALEY
MEMORIAL AWARD WINNERS
One of America's and
Ingham County 4-H's finest!
Lance Corporal Troy D. Nealey, of the United States Marine Corps, age 24, a former Ingham County 4-H
member, was killed in action on October 29, 2006, in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
This award was established at his request to recognize Ingham County 4-H members participating with
large livestock showmanship, specifically beef, swine and sheep. These are 4-H project areas that Troy
participated in for 10 years as a 4-H member.
Youth honorees are also recognized on a memorial plaque honoring Troy located in the main arena at the
Ingham County Fairgrounds.
If you would like to donate in honor of Troy, please mail your check to the Michigan 4-H Foundation,
Michigan State University, 240 Spartan Way, East Lansing, MI 48824-6005.
Amphitheater Opening and Dedication
Eaton Rapids, Michigan - The City of Eaton Rapids invites everyone to join us for the dedication of the
Rotary Amphitheater and the Lance Corporal Troy D. Nealey Memorial Flag Pole on Tuesday, August 7,
2007, at 7:00 PM. Help us celebrate the addition of this wonderful facility and enjoy a performance by the
126th Michigan Army National Guard Band. The Rotary Amphitheater is located in Martin Hansen Park on
Knight Street 2 blocks West of Main Street. For More Information Contact: Kim Byerly #517-663-8118 ext.
#8109.
A Dance to Remember
Is it the fact that we have the VFW National Home for Children in our community, or could it be that
Eaton Rapids has lost two sons to the War on Terror that unites this community? On Memorial Day 2007
we showed the world how we honor our veterans. On Saturday, August 25th we will hold "A Dance To
Remember" from noon to 11:00 p.m. Hamlin Street will be closed from Main St. to G.A.R. Island Park for
a street dance. This will be a fund raiser for the Lance Cpl. Troy D. Nealey "Lest They Be Forgotten"
Memorial. Let's remember Troy, Justin and all those we've lost. Donations are needed for the silent
auction, food concessions and children's activities. Please contact Patrick Rich at 517-663-7121 or email
prichfred@prodigy.net with your donations or questions.
Lance Cpl. Minhee Kim
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: November 1, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps
Reserve, Lansing, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Once, years ago, Minhee Kim came home with his knee covered in blood. Shocked and worried, his
mother asked him what had happened. Kim was completely unfazed. He calmly told his mother he had
hurt it diving for an errant ball in a pickup basketball game. "He had no fear," said Kim''s 17-year-old
brother, Isaac. Kim, 20, of Ann Arbor, Mich., died Nov. 1 in Anbar province. A 2004 high school graduate,
he was assigned to Lansing. "When people read this, they are going to say, ''Oh my gosh, what a waste
that he died so young,''" said Isaac. "Yes, his life was short, but he lived a full life and died for something
he loved and believed in." Known as "Andy," Kim played junior varsity tennis, recreational hockey and
violin in the school orchestra. After completing a semester at Purdue University, he began basic training.
Although he had an opportunity to become an engineer, he wanted to be with frontline troops. After
returning from training, Kim enrolled at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and completed a semester
before his company was activated to prepare for Iraq. He also is survived by his parents, Don and Mi Hea
Kim.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Two Marines Killed in Iraq Shared Early Desire to Serve
By Arianne Aryanpur
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Marine Lance Cpl. Minhee "Andy" Kim and Cpl. Michael H. Lasky died young, but family and
friends said they died believing they had made a difference.
Both men were killed in combat in Iraq's Anbar province. Kim, 20, of Ann Arbor, Mich., died
Nov. 1. Lasky, 22, of Sterling, Alaska, died Nov. 2.
Yesterday, they were buried hours apart at Arlington National Cemetery, where the sun
occasionally broke through the clouds and cast shadows over the rows of white headstones.
Mourners gathered before noon to honor Kim. His parents, Dong and Mi Hea Kim, South
Korean immigrants, wept as they received a folded American flag.
Isaac Kim said his older brother was committed to his faith and to joining the military. He wrote
to a Marine recruiter in elementary school but was turned down for being too young, news
reports said.
"He wanted to serve his country. He was thankful for being a U.S. citizen, and this was a small
way to pay back that gratitude," said David Shin, Kim's pastor at Harvest Mission Community
Church in Ann Arbor.
After graduating from Pioneer High School, Kim enrolled at Purdue University and enlisted in
the Marine Corps Reserve. He transferred to the University of Michigan at Dearborn last year
after completing basic training.
In September, he deployed to Iraq with the Marine Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division of Lansing, Mich.
John Thomas, a gunnery sergeant who taught Kim, remembered him as soft-spoken and
committed.
"The first time I met him, I asked him, 'Marine, why are you so quiet?' He replied, 'Waiting on
the gunny to provide instruction!' He had a quiet, reserved demeanor," Thomas wrote in an
online guest book.
Family and friends said they are struggling with the sudden loss.
"I think a lot of people were sad because he died at such an early age," Shin said. "But at the
same time, all of us are really proud of what he stood for, serving his country and being a faithful
Christian. We know he was able to live a full life while he was here."
Later yesterday, mourners gathered one grave site over to honor Lasky.
He was assigned to the Marine Corps Reserve's 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine
Division, based at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
Lasky's wife, Jessica, bowed her head as a chaplain delivered the sermon before his flag-draped
coffin. Lasky is also survived by a 1-year-old daughter, Liberty Lynn, and his parents, Carol and
Donn.
Donn Lasky, a Navy veteran, said his son always wanted to join the military, but it wasn't until
junior high school that he became serious and entered a training program for youths who wanted
to become Marines.
He attended Kenai Alternative School and wrestled and played football through Skyview High
School in Soldotna, Alaska.
"He played linebacker at 125 [pounds], if that gives you any idea of his mentality," his father
said.
After his first tour of Iraq, Lasky returned to Sterling for seven months. Family and friends said
his demeanor, and his decision to help train young Marines in his home town, demonstrated his
maturation.
"Growing up, he was less than, shall we say, an altar boy," Donn Lasky said. "That lasted until
he joined the Marines, and then it was a 180-[degree] turnaround."
Lasky volunteered for an elite Marine reconnaissance unit that deployed to Iraq this fall.
Jessica Lasky said that she kept in touch with her husband by e-mail and that it sounded like he
was doing what he loved.
"He loved his family, his community. He loved being a Marine, and he loved his daughter the
most," she said. "He wondered what was the best for his family, and in his heart he believed that
fighting in Iraq made it a better place for us to live here. He said, 'This is my job, and I have to
do it.' "
Kim and Lasky were the 274th and 275th service members killed in the Iraq war to be buried at
Arlington.
Min Hee (Andy) Kim
Lance Corporal, United States Marine Corps
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 1113-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 02, 2006
Media Contact: (703) 697-5131/697-5132
Public/Industry(703) 428-0711
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a
Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Corporal Minhee Kim, 20, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, died
November 1, 2006, while conducting combat operations in Al
Anbar province, Iraq.He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's
1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Lansing, Mich. For further information related to this release the
media can contact the Marine Forces Reserve public affairs office
at (504) 678-4177.
A Marine who felt urgency to serve
Friends say they'll miss joy of Min Hee Kim, 20, killed in Iraq
skirmish
Saturday, November 4, 2006
BY JO COLLINS MATHIS
Courtesy of Ann Arbor, Michigan, News
As a student at Pioneer High School, Min Hee "Andy'' Kim had a
yearning to serve his country in the military.
But, as a good son who wanted to honor his parents' wishes, he
enrolled at Purdue University after high school graduation in
2004.
Thoughts of the military life wouldn't go away, however, and by
the second semester, he was in boot camp learning how to be a
United States Marine. After a few more months at the University
of Michigan in Dearborn, he was sent overseas.
Lance Corporal Kim, 20, died Wednesday while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province in Iraq, the Department
of Defense said.
His three best friends said Friday that while they'll miss him
terribly, they know he died at peace.
"With his belief in Jesus Christ, he knew he had a greater hope,''
said Gabe Pak, his tennis partner at Pioneer. "He wasn't here for
the things of this world. He knew he had a reward in heaven.''
Kim was born in Maryland and lived in various parts of the
country. His family moved to Ann Arbor in 1996. He is survived
by his parents, Don and Mi Hea Kim, as well as his younger
brother Isaac, a senior at Pioneer High School. Funeral
arrangements are pending.
His parents are taking the death very hard, said David Shin,
pastor of the Harvest Mission Community Church in Ann Arbor,
which Kim joined as a teenager.
"He was very young, and it happened very suddenly,'' Shin said.
Kim felt a sense of urgency about joining the military, Shin said,
adding: "I don't know so much that it was directly related to the
war on terror, but he wanted to serve his country.''
Kim was assigned to the Marine Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division out of Lansing. Shin said
he'd talked to Kim just two weeks ago, and he reported that his
unit had been going on patrols every day and the work was
physically difficult.
All of Kim's close friends knew of his interest in joining the
Marines, Pak said.
"Whenever we talked about the future, he mentioned wanting to
join the military and wanted to serve his country,'' he said.
"That's really what he wanted to do.'' Pak said Kim's e-mails
from Iraq ended a couple of weeks ago, when he assumed Kim's
duties there were becoming more intense.
"The main thing about him is that he had joy, no matter what the
circumstances,'' Pak said. "No matter what he was going through,
or hardships, he was one of the most joyful people I met. He
always brought a smile to my face. Even in Iraq, he'd crack jokes
and remind me of all the good times we had together.''
Much of Kim's extended family has arrived from out of town to
support his family, Pak said.
Justin Aramaki, another of Kim's closest friends, said Kim
enjoyed tennis, hockey, playing guitar, movies, ultimate Frisbee,
and random road trips.
"He had a way about him, Aramaki said. "There was something
about him that set him apart and made him unique from everyone
else.''
Aramaki recalled the time he was struggling emotionally and
called Kim just to talk. The two decided to drive around town.
Aramaki said that while he was in midsentence, Kim turned up
the radio and started singing loudly to one ridiculous song after
another.
"That was exactly what I needed,'' he said. "I didn't need to talk.
He understood everything I was going through, and he realized his
friendship was what I needed at the time. And it was perfect.''
Aramaki attended a memorial service Thursday night at the
Michigan Union, where Kim's family and friends gathered to
remember him as a young man who was thankful for everything
this country had given him and wanted to give back in return.
Aaron Kim, who is not related to Min Hee Kim, went to Purdue
with Kim following their high school graduation together in 2004.
Though the two lived in separate buildings, they spent much of
their free time together.
"We'd go to the gym and work out because he was getting himself
ready to go to training camp,'' he said. "He wouldn't push himself
that hard, and I said, 'You're going to be a Marine ...' He said
when the time came, he would be strong enough to get through it;
that training would be no problem.'' Aaron Kim had his doubts,
but his friend proved him wrong.
"He was really diligent in everything he did,'' he said. "He always
set goals, and no matter what it took or what he had to do, he
achieved them.
"We talked to him a lot about the military being dangerous. But
he was passionate about it. We didn't understand how or why he
had so much passion for it. We were kind of like, 'Are you
seriously going to do this?' By the way he approached it, we could
tell this was his passion and desire. There was not much we could
say. The best we could do is support him.'' Aaron Kim said that
despite the sorrow at the "huge, immeasurable loss'' of their
friend, he doesn't feel anger.
"He brought a lot of happiness and laughter in our lives,'' he said.
"We feel blessed to have the time we had, and we're all
encouraged by his life.''
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Funeral services set for local Marine
Funeral services have been set for two local Marines killed last
week in the line of duty in Iraq.
Services will be Thursday for Marine Lance Corporal Min Hee
"Andy'' Kim, 20, a 2004 Pioneer High School graduate, who was
killed November 1, 2006, while conducting combat operations in
Al Anbar province.
Viewing will be from 3 to 5 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian
Church, 5171 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, followed by a Marine
Corps League memorial service from 6 to 7 p.m. The funeral will
be from 7 to 8 p.m. with a reception from 8 to 9 p.m. Burial will
take place later at Arlington National Cemetery.
Two Marines Killed in Iraq Shared Early Desire to Serve
By Arianne Aryanpur
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Marine Lance Corporal Minhee "Andy" Kim and Corporal
Michael H. Lasky died young, but family and friends said they
died believing they had made a difference.
Both men were killed in combat in Iraq's Anbar province. Kim,
20, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, died November 1, 2006. Lasky, 22, of
Sterling, Alaska, died November 2, 2006.
Marines carry the flag draped casket of Lance Cpl. Minhee Andy Kim of Ann Arbor,
Michigan,
who died while serving in Iraq, during funeral service, Wednesday, November 15, 2006
at Arlington National Cemetery
Mi Hea Kim, left, and Dong Kim, parents of Marine Lance Cpl. Minhee Kim, 20, of
Ann Arbor, Michigan, are presented with an American flag
Major General Douglas O'Dell, left, comforts the Kim family, from right,
brother, Isaac, father, Dong and mother Mi Hea, during funeral services for Lance
Corporal Minhee Andy Kim of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Wednesday, November. 15,
2006 at Arlington National Cemetery.
Yesterday, they were buried hours apart at Arlington National
Cemetery, where the sun occasionally broke through the clouds
and cast shadows over the rows of white headstones.
Mourners gathered before noon to honor Kim. His parents, Dong
and Mi Hea Kim, South Korean immigrants, wept as they
received a folded American flag.
Isaac Kim said his older brother was committed to his faith and to
joining the military. He wrote to a Marine recruiter in elementary
school but was turned down for being too young, news reports
said.
"He wanted to serve his country. He was thankful for being a U.S.
citizen, and this was a small way to pay back that gratitude," said
David Shin, Kim's pastor at Harvest Mission Community Church
in Ann Arbor.
After graduating from Pioneer High School, Kim enrolled at
Purdue University and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. He
transferred to the University of Michigan at Dearborn last year
after completing basic training.
In September, he deployed to Iraq with the Marine Reserve's 1st
Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division of Lansing,
Michigan.
John Thomas, a gunnery sergeant who taught Kim, remembered
him as soft-spoken and committed.
"The first time I met him, I asked him, 'Marine, why are you so
quiet?' He replied, 'Waiting on the gunny to provide instruction!'
He had a quiet, reserved demeanor," Thomas wrote in an online
guest book.
Family and friends said they are struggling with the sudden loss.
"I think a lot of people were sad because he died at such an early
age," Shin said. "But at the same time, all of us are really proud of
what he stood for, serving his country and being a faithful
Christian. We know he was able to live a full life while he was
here."
Later yesterday, mourners gathered one grave site over to honor
Lasky.
He was assigned to the Marine Corps Reserve's 4th
Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, based at
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
Lasky's wife, Jessica, bowed her head as a chaplain delivered the
sermon before his flag-draped coffin. Lasky is also survived by a
1-year-old daughter, Liberty Lynn, and his parents, Carol and
Donn.
Donn Lasky, a Navy veteran, said his son always wanted to join
the military, but it wasn't until junior high school that he became
serious and entered a training program for youths who wanted to
become Marines.
He attended Kenai Alternative School and wrestled and played
football through Skyview High School in Soldotna, Alaska.
"He played linebacker at 125 [pounds], if that gives you any idea
of his mentality," his father said.
After his first tour of Iraq, Lasky returned to Sterling for seven
months. Family and friends said his demeanor, and his decision to
help train young Marines in his home town, demonstrated his
maturation.
"Growing up, he was less than, shall we say, an altar boy," Donn
Lasky said. "That lasted until he joined the Marines, and then it
was a 180-[degree] turnaround."
Lasky volunteered for an elite Marine reconnaissance unit that
deployed to Iraq this fall.
Jessica Lasky said that she kept in touch with her husband by e-
mail and that it sounded like he was doing what he loved.
"He loved his family, his community. He loved being a Marine,
and he loved his daughter the most," she said. "He wondered
what was the best for his family, and in his heart he believed that
fighting in Iraq made it a better place for us to live here. He said,
'This is my job, and I have to do it.' "
Kim and Lasky were the 274th and 275th service members killed
in the Iraq war to be buried at Arlington.
Marine mourned Andy Kim's burial at Arlington is fitting, family
says
Friday, November 17, 2006
BY JO COLLINS MATHIS
Courtesy of the Ann Arbor, Michigan, News
Passengers waiting to board Northwest Flight 239 from
Washington, D.C., to Detroit on Wednesday night drank coffee,
read newspapers and chatted on cell phones.
Few seemed to notice the woman dressed in black, who sat with
heavy, sorrowful eyes, stroking a perfectly folded American flag.
There were 29 people buried at Arlington National Cemetery on
Wednesday, a mild autumn day in Virginia, as leaves fell gently on
row after row of white marble markers.
The youngest was Marine Lance Corporal Andy Kim, the
woman's 20-year-old son.
Two weeks earlier on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon in
Michigan, three Marines and a chaplain arrived at the Kim
family's Ann Arbor home.
When 17-year-old Isaac Kim answered the doorbell, no words
were necessary. He let them in, then called his mother, who was
shopping at Kroger.
"Mom,'' he said. "Can you come home?''
"Why, Isaac?'' asked the soft-spoken Mi Hea.
"Come home,'' he said. "There are Marines here.''
She hung up and called her husband, Don, at his Korean foods
import office in New Jersey. Don told her to stay strong, and to get
home safely. Then he called Isaac.
Let me talk to the Marines,'' he told his son.
Captain Mabel Balduf took the phone.
"Where are you?'' the officer asked. "Are you driving?''
"What's wrong?'' Don responded. "He is gone? He is gone? He is
gone?''
"Yes,'' she said. "I regret to inform you ...''
Isaac was listening from the living room. The phone call made it
official. His big brother and only sibling was gone.
A path to the Marines
Don and Mi Hea (pronounced "Me Hay'') Kim met in college in
Korea and married 24 years ago. Then Don got his student visa to
attend the University of Pennsylvania and she stayed behind for a
year. While living in Korea, Mi Hea suffered four miscarriages.
After they moved to the United States, they conceived a fifth time
and prepared for more disappointment. But this time they would
joyfully welcome their first child, a son they named Min Hee.
Andy became his "American name.''
Because it's mandatory for Korean males to serve two years in the
military, Andy's birth in Maryland was a relief to his Korean
relatives. Now he wouldn't have to become a soldier.
The Kims agreed: A volunteer army was one of the many good
things about being an American.
Then came the day that Don found a letter from the United States
Marines Corps addressed to Andy. It said, in effect, "Thank you
for your interest in the United States Marines. Call us again when
you're 18.''
He was 12.
"I said to him, 'Why didn't you ask me about this?''' recalled Don.
Andy told him he was sorry, but he was sure about it. He wanted
to be a Marine.
They didn't talk much about it for the next few years. Andy
enjoyed hockey and tennis, as evidenced by the many trophies on
display in the small bedroom he'd painted Marine green.
During his sophomore year at Pioneer High School, friends
introduced Andy to the Harvest Mission Community Church,
which meets at Angell Hall on the University of Michigan campus.
He became a strong Christian, whose faith would mean everything
to him from then on.
But nothing changed his mind about joining the Marines. When
he was a high school senior, he invited a recruiter to the house.
His parents tried to reason with him. He could be sent to Iraq,
where he could be seriously injured or killed. Is that what he
wanted?
He wanted to serve his country, he said. No matter what.
said, 'Why?''' recalled his mother, who sometimes uses an
interpreter. "'To wear the uniform? You've been watching too
much movie.'''
"I want to hear the reason,'' his father said. "Then I can allow it.''
"I was born in America,'' Andy replied. "It's an appreciation of
where I was born. I want to pay back.''
"I like America, too!'' his mother interjected. "But not that
much!''
She said there were lots of other ways to serve one's country.
"Everything else is an excuse,'' Andy told her. "The Marines are
the best way.''
And what if he ended up in Arlington Cemetery? his father asked.
"That would be honorable,'' the son replied.
While a college student, first at Purdue and then the University of
Michigan in Dearborn, Andy Kim enlisted in the 1st Battalion,
24th Marine Regiment based in Lansing, the largest Marine
Reserve deployment in Michigan.
His pastor, David Shin, suggested that as a college student, Andy
should consider becoming an officer.
But Andy had already switched from engineering to infantry.
"He said, 'I want to be with my fellow Marines on the front
lines,''' Shin said. "He said he wanted to experience what it meant
to be with them before he led them.''
He trained in San Diego during the summer, and was deployed to
Iraq in late September.
When he was leaving, Andy told his mother, "The time goes by
fast. I'll be back before you know it.''
"I said to him, 'Andy, I don't want to see you on the TV news. I
want to see you, OK?' He said, 'OK, Mom. Don't cry.'''
He used to buy her flowers on every holiday, including Valentine's
Day. Now he called home or e-mailed as often as possible.
In an e-mail to friends and family on October 1, 2006, Andy
wrote:
Hey everybody. how are you all doing? We're in iraq now right
outside downtown fallujah where we'll be for at least the next
couple months. we're all very excited over here to finally get to do
our job, but definitely some anxiety floating around. we'll be
hitting the ground running when we get there tomorrow so there
are many different emotions running around. But so far, even
though its been very hard physically and mentally, i've been
learning so much more about God and His word in a tangible way.
a lot of the things that we go through, talk about, and do go very
much hand in hand with what He speaks about and it seems to
come to life more. One verse thats been sticking out to me has
been psalm 44:22. it brings an odd comfort that He calls us to die
each day to many different things, physically or spiritually. I need
to learn more to take my hands off situations, especially when i
can't control who gets to come home in one piece and who doesn't.
thank you for your prayers. i'm really grateful. Andy.
On October 16, he wrote: Hey guys. I have a prayer request
please. We lost our first two marines the other day. Lance
Corporal Heinz - he has a son thats 8 weeks old and a wife.
Sergeant Babb - he has a wife and a couple children. Thanks.
Andy.
Around that same time, he called home, sounding weary. It was
the first time he complained.
"Mom, I'm really hot and tired,'' he said. "I go out every day for
most of the day, and I'm so tired.''
"Andy, sleep,'' his mother told him. "Sleep. So you can stay
alert.''
On October 28, 2006, his 20th birthday came and went without
word from him. They'd sent birthday greetings and were awaiting
a reply, which never came. It was unlike him. He would have
known his mother needed to hear from him.
"I think they worked him too much and too hard,'' said Don.
On November 1, 2006, four days after his 20th birthday, while
among a group of Marines on patrol in Fallujah, a bullet pierced
Lance Corporal Andy Kim's neck. "Hostile fire,'' they call it. Two
medics were there, but there was nothing they could do.
The Kims take comfort knowing he didn't suffer.
Andy had often prayed that his parents would go to church, but
they declined.
Mi Hea thinks back now on all those times with regret.
"That would have meant so much to him,'' she said, sitting in her
living room, her voice breaking.
But after he went to Iraq, she did go to a service once.
"Did Andy know I went to church?'' Mi Hea asked Isaac.
The younger son nodded. "I e-mailed him about that. He wrote
back that that was awesome,'' he said.
"You're sure?'' she asked.
"Yes,'' he said. "He said it was awesome.''
