2005-2009
2005
Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano
Hometown: New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 33 years old
Died: January 17, 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, South Korea
Incident: Killed by a car bomb in Ramadi.
Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano
West Haven Native Killed In Iraq
By JESSE HAMILTON Courant Staff Writer
January 20, 2005
Army Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano was killed, along with another member of the 1st Battalion, 503rd
Infantry Regiment, by a car bomb on Jan. 17, 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. He was 33 and had been engaged to
marry.
A West Haven native is the latest in a growing number of soldiers killed in the beleaguered city of Ramadi,
Iraq, where a fierce insurgency has been busy in the weeks before the Iraqi election.
Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano, 33, was killed Monday by a car bomb, the Department of Defense reported.
Officials with the Connecticut National Guard went to the home of his West Haven parents that night to tell
them.
The family declined to talk publicly Wednesday, instead issuing a statement through a deacon of their
church.
"Tommy's life revolved around family - his family here at home, and his military family with which he served
and shared the bonds of family," they said. "His family asks for your prayers for themselves, and for all
families who have lost loved ones in the service of their country."
They added: "And pray for peace."
Vitagliano died with another soldier from his unit - Pfc. George R. Geer. Early reports from coalition officials
said they died "conducting security and stability operations." The Reuters news agency on Monday reported
that soldiers had been investigating a potential car bomb. But Agence France Presse reported that
witnesses described a suicide bomber driving into a military convoy in the center of the city.
The deaths are the latest of many for 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, an "air assault" group with the
2nd Infantry Division that had been based in South Korea before being transferred to Iraq duty.
It also marks the first casualty of 2005 for Connecticut. At least 22 members of the military with ties to the
state have died in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Vitagliano's parents, Gaetano Thomas Vitagliano and Inger Lise Severine, and a brother and a sister, await
the arrival of his remains before they plan services. The soldier's body will be taken to a facility in Dover,
Del., before being moved to Connecticut as early as next week.
Before his service in Iraq, Vitagliano, who was not married, was with his unit in South Korea, said John
Hoffman, a deacon at Holy Infant Church in West Haven who is speaking for the family.
A story Tuesday in Stars and Stripes, which covers the U.S. military, detailed his unit's four months in
Ramadi - from civil projects and handing out food to trying to avoid suicide bombers and roadside bombs.
The soldiers have suffered frequent attacks from insurgents in the city of 400,000, which is in the volatile
region sometimes called the Sunni Triangle. At least 10 soldiers in Vitigliano's battalion have been killed in
Ramadi since November.
Col. Gary S. Patton, a commander of the brigade to which the battalion is attached, is quoted in Stars and
Stripes as saying, "Now, we've established a security base in the city, and we're doing precision raids.
We're getting good intel from the local population. When we first got here, that wasn't happening."
The story also said Iraqi commandos have been patrolling the downtown area alongside Vitagliano's
battalion, getting ready for the elections.
Before joining the Army in 1990, Vitagliano had briefly served in the Marine Corps. Hoffman said he had
also attended Virginia's Hargrave Military Academy.
"That's really where he made this connection to have his life in the military," Hoffman said.
Vitagliano was also a student at both Milford Academy and Notre Dame High School in West Haven.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Thomas Vitagliano had a childlike side that helped him earn the nickname "Kindergarten Marine." Children loved him
_ and loved to climb over him like a jungle gym. "You always looked out for the underdog," his mother, Lise Severine,
said at a memorial service. "I thank you for trying to make this a better world." Vitagliano, 33, of New Haven, Conn.,
was killed in a Jan. 17 explosion in Ramadi. He was stationed at Camp Casey, South Korea. In his last moments, when
Vitagliano realized an approaching vehicle was manned by a suicide bomber, he pushed another soldier to safety.
The soldier was injured, but because of Vitagliano's actions he will live, said Col. Gary Patton, Vitagliano's brigade
commander. "Even in his last breath and action Tommy was taking care of his soldiers," he said. His bravery came as
no surprise to those who knew him. "When something went down, you wanted him there," said Pat Speranzo, who
served with Vitagliano in the Marines. Vitagliano is also survived by a fiance, Nerina Giolli, and his father, Gaetano
Thomas Vitagliano.
Army Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano
Died January 17, 2005 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
33, of New Haven, Conn.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division,
Camp Casey, Korea; killed Jan. 17 when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his
position in Ramadi, Iraq. Also killed was Army Pfc. George R. Geer.
*****
New Haven soldier killed in Iraq
Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — A 33-year-old soldier from New Haven has been killed in Iraq, the Defense
Department announced Wednesday.
Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano died Monday in Ramadi, Iraq, when a bomb in a vehicle detonated near his
position, the Defense Department said. Also killed was Pfc. George Geer, 27 of Cortez, Colo. They were
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, based out of Camp Casey, South Korea.
Vitagliano, who grew up in Orange and West Haven, was the 23rd person with Connecticut ties killed in Iraq
or Afghanistan since March 2002, and the first this year.
John Hoffman, deacon at Holy Infant Church in Orange where Vitagliano’s family worships, said Vitagliano
enlisted in the military at age 17.
“It’s about as young as you get,” he said. “No one loved the military life more than him. As a little kid he
loved the military. It was a perfect home for him.”
Hoffman, who is a family spokesman, described Vitagliano as “a great guy, fun-loving. Everybody’s best
friend if you knew him for 10 minutes.”
The family issued a statement through Hoffman.
“Tommy’s life revolved around family — his family here at home, and his military family with which he
served and shared the bonds of family,” they said. “His family asks for your prayers for themselves, and for
all families who have lost loved ones in the service of their country.”
They added: “And pray for peace.”
Vitagliano’s body may be returned home to Connecticut as early as next week after being taken to a facility
in Dover, Del. The family is waiting for his remains to arrive before they plan services.
Stars and Stripes, which covers the military, ran a story on Tuesday that described what Vitagliano’s unit
has been doing for the past four months in Ramadi. The report said the unit has been working on civil
projects, handing out food and trying to avoid suicide bombers.
The soldiers have suffered frequent attacks from insurgents in the city of 400,000, which is in the volatile
region sometimes called the Sunni Triangle. At least 10 soldiers in Vitagliano’s battalion have been killed in
Ramadi since November.
Vitagliano went to Notre Dame High School in West Haven until his sophomore year, then transferred to a
military school. He went on to join the Marines.
Anthony DiBiase, commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Cadets Company A, 1st Battalion, said Vitagliano
was one of his cadets and moved up the ranks to sergeant in June 1990. He fought in the first Iraq war,
Desert Storm, in 1991, as part of the 25th Marine’s Charlie Company.
He later left the Marines, worked briefly for American Express and returned to teach Marine cadets for a
year. He then joined the Army.
Family members told WTNH-TV that Vitagliano planned to work for his father’s real estate business in New
Haven after the Army. His father also served in the military.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered state flags to be lowered to half-staff until sundown on the day of Vitagliano’s
funeral, which has not yet been set.
“Staff Sgt. Vitagliano served America with valor and courage,” Rell said in a statement. “On behalf of the
people of Connecticut, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Staff Sgt. Vitagliano made
the ultimate sacrifice to protect and preserve our freedom.”
Vitagliano was not married and did not have children.
*****
Soldier killed in Iraq buried with full military honors
WEST HAVEN, Conn. — About 300 mourners gathered Thursday to remember the life of Staff Sgt. Thomas
E. Vitagliano, who died last week in a bombing in Iraq while living the military life he dreamed about as a
child.
Vitagliano, 33, of New Haven, was buried with full military honors at St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven
following a funeral service at Holy Infant Roman Catholic Church in Orange.
After a 25-vehicle cortege led by a military and police motorcade arrived at the church, six Marine reservist
pallbearers carried Vitagliano’s flag-draped casket inside for a private Mass.
At the church, military officials presented Vitagliano’s family with four medals awarded posthumously to
Vitagliano, said Lt. Col. John Whitford, a spokesman for the Connecticut National Guard. The medals
included the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal and Combat Infantry Badge.
“He touched a lot of people,” Whitford said.
The church deacon, John Hoffman, quoted family members in a eulogy.
“Even in all our pain, we can’t help but remember his smile. He had a childlike side that was contagious,
magnetic, bigger than life,” he said.
Hoffman quoted Vitagliano’s mother, Inger Lise Severine, as saying, “You always looked out for the
underdog ... I thank you for trying to make this a better world.”
The soldier’s father, Gaetano Vitagliano, added, “My pride in who you are cannot be hidden, even in my
heartbreak.”
At the cemetery, Army reservists presented American flags to Vitagliano’s mother and father, who once
served in the military.
Vitagliano was killed Jan. 17 when a car bomb detonated near his position in Ramadi, Iraq. Pfc. George
Geer, 27 of Cortez, Colo., also was killed. He and Vitagliano were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd
Infantry Regiment, based at Camp Casey, South Korea.
During the funeral, an e-mail from Col. Gary Patton, Vitagliano’s brigade commander, was read. It describes
Vitagliano’s bravery just before his death.
Patton wrote that when Vitagliano realized an approaching vehicle was manned by a suicide bomber, he
pushed one soldier to safety. The soldier was injured in the attack, but because of Vitagliano’s actions, he
will live, Patton said. “Even in his last breath and action Tommy was taking care of his soldiers,” he said.
Vitagliano was the 23rd person with Connecticut ties killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002, and the
first this year.
Stars and Stripes, which covers the military, reported that Vitagliano’s unit has been working on civil
projects, handing out food and trying to avoid suicide bombers in Ramadi.
The soldiers have suffered frequent attacks from insurgents in the city of 400,000, which is in the volatile
region sometimes called the Sunni Triangle. At least 10 soldiers in Vitagliano’s battalion have been killed in
Ramadi since November.
Vitagliano, who grew up in Orange and West Haven, went to Notre Dame High School in West Haven until
his sophomore year, then transferred to a military school. He went on to join the Marines and fight in
Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
He later left the Marines, worked briefly for American Express and returned to teach Marine cadets for a
year. He then joined the Army.
Associated Press
Sergeant who saved lives remembered as ‘Superman’
By Hugo Kugiya
Associated Press
Thomas Vitagliano was Sgt. V to some, Superman to others, Kindergarten Sarge to a few who had
occasion to notice his rapport with small children. To his nephews and nieces the 6-foot-4, 240-pound uncle
was a moveable jungle gym. All four would grab a leg, or climb up an arm as Vitagliano walked, all of them
clinging to him like he was a carnival ride.
He joined the Marines after one year of college. He enlisted in the Army five years later, joining the
Rangers. He was born to the military, his family said. He was a military history buff growing up, played
military board games and attended military academy.
But at age 33 he was looking at retirement when he might work in his family’s real estate business and start
a family of his own.
Superman was a principled guy who showed his heart with actions more than words. He did not exactly
have “the gift of gab,” said his wife, Nerina Giolli.
When the collection plate came his way at church, he always left a roll of bills, never letting Nerina see
exactly how much he gave. When others passed by a stalled car with an elderly driver, he stopped, pushed
the vehicle into a lot and gave it a jump start.
While on patrol in Ramadi on Jan. 17, he noticed with suspicion a taxi circling the area oddly, apparently
headed toward a group of 36 soldiers, said his sister, Tammy Ronan. Vitagliano approached the taxi with
two other men. Realizing it was a suicide attack, he tried to protect and shield his men, and lost his life.
For this he was awarded the Silver Star.
“He surprised that car bomber,” Ronan said. “That bomb wasn’t intended for him. The car was heading up
the street for the other guys. If it wasn’t for my brother, 36 men would have died.”
At that moment, and always, he was Superman.
US Army Staff Sergeant Thomas E. Vitagliano, 33, of New Haven, Conn.
Dear Josie,
I received your package a while ago, I placed your card on my table
and just found it again today. Sorry for the delay. We are kept kind of
busy for the most part. If we are not going out on patrols, we are on
perimeter guard or standing by on Q.R.F. (Quick Reaction Force) in
case something happens. For the last month, it has been mostly
boring here. This last 10 days we have had a little excitement, though.
We were fired at by an automatic weapon, but it was about 30 ft.
over our heads. We found a big cache with weapons and
ammunition, and 2 artillery shells prepared for emplacement
as IED's (improvised explosive devices). And then while riding
vehicles going into Ramadi on a mission, 2 IEDs exploded near
us. Nobody was hurt, but it got the adrenaline going!
Quality of life is improving, too. We are starting to get 2 hot
meals a day now. Our protection measures keep getting better
and our intelligence is better, too, we are going after bigger fish
and we know more about the enemy. However, I still don't understand
these people at all! You (we) certainly can't trust them, the insurgents
hide among the civilians, and the civilians are too scared to point
them out. But our relations seem to be improving.
Our holidays were pretty good, actually. Santa came to see us riding
on a tank! He had an M-16 rifle, too. The tank had a "Charlie Brown
" Christmas tree on it and a bunch of Christmas lights.
Thanks again so much for your package and generosity. I hope
you had great holidays.
Always,
SSG. Thomas Vitagliano
"C" Co 1st BN 503rd INF REGT
remembering my brother and my friend
Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano died January 17, 2005. I was stationed with SSG Vitagliano at Ft. Lewis,
WA. We were both in B-Co. 2nd Ranger Battalion. Later on, I met up with him again in Camp Casey, Korea
where we were both assigned to Charlie Company 1- 503(D) Air Assault Unit. We went on to serve together
in Ramadi, Iraq as 1st and 2nd Squad Leaders.
SSG Vitagliano was often described as Superman, and to me he was just that. There was nothing that he
could not do. Every mission we went on, every target we assaulted, he was incredible. 'Sgt V' was one of
the best leaders I have ever worked with. SSG Vitagliano was a former US Marine and a former US Army
Airborne Ranger and being a former US Marine and former US Army Airborne Ranger myself, I know SSG
Vitagliano exemplified the title Marine and Ranger. He was what every Marine or Ranger aspired to be. He
was a true Patriot, a brother, and my friend. I will miss him for the rest of my life. And I think of him daily.
My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Staff Sgt. Vitagliano made the ultimate sacrifice to protect
and preserve our freedom.
- He will never be forgotten! - Semper Fidelis and Sua Sponte, former SSG Dale G. Rogers, USA - USMC
If family members or friends would like to contact me to add to this tribute to his life, please do so.
posted by RangerJarhead on November 25, 2007
“He had a childlike side that was contagious, magnetic, bigger than life” - deacon Hoffman
“You always looked out for the underdog ... I thank you for trying to make this a better world.”
mother -Inger Lise Severine
“My pride in who you are cannot be hidden, even in my heartbreak.”
father -Gaetano Vitagliano
Press Office: 860-240-8700
Portion of Route 34 To Be Named in Honor of Fallen Hero
SSG Thomas E. Vitagliano Highway To Be
Dedicated At Ceremony In Orange
ORANGE- On January 17, 2005, U.S. Army Staff
Sergeant Thomas Vitagliano made the ultimate sacrifice
in the defense of his country. Killed in action in Ramadi, Iraq, by an improvised
explosive device, the New Haven soldier became the 23rd person with Connecticut ties to
lose his life in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002. He was thirty-three years old.
This week a portion of Route 34 will be named in honor of Vitagliano in a brief
ceremony at the Orange Town Hall. SSG Vitagliano grew up in Orange and West Haven,
and graduated from Notre Dame High School.
“It is a small gesture, but an important one that says we will never forget Thomas
Vitagliano, or the sacrifice he made in the defense of our freedom,” said Representative
Themis Klarides, who introduced the legislation naming the portion of highway.
The ceremony will take place at Orange Town Hall at 1:00 p.m. on August 31st.
Vitagliano’s family will be presented with a replica of the Route 34 sign.
Lance Cpl. Lawrence R. Philippon
Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: May 8, 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed by enemy small-arms fire in Qaim.
As a member of the Marine Corps Color Guard, Lawrence Philippon carried the flag at the funeral
for President Reagan. But he wanted to be in Iraq, where he asked to serve on the front lines. "He'd
been begging them for a while. Even though he enjoyed the color guard, he really wanted to be in
Iraq. That is where it is all happening," said his father, Ray. Philippon, 22, of Hartford, Conn., was
killed May 8 by small arms fire during combat near Qaim, Iraq. He was based at Camp Lejeune. In
high school, Philippon played hockey and was nicknamed "Goat" by his coaches. His 6-foot-4 frame
filled out to 220 pounds when he joined the military. "He lived life at warp speed; he played fast
and hard," his father said. He is also survived by his mother, Leesa, and his fiancee, Olivia Lawrence.
"I never thought in any dream that I would first of all be marrying someone in the military, let alone
sending someone off to war that just didn't come back," Lawrence said.