As she spoke, Mi Hea held the three possessions the Marines had
sent in a red velvet pouch: a crucifix, his dog tags and a Timex
watch, still ticking on Iraqi time.
Someone suggested that she place the crucifix in the casket with
Andy, but Mi Hea knew he would have wanted her to keep it.
"I think Andy gave it as a gift,'' she said.
Coming home
It was raining on the night of Tuesday, November 7, 2006. As
voters across the nation headed toward the polls, the plane
carrying Andy Kim's body landed at Detroit Metro Airport. Two
Marines climbed into the cargo hold at the rear of the plane,
removed the casing protecting the casket, and draped a flag over
it.
Clayne Frazer, funeral director at Muehlig Funeral Chapel in
Ann Arbor, stood waiting on the tarmac with the Kims.
First off the plane was the passengers' luggage.
Then, the casket.
At the first sight of it, Mi Hea collapsed to her knees.
"I do this every day,'' Frazer later said. "But it put a lump in my
throat to see the family's reaction. I have a 9-year-old boy. I can't
imagine seeing my son back from Iraq in a flag-draped coffin.''
A police escort led the short procession back to Ann Arbor, where
police had blocked intersections along the route. The Kims later
said they were surprised, and honored.
For us?'' Mi Hea asked quietly.
That night at the funeral home, the family viewed the body in a
private room. Andy was clothed in his Marine dress blues, his
white collar covering where the bullet had entered his body.
The body lay in state the next day, but the Kims could not bring
themselves to go back.
During a private family viewing before the funeral, Mi Hea
stroked her son's hair, straightened his suit and kissed his face.
On one side of the casket sat the official military portrait of the
lance corporal looking every bit like a serious and tough Marine.
On the other side, a happy and relaxed Andy smiled from his high
school senior picture.
About 500 people showed their respects during a six-hour
visitation, Marine ceremony and funeral on Thursday, November
9, 2006. A slide show of fun times with his friends, and a video clip
of Andy speaking at church, helped those who didn't know Andy including about 50 Marines of all ages who had come to pay their
respects - feel as if they did.
The mourners wept as the family hugged Andy's body before the
casket was closed for the last time. Still, it wasn't time for a final
good-bye. That would have to wait another six days.
Burial at Arlington
About 10 percent of the troops killed in active duty are buried at
Arlington National Cemetery, which sits across the Potomac River
from the nation's capital. The military leaves it up to the families
to decide where a fallen soldier is buried. For the Kims, the choice
was obvious. Andy had said it would be an honor to end up there,
and so that's where they would take him.
Fifty-two friends and relatives flew or drove to Virginia for the
burial. They all wore black.
At the gravesite ceremony, Chaplain Ron Nordan told the
mourners that Andy was among an "extraordinary group of men
and women who have voluntarily stood up and raised their hand
to serve their country, not only to fight for our freedoms, but for
the freedoms of all people on this earth.''
"Even given the end that we know today, if he had to choose to do
it all over again, he would have done the same,'' he said. " ...
Today we honor him for his sacrifice.''
After a squad of seven Marines fired their rifles three times in
succession, a bugler played the sorrowful notes of taps.
When Maj. Gen. Douglas O'Dell walked over with the flag and
knelt down before Mi Hea, she broke down as he spoke quietly in
her ear, one hand on her shoulder. Accepting the flag, she leaned
her head on his shoulder, sobbing.
It was time for the family to say their final good-bye. Mi Hea
cradled the casket, then asked an officer on which end her son's
head laid. She then rested her head there awhile, stroking the
wood.
Andy was the 3,061st soldier killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom
and the 274th to be buried at Arlington.
Andy's grave was first in a new row in a section reserved for those
killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring
Freedom-Afghanistan.
By the end of the day, another family had buried their Marine in a
grave beside him. A third hole had been dug for the next day's
burial of a U.S. Army soldier killed in a helicopter crash.
Andy's friend David Yon, an eighth-grade teacher in Saline,
chaperoned a class of eighth-graders on a visit to Arlington last
spring. He never thought a close friend would be buried there.
The understanding that Andy is a part of that proud legacy seems
right, he said.
"I can see him fitting in perfectly in that spot,'' he said. "It's
totally him. It sums up who he is as a person. I look forward now
to the times I'll get a chance to come with the eighth-graders back
to D.C. and have that opportunity to remember him every year
and also share with my students the type of person Andy was.''
Forever in their hearts
After the burial, the dozens of mourners piled into rental cars and
headed for an elegant Korean restaurant for a big lunch, courtesy
of the Kims.
Two tables were filled with relatives, who ate quietly. But there
was much chatting at the tables of Andy's young friends, who
shared their memories of him. Their laughter was a reassuring
sign that as much as they'd miss him, life goes on.
Andy was one of a group of six best friends who called themselves
"The Asian Invasion'' in ninth grade, and now "The Homeboys.''
Now reduced to five, the group posed for pictures with big smiles
and hugs.
Then they posed for one more: This time, with their adopted little
brother, Isaac.
Mi Hea and Don watched, smiling. Isaac will not join the Marines.
That one thing, they say, is for sure.
After lunch, Sergeant Jesse Lake, part of Andy's division in
Lansing, who had been with the family through the whole ordeal,
took the Kims and their extended family sight-seeing in
Washington. Eventually, they made their way back to Arlington to
see the eternal flame at the grave of John F. Kennedy.
When Don turned around, he was awed by a sweeping view of the
cemetery, with the lights of the capital in the distance.
"I thought, 'This was where Min Hee wanted to be,''' Don later
said. "He thought it was honorable to stay in Arlington. I'm proud
of that. I think I was never proud that he was a Marine. Today I
felt proud that he was a Marine.
"In Ann Arbor, I thought, 'Why I have to lose my son?' I asked
God: 'Why him? Why him?' I never had an answer. Today I'm
proud of him.''
Until that day, Andy's relatives in Korea didn't understand why
Andy wanted to join the Marines.
"Now my sister who was here says she understands,'' said Don.
"He was a real Marine. I thought he was just my son, but he was a
Marine.''
But later, as he sat in the airport and watched the mourners
preparing to leave Washington, the father had another thought:
How long will people remember Andy?
"How long?'' he asked, his eyes tearing. "Even me. Sometime I'm
going to laugh and enjoy myself and my life. I want to remember
him every single time, every single second. After I am laughing, I
feel sorry for Min Hee. That I'm lucky, and laughing.''
But he said he tries to remember one thing: His son would want
him to be happy.
"If I laugh because God make me happy, he's going to like that
kind of happy,'' he said. "I'm going to pray every day for him. I'm
going to go to church. Whatever he likes, I'll do it.''
On Tuesday night, Mi Hea had a dream. Andy was hugging her,
his head pressed against her chest. She wanted to see his face, but
he wouldn't move.
In the morning, before the burial, the Kims talked about what
that could have meant. They agreed this was Andy's way of saying
good-bye, with his head pressed to their hearts, where he will
always stay.
Posted: 8 November 2006 Updated: 16 November 2006 Updated: 17 November 2006
Updated: 23 November 2006 Updated: 3 February 2007
Minhee Kim
Monday, November 06 2006 @ 08:23 AM MST
Contributed by: tomw
The Michigan Daily -- Every chair in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union was filled last
night. Those unable to find a seat lined the aisles and gathered at the back.
The sounds of stifled sobbing and crumpling tissues echoed through the room where family and
friends had gathered to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Lance Cpl. Minhee Kim.
Kim, 20, died Wednesday in the Anbar province of Iraq. The Marine was a student at the
University's Dearborn campus. He had spent the last 10 years of his life as a resident of Ann
Arbor. He had been in Iraq for only a few months.
In a eulogy, his brother, Isaac Kim, spoke about how his brother embraced life and those around
him.
Once, when Isaac Kim and his brother were young, Minhee Kim came home with his knee
covered in blood. Shocked and worried, his mother asked him what had happened. Kim was
completely unfazed by the injury. He calmly told his mother he had hurt it diving for an errant
ball in a pickup basketball game.
"He had no fear," Isaac Kim said as he held back tears.
The speakers at last night's memorial service painted a portrait of a young man deeply rooted in
his faith and his community.
Before leaving for Iraq, Kim had spoken with Pastor Seth Kim of the Harvest Mission
Community Church in Ann Arbor about joining the ministry when he returned. When Seth Kim
asked Kim why he was joining the Marines, Kim said he wanted to serve his community and the
country that had been had so good to him.
When Seth Kim heard those words, "it was a breath of fresh air," he said.
Another friend told the story of when he and Kim met, playing recreational hockey. As the only
Asian Americans on the team, they were drawn to each other. The two forged a friendship.
They often stayed up late, jamming on guitars and talking about their faith.
Kim spent his first year of college at Purdue University before transferring to the University's
Dearborn campus last year.
While in Iraq, Kim sent his last e-mail to his friends, family and fellow congregation members
exactly a month before he died.
Seth Kim read from the e-mail during the service.
The letter said his unit had just arrived at the outskirts of Fallujah.
He described the excitement and anxiety of finally seeing battle and wrote about how his faith
had been strengthened by the experience.
As the service ended, tears welled in the eyes of nearly everyone in the room. Several people
lingered in the room and outside the doors after it was over, hugging, consoling each other and
helping to brush aside the tears.
Seth Kim said crying was a necessary part of the process, something that everyone has to go
through. But the key, he said, is learning to take joy a the life that had ended so suddenly.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Min Hee 'Andy' Kim laid to rest
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Min Hee "Andy" Kim remembered
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Min Hee "Andy" Kim killed in combat
As the son of South Korean immigrants, Andy Kim was deeply indebted to the United
States for providing his family with economic opportunity.
Fulfilling his childhood dream of joining the U.S. Marine Corps enabled the 20-year-old
college student from Ann Arbor to express his gratitude.
Kim, a 2004 graduate of Pioneer High School, gave the last full measure of his devotion
Wednesday in Iraq when he was killed in a skirmish during a routine patrol in Fallujah
in volatile Anbar province.
He had been in Iraq for about six weeks and was the fifth Michigan Marine to die in
combat in the province during the past two weeks.
Kim, a lance corporal, was a member of the Marine Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Charlie Company.
"When people read this, they are going to say, 'Oh my gosh, what a waste that he died so
young,' " Kim's 17-year-old brother, Isaac Kim, a senior at Pioneer, said Saturday.
"Yes, his life was short, but he lived a full life and died for something he loved and
believed in."
Andy Kim was born Min Hee Kim in 1986 in Maryland. His father, Don, came to the
United States in the early 1980s to study business and is a branch manager of a
company that sells Asian food products to U.S. customers. Kim's mother, Mi Hea Kim, is
a homemaker.
They moved to Ann Arbor when Kim was 10.
Isaac Kim said his brother played junior varsity tennis, recreational hockey and violin in
the school orchestra at Pioneer.
But his real passions were serving Jesus and becoming a Marine.
Isaac said Andy Kim wrote to a Marine recruiter when he was in elementary school to
inquire about joining the Marines. But the recruiter told him he was a bit too young.
When he was a sophomore he joined Harvest Mission Community Church, a
nondenominational, multicultural congregation in Ann Arbor, and became a Christian.
"He was well-liked and loved by everyone," his pastor, David Shin, said Saturday. "He
was always doing things to make people laugh and smile and to lift their spirits. ... He
always was the first one to volunteer for anything that needed to be done."
After graduating from Pioneer, Kim enrolled at Purdue University in West Lafayette,
Ind., to study political science.
He also enlisted in the Marines.
After completing a semester at Purdue, he began basic training at Parris Island, S.C.
Although he had an opportunity to become an engineer, he wanted to be in the infantry
to be with frontline troops, Kim's brother said.
After returning from training, Kim enrolled at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and
completed a semester before his company was activated to prepare for Iraq.
Kim trained at Camp Pendleton in southern California, returned home for two weeks,
then went back to California before shipping out to Iraq in mid-September.
When he called home or sent e-mails, he told family members that he was fine, his
brother said, because he didn't want to worry them.
About 10 days before he was killed, he called home again.
"For the first time he said he was tired," Isaac Kim recalled. "He said they weren't
getting much sleep because they were always out on patrol."
Isaac Kim said he knew his brother had been killed when three Marines, including a
chaplain, showed up on his doorstep Wednesday afternoon.
He said the Marines are helping the family make funeral arrangements.
A memorial service is being planned for Friday at a funeral home in Ann Arbor, he said.
Kim will be buried with full military honors on Nov. 15 at Arlington National Cemetery
in Virginia.
November 21, 2006
Marines honor two fallen Marines-Heroes Call
CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq (Nov. 11, 2006) - Marines with 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment
paused to honor two men who gave their lives for the cost of freedom.
The unit held a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Troy D. Nealey and Lance Cpl. Minhee Kim at
Camp Baharia Nov 11.
Nealey was a 24-year-old rifleman from Eaton Rapids, Mich. , and Kim was a 20-year-old
rifleman from Ann Arbor , Mich. Both Marines were assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment.
Nealey was killed Oct. 29 and Kim was killed Nov. 1 while conducting combat operations in the
Al Anbar Province of Iraq with Regimental Combat Team 5 in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
"Perhaps it is appropriate that we are here on 11 Nov., the day our nation comes together to
honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans," said Lt. Col. Harold Van Opdorp, a 39-year-old
battalion commander, from Stafford, Va. "We honor those who have worn the uniforms of our
armed forces, for Lance Cpl. Nealey and Lance Cpl. Kim are two such patriots."
Marines who knew the fallen spoke of the great sacrifice the Marines made. They also
acknowledged the standards the Marines set for all others to follow.
"I wished I had gotten to know the Marines better," said Capt. Michael Mayne, C Company,
company commander. "I'm proud to call them my brother and to have known them at all."
Sgt. Bryce Sobol and others always knew they could rely on Nealey to accomplish any task to
the best of his abilities.
"No matter what the task, I knew if Nealey was involved, it would get accomplished," Sobol
said. "The whole time I served with him, he never once let me down."
Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen M cGinnis
Cpl. Gary A. Koehler
Hometown: Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: November 1, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Gary A. Koehler
Koehler, Gary A. Milan, MI Marine Corporal Gary A Koehler of Milan died Novem ber 1, 2006 in Haditha,
Iraq while serving our country. He was born March 29, 1985 in Ypsilanti to Ron and Mary (Goodney)
Koehler. Gary graduated from Milan High School in 2003 where he played football and baseball. He also
was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church of Ann Arbor. On February 17, 2006 he married Hillary
Moss and she survives. Survivors also include his parents of Albuquerque, New Mexico, his brother Rob
Koehler of Ypsilanti, grandparents Ted and Ruth Koehler and Arline Goodney all of Marquette, his inlaws Dr. Gary and Nancy Moss of Ypsilanti, and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Gary was a wonderful
husband, son, brother, dedicated marine and great friend. Visitation will be held at the First United
Methodist Church, 209 Washtenaw Ave, Ypsilanti on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. where a Marine Corp
League Memorial Service will be held at 8:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday,
November 10th at the church followed by military honors. Those desiring may make contributions to
Milan High School Athletic Dept., Purple Heart, or Shriners Childrens Hospital. Arrangements by
Stark/Ochalek Funeral Service. On line condolences may be sent to www.stark funeral.com.
Published in AnnArbor.com on November 8, 2006
Marine took duty seriously, family says
by Ray Kisonas , last modified November 03. 2006 11:56AM
Funeral services are expected to be held next week in Ypsilanti for Cpl. Gary A. Koehler, the
Marine who was killed in Iraq Wednesday.
The Department of Defense reported Cpl. Koehler, who graduated from Milan High School in
2003, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. He is the seventh Operation Iraqi Freedom casualty
from the Monroe County region.
Military officials did not release a cause of death, but those close to the family believe he was
shot during a mission in Al Anbar province. A trained sniper, he was part of a scout sniper
platoon that was sent to the city of Haditha to help counter recent insurgent sniper attacks.
Services for Cpl. Koehler will be held in the First United Methodist Church at Washington and
Washtenaw in Ypsilanti, said his father-in-law Gary Moss. Cpl. Koehler married Hillary Moss, his
high school sweetheart, in the same church.
"He was a dedicated husband," Mr. Moss said. "He was serving his country and (this) just
wasn't supposed to happen. His smile lit up the room. He was a great guy."
The youngest son of Ron and Mary Koehler, he also is survived by a brother, Robbie, said
Kevin Hlavaty, a close family friend. Cpl. Koehler's father is a retired police captain and his
mother is a nurse. They live in New Mexico and are planning on returning to Michigan soon for
the funeral.
"He came from a very good family," Mr. Hlavaty said. "He was solid and decent, raised by two
very wonderful, loving parents who taught him to be capable and accountable."
While at Milan High School, Cpl. Koehler was an athlete who excelled in football and baseball.
His coaches described him as tenacious and a natural leader.
Upon graduation Cpl. Koehler and Mr. Hlavaty's son, Elliott, enlisted together. They were best
friends and Mr. Hlavaty became close to Cpl. Koehler over the years.
"They both felt that joining the Marines would be something meaningful and would be a big
challenge for them," Mr. Hlavaty said. "But Elliott came home and Gary did not."
Cpl. Koehler earned good grades and played sports for the fun of it, Mr. Hlavaty said. He said
Cpl. Koehler liked to compete at almost anything, was adventurous and had a reckless side. He
always had fun, Mr. Hlavaty said, but he respected his elders and his country.
Cpl. Koehler enlisted, thinking it would be a special way to contribute. He believed it was a
patriotic act, Mr. Hlavaty said.
In the fall of 2004, he was shot in the leg during battle in Al Fallujah and earned a Purple Heart.
He came back home in January, 2005, a changed person, Mr. Hlavaty said.
"He knew the way very few of us know what it means to serve your country in combat," Mr.
Hlavaty said. "He came back not as a cut-up, life-is-about-fun kid, but as a man."
His battalion was redeployed in June as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit and their mission
was to be a ready response resource. In the last month of this assignment, Cpl. Koehler's
platoon was sent to the Al Anbar province. He was killed while countering insurgent sniper
attacks.
"It was dangerous and he went because it was his job, not because he wanted to go back," Mr.
Hlavaty said. "After the 2004 battle in Al Fallujah, he knew what being a warrior really means.
He went back because he was not one to run from his responsibility."
Mr. Hlavaty said Cpl. Koehler told him he knew that to function in that environment soldiers must
accept the possibility of death each morning and get past it.
"Gary will be terribly missed for the laughs and the antics and his warm nature and his
friendship," Mr. Hlavaty said. "He was like a second son."
Fallen Milan Marine's life celebrated in service
by Harry Orscheln , last modified November 11. 2006 1:31AM
YPSILANTI - Much of the community of Milan traveled about 20 miles north to First United
Methodist Church again Friday morning for the funeral service of Marine Cpl. Gary A. Koehler,
21, a Milan High School graduate who was killed by a roadside bomb Nov. 1 in Iraq.
More than 500 people attended a special Marine service Thursday, and at least 700 attended
the Friday morning "Celebration of the Life of Cpl. Koehler."
Arrangements for both services were made by Ochalek-Stark Funeral Service, Ypsilanti.
The stone church with oak paneling and doors was framed in the thin sunlight by about 50 large
American flags, each held proudly by area veterans, some from motorcycle groups.
Inside, the pews were packed with Cpl. Koehler's childhood friends, schoolmates, teachers,
school officials, coaches from Little League to high school sports, area veterans and friends and
supporters of Cpl. Koehler's family and the family of his 21-year-old high school sweetheart and
widow, Hillary Moss.
Behind the filled church pew area, at least 100 folded wooden chairs were set up for the service.
The balcony, which seats about 100, filled up quickly, mainly with young adults.
The 90-minute service was filled with memories, tears, musical interludes and hugs.
The musical selections for the service reminded everyone that this was a young man, full of life
and promise, who died. The hymns "On Eagle's Wings" and "America the Beautiful" were sung
by everyone, but the audience also was treated to the playing of "Stairway to Heaven" by Led
Zeppelin, "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood," "The Promise" by Tracy Chapman and
"Hard to Concentrate" by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Cpl. Koehler and Hillary were married in February at the church in a small wedding, but "The
Promise" was to be a big part of a second, formal wedding following his release from the
service. The Red Hot Chili Peppers song was to be the music for the couple's first dance.
The speakers reminded everyone that this was a celebration of his life and love for those left
behind.
The Rev. Doug Sweet, Cpl. Koehler's uncle and pastor of Danville United Methodist Church in
Danville, Ohio, spoke of Cpl. Kohler's final mission into Iraq, for which he volunteered. He was
selected to be the point man of the 25-person mission and shouted out "IED" (improvised
explosive device) as a warning to those who followed before the roadside bomb took his life.
"No one has greater love than this than to lay down his life for his friends," Pastor Sweet said.
The statement epitomized Cpl. Koehler. Many of those there said he specifically went overseas
so somebody else wouldn't have to.
Justin Mongomery, a friend of Cpl. Koehler, spoke of how accepting and loving he was "and, for
that, Gary will never be forgotten."
Kevin Hlavaty, the father of Cpl. Koehler's closest friend, Elliott Hlavaty, who joined the Marines
with him, said Cpl. Koehler loved John Steinbeck's writing, especially the good vs. evil story in
"East of Eden." He had a tattoo put on his body that said "Timshel" (from the novel, meaning
"Thou Mayest.") He was intrigued by the idea of doing good to fight evil, Mr. Hlavaty said.
"We all must emulate his spirit in our lives," he said.
The Rev. Ron Zehnder, who baptized Cpl. Koehler 21 years ago, said that Yogi Berra, the
famous catcher, had it right when he said, "It ain't over till it's over."
"It's not over for Gary," he assured everyone. "Gary is with God. He has earned his cross, and
now he will get his crown."
Tom Gephardt, Cpl. Koehler's high school history teacher and friend, spoke of his pranks and
high jinks at school and how he came of age at Milan High School and and was transformed
from a shy, young kid to a confident, young man in the Marines.
And the Rev. Melanie Lee Carey, senior pastor of First United Church, told the now-infamous
flagpole story.
Dr. Gary Moss, a longtime area optometrist, had a 35-foot flagpole in his front yard, where he
proudly displayed the American flag. One day, he came home and the flag was on the ground.
The clip on the flag was broken and stuck at the top. Meanwhile, completely unrelated, Cpl.
Koehler was visiting Hillary at the Moss home. Dr. Moss was intent on getting the flag back up
and, at the back of his mind, he was wondering about what intentions Gary Koehler had for his
daughter.
One thing led to another, and Dr. Moss found out that Cpl. Koehler, a high school football and
baseball star, also had considerable climbing abilities. Dr. Moss asked Cpl. Koehler if he could
climb up the flagpole and he agreed. He shinnied up the metal pole by hand and fixed the flag.
Eventually, Cpl. Koehler asked for permission to marry Dr. Moss' daughter and he was granted
it.
The remembrances and music were followed by a short military honor in which the flag that
draped Cpl. Koehler's coffin was presented to the families.
"Taps" was played, and the tears fell as Cpl. Gary Koehler was given his final goodbye. His
casket was carried by eight active Marines followed by lines and lines of mourners exiting the
church into the noon sun.