Lawrence Robert Philippon
PHILIPPON, Lance Corporal Lawrence B. Lance Corporal Lawrence Robert Philippon, a United
States Marine, was killed by enemy fire in Iraq on Sunday (May 8, 2005). He was the loving and
much loved son of Raymond A. and Leesa M. Philippon of West Hartford. He also leaves his
younger siblings, Emilee Rose and Bryan Thomas. Larry will be grieved by the love of his life, his
fiancee, OIivia Rose Lawrence of Hyattsville, MD. He was predeceased by his paternal
grandparents, Emile Remi and Marie Jeannette Philippon; uncles, Larry Philippon and Patrick
Bailey. Larry is survived by paternal aunts and uncles, Robert and Barbara Philippon of Dallas, TX,
Patricia Keating of Canton, Glenn and Janet Canning of Meriden. His maternal grandparents, Lee
and Yoma Bailey of Lawton, OK survive him as well as maternal aunts and uncles, Retired Lt. Colonel Robert Lee and
Betty Bailey of Okinawa, Japan, Michael and Irene Bailey of Albuquerque, NM; and Victoria and Stanley Bednar of
Jacksonville, FL. He leaves cousins, William and Lillian Philippon, Julie and Mike Kelly, Darcy and Kasey Keating,
Tyler Canning, Robin, Amanda, Anthony, Chris and Joseph Bailey, and Missy and Kristy Ring. Larry will be missed
most for his endless humor and infectious smile. His recital of lines from "Forest Gump" always brought tears of
laughter. Larry epitomized love of family and loyalty to friends, three of the best of whom were Lance Corporal Ryan
Shea, Joe Morais, and Corporal Eric Rainey. Larry possessed boundless energy and zest for life and respect for the
United States Marine Corps. and his fellow marines. He graduated from Conard High School in the class of 2001.
Known affectionately to his friends and coaches as "goat", he was the starting ice hockey goalie and received The
Hartford Courant All State Honorable Mention. He also loved playing lacrosse and was greatly inspired by Coach Bill
Condon and Coach Rick Mabey. Larry attended Central Connecticut State University and, in May 2002, enlisted in the
USMC. Larry delighted in the rigors of basic training. With his classic Marine stature, he was chosen to become part of
the Washington, D.C. 8th + I barracks Color Guard. He performed in many parades and for funerals at Arlington
Cemetery, took part in welcoming ceremonies for diplomats and carried the flag at former President Ronald Reagan's
funeral procession in Washington, D.C. He proudly gave up his position to become an infantryman with the 3rd
Battalion Second Marines deployed to Al Qaim, Iraq. We will forever hold his laughter in our hearts. A funeral service
will be held Sunday, May 15, 2 p.m. at The Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Ave., Hartford. Calling
hours will be Saturday, May 14, from 3-7 p.m. at the Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home, 136 South Main St., West
Hartford. Burial will be Tuesday in Arlington National Cemetery. The family thanks you all for your thoughts and
prayers at this difficult time.
At their request, they ask that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Lawrence R. Philippon
Memorial Fund, c/o Conard High School, 110 Beechwood Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107. Leesa and Ray, Bryan and
Emilee would appreciate and treasure any personal memories of Larry that you would like to share. Please send these
to The Philippon Family c/o Conard High School at the address above. Thank you all so very much.
Published in Hartford Courant on May 12, 2005
Lance Cpl. Lawrence R. Philippon
Marine Died In Iraqi Offensive
By JESSE LEAVENWORTH Courant Staff Writer
May 11, 2005
Marine Lance Cpl. Lawrence R. Philippon of West Hartford was killed by small arms fire May 8, 2005 in Al
Anbar province in western Iraq. He was 22 years old.
Lance Cpl. Lawrence R. Philippon, a 22-year-old West Hartford man who carried the Marine Corps flag at
President Reagan's funeral, died fighting insurgents in western Iraq as part of a major offensive along the
Syrian border, military officials said Tuesday.
Philippon, a rifleman with the 2nd Marine Division, was killed by small arms fire Sunday during combat in
the Al Anbar province, division spokesman Lt. Barry Edwards said Tuesday.
The 2nd Division launched an assault late Saturday aimed at flushing out insurgents who have made the
region near the Syrian border a safe haven for followers of militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
As many as 100 militants have been killed since Operation Matador, one of the largest American offensives
in Iraq in six months, began in Qaim, 200 miles west of Baghdad.
At least three U.S. Marines have been killed in the ongoing offensive, which involves more than 1,000
Marines, sailors and soldiers backed by helicopter gunships and fighter jets.
News reports say one of the Marines was killed by an insurgent who was hiding in a basement and fired
through a floor grate as the Marine entered a house. Edwards said he did not know if that Marine was
Philippon.
Raymond Philippon, Lawrence's father, said representatives of the Marine Corps who came to his West
Hartford home Tuesday could not provide him any details about his son's death. The Marines gave his wife,
Leesa, a gold star to honor her loss.
His son, a Conard High School graduate, joined the Marine Corps two years ago, and was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment in January, Edwards said. Philippon had asked for duty in Iraq after being
chosen while in basic training for the Marine Corps Color Guard in Washington, D.C. Family members say
Philippon carried the Marine Corps flag at the state funeral for President Reagan last June.
Philippon's official duties at the time of his death, Edwards said, were "protecting the Syrian border and
conducting security operations to prevent insurgents from crossing the border and setting up strongholds in
Iraqi cities."
Philippon had received the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal, Edwards said.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Tuesday ordered state flags flown at half-staff until Philippon is buried.
"We are all indebted to him for his service, and reminded of the sacrifices made by a great many men and
women serving in our armed forces," Rell said in a prepared statement.
Philippon, a former hockey player at Conard, is the 25th service member or civilian from the state to be
killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002. His parents, who also have an 18-year-old daughter and a
15-year-old son, said they plan to bury Lawrence in Arlington National Cemetery.
Wire reports are included in this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Lawrence R. Philippon
Lance Corporal, United States Marine Corps
NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense
No. 449-05
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2005
Media Contact: Marine Corps Public Affairs - (703) 614-4309 Public/Industry Contact: (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 Lawrence R. Philippon, 22, of Hartford, Connecticut, died May 8, 2005, from enemy small-arms
fire while conducting combat operations in the vicinity of Al Qa'im, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion,
2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Media with questions about this Marine can call the 2nd Marine Division Public Affairs Office at (910) 451-9033.
West Hartford, Connecticut: May 9, 2005
It was Mother's Day and their 24th wedding anniversary when Ray and Lisa Philippon learned that their son
was killed in Iraq.
Details of Marine Lance Corporal Lawrence Philippon's death were not available today, but Lisa Philippon said
she figured instantly that bad news was being delivered Sunday when officials approached her and her
husband's house with the information.
In addition to his parents, the 22-year-old Philippon leaves behind his fiancee, Olivia Lawrence.
Philippon was a graduate of Conard High School where he played hockey. He is the 24th soldier from
Connecticut who was killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
His parents said they plan to bury Philippon in Arlington National Cemetery. A date for the funeral has not
been set.
May 9, 2005:
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- It was Mother's Day and their 24th wedding anniversary when Ray and Lisa
Philippon learned that their son was killed in Iraq.
Details of Marine Lance Cpl. Lawrence Philippon's death were not available Monday, but Lisa Philippon said
she figured instantly that bad news was being delivered Sunday when officials arrived at the family's West
Hartford home.
Photo Courtesy of Ray and Leesa Philippon, March 2008
"I knew. I saw the silhouettes of their hats and they got out and they walked toward our house," she told
WVIT-TV.
In addition to his parents, Philippon, 22, leaves behind his fiancee, Olivia Lawrence.
"I never thought in any dream that I would first of all be marrying someone in the military, let alone sending
someone off to war that just didn't come back," she said.
Philippon, a former hockey player at Conard High School, is the 24th soldier from Connecticut who was killed
in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
His father said that before they received the news, he and his wife were feeling sad for parents who lost loved
ones in the war.
"All day long we were feeling guilty that our son was safe and we were feeling bad for all the other 1,600
moms that their kids were lost in Iraq and we didn't even know our son had joined that club."
His parents said they plan to bury Philippon in Arlington National Cemetery. A date for a funeral has not been
set.
Wed May 11, 2005:
WEST HARTFORD, Connecticut - As a member of the Marine Corps Color Guard, Lance Cpl. Lawrence
Philippon carried the flag at the funeral for President Reagan.
Photo Courtesy of Ray and Leesa Philippon, March 2008
But his heart was in Iraq, where he was killed Sunday by small arms fire. His father said his son had asked to
be assigned to the front lines.
"He'd been begging them for a while. Even though he enjoyed the color guard, he really wanted to be in Iraq.
That is where it is all happening," Ray Philippon said.
Philippon and his wife, Leesa, learned Sunday that their son had been killed. It was Mother's Day and their
24th wedding anniversary.
The 22-year-old Marine was also engaged to be married in December to Olivia Lawrence.
"I never thought in any dream that I would first of all be marrying someone in the military, let alone sending
someone off to war that just didn't come back," Lawrence said.
The Pentagon said early Tuesday that he was killed by small-arms fire Sunday during combat near Al Qa'im,
Iraq. He was assigned to the Second Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Governor M. Jodi Rell on Tuesday ordered state flags flown at half-staff until Philippon is buried.
"We are all indebted to him for his service, and reminded of the sacrifices made by a great many men and
women serving in our armed forces," Rell said in a statement. "I know the people of Connecticut join with me
in sending our sincerest condolences to his family."
Also Tuesday, the state House of Representatives held a moment of silence in his honor.
Philippon, a former hockey player at Conard High School, is the 25th military member or civilian from
Connecticut who was killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
His parents said they plan to bury Philippon in Arlington National Cemetery. A date for a funeral has not been
set.
In Hartford, Connecticut, his family mourned the death of 22-year-old Lance Corporal Lawrence R. Philippon.
Photo Courtesy of Ray and Leesa Philippon, March 2008
A rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, he was killed by small arms fire on Sunday near Al Qa'im.
As a member of the Marine Corps Color Guard, Philippon carried the flag last summer during the funeral for
former President Reagan.
His father said this week that his son had asked to be assigned to the front lines.
"He'd been begging them for a while. Even though he enjoyed the color guard, he really wanted to be in Iraq.
That is where it is all happening," Ray Philippon said.
Philippon and his wife, Leesa, learned Sunday that their son had been killed. It was Mother's Day and their
24th wedding anniversary.
Lawrence Philippon was engaged to be married in December to Olivia Lawrence.
"I never thought in any dream that I would first of all be marrying someone in the military, let alone sending
someone off to war that just didn't come back," Lawrence said.
Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell ordered state flags flown at half-staff until Philippon is buried.
"We are all indebted to him for his service, and reminded of the sacrifices made by a great many men and
women serving in our armed forces," Rell said in a statement. "I know the people of Connecticut join with me
in sending our sincerest condolences to his family."
On Tuesday, the state House of Representatives held a moment of silence in his honor.
Philippon, a former hockey player at Conard High School, is the 25th military member or civilian from
Connecticut who was killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
His parents said they plan to bury Philippon in Arlington National Cemetery. A date for a funeral has not been
set.
Philippon, whose unit was protecting the Iraq-Syrian border at the time of his death, had been awarded the
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal and National Defense
Service Medal, Edwards said.
18 May 2005
Short life, big legacy
West Hartford Marine was committed to Iraq cause
PETER URBAN
Courtesy of the Connecticut Post
With more than 200 family, friends and fellow Marines in attendance, Lance Corporal Lawrence Philippon was
buried Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery. The West Hartford, Conn., native was remembered for his
bravery fighting in Iraq.
"Words cannot express the depth of sorrow we feel," said Lieutenant Michael Foskett, who serves as U.S.
naval chaplain for the 8th & I Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. "His short life left quite a legacy."
Fallen hero: U.S. Marine pallbearers on Tuesday raise the coffin of Lance Cpl. Lawrence Philippon of West Hartford at Arlington
National Cemetery. Philippon was killed during combat in Iraq on May 8.
Philippon, 22, was killed May 8 by small-arms fire during combat near Al Qa'im, Iraq. He had been in Iraq
since February, assigned to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Before that, Philippon served with the 8th & I as a member of the Marine Corps Color Guard, and had the
honor of carrying the flag at the state funeral of former President Reagan.
Sergeant Barry L. Baker, left, a Marine who served with Lance Corporal Lawrence
Philippon, presents a flag to Lisa and Raymond Philippon, Lawrence Philippon's parents
during the burial service
On Tuesday, five busloads of Marines from the 8th & I were at the cemetery to salute their "brother-in-arms."
Dressed in formal blue-and-white uniforms, Marines flanked the road leading to Section 60, where those killed
in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.
The Marines stood silently as 32 carloads of family and friends, many from Connecticut, drove up the road.
Six Marine pallbearers silently carried Philippon's flag-draped casket up a small, grassy hill to his gravesite,
where family and friends solemnly gathered.
His father, Raymond, mother, Lisa, and his fiance, Olivia Lawrence, sat on folding chairs nearest the
gravesite.
Foskett said Philippon was remembered by friends in the 8th & I as easygoing and devoted to his fiance. And
while he performed his duties in the Color Guard to the fullest, Philippon had clearly wanted to join the fight in
Iraq.
He was a brave Marine, who died protecting the nation from terrorism, Foskett said.
Foskett urged those gathered to live as Philippon had lived, building a legacy based on duty, family and God.
"A good name is better than fine perfume," he said, quoting from Ecclesiastes.
Following the eulogy, Philippon was honored by a 21-gun salute and a bugler played taps. The pallbearers
folded the American flag that draped his casket and Gunnery Sergeant Barry L. Baker, Marine Barracks 8th &
I, presented it to his mother and a second to his fiance.
Philippon was the 131st person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt of Brookfield, Connecticut, who died last week after serving in Iraq, will be
buried in Arlington next week. That ceremony is closed to the public.
Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson
Photo Courtesy of Holly, August 2005
Posted: 9 May 2005 Updated: 10 May 2005 Updated: 11 May 2005 Updated: 12 May 2005 Updated: 18 May 2005 Updated:
21 August 2005 Updated: 17 October 2007 Updated: 8 March 2008
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III
Hometown: Brookfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: May 11, 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Died of injuries sustained in an explosion in Anbar province on January 30.
John T. Schmidt III
BROOKFIELD, Conn. - John T. Schmidt III, 21, of Brookfield, the son of Bunnell resident John Schmidt Jr.,
died May 11 at a hospital in San Antonio, Texas, from injuries sustained while in combat in Iraq.
Mr. Schmidt, who served in the Marine Corps, was born in Carmel, N.Y. He was a graduate of Oviedo High
School, Oviedo. Mr. Schmidt enjoyed hockey and playing video games.
Additional survivors include his mother and stepfather, Barbara and Eric Jimenez, and another stepfather,
Donald Porricelli, all of Danbury, Conn.; and his maternal grandparents, Richard and Jean Backlund, St.
Augustine. Cornell Memorial Home, Danbury, is in charge.
Published in Daytona Beach News-Journal on May 19, 2005
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III
U.S. Marine To Be Buried In Arlington Cemetery
Courant Staff And Wire Report
May 16, 2005
Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III of Brookfield died May 11, 2005 in an army hospital in San Antonio of
combat injuries he suffered Jan. 30, 2005 in Al Anbar province in Iraq. He was 21 years old.
A U.S. Marine from Connecticut who died last week of wounds received in combat in Iraq will be buried May
25 at Arlington National Cemetery, family members said.
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III, 21, of Brookfield, was injured Jan. 30 in an explosion during combat in Al
Anbar province. He died Wednesday in an army hospital in San Antonio, relatives from Florida said.
Schmidt was with fellow platoon members in an agricultural building near Fallujah when they came under
attack, family members said at the time of his injuries. He suffered severe burns to his face and lungs when
a mortar shell ruptured a tank of ammonia.
In an interview with the Danbury News-Times this year, Schmidt's grandfather, Richard Backlund, said his
grandson was a "typical teenager" who grew up in Danbury and moved to be with his mother in Florida,
where he graduated from high school.
He returned to Connecticut for a year with his mother before surprising his family by telling them he wanted
to enlist in the Marines, his grandparents said.
Schmidt had been in Iraq less than two weeks when he was wounded, the News-Times said.
He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force,
Camp Lejeune, N.C. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Schmidt's unit was attached to 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force.
Schmidt is the 26th military member or civilian from Connecticut killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March
2002.
This story includes material from the Associated Press.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
John Taylor Schmidt III
Lance Corporal, United States Marine Corps
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
No. 472-05
IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2005
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt III, 21, of Brookfield, Connecticut, died May 11, 2005, from
wounds received as a result of an explosion while conducting combat operations against
enemy forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on January 30,2005. He was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Schmidt’s unit was attached to 1st
Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Media with questions about this Marine can call the 2nd Marine Division Public Affairs Office
at (910) 451-9033.
May 14, 2005
A Marine from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, has died nearly four months after suffering
severe injuries during combat in Iraq.
Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt III, 21, who lived with his mother and stepfather in
Brookfield, Connecticut, was injured January 30, 2005, in an explosion during combat in Al
Anbar Province, Iraq. He died Wednesday (11 May 2005) at an Army hospital in San Antonio,
Texas, according to his Florida relatives.
His father, John Schmidt Jr., 45, of Bunnell, Florida, said his son had been on a ventilator for
three months because of pneumonia. Schmidt said he visited his son days before he died,
and was prepared for the worst.
"They told us he had a 25 percent chance of getting through it," he said. "So we had a good
idea he wasn't going to survive but a few days or a week."
Schmidt III was with fellow platoon members in an agricultural building near Fallujah when
they came under attack, family members said at the time of his injuries. He suffered severe
burns to his face and lungs when a mortar shell ruptured a tank of ammonia.
"Johnny inhaled the ammonia and it burned his lungs," said Richard Backlund, the Marine's
grandfather, who's lived in St. Augustine Beach for 15 years. "His lungs would not come
back. He couldn't breathe."
Schmidt III was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Schmidt's
unit was attached to 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Judith Heise, a Brookfield selectman, said town officials and others tried to honor Schmidt
when they learned he was injured in January. A sign over a railroad bridge quoted the
Marines' motto, Semper Fi, and a photo of the bridge was posted in town hall and signed by
municipal employees.
"We have all followed his progress," Heise said. "I'm extremely sorry."
Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, who also lives in Brookfield, said in a statement that
"brave men and women from our state continue to make sacrifices for our nation in the
cause of freedom."
Rell asked Connecticut residents to pray for the family.
"We share their grief," Rell said.
Relatives said Schmidt III will be buried May 25, 2005, at Arlington National Cemetery in
Virginia.
A tribute to John
Brookfield Marine to get Arlington burial
By Kamilla Gary
COUTESY OF THE NEWS-TIMES
Taps" is played during the funeral of Army Ranger Captain Russell B. Rippetoe at Arlington
National Cemetery April 10, 2003. Rippetoe, 27, of Arvada, Colorado, was the first soldier
from the Iraqi conflict laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. On Wednesday U.S. Marine
Corps Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt III of Brookfield wil also be buried there.
A quarter of a million Americans are buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. There
are veterans of every war, including the American Revolution, beneath the white headstones
that line the 624 acres of green rolling hills outside Washington, D.C.
There are legendary generals, and there are anonymous infantrymen buried in the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier.
There are two presidents, William H. Taft and John F. Kennedy, and a handful of Supreme
Court justices.
The remains of the seven crew members on the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger are there.
So is civil rights leader Medgar Evers and big band leader Glenn Miller.
This week — on Wednesday at 3 p.m. — U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt
III of Brookfield will join them. Schmidt died this month in a Texas military hospital, four
months after sustaining burns on his lungs, esophagus and skin when a rocket hit a
building in which he was sleeping.
Schmidt will be the 135th person to be buried in Section 60 of the vast cemetery. Section 60
is reserved for men and women who died fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"It's a larger section where there is lots of space left," said Lori Calvillo, a public affairs
officer for Arlington National Cemetery.
Often, the funerals for service members are well-attended. Five busloads of Marines and 32
carloads of friends and relatives attended the funeral of Lance Corporal Lawrence Philippon
of West Hartford last week.
Like Schmidt, Philippon was killed in Iraq. But Schmidt's funeral, at the request of his family,
will be private. Only family members and close friends are invited.
Brookfield First Selectman Jerry Murphy, a U.S. Navy officer for 31 years. is planning to
attend the services. So is Police Chief Robin Montgomery, a retired Marine.
Considered the most moving moment of the ceremony, the American flag that draped the
casket is presented to the family. Above, Anutarapon Patchem accepts the flag at the funeral
of her son, Marine Corporal Kemaphoom Chanawongse, of Waterford, Connecticut, who died
in Iraq on March 23, 2003.
"Marines are a class of warrior unto their own," Murphy said. "They're very respectful of
their dead."
Murphy said he worked at the Navy Annex, which borders Arlington National Cemetery, for
two years in the 1960s. He would walk around the grounds of the cemetery during his lunch
breaks.
Although he plans to be buried in his family's plot in Norfolk, Murphy considers Arlington
National Cemetery the "big leagues."
"It's really hallowed ground," Murphy said. "The funerals are a tribute to fallen soldiers and
couldn't be better."
A soldier, sailor or Marine need not have died in a war to be buried at Arlington. Most
service members who were on active duty at the time of their deaths are eligible, as are
many retired members of the military.
Spouses and dependent children of a person buried at Arlington are also allowed to be
buried there; sharing a plot, their caskets are stacked one on top of another.
Calvillo said the cemetery averages about 27 funerals each day, with three to four funerals
going on every hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
There are two types of military burials — the standard service, which is what Schmidt will
receive, and the full honor burial for higher ranking officers. The full honors include a band
and a horse-drawn caisson which carries the body.
Calvillo said Schmidt's body will be brought to the cemetery in a hearse.
"A casket team will meet the hearse," Calvillo said. The casket team, made up of Marines,
will carry the flag draped casket to the burial plot. Funeral guests will park their cars outside
the cemetery and walk behind the casket in a funeral procession.
The Marines will place the casket on a pedestal near the grave site. About eight chairs will
be placed near the pedestal for family members. A military chaplain will give the eulogy.
Next, seven members of a Marine Honor Guard will fire three consecutive volleys in unison.
Calvillo said people think because there are seven members of the firing party firing three
shots each, that it's the equivalent of a 21-gun salute. But it's not. "Only the president gets
the 21 gun salute," Calvillo said.
Once the shots are fired, a bugler from the Third Infantry Old Guard will play "Taps."
Next comes what Murphy and others call the most moving moment of the ceremony. The
Marine casket team will fold the American flag draped atop the casket into a triangle shape.
One of them will then present the flag to Schmidt's family. "They say 'Please except this
token of appreciation from a grateful nation,'" Murphy recalled.
Relatives can stay with the casket for a few minutes after the ceremony. But they are not
permitted to be present when the casket is lowered into the ground.
There is no monetary cost to Schmidt's family for the service. "The casket is provided if the
person dies on active duty," Calvillo said. The family can choose wood or metal.
The white marble headstones are 42 inches long, 13 inches wide, 4 inches thick and weigh
about 230 pounds. Calvillo said Schmidt's headstone will not be in place for at least two to
three months.
Following the funeral, his family may meet with the cemetery's funeral director to pick the
words they want on the headstone.
"If they need more time (to decide), they certainly can have it," Calvillo said.
April 2007:
Barbara Jimenez wants Connecticut's soldiers at war to enjoy a proper welcome home - the
one her own son never lived to see.
Her 21-year-old son, Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt III, left for his first tour in Iraq in the
middle of January 2005. Just two weeks in, he inhaled a chemical substance so toxic that it
burned his lungs from the inside out.
Schmidt arrived at Bradley International Airport in a coffin.
But most of his fellow soldiers are coming home alive, and like her son, Jimenez said, they
deserve a hero's welcome. So in a January e-mail to Governor M. Jodi Rell, she asked for
one.
In a few weeks, a large "Welcome Home" banner, visible from the landing strip, will be
unveiled at Bradley Airport for all soldiers returning home to see.
"When those soldiers come back from Iraq, one of the first things they're going to see is that
banner, welcoming them home," said Jimenez, a Brookfield resident. "I'm just thinking,
that's going to mean a lot to them - and to their families."
Airport officials announced their plans for the banner during a Thursday meeting of
Bradley's board of directors. State officials said the banner will read: "Governor M. Jodi Rell
and the state of Connecticut welcome home our troops. Thank you for your service. "
Transportation Commissioner Ralph Carpenter said the banner is near completion and
should be ready to unveil in the next few weeks. Smaller welcome signs will be displayed
throughout the airport, he said.
L. Scott Franz, chairman of the board of directors, summed up the board's approval in one
word Thursday: "Bravo."
"We want people to know that these letters [like Jimenez's] aren't coming in and being
dismissed," Carpenter said.
Schmidt will never see Bradley's banner, but he did see one.
As he fought for his life in a military hospital in Texas, Schmidt was handed a picture. It was
a picture of a banner at least 12 feet long hanging from a bridge in his hometown. His name,
in bold, black letters, was splashed across it.
Apparently, Jimenez said, Brookfield's first selectman had hung up the banner himself when
he heard that Schmidt had been injured.
Schmidt was so heavily medicated by then that he was showing almost no emotion. But
when he saw that picture, Jimenez said, he broke through the fog.
"When he saw that, there was emotion in his face," she said. "He just couldn't believe they
hung a banner for him."
Jimenez didn't bother driving to the airport the day her son's coffin arrived. She said she
didn't feel the need to watch his coffin roll down the tarmac.
Instead, she waited for her son at the funeral home and saw him buried in Arlington National
Cemetery in Virginia.
But in a few weeks, she said, when Bradley Airport unveils its banner, she will be there.
SCHMIDT, JOHN TAYLOR III
LCPL US MARINE CORPS
DATE OF BIRTH: 12/18/1982
DATE OF DEATH: 05/11/2005
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8113
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Photo Courtesy of Holly, August 2005
Posted: 14 May 2005 Updated: 24 May 2005 Updated: 21 August 2005 Updated: 20 April 2007
Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III
21, of Brookfield, Conn.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; attached to 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force; died May 11 of wounds sustained in an explosion on Jan. 30 while he was
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.
Lejeune Marine wounded in Iraq dies
Associated Press
BUNNELL, Fla. — A Marine from Camp Lejeune, N.C., has died nearly four months after suffering severe
injuries during combat in Iraq.
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III, 21, who lived with his mother and stepfather in Brookfield, Conn., was
injured Jan. 30 in an explosion during combat in Iraq’s Anbar province. He died Wednesday at an Army
hospital in San Antonio, Texas, according to his Florida relatives.
His father, John Schmidt Jr., 45, of Bunnell, said his son had been on a ventilator for three months because
of pneumonia. Schmidt said he visited his son days before he died, and was prepared for the worst.
“They told us he had a 25 percent chance of getting through it,” he said. “So we had a good idea he wasn’t
going to survive but a few days or a week.”
Schmidt was with fellow platoon members in an agricultural building near Fallujah when they came under
attack, family members said at the time of his injuries. He suffered severe burns to his face and lungs when
a mortar shell ruptured a tank of ammonia.
“Johnny inhaled the ammonia and it burned his lungs,” said Richard Backlund, the Marine’s grandfather,
who’s lived in St. Augustine Beach for 15 years. “His lungs would not come back. He couldn’t breathe.”
Schmidt was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Schmidt’s unit was attached to 1st
Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Judith Heise, a Brookfield selectman, said town officials and others tried to honor Schmidt when they
learned he was injured in January. A sign over a railroad bridge quoted the Marines’ motto, Semper Fi, and
a photo of the bridge was posted in town hall and signed by municipal employees.
“We have all followed his progress,” Heise said. “I’m extremely sorry.”
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who also lives in Brookfield, said in a statement that “brave men and women
from our state continue to make sacrifices for our nation in the cause of freedom.”
Rell asked Connecticut residents to pray for the family.
“We share their grief,” Rell said.
Relatives said Schmidt will be buried May 25 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Lance Cpl. John Taylor Schmidt, III
November 16th, 2009
Born Sept. 4, 1983 in Carmel, NY
Died May 11, 2005 in Fort Sam Houston, TX
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III of grew up in Danbury, Connecticut and moved to Florida
where he graduated from Oviedo High School. He took on some jobs before moving back to
Connecticut. John decided he needed some structure in his life and he enlisted in the United
States Marine Corps as he felt they were the strictest. In January 2004 he graduated from
Parris Island, South Carolina and went off to serve in Haiti for several months during an
uprising there. Arriving back home, everyone remarked how grown and mature John had
become; he made the right choice for himself. Even other soldiers who knew John remarked
at how mature and responsible he had become, they could count on him. In January of 2005
he deployed to Iraq, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division,
II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Less than two weeks later, on
January 30th, John and a couple of members of his unit were in an agricultural building
located in Al Anbar Province. The building contained tanks of toxic chemicals. A mortar attack
on the building ruptured one of the tanks, and the men inhaled the fumes. John’s lungs were
burned from the inside from ammonia. He was flown to Germany then to the Brooke Army
Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston for treatment. For months John bravely fought on, and
his whole hometown fought with him with prayers and hope. A bridge back home held a
banner with the words “Semper-Fi, Get Well John” and John was able to see a photograph of
it. John died on May 11 of his injuries, his mother at his side. His mother, Barbara Jimenez,
stepfather, Dr. Eric Jimenez, father, John T. Schmidt II, grandparents, Richard and Jean
Backlund and several other relatives survive him. John was laid to rest at Arlington National
Cemetery in Virginia.
Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III
Died May 11, 2005 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom
21, of Brookfield, Conn.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; attached to 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force;
died May 11 of wounds sustained in an explosion on Jan. 30 while he was conducting combat operations
against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.
Lejeune Marine wounded in Iraq dies
Associated Press
BUNNELL, Fla. — A Marine from Camp Lejeune, N.C., has died nearly four months after suffering severe
injuries during combat in Iraq.
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III, 21, who lived with his mother and stepfather in Brookfield, Conn., was
injured Jan. 30 in an explosion during combat in Iraq’s Anbar province. He died Wednesday at an Army
hospital in San Antonio, Texas, according to his Florida relatives.
His father, John Schmidt Jr., 45, of Bunnell, said his son had been on a ventilator for three months because
of pneumonia. Schmidt said he visited his son days before he died, and was prepared for the worst.
“They told us he had a 25 percent chance of getting through it,” he said. “So we had a good idea he wasn’t
going to survive but a few days or a week.”
Schmidt was with fellow platoon members in an agricultural building near Fallujah when they came under
attack, family members said at the time of his injuries. He suffered severe burns to his face and lungs when
a mortar shell ruptured a tank of ammonia.
“Johnny inhaled the ammonia and it burned his lungs,” said Richard Backlund, the Marine’s grandfather,
who’s lived in St. Augustine Beach for 15 years. “His lungs would not come back. He couldn’t breathe.”
Schmidt was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Schmidt’s unit was attached to 1st
Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Judith Heise, a Brookfield selectman, said town officials and others tried to honor Schmidt when they
learned he was injured in January. A sign over a railroad bridge quoted the Marines’ motto, Semper Fi, and
a photo of the bridge was posted in town hall and signed by municipal employees.
“We have all followed his progress,” Heise said. “I’m extremely sorry.”
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who also lives in Brookfield, said in a statement that “brave men and women
from our state continue to make sacrifices for our nation in the cause of freedom.”
Rell asked Connecticut residents to pray for the family.
“We share their grief,” Rell said.
Relatives said Schmidt will be buried May 25 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III
U.S. Marine To Be Buried In Arlington Cemetery
Courant Staff And Wire Report May 16, 2005
Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III of Brookfield died May 11, 2005 in an army hospital in San Antonio of combat
injuries he suffered Jan. 30, 2005 in Al Anbar province in Iraq. He was 21 years old.
A U.S. Marine from Connecticut who died last week of wounds received in combat in Iraq will be buried May 25 at
Arlington National Cemetery, family members said.
Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III, 21, of Brookfield, was injured Jan. 30 in an explosion during combat in Al Anbar
province. He died Wednesday in an army hospital in San Antonio, relatives from Florida said.
Schmidt was with fellow platoon members in an agricultural building near Fallujah when they came under attack, family
members said at the time of his injuries. He suffered severe burns to his face and lungs when a mortar shell ruptured a
tank of ammonia.
In an interview with the Danbury News-Times this year, Schmidt's grandfather, Richard Backlund, said his grandson
was a "typical teenager" who grew up in Danbury and moved to be with his mother in Florida, where he graduated
from high school.
He returned to Connecticut for a year with his mother before surprising his family by telling them he wanted to enlist in
the Marines, his grandparents said.
Schmidt had been in Iraq less than two weeks when he was wounded, the News-Times said.
He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, N.C. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Schmidt's unit was attached to 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force.
Schmidt is the 26th military member or civilian from Connecticut killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
This story includes material from the Associated Press.
Copyright © 2010, The Hartford Courant
Marine John T. Schmidt III, 21, was `totally focused' on mission in
Iraq
May 14, 2005|By Robert Perez, Sentinel Staff Writer
It was a day of triumph in Iraq, when millions of people voted in the country's first free election in
decades. But for U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III, the events of Jan. 30 ultimately led to
his death.
Schmidt, 21, was one of five Marines seriously burned when a rocket or mortar shell landed in his
barracks and ruptured an ammonia tank.
Schmidt, a 2002 graduate of Oviedo High School, suffered extensive burns to his skin, esophagus
and lungs. He died Wednesday from complications of his injuries at Brooke Army Medical Center
in San Antonio.
The final months of Schmidt's life were difficult, said his aunt, Denese Richmond of Winter Springs.
He was on a respirator and had to use hand signals or written messages to communicate, she
said.
"He was dejected because he just continued to have complications," she said. "His lungs were so
damaged he was never able to recover."
That was a far cry from the fun-loving, outgoing young man who spent two years in Central Florida.
Schmidt was interested in computers, computer graphics, cartooning and ice hockey, Richmond
said.
"He was always playing hockey at the RDV [Sportsplex] center," she said.
After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Seminole Community College but soon decided
to enlist, Richmond said.
He completed a peacekeeping tour in Haiti and returned knowing his next deployment would be to
Iraq, she said.