Cpl. Koehler died while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
He was honored by hundreds, mostly from Milan, on the day marking the founding of the Marine
Corps - Nov. 10, 1775. Friday also was the day before Veterans Day, which is marked
nationwide today to honor all veterans of all conflicts.
Cpl. Koehler was the seventh Monroe County region man to die in the Iraq War.
The Department of Defense reported Cpl. Koehler, who graduated from Milan High
School in 2003, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine
Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. He is the seventh
Operation Iraqi Freedom casualty from the Monroe County region.
Military officials did not release a cause of death, but those close to the family believe
he was shot during a mission in Al Anbar province. A trained sniper, he was part of a
scout sniper platoon that was sent to the city of Haditha to help counter recent insurgent
sniper attacks.
Services for Cpl. Koehler will be held in the First United Methodist Church at
Washington and Washtenaw in Ypsilanti, said his father-in-law Gary Moss. Cpl. Koehler
married Hillary Moss, his high school sweetheart, in the same church.
"He was a dedicated husband," Mr. Moss said. "He was serving his country and (this)
just wasn't supposed to happen. His smile lit up the room. He was a great guy."
The youngest son of Ron and Mary Koehler, he also is survived by a brother, Robbie,
said Kevin Hlavaty, a close family friend. Cpl. Koehler's father is a retired police captain
and his mother is a nurse. They live in New Mexico and are planning on returning to
Michigan soon for the funeral.
"He came from a very good family," Mr. Hlavaty said. "He was solid and decent, raised
by two very wonderful, loving parents who taught him to be capable and accountable."
While at Milan High School, Cpl. Koehler was an athlete who excelled in football and
baseball. His coaches described him as tenacious and a natural leader.
Upon graduation Cpl. Koehler and Mr. Hlavaty's son, Elliott, enlisted together. They
were best friends and Mr. Hlavaty became close to Cpl. Koehler over the years.
"They both felt that joining the Marines would be something meaningful and would be a
big challenge for them," Mr. Hlavaty said. "But Elliott came home and Gary did not."
Cpl. Koehler earned good grades and played sports for the fun of it, Mr. Hlavaty said.
He said Cpl. Koehler liked to compete at almost anything, was adventurous and had a
reckless side. He always had fun, Mr. Hlavaty said, but he respected his elders and his
country.
Cpl. Koehler enlisted, thinking it would be a special way to contribute. He believed it
was a patriotic act, Mr. Hlavaty said.
In the fall of 2004, he was shot in the leg during battle in Al Fallujah and earned a
Purple Heart. He came back home in January, 2005, a changed person, Mr. Hlavaty
said.
"He knew the way very few of us know what it means to serve your country in combat,"
Mr. Hlavaty said. "He came back not as a cut-up, life-is-about-fun kid, but as a man."
His battalion was redeployed in June as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit and their
mission was to be a ready response resource. In the last month of this assignment, Cpl.
Koehler's platoon was sent to the Al Anbar province. He was killed while countering
insurgent sniper attacks.
"It was dangerous and he went because it was his job, not because he wanted to go
back," Mr. Hlavaty said. "After the 2004 battle in Al Fallujah, he knew what being a
warrior really means. He went back because he was not one to run from his
responsibility."
Mr. Hlavaty said Cpl. Koehler told him he knew that to function in that environment
soldiers must accept the possibility of death each morning and get past it.
"Gary will be terribly missed for the laughs and the antics and his warm nature and his
friendship," Mr. Hlavaty said. "He was like a second son."
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 Gary
Koehler laid to rest
Marine Cpl. Gary Koehler's last act: To warn his comrades of an IED in hopes of saving them.
Although the improvised explosive device took the life of the 2003 Milan High School graduate,
it was his quick thinking that saved the other soldiers with him on Nov. 1, his family members
said.
That was typical of the Marine sniper, said friends, family and clergy, who gathered to
remember the fallen young soldier on Friday, the 231st anniversary of the creation of the U.S.
Marine Corps.
Family members sat in the front pews at First United Methodist Church in Ypsilanti, holding
each other and wiping away tears during the almost two-hour ceremony. Behind the casket sat a
large photo of Koehler in his dress blues, banked by red, white and blue flowers.
Tears flowed freely as songs by Tracy Chapman and the Red Hot Chili Peppers played - songs
chosen for a large, belated marriage celebration planned for February, after the newlywed
soldier would have returned home to his wife of eight months.
Emotions were visible again at the end of the service, during military funeral honors. Marines in
their crisp dress blues and white gloves folded the American flag draping Koehler's casket and
gave it to his wife, Hillary Moss Koehler, and presented another to his mother, Mary Koehler.
But there were also light moments during and after the service as people remembered the fierce
young man who loved to snowboard and climb - and who already had survived a gunshot wound
to the leg sustained during military service two years ago today.
"The holy passion of friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature, that it
will last through a whole lifetime,'' said the Rev. Doug Sweet, Koehler's uncle from Danville,
Ohio, quoting Mark Twain. "... If not asked to lend money,'' he added to the laughter of the
hundreds gathered for the service.
Koehler, 21, was that kind of friend, Sweet said.
"No one has greater love than to lay down one's life for others,'' Sweet said.
The soldier behind Koehler when he died during the special combat mission in Iraq's Al Anbar
province was discharged Friday from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He
lost his right eye and hearing in his right ear, among other injuries, Marine officials said.
That soldier, Jeff Morgan of Atlanta, Ga., wasn't able to attend Friday's service. But Morgan
remembered his good friend during a phone call with The Ann arbor News on Friday as the guy
who always put the needs of others first.
"If I was out of Gatorade, he would give me his,'' said Morgan, who served with Koehler for
about 18 months. "Same thing with food. He always took care of everybody else.''
Tom Gephart, Koehler's history teacher at Milan High School, remembered Koehler as a silent
leader who spoke little, but commanded the attention of the class when he did. He was an
excellent student, he said.
As Gephart watched Koehler mature during visits after graduation, he thought it fitting he got to
know Koehler in a history class titled "Coming of Age.''
"He was kind of a hugger, from what I learned,'' Gephart said, evoking laughter at his tales of the
frequent squeezes Koehler gave him.
Close friend Justin Montgomery agreed. When Koehler would return home after being away in
the military, and Montgomery offered his hand, Koehler would seize him in a hug instead and
say, "Brothers don't shake hands, they hug.''
It was Koehler's desire not to disappoint his father - retired Ypsilanti police officer Ron Koehler that often kept them out of trouble, Montgomery said. Koehler often bragged about his family how strong his mother was when his father suffered a stroke and how smart his brother is.
"I love you, man,'' Montgomery said to the flag-draped casket, blowing a kiss.
Koehler loved having a vantage point on the world, shimmying up goal posts and finding new
heights because he could see so much more up there, he told his mother.
His climbing skills help Koehler win over his future father-in-law. When the flag outside the
Moss home fell from its 35-foot perch, it was Koehler who climbed the pole to re-attach the flag twice, because he needed a hook to thread the frayed rope, Gephart said.
Lt. Col. Lewis Vogler, executive officer of Koehler's battalion, accompanied Koehler's remains
home. It is military custom for a soldier to escort another soldier's body back to his family.
Vogler knew Koehler from command center meetings and said the battalion had been to
Lebanon, Pakistan and, most recently, Kuwait.
Although it was a sad task, it was an honor Vogler said he was glad to have.
Kevin Hlavarty, the father of Koehler's best friend, said Koehler had discovered a love of
literature before he left for Paris Island, especially John Steinbeck's "East of Eden.''
He will be greatly missed, Hlavarty said.
"He was like a son to me and a brother to our children,'' he said.
Koehler's remains will be cremated, and a private family ceremony will take place.
From the Ann Arbor News
Marine's funeral focuses on love of family, friends
"Gary left a lesson for us, a message we need now. What matters is love, the love we give and the
love we get."
The plan was that after Marine Cpl. Gary Koehler returned home from a second tour of duty in
Iraq, he and his wife, Hillary, would hold a wedding ceremony larger and more formal than the
small, private one in which they were wed eight months ago before he went back to war. They
planned to have the wedding in February at the First United Methodist Church of Ypsilanti.
Instead, last Friday, the church was filled with about 500 friends and family members who had
not come to celebrate a wedding but to mourn a loss.
Koehler, a 21-year-old 2003 Milan High School graduate who played on the varsity football
team, was killed Nov. 1 by a roadside bomb while on a combat mission in Iraq.
Outside the church, where in February there might have been cars waiting to receive Gary and
Hillary's wedding party, 50 motorcycle club members of the Patriot Guard Riders lined either
side of the street, holding American flags in tribute.
Zach Chandler is an assistant state captain with the Patriot Guard. He said membership in the
organization doesn't require a motorcycle or military service.
"You just have to be a patriot that wants to come and honor a fallen hero," Chandler said.
Inside, the music selections for the memorial included Tracy Chapman's "The Promise" and the
Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Hard to Concentrate," both of which were to be played at the Koehlers'
wedding celebration.
Koehler's wife Hillary, 21, sat in front beside his best friend, Elliott Hlavaty, who had enlisted in
the Marines with him. She wore black.
The service centered on Koehler's love of family and friends.
Koehler's uncle, the Rev. Doug Sweet, who is pastor of the Danville United Methodist Church in
Ohio, stood behind his nephew's flag-draped casket and read from the Bible, John 15: "This is
my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
"There's a love that thinks of others before oneself," Sweet said. "Gary lived out these words in
his relationships. Friendship often requires some sacrifice at some point. Gary gave the ultimate
sacrifice for his friends."
Koehler had volunteered to serve as point man for a 25-man special mission in Iraq's Al Anbar
province when he came upon an improvised explosive device. According to accounts, the men
behind Koehler heard him shout out the warning, "IED!" The young Marine's last words alerted
his fellow soldiers to the danger. The Marine beside Koehler was blinded in the right eye, but the
other 23 men were unhurt.
Koehler's parents, Ron and Mary Koehler, were awakened in their Albuquerque, N.M., home by
a knock at the door at 2:15 in the morning. Ron Koehler said he at first thought it was Halloween
pranksters.
"Who is it?" he called.
"The United States Marines," was the reply.
"My wife hit the floor," said Ron. "We knew, we knew."
Koehler's body was escorted home last week.
"We knew the day would come when faith would be the only thing that would get us through,"
Sweet said Friday. "The day has come."
From Koehler's life and from his death, friends said, there was to be found a message and a
profound lesson.
He was not a man hesitant or reserved about expressing his love for friends and family, said his
friend Justin Montgomery. He told of a time Koehler returned home recently for a visit.
Montgomery said he went to shake his friend's hand, but Koehler embraced him.
"Justin," Koehler said, "brothers don't shake hands, they hug."
Montgomery said Koehler taught him an important lesson.
"Don't take it for granted the people in your life know you love them," Montgomery said. "Tell
them you love them."
Kevin Hlavaty, the father of Koehler's friend Elliott, said Gary was a son to him and a brother to
his children.
"Gary left a lesson for us," Hlavaty said, "a message we need now. What matters is love, the love
we give and the love we get."
He said Koehler was a strong, physical and fearless young man who had the tree of life tattooed
on his back. At the base of the tree was the single word "timshel," which in Hebrew means "thou
mayest."
"Gary was a positive force," Hlavaty said. "Timshel is Gary's message for us."
Koehler's former history teacher at Milan High School, Tom Gephart, said Koehler was a
respectful, thoughtful and quiet leader whom he got to see come of age.
The Rev. Melanie Lee Carey, the senior pastor at Ypsilanti First United Methodist Church,
related a story of when Koehler helped his future father-in-law repair a flagpole outside the
Moss home. Koehler, who friends described as adventurous and without fear, climbed the 35foot flagpole — twice — to reattach the American flag.
"And the flag was flying again," Carey said.
As the service drew to a close, an eight-Marine honor guard approached Koehler's casket and
stood on either side. From outside the quiet church came the distant calling of "Ready, aim, fire"
as the first volley of a 21-gun salute sounded.
Marines from Wing Support Group 47, out of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mt.
Clemens, served as Koehler's Honor Guard. Seven Marines fired three volleys, followed by a
bugler blowing taps inside the church.
Sobs broke out in the sanctuary as the Marines ceremoniously folded the flag from atop
Koehler's casket and presented it to his wife and another flag to his mother.
The Marines carried Koehler's casket from the church, his wife of eight months walking behind,
the folded flag pressed to her chest.
From the Milan News
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Gary Koehler remembered by friends, community
Whenever Jeff Keene heard news of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq, he feared for his good
friend, Marine Cpl. Gary Koehler. The two graduates of Milan High School had been
close friends since the sixth grade.
"I've been worried about him," Keene said last week. "Every time I heard of Marines
killed, I thought of him. I wondered if it was him. But it never was, you know, until this
time."
Koehler, a TOW missile systems operator on his second tour of duty in Iraq, was killed
by a roadside bomb Nov. 1 while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Al Anbar
province. He was 21, and just weeks away from coming home for the remainder of his
service.
The tragic news spread quickly through town Nov. 1 and into the next morning.
In the corner of the front window of the downtown Milan Bakery, owner Charlotte
Thompson placed a framed high school graduation photo of Koehler as part of a tribute
she was designing in honor of Veterans Day. She has been planning the display since last
summer, and intends to list the names of all the Michigan soldiers killed in Iraq since
the war began 3 1/2 years ago.
"It's just unfortunate I have to add one of our hometown people," Thompson said.
Yellow ribbons honoring Koehler adorn every lamppost on the grounds of Milan High
School.
"Gary was one of those people everybody knew," said 2003 Milan High School Class
President Nina Galanti, who organized the placement of ribbons throughout town. She
is working with the class of 2007 to raise funds for a permanent memorial.
"We're not sure yet what we're going to do, but we definitely want to do something to
honor Gary," she said.
As word of the 2003 graduate's death spread through Milan High School Thursday,
administrators and teachers felt struck in the chest.
"For the staff, it's tough," said Assistant Principal Leanna Soltis. "It's a hard day. I've
been telling students, 'Don't ever think just because you graduate that there aren't
people here who care about you.'"
Soltis remembered Koehler, the son of Ron and Mary Koehler, as an all-American kid
who always had a smile.
Friends remember him as dedicated and loyal, as funny and fearless, energetic and
accepting, confident and compassionate, intuitive and inquisitive, as a man who never
did anything halfway and always found a way to make things fun. He was the kind of guy
who would walk four miles through the woods to get to the top of a waterfall just to
jump off it.
"You could go on describing Gary all day," Keene said. "He was the nicest most sincere
person I've ever met in my life. It's tragic because it seems this kind of thing always
happens to the good guys."
Koehler was a two-sport athlete at Milan, a starting leftfielder for the baseball team and
a tenacious defensive end in varsity football. In 2002, he made first team All-Huron
League and first team All-Region.
At 6'1" and 190 pounds, he wasn't the biggest lineman on the field, coach Steve Robb
said, but no one could match his intensity.
"He was outsized in some games, but he was never outmanned," Robb said. "He loved
the physicality of the game. Talk about intense between the lines. Gary was all business
on the football field."
Robb said the coaching staff was "pretty tore up about Gary. He was a heck of a kid."
Koehler's teammates remember him as a driving force on the team, a leader who always
gave 110 percent, who loved to workout in the weight room and encouraged his
teammates to do likewise.
"Gary was a leader when it came to motivating everybody," said Eric Himich, who
quarterbacked the 2002 team and now plays football at Adrian College. "He was one of
the guys people looked up to."
"He was a passionate player," said Ashe Haushalter, who played football with Koehler
since the seventh grade. "He put his heart and soul into it."
Haushalter said he learned of Koehler's death last Wednesday morning when a friend
called.
"I think a lot of people are still in disbelief about it," he said. "It's so surreal."
"It's kind of a shock," said Himich. "You're numb."
Himich said he will never forget Koehler fervently exhorting exhausted teammates to
keep pushing assistant coach Joe O'Donnell's truck during practices.
"He did not give up and he would not let you give up," Himich said.
True to that characterization of refusing to yield, Koehler chose to return to active duty
instead of coming home after he was wounded in the leg two years ago during fighting in
Fallujah.
"It shows you the kind of guy he was," Keene said. "He told me he chose to stay because
he couldn't leave the guys over there. He said he wouldn't feel right if he left them
behind."
"Once he committed to something, he was going to live up to his commitment," Himich
said.
High school history teacher Tom Gephardt said he remembers Koehler coming to visit
him after that first tour and showing him the bullet wound.
"He told me he was going back because those guys were his friends, they were his
family," said Gephardt, who had kept in touch with Koehler through e-mail and visits
when he was back home.
Koehler joined the Marines after graduating from high school with plans to attend
college on the GI Bill after he got out. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
"I remember it as clear as yesterday the day I learned he was going to join the Marines,"
said Gephardt, whose father was a Marine in World War II. "I told him I had no doubt
he would make as great a Marine as there had ever been."
Koehler served his first tour in Iraq from June 2004 to February 2005. He was deployed
again in July.
Keene said Koehler was always quick to reassure friends and family that he was OK in
Iraq.
"He would tell me don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll be back, and we'll have a blast
when I get back," Keene said.
Koehler received a Combat Action ribbon, a Purple Heart, a Sea Service Deployment
ribbon, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal and a National Defense
Medal.
Koehler married his high school girlfriend, Hillary Moss, in a small ceremony nine
months ago, in February. They planned to hold a larger more formal ceremony this
February after he returned from Iraq.
His friends say the couple talked about possibly moving to Colorado when Koehler's
service ended next October. He loved the mountains and snowboarding, his friends said.
Koehler's death brought the war in Iraq home, according to Gephardt.
"This made the war real," he said. "It's important to remember that there are people out
there like Gary who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and that this is what our
country was founded on. He was the true definition of a hero."
Gephardt recalled the last time he saw Koehler, after his former student's first tour of
duty when Koehler knew he was shipping out again soon.
"When we got up to part ways," said Gephardt, "I gave him a big hug and said I wanted
to see him again and he said, 'You will, Mr. Gephardt. You will.'"
Keene said he most wanted people to know that his friend had a "humongous heart."
"Most guys only give you a handshake," Keene said, "but Gary would hug me and say he
loved me. That's the kind of guy he was."
At the end of a heartbreaking, season-ending loss to Chelsea in 2002, the despondent
Milan Big Reds gathered in the end zone. Assistant coach Mike Gauntlett remembers
Koehler standing up to speak to the team, his face covered in mud and sweat.
"No matter what, I love you guys," Koehler said.
Donations for the creation of a permanent memorial honoring Koehler may be sent to
Milan High School Principal Ron Reed.
Funeral arrangements are pending at First United Methodist Church in Ypsilanti.
From the News Leader
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Gary A. Koehler killed in combat
Gary Koehler, who graduated in 2003 and recently married, died during a battle believed to be
on Tuesday. The Department of Defense did not release details of his death as of this morning.
However, news of Mr. Koehler's death traveled fast through the Milan community.
High school coaches and school officials remembered Mr. Koehler as a dedicated athlete who
volunteered to be deployed to the war a second time even after suffering a gunshot wound about
1½ years ago.
Milan football Coach Steve Robb remembered visiting with Mr. Koehler, who showed him his
scar after he was shot in the thigh. Coach Robb assumed at the time that his former defensive
lineman was done with the war, but Mr. Koehler chose to be redeployed.
"He said he had to go back because he couldn't let down the guys in his platoon," Coach Robb
said this morning.
"He was a warrior. He wanted to do what he could for his country."
Mr. Koehler married Hilary Moss, who was on the Milan swim team. The couple reportedly had
a civil ceremony and was planning a formal wedding ceremony later.
Mr. Koehler's parents moved to New Mexico and could not be reached for comment. His wife's
family members, who live in Ypsilanti, declined to comment.
While at Milan, Mr. Koehler played football and baseball. In football, he was named first team
All-Huron League and was the second leading tackler on the team in his senior year, Coach
Robb said.
He was first team All-Region in football as well.
"He was a high school football coach's dream," he said. "He set goals for himself and worked
very hard to achieve those goals."
Adam Gilles said he coached Mr. Koehler in baseball all four years of his high school career. He
was a starting leftfielder.
"He was a leader on the team and it didn't matter how old he was," Coach Gilles said. "He would
just go all out all the time. He was a great kid. Everybody liked him."
Coach Gilles said Mr. Koehler was probably the best hitter on the team in his senior year and
was a natural leader. He said that would explain his desire to join the Marines.
"It takes a special person to be a Marine," Coach Gilles said. "He was the type of kid who could
do it. Everyone wanted to be around him."
Coach Gilles said Mr. Koehler was expected to come home a week ago but was held over. He was
then killed during the extended stay.
Coach Robb said when they last spoke, Mr. Koehler told him he was trying to be trained as a
sniper. He wasn't sure if he succeeded his goal. But Coach Robb said knowing Mr. Koehler the
way he did, he would not be surprised if he achieved everything he set out to be.
From the Monroe News
Staff Sgt. Gregory W.G. McCoy
Hometown: Webberville, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: November 9, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police
Brigade, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle.
From: BC-MS--Iraq-Mspi Casualty McCoy joined the Army straight out of school
and was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. His mother, Carol Johnson, of Howell,
Mich., told the Daily Press and Argus newspaper in Livingston, Mich., she was
proud of her son's choice in joining the service. Johnson said the last time she
saw McCoy was for Mother's Day, just weeks before he was deployed. She said
her son enjoyed snowboarding and had a dry sense of humor. On McCoy's first
tour of duty, help helped train Iraqi police, his mother said. "He felt they were
doing a lot of good there," she said. McCoy's survivors include his wife, Lori, and
two sons, Logan, 6, and Tyler, 3, who all live in Texas. McCoy will be buried at a
national cemetery in Texas, Johnson said.
Gregory McCoy
SSG Gregory McCoy, 26, of Riesel, Texas, died from injuries sustained while
serving his country in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 9, 2006. Services will be 11 a.m.
Monday, Nov. 20, at Acts Christian Fellowship, 5201 Steinbeck Bend. A
motorcycle procession led by Patriot Guard Riders will escort SSG McCoy to his
interment with full Army Military Honors at 1 p.m. at Central Texas State
Veterans Cemetery, 11463 State Highway 195, Killeen. Visitation will be from 3
to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque. Greg was
born Feb. 9, 1980, in Lansing, Mich., to Timothy and Carol McCoy, and was
raised in Webberville, Mich. Upon completing high school, Greg entered the
United States Army. He attended basic training at Fort Jackson, Miss. and Advanced Individual Training
at Fort Knox, Ky., where he trained to be a Bradley Fighting Vehicle Mechanic. His first duty was Fort
Hood where he was assigned to the 2-20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. There he met his wife,
Lori Smith, of Riesel, Texas. They married Dec. 10, 1999, in Waco, and welcomed their first child, Logan
Reilly, July 29, 2000. After re-enlisting in the Army in the spring of 2002, Greg attended Military Police
school in Fort Leonardwood, Mo. His next duty station moved his young family to Kaiserslautern,
Germany, where he was assigned to the 230th Military Police Company, 95th Military Police Battalion,
37th Transportation Command, 21st Theatre Support Command. On Sept. 23, 2003, in Landstuhl,
Germany, Greg and Lori were blessed with their second son, Tyler Mason. The 230th Military Police
Company deployed in March of 2004, for Operation Iraqi Freedom. While downrange, Greg re-enlisted.