"He was totally focused and committed to go do this," Richmond said. "He never expressed any
regrets."
Schmidt, a member of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, had been in Iraq less than two
weeks providing security for the elections when he was wounded.
Schmidt also is survived by his parents, Barbara Jimenez of Danbury, Conn., and John T. Schmidt
Jr. of Bunnell; one brother, Dan Jimenez of Danbury; and grandparents Richard and Jean
Backlund of St. Augustine Beach.
Schmidt will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on May 25. A memorial service is scheduled
for Thursday in Danbury.
John T. Schmidt III
1984-2005
Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III, 21, died on May 11, 2005, while hospitalized in the Brooke Army
Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, as the result of injuries suffered from a bomb blast
in Iraq on January 30. He is survived by his mother, Barbara Jimenez, stepdad, Dr. Eric Jimenez;
stepbrother, Dan Jimenez, all of Brookfield, Conn.; father, John T. Schmidt II of Bunnell; grandparents,
Richard and Jean Backlund of St. Augustine Beach; aunts, Joann Toth of Palm Coast and Denese Richmond
of Winter Springs, Fla.; uncles, Guy Backlund of Boston, Mark Backlund of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and cousins,
Chelsea Hutt, Blake Richmond, Jeremy and Jeffery Toth. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a
later date.
John T. Schmidt III
BROOKFIELD, Conn. - John T. Schmidt III, 21, of Brookfield, the son of Bunnell resident John Schmidt
Jr., died May 11 at a hospital in San Antonio, Texas, from injuries sustained while in combat in Iraq.
Mr. Schmidt, who served in the Marine Corps, was born in Carmel, N.Y. He was a graduate of Oviedo High
School, Oviedo. Mr. Schmidt enjoyed hockey and playing video games.
Additional survivors include his mother and stepfather, Barbara and Eric Jimenez, and another stepfather,
Donald Porricelli, all of Danbury, Conn.; and his maternal grandparents, Richard and Jean Backlund, St.
Augustine. Cornell Memorial Home, Danbury, is in charge.
Published in Daytona Beach News-Journal on May 19, 2005
Spec. Christopher L. Hoskins
Hometown: Danielson, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: June 21, 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division,
Fort Carson, Colo.
Incident: Killed during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
Army Spec. Christopher Hoskins
By ROBIN STANSBURY The Hartford Courant
June 26, 2005
Army Spec. Christopher Hoskins of Killingly died June 21, 2005 in Ramadi, Iraq, when his unit came under
small arms fire. He had recently re-enlisted. He was 21 years old.
Claudia Hoskins was in the bathroom putting on her makeup to get ready for work when the unexpected
knock sounded on her front door.
When she saw the two men in military uniforms standing there, she knew. Her 21-year-old son, Army Spec.
Christopher Hoskins, had died fighting the war in Iraq.
"It feels like your heart's been ripped out. It's your worst day," Claudia Hoskins said Saturday. "Then you go
on from there."
For this family, going on means planning for Hoskins' funeral, to take place at Arlington National Cemetery,
as well as celebrating his short life. Claudia Hoskins and her daughter, Kristin Mayo, spoke to reporters
Saturday morning in Killingly, where her son grew up and first expressed a desire to enlist in the Army.
"He was most proud of his time in the service," Claudia said, pointing to pictures of her son, which spanned
from Hoskins as a baby, his kindergarten picture, playing Little League, and later, his graduation from
Killingly High School, as well as basic training in the Army. "You can tell by the pictures that we loved him
very much."
Hoskins enlisted in 2003 and recently signed up for another four years.
Army officials said that Hoskins died Tuesday in Ramadi, Iraq, when his unit came under small-arms fire.
Another soldier in Hoskins' unit also was killed. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry
Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Hoskins' family was notified early Wednesday.
Hoskins became the 27th serviceman or civilian with Connecticut ties to die in Iraq or Afghanistan since
March 2002.
Claudia Hoskins, composed and eloquent as she spoke, said that her son volunteered to go to Iraq when
his unit was called because he had such strong camaraderie with the men in his unit.
"He didn't have to go, but he went," she said. "He enjoyed being a soldier and he died doing what he loved
to do."
Those who knew him said that Hoskins was not one to shy away from challenges. His high school wrestling
coach said that Hoskins joined the team as a junior with no prior wrestling experience. But the quiet young
man worked his way into the starting lineup of a team that eventually won a conference championship,
coach Rich Bowen said.
"He wasn't real fiery. He just came to practice each day, probably didn't say two or three words, if that,"
Bowen said last week. "I think to him it was just a challenge. He was a very quiet kid, laid back."
Hoskins served as a driver for a Bradley fighting vehicle and driver and gunner on a Humvee. He was in
Iraq for nearly a year, but was expected to leave the country for Kuwait within the next six weeks, his
mother said.
The last time that Hoskins visited his family, in January, he told his mother what he would want if he died. It
was a conversation, his mother said, that doesn't usually take place for someone so young. Her son would
have turned 22 in August.
"I have no regrets about those conversations," Claudia Hoskins said. "It helped me know as a mother what
he wanted."
Among Hoskins' desires was to set up two memorial funds to benefit youngsters in Killingly, one to help pay
for assistive technology in the school system because his younger brother, 15-year-old Sean, is a student
with special needs. The other fund to be established will benefit the high school art department because
Hoskins had a love of the graphic arts. Among Hoskins' possessions that his family is waiting to receive
from the Army is a sketchbook that he took to Iraq.
Claudia Hoskins said that she last spoke with her son two weeks ago; Kristin Mayo said that she chatted
with her brother via e-mail only last week.
"He was happy and he wanted to be there," she said of his tour in Iraq. "He thought he was doing the right
thing."
Added Claudia, of her son's impressions of the people in Iraq, "He said, `They are just like us with the same
kinds of needs ... food, water, clothing and a safe place to be, and that's why I'm here.' I thought, 'Here's my
young man who is a young man among men,'" she said. "And he was very proud."
An Associated Press report is included in this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Alice Hoskins doesn't have to look far to find evidence of her grandson's big heart. There, in her
home, is a grandfather clock that Christopher L. Hoskins fixed for her during a visit a few years ago.
"He was a person that was always there to help," she said. Christopher Hoskins, 21, of Danielson,
Conn., died June 21 in Ramadi when his unit was attacked by small-arms fire. He was based at Fort
Carson. At 6 feet 3 inches, Christopher towered over most in the family. He graduated from high
school in 2001, where he was a member of the wrestling team. He worked at a pizzeria, as a casino
security guard and at a Staples. His grandmother said she wasn't surprised when he joined the
military after high school. "I think we can honestly say Christopher was looking for something," she
said. "He became part of something, so he was very proud to serve." He also is survived by his
parents, Richard and Claudia.
Christopher Lee Hoskins
DANIELSON, Army Specialist Christopher Lee Hoskins Army Specialist Christopher Lee
Hoskins, 21, of Westcott Road, Danielson, died Tuesday (June 21, 2005) in Ramadi, Iraq while
serving his country. He was born in New London on August 7, 1983, the son of Richard Hoskins of
Danielson and Claudia (Schiele) Hoskins of Danielson. Mr. Hoskins graduated from Killingly High
School Class of 2001, where he was a member of the wrestling team and interested in Graphic
Arts. He was a member of American Legion Post #21 in Danielson. His previous employment
included Giant Pizza and Big Y of Danielson and as a security guard at the Mohegan Sun Casino.
Prior to his enlistment he worked at Staples in Plainfield. Besides his parents he is survived by two
sisters, Kristin Mayo and Erin Hoskins; one brother, Sean Hoskins, all of Danielson; his maternal grandparents, Louis
and Irene Schiele of Kent, OH; his paternal grandparents, Bill and Alice Hoskins of Randolph, OH and one niece,
Allyssa Mayo. He is also survived by several aunts, uncles and cousins. A visitation will be held on Saturday from 1-3
p.m. with a Memorial Service following at 3 p.m. at the Killingly High School Auditorium, 79 Westfield Ave., Danielson.
Burial will be at the convenience of the family in Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Killingly Public Schools to either of the following funds, The
Art Department or to The Assistive Technology for Special Education Students within the Killingly School District, 369
Main Street, Danielson, CT 06239. Please specify fund of choice on memo line of check. Tillinghast Funeral Home,
433 Main Street, Danielson is in charge of arrangements.
Published in Hartford Courant on June 26, 2005
Christopher Lee Hoskins
Specialist, United States Army
NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense
No. 636-05
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2005
Media Contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000 Public/Industry Contact: (703)428-0711
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died on June 21, 2005, in Ramadi, Iraq, where their unit was
conducting combat operations, and were attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire.
Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Killed were:
Specialist Christopher L. Hoskins, 21, of Danielson, Connecticut
Specialist Brian A. Vaughn, 23, of Pell City, Alabama
For further information related to this release, contact Army Public Affairs at (703) 692-2000.
Soldier to get Arlington burial
Christopher Hoskins of Danielson was killed in Iraq.
By JESSICA DURKIN
Courtesy of the Norwich Bulletin
KILLINGLY, CONNECTICUT - A soldier from Danielson who died in Iraq will be buried in
Arlington National Cemetery, his mother said at a news conference Saturday.
Christopher Hoskins' body arrived around Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware
and will be flown home to Eastern Connecticut in a few days, military spokesman Lieutenant
Colonel John Whitford said. After a local memorial service, Hoskins then will be flown to
Virginia for a military burial in Arlington.
Hoskins was killed along with an Alabama soldier Tuesday when they were attacked by
enemy small-arms fire. Christopher Hoskins was an Army specialist assigned to the 1st
Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division,
based in Fort Carson, Colorado. He drove a Bradley fighting vehicle and was a gunner on a
Humvee.
Claudia Hoskins was told of her son's death Wednesday morning when military casualty
officers came to her home. She was in the bathroom, she recounted, applying her make-up
before she was about to leave for work.
"There was a knock at the door and I saw two servicemen," Hoskins said. "And I knew what
the news was. ... It feels like your heart's been ripped out."
Hoskins spoke to reporters with her daughter, Kristin Mayo, 23. The two reminisced about
the son and brother, taking cues from a collection of photos on display that highlighted his
21-year life.
Hoskins said when her son enlisted, part of his training was to discuss with family the
possibility of death, and what to do in that event. Hoskins said she and her son talked about
fighting in a war and possible outcomes. Christopher Hoskins would have been stationed in
Iraq one year this August.
"I have no regrets about those conversations," Hoskins said.
The Army specialist was the 25th military person with ties to Connecticut to die in the war in
Iraq. Hoskins said she has not spoken to other parents of deceased Connecticut soldiers,
but there has been an outpouring of support.
"The phone rings constantly," Hoskins said. "It's something we haven't had the opportunity
to do (yet)."
Hoskins said her son was eager to enlist in the military and it was something he began
talking about in high school. She said she talked to her son about twice a month, or more
frequently through instant messaging. She saw her son two times in the past seven months
when he visited at New Years and again in May.
"You don't realize how special those times are," Hoskins said. "He was talking about saving
his money, like any young man, to buy a pickup truck. He was excited about going to
Colorado."
A memorial fund will be set up, as per the soldier's wishes, that will go toward Killingly
Public Schools.
Mayo said her brother liked military life and was committed to the war effort.
"He said he just re-enlisted," Mayo said. "He wanted to be there. He was ready to come
home and move along in his duties."
Last measure of devotion
Courtesy of the Norwich Bulletin
4 July 2005
Army Specialist Christopher Lee Hoskins, who was killed in combat in Iraq last month, will
be cremated. His ashes will be interred July 14, 2005, in Arlington National Cemetery in
Virginia. That's appropriate; Arlington is where America lays to rest its military heroes.
Specialist Hoskins was remembered by family and friends Saturday at a memorial service in
Killingly. He was loved and well liked.
Specialist Hoskins was recalled fondly as a guy who favored "gothic" clothing and loved the
band, Metallica. At the same time, he was a disciplined member of the Killingly High School
wrestling team and helped to create the archery club.
The son of Richard Hoskins of Danielson and Claudia Hoskins of Danielson, Specialist
Hoskins, 21, was killed June 21, 2005, outside Arramadi, Iraq, when his unit was ambushed
by terrorists.
For his gallantry, Specialist Hoskins has been awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
Days after he died, his mother said that Christopher "didn't have to go. The military gave
him direction. He was very proud of his accomplishments."
No, he didn't have to go. Specialist Hoskins enlisted in January 2003, and he re-enlisted.
Christopher was a guy eager to lend a hand, help where it was needed, his father said.
"In a humble, quiet way, he stood tall," said Richard Hoskins.
Yes he did.
Few young men at anytime anywhere have stood taller than did U.S. Army Specialist
Christopher Lee Hoskins June 21 when he gave his last measure of devotion for his country.
Fallen U.S. Soldier Found Purpose in Military
By Leef Smith
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Friday, July 15, 2005
Back in school, Christopher L. Hoskins was always stepping in to help classmates who were
being mistreated by other kids, neglected by family or ignored by teachers.
At 6-foot-3, he was the tallest in his class at Killingly High School in Killingly, Conn., but
family members said he was among the most invisible, working behind the scenes to help
mend the lives of those who needed it most.
Hoskins, 21, an Army specialist, was trying to do the same thing in Iraq, helping Iraqis create
a free and democratic society, they said.
His efforts were cut short June 21 while his unit was conducting combat operations in
Ramadi. Hoskins was caught in the line of machine-gun fire and killed. Specialist Brian A.
"Alex" Vaughn, 23, of Pell City, Alabama, also died. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort
Carson, Colorado.
Yesterday, Hoskins's family gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the son and
brother they said found purpose and belonging in the military.
"Christopher was the boy next door who grew up in your back yard, played on your
trampoline, swam in your pool and came to your birthday parties," said his father, Richard
Hoskins. "He wasn't extraordinary or unusual, but what he was was an American who grew
up in this country understanding, maybe not consciously, that we really believe in
democracy and doing good for people, and that's what he thought he was doing for the
people in Iraq."
Hoskins was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Good Conduct
Medal.
Schoolwork was a challenge for Hoskins. He struggled with Tourette's syndrome and
learning disabilities as a child. His decision to enlist in the Army was not a surprise to those
who said he lacked direction after he graduated from high school in 2001. For a time, he
worked odd jobs. In late 2002, some of his peers who had enlisted talked to him about the
future.
"It helped him understand the military could benefit him," his father recalled. "He was
ready."
After basic training, Hoskins was deployed to Korea, where he served for a year. His unit
was transferred to Iraq in August. He reenlisted in May 2005.
"He felt the work he was doing in Iraq was very important," Richard Hoskins said. "He was
proud to be there."
He was so proud that he felt guilty coming home on leave, concerned that his absence was
making things harder for those he served with.
Christopher Hoskins's younger brother has a form of mental retardation, and family
members say his unique view of world is helping them cope with the loss.
"He keeps us in the moment," Richard Hoskins said. "He was appropriately saddened by the
loss of his brother, but he's taught us that you have to greet today with what today has to
offer. You have to keep going."
Killingly soldier buried
By BILL THEOBALD
Courtesy of the Norwich (Connecticut) Bulletin
Claudia Hoskins, left, is escorted by Army Major General Craig Hackett as
pallbearers carry the cremated remains of her son to his grave site at Arlington
National Cemetery.
With sunlight breaking through gray clouds, U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Hoskins
ended his short life's journey Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery.
Hoskins was laid to rest in Grave 8116, Section 60, 23 days after he was killed in Ramadi,
Iraq, while guarding a convoy.
The 21-year-old Killingly native, who spent his life quietly helping others, was again a soldier
on Thursday as the small vault containing his cremated remains was interred in a brief
military ceremony in a field bordered by Bradley, Eisenhower and York drives.
Hoskins' sense of patriotism may become a lasting legacy. His family hopes to honor him by
raising money to pay for lights around every public school flagpole in Connecticut so the
Stars and Stripes never have to be taken down at night.
Hoskins' father, Richard, said he realized his son's death had impact far beyond the
immediate family when he and Christopher's mother, Claudia, began getting condolence
calls from state legislators, the governor, congressmen and others.
"He went from being our son to belonging to the state and the nation," Richard Hoskins said
in an interview the day before his son's burial. "All of a sudden, you realize this little boy you
raised has become the son of a nation."
An honor guard from the 3rd U.S. Infantry regiment, known as the Old Guard, marched the
vault containing Hoskins' remains slowly to a pedestal set up under a green portable shelter.
Hoskins' siblings -- Kristin, 23, Erin, 18, and Sean, 15 -- joined their parents in the front row
of chairs covered in green velvet.
Seven soldiers with rifles took up positions on one side of the pedestal. On the other side,
alone under one of the giant pin oaks that line the roads at Arlington, stood a bugler.
The honor guard slowly unfolded an American flag and held it taut over the small container,
while a chaplain made brief remarks. The rifles fired three quick bursts. The sound echoed
across the low hills of the cemetery as the bugler played taps.
The flag was carefully folded, handed to Maj. Gen. Craig Hackett, who in turn presented it to
Claudia Hoskins. Sean leaned over into his mother, his head touching the flag.
A second flag was touched to the vault and presented to Richard Hoskins.
Finally, Hackett presented the family with Christopher's medals -- a Purple Heart, Bronze
Star and Good Conduct Medal -- and the ceremony ended.
Later in the day, Reprsentative Rob Simmons, R-Stonington, entered a statement honoring
Hoskins in the Congressional Record.
"This was a young man who wanted to serve a cause larger than himself," Simmons said.
Hoskins, a soldier with the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Combat Team, 2nd
Infantry Division, was killed along with another soldier on a road nicknamed Michigan
Avenue.
Richard Hoskins said a lieutenant in his son's unit sent an e-mail describing what happened
in Iraq on June 21, 2005.
Hoskins was a gunner in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle escorting engineers from one side of
the Euphrates River to their home base. A roadside bomb detonated, setting the vehicle on
fire. Hoskins scrambled out of the Bradley and was hit with machine gun fire, his father said.
He was knocked unconscious and died within 30 minutes.
Hoskins enlisted in 2003 and recently had signed up for four more years.
Relatives and friends described the 6-foot 3-inch Hoskins as a quiet, hard-working young
man who was always trying to help others.
"If there was a child who was going to rescue a wounded animal, it was Christopher,"
Richard Hoskins said. "He had a collection of friends. Almost every one of them had a hurt
or need."
Richard Hoskins, an English teacher at Killingly High School, said he believes his son saw
his military service as an "extension of his work helping people."
He said he came up with the idea of providing lights for public school flagpoles when he
drove by a dark, empty pole one day after Christopher's death.
"I thought -- the imagery is wrong," Richard Hoskins said. "This flag represents what's good
and true and right and it has to be taken down?"
He calls the effort the "Lights of Freedom Project" and is dedicating it to his son and others
serving in the military.
"He just felt the work he was doing was right and noble -- but without any fanfare," Hoskins
said of his son.
An Army honor guard carries the cremated remains of Army Specialist Christopher
Hoskins of Danielson, Connecticut. during funeral services at Arlington National
Cemetery, Thursday, July 14, 2005.
Major General Craig Hackett, center, presents an American flag to Claudia and
Rick Hoskins, the parents of Army Specialist Christopher Hoskins of Danielson,
Connecticut, during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery, Thursday, July 14,
2005. Hoskins died last month in Ramadi, Iraq, when his unit came under small arms fire.
Photo Courtesy of Holly, September 2005
Posted: 26 June 2005 Updated: 4 July 2005 Updated: 15 July 2005 Updated: 1 September 2005
Maj. Stephen C. Reich
Hometown: Washington Depot, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 34 years old
Died: June 28, 2005 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.
Incident: Killed on a rescue mission when the MH-47 helicopter he was aboard crashed in the
vicinity of Asadabad.
50578 MAJ Stephen C. Reich USA
May 22, 1971 - June 28, 2005
usma1993-E4
Photo courtesy of Academy Photo
While trying to rescue an elite U.S. military team that still remains missing in the mountains of Kunar province, MAJ
Reich of Washington Depot, Conn. was one of 16 troops killed when their MH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot
down. The soldiers were assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) from Georgia.
Friends wishing to make contributions in lieu of flowers can make donations
to Habitat for Humanity and to the Night Stalkers Association, a group that
supports the families of soldiers serving in the 160th Special Operations
Aviation Regiment (Airborne). For more information, please visit
www.nightstalkers.com
RELEASE NUMBER: 050630-01
DATE POSTED: JULY 1, 2005
PRESS RELEASE: Helicopter crash kills three officers, five
special operations Soldiers
U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, July 1, 2005)
— An MH-47D Chinook helicopter crashed June 28, 2005
near Asadabad, Afghanistan, killing three special operations
officers and five special operations Soldiers from the 160th
Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) while
conducting combat operations in support of Operation Red
Wing.
Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Conn.,
Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of
Jacksonville, Fla., Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature ,35,
of Clarks Grove, Minn., Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles,
33, of Shelbyville, Ind., Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31,
of Stafford, Va., Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Ohio and
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Fla., were killed
when the helicopter was struck by an enemy rocket propelled
grenade in the country’s Kunar province. All were assigned to
the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) based at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Sgt. 1st Class James W. Ponder, III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn., was killed as a result of the crash. He was
assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 160th SOAR(A) based at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The officers and Soldiers were deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Afghan National Army and Coalition forces remain actively engaged in Operation Red Wing, an effort to
defeat terrorists operating in Kunar province. The operation is part of a larger spring campaign by U.S. and
Afghan forces to kill and capture fighters from hideouts in the east and south of Afghanistan.
The MH-47 conducts overt and covert infiltrations, exfiltrations, air assault, resupply, and sling operations
over a wide range of environmental conditions. With the use of special mission equipment and night vision
devices, the air crew can operate in hostile mission environments over all types of terrain at low altitudes,
and during periods of low visibility.
-usasochttp://www.soc.mil/News/releases/05JUL/reich_bio.pdf
Biographical Sketch
U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, FORT BRAGG, NC 28310 910-432-6005
MAJOR STEPHEN C. REICH
Killed in action on June 28, 2005
Operation Enduring Freedom
Maj. Stephen C. Reich died June 28, 2005, in eastern Afghanistan when his MH-47D Helicopter was shot
down by enemy fire during combat operations.
He was born May 22, 1971 in Ohio, and was raised in Washington, Conn.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree and received his
commission in 1993. In 1994, he attended the Aviation Officer Basic Course and Initial Entry Rotary Wing
training. In 1995 he was assigned to the University of Kentucky ROTC program, and played professional
baseball in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
After receiving a UH-60 Blackhawk transition in 1996, he was ordered to Germany where he served as
Platoon Leader in Company A, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. During his subsequent tour with the
12th Aviation Brigade he served in Operation ALLIED FORCE deploying to Hungary, Bosnia, Albania, and
Kosovo.
Returning from Germany in 2000, Reich attended the Infantry Captain’s Career Course at Ft. Benning, Ga.
followed by the Combined Arms Services Staff School at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. Upon arrival to the 160th
Special Operations Aviation Regiment, he deployed with 2nd Battalion to Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
as Battle Captain in support of Task Force Dagger. In December 2001, he served as Operations Officer for
2nd Battalion’s detachment of MH-47D aircraft in Afghanistan. He commanded Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion from February 2002 through May 2003.
Reich recently completed a one year assignment to Daegu, Republic of Korea as the Operations Officer for
E
Company, 160th SOAR(A). Reich’s military schools include: Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape C
Course, the Airborne School, and Air Assault Course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star,
the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Joint
Meritorious Unit Award, and the Senior Aviator, Airborne, and Air Assault Badges. He was posthumously
awarded the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal and an Air Medal with
Valor device and the Combat Action Badge.
Reich is survived by his wife, Jill, of Panama City, Fla.
Stephen C. Reich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Major Stephen C. Reich (as a West Point cadet)
Major Stephen C. Reich (May 22, 1971 - June 28, 2005) was an American soldier and minor league
baseball player who was killed in action while on a rescue mission in Afghanistan at age 34. Reich played
for the "Team USA" baseball team in 1993, and has more wins than any other pitcher in the history of the
United States Military Academy (West Point).
Born in Ohio and raised in Connecticut, Reich was the star pitcher at Shepaug Valley High School, a
left-hander who led the varsity baseball team to a state championship in 1987 where he pitched and won
the championship game. He led the team back to title contention in 1989. Coming out of high school, Reich
was a highly touted pitching prospect, but he chose the military over professional baseball.
He attended the United States Military Academy, where he pitched for the Army baseball team. Reich
was a star pitcher for Army and holds the record for most wins by a West Point pitcher. "He was one of the
best to ever come through here," said Bob Beretta, a spokesman for the Army baseball team. "When we
say someone here is the best since, it's always the best since Steve Reich." [1]
Reich was known for his fastball and command, rarely walking a batter. He signed with the Baltimore
Orioles in 1996 after completing two years of a four-year military commitment, and pitched two games in
the minor leagues before being recalled by the Army.
Even after his initial military commitment ended, Reich was a highly touted pitcher, but he chose military
service over professional baseball.
In 1993, Reich was named to the "Team USA" baseball team. He carried the American flag while
representing Team USA in 1993 at the World University Games. He made 17 appearances for Team USA
playing in Italy, Nicaragua and Cuba and at the World University Games.
In 1996, Reich was ordered to Germany. He served in Operation Allied Force in Hungary, Bosnia,
Albania, and Kosovo.
Reich served four tours of duty in Afghanistan and was killed in action on June 28, 2005. Reich was on a
mission to rescue an elite U.S. military team. Reich was one of 16 troops aboard an Army Special
Operations MH-47 Chinook helicopter that was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in the mountains of
eastern Afgahanistan's Kunar province. The soldiers were assigned to the 160th Special Operations
Aviation Regiment (Airborne) from Georgia.
July 08, 2005
WEST POINTERS, BASEBALL PLAYERS, HECK, ANYBODY WHO CARES.
[N.B. I pulled this bit from the "Morning Reads" post below - for returning visitors, this
*is* new stuff. JofA]
Greetings, Castle Regulars and those just passing through,
Things like this pop into my inbox with a sad regularity:
No. 671-05 IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 2, 2005
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------DoD Identifies Army and Navy Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of eight soldiers and eight
sailors who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Soldiers killed were:
Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Danville, Ohio.
Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minn.
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, of Shelbyville, Ind.
Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn.
Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Conn.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Va.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla.
Goare, Goodnature, Jacoby, Muralles, Reich, Russell, and Scherkenbach were
assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
(Airborne), Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.
Ponder was assigned to the Army's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 160th
Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Sailors killed were:
Chief Petty Officer Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, La.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, N.H.
Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen, 33, of San Diego, Calif.
Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, of Corbett, Ore.
Lt. Michael M. McGreevy, Jr., 30, of Portville, N.Y.
Petty Officer 2nd Class James Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric S. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nev.
Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, of Midway, W.Va.
Healy, Patton and Suh were assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii.
Fontan, Kristensen, Lucas, McGreevy and Taylor were assigned to SEAL Team Ten,
Virginia Beach, Va.
All 16 were killed while conducting combat operations when the MH-47 helicopter that
they were aboard crashed in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan in Kumar Province
on June 28.
From that list above: Major Steve Reich, someone you should know (hat tip, Jim C.)
Don't just skim on by - go read that. Pat Tillman isn't the only soldier to pass up fame
and fortune for Service. I don't hold Major Reich above any of the other dead, in this
mission or others... but we should note those who sacrificed the easy life for one of
service above self. Like Stephen Reich.
There is this, from USASOC (U.S. Army Special Operations Command) - Major Reich's
official bio.
But, most importantly, there is this, from Major Reich's friends and classmates (where
you are most likely to get the true measure of the man and warrior). I should note I am
*not* one of these people, I'm not a graduate of West Point, even, but people near to
me are, and this is me doing my bit with my little pulpit.
Subject: Steve Reich Killed in Afghanistan
A good friend of mine was killed in Afghanistan last week. His name was Steve Reich
and we graduated from West Point together from the same company. We started Beast
Barracks together, were in the same company, and graduated together. Attached is an
article written and published on ESPN a couple days ago about Steve – he is one of the
greatest baseball pitchers to ever play at West Point (he still holds the record for most
wins at the school) and was heavily recruited to play major league ball. He turned them
all down and eventually became a Special Operations helicopter pilot. He was on his
fourth tour in the Stan when his bird was shot down. He leaves behind a wife, {snipped
for privacy considerations}l, and, unfortunately, they were only married about 4 months
ago.
I an honestly say that I knew of no one with more honor and courage than Steve Reich.
Without a doubt, he was one of the finest soldiers and human beings I have ever had
the pleasure to know on this Earth. He will be sorely missed from our ranks.
All my company mates from West Point are getting together to try to form some kind of
special memorial for him at West Point – I don’t know all the details of it yet, but I will let
you know when I get them.
{snipped for privacy considerations]
The family has also set up a memorial fund in Stephen's honor. The fund will support
both the MWR fund of his unit and the Steep Rock Association - a local nature preserve
that was special to Stephen. If you would like to make a donation to the fund, you may
send a check to the following address:
First National Bank of Litchfield
ATTN: Stephen Reich Memorial Fund
PO Box 391
Washington Depot, CT 06794
If you have any questions on the fund, please call Debbie Swift at 860-868-7386
I did not know his wife {name snipped for privacy considerations] personally, but I have
been told through contact with my classmates that she is very appreciative of cards and
support from all the people who knew Steve, so if you have a chance, just send her a
quick card showing support for our cause in Afghanistan and to reinforce to her what I
am sure she already knows: Her husband was a hero and patriot and it is because of
him and all the other guys over their risking their lives that we enjoy our freedom.
ThanksEric
This was further elaborated thusly:
My company-mates from West Point and, now, our whole class are coming together to
try to get a memorial set up for him at West Point. Right now, it is down to a decision of
whether to put up some kind of plaque/memorial at the USMA Baseball Stadium or
possibly name an annual award in his honor going to a baseball player each year at
USMA. Possibly both options may come to fruition. If anyone is interested in donating to
this cause/memorial, let me know and I will keep you informed of whatever West Point
and our class decide to do. Also, his family has set up a memorial fund in Connecticut the information is below.
Steve was the most honorable man I have ever met and truly deserves these honors he literally gave up the opportunity to make millions of dollars playing baseball to
dedicate (and ultimately give) his life for our safety and freedom.
To conclude the stream:
K - I just got off the phone w/ AOG (Association of Graduates, ed) and they will be
getting back to me with the process for setting up an annual award in Steve's name.
What I'd like to propose is that we establish an award given to the graduating Baseball
player with the top GPA (assuming this does not yet exist). This award would be
presented at an annual ODIA awards convocation that Steve's family would be invited
to attend.
Now here's the kicker. In order to establish a perpetual award like this, the AOG is
indicating that they'd need a minimum initial investment of anywhere between $5-10K
(depending on the convocation venue). We can potentially ask the class of '93 to divert
some of our current class funds into this effort to help get things started, and I can cover
10-20% of the initial investment depending on the baseline target (whether it's 5 or
10K). However, before we commit to this, I want to ensure that there is enough interest
amongst us and Steve's other classmates to be able to meet these investment
requirements.
In addition to this award, the AOG has indicated that because steve was KIA, that at
some point in the future, his name would be added to a plaque in Cullum Hall.
Bottom line: They need to raise between $5-10K to cover these costs. I really expect
they will be able to raise it internally - but if would like to offer any assistance
whatsoever, please email me direct and I will coordinate with Eric. They haven't asked
for this help. I'm doing this on my own, because if I can't use this pulpit for something
like this, just as we did for Spirit of America, well, what the heck, why bother? I'm not
expecting an SoA-level response - and you can certainly contribute directly to the
Memorial Fund with nary a word to anyone, if that's your druthers. Don't send me
anything other than an email - based on the response, I'll coordinate with Major Reich's
classmates on how they want to proceed. johnbethd*at*yahoo.com
Thanks for your time and consderation.
Cheers, John of Argghhh!
Stephen was a fellow classmate and teammate. He will never be absent from my thoughts, in
my actions, and in the conduct of my life.
Taken from The New Milford Times
When Steve Reich took the mound for Shepaug Valley High School in the 1980s, he stood in
perfect control – of his pitches, his mind, his emotions. There was nothing out of place.
Everyone who saw him then will swear today he could have pitched for the pros. But he had a
different path in mind – West Point and the U.S. Army, helicopter pilot, command of Special
Operations units in some of the most dangerous spots of the world.
When he went to Afghanistan for what stretched to four tours of duty, his friend assumed
Major Reich's innate strength – his focus, his determination, his control – would see him
through.
Wednesday, Major Reich's friends and family were almost numb, as if one of the stars in the
heavens suddenly went out.
Major Reich was one of the 17 troops aboard the Army Special Operations MH-47 helicopter
that a rocket-powered grenade brought down at dusk Tuesday in the wild mountains of
eastern Afghanistan; he may have been its pilot.
And while storms have prevented at Army team from reaching the crash site, longtime Reich
family friend Gary Fitzherbert said the Army has notified the family about the crash, and they
are assuming Steve Reich perished there.
"We were all concerned about him,'' said Scott Werkhoven, his close friend and former
teammate.
"But everyone felt that if anybody could handle it, it was Steve," Mr. Werkhoven said. "It's not
a good day.''
"He was married three months ago to a lovely girl, Jill Blue,'' Mr. Fitzherbert said. "That
makes this even sadder.''
Major Reich is the second area man to die in the wars of the Middle East. Marine Lance Cpl.
John T. Schmidt III of Brookfield was injured in Iraq in January after only two weeks in Iraq.
He was awaiting orders when an ammonia tank he was sleeping next to exploded, severely
damaging his lungs, esophagus and skin. He died May 11.
Steve Reich, 34, was raised in the Marble Dale section of Washington. His father, Ray, is a
teacher at The Gunnery, the town's prominent prep school. His mother, Sue, is a emergency
room nurse at New Milford Hospital.