Upon his safe return to Germany, he and his family reported back to Fort Hood, where he was assigned
to the 410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade. It was
with this unit, in June 2006, that Greg returned to Iraq for his second deployment. Greg and a fellow
soldier were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle in Baghdad. He
was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, William McCoy. Survivors include his wife, Lori
McCoy, of Riesel, Texas; sons, Logan Reilly and Tyler Mason, of Riesel, Texas; parents, Timothy McCoy
and Christine Ferris, of Lansing, Mich. and Robert and Carol Johnson of Howell, Mich.; sister, Michelle
Potchynok and husband, Jim of Webberville, Mich.; stepbrother, Eric Johnson of Howell, Mich.;
stepsister, Christina Dobroczynski and husband, Dan of Conn.; paternal grandmother, Doris McCoy of
Williamston, Mich.; maternal grandparents, George and Dortha Monroe of Fowlerville, Mich.; uncles,
Dan McCoy and wife, Mary of Perry, Mich., Nelson Monroe and wife, Marie, of Lansing, Mich., and
Dennis Monroe of Fowlerville, Mich.; aunts, Karen Jacobs and husband, Dennis of East Lansing, Mich.
and Pam McCoy and Bill Zimmerman of Williamston, Mich.; father and mother-in-law, Jerry and Gena
Smith of Riesel, Texas; sisters-in-law, Tracy Hendley of Lorena, Texas and Katie Smith of Riesel, Texas;
brother-in-law, Cody Smith and wife, Emily of College Station, Texas; nephews, Tanner Smith and Cayson
Hendley, of Lorena, Texas; nieces, Krystlina Potchynok of Webberville, Mich. and Katie Dobroczynski of
Conn.; and many cousins. Donations in SSG McCoy's name may be sent for the Veterans Memorial
Wall being constructed at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, 11463 State Highway 195, Killeen,
Texas 76542. Memorial guestbook is available at www.oakcrestwaco.com "In the long history of the
world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum
danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility... I welcome it." President John F. Kennedy. February 9,
1980 - November 9, 2006
Army Staff Sgt. Gregory W.G. McCoy
To place in his casket, Gregory W.G. McCoy's family from Michigan brought a bag of dirt from
the backyard of the small-town home in which he grew up. It was in that backyard that his
mother Carol Johnson remembers him playing games like E.T. and War. Now she was watching
him being buried in Texas, a state thousands of miles away. Johnson said it was difficult but
necessary for her grandsons and her daughter-in-law, Lori, who live in Texas. "His dad and I
discussed it," she said. "I said to him, 'You've got to remind me to be fair.' I want him back, but
Lori's got to be able to take her sons there and explain to them what a hero their daddy is."
McCoy, 26, of Webberville, Mich., was killed Nov. 9 in Baghdad by a roadside bomb. He was
assigned to Fort Hood and was on his second tour. Johnson said the last time she saw her son
was for Mother's Day, just weeks before he was deployed. "I think it was the first time I had both
of my kids with me on Mother's Day in 15 years," Johnson said. "It was great. Greg treated us
all to dinner afterward." He is survived by two sons, Logan, 6, and Tyler, 3.
Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess
Hometown: Garden City, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 35 years old
Died: November 9, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division, Marine Corps Reserve, Perrysburg, Ohio
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar
Province.
Bryan K. Burgess' uncle, Rich Cormier, said his nephew was friendly
and kindhearted. "There wasn't a malicious bone in Bryan's body,"
Cormier said. "I would say, 'Bryan, you gotta bring the hammer down
on this guy?' and he'd say, 'Aw, nah,' and he'd just move on. I don't
think revenge was in his vocabulary." Burgess, 35, of Garden City,
Mich., was killed by a sniper on Nov. 9 in Fallujah. He was assigned
to Perrysburg. No task was too menial for Burgess to lend a hand,
said his fellow soldiers. Whether that meant performing routine
duties or cleaning latrines, Burgess was always pitching in. "That's
how he gained the respect of his men," said Sgt. Vaskin Badalow. "It
didn't matter what the task was... he didn't put his rank on a
pedestal." If one of his subordinates needed a rest, Burgess would
stand his watch. If somebody in his reserve unit screwed up,
Burgess would raise his hand and take the hit for it. An avid skier in
winter and an avid motorcyclist in summer, Burgess worked as a
framer building houses after graduating high school. He is survived
by his mother, Evelyn, and his father, Rex.
Local Marine unit reservist killed in Iraq
A U.S. Marine reservist from the Detroit area who was assigned to a Perrysburgbased division was killed in combat Thursday in western Iraq, the Department of
Defense announced yesterday.
Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess, 35, of Garden City, Mich., died in Iraq's al Anbar province.
He was assigned to the Perrysburg-based First Battalion of the Marine Corps
Reserve's 24th Marine Regiment of the Fourth Division.
Circumstances of Sergeant Burgess' death were not disclosed. Capt. Tyson
Dunkelberger, a Marine spokesman, said that information is no longer released
because it aids the enemy in determining the effectiveness of its tactics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2cE5nsGJs4
In Memory of Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess
Published: November 22, 2006
1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment honors fallen Marine
Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis
Marines of 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment paused to honor a man who gave his
life for the cost of freedom.
A Marine assigned to Weapons
Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment salutes before a memorial
for Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess, who was
killed in action Nov. 9, 2006. Marines
from 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, Regimental Combat Team
5 paused Nov. 18 at Camp Baharia to
honor Burgess. (photo by Lance Cpl.
Stephen McGinnis)
The battalion held a memorial service for Sgt. Bryan K Burgess at Camp Baharia Nov
18. Burgess was a 35-year-old machine gunner from Westland, Mich., assigned to
Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
Burgess was killed Nov. 9 while conducting combat operations with Regimental Combat
Team 5 in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"Sgt. Burgess was the epitome of a sergeant of Marines," said Lt. Col. Harold Van
Opdorp, a 39-year-old battalion commander from Stafford, Va. "He fit the mold of a
sergeant of Marines like no other."
"Bryan held such a love for his country that he felt it was worth sacrificing his life for,"
Van Opdorp said. "We know this because he was one of many Marines that volunteered
to deploy to Iraq with Weapons Company, another kid that didn't have to, but wanted to
because it was the right thing to do."
Marines who knew Burgess spoke of his love for his Marines and his Irish heritage.
They also spoke of his infectious smile that will always be remembered.
"In Burgess' case, his ability to smile and generate a smile on virtually anyone who
observed him under some of the most trying circumstance was infectious," said Maj.
Gregory Cramer, Weapons Company's commander. "I would ask that each one of us
rededicate and devote ourselves to the memory of Burgess, to one and another, dig
down deep to find that extra step and use it for the good Burgess would want us to use
it."
Sgt. David Payne knew Burgess for more than five years and will always remember him
for his love of his country and of his heritage.
"Most of us remember him as a wiry Irishman," Payne said. "He would give you the shirt
off his back and the money out of his pocket, and his only regret would be that he
couldn't give you more."
Staff Sgt. William S. Jackson II
Hometown: Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 29 years old
Died: November 11, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division,
Giessen, Germany
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his vehicle during
combat operations in Ramadi.
Staff Sergeant William S. "Jack" Jackson II
Jackson II, Staff Sergeant William S. "Jack'' Saginaw, Michigan A local memorial service will be held on
Saturday, November 25, 2006, at First Baptist Church of Bridgeport located at 2400 King Road at 11:00
a.m. His burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery. A trust has been established for his children.
Donations may be made to the Jackson Family Memorial Fund in care of Wanigas Federal Credit
Union, 4026 Shattuck, Saginaw, MI 48603.
Published in Saginaw News on MLive.com on November 22, 2006
William S. Jackson II
Staff Sergeant, United States Army
U. S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 1156-06
November 14, 2006
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three
soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died
November 11, 2006, in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an
improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during
combat operations. All soldiers were assigned to the 16th Engineer
Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany.
Killed were:
Staff Sergeant William S. Jackson II, 29, of Saginaw, Michigan
Staff Sergeant Misael Martinez, 24, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Sergeant Angel De Jesus Lucio Ramirez, 22, of Pacoima, California
For further information related to this release the media can contact
the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-
4859.
15 November 2006:
A Saginaw Township father of four who had survived a tour of duty
in Afghanistan was killed on Veterans Day by a roadside bomb in
Iraq.
Army Staff Sergeant William S. Jackson II, known to friends and
family as Jack, died along with two of his comrades when their
vehicle was blown up Saturday in Ramadi.
In this undated photo released by his family, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant William S. Jackson
II, 29, of
Saginaw, Michigan, is shown with his wife and children. Jackson is one of three soldiers
who died
from an explosive detonated near their vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq, November 11, 2006. All
were assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, in
Giessen, Germany
Jackson, 29, was a native of Maine who moved to the Saginaw area
after he met his Michigan-born wife, Katie, said his mother-in-law,
Kathy Layer. The couple had met at Northland Baptist Bible College
in Dunbar, Wisconsin.
"He just lived to get home and be back with his family again," Layer
said. "He was just a great husband and a great father."
Jackson's last visit home came after the birth of his only daughter six
months ago. His death leaves the children, all younger than six, to be
raised by his widow.
"Her family is here, so she does have the support of her family and
certainly her church family, as well," said Pastor Mark Hazen of
Immanuel Bible Church in Saginaw.
Jackson was serving in the Marines when he fought in Afghanistan.
He left that branch of the service after returning to the United
States, his mother-in-law said.
"He was out for a time, and then he went into the Army," Layer
said. "He comes from a very military family, and this was a goal his
whole life. It was a mutual decision, though" between him and his
wife "when he went back in."
Jackson was serving in the 1st Battalion, 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st
Brigade, 1st Armored Division, based in Giessen, Germany. Funeral
arrangements are pending.
"They're just a wonderful family," Hazen said of the Jacksons.
"Certainly Jack loved the Lord and loved his family. He loved his
wife, and he loved his country. He was a wonderful man, and we'll
dearly miss him."
Layer agreed.
"It's very difficult," she said. "But Jack was a Christian. He knew
the Lord was his savior, and we believe he's in heaven today. And
that's a great comfort to us."
17 November 2006:
The family of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant William S. "Jack" Jackson
II has decided to have him buried at Arlington National Cemetery in
Virginia, said his widow, Katie M. Jackson, 31.
The service will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, November 29, 2006.
Jackson, a Saginaw Township resident, died in Iraq on Saturday -Veterans Day -- with two fellow soldiers when an improvised
explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat
operations.
He was 29.
"We will have a local memorial later, but we don't have any time or
place set yet," Katie Jackson said Thursday. "We're waiting for my
brother, Benjamin E. Layer, to get back from his missionary work in
Poland."
The soldiers were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in Ar
Ramadi, Iraq, as members of the 1st Battalion, 16th Engineer
Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, headquartered in
Giessen, Germany, military records show.
Jackson, who grew up in Thomaston, Maine, served in the U.S.
Marines for four years -- 1998-2002 -- before joining the Army.
While in the Marines, he served in Afghanistan.
He was in Iraq since the beginning of the year, Department of
Defense officials said.
Besides his wife, Jackson leaves four children: Zachariah W.
Jackson, 6; Levi D. Jackson, 4; Samuel M. Jackson, 2; and Hannah
S. Jackson, 7 months.
FAMILY SAYS GOODBYE TO SLAIN SOLDIER
COURTESY OF THE SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, NEWS
More than 300 people paid tribute to another fallen soldier Saturday
during an hour-long service commemorating U.S. Army Staff
Sergeant William S. "Jack" Jackson II of Saginaw Township,
Michigan.
The memorial featured tearful eulogies, a photo album presentation
and memories of a 29-year-old man who "seemed to know a little
about everything."
Jackson died in Iraq on November 11, 2006 - Veterans Day - with
two fellow soldiers when an improvised explosive device detonated
near their vehicle during combat operations.
His family plans to bury the Thomaston, Maine, native at Arlington
National Cemetery in Virginia during a 9 a.m. Wednesday funeral.
Saturday's service at First Baptist Church of Bridgeport, 2400 King,
began with a eulogy by Rev. Mark Hazen, who told the crowd about
Jackson's worldly, friendly nature via a letter sent by one of the
soldiers stationed with Jackson in Iraq.
"Jack was awesome at everything he did," Hazen read from a letter
authored by James O'Connell.
O'Connell wrote about Jackson's overseas efforts to learn Arabic
and musical instruments such as the penny whistle and ukulele.
"Our neighbors preferred his ukulele to the penny whistle,"
O'Connell's correspondence continued, getting a laugh from the
audience.
The letter went on to paint a picture of a man who loved the coast of
Maine and often told tales of the industry associated with the port.
"It was expected that every night there was fish on the menu, we
would hear another fish story," the letter continued.
O'Connell described Jackson's prankster streak, which he exercised
by writing "ridiculous" entries in other people's journals, setting
mouse traps on the floors of sleeping bunkmates and convincing one
fellow soldier with Irish lineage that his family actually descended
from Wales.
A musical photo presentation followed, setting the soft strumming
sounds of a guitar alongside a video montage of Jackson's life -- from
a childhood playing across Maine's coastline to his last visit to
Saginaw in April for the birth of his daughter, Hannah S. Jackson.
His other children are Zachariah W. Jackson, 6; Levi D. Jackson, 4;
and Samuel M. Jackson, 2.
Jackson's brother-in-law, Benjamin E. Layer, delivered the day's
final eulogy.
He compared Jackson's life to the white gold band that made his wedding
ring. "When white gold is mined, it has no value," Layer said. "It has great
potential. First, it has to be heated up, filed, then a jeweler can make it into
something very valuable."
Jackson lived life trying to make the most of it, Layer said: "Jack didn't
die in vain."
The service ended with a 21-gun salute from soldiers outside the church.
Jackson served in the U.S. Marines for four years -- 1998-2002 -- before
joining the Army. While in the Marines, he served in Afghanistan.
He supported Operation Iraqi Freedom in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, as a member
of the 1st Battalion, 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored
Division, headquartered in Giessen, Germany, military records show.
He was in Iraq since the beginning of the year.
Jackson met his future wife, Katie M. Jackson, 31, while both were
attending Northland Baptist Bible College in Dunbar, Wisconsin. Both
joined the military.
The couple later relocated to the Saginaw area so they could live closer to
her relatives.
With a growing family, Jackson left the service after his eight-month tour
in Afghanistan and was thinking about returning to college to study marine
biology.
Posted: 18 November 2006 Updated: 26 November 2006 Updated: 3 December 2006
Updated: 3 February 2007
Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap
Hometown: Hardwood, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 39 years old
Died: November 23, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 46th Military Police Company, Kingsford, Mich.
Incident: Killed when he came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during
checkpoint operations in Baghdad.
Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap, 39, of Harwood, Mich., died Nov. 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries
suffered when he came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during checkpoint operations.
A Fallen Hero: Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap
Posted by Kim Priestap
Published: December 1, 2006 - 5:54 PM
My husband, Steve, and I received some very sad news Thanksgiving evening. Steve's
cousin, Army Sgt.1st Class James Priestap, was shot and killed by a terrorist sniper
while working at a checkpoint near Baghdad. He was wearing body armor, but he hit
was in the shoulder, and the bullet went into his heart killing him instantly.
We found out a couple of days after his death that he actually wasn't supposed to be at the checkpoint
at the time, but the generator blew out. Apparently, two other guys were assigned to go out and
restart it, but, since Jim was in charge of the platoon, he went out instead because he felt responsible
for his men. It was then that he was shot. That was Jim, always putting the well-being of his men
before himself. And helping others was what Jim was all about. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the
gulf coast region, he traveled to New Orleans and spent a month there to help rebuild the area and
assist those whose lives had been turned upside down.
Jim's father wrote this about him in an email which he sent to us shortly after Jim's death:
[H]e always believed, and proved, that being mediocre in life wasn't for him. Like when he was a kid
and was called "little Jimmy" until he became captain of the high school football team. I remember
talking with his ship mates once when he was in the Navy in San Diego and they said he was the top
sailor on the ship in all ways, and they hoped he'd go to OCS and become their officer. As you probably
know, he became a Navy Diver (next thing to his dream of being a Navy Seal), a small plane pilot, and
after we spent many study hours together he became a Deputy Sheriff in Florida--getting the highest
score in his class. That eventually enabled him, Connie & the kids to get back to the families and area
they loved.
Then he worked like a dog on the old house they bought to get it ready for a UP winter for Connie and
the kids, before he left for Iraq. For example, 1,000 sheets of drywall were hung. He and Connie did a
beautiful job on it. Then in his "spare time" from that and his job (working nights--so he usually didn't
get enough sleep-- he helped [his brother-in-law] Mark and [nephew] Mason put a roof on their garage-just before he left. Jim was ALWAYS helping others.
The time we worked together repairing their Florida house so they could sell it and move back to the
UP, and then together painting their house this past summer before Jim left is a time I'll always
cherish.
But you know, in spite of Jim's many "accomplishments" in such a busy schedule, the best thing about
Jim was how wonderful & attentive a father he was. Frankie and Brody adored Jim, for good reason.
His funeral is scheduled for this weekend, and about 3,000 people are expected to attend, including
200 Patriot Guard riders who will escort Jim's body to the cemetery in the Upper Peninsula town in
which he grew up.
If you wouldn't mind, please think of and say a prayer for Jim's wife, Connie, and their two kids,
Francesca and Brody, as well as his sister, mother, and father as they cope with Jim's sudden death. It
will be especially difficult during this Christmas season.
We love you Jim, and you will be missed by all those whose lives you touched. You died a hero, and we
will always be so grateful for your sacrifice.
Update: Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Sgt. James Priestap Memorial
Trust Fund at either First National Bank and Trust of Iron Mountain at 231 S. Stephenson Ave. Iron
Mountain, MI 49801 or the Range Bank of Kingsford at 345 Carpenter Ave. Kingsford, Michigan, 49802.
Update II: I found a post written by a soldier, Matt, who served under Jim and who was with him when
he died. I posted it briefly on Tuesday but took it down because Jim's family hadn't seen it yet. Now
that they have, I am going to repost it because it's an amazing but heartbreaking tribute to Jim as a
person, a soldier, and a leader.
In memory of SFC James Priestap (my platoon sgt.). Killed by a sniper at Checkpoint 17 while
distributing food and water to the Iraqi Police. Moments before his death, he was smiling and giving
candy to the kids in the area. He was a man with a wife and 2 kids, ages 11 and 9. I had to help load his
body in the backseat of my humvee and then loaded him onto the MEDEVAC helicopter. I had in my
posession a camo pattern angel that i carried for my own good luck charm. Before we got him on the
helicopter, i placed the angel on his body and said a prayer to help him on his way to Heaven. He will
now be living in eternal happines and we all have another guardian angel watching over us. The
expression on his face is something that is forever burned into my memory and i'll never forget it. It
was most certainly a life altering experience and I now have a whole different outlook on life in
general. This man was one of the greatest leaders in our company. He had a huge heart and he would
do absolutely anything for his soldiers that were under his command. This incident may have dented
our morale here, but we will NOT stand down and we will NOT back away. We will be back out at
Checkpoint 17 soon and those motherfuckers better be ready to die. They may think they've had a
victory on thanksgiving day but they haven't seen the wrath of my squad and the sheer anger we now
have growing inside us all. After we took SFC Priestap's weapon we divided up the rounds in the
magazine to everyone in the squad. The first round in the chamber of our M4 rifles is one of his tracer
rounds and it will be the first round out of the barrel in his name. He will not have died in vain.
On Wednesday afternoon, I had a wonderful IM conversation with Matt and had the opportunity to
thank him for his kind words as well as his service to our country.
Update III:
Steve and I are so grateful for everyone's kind words of support and sympathy for Jim's family as well as
for us. While Steve and I are heartbroken about Jim's death, our thoughts and prayers are with Connie
and her kids as they try to get through this difficult time. Losing Jim is hard enough for them to begin
with, but losing him on Thanksgiving day makes the hurt so much more intense.
Again, thank you.
IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (AP) -- A National Guard soldier from the Upper Peninsula was killed in Iraq on
Thanksgiving Day, military authorities said.
Army Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap, 39, of Hardwood, was fatally shot while on duty at a checkpoint
in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 46th Military Police Company in Kingsford.
Priestap was among 60 members of the unit, which was deployed to Iraq on July 9. They had trained in
Fort Dix, N.J., for six weeks before heading to the combat zone.
"Jim was the type of guy that everybody liked," Mary Oman, a friend of Priestap's from Breitung
Township in Dickinson County, told The Daily News of Iron Mountain for a Monday story. "He was a great
guy to be around. You never saw him without a smile on his face."
Priestap was a 1985 graduate of North Dickinson High School, where coach Joe Reddinger remembered
him as a good football player.
"Jim was always upbeat about everything he did," Reddinger said. "He was very passionate about
playing sports and always went full force. He was a natural leader."
HARDWOOD - Sgt. First Class James Priestap, 39, of Hardwood, went to be with Jesus in
heaven on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 2006.
He was born on June 2, 1967, in Royal Oak, lower Michigan.
James was a resident of the Foster City area since 1970 and graduated from North Dickinson
High School in 1985. He attended Ferris State and NMU. He was a substitute teacher at several
schools. He joined the U.S. Navy and was a rescue swimmer and a fireman in damage control
maintenance. He received special honors for his heroic efforts for removing an individual from a
blazing fire. Jim also served as a specialist in chemical and biological warfare.
Young boys and girls have dreams of becoming a policeman, fireman, pilot, diver, welder, sailor
or soldier. Jim Priestap was each one of these and more. His career included work as a deputy in
Sarasota, Fla., a police officer at the Iron Mountain Veteran's Administration Medical Center,
and a deputy for the Dickinson County Sheriff's Department. He also served to support
Hurricane Katrina victims. Jim also enjoyed hunting.
He married Constance Harder on June 11, 1994, in Felch.
He is survived by his wife, Constance; his son, Brody and his daughter, Franchesca; his guardian
son, Josh Headford; his parents, Roy and Denise Forstrom of Foster City and James and Patrice
Robinson of North Carolina; his grandmother, Helen Mattson of Felch; his brothers, Allen
(Renee) Forstrom of Felch, Troy (Joanne) Forstrom of Lunenburg, Mass. and Rich Robinson of
Florida; his sisters, Lisa (Mark) Balicki of Iron Mountain and Janet (Rodney) Anderson of
Norway; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Douglas and Emmy Lou Harder of Felch; Connie's
seven sisters, Kelly (Jim) Challancin of Felch, Kim (Chris) Colavecchi of Iron Mountain, Candie
(Kevin) Colavecchi (Connie's twin sister) of Iron Mountain, Katie (Abe) Lewis of Iron
Mountain, Karen (Brad) Ellis of Iron Mountain, Cassie Harder and (fiance, Peter Rittenhouse) of
Iron Mountain, and Corrie (Dean) Ellis of Orlando, Fla., many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews,
and cousins.
Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kingsford Armory.
There will also be a visitation on Monday, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at the Kingsford Armory.
Funeral services will be held on Monday at 12 noon at the Kingsford Armory. Pastor Terry
Priestap, James' uncle, will officiate with Pastor Carl Hammer.
Burial, with full military honors, will be in the Foster City Cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Challancin, Jon Wagner, Allen Forstrom, Troy Forstrom,
Rodney Anderson, Mark Balicki, Rich Robinson, Josh Headford, Mike Mooney, Tony
Cousineau, Peter Rittenhouse, Abe Lewis, Chris Colavecchi, Kevin Colavecchi, Brad Ellis, Dean
Ellis, Paul Holton, Matt Pacino, Steve Romatz, Dennis Romatz, Dennis Goovert, James Mather,
and Robert Rosales.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Sgt. James Priestap Memorial Trust
Fund at either First National Bank and Trust of Iron Mountain at 231 S. Stephenson Ave. Iron
Mountain, MI 49801 or the Range Bank of Kingsford at 345 Carpenter Ave. Kingsford,
Michigan, 49802.
Condolences may be expressed to the family of Sgt. First Class James Priestap online at
www.ernashfuneralhomes.com.
The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon and Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with
the funeral arrangements.
H.R.1424 - To name the front circle drive in front of the Oscar G. Johnson
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility in Iron Mountain, Michigan, as
"Sergeant First Class James D. Priestap Drive".
HR 1424 IHPermalink
111th CONGRESSPermalink
1st SessionPermalink
H. R. 1424Permalink
To name the front circle drive in front of the Oscar G. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility in Iron
Mountain, Michigan, as ‘Sergeant First Class James D. Priestap Drive’.Permalink
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESPermalink
March 10, 2009Permalink
Mr. STUPAK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ AffairsPermalink
A BILLPermalink
To name the front circle drive in front of the Oscar G. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility in Iron
Mountain, Michigan, as ‘Sergeant First Class James D. Priestap Drive’.Permalink
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled,Permalink
SECTION 1. NAME OF FRONT CIRCLE DRIVE IN FRONT OF OSCAR G.
JOHNSON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY,
IRON MOUNTAIN, MICHIGAN.
The front circle drive in front of the main entrance of the Oscar G. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Facility in Iron Mountain, Michigan, after shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated
as the ‘Sergeant First Class James D. Priestap Drive’. Any reference to such road in any law, regulation, map,
document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference to Sergeant First
Class James D. Priestap Drive.Permalink
Lance Cpl. Brent E. Beeler
Hometown: Jackson, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: December 7, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces
Reserve, Lansing, Mich.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
High school football teammates of Brent E. Beeler nicknamed him "Bayou Beeler." "They called
him Bayou because he was a crazy redneck," said his mother, Rhonda. "He would get all hyped
up to hype up the rest of the team." Beeler, 22, of Jackson, Mich., was killed Dec. 7 after being
shot in the chest in Anbar province. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to
Lansing. "He was one of the most aggressive kids we had, which I think kind of lent to him
becoming a Marine," said his former football coach, Don Baxter. Beeler's biggest love was
football: A 200-pounder, he started at offensive tackle and defensive end, said Scott Ashe, his
former principal. "He's the kind of kid who always had a smile on his face," Ashe said. "And he
always went a hundred miles an hour wherever he went, whatever he was doing, whether it was
playing football or getting in trouble." Erikk Marchese, a lifelong friend, said Beeler loved the
water and motor sports. "He loved anything with a motor," Marchese said. "He was a big fan of
dirt bikes, snowmobiles, trucks, everything. He was a great friend." He also is survived by his
father, Edward.
Lance Corporal Brent "Bayou" Beeler
BEELER, BRENT "BAYOU", LANCE CORPORAL, USMC— Semper Fidelis
Aged 22, was killed in action fighting in Fallujah, Iraq December 7, 2006 in the service of his country. He
is survived by his parents, Edward and Rhonda Beeler; sister, Andrea Beeler, all of Napoleon Township;
grandparents, Cal (Lillian) Watson of Jackson; aunts and uncles, Renee (Keith) Doty, Randy Watson,
Vickie (Ron) Kubik, Gail (Larry) Cobb, Mary (Bobbie) Beaman, Melissa (Darrel) Clute and Patrick Beeler
and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, V.E. "Eddie" and Erma
Beeler. He was a 2002 graduate of Napoleon High School where he excelled in sports, had been
employed at the Jackson Glass Works and was proud to be a United States Marine. Services will be held
at Grace Church, 2692 North Dettman Road on Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. with Dr. Mike Lee officiating.
Visitation will be held at the Napoleon High School Cafeteria Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. followed by a
public Marine Corps League Service at 8:15 p.m. Interment with full Military Honors will be at
Napoleon's Oak Grove Cemetery. The family would appreciate friends and family making memorial
donations to the Napoleon Athletic Boosters or the Brooklyn American Legion Wilber Bartlett Post #315.
Nichols-Arthur Michigan Center
Published in Jackson Citizen Patriot from December 15 to December 17, 2006
High school football teammates of Brent E. Beeler nicknamed him "Bayou Beeler."They
called him Bayou because he was a crazy redneck," said his mother, Rhonda. "He would get
all hyped up to hype up the rest of the team." Beeler, 22, of Jackson, Mich., was killed Dec. 7
after being shot in the chest in Anbar province. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was
assigned to Lansing. "He was one of the most aggressive kids we had, which I think kind of
lent to him becoming a Marine," said his former football coach, Don Baxter. Beeler's biggest
love was football: A 200-pounder, he started at offensive tackle and defensive end, said Scott
Ashe, his former principal. "He's the kind of kid who always had a smile on his face," Ashe
said. "And he always went a hundred miles an hour wherever he went, whatever he was
doing, whether it was playing football or getting in trouble. Erikk Marchese, a lifelong friend,
said Beeler loved the water and motor sports. "He loved anything with a motor," Marchese
said. "He was a big fan of dirt bikes, snowmobiles, trucks, everything. He was a great friend.
He also is survived by his father, Edward.
Tributes
Rhonda Beeler
In Honor Of LCPL Brent E. Beeler Brent was my only son. I thank all who have made
website's like this. He loved being a Marine. I was always proud of him, he was a good
kid (man). He was only 22 and had only been a Marine for 1 yr. He was on his first
deployment for only 2 months. His Dad, Sister and I would like to thank this country for
not forgetting. Your outpouring of love and support helps so much. I know Brent would
be proud of all the support helping his family through this. Thanks to all God Bless
Proud Marine Mom Rhonda Beeler.
Semper Fi
December 14, 2009
Michael Welch
Brent "Bayou" Beeler,
I Think about you a lot, your family has made such a big impact on my Life after standing
by then at Cpl. Nealeys Funeral. I never met you in Life but, I carry with me the Love,
Devotion and Dedication they Showed to a Fellow Fallen Marine. We talked about your
life and the Marines. Brent I will always Remember you.
December 14, 2009
Michael Welch
Brent "Bayou" Beeler,
I Think about you a lot, your family has made such a big impact on my Life after
standing by then at Cpl. Nealeys Funeral. I never met you in Life but, I carry with me the
Love, Devotion and Dedication they Showed to a Fellow Fallen Marine. We talked about
your life and the Marines. Brent I will always Remember you.
Mike
Jan 25, 2008
SFC Rod Brewer
Christmas in Arlington... Rest easy, sleep well my brother. Know the line has held, your
job is done. Rest easy, sleep well. Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell....
Brent Beeler
Monday, December 11 2006 @ 08:56 AM MST
Detroit News -- In the rural community of Napoleon, southeast of Jackson, it was
easy to spot Brent Beeler and his buddies heading off to the lake -- their pickup truck loaded
with four-wheelers and blaring country music.
"Bayou Beeler," as he was known, was as "redneck as they come," said his mother, Rhonda
Beeler.
"They looked like the Beverly Hillbillies going down there with the quads hanging out the back
of his truck," she said Friday, the day after her only son was killed in Iraq.
"He was a bighearted kid and he loved anything with a motor between his legs."
Lance Cpl. Beeler, a 22-year-old Marine reservist, was killed by enemy fire Thursday in Anbar
province, according to his family and the military.
His mother said he was shot in the chest at close range with a bullet that penetrated his flak
jacket. Beeler, who was single, had been in Iraq since October, his mother said.
He was attached to the Lansing-based 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, which has been
involved in heavy fighting near Fallujah.
Rhonda Beeler last talked to her son Sunday. "He said it was just awful," she said. "It was
indescribable."
A 2002 graduate of Napoleon High School, Beeler loved country singer Hank Williams Jr.,
boating and skiing, his mother said. An average student, he liked to have fun more than he
liked studying, family and friends said.
Beeler's other love was football. A 200-pounder, he started at offensive tackle and defensive
end at Napoleon High, said Scott Ashe, principal and coach at the 500-student school.
"He's the kind of kid who always had a smile on his face," Ashe said. "And he always went a
hundred miles an hour wherever he went, whatever he was doing, whether it was playing
football or getting in trouble."
Ashe had to discipline Beeler a few times, but it was just a "talking to -- we never had a spat
or anything like that."
Beeler, who worked for a Jackson glass company, had tried to sign up for the Marines at 17,
but his mother wouldn't sign the papers.
"So a couple years went by and he called me and said, 'What would you say if I joined the
Marines?' " Rhonda Beeler said. "And I said no. And he said, 'I'm 20 years old and I can do
what I want now.' And I said no. And he said it was too late -- he had already joined -- and
then he said, 'Don't tell Dad. He'll be mad.' "
“Vigilant Soldier”
Again this song brought to life by the sacrifice of three soldiers who fought for our freedom in
Iraq. Here in Jackson County Michigan, where I am from, lost its own Matthew Soper, D.J.
Wheeler, and Brent Beeler. Let us not forget them or the men and women who continue their
eternal vigilance and service for the safety and protection of this great nation under God.
http://www.myspace.com/fallen_michigan_troops
Sgt. Andrew P. Daul
Hometown: Brighton, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: December 19, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg,
Germany1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg,
Germany
Incident: Killed when an explosive device detonated near his Abrams tank during combat
operations in Hit.
Andrew P. Daul could bench press 475 pounds and his mother remembers his love of
weightlifting blossoming early. "He would walk throughout the high school and he would
be pumping these milk jugs full of water," said Kathy Daul, "that's kind of how I picture
him and remember him and how many of his classmates remember him. Always to the
extreme." Daul, 21, of Brighton, Mich., was killed by a roadside bomb on Dec. 19 in Hit.
He was a 2003 high school graduate, on his second tour, and was assigned to Friedberg,
Germany. Daul was known as the "feisty kid in the neighborhood," according to the Rev.
Frank Graves. He said the soldier was a little reckless and a bit of daredevil, but "in a
good way." Michael Daul, the soldier's father, said he misses his son's sense of humor.
His younger sister, Lindsey, misses their brother-sister talks. His youngest sister, Audrey,
misses the "tickle torture." Daul was scheduled to leave the service in July and take up a
job with his father as an environmental consultant. Daul's dream was to open up a gym
one day.
Andrew Patrick Daul
Daul, Andrew Patrick Army Spc. Brighton, MI Age 21, passed away on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 while
serving his Country in Hit, Iraq. Born to Michael and Kathy (Smith) Daul on August 23, 1985 in
Longbeach, California. Andrew was a 2003 graduate of Brighton High School and also a member of
Shepard of the Lakes Lutheran Church of Brighton. He was preceded in death by two aunts, Mary Kay
(Daul) Schultheis, Barbara Daul and his grandfather, army veteran John J. Daul. Surviving are: his
parents; Michael and Kathy of Brighton, two sisters, Lindsey and Audrey of Brighton; grandmother,
Elaine C. Daul of Walled Lake; aunts and uncles, Patrick and Sheila Daul of Brighton, John and Debbie
Daul of Highland, Robert Daul of Waterford, Timothy and Holly Daul of Livonia, Steven and Lorraine
(Daul) Radzville of Truckee, CA., Andrew J. Daul of Grand Blanc; 14 cousins and many dear friends.
Visitation, Thursday, 1-9 p.m. at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church of Brighton. Funeral, Friday,
10:30 a.m. at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church, with Pastor Frank Graves officiating. A private
burial will take place at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial contributions suggested
to, American Cancer Society, envelopes available at Herrmann Funeral Home, Brighton.
Published in AnnArbor.com on December 28, 2006
Andrew Patrick Daul
Sergeant, United States Army
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 1302-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2006
Media Contact: (703) 697-5131/697-5132
Public/Industry(703) 428-0711
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier
who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Specialist Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton, Michigan, died
December 19, 2006, in Hit, Iraq, of injuries suffered then an
improvised explosive device detonated near his Abrams tank during
combat operations.He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th
Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg,
Germany.
For further information related to this release, contact the 1st
Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4859.
27 December 2006:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered that United States
flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters be
flown at half-staff on Friday, December 29, 2006, in honor of Army
Specialist Andrew P. Daul of Brighton who died December 19, 2006,
while on active duty in Iraq.
Army Specialist Daul, age 21, died from injuries suffered when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his Abrams tank during
combat operations in Hit, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion,
37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division,
Friedberg, Germany.
Under Section 7 of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code, 4
USC 7, Governor Granholm, in December 2003, issued a
proclamation requiring United States flags to be lowered to half-staff
throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters to honor
Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty.
Procedures for flag lowering were detailed by Governor Granholm
in Executive Order 2006-10.
When flown at half-staff, the United States flag should be hoisted
first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff or
half-mast position. The flag should again be raised to the peak
before it is lowered for the day.
When a member of the armed services from Michigan is killed in
action, the governor will issue a press release with information about
the individual(s) and the day that has been designated for flags to be
lowered in his or her honor. The information will also be posted on
Governor Granholm's website at www.michigan.gov/gov in the
section titled ‘Spotlight.'
Courtesy of the Ann Arbor (Michigan) News
A Somber Christmas
But support flows to family that lost son in Iraq
Friday, December 29, 2006
BY RICK FITZGERALD
Michael Daul said the outpouring of love and support from family,
friends and total strangers in the 10 days since the death of his son in
Iraq has been "absolutely overwhelming.''
He said people have brought over "enough food to feed an army''
and there has been a constant flow of cards, e-mails and phone calls
of support coming into the family.
Michael and Kathy Daul's 21-year-old son, U.S. Army Specialist
Andrew Patrick Daul, was killed when an improvised explosive
device went off near his Abrams tank December 19, 2006, in Hit,
Iraq. He was nearing the end of his second tour of duty in Iraq and
was last home one year ago at Christmas.
Michael Daul said the family had a much more somber Christmas
this year, but he says being surrounded by family and friends helped
them immensely.
He said a stranger from South Lyon called one day to express his
condolences. He explained that his company puts up Christmas-tree-
shaped lighting displays and he offered to put one in the Dauls' front
yard.
A few hours later he came by and installed the lighted tree in front of
their Brighton Township home. "It was very gratifying,'' said
Michael Daul. The man's gesture "made the holiday easier to bear.''
Michael Daul said the family has heard from friends in California,
other military families from across the U.S. and other soldiers in
Iraq who served with their son.
"You don't know how many lives have been touched by a young man
like Andrew until something like this happens,'' said his father.
Today the family will gather at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran
Church in Brighton Township for a funeral service for Andrew
Daul. He will be buried in early January at Arlington National
Cemetery near Washington, D.C. The funeral is scheduled for 10:30
a.m. at the church, 2101 S. Hacker Road.
In addition to his parents, Daul is survived by two sisters, Lindsey,
20; and Audrey, 15; and numerous aunts, uncles and other family
members.
Daul was a tanker from the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment,
1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division based in Friedberg, Germany.
The 2003 Brighton High School graduate is one of at least four
Livingston County military personnel to be killed in the line of duty
since the conflict in Iraq started.
Michael Daul said his son was the kind of soldier who tried to find
ways to help the Iraqis amid the death of war. He described a time
when Andrew Daul was manning a checkpoint in Iraq when he
witnessed a huge explosion that ignited a nearby vehicle with
civilians inside.
Daul leaped from the safety of his tank and pulled the two civilians
from the burning car. One died; he breathed life back into and saved
the other civilian.
While Daul worried like everyone else about the hazards of war, he
reassured his family.
"Everyone is very, very proud of Andrew,'' his father said. "Even
though we always knew this is something that could happen, it's still
shocking. We felt he was in a relatively safe place, if there is such a
thing in Iraq.''
Andrew Daul became interested in serving in the military during his
senior year at Brighton High School. He had served three and a half
years, earning various awards and commendations.
Daul wasn't planning a military life, however. He was looking
forward to finishing that chapter of his life in July 2007 and coming
home. He planned to work for his father's environmental consulting
firm initially and then pursue a career in fitness or nutrition.
"He was very excited about returning to civilian life,'' his father said.
"He wanted to buy a home and start his life. ... He felt he'd had
enough. All he talked about in recent months was his upcoming
discharge.''
Daul was an avid and competitive bodybuilder, an interest that had
its roots in school but blossomed in the military, his father said. He
was a big, strong guy with a great sense of humor, his father said.
Daul ran track one year at Brighton High and was fascinated by
extreme sports such as skiing and snowboarding.
Daul would have rotated out of Iraq and returned to the base in
Germany in February, his father said.
"He spent most of his enlistment engaged in combat action and
although he didn't enjoy war, he believed in what he was doing,''
Michael Daul said. "He loved the military life and camaraderie. He
was a very, very good soldier.''
29 December 2006:
A Germany-based soldier killed in Iraq on Tuesday has been
identified by the Department of Defense as Spc. Andrew P. Daul, a
member of the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment.
Daul, a 21-year-old native of Brighton, Michigan, died in Hit of
injuries suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his Abrams
tank during combat operations. He was the seventh soldier from his
battalion to die in combat in Iraq since deploying in January.
A memorial for Daul has been set for January 8, 2007, at 4 p.m., in
the Ray Barracks chapel, Friedberg, Germany.
“He was involved in many good deeds, restoring schools and
resurrecting streets, the wonderful things we don’t get to
experience,” his mother, Kathy Daul, told a Michigan television
station.
Earlier in the deployment, Daul was manning a checkpoint when he
witnessed a huge explosion that ignited a nearby vehicle with two
civilians inside, according to the Ann Arbor News in Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
Daul leapt from his tank and pulled the civilians from the burning
car. He breathed life back into one of the victims; the other could not
be revived, according to the newspaper.
“Everyone is very, very proud of Andrew,” his father, Michael Daul,
told the Ann Arbor News. “Even though we always knew this is
something that could happen, it’s still shocking. We felt he was in a
relatively safe place, if there is such a thing in Iraq.”
With less than two months remaining on his second Iraq tour and
about six months left before his scheduled departure from the
military, Daul was looking forward to life as a civilian, his dad said.
Daul was an avid bodybuilder and planned to pursue a career in
fitness or nutrition after leaving the Army, his father said.
“He wanted to buy a home and start his life,” he told the Ann Arbor
News. “He felt he’d had enough. All he talked about in recent
months was his upcoming discharge.”
1st AD soldier killed by bomb in Iraq is promoted
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, December 28, 2006
A 1st Armored Division soldier killed in Iraq on December 19, 2006,
has been posthumously promoted, a spokesman for the division said
Wednesday.
Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton, Michigan, who was killed by a
makeshift bomb in Hit during combat operations, has been
promoted from Specialist to Sergeant, said Major Wayne Marotto, a
1st Armored Division spokesman.
Daul was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st
Brigade Combat Team, based in Friedberg, Germany.
He was the seventh soldier from his battalion to die in combat in
Iraq since deploying in January.
His father, Michael Daul, told a Michigan newspaper that his son
will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
A memorial for Daul has been scheduled for Jan. 8 at 4 p.m. in the
Ray Barracks chapel in Friedberg.
Posted: 29 December 2006 Updated: 30 December 2006 Updated: 16 January 2007
Photo Courtesy of Holly, March 2007
Andrew P. Daul
Thursday, December 21 2006 @ 03:26 PM MST
Contributed by: River97
Mlive.com -- U.S. Army Specialist Andrew Patrick Daul was manning a checkpoint in
Iraq when he witnessed a huge explosion that ignited a nearby vehicle with civilians inside.
Daul leapt from the safety of his tank and pulled the two civilians from the burning car. One
died; he breathed life back into and saved the other civilian.
Amid all the death in the war, there was a little life because Andrew was that kind of soldier,
said his father Michael Daul, as he remembered the 2003 Brighton High School graduate this
morning.
The younger Daul, of Brighton, was killed Tuesday after an improvised explosive device went
off near his Abrams tank in Hit, Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
Daul, 21, was a tanker from the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st
Armored Division based in Friedberg, Germany. Daul is one of 11 area military personnel to be
killed in the line of duty since the conflict in Iraq started; five died this year.
It was Daul's second tour in Iraq, and while he worried like everyone else about the hazards of
war, he reassured his family.
"Everyone is very, very proud of Andrew,'' his father said this morning in a phone interview
from his Brighton home. "Even though we always knew this is something that could happen,
it's still shocking. We felt he was in a relatively safe place, if there is such a thing in Iraq.''
The knock came around 8:30 Tuesday night, Michael Daul said. "We were obviously pretty
much brought to our knees when soldiers came to our door. But we're surrounded by lots of
family and friends.''
Andrew Daul became interested in serving in the military during his senior year at Brighton
High. He had served three and a half years, earning various awards and commendations.
Daul wasn't planning a military life, however. He was looking forward to finishing that chapter
of his life in July and coming back home to Brighton. He planned to work for his father's
environmental consulting firm for a little while and then pursue a career in fitness or nutrition.
"He was very excited about returning to civilian life,'' his father said. "He wanted to buy a
home and start his life. ... He felt he'd had enough. All he talked about in recent months was
his upcoming discharge.''
Daul was an avid and competitive bodybuilder, an interest that had its roots in school but
blossomed in the military, his father said. He was a big, strong guy with a great sense of
humor, his father said. Daul ran track one year at Brighton High and was fascinated by
extreme sports such as skiing and snowboarding.
During his enlistment, he had a chance to travel and see parts of Europe, his father said.
Daul, who first went to Iraq in 2004, was last home at Christmas of last year.
Arrangements for services and interment have not yet been made, Michael Daul said. He said
family members were considering local burial as well as at Arlington National Cemetery. In
addition to his parents, Daul is survived by two sisters, Lindsey, 20; and Audrey, 15; and
numerous aunts, uncles and other family members.
Daul would have rotated out of Iraq and returned to the base in Germany in February, his
father said.
"He spent most of his enlistment engaged in combat action and although he didn't enjoy war,
he believed in what he was doing,'' Michael Daul said. "He loved the military life and
camaraderie. He was a very, very good soldier.''
Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess
Hometown: Sanford, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: December 21, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Ryan J. Burgess and his best friend since third grade, Brian Lincoln, came of age
down the road from each other, separated by a short distance that didn't do
much to keep them apart. "He's really adventurous," Lincoln said, remembering
the times they'd go out hunting deer or ducks and building forts at Burgess'
home. "We never went to the mall, we were always out in the woods. He always
wanted to be outside." Burgess, 21, of Sanford, Mich., was killed Dec. 21 in Anbar
province. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Twentynine
Palms. He was on his second tour. Burgess was good with his hands, building with
mountains of Lego bricks as a boy, then moving on to high school drafting classes
and skilled trades training. He had already earned a Purple Heart about a month
ago when he suffered a severe concussion and leg injuries from a roadside bomb.
"He was very proud of what he was doing," said principal Denny Stine. Added
teacher Christopher Schram: "He wanted to be out there so badly." He is survived
by his parents, Jon and Kim.
Ryan J. Burgess
Saturday, December 23 2006 @ 01:13 AM MST
Mlive.com -- HOPE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A Marine from Michigan died while
serving in Iraq, the Department of Defense said Friday.
Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess, 21, of Hope Township in Midland County, died Thursday in combat
in Al Anbar province, the defense department said. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force based at Twentynine
Palms, Calif.
Burgess joined the Marines after graduating from Meridian High School in 2003.
Brian Lincoln, a neighbor, remembered his friend as adventurous and active. "We never went
to the mall, we were always out in the woods," Lincoln told the Midland Daily News. "He
always wanted to be outside."
Burgess knew he was in danger in Iraq, Lincoln said. "He told me the last time he came home
that he knows he's not coming back."
Burgess's family has asked for privacy, the Daily News said. But his first-grade teacher, Billie
Dush, told the newspaper after visiting family members Thursday that Burgess suffered a
severe concussion and leg injuries when the Humvee he was riding in drove over an
improvised explosive device about a month ago. He was awarded a Purple Heart and had been
released from the hospital only about two days before being killed, she said.
"It's one of those sad things that hadn't hit home, but now it has," said Principal Dennis Stine,
who was notified of Burgess' death by a family member. "We have a lot of students in the
service."
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Ryan J. Burgess slain by sniper
HOPE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A Marine from Michigan died while serving in Iraq, the
Department of Defense said Friday.
Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess, 21, of Hope Township in Midland County, died Thursday in combat
in Al Anbar province, the defense department said. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force based at Twentynine
Palms, Calif.
Burgess joined the Marines after graduating from Meridian High School in 2003.
Brian Lincoln, a neighbor, remembered his friend as adventurous and active. "We never went
to the mall, we were always out in the woods," Lincoln told the Midland Daily News. "He always
wanted to be outside."
Burgess knew he was in danger in Iraq, Lincoln said. "He told me the last time he came home
that he knows he's not coming back."
Burgess's family has asked for privacy, the Daily News said. But his first-grade teacher, Billie
Dush, told the newspaper after visiting family members Thursday that Burgess suffered a
severe concussion and leg injuries when the Humvee he was riding in drove over an improvised
explosive device about a month ago. He was awarded a Purple Heart and had been released
from the hospital only about two days before being killed, she said.
"It's one of those sad things that hadn't hit home, but now it has," said Principal Dennis Stine,
who was notified of Burgess' death by a family member. "We have a lot of students in the
service."
From the San Jose Mercury News
SPREAD THE WORD: IRAQ-NAM
LETTING THE FACTS, EVENTS AND PEOPLE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Ryan Burgess laid to rest
EDENVILLE–Marine Lance Corporal Ryan John Burgess made the ultimate sacrifice Thursday,
Dec. 21, when his military vehicle struck a roadside bomb while on patrol in Iraq.
Those who knew Ryan best characterized him as an adventurer, a problem solver and a leader
through demonstrated action. Ryan has been described as a composite of his mother’s tenacity
and grit and his father’s stamina and diplomacy, giving him the unique leadership
characteristics that earned him special military commands and authority typically assigned to
those of a higher rank. One of Ryan’s greatest attributes was the great concern he demonstrated
for his family and frankly anyone that came to know him.
Lance Corporal Burgess volunteered to be a Marine during a time of war because he felt it was
an honorable way to serve his country and because, in Ryan’s words, the Marines were the best
fighting force in the world.
Ryan’s mother, Kim Burgess, wasn’t happy with her son’s decision to enlist, but she knew this
was important to Ryan. He saw this as a time of need; he was never one to step aside.
Proud to be a Marine, Ryan took great pride in representing himself in this regard. To Ryan,
being a Marine meant being courageous, and since courage, commitment and honor were key
traits of his before becoming a Marine, his military duty merely enhanced those qualities.
Ryan utilized his attributes and specialized training on numerous occasions to take the lead on
battle fronts or to provide assistance to save a fellow Marine or civilian in need, all earning him
great respect among his platoon. On one occasion, he took action moving from a protected
position to provide cover fire while being fired upon in order to save one of his fellow Marines
who was trapped and under fire while in Iraq. Such stories had become more common than
anyone wanted, but they only proved what Ryan’s family always knew: Ryan was valor and
honor and courage and bravery and virtuousness and righteousness all rolled into one. Ryan
wasn’t just a hero to his family, but rather a hero to us all.
Before entering boot camp, Ryan shared his entire plan for life: Complete boot camp, serve his
country, go to college, start his own business around his love for technical and mechanical work,
and start his own family. Not necessarily in that particular order, but he had it all planned down
to the last detail, including his plan to propose marriage to girlfriend, Emily Wright. Ryan had
planned to address Emily’s father to request her hand in marriage. These examples help define
the character of this young man; an inspiration to so many at only 21 years of age.
Ryan grew up in the countryside surrounding Edenville, Michigan, where he could be found – or
not – somewhere in the woods or rolling fields, often pursuing game big and small. He also
loved riding his ATVs, camping, and leading adventures in the outdoors. Ryan’s love for the
outdoors was shared by his father, Jon Burgess, who taught him about guns and how to
shoulder a rifle. Jon taught him well. Ryan’s abilities as a hunter were quickly recognized by his
Marine instructors as Ryan soared in marksmanship during his training.
Ryan enrolled in nearly every skills training class offered by the Marines and he excelled across
the board. Ryan epitomized not only the character that is a Marine, but also the ability. This past
November, Ryan was injured when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by an Improvised
Explosive Device (IED). He was thrown from the vehicle as it flipped over and he had to dig his
fellow Marines out of the sand. Though injured, Ryan saw to it his fellow troops boarded the first
Marine helicopter to safety while he returned fire and awaited the second helicopter, which he
called "Angels from above." Ryan was awarded the Purple Heart for this incident.
Other awards Ryan received in the two years of his service as a Marine include the Combat
Action ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global
War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the Sea Service
Deployment Ribbon 2nd award. Ryan will also receive a second Purple Heart for his service.
Ryan was more than just a Marine. Ryan was also the "little" big brother to his sister Lindsey,
meaning that even though he was younger than Lindsey, he was always very protective of her
like that of a pain-in-the-neck big brother, but Lindsey loved this about Ryan. He was more than
just a brother to Lindsey; he was a friend by her side from the very beginning. He was also the
savior for his adopted brother. Nicknamed "Motch" because they couldn’t have two "Ryans" in
the family, Motch had a need and Ryan found him a home; the rest as Motch puts it is “brotherly
love.”
Ryan was saving people stateside long before he was saving troops overseas, and that’s what
makes Ryan Burgess a hero to his family as well as to his country. We enjoy our freedoms
because of Ryan’s sacrifice. The tragedy of his passing only amplifies what he lived for and it is
in these traits of valor and honor and genuine concern for everyone he knew that Ryan will live
forever in each of us.
Services for Marine Lance Corporal Ryan John Burgess were held Tuesday, Jan. 2, at 11 a.m. at
the Midland Evangelical Free Church. Prior to the funeral service, the family of Lance Corporal
Ryan Burgess received friends on Saturday, Dec. 30 at the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral
Chapel in Midland.
Ryan Burgess remembered
Charismatic. Mischievous. Loyal.
All are qualities those who know Lance Cpl. Ryan James Burgess used to describe him
Friday, a day after word of his death reached home. Burgess died Dec. 21 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Another Marine, Lance Cpl.
Ryan L. Mayhan, 25, of Hawthorne, Calif., died in the same incident. Both were assigned
to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force out of Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Burgess, a 21-year-old from Hope Township, loved to have fun, a trait that gave his best
friend since third grade, Brian Lincoln, many memories.
The pair came to age down the road and up the hill from each other, separated by a
short distance that didn't do much to keep them apart.
"He's really adventurous," Lincoln said, remembering the times they'd go out hunting
deer or ducks, building forts or riding quads together at Burgess' home.
"We never went to the mall, we were always out in the woods," he said. "He always
wanted to be outside."
Lincoln is still coming to grips with the reality that his best friend is gone, and said
Burgess knew he was in danger.
"He told me the last time he came home that he knows he's not coming back," Lincoln
said.
Joining up
"I think Ryan needed to find his place," said his first-grade teacher Billie Dush. She
remembered him as a little guy who smiled a lot in his younger years. She reached a
deeper understanding about him after tutoring him through school and becoming a
close family friend.
Burgess could be impulsive, in her words "not always making the right decision but the
one to have fun."
He also was the kind of kid who'd rather jump right to the test than mess around with
homework. "He drove his mother nuts," Dush said.
He was good with his hands, building with mountains of Lego bricks as a boy, then
moving on to high school drafting classes and skilled trades training at the Bay Arenac
Skills Center. He excelled so much there that he was awarded for his performance, but
never told his mother, who was frustrated to be told by someone else, Dush said.
Burgess found the place he belonged when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps after
graduating from Meridian High School in 2003.
"Ryan matured and he came into himself," Dush said. "I think he respected himself."
"He certainly seemed to find his niche in the armed services," Christopher Schram, a
high school English teacher, said.
Schram and principal Denny Stine saw Burgess as an intelligent but not academicallymotivated student who was in high school just to get it over with.
"He wanted to be out there so badly," Schram said. "He just had to go through high
school to get there."
Burgess stopped by the school a few times to visit after graduation, giving Stine a chance
to notice he'd come back from the military as a proud, respectful man.
"He was very proud of what he was doing."
Military man
While details of what happened to Burgess had not been released by the military, Dush
visited with his family Thursday night after they were contacted by officials and
recounted a short version of the story. Burgess was injured about a month ago when the
Humvee he was riding in drove over an improvised explosive device. He suffered a
severe concussion and leg injuries, and was only out of the hospital about two days when
the same thing happened again.
This time, he didn't make it.
"He had just earned a Purple Heart," in connection with the first incident, Dush said.
Burgess served as a sniper, a squad leader for special forces, who won top honors for
marksmanship in boot camp, she said. Not even Lincoln is sure of the timelines of how
his buddy moved up in ranks, or the name of the special school Burgess attended for
training with guns. "It was something different all the time," Lincoln said.
The loss
"It's been a matter of time," Stine said, with so many students joining the armed services
after graduation. "You can't be lucky all the time."
Burgess' death is especially tragic because was so young.
"He just started to experience the life he wanted to experience," Schram said.
His smiles, caring and thoughtful nature, courage and fun-loving heart won't be
forgotten anytime soon, especially by those who loved him the most.
Lincoln has already found a way to honor his most loyal pal.
He and his wife are awaiting the birth of their son, due on Jan. 17. Lincoln said they had
planned to name the baby after family. Instead they are naming him after Ryan.
Burgess' family has asked for privacy following his death.
Pvt. Bobby Mejia II
Hometown: Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: December 23, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Mich.
Incident: Died of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during
combat operations in Salman Pak.
Spc. Bobby Mejia II
Mejia, Spc. Bobby II Saginaw, Michigan Funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 5,
2007 at the First Baptist Church, 2440 King Road in Bridgeport, Michigan. Rev. R. B. Ouellette will
officiate with interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Friends may call at the Browne's Mortuary, 441 N.
Jefferson Ave. on Thursday from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m., where the family will be present at 7:00 p.m. for
the family hour. Spc. Mejia passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2006 at the age of 20 years. He was
born July 14, 1986 in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Bobby Mejia I and Loueva Hernandez. Bobby was a
lifelong resident of Saginaw. He attended First Baptist Church and was employed with the 125th Infantry
Battalion of the National Guard. He leaves to cherish his precious memory, his parents, Bobby Mejia I
and Loueva Hernandez; grandparents, Roseiro Mejia, Marie Hill and M.T. and Ethel Jones; two sisters,
Sparkle Smith and Chrystal Nicole Hernandez; brother, Christopher Ishmael Hernandez; nephew, Marlin
Austin Owens; a host of uncles, aunts and cousins, including a special aunt, Brenda Shaffer and many
friends, including special friends, Jeremy Grzenia, Marques Harris, D'Marco King and Jonathan Williams.
Bobby was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Lupe Mejia and Rev. Dr. Nick Hall, Jr.
www.brownesmortuary.com Published in Saginaw News on MLive.com on January 2, 2007
Spec. Chad J. Vollmer
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: December 23, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Mich.
Incident: Died of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during
combat operations in Salman Pak.
Before he left for Iraq, Chad J. Vollmer realized he hadn't said goodbye to Jill
Skinner, a neighbor he called Aunt Jill. On a cell phone, he said he would be right
back. She thought he meant months, but a few minutes later he pulled into her
driveway. "He started sobbing, I started sobbing _ I said, ''I just love you so
much.''" Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was killed Dec. 23 in Salman Pak by
a roadside bomb. He was in the ROTC in high school and was assigned to Big
Rapids. Vollmer wanted to join the U.S. Coast Guard once he was released from
duty. He already had served his six years, but was called back for service in Iraq,
said Paul Magnan, a friend of the family. He said Chad Vollmer took classes at
Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and spent time on boat crews in Grand
Haven. He also enjoyed golfing, and took trips with his father, Magnan said. "Just
one terrific kid," he said. In his letters home, "he was real positive, how important
it was to be there," said his father, Terry. "He just had a great pride in his
country." He also is survived by his mother, Sandy.
Chad J. Vollmer
Funeral services for Sgt. Chad J. Vollmer, aged 24, will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday at Calvary Church,
777 East Beltline. Visitation will be at the funeral home Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Arrangements by
Published in Grand Rapids Press on January 3, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxkImTx7ByU
Posted By: His proud family on May 26, 2007, 4:19 pm
Posted By: His proud family on May 26, 2007, 4:19 pm
Chad J. Vollmer
Thursday, December 28 2006 @ 04:53 PM MST
Mlive.com -- GRAND RAPIDS -- As he left Grand Rapids for the U.S. Army National
Guard, preparing to serve in Iraq, Chad J. Vollmer realized he hadn't said goodbye to a
neighbor he called Aunt Jill.
On a cell phone, he said he would be right back. She figured he meant months, and said a
prayer. A few minutes later, he pulled into her driveway on Plymouth Avenue NE.
"He started sobbing, I started sobbing -- I said, 'I just love you so much.' "
Jill Skinner had watched Vollmer, always an active little boy, grow into a young man who didn't
have to be asked to help out around her house.
Earlier this week, she watched his mother, Sandy, who saw the government vehicle parked
outside, slam her front door shut -- her only protection against the terrible news coming her
way.
"She knew. She knew," Skinner said Wednesday.
Vollmer, 24, a Grand Rapids Central High School graduate and an Army specialist, was among
three Michigan soldiers killed Saturday in Salman Pak, Iraq, when an improvised roadside
bomb exploded near their vehicle during a combat operation.
Also killed were Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, and Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, 20, of Saginaw.
All three were assigned to the First Battalion, 125th Infantry in Big Rapids.
They are among 119 service members with known Michigan ties who have died in Iraq since
the war began. Five Michigan soldiers have been killed in the past few days.
Army Sgt. Curtis L. Norris, of Ingham Township, died Saturday in Baghdad of wounds he
received when an improvised explosive device went off near his vehicle.
Most recently, Army Pfc. Andrew H. Nelson, 19, of St. Johns, was in an explosion in Baghdad
on Monday.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered that flags be lowered Friday for a sixth soldier, Army Spc.
Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton, who was killed by a roadside bomb Dec. 19.
On Wednesday, the flag was at half-staff outside Sandy Vollmer's house.
Chad Vollmer's father, Terry Vollmer of Grand Rapids, said his son died a hero, doing what he
wanted to do. He was in the ROTC in high school, and signed on with the Army National Guard
after his junior year.
"He loved the military, and he loved this country," his father said. "I empathize with all of the
families of all of the young men that have sacrificed their lives, not only in this war, but any
other war. Service to his country -- that's what he wanted to do."
The family, which includes his mother and sister, Heather, loved him dearly, Terry Vollmer
said.
Chad Vollmer wanted to join the U.S. Coast Guard once he was released from duty. He already
had served his six years, but was called back for service in Iraq, said Paul Magnan, a friend of
the family.
He said Chad Vollmer took classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and spent time on
boat crews in Grand Haven. He also enjoyed golfing, and took trips with his father, Magnan
said.
"Just one terrific kid," he said.
Magnum e-mailed him frequently, and followed Vollmer's Internet blog. Vollmer wasn't one to
complain. Under his favorite quote, he wrote: " 'Cause that's the way things ... are, and you
better get used to it. Quit your (complaining)."
Skinner, the next-door neighbor for 30 years, thought of Chad Vollmer as one of her own.
Early on, he called her "Aunt Jill," and it stuck.
She said it is hard to imagine his parents' grief.
"I sent him a Christmas card that said, 'God bless you, child. You take care of yourself, and I'll
take care of your mom.' Oh my God. How did I know that's the way it was going to be? He
brought nothing but happiness. Just a love, a kid that any mom would want for a son."
Chad J Vollmer
Grand Rapids, Michigan
December 23, 2006
Age Military
24
Army
Rank
Sgt
Unit/Location
1st Battalion, 125th Infantry
Big Rapids, Michigan
Killed in Salman Pak, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated
near their vehicle during combat operations.
Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim
Hometown: Howell, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: December 23, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Mich.
Incident: Died of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb
detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Salman Pak.
Wilson A. Algrim's parents remember how he lit up while taking his first elevator
ride. Then 8 and having just been adopted from Colombia, Algrim was rattled by
the sudden movement, and his face expressed both joy and anguish. "That was
more like a roller-coaster ride," said his father, Donald. Algrim, 21, of Howell,
Mich., was killed Dec. 23 in Salman Pak by a roadside blast. He was assigned to
Big Rapids. Without a high school diploma, Algrim in 2004 entered the Michigan
Youth Challenge Academy, a residential program affiliated with the National
Guard that is geared toward at-risk children. He excelled there, winning an award
for athleticism, graduating in 2004 and finding his life's purpose. "It was really
great," Donald Algrim said. "When your child doesn't have direction, then finds it,
it brings a lot of joy." Algrim liked to draw action figures and graphic designs. He
wanted to get know other cultures, and liked sports such as basketball and
soccer. "I would say he was gregarious, courageous, curious," said his mother,
Judy. "He was very friendly and smiled a lot. He was loving and affectionate."
Wilson Andrew Algrim
Specialist, United States Army
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 1316-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 27, 2006
Media Contact: (703) 697-5131/697-5132
Public/Industry(703) 428-0711
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three
soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.They died
December 23, 2006, in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when
an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during
combat operations.They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th
Infantry, Big Rapids, Michigan.
Killed were:
Specialist Chad J. Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private First Class Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, Michigan
Private Bobby Mejia II, Saginaw, Michigan
For further information on these soldiers the media can contact the
Michigan National Guard public affairs office at (517) 481-8140.
The 125th Infantry was moving through Salman Pak, Iraq, when, all
of a sudden, its soldiers noticed two Iraqi police vehicles they were
traveling with had disappeared.
Immediately, mortars started raining from the sky and Army Staff
Sergeant Jack Vliet and others went into nearby vehicles for cover.
But Vliet said Specialist Wilson Algrim stayed at his post, telling his
fellow soldiers where the rounds were landing.
It was that kind of courage and devotion that set Algrim apart, Vliet
said at the fallen soldier's funeral Saturday at the Howell Nazarene
Church.
"Obviously, he was one of a kind," said Vliet, Algrim's squad leader.
"He was one of the top soldiers I ever served with."
Algrim died December 23, 2006, from wounds suffered when an
improvised explosive device went off near the Marion Township
man's vehicle during combat operations. Two other men with him
were also killed; all three were assigned to the Michigan Army
National Guard 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry from Big Rapids.
Family and friends remembered the 21-year-old as a quiet, likable
guy who was able to overcome several obstacles and mold himself
into a strong young man during his time spent in the armed forces.
About 200 people showed up for the service, including former Army
buddies; U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton; and other wellwishers. Algrim is at least the ninth soldier with Livingston County
ties to die in Iraq, and his funeral comes just a week after one held
for Brighton Township Army Specialist Andrew Daul.
"This proves to me this is the next great generation," Rogers said. "I
call it the '9/11 generation,' because they're volunteering during
war."
The somber service featured a 21-gun salute, the ceremonial playing
of "Taps," and the presentation of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star
to Algrim's parents. Members of the Patriot Guard stood outside the
church, holding U.S. flags. The soldier is to buried this week at
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Algrim was born in Antioquia, Columbia. When he was 8 years old,
he and his two sisters, Janét and Lisa, and one brother, Jason, were
adopted by Don and Judy Algrim.
Judy Algrim had lived in Columbia when she taught at the
University of the Andes, located in Bogota, Columbia.
Wilson Algrim attended Howell Public Schools for a short time, but
since he had never gone to school in Columbia, he was far behind his
classmates.
Consequently, he was sent to Michigan Youth Challenge Academy at
Fort Custer Training Center in Augusta, near Battle Creek. The
program gives students a lot of help with tutoring and vocational
education.
Wilson Algrim graduated from that program in 2004 and eventually
became part of the Michigan Army National Guard.
The family's pastor, the Rev. Mark Franck of Prince of Peace
Lutheran Church in Howell Township — the service was held at
Howell Nazarene Church to accommodate a large crowd — said
Wilson Algrim was able to overcome his struggles.
"When he locked in, he could accomplish anything," Franck said.
Wilson Algrim's family was smiling after the service, reflecting on
the fun times spent with the soldier.
Judy Algrim remembers, after much searching, acquiring a Spanish
version of the movie "Toy Story" when Wilson Algrim was a child.
The thing was, the Algrims also had the English version, too.
"He put in the Spanish (version) and said 'There's something wrong,
it's in Spanish,' " she said, adding he then started looking for loose
wires, thinking the TV was on the fritz.
Lisa Algrim, 15, said she'll never forget playing basketball and
swimming with him. Janét and Wilson Algrim enjoyed going to the
movies often, and Jason and his brother used to pretend they were
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Don had some parting words for his son.
"We're proud of him and we love him," he said after the service.
"He was a great hero."
Staff Sertgeant Jack Vliet, leader of the squad Army Specialist Wilson Algrim served in
with the
Michigan Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry from Big Rapids, salutes the
fallen soldier in
Saturday's services at Howell Nazarene Church
Major General Thomas G. Cutler, adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard,
presents the U.S.
flag that had covered the casket of Wilson Algrim to the soldier's family at services
Saturday at Howell Nazarene Church
Pall bearers carry Wilson Algrim from the Howell Nazarene Church to the hearse after
services Saturday
Sunday, January 7, 2007
A 21-year-old soldier from Livingston County was posthumously
awarded the Bronze Star, given for bravery or acts or meritorious
service, and the Purple Heart during his funeral Saturday in Howell,
Michigan.