He had two sisters – Megan and Annmarie. In a family that stresses volunteerism, social
concern and decency, Steve was a perfect fit.
"Right in the heart of Washington, there's the Reich family,'' said First Selectman Richard
Sears. "This is an all-American family, and Steve was an all-American kid – a boy of
Washington, a boy of America.
"His death," Mr. Sears said, "is a horrible thing.''
"They are a wonderful family,'' said Dave Werkhoven, Scott's father and coach of the Shepaug
Valley High baseball team when the two boys played for it. "They raised their son to be a
gentleman."
"Pick the best person you know,'' Mr. Fitzherbert said. "He wouldn't have measured up to
Steve.''
"He was a great friend,'' Scott Werkhoven said.
And at Shepaug Valley High School, he was the star pitcher, the handsome lefthander who,
without fuss or flash, led the varsity baseball team to a state championship in 1987 – he
pitched the final game – and, then, back to title contention in 1989. Although he kept his
composure, he was a fierce competitor.
"He had a great fastball, he had great control and command of all his pitches,'' Scott
Werkhoven said. "He really had a sense of all the field.''
"He always wanted to do the toughest things,'' Dave Werkhoven said. "You want your pitchers
to have a 2-to-1 ratio of strikeouts to walks. Steve's was something like 30-to-1. In his senior
year, he only walked nine guys, and five of those were intentional.''
And while Steve would always listen to his coaches, Dave Werkhoven said, mostly, they just
let him pitch his own game.
"He had such talent,'' Mr. Werkhoven said.
And while Steve could relax and have fun, Scott Werkhoven said, his friends knew if there was
something he wanted to do, he would find a way.
"He was just one of those guys who could just do anything,'' Scott Werkhoven said.
Early on in his high school career, Mr. Fitzherbert said, Steve set his mind on another goal –
winning a place at West Point and a commission in the U.S. Army. Given his focus and
determination, he did just that.
"It really was his wish to go to West Point from high school on,'' Mr. Fitzherbert said. "And he
loved it.''
At West Point, he was, again, a star pitcher as well, with one of the lowest collegiate earned
run averages in the nation during his years there.
After graduation in 1993, he pitched briefly for a Baltimore Orioles farm team. But rather
trying for the big leagues, Steve Reich took his drive to the field of field of combat.
"He was one of those guys who makes us feel comfortable here because we know he is over
there,'' Dave Werkhoven said.
The local product rose to the rank of major and for the past six months was a company
commander in the 160th Aviation Regiment – a Special Operations unit known as "The
Nighthawks.''
Major Reich learned to pilot three different models of Army helicopters, including the MH-47, a
special operations model of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter that crashed Tuesday. Knowing
Major Reich, he was probably at the controls, when the craft went down, Mr. Fitzherbert said.
Army officials said the crash occurred in the eastern Afghanistan province of Kunar in the
mountains near Asadabad. The unit was taking part in an offensive against al-Qaida militants
in what the Army calls Operation Red Wing.
The helicopter and its 17 troops were fighting the growing insurgency by Taliban and al-Qaida
forces against the newly-elected Afghan government and its American allies.
His friends said that Major Reich never expressed a single doubt about the American mission
in Afghanistan or his role there– even after his marriage.
"His family said he told them once, ‘I love my wife and I love the men under my
command,' '' Mr. Sears said.
And that All-American purity may also have been at the core of Steve Reich, who in all things,
was a star.
"He was a hero in high school, and now, a hero again,'' Dave Werkhoven said.
And like a star – not some meteor flashing in the sky – his light, his memory, will shine
for a long time to come.
"We sit here and wonder why this is all happening,'' said neighbor Nancy Mygatt. "There are
things you just have to work out for yourself. But for Steve, it was all about serving his
country.
"I don't think he ever thought why he was over there," she said. "He just thought it was the
right thing to do.''
Sgt. David J. Coullard
Hometown: Glastonbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 32 years old
Died: August 1, 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves
If you wanted to find David J. Coullard while growing up, a good place to look was near his mom. He
and she were a twosome, target shooting, hunting, snowmobiling and cod fishing. "He was such a
joy," said his mother, Anita Dziedzic, who raised him alone and would get cards from him on
Father's Day, too. "We had so much fun together." At an early age, Coullard thought of becoming a
Marine. When he graduated from high school in 1992, he wrote in his yearbook: "Thank you mom
for everything. Marines, here I come." Coullard, 32, of Glastonbury, Conn., was killed Aug. 1 in
small-arms fire outside Haditha. He was based at Brook Park. After attending Manchester
Community College for a few months, he joined the reserves, traveling to places like Norway, the
Philippines, Panama and Japan. Friends laughed at his propensity for always being in the shower
when it was time to leave for school. He also had a wicked sense of humor. "He e-mailed me a
picture of his butt after he got shot," said Theresa Unterreiner, a friend. "He had a mischievous
little grin on his face in the photo, and he wrote, 'You'll get a laugh out of this.'"
David J. Coullard
COULLARD, David J., Sgt. Sgt. David J. Coullard, U.S. Marine Corps, 32, of Wickham Road, Glastonbury,
son of Anita Coullard-Dziedzic, was killed in Iraq on Monday (August 1, 2005). Born in Hartford, he lived in
Glastonbury most of his life. He was a graduate of Glastonbury High School and worked for the Plumbing
and Heating Union, Local 777 Union, as a heating and air conditioning specialist most of his working life.
Besides his mother, Anita and her husband, Greg Dziedzic of East Hartford, he leaves his step-brother,
Daniel and his wife, Mandy Dziedzic of Bloomfield; his step-sister, Jacqueline Dziedzic of Norfolk; his aunts
and uncles, Joanne and Phillip Coach of Manchester, and Gregg and Donna Currier of Norfolk; a great
aunt, Priscilla Feeser of Gloucester, MA; eight cousins, Shawna, Janessa, Brian, Danielle, Jordan, Robin,
Greg, and Ellen; and two second cousins, Demetris and Caleb. David loved to hunt and do off roading. An
ecumenical service will be held Thursday, August 11 at 10 a.m. in St. Paul's Church, 2183 Main St.,
Glastonbury. Burial will follow immediately in Veterans Section of Neipsic Cemetery. David will lay in State
in St. Paul's Church, where his family will receive friends and relatives on Wednesday , August 10, from 6-9
p.m. The Glastonbury Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. Please visit www.mem.com for an
everlasting memorial tribute.
Published in Hartford Courant from August 5 to August 7, 2005
Sgt. David Coullard
`This Was His Job And He Did It Well'
By PETER MARTEKA Courant Staff Writer
August 4, 2005
EAST HARTFORD - Marine Sgt. David Coullard, who grew up in Glastonbury, was killed Aug. 1, 2005 by
small-arms fire in Haditha, Iraq, with five others in a sniper team. He was 32 years old.
While checking her e-mail Saturday, Anita Dziedzic opened a photograph of her son. He was standing with
a fellow Marine somewhere in Iraq.
"It was like seeing him again. It was wonderful," Dziedzic said of the photo that accompanied an e-mail from
her son, Sgt. David Coullard.
On Monday, while waiting for her sister to bring over a new puppy, she looked out the window and instead
saw two Marines.
"When they got out of the car, I knew," Dziedzic said Wednesday.
They were there to tell her that her only son had been killed while on sniper duty northwest of Baghdad.
"They stayed until my husband got home. They were standing at attention in the living room," Dziedzic said.
"I told them they could leave, but they just said, `No ma'am, we are staying with you.'"
Coullard, 32, was among six Marines - five of them from 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines out of Ohio - in a sniper
team who were killed Monday. The U.S. command says the Marines were "engaged by terrorists and killed
by small-arms fire" in Haditha, which U.S. and Iraqi officials have identified as a major route for insurgents
entering Iraq.
Fourteen other Marines from the same base were killed early Wednesday when their vehicle was hit by an
improvised explosive device.
Dziedzic and her husband, Greg Dziedzic, spent Wednesday afternoon taking calls from relatives and
friends, and talking to reporters at their East Hartford home.
"He's a hero," said Anita Dziedzic, who as a single mother raised her son in Glastonbury. "He's just like any
fireman or policeman. You know the risks each time you head out. And that's kind of prepared me. But it
doesn't make it any easier.
"We both knew the risks," she said. "He was a sniper up on a hill somewhere. So I always wanted to believe
he was safe. Then I think about all the kids getting killed in Hartford and that's all so senseless. This isn't
good either, but this was his job and he did it well."
Coullard, who had served in the Marines for about 10 years, loved the military, said childhood friend Ned
Gompper. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, only "increased that love of defending the country," said Gompper,
who grew up across the street in Glastonbury and was an only child.
"We were brothers. That's how close we were," Gompper said. "He was out and signed back on. That's how
much he believed in defending his country. We always expected him to come home.
"It was at the Christmas table when he told everyone he was re-enlisting and heading to Iraq. But he loved
his country. He was a solid kid who was raised by a great mother," Gompper said.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff Wednesday afternoon.
"We owe Sgt. Coullard a debt of gratitude for so selflessly taking such a heroic path in the service of our
country," she said. "The sacrifice Sgt. Coullard made for each and every one of us is immeasurable, and I
ask that everyone pause to consider his loss and appreciate his courage and bravery."
Coullard's body arrived Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, and his family expected his body
to return home early next week. A funeral was being planned at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in
Glastonbury.
Coullard, a 1992 graduate of Glastonbury High School, joined the Marines after a brief stint at Manchester
Community College. Anita Dziedzic said her son always wanted to be a Marine and was preoccupied with
the military.
"Many nights I would stay awake and if I didn't get the call, I knew he was all right," Dziedzic said. "Then I
would wake up and send him an e-mail saying how proud I was of him. Anything to keep it positive."
Several years ago, when she married Greg, her son was there - on a speakerphone from his base, Dziedzic
said. He always said he wanted to "give his mom away" when she got married, she said.
Dziedzic taped her son's messages from Iraq so she could hear his voice whenever she missed him.
"He was a man of few words," she said. "But with the phone or the computer, it always felt like he was right
around the corner. That's how it felt. Like he was right around the corner whenever we talked."
An Associated Press report is included in this story. Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Marine Sgt. David J. Coullard
32, of Glastonbury, Conn.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Marine Forces Reserve, Brook Park, Ohio; attached to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine
Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward); killed Aug. 1 by enemy small-arms fire while
conducting dismounted operations outside Haditha, Iraq. Also killed were Marine Cpl. Jeffrey A.
Boskovitch, Marine Lance Cpl. Roger D. Castleberry Jr., Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel N. Deyarmin Jr.,
Marine Lance Cpl. Brian P. Montgomery and Marine Sgt. Nathaniel S. Rock.
Connecticut Marine among six killed in Iraq
By Noreen Gillespie
Associated Press
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — On Sunday, Marine Sgt. David Coullard sent his mother an e-mail from Iraq,
letting her know he was safe.
Like every e-mail he sent her, it was brief. But it also had recent photos that his mother had been asking
him to send. In one, the 32-year-old Glastonbury native is in front of bright blue water with a fellow Marine.
In another, he’s posing in the desert with his weapon.
“Love you,” he ended the note, adding that his time was almost up on the computer.
On Monday, Anita Dziedzic found out her son was killed in Iraq. He was the 28th service member with
Connecticut ties to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
Military officials said Coullard, a sniper in the Ohio-based 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, and five comrades
were engaged by terrorists and killed by small-arms fire in Haditha, which U.S. authorities say is a major
entry point into Iraq for insurgents.
“My son had a job to do, that he volunteered to do,” his mother said Wednesday during an interview in the
living room of her East Hartford home. “He was a Marine. He was a professional. He was a hero. He is a
hero.”
Coullard entered the Marines about 10 years ago as a reservist. Though he’d been sent around the world to
Parris Island, Norway, the Swiss Alps, Panama, Japan, the Philippines and other places, he was
determined to serve in combat, his family said. So on Christmas Day, after waiting years for active duty, he
told his family that he volunteered to go to Iraq.
“I personally think he just wanted to be in battle,” said his stepfather, Greg Dziedzic. “I think he wanted to do
what he was trained for.”
Coullard grew up in Glastonbury and graduated from Glastonbury High, where he played soccer. He was
quiet, and from the time he was about 9 years old he talked about joining the Marines, his mother said.
After a brief stint at Manchester Community College, that’s exactly what he did. He threw himself into it
completely, his family said, going to every function, studying intensely and loving to wear his dress uniform.
“If the floor shine was missing, we knew David had buffed his shoes with it,” Anita Dziedzic said laughing.
About a month ago, he was injured on duty when he was shot in the buttocks, his mother said. He quickly
returned to duty, but bravely told her every detail of the injury during a cell phone call while she was at work,
she said. In e-mails, he also told his family he believed his men were doing good work, and that some of it
had made the news.
“I kind of was amazed at his professionalism,” his mother said.
Anita Dziedzic raised her only son as a single mother, and said she felt compelled to do things with him that
a father would do. So she took him to target practice, and took a hunting course with him. He became a
skilled hunter, so skilled that you could put him in the woods with nothing and he’d survive, his family said.
One time, she said, he told a friend he was spending Father’s Day with his mother, because she was the
one who had always been there for him.
He loved hunting deer and boar, and frequently left deer hanging in the garage, his mother said. But he was
also careful, making sure only to kill what can be eaten, and never leaving an animal injured in the woods.
Once, his mother said, he spent a whole day trying to find a deer he’d hit who got away.
“He tracked a deer for 24 hours to make sure it was down,” she said. “He tracked that thing all over
Glastonbury.”
As word spread of Coullard’s death Wednesday, the phone rang constantly at his mother and stepfather’s
home. His body arrived Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, and his family expected him to
return home early next week. A funeral was being planned at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in
Glastonbury.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered all state flags to be lowered to half-staff until sundown on the day of the Marine’s
burial.
“We owe Sgt. Coullard a debt of gratitude for so selflessly taking such a heroic path in the service of our
country,” she said. “The sacrifice Sgt. Coullard made for each and every one of us is immeasurable, and I
ask that everyone pause to consider his loss and appreciate his courage and bravery.”
Killed with Coullard were Sgt. Nathaniel S. Rock of Toronto, Ohio; Cpl. Jeffrey A. Boskovitch of North
Royalton, Ohio; Lance Cpl. Brian P. Montgomery, whose wife lives in Mentor, Ohio; Lance Cpl. Daniel N.
Deyarmin of Tallmadge, Ohio; and Lance Cpl. Roger D. Castleberry Jr., whose wife lives in Cedar Park,
Texas, the Marines said.
Coullard was working on studying for the next phase of his heating and air conditioning licenses, but if he
had been asked to return to active duty again he probably would have, his mother said. Recently, United
Local 777, Plumbers & Pipefitters, HVAC&R, selected him for an attitude award named in memory of
another fallen serviceman.
Anita Dziedzic cried at moments on Wednesday. In others, she told stories of her son, trying to honor his life
with dignity. When his death becomes too much to handle, she said, she remembers the words her son told
her when her mother died years ago.
“He said, ‘Mom, you’re going to be OK,”’ she recalled. “So I guess I’ve told myself that all through this. That
I’m going to be OK. I’m going to be OK.”
US Marine Reserve Sergeant David J. Coullard, 32, of Glastonbury, Conn.
Date: July 30, 2005 3:57 PM EST
Hi Mom, the computers are slow today and my time is up but here are some PICS, love you.
David Coullard
David Coullard on right
David Coullard on right
A Death Brings the War to Glastonbury
By JANE GORDON Published: August 14, 2005
LAST week, Marine Sgt. David J. Coullard of Glastonbury, killed in Iraq on Aug. 1, was buried at the
veterans' section of Neipsic Cemetery. He was one of six snipers from the Third Battalion, 25th Marine
Regiment killed that day in Haditha.
To those reading about him in distant places, he was another casualty in a growing list. But to family and
friends, he was remembered as a boy who loved to hunt and fish, a teenager who could never get anywhere
on time, and a grown son who took care of his single mother the way she had always taken care of him.
Sergeant Coullard, 32, grew up in Welles Village, a subsidized housing development in Glastonbury. He and
his mother, Anita Dziedzic, had lived in East Hartford until he was 4, when his mother became increasingly
critical of the schools and their neighborhood.
He and his mother were a twosome, target shooting, hunting, snowmobiling and cod fishing in Gloucester,
Mass., where some of Mrs. Dziedzic's family lived. At an early age, Sergeant Coullard thought of becoming a
Marine, his mother said. When he was in elementary school, he played with a military action figure.
''It was always there, from when he was little, that desire to be a Marine,'' she said.
An avid hunter, he also photographed deer, boar and birds. ''He was such a joy,'' his mother said. ''We had
so much fun together.''
Sergeant Coullard graduated from Glastonbury High School in 1992. In his yearbook he wrote: ''Thank you
mom for everything. Marines, here I come.''
He did not immediately join the Marines, attending Manchester Community College for a few months. He
joined the reserves at 22, traveling to places like Norway, the Philippines, Panama and Japan. After the Sept.