About 250 family members, friends and military officers attended
funeral services for Army National Guard Specialist Wilson Andrew
Algrim, who was killed on December 23, 2006, when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat duty in
Salmon Pak, near Baghdad.
Algrim will be buried Wednesday with full military honors at
Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Algrim was a native of Colombia who came to the United States 13
years ago when he, a brother and two sisters were adopted by Don
and Judy Algrim of Marion Township. The children had lived on the
streets for a time in Colombia.
The Rev. Mark Franck, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
in Howell, who conducted the service at the Howell Church of the
Nazarene because of its larger capacity, said life wasn't a bed of
roses for Algrim. He said Algrim came as a boy to the U.S. with a lot
of issues because of a difficult early childhood in Colombia.
"You have some scars you carry with you in that new setting, there
can be some difficulties,'' Franck said. But he said Algrim's heart
was in the right place. "There was a life and a love for people,'' he
said. "(Wilson) could be a man on a mission; there was no stopping
him.''
The eulogy was given by Sergeant Jack Vliet, Algrim's squad leader,
who found it hard to hold back tears as he recounted Algrim's loyal
service.
Also giving words of praise for Algrim's service, after the funeral,
was Major Greg Durkae, 125th Infantry battalion commander. "He
was very dedicated to what he did, he was a hero.''
After the ceremony, Judy Algrim related how her son used to watch
over his little sister, Lisa, like a mother hen - both in Colombia,
where they lived on the streets, and later in the U.S. after their
adoption. He used to carry Lisa on his shoulders, his mother said,
and the two siblings had the tightest bond of the four children, who
are biological siblings.
Donald Algrim said his son overcame a lot. "He was really motivated
to go to Iraq. He wanted to serve his country. He wanted to be an
American.''
Lisa Algrim, 15, used to walk around the house wearing her older
brother's clothing, and now has several of his possessions. "I have his
uniform, his boots, his graduation suit,'' she said. "I'm really proud
of him.''
According to the family, Wilson Algrim was a quiet, protective, loyal
brother. Younger brother Jason related fond memories, such as
playing basketball with his older brother, who also played soccer and
ran track. "I admired him a lot,'' said Jason, 17, a Howell High
School junior.
"It was beautiful, very touching,'' Judy Algrim said of the service.
Posted: 7 January 2007 Updated: 16 January 2007 Updated: 4 March 2007 Updated: 20
April 2007 Updated: 1 July 2007
Photo Courtesy of Holly, March 2007
Sgt. Curtis L. Norris
Hometown: Dansville, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 28 years old
Died: December 23, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
(Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
Incident: Died of wounds suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle.
Curtis L. Norris'' widow, Rose, said she came from a broken home, but her husband and
his close-knit clan taught her the meaning of family. "His family has been my ultimate
family and will continue to be my family until I join my husband," she said. "All I have left
of him is his loving family and my beautiful baby," she said, referring to their 5-year-old
daughter, Kira. Norris, 28, of Dansville, Mich., was killed Dec. 23 by a roadside bomb in
Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Drum and was on his second tour. "He wanted to
travel and do things, more than just the things around here," said his father, William.
"He was a good kid. He just liked being with friends and got along well with everyone."
Norris liked bodybuilding and would shoot baskets for hours in the family's backyard. He
graduated high school in 1997 and hoped to go into law enforcement when he left the
military. "You couldn't ask for a more gentle, loving person than Curt," said Barb Myers,
Norris'' grandmother. "He was always happy-go-lucky, always had a smile for you. We're
going to miss him dearly."
RIP, Sgt. Curtis L. Norris (Dansville)
by: matt
Tue Dec 26, 2006 at 22:26:51 PM EST
From the AP:
A 28-year-old Army sergeant from the Lansing area was killed when an explosion
hit his vehicle in Iraq, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
Curtis L. Norris died Saturday in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds he received when an
improvised explosive device went off near his vehicle, the Defense Department
said.
Norris was part of the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
Sgt. Norris becomes the 117th member of the U.S. Armed Forces with known
Michigan ties to lose their life in the Iraq War.
Curtis L. Norris
Wednesday, December 27 2006 @ 01:11 AM MST
Contributed by: River97
The Mercury News -- DANSVILLE, Mich. - A 28-year-old Lansing-area Army sergeant was
killed Saturday in Iraq, devastating the holidays for his family in Michigan.
Curtis L. Norris died in Baghdad of wounds he received when an improvised explosive device
went off near his vehicle, the Defense Department said Tuesday.
Instead of celebrating Christmas, William and Connie Norris are planning their son's funeral.
The presents in their home sit unopened.
"You don't think about Christmas when this happens," William Norris told the Lansing State
Journal.
The Norris family lives in Ingham County's Ingham Township, near Dansville and about 60
miles west of Detroit.
Curtis Norris served with the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, N.Y.
He "believed in what he was doing," his father said. "He had a positive attitude toward what was
going on in Iraq. He told me more than once he was willing to go back. We didn't want him to,
but he was willing."
Curtis Norris was four months into his second tour of Iraq, and a year from leaving the Army for
good. His unit had moved closer to Baghdad and was serving in convoys.
He leaves a wife, Rose, and a 5-year-old daughter, Kira Marie, both living now in New York.
William Norris described his son as "a good kid" who liked bodybuilding and would shoot
baskets for hours in the family's back yard. He had hoped to go into law enforcement when he
left the military.
"They felt like they were doing what they needed to do," William Norris said. "Despite the
political things that are going on, I'm proud of him. I see no reason not to be."
Barb Myers, Curtis Norris' grandmother, said his death has been devastating for their close-knit
family.
"You couldn't ask for a more gentle, loving person than Curt," she said. "He was always happygo-lucky, always had a smile for you.
"We're going to miss him dearly."
William Norris said he "pretty much lost it" when the family got the news on Saturday night.
"I've been in and out of crying," he said. "My wife, she's taking it considerably quieter than I am,
but I can see just by the look on her face that she's physically worn out."
Funeral arrangements won't be made until Curtis Norris' body arrives on Sunday.
Pfc. Andrew H. Nelson
Hometown: Saint Johns, Michigan, U.S.
Age:19 years old
Died: December 25, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 9th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt,
Germany
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in
Baghdad.
Updated: 8:00 PM Dec 27, 2006
St. Johns Mourning the Loss of a Soldier
Army Private First Class Andrew Nelson was killed in Iraq on Christmas day.
Posted: 5:58 PM Dec 27, 2006
Reporter: John Tramontana
Email Address: john.tramontana@wilx.com
Andrew Nelson wanted to be a soldier since he was a kid. His father says he enlisted in the
Army at the beginning of his senior year at St. Johns high school and was called to active duty
this past August.
Private First Class Nelson was killed on Christmas day in Iraq after a roadside bomb hit his
vehicle near Baghdad. His high school swimming coach says he will always remember his
ability to make others laugh. "One thing I remember most about him is his sense of humor and
his feistiness," said coach Kim Brewbaker. "He was one of those kids who was great to coach,
he was a lot of fun to be around. He always had something funny to say."
His father Alan says he was always dedicated to protecting his country. He said Andrew was
honored to be fighting even though he was away from his wife and high school sweetheart,
Kristi.
Nelson was a member of the 9th engineering battalion and was stationed in Germany before
being deployed. And by giving his life to protect others, Brewbaker says he should be
considered a hero.
"For him to do what he did, there's not a lot of people who would step up and do that.," he said.
"And I'll tell you right now, he loved his family, he adored his wife, and he loved his country. I
think that tells the story of Andrew Nelson right there. He's a true hero in my book."
Funeral arrangements have yet to be planned.
Andrew with Mom
Andrew with Dad
Andrew with Grandpa
Andrew with Wife
Andrew Nelson Memorial Foundation
C/O First Bank
201 N. Clinton Ave.
St. Johns, MI 48879
http://www.andrewnelsonmemorial.com/html/scholarship.html
Thank you to everyone that donated or attended or helped out at the Andrew
Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser on Saturday December 5,
2009! Thanks to all of you, we were able to raise a little over $5,000 to put
toward the Scholarship Fund! God bless you all, and have a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
We are now able to accept credit cards through paypal if you would like to
donate to the scholarship fund on the scholarship page.
United States Army Private First Class
Andrew H. Nelson
March 31, 1987 to December 25, 2006
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”
John 15:13
Private First Class Andrew Henning Nelson was born March 31, 1987, in St. Johns
Michigan. Andrew was the first child born to Alan and Tami Nelson. Two and a half years later,
Andrew would become the big brother to Jessica Mari Nelson, and seven years after Andrew was
born he became the big brother to Stephanie Marie Nelson. Andrew was very proud of his little
sisters. He was always excited to go to the hospital after they were born to wear the doctor’s
mask, scrub, and hold the babies.
Shortly after Andrews first birthday, he was dedicated to God (similar to baptism) at Pilgrim
United Methodist Church in St. Johns by Pastor Larry Shrout. Alan and Tami, along with
Andrews God Parents, Buz and Trish Zamarron, and most of Andrews Grand Parents and Aunts
and Uncles were all present.
Andrew started pre-school when he was five years old. He went to Meadowland Nursery School
at Pilgrim United Methodist. From the very earliest age, Andrew always got along great with
other kids. One year later he started Kindergarten at Eureka Christian School. He attended
Eureka Christian School thru the third grade, and then went to Perrin Palmer Public School for
fourth and fifth grade. Andrews’s teachers always said that “Andrew is a Natural Born Leader”
and that academically “he was exceptionally gifted”.
All thru school, including high school, Andrew was always pretty much an “A/B” student,
although once in a while he would have a “C”. Andrew was the kind of student that things just
came naturally to him. Not only did he have the brains, but he had common sense too. When
Andrew graduated from high school, he took all of his graduation money and put it into a Roth
IRA. That shows you the type of person he was, very self disciplined and very responsible.
When Andrew was just a young boy, maybe three or four years old, he used to get all excited
when the garbage truck used to pull up in front of the house. He would say “I am going to be a
Garbage Man when I grow up”. By the time he was about five years old he had graduated from
the Garbage Man to a Fireman. No matter what city we were in, we had to stop at the fire
department so Andrew could look at the fire trucks, and many times get his picture taken with
them. I think we have seen every fire department from St. Johns to Traverse City. After the
Fireman phase, Andrew moved to the Police Officer phase. When he was about seven years old,
Andrews Grandma Moore made him an authentic Police uniform. He was so proud to wear that
uniform; he actually looked like a real Police Officer. By the time Andrew was about nine or ten,
he had started showing interest in being a Soldier. Every Halloween he was an Army
man. Andrew would constantly play Army, if there were a stick on the ground, he would pick it
up and pretend it was a gun making shooting noises, and shooting at all kinds of stuff that wasn’t
even there. He had a very active imagination.
When the United States was attacked on 9-11, Andrew was about 14 years old. It was right after
that when Andrew was really starting to show a “real” interest in the United States
Army. Andrew loved to read about World War II, or watch the History Channel if there were
anything on about World War II. He could tell you anything you wanted to know about World
War II. He knew about every battle, he could tell you all the Generals names; he was almost
obsessed about learning all he could about World War II. As you can tell, Andrew has always
been the type of person who was destined to be a Public Servant of some sort.
Andrew was also a very good athlete. He started swimming for the St. Johns Sea Lions when he
was about nine years old. By the time he was 14, he had earned many awards and medals during
his time in the Sea Lions, including “Most Improved”, “101% Award” and the 13-14 Year Old
Boys “Swimmer of the Year” Award. Andrew also swam all four years in high school. He was a
four year Varsity Letter Winner, and was the Captain of the Swim Team his senior year. Andrew
had earned numerous medals and awards in high school, including 2002 MISCA Greater Lansing
All Area Swimming and Diving Team “Honorable Mention”, 2004 MISCA Zone 7 All Zone
Team “Honorable Mention”, and 2005 MISCA Zone 7 All Zone Team “2nd Team”. Andrew
qualified for the State Championship as an alternate his freshman year, and qualified for the State
Championship in his individual events in his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Andrew was fluent in all the strokes, but primarily swam butterfly and the individual
medley. Andrew and his team ended his senior year in a very exciting way. They ended up
undefeated for the whole season; conference/invitational champs, and had beaten Alma twice
that year, something they hadn’t done in several years. After the first meet that they beat Alma,
Andrew was so happy, he was almost in tears. For the four years that Andrew swam in high
school, they had won the Conference/Invitational Meet every year, and they also won the
Waverly Relays all four years. Andrew was exciting to watch, no, he wasn’t the best swimmer
on the team, but he would come thru when the Coach needed him to. We have a lot of great
memories at the swimming pool; swimming has been a huge part of Andrew, Jessica and
Stephanie’s lives, and they have all brought many good memories to our entire family.
Swimming also introduced Andrew to the Stinnetts. Tom and Nadine were practically Andrews
second set of parents, and Cody and Sydnee were like a brother and sister. Cody and Andrew
were the best of friends from the time they met right thru the end. Cody was proudly Andrews
Best Man in his wedding. Andrew had a lot of good friends; there was never anyone that Andrew
brought home that we didn’t approve of. He made good choices and now has a lot of people who
loved him and will continue to honor him.
Andrew has always been a proud American. When he was about six years old, he knew every
word to the Lee Greenwood song “God Bless the USA” and sang the song in three different
talent shows. His love for his Country and his fellow man started at a very early age. He also had
another love, Kristi. He and Kristi started dating in their junior year. Toward the end of their
senior year, we could tell that they were getting very serious. Andrew and Kristi had started
talking about marriage, possibly a 2006 wedding on the beach.
It didn’t take a recruiter to get Andrew to sign up for the Army. When he was 17 years old, he
went to the Army recruiting station and signed up in the “Delayed Entry Program”. He spent his
senior year not only doing studies, and swimming, but also spending many weekends training
and preparing for the Army. Andrew graduated high school in June of 2005, and then left for
Basic Training/AIT Training on July 12, 2005.
While Andrew was at Basic Training in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri, he had learned that he
would be shipped to Germany and eventually to Iraq. Andrew asked the love of his life, Kristi
Rewerts, daughter of Norman and Danita Rewerts to marry him before he left for Germany,
moving up their wedding plans by one year. We were very happy for both of them; they were
perfect for each other, and we gladly accepted Kristi into our family as our new daughter-inlaw. Andrew graduated from Basic/AIT Training on October 28, 2005, and then was married to
Kristi on November 5, 2005. Even though it wasn’t the beach wedding they dreamed about, it
was a very beautiful wedding, and Andrew couldn’t have been any happier.
On Sunday November 27, 2005, Andrew left for Germany. This would be the last time that we
ever seen him in person. Unfortunately Kristi was not able to join him in Germany until almost
the middle of March, 2006. The timing for her arrival in Germany was good though, as both of
their birthdays are in March, Kristi on the 24th and Andrew on the 31st. Once Kristi was in
Germany they took a long awaited honeymoon to Paris France and London England for a week.
Andrew and Kristi would continue to live in their apartment in Germany for the next few
months, and we would stay in touch with them thru phone calls, and chatting and webcaming on
the internet. On August 31, 2006 Andrew left for Kuwait. This would be the last time that Kristi
would ever see Andrew in person. Andrew spent about 6 weeks training in Kuwait and then in
mid October he left for Baghdad Iraq. Andrew was assigned to Alpha Company, 9th Engineer
Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
While in Iraq, Andrew lived at Camp Liberty in a small trailer similar to the Hurricane Katrina
trailers. We were fortunate that Andrew had his laptop with him and he had an internet
connection, so we were able to chat with him quite regularly. If more than a few days went by
without hearing anything from him, we would naturally be concerned, but then he would pop
online and just say that they had been very busy with missions. Andrew never talked about
missions with us. I think he just didn’t want us to worry. We sent many books to Iraq for
Andrew, mostly about Army, or WWII, or about some General he was fascinated with. He loved
to read.
Kristi was going to stay in Germany for Christmas to spend the holiday in their apartment, but
Andrew made her come home to be around her family for the holidays. Thank God Andrew
made her come home, knowing now how things ended up. On Christmas morning 2006, Kristi
got the chance to webcam with Andrew for a few minutes. Not knowing at the time, this would
be the last time that anyone back home would ever see Andrew or hear his voice.
Andrew had volunteered to be the driver of the lead vehicle for this particular mission. A mission
called “Dagger Iron Claw Route Clearance”, it was considered to be one of the most important
jobs in the mission. At 3:45pm Michigan time, 11:45pm Baghdad time, Christmas day, an
Improvised Explosive Device detonated near his vehicle, killing Andrew instantly, and also
killing two of his fellow Soldiers, Sergeant John Bubeck and Specialist Aaron Preston, and
wounding one other Soldier.
Some of Andrews Commanding Officers had some very nice comments about him during a
memorial service held in Iraq for him and his fellow fallen Soldiers. Lieutenant MacPhail said
“Andrew Nelson was the old school type Soldier. By that I mean that he could have assaulted the
beaches of Normandy, or fought in the swamps of Vietnam, he was the same caliber of Soldier
as any one of the heroes from those eras. He had a drive in him that I have not seen in any other
Soldier”. Lieutenant MacPhail continues “His nick name was ‘Ranger Rick’ in the platoon. He
had every gadget and cool high speed toy that you could want. Sometimes he would buy it and
realize it didn’t work the way he thought it would, so he just modified it and adapted it to make it
work. He truly lived by warrior ethos, he would never quit, or leave someone behind, and he
always placed the mission first and never accepted a failure”. Captain McKenzie said “Private
First Class Andrew Nelson possessed a solid work ethic and unwaiverable morals”. Captain
McKenzie also said “He was well liked across the company and served as a role model for his
peers”.
Andrews Military Awards and Decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, the Global War on
Terrorism Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Good Conduct
Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. Andrew was one of two Soldiers of the entire Brigade that
was recommended for early promotion. However, Andrew was killed two weeks prior to the time
he would have received his promotion.
Andrew is truly a Hometown Hero. His entire family is all very proud of him, as well are all of
his friends and the entire town of St. Johns. Although Andrews’s life was short, he touched a lot
of people in both his life and his death. He will be forever missed. Someone had sent us a card
that really meant a lot to us and it said that “very few people ever reach their goals or live their
dreams, but Andrew got to do both in his short life”. Andrew reached his goal of being an
American Soldier, and he lived his dream of marrying his high school sweetheart Kristi.
We all love Andrew very much, and he will truly be missed, but we will be together again in
Heaven someday. Thank you Andrew for all you have done for all of us. You truly are our Hero
and we are very proud of you!
Never forget all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who have fought, and those
who continue to fight for our freedom. Please keep all of these Soldiers and their families in your
prayers.
The Family of PFC Andrew H. Nelson
Thanks to a very generous and supportive community, we are able to present two $1,000
scholarships each year in Andrews Memory. Because Andrew was a swimmer ever since he was
about nine years old, we decided to honor his memory by giving out two scholarships, one to a
boy swimmer and one to a girl swimmer every year. We left the selection of who receives these
awards entirely up to the coaches and the high school administration, since as time goes on we
won’t know most of the kids anyway. The criteria that has been set on who receives these
scholarships is based on who the Coaches and the Administration feels has been the most
dedicated to the team, has at least a 3.0 grade point average, is the team cheerleader, is the person
that all the other team mates really look up to, and is the person who may not necessarily be the
best swimmer, but he/she is the best leader. Congratulations all past, current and future
scholarship winners, may you always cherish the memories that swimming gives you, and
always remember that freedom isn’t free. People like Andrew have made the ultimate sacrifice
for all of us to enjoy the freedom we have.
Our goal for the scholarship fund is $70,000. We have currently raised about $25,000. If
you would like to donate to the Andrew Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fund, please send
your donation to...
Andrew Nelson Memorial Foundation
C/O First Bank
201 N. Clinton Ave.
St. Johns, MI 48879
http://www.andrewnelsonmemorial.com/html/scholarshi
p.html
My Son Has Passed Before Me
My Son has passed before me, for reasons that we don’t know,
God has all the answers, that one day he will show.
Our lives are very busy, sometimes quite a mess,
But keep your faith and believe in God and surely you’ll be blessed.
Live your life every day, as if it were your last,
Always be forgiving, because life goes way to fast.
Hug your Spouse and your Kids, your Parents and Siblings too,
Don’t let pride stand in the way, tell them daily, “I love you “.
Old friends are forever, even though we may lose track,
It’s time to call them and reconnect, a time for looking back.
My Son that passed before me will be forever in our prayers,
And to all our friends and family, just remember that God Cares!
By Alan H. Nelson
Proud Father of PFC Andrew H. Nelson
Killed by an IED In Baghdad Iraq
On December 25, 2006
Sgt. Christopher P. Messer
Hometown: Petersburg, Michigan, U.S. (Also reported as Petersburg, Florida)
Age: 28 years old
Died: December 27, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Incident: Killed by a makeshift bomb that detonated near him while on dismounted patrol in
Baghdad.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer
Remember Our Heroes
Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer, 28, of Petersburg, Fla.
Sgt. Messer was assigned to 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort
Drum, N.Y.; died Dec. 27 in Baghdad of wounds received from an improvised explosive device that
detonated near him while on dismounted patrol. Also killed was Pfc. Nathaniel A. Given.
Standing near the casket draped in the American flag, family and friends said their final goodbyes to
Army Sgt. Christopher Messer Monday.
Burial services were held at Pleasant View Cemetery in Summerfield Township and included a 21-gun
salute and a bugler playing "Taps." About 200 family and friends gathered around the family, who sat
under a canopy on the cold, breezy winter afternoon.
Sgt. Messer, 28, was killed in action Dec. 27 while serving in Iraq. He died from injuries suffered when
an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on combat patrol. He was an infantryman
assigned to Company D, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment based in Fort Drum, N.Y.
Raised in Dundee Township, he is survived by his wife, Amie, and 2-year-old daughter, Skyle. The
family had recently moved to Raisinville Township from Monroe.
Funeral services were held Monday at Bacarella Funeral Home, where the Rev. Harold Raymond, pastor
of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Ida, officiated. Some family members briefly spoke about Sgt. Messer,
including the games they would play while growing up.
"He would laugh without effort ... we all had a lot of fun times together," a cousin said at the funeral
home. "Our family was poor in (the sense of) money, but rich in laughter. We have the best memories."
Nearly 400 family, friends and members of local police and sheriff's departments attended the service.
The swell of the crowd spilled into the hallway, and many people filled a second room where a speaker
system was set up.
Immediate family members, sitting in the front row, wept as "Proud to be an American" and "American
Soldier" played during the service. The Rev. Raymond spoke to the crowd about Sgt. Messer's life rather
than his tragic death.
"This doesn't have to be the end. He's full of glory and focused on Jesus Christ," he said. "He now has an
eternal relationship with the Lord. Trust that he's with the Lord. Don't leave here without hope. I know
you ask why, why this had to happen. I cannot answer that. Only God knows why."
The Rev. Raymond held up a laminated prayer card, containing the words to the "Prayer of Salvation,"
that Sgt. Messer always kept with him. The pastor read some of the prayer, which proclaims faith in God.
"He read it so many times, it's blurred," the pastor said after reading a portion. "Chris had faith and hope.
He did not perish. He now has eternal life with his Savior." Following the sermon, Army Gen. Thomas
Cole spoke about the fallen soldier.
"He was a fun-loving soldier and a natural leader," he said. "He is an American hero who sacrificed
everything he loved so we can live in a free country."
Gen. Cole then presented the Messer family with Sgt. Messer's medals: the Purple Heart and the Bronze
Star. Joining the Army in 2003, Sgt. Messer was serving his second tour of duty when he was killed. He
had served from February, 2004, to March, 2005, in Samarra, Iraq.
After he completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry
Regiment at Ledward Barracks in Germany. In 2005, he was reassigned to Fort Drum, N.Y.
He attended Ida Public Schools and graduated from Dundee Alternative High School in 1997. He is the
eighth soldier with Monroe County ties to die in the war. After serving for his country, Sgt. Messer is
now serving the Lord, the Rev. Raymond said. "He has been ushered by angels to the presence of the
Lord," he said at the funeral service. "His spirit is alive forever." Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer was
killed in action on 12/27/06.
Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson
Hometown: Vassar, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: December 28, 2006 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.
Christopher E. Esckelson's mother said she didn't want her son to join the
Marines after Sept. 11, 2001. "He just said, 'Oh no, I'll be a Marine. That's what I
want to do,'" said his mother, Michelle. "He didn't follow everyone else. He was a
leader." Esckelson, 22, of Vassar, Mich. was killed Dec. 28 in a firefight in Fallujah.
He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Lansing. "He was in a
12-man SWAT team, and in Fallujah. It was definitely front-line stuff. It wasn't
guarding the water cooler," said David Esckelson, his father. "My son was a
warrior, and that's not just a father talking." Esckelson wanted to be a doctor. He
had attended classes at Delta College and joined the Marine Corps Reserve as a
way of earning money to pay for school. Esckelson knew the risks, and saw the
horror, of war after arriving in Iraq in September. But fear "wasn't in him," his
father said. "He was very, very angry to see his fellow Marines injured. He said
'Dad, there's no training they can give you to help you see your fellow Marines
blown to pieces.'"
Christopher Esckelson
Esckelson, Cpl. Christopher E. U.S.M.C, Vassar, Michigan Age 22, gave his life for his country while
defending his fellow Marines on Thursday, December 28, 2006, in Fallujah, Iraq. Christopher was born
December 30, 1983, in Saginaw the son of David E. Esckelson and Michelle M. "Mitzi" Lich. He attended
St. Michael's Lutheran School in Richville prior to transferring to Vassar High School, graduating in 2002.
During high school, he played football for four years at defensive tackle, baseball for four years as an
outfielder and catcher and basketball for two years. He was also a member of St. Michael Lutheran
Church in Richville and the Frankenmuth Bible Church and had been employed with Zhender's,
Abercrombie & Fitch and Wolverine Human Resources. In October of 2002, Christopher joined the US
Marine Corp Reserve and then attended Delta College at all three campuses in Bay City, Saginaw and
Midland desiring to become a doctor, prior to being called to active duty in April of 2006. He was
extremely proud when he became a Marine and he believed 110% in service and dedication to his
country. Christopher was an avid hunter and fisherman and he enjoyed camping. He was a "go-getter"
and a natural leader. He will be missed by all who his life touched. Left to cherish his memory are his
father: David E. Esckelson of Vassar, mother: Michelle M. "Mitzi" and husband Christopher Hill of Vassar,
brother: Craig E. Esckelson and girlfriend Heather Curtis and their daughter, Hailee Marie all of Vassar,
sister: Kerry M. Esckelson of Vassar, two stepsisters: Rachel and Laurin Hill both of Vassar, Christopher's
girlfriend of three years: Samantha Reasner of Owosso, two grandmothers: Esther Esckelson and Esther
Lich both of Vassar, special childhood friends that attended St. Michael's: Scott Janson of Reese, Terry
Sella of Auburn Hills, Vassar High School friend: John MacArthur, Marine brother: Todd Pirich, and
numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Christopher was preceded in death by his grandfathers,
Lawrence Esckelson and Henry Lich. Christopher's funeral service will take place 2:00pm, Sunday,
January 7, 2007, at the Vassar High School Auditorium with Pastor Nathan Mains officiating. Burial will
follow in Riverside Cemetery with Military Honors conducted by the United States Marine Corp.
Visitation will take place at the Vassar High School Auditorium on Saturday, from 10:00am to 8:00pm
with family present to receive friends from 10:00am to 12:00 noon, 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to
8:00pm and on Sunday morning from 11:00am until the time of service at 2:00pm. Those desiring may
direct memorial contributions to a special fund set up in Christopher's name. Envelopes will be available
at the high school. Friends may share memories, prayers, and stories at the school and online @
www.martinfuneralhome.com Martin Funeral Home, Clark Chapel-Vassar.
Published in Saginaw News on MLive.com from December 31, 2006 to January 4, 2007
Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson
Vassar, MI
United States Marine Corps
KIA 28 December 2006, Iraq
Cpl.Christopher E. Esckelson, U.S.M.C, Vassar, Michigan Age 22, gave his life for his country while
defending his fellow Marines on Thursday, December 28, 2006, in Fallujah, Iraq. Christopher was
born December 30, 1983, in Saginaw the son of David E. Esckelson and Michelle M. "Mitzi" Lich. He
attended St. Michael's Lutheran School in Richville prior to transferring to Vassar High School,
graduating in 2002. During high school, he played football for four years at defensive tackle, baseball
for four years as an outfielder and catcher and basketball for two years. He was also a member of St.
Michael Lutheran Church in Richville and the Frankenmuth Bible Church and had been employed with
Zhender's, Abercrombie & Fitch and Wolverine Human Resources. In October of 2002, Christopher
joined the US Marine Corp Reserve and then attended Delta College at all three campuses in Bay
City, Saginaw and Midland desiring to become a doctor, prior to being called to active duty in April of
2006. He was extremely proud when he became a Marine and he believed 110% in service and
dedication to his country. Christopher was an avid hunter and fisherman and he enjoyed camping. He
was a "go-getter" and a natural leader. He will be missed by all who his life touched. Left to cherish his
memory are his father: David E. Esckelson of Vassar, mother: Michelle M. "Mitzi" and husband
Christopher Hill of Vassar, brother: Craig E. Esckelson and girlfriend Heather Curtis and their
daughter, Hailee Marie all of Vassar, sister: Kerry M. Esckelson of Vassar, two stepsisters: Rachel and
Laurin Hill both of Vassar, Christopher's girlfriend of three years: Samantha Reasner of Owosso, two
grandmothers: Esther Esckelson and Esther Lich both of Vassar, special childhood friends that
attended St. Michael's: Scott Janson of Reese, Terry Sella of Auburn Hills, Vassar High School friend:
John MacArthur, Marine brother: Todd Pirich, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Christopher was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Lawrence Esckelson and Henry Lich.
Jan 25, 2008
SFC Rod Brewer
Christmas in Arlington... Rest easy, sleep well my
brother. Know the line has held, your job is done. Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held. Peace, peace,
and farewell. Chris, You Will Not Be forgotten... Swammie says Hooah....
October 5, 2007
Cpl Robert Ortega
In Honor Of Cpl Christopher E. Esckelson
CPL ESCKELSON (THEE ALPHA MALE)
DAM.................... BROTHER NEVER DID I THINK I WOULD SIGN YOUR
MEMORIAL PAGE. MAN I WISH YOU WERE HERE. I WISH WE COULD PARTY, AND GET
HAMMERED DRUNK. HA HA. AS YOU USED TO SAY. NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DON'T
THINK OF YOU AND THE REST OF OUR FALLEN BROTHERS. YOU'S TAKE CARE OF
EACH OTHER UP THERE. I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU. AND DON'T FORGET TEGA
RUN'S THIS BITCH. ORTEGA, OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 13, 2007
Kay Handy
I am a Mother of a Marine and Grandmother of a Soldier. Both of been deployed to Iraq. My son has
been deployed to Iraq twice.
My grandson has just returned a month ago from Iraq after being deployed for a year. No words can
express how sorry I am about the death of Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson. This is to his family and
friends. My heart aches for you as I am a Mother and a grandmother. May God give you
strength to carry on. God help you in your loss.
January 12, 2007
Stephanie Ker
Chris, you were a ray of sunshine that will shine so
bright where ever you are. I am so glad our paths crossed and I was able
to meet such a wonderful and caring person.
Thank you for fighting for my freedom......I wish you were still here.
SPREAD THE WORD: IRAQ-NAM
LETTING THE FACTS, EVENTS AND PEOPLE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Monday, January 01, 2007
Christopher E. Esckelson killed during combat operations
VASSAR - Today would have been U.S. Marine Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson's birthday.
But he won't turn 23.
The Vassar man died Thursday in a firefight in Iraq, trying to root insurgents out of war-torn
Fallujah, his parents said.
''He was a squad leader in charge of 12 guys, and he was pulling one of the injured guys out of
the way, and he took a direct hit. Game over,'' said David Esckelson, 48, of Vassar, Christopher
Esckelson's father.
''He called me two days before Christmas and told me he was going on a five-day mission, and
that's the one he didn't make it back from,'' David Esckelson said. ''He told me 'Merry Christmas'
and he said he'd call me back in a couple days after the work was done.
''But I never got the call.''
Christopher Esckelson knew the risks, and saw the horror, of war after arriving in Iraq in
September. But fear ''wasn't in him,'' his father said.
''After the elections here in November I said 'Son, the Democrats took over - what do you think
about coming home?''' David Esckelson said.
''He said 'Dad, I ain't coming home. I gotta pay these SOBs back.' The second week he was there,
a humvee got blown up right in front of him, and it turned him into a very, very angry Marine.
''He was very, very angry to see his fellow Marines injured. He said 'Dad, there's no training they
can give you to help you see your fellow Marines blown to pieces.'
Funeral services have yet to be set for Christopher Esckelson, a 2002 graduate of Vassar High
School. The Marine's remains won't arrive back in Vassar for at least a week, according to his
father.
Esckelson wanted to be a doctor. He had attended classes at Delta College and joined the Marine
Corps Reserve as a way of earning money to pay for school, but that was only part of his
motivation.
''He wanted to be a Marine,'' his father said.
Christopher Esckelson's mother, Michelle ''Mitzi'' (Lich) Hill of Vassar, said she didn't want her
son to join the Marine Corps after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
''He just said 'Oh no, I'll be a Marine. That's what I want to do,''' Mitzi Hill said. ''He didn't
follow everyone else. He was a leader.'' Christopher Esckelson is survived by his parents and by a
brother, Craig Esckelson, and a sister, Kerry Esckelson, both of Vassar.
Word of Esckelson's death spread to barber shops and restaurants around Vassar, population
2,700, on Friday.
''You hate to see one of your hometown boys get killed,'' said Charlene Karr, owner of Karr's
Kafe, whose 24-year-old nephew, Marine Cpl. Anthony Morgan of Vassar, returned from duty in
Iraq two months ago.
Fallujah, where Christopher Esckelson died, ''is a very dangerous place, with mostly snipers
there, and when we were there that was the main threat, the snipers from higher buildings,''
Morgan said.
David Esckelson said his son was in a group of about 150 Marines living in a train station in
Fallujah, where conditions were far from ideal. For example, he said soldiers showered by
standing under an elevated bag of water.
''My son was a warrior, and that's not just a father talking,'' David Esckelson said. ''He ran a
'saw,' a fully automatic weapon with 1,000 rounds in it. You pull the trigger once and it shoots
35 times within five seconds.
''He was actually carrying two guns at the same time. He looked like ... Rambo, I'm telling you.
He had a 10-round rocket launcher and he'd carry that, too.
''He was in a 12-man SWAT team, and in Fallujah. It was definitely front-line stuff. It wasn't
guarding the water cooler.''
From the Bay City Times
Christopher E. Esckelson
Tuesday, January 02 2007 @ 07:54 AM MST
Contributed by: River97
Mlive.com --VASSAR -- The Esckelson family is mourning the death of Marine Cpl.
Christopher E. Esckelson in Iraq -- yet thankful the injuries to his second cousin, Army Reserve
Staff Sgt. Ricky "Rick" E. Esckelson, aren't life-threatening.
"Chris always wanted to be a Marine," said his father, David E. Esckelson, 48, of Vassar.
Chris Esckelson lived for the Marine Corps motto of Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful. He had his
own creed: Semper Auxiliarius (Always Helping), his father said.
"He eventually wanted to be a doctor and was saving money to become one," he said.
Meanwhile, Ricky Esckelson is mending while awaiting word whether he will recuperate in
Germany or try to heal where he in Iraq, his family said.
Ricky Esckelson, who turns 54 on Thursday, is a former Marine who joined and retired from
the Army Reserves before re-enlisting in the Army Reserves.
He suffered injuries, possibly Monday, in a mishap a few miles from where Chris Esckelson
died, family members said.
Chris Esckelson died while helping fellow Marines -- killed by a direct hit to his torso from
enemy fire in an intense firefight, his father said, relaying to The Saginaw News what military
personnel told him. "From what I was told, six went down," he said. "My son was a squad
leader and was trying to help his men -- he was trying to get a fellow Marine to safety when
he was hit. He was pronounced dead within three minutes of getting hit."
Serving with the 1st Battalion of the 24th Marines in Iraq, he died around 2:45 p.m.
Wednesday, three days shy of his 23rd birthday.
David Esckelson was fishing Thursday on the banks of the Saginaw River with friends when he
got a cell phone message that Marines were at his home looking for him.
"My heart just dropped," he said. "As a dad with a son in the Marines, that's what you always
fear -- that the military will come.
"Well, they definitely came. There were five of them. They're quite a group."
David Esckelson's former wife -- Chris Esckelson's mother -- Michelle "Mitzi" M. Hill, 48, of
Vassar, works as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and was on her mail route when
she got a call from her co-workers.
"The military showed up at my house, where my mother is staying with us," Hill said.
"My mother told (the Marines) where I work, and they went there. The clerks there called me
and asked where I was, saying they need to bring me something.
"I just knew it was bad news -- my mom or my son -- because there was nothing they had to
bring me. So they came and got me."
Hill, in turn, broke the news to her son's girlfriend of three years, Samantha Reasner, 19, of
Owosso.
"She was over (Thursday) night. She was a mess at first, but she's doing better now."
Hill said she didn't want her son to enlist.
"He wanted to earn money for college," she said. "We were worrying about what might
happen.
"But he said, 'Nope, I want to be a Marine.' That was what he wanted.
"He was a very smart kid, I feel he could have gotten scholarships if he applied himself. But he
said even if he graduated valedictorian, he still would have joined the Marines."
Chris Esckelson loved sports, she said. In high school, he was outfielder and catcher for the
baseball team for four years, was defensive tackle on the football team for four years and
played basketball for two years.
He was also an avid hunter, bagging deer and turkey and planned to go bear hunting with his
father and brother, Craig E. Esckelson, 19. The brothers have a sister, Kerry M. Esckelson, 17,
a junior at Vassar High School. The family attends St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Richville.
Chris Esckelson graduated from high school in spring 2002 and in October joined the Marines,
Hill said. In between, he took classes at Delta College.
He shipped over to Iraq at the end of September and was supposed to return in April.
For his birthday, today, his mother e-mailed him that she was going to treat him to dinner and
shopping.
"I was going to take him to Zehnder's restaurant, where he worked as a waiter, and then to
Abercrombie & Fitch (at Fashion Square Mall) to go clothes shopping, since he worked there,
too," she said. "He always liked to look sharp.
"He was a go-getter, a leader. He was outgoing, was well-liked, had lots of friends and loved
by lots of family," she said. "He believed in what he was doing. His proudest thing was to be a
Marine."
Now, the family is making funeral arrangements. Members plan to contact Martin Funeral
Home in Vassar for services, with burial at Riverside Cemetery in Vassar.
"That's the trouble with the military," David Esckelson said. "They can send (my son) to the
front lines in a day-and-a-half, but it takes seven to 10 days to bring him home.
"That's going to be a long seven to 10 days.
"He was a hero," his father said. "He was definitely a hero.
"He was more than a son; he was my best friend."
'What I was trained to do'
Jean C. Esckelson, 52, of Vassar, Ricky Esckelson's wife, said her husband was stationed at a
gate, and was opening it to let a truck and trailer through.
"The wind caught one of two gates there and when he went to push it open, the other gate
swung closed, caught the trailer and tipped it over onto him, pinning him under it" she said.
"He had his back to it, and it forced his knees to bend when it hit him. If he were facing it, it
would have broke his legs when it forced them backwards."
Storms have grounded any transportation out of the country for now, she said.
"He's always been obsessed about serving his country," she said.
"He missed Desert Storm because the Army messed up his paperwork twice and wouldn't let
him go.
"He kept screaming that that is what he was trained for, he was assigned to a howitzer.
"My son even said, 'Mom, can't we just buy him a ticket and send him there?'
"Now he's a supply sergeant, and they send him."
Published: January 14, 2007
Send to a friend
1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment Honors Three Fallen Marines
by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis
Marines with 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment paused to honor three Marines who gave their
lives for the cost of freedom.
Lance Cpl. David Hertiff, pays his last respects to three Marines from B Company, 1st
Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, who were killed in action Dec. 28. Marines from the
battalion gathered at B Company's forward operating base to pay respects to Cpl.
Christopher E. Esckelson, Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Miller and Lance Cpl. William D. Spencer.
The Marines were killed conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province, Fallujah,
Iraq, in direct support of Regimental Combat Team 5. (photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen
McGinnis)
The unit held a memorial service for Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson, Lance Cpl. Nicholas A.
Miller and Lance Cpl. William D. Spencer at B Company's forward operating base Jan 6.
Esckelson was a 22-year-old rifleman from Vasser, Mich., Miller was a 20-year-old rifleman from
Clifford, Mich., and Spencer was a 20-year-old rifleman from Loveland, Ohio. Esckelson and
Miller were both assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment. Spencer was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, but was activated and joined the Marines of B
Company in June 2006.
The Marines were killed Dec. 28, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province
of Iraq with Regimental Combat Team 5 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"We are here today to honor the service and sacrifice of these three Marines," said Lt. Col.
Harold Van Opdorp, a 39-year-old battalion commander, from Stafford, Va.
"December 28th and the days that followed were trying days; I was never more proud of 2nd
Platoon than on Dec. 29," Van Opdorp said. "I had to wait for them to return because they were
right back out in Fallujah conducting operations. You clearly show you are not sunshine
soldiers. Your fortitude to rejoin the continuing battle that we face without question is the best
way to honor these Marines."
Marines who knew the fallen spoke about the great qualities they possessed and of the fond
memories they shared together.
"Esckelson led his squad with the leadership and charisma that is given to only a blessed few,"
said Maj. Jeffrey O'Neill, B Company's commander. "He could, and often did, light up rooms
with his stories."
He was remembered by his friends as a kind friend and fun to be around.
"There are no words for me to sum up the life of such a great friend, man, and Marine," said
Cpl. Todd Pirich. "No matter what kind of mood you were in he could always make you laugh.
He touched the lives of all that knew him."
Spencer was remembered for his selfless acts the day he was killed.
"He gave his own life in order to pull his wounded squad leader to safety," O'Neill said.
He was also remembered for his intelligence and his kindness
"I first met Spencer 10 years ago as a kid when he moved to Tennessee," said Lance Cpl. Noah
Melton. "He had a brilliant mind and was very smart growing up.
"There were nights when I would have trouble doing my math homework," he added.
"Sometimes it would be 3 a.m. and he would wake up and he would help me with the problem."
Miller was remembered for being shy, but never complaining about any task given to him.
"Miller was a great Marine; he wasn't a complainer and took everything in stride," said Lance
Cpl. Daniel Hertiff. "He was rough around the edges, but was a good Marine and I am glad I had
the opportunity to get to know him."
Photos of the Marines were displayed beside a memorial of helmets resting on rifles with sets of
identification tags hanging and combat boots in front of the rifles.
Marines from the company came forward to pay their last respects after the ceremony.
Esckelson joined the Marine Corps in October 2002. Following boot camp, he completed the
School of Infantry at as a rifleman. Esckelson reported to B Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment.
In June 2006, Esckelson was activated along with his battalion for duty in Iraq.
His awards include the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment
Ribbon and Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
Miller joined the Marine Corps in July 2005. Following boot camp, he completed the School of
Infantry as a rifleman. He reported to B Company 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
His awards include the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment
Ribbon and Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
Spencer joined the Marine Corps in October 2005. Following boot camp, he completed the
school of infantry as a rifleman. He reported to 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
In June 2006, he was activated and assigned to B Company 1st Battalion 24th Marine
Regiment.
His awards include the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment
Ribbon and Armed Forces Reserve Medal
All three 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.
"Their devotion to their country, their Corps, and fellow Marines serves as the inspiration that
will allow us to carry on in their absence," Van Opdorp said.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Honoring Christopher E. Esckelson
"Christopher's Grandmother, Esther, arrives at the re-dedication ceremony."
“He was a great man…” was the common theme uttered by many on Tuesday
morning, August 19, 2008 while gathered in Veterans Memorial Park in Vassar, MI.
The sun shone on a crowd of over 100 while a train whistled nearby in this city of
nearly 3,000 people.
Vassar gained national attention in 1986 when the banks of the Cass River
overflowed, causing massive widespread flooding of Biblical proportions. Vassar was
once again in the news on December 2006, but this time it was due to the death of
a hometown hero, U.S. Marine Corporal Christopher E. Esckelson. Christopher was
killed while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province in Iraq, just
days before his 23rd birthday.
The crowd of people gathered on this quiet morning to honor Christopher by rededicating the United State Post Office in his honor. Christopher’s mother, Mitzi Hill,
works at the Vassar Post Office. A bill for the rededication was introduced in the
House of Representatives by Representative Dale Kildee on May 10, 2007 as bill
number HR-2276. The bill was passed into law on November 30, 2007. In
attendance were Congressman Dale Kildee, representative of the 5th District,
Representative Terry Brown, from the 84th District, and many U.S. Postal Service
employees and managers, as well as the U.S. Marines Color Guard, Bravo
Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines.
Many of Christopher’s family and friends were in attendance, including his father,
David Esckelson (pictured below left), his mother Michelle (Mitzi) Hill (pictured
unveiling the plaque), sister Kari Esckelson, and stepsister Lauren Hill (a recent
addition to the U.S. Air Force).
The plaque in honor of Christopher is available for all to see at the Vassar Post
Office located at 203 N. Main St. beginning on Wednesday, August 20, 2008.
(NOTE: The author wishes to thank Peggy White for editing assistance.)
Posted by Jeremy J Schrader at 9:45 AM
Labels: Christopher Esckelson Vassar Post Office Michigan Ceremony US Marines
Cass River Al Anbar Province Iraq
Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Miller
Hometown: Silverwood, Michigan, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: December 28, 2006 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.