11 attacks, Sergeant Coullard changed, Mrs. Dziedzic said.
''Sept. 11 really just kind of put it all into perspective for him,'' she said. ''I believe he had a mission. He
thought he had a job to do.''
Late last year he volunteered to go to Iraq. Soon after his birthday on Jan. 16, he left Glastonbury.
During high school and for many years afterward, he worked as a dietary aide at the Salmon Brook Nursing
and Rehabilitation Center in Glastonbury. He left that job to attend school to become an air-conditioning
and heating specialist, and was working in that field while preparing for his licensing tests, said Theresa
Unterreiner, a friend and neighbor from Welles Village.
He had been wounded in Iraq several weeks ago, shot in the buttocks. Although often characterized as a
quiet boy who grew into an equally quiet man, Sergeant Coullard had a sense of humor that transcended his
social reticence.
''He e-mailed me a picture of his butt after he got shot,'' Ms. Unterreiner, 31, said. ''He had a mischievous
little grin on his face in the photo, and he wrote, 'You'll get a laugh out of this.'''
Ms. Unterreiner remembered Sergeant Coullard's smile, his personal-care regimen, and his propensity for
always being in the shower when it was time to leave for school, a movie or any social event. He was rarely, if
ever, on time.
''His alarm clock would go off a half hour at a time, and every morning before school I would yell out the
window for him to get up,'' Ms. Unterreiner said. ''We had a bond, seven or eight of us, and we stayed
together throughout the years. That's what makes this so horrible. We all loved him very much, and he is
going to be missed.''
Mrs. Dziedzic refused to talk about her son's father last week, but a few years ago she married Greg Dziedzic.
They live in East Hartford, but Sergeant Coullard stayed in Glastonbury. He rented a house on Wickham
Road, a few miles from the town's center.
Although much of the town's farmland has been developed, Wickham Road is still dotted with farms.
Kathleen Slogesky, whose mother-in-law, Veronica Slogesky, rented the house to Sergeant Coullard, said he
was quiet and respectful.
''When I heard about David, I couldn't believe it,'' she said. ''The war hasn't been that close to home. Now, it
is.''
Sergeant Coullard's wake was held at St. Paul's Church on Main Street in Glastonbury on Wednesday
evening, and his funeral was at the church on Thursday.
Marine Lives On In Hearts Of Those He Was There For
By Kenton Robinson Published 03/17/2008 12:00 AM Updated 09/14/2009 03:44 PM
Anita Coullard-Dziedzic of East Hartford was home alone when the van pulled up in front of
her house. She thought it was her sister, coming to show off a new puppy. When two Marines
emerged, she immediately thought of her son, Marine Sgt. David J. Coullard, who was in Iraq.
She yelled to the visitors that her son wasn't home.
"I tried to joke it off,'' she said, recalling that day in August 2005. "I looked and saw the
folder with the Marine logo on it and I knew. I said, 'Oh, no.' I might even have said, 'Oh,
David, no.' ''
Her only son, whom she always thought of as a quiet child and maybe a bit lonely, had
surprised her when he joined the Marines in 1994. He served in Okinawa, Japan, and the
Philippines. In 2004, during Christmas dinner at his aunt's house, he said he had volunteered
to ship out to Iraq.
"I guess he told the whole family because he knew I wouldn't yell at him in front of
everyone,'' Coullard-Dziedzic said during a telephone interview. "I told him I didn't want him
to go. He said, 'Mom, it's what I've trained all these years for.' "
Anita Coullard was a single mom. When David was in the Marines, she married Greg Dziedzic.
Her son gave her away via telephone.
"In our wedding picture, David is there on speaker phone,'' she said.
Coullard died after being hit by enemy small-arms fire while on patrol outside Haditha, Iraq,
on Aug. 1, 2005. As news of his death circulated, hundreds of people sent cards and letters,
and even more logged on to a Web site established by The Washington Post for people to post
condolences for soldiers killed in the war. There are 42 pages of comments. The most recent
posting was this past February: "Happy V Day. Love and miss you every day, D.''
"He was strong. He had to be strong to be a Marine. I just never realized how strong he was
for others,'' his mother said. "He had a caring heart that went beyond anything I ever
imagined.''
She said she received a note from a young man from the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.,
who said Sgt. Coullard "saved my life.''
She also heard from a young woman who told her that her son helped her out of an abusive
relationship.
"He was there for her,'' the woman wrote in a note.
Coullard-Dziedzic met with President George W. Bush last year when Bush was in the state to
speak at the Coast Guard Academy graduation. She was among seven Connecticut families of
soldiers killed in the line of duty who met Bush for about 20 minutes at the Groton-New
London Airport.
She said the president came into the room looking for "the mamas."
"He hugged me. I cried. He listened and he was cordial and he was gentle,'' she said, adding
that she brought a book of pictures of her son and showed him.
"He had tears in his eyes,'' she said.
There is a plaque and a tree planted in Coullard's memory at his elementary school in
Glastonbury. He graduated from Glastonbury High School, where there is a scholarship in his
name. The Plumbing and Heating Union, Local 777, to which he belonged, named a building
after him. The third annual Sgt. David Coullard Valor and Discipline Memorial Golf Outing will
be held Aug. 1 at Simsbury Farms Golf Course. Proceeds fund the scholarships.
"He wasn't a golfer,'' Coullard-Dziedzic said. "But I wanted David's name to remain in
Glastonbury. I don't want this town to forget David.''
Every December, she hosts a "We Know David Party.'' A group gets together to share their
stories about their lost friend.
It's coming up on three years since her son was killed, but Coullard-Dziedzic said it doesn't
really get any easier.
"It softens a bit,'' she said of the hurt.
It also helps to keep in touch with the families of four other Marines from Ohio who were
killed with her son. Last year she went on vacation with some of them.
"I go through my ups and downs,'' she said. "I'm in awe. I'm very sad."
She chose to bury her son in East Glastonbury rather than at Arlington National Cemetery.
She said he didn't like crowds and Arlington seemed crowded. His grave is near where he
used to hunt deer, and his mother finds comfort that he is close.
"When I see deer there, I take it as a sign,'' she said.
http://www.theday.com/article/20080317/NWS09/909149992
2006
Cpl. Stephen R. Bixler
Hometown: Suffield, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: May 3, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marine Reserves, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Died while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar Province.
Corporal Stephen R. Bixler
BIXLER, Corporal Stephen R. Corporal Stephen R. Bixler, USMC, 20, of Suffield, beloved son of
Richard S. and Linda (Ridel) Bixler, was killed in action in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq, Thursday
(May 4, 2006). He was conducting patrols against enemy forces in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. This was Corporal Bixler's second tour in Iraq. Corporal Bixler was a member of the 2nd
Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp
Lejeune, NC. Corporal Bixler enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in July of 2003. Corporal Bixler
applied for and was selected as a member of the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion as a result of his
exceptional military skills, fortitude, drive and abilities. His decorations include: Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2nd
award), Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal,
Iraq Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
(2nd award) and Purple Heart Medal. Stephen was born in Hartford on August 17, 1985, and was a lifelong resident of
Suffield, graduating from Suffield High School with the class of 2003. Stephen was vigorously involved in high school
athletics programs and was a member of the indoor/outdoor track team as well as the cross-country team. Stephen
loved the outdoors and exemplified this by demonstrating his skills as a Boy Scout, culminating in his designation as
an Eagle Scout in May of 2003. Stephen was exceptional at snowboarding and had just taken up surfing as well as
spending time off road four wheeling in his Jeep. Stephen most loved spending time at home with his family and
friends. He enjoyed a good movie, telling stories and will be remembered as a quiet, happy, dedicated and hardworking man who had high goals and worked exceptionally hard to achieve them. A loving son, brother, grandson,
nephew and friend, Stephen will be greatly missed by all who knew him. In addition to his parents, Richard and Linda,
he leaves his twin sister, Sandra L. Bixler of Suffield; grandmothers Gloria Ridel of Suffield and Marjorie Bixler of East
Windsor; his aunts and uncles, Patricia and Steven Brozek of Stafford, Dennis and Ann Bixler of Florida, Virginia Bixler
of Ashby, MA, Donald and Nina Bixler of Windsor Locks, Daniel Bixler of Bloomington, IN; his cousins, Laura,
Christine, Christopher, Matthew, Amy, and Cindy; his goddaughter, Cecelia; and many other family and friends. He
was predeceased by his grandfathers, Lawrence Ridel Sr., and Roy Bixler; and his uncle and godfather, Larry Ridel Jr.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, May 17, 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 446 Mountain Road,
Suffield. Corporal Bixler will be buried on Thursday, May 18, at 2 p.m., with Full Military Honors at Arlington National
Cemetery, Arlington VA. His family will receive friends on Tuesday from 3-8 p.m. at the Nicholson & Carmon Funeral
Home, 443 East Street, (Rt. 159) Suffield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Mary's Place, A Center for Grieving Children and Families, 6
Poquonock Avenue, Windsor CT 06095-2507 or the Corporal Stephen R. Bixler Memorial Fund, c/o First National
Bank of Suffield, Attn: Anne Rossi, P.O. Box 96, Suffield, CT 06078. Please visit us at www.carmonfuneralhome.com
to express online condolences.
Published in Hartford Courant on May 13, 2006
Cpl. Stephen Bixler
Suffield Man Was Proud To Serve
By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY And MONICA POLANCO Courant Staff Writers
May 5, 2006
SUFFIELD - Marine Cpl. Stephen Bixler, a 2003 graduate of Suffield High School, was killed May 4, 2006
while on foot patrol near Fallujah in Iraq. He was 20.
Marine Cpl. Stephen Bixler felt bad when he was sent to Fallujah for his second tour of duty in Iraq.
He thought it was too safe compared with the even more dangerous Ramadi, said Allen Hoffacker, a
Suffield High School teacher whose children are friends with Bixler.
Bixler, 20, was killed Thursday while on foot patrol near Fallujah. On Thursday, word of his death spread
throughout this town of about 14,000 and residents began to mourn their loss.
Bixler leaves behind his parents, Richard and Linda; a twin sister, Sandra; and dozens of people who knew
him as intelligent and athletic, and as a quiet but strong leader, whether it was in the Boy Scouts or on the
high school cross-country team.
"The town of Suffield - and I'm sure I speak for all on the board of selectmen - is extremely sorry to hear
this," said Selectman Douglas H. Viets. "Our prayers go out for him and his family, and we appreciate the
service he has given the country."
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered both the U.S. and Connecticut flags to be flown at half-staff until sundown on the
day of Bixler's interment, which has not yet been scheduled. "The thoughts and prayers of all Connecticut
residents are with the Bixler family today," Rell said in a statement.
Thomas Jones, principal of Suffield High School, said he learned about Bixler's death from a teacher
Thursday morning. He said he announced it to students and asked for a moment of silence.
Bixler, who graduated in 2003, was not like other high school students, he said.
"Stephen was kind of a quiet leader among his peers," he said. "There was a strength of character about
him, and a self-assurance that was unusual for someone his age. He just had focus," he said. "He knew he
wanted to be a Marine. He was proud to serve in Iraq. He was just a solid person all around."
Bixler had served a tour in Haiti with the Marines before he was assigned to Iraq. He had recently visited the
school to talk to students about his experiences in Iraq, Jones said. But there was a lot he didn't say.
"You could tell that there was a lot more that he had experienced that he wasn't sharing," Jones said.
A former senior patrol leader in local Boy Scout Troop 260, Bixler worked hard to become an Eagle Scout.
He created a concrete fire pit at the Jesse F. Smith Memorial Forest, a map of the park and signs to guide
visitors there, said Larry Quinn, scoutmaster of Troop 260. His parents are still active in the troop, he said.
"He was an excellent scout. He was the kind of boy that got along with everyone," Quinn said. "He was a
mentor to all the boys. This is a big loss."
Quinn said the troop had just held an Eagle ceremony Tuesday night, and Richard Bixler was there.
Quinn had asked, "How is our boy doing overseas?" he said. Richard Bixler said he was doing all right.
Neighbor Frank Kulina had noticed that a lot of cars were parked in front of the Bixler home Thursday. Then
he read about Bixler's death in the newspaper. He went over to the Bixlers' house to offer his support.
"I can't believe it," he said.
Hoffacker, who teaches English, said Bixler was "a very shy, soft-spoken, modest, very dedicated young
man. Very patriotic, in a quiet, determined way."
The Bixler residence shows the family's pride. Two "mother's flags," with their telltale stars, hang by a
window. A Marine flag hangs by the door. Yellow ribbons are tied to the seven trees on the front lawn.
A person who answered the door of the home said the family did not wish to comment.
Hoffacker said he made plans with Bixler during his recent return home.
"I said that when he came back, we would go fishing for bluefish in the Sound," Hoffacker said.
An Associated Press report is included in this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Stephen R. Bixler
Corporal, United States Marine Corps
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 400-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 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 two Marines who were
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Captain Brian S. Letendre, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia
Corporal Stephen R. Bixler, 20, of Suffield, Connecticut
Letendre died May 3, 2006, while conducting combat operations against enemy forces
in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's Inspector
and Instructor Staff, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Plainville, Connecticut.
Bixler died May 4, 2006, while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in
Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd
Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Media with questions about Letendre can call Marine Forces Reserve Public Affairs at
(504) 678-6539. Media with questions about Bixler can call the 2nd Marine Division
Public Affairs Office at (910) 451-9033.
2nd Reconnaissance Battalion memorializes fallen Marine
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story by Gunnery Sergeant Mark Oliva
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (May 12, 2006) -- Marines from 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion,
assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 in Fallujah, paused to honor Corporal Stephen
R. Bixler. Bixler was killed in action May 4, 2006. He was 20-years-old.
Bixler was assigned to 2nd Recon Bn.’s Headquarters and Service Company,
Provisional Rifle Platoon.
Sergeant Bobby D. Rivera pays tribute to Corporal Bixler, 12 May 2006
“Corporal Bixler was a vibrant, active man,” said Lieutenant Colonel James M. Bright,
the battalion’s commander. “He died fearlessly leading and willingly sacrificing his
own safety for those around him.”
Bixler was Boy Scout as a child, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Suffield
High School in Hartford, Conn., where he ran cross-country and indoor and outdoor
track. He graduated in 2003 and joined the Marine Corps.
He graduated recruit training from M Company, 3rd Battalion, Recruit Training
Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He completed the
School of Infantry and was assigned the infantry military occupational specialty.
He was later assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment and deployed to Haiti and
Iraq.
“Along the way, he became a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Marines,” Bright
said. Later, he volunteered to join 2nd Recon Bn. He passed the screening and was
awaiting eye surgery before attending the Basic Reconnaissance Course, when the
battalion was searching for leaders to fill the ranks of the Provisional Rifle Platoon. He,
once again, volunteered.
“He was exactly that type of Marine we were looking for,” Bright explained.
Bixler’s platoon commander, First Lieutenant Nicholas J. Lodestro, said his first
impressions of the Marine was he was “loyal, knowledgeable and dedicated.”
“He was a warrior I felt comfortable to serve with,” said 26-year-old Lodestro from
Jamestown, New York. “He was the man in front protecting us. He was a dedicated,
unselfish, charismatic warrior."
Sergeant Mike C. Phelan, a 22-year-old fellow Recon Marine from Seyreville, New
Jersey, said Bixler had several nicknames from “Scuba Steve” to “Smelly Steve.”
“They were all terms of endearment,” Phelan said. “There were two Steve’s. There was
the quiet leader … and the other – loud, surfing, lady-chasing.”
Phelan described Bixler as man with a great sense of humor, but profound insight.
“He used to say when it rains, it’s not the atmosphere changing,” Phelan recalled. “But
God crying for us and what we’re about to do.”
The short, quiet ceremony was marked by Bible verses and prayers honoring Bixler.
Corporal Jeffrey D. Sullivan, a 22-year-old from Annapolis, Maryland, assigned to 2nd
Recon Bn.’s A Company, played “Amazing Graze” on the bagpipes.
Final Roll was called and three times, Corporal. Stephen R. Bixler’s name was called
only to be answered by silence. “Taps” followed in a final farewell.
“He was a loving son and brother, devoted friend … Marine,” Bright said. “No more
could be asked of any man. When final roll is called and Stephen no longer answers,
Steven’s still here. He’s emblazoned on our hearts.”
Bixler’s awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon with gold star in lieu
of second award, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal,
Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment
Ribbon with bronze star in lieu of second award.
Bixler is survived by his parents, Richard and Linda Bixler.
Services Next Week For Marine
May 13, 2006
Services will be held next week for a local Marine who died in Iraq May 4, 2006.
Lance Corporal Stephen R. Bixler, 20, a 2003 graduate of Suffield High School, was
killed while on patrol in Al Anbar province.
Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church, 446 Mountain Road in
Suffield. He will be buried the following day with full military honors at Arlington
National Cemetery in Virginia.
Bixler, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, has received the Purple Heart and
the Combat Action Ribbon.
Bixler, who was an Eagle Scout, joined the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2003. He is
survived by his parents, Richard and Linda Bixler, and his twin sister, Sandra L. Bixler.
May 18, 2006
Marine Corporal Stephen R. Bixler of Suffield, Connecticut, made it clear to his parents
that he wanted to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery if he was killed in Iraq.
Family, friends and other mourners found themselves fulfilling that wish Thursday as
they gathered in a corner of the cemetery where the neatly tended, rolling lawns are
marked by row after row of simple, white marble headstones.
Bixler, 20, who died May 4, 2006, in combat in Al Anbar province, was buried with
military honors.
"He was a quiet, respectful person," said longtime family friend Kevin Goff after the
burial. "He grew up knowing from an early age that he wanted to be a soldier. It was
part of Stephen."
Goff said Bixler told his parents, Richard and Linda, to bury him at Arlington if
anything happened to him in Iraq.
"He really is where he wanted to be, in Arlington," Goff said. "He is with his buddies
who have given so much for freedom."
Six Marines in dress uniforms carefully removed the flag-covered casket from the
hearse and carried it to the grave site amid a sudden rain shower. After a eulogy, a
seven-member Marine guard fired three shots.
A Marine presented Bixler's parents with the American flag that had covered his
casket.
Bixler served in the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, Goff said.
Bixler joined the Marines after graduating from Suffield High School in 2003. He was an
Eagle Scout and a runner.
Bixler was the 31st person from Connecticut to have died since March 2002 in Iraq and
Afghanistan. He was the 233rd person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be buried at
Arlington.
Goff said Bixler was proud to serve in Iraq, where he believed he was making a
difference in the lives of ordinary Iraqis struggling to rebuild their country.
"He'd say, 'Those people really need us over there,"' Goff recalled. "You'd look into his
eyes and the message was very clear. We knew he was making a difference in people's
lives over there."
A hearse bearing Bixler's casket traveled from Connecticut to the cemetery with police
escorts from various cities and states during the drive. Family and friends were
overwhelmed by the many salutes along the way from average citizens, many of them
stuck in traffic because of the motorcade, said Goff.
"It was a true American tribute to a guy who gave his life for all of us," said Goff.
Suffield renames post office for fallen Marine
1 October 2007
Suffield, Connecticut, is renaming their town post office in honor of home town hero
who was killed in Iraq.
The town won congressional approval tonight to re-name its post office in honor of
Marine Corporal Stephen Bixler.
The 20-year-old Marine died in Fallujah in 2006.
The new name of the Suffield Post Office will now be the Corporal Stephen R. Bixler
Post Office.
Monday, June 16, 2008:
SUFFIELD, Connecticut — Two years ago, not long after taking up surfing and off-road
four-wheeling in his free time, 20-year-old Marine Corporal Stephen R. Bixler was killed
while on patrol in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.
The citation accompanying the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
posthumously awarded to Bixler says that on May 4, 2006, Bixler was conducting a
nighttime route clearance operation when he identified an improvised explosive
device, or IED, site and warned fellow Marines, allowing them time and space to
protect themselves.
Bixler moved forward to conduct a more thorough sweep of the area when a buried IED
exploded, killing him.
“Corporal Bixler’s selfless and courageous actions allowed the members of his
platoon to gain enough distance from the blast and undoubtedly saved several lives,”
the citation reads.
Five years ago, a school track star, Bixler graduated from Suffield High School. The
same year, 2003, he’d also attained the level of Eagle Scout after demonstrating
exceptional skills as a Boy Scout.
Described by his family as happy, dedicated, movie-loving, and quiet, and by fellow
Marines as dedicated, unselfish, loyal, and loud, Bixler was awarded the Purple Heart,
presented to his family in May of 2006. He was later buried at Arlington National
Cemetery with full military honors.
Last July the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to honor Bixler by supporting the
naming of the post office 235 Mountain Road after him. Just short of one year later, it’s
going to happen.
On Tuesday, June 17, at 9:30 a.m., a ceremonial dedication will take place in the
auditorium at Suffield Middle School, 350 Mountain Road, and the post office will be
designated the Corporal Stephen R. Bixler Post Office.
But getting it done took more than a quick signature on a simple form. Because the
post office is a federal building, the town needed the proper authority to change its
name.
There was also a bit of hesitation from some community members that the renaming of
the building would set a precedent.
However, U.S. Representative Joseph D. Courtney, D-2nd District, did not hesitate to
spearhead the effort to name the post office after Bixler and requested comments and
feedback from local officials.
Letters sent to Courtney last July by First Selectman Scott R. Lingenfelter,
Representative Ruth C. Fahrbach, R-Windsor, Senator John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, and
Gov. M. Jodi Rell all spoke to Bixler’s highly regarded position in the community as
well as to his military service.
“Hundreds of friends, relatives, and strangers attended his wake to show their love
and support,” wrote Fahrbach. “In my opinion, naming the Suffield Post Office in
honor of Corporal Stephen R. Bixler is appropriate and well deserved.”
Kissel wrote that, “Corporal Bixler, who selflessly gave his life for his country, fellow
service members, and all of us, deserves to be commemorated for his bravery and
sacrifice.”
Rell wrote in her letter to Courtney that she joined Fahrbach in urging him to pursue
legislation to preserve the memory of “one of our fallen heroes,” and Lingenfelter’s
letter called the naming of the post office in honor of Bixler “an appropriate tribute to a
man who sacrificed his life for his country.”
Courtney last week called Bixler a 20-year-old, high-achieving young man who had
almost limitless opportunities coming out of high school.
“For him to have chosen military service — and arguably the most challenging part of
the military, the Marines, when it was pretty certain it would result in a deployment —
says something extraordinary about him,” Courtney said.
Richard Bixler, Stephen Bixler’s father, said the naming of the post office was made
possible through a grassroots effort that involved hundreds of e-mails, telephone
calls, and letters of support from town citizens.
“It just shows a community’s gratitude toward Stephen and his sacrifice,” he said.
Patriot Guard rider Richard Yager of La Plata, Maryland, left, stands with Bob Ellis of Waldorf, Maryland,
as they salute the casket of Marine Corporal Stephen Richard Bixler of Suffield, Connecticut, during
funeral services
at Arlington National Cemetery May 18, 2006.
Father Michael Dolan, rear, left, and Marine Master Sergeant. Barry Baker, rear, right,
watch as a Marine honor guard carries the casket of Marine Corporal Stephen Richard
Bixler during funeral services at Arlington Thursday, May 18, 2006
Father Michael Dolan, under umbrella, center, delivers words at the gravesite of
Marine Corporal Stephen Richard Bixler during funeral services at the Arlington
National Cemetery Thursday, May 18, 2006
A Marine honor guard prepares to fold the American flag that draped the casket of Marine
Corporal Stephen Richard Bixler during funeral services at the Arlington National Cemetery, Thursday,
May 18, 2006.
Richard and Linda Bixler, center, seated, comfort one another at the gravesite of their son
Marine Corporal Stephen Richard Bixler of Suffield, Connecticut, during funeral services
at Arlington National Cemetery Thursday, May 18, 2006
Linda Bixler, center, lowers her head and is comforted by her husband Richard Bixler as Marine
Master Ssergeant Barry Baker, kneeling, presents them with the American flag that draped the casket of
their
son, Marine Corporal Stephen Richard Bixler during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery,
Thursday, May 18, 2006.
BIXLER, STEPHEN RICHARD
CPL US MARINE CORPS
DATE OF BIRTH: 08/17/1985
DATE OF DEATH: 05/04/2006
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8344
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Photo Courtesy of Holly, November 2006
Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson
Hometown: Milford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: August 25, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Plainville, Conn.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Jordan C. Pierson
PIERSON, Corporal Jordan C. Corporal Jordan C. Pierson, age 21, of Milford, was killed in
combat on Friday, (August 25, 2006), while defending our freedom in Fallujah, Al Anbar Province,
Iraq. Son of Eric and Beverley True Pierson, he was born on June 22, 1985 in St. Petersburg, FL.
He graduated from Foran High School in Milford, in 2003. Jordan was studying business at the
University of Connecticut. He was a Marine Corps Reservist and delayed completion of his studies
to deploy with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division located
in Plainville. His military decorations include National Defense Service Medal, Global War On
Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Sea Service
Deployment Ribbon, Combat Action Ribbon, and Purple Heart with Gold Star in lieu of second award. He was
promoted to a Non Commissioned Officer to the rank of Corporal, in July 2006, while serving in Iraq. In addition to his
parents, Jordan is survived by his brother Ethan Pierson of Milford; paternal grandparents, Jane Pierson of Hamden,
Walter Pierson and his wife, Sheila McPharlin of Old Saybrook, maternal grandmother, Norma True of West Haven;
four uncles, Michael Pierson of Chelmsford, MA, Dana True of Marathon, NY, Robin True and Ronald True, both of
West Haven; two aunts, Roberta Jones of West Haven and Nancy Granton of Watertown, 11 cousins, 8 second
cousins and 2 third cousins due to be born this year. He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Ronald C.
True, Sr. Friends may call on Sunday from 2-8 p.m. at the Cody-White Funeral Home, 107 Broad Street on the Green,
Milford. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, September 4 at 2 p.m. at the Calvary Evangelical Free Church,
498 White Plains Road, Trumbull. Interment will be held with Full Military Honors on Wednesday, September 6 at 2
p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Foran High School Scholarship Fund, 80 Foran Road, Milford,
CT 06460 or the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation at http://www.mclef.org.
www.codywhitefuneralservice.com
Published in Hartford Courant from September 1 to September 2, 2006
Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson
By HILDA MUÑOZ AND TINA A. BROWN Courant Staff Writers
August 27, 2006
Marine Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson of Milford, 21, died Aug. 25, 2006 from hostile gunfire while on foot patrol in
Fallujah. He was a member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines.
A U.S. Marine corporal from Milford died from hostile gunfire Friday while on foot patrol in Fallujah, the U.S.
Defense Department said Saturday.
Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson, 21, was shot once through the shoulder and died at 12:12 p.m. Iraqi time, according
to Lt. Col. Gerald Larghe, commander of the U.S. Marine Center in Plainville, where Pierson's company Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines - is based.
He became the third Marine with ties to the company to be killed in action since the unit was deployed in
March.
Pierson joined the U.S. Marine Corps in December 2003. He was wounded in the arms and legs by
shrapnel from an insurgent grenade in May. He was treated at Camp Fallujah and awarded the Purple
Heart.
A full-time student at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Pierson postponed his studies to go to Iraq,
military officials said. The unit is scheduled to return to Connecticut in October.
Milford Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. visited Pierson's family Saturday. "I expressed the condolences from
the city of Milford," he said. "Once the time comes, this city will remember him in a big way. We are known
as a small city with a big heart."
For now, Richetelli said, the family asks for privacy.
"The family is in shock and is trying to process this," he said.
Pierson's profile on MySpace.com mentioned the Marine Corps more than once. He said he thought of his
staff sergeant as a "hero," and he also wrote "Marines 4 life" at the top of his page.
Pierson, a 2003 graduate of Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford, was also a fan of Elton John, Britney
Spears and Hilary Duff, according to the profile. He had an obvious sense of humor and a personality.
"I think I'm cooler than you," Pierson wrote. "I'd like to meet cute girls."
Flags were lowered to half-staff in Milford and at the state Capitol in Pierson's honor.
A tree in front of Milford City Hall that was lit to honor men and women in service the day the Iraq war
started in March 2003 will be darkened until after Pierson's funeral, Richetelli said. Pierson is the only U.S.
serviceman from Milford killed in the war, he said.
He is survived by his father, Eric C. Pierson; his mother, Beverley A. Pierson; and 11-year-old brother
Ethan.
Marine Capt. Brian S. Letendre, who lived in New Britain while serving as the Charlie Company's inspectorinstructor in Plainville, died in combat in Iraq in May. Earlier this month, Lance Cpl. Kurt E. Dechen, of
Springfield, Vt., was shot and killed while on foot patrol. He died on his 24th birthday.
Contact Hilda Muñoz at hmunoz@courant.com.
Information from an AP report is included in this story. Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Jordan Christopher Pierson
Corporal, United States Marine Corps
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 819-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 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.
Corporal Jordan C. Pierson, 21, of Milford, Connecticut, died August 25, 2006, while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Plainville, Connecticut.
Media with questions about this Marine can call the Marine Forces Reserve at (978) 7962839.
28 August 2006:
A Milford, Connecticut, Marine has made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
21-year-old Corporal Jordan Pierson of Milford died while fighting in Iraq.
Tonight, Pierson's family is speaking out about their son's life.
Pierson's death had touched the whole community and tonight his parents are speaking
out about the loss of their son.
21-year-old Jordan Pierson was killed in action in Iraq on Friday.
The Marine Corporal had been injured back in June and already had already earned a
Purple Heart. He just returned back to his unit.
Pierson graduated from Foran High in 2003 and put off attending the University of
Connecticut so he could serve his country.
His parents say in recent phone calls home he was talking more and more about his return.
"We are immeasurably saddened by the loss of our son Jordan who was called home
before he had the opportunity to enjoy all that life has to offer but we find comfort in the
memories we treasure," says Eric Pierson, father.
"The last phone call I got a part of the Jordan I know, putting it all into the mission so he
could get home," says Beverly Pierson, mother.
His mother says that Jordan was due back here in Milford in just 60 days.
A tree in front of Milford City Hall that is lit to honor servicemen and women has been
darkened until after Pierson's funeral.
Governor Rell also ordered flags to be lowered to half staff until Pierson's funeral.
Arrangements have not yet been made for the funeral, but the family says they will bury
him in Arlington National Cemetery.
Mourning a Marine killed in Iraq
28 August 2006
Nearing the end of a grueling tour of duty in Iraq, Marine Corporal Jordan C. Pierson was
looking forward to returning home and was already making plans to go skydiving.
The 21-year-old Milford man never made it.
Pierson was killed Friday during combat operations in Al Anbar province when he was
struck in the shoulder by small arms fire while on a foot patrol, according to the Marines.
"We're here to honor Jordan's memory and revere his sacrifice," said his father, Eric, as
the family gathered Monday in the backyard of their home.
Pierson was awarded a Purple Heart after he and another serviceman were hit with
shrapnel earlier this year when a grenade exploded near them. His unit arrived in Fallujah
in late March and was scheduled to return in late October of this year.
Pierson, who spoke to his family nearly weekly by telephone, said in his most recent
conversation that he was looking forward to coming home and continuing his college
studies, his family said. The plans for skydiving were typical of a man who enjoyed riding a
motorcycle and playing paintball.
"He was a kid who took a lot of risks. He lived life to the fullest," said his mother, Beverley.
Pierson and other Marines would sometimes spend 24 hours at a time on a mission in heat
that reached 125 degrees, his family said.
"It was a serious mission and it was a draining mission," Beverley Pierson said.
Pierson will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, his family said. Funeral
arrangements have not been made yet.
"If you learn anything from Jordan's example, you will have learned that he gave of himself
and how will you give of yourself today," his mother said.
Pierson, a 2003 graduate of Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford, was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Plainville. He was the second
Marine from the 25th Regiment to be killed this month. Lance Corporal Kurt Dechen, 24, of
Springfield, Vermont, was on a foot patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, on August 3,2006, when his unit
came under fire and he was shot.
Thirty members of the military and two civilians with Connecticut ties have died since
March 2002 in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Pierson's profile on MySpace.com mentioned the Marine Corps several times. He said his
staff sergeant was a hero, and he wrote "Marines 4 life" at the top of his page.
A tree in front of Milford City Hall that was lit to honor servicemen and women will be
darkened until after Pierson's funeral, Mayor James Richetelli said. Lights on the tree were
lit the day the Iraq war began in March 2003.
The mayor ordered flags at half staff. Governor M. Jodi Rell also ordered flags to be
lowered until Pierson's funeral.
Pierson, a student at the University of Connecticut who postponed his studies to serve in
Iraq, is survived by his parents and his 11-year-old brother, Ethan.
Pierson, who was not married, was studying business and considering a minor in
psychology, his father said.
Kathy Hart, a neighbor, said Pierson always talked about joining the military.
"I think he wanted to go over there and do the job that needed to be done," Hart said.
Hart remembered a boy who was always running across yards with a big smile across his
face.
"He always had that smile," she said, fighting back tears.
28 August 2006:
Jordan Pierson, the Marine reservist killed during an insurgent attack in Iraq, was a young
man grounded in faith who lived life to the fullest and believed in the mission he was
pursuing, his parents said during an emotional press conference Monday.
"He had a strong sense of belief in what he was doing," his father, Eric Pierson, told a
gaggle of reporters and camera crews assembled in the backyard of the family's Whalley
Avenue home, adding that his son loved the Marine Corps and felt he was part of a "band
of brothers."
Pierson, 21, was killed in action near the city of Fallujah on Friday. A rifleman in the 1st
Battalion 25th Marines, Charlie Company, Pierson took fire while on patrol and was hit by a
bullet from an enemy-combatant's assault rifle, possibly an AK-47. He was evacuated to
the Fallujah Medical Authority and pronounced dead at 12:12 p.m. later the same day. The
bullet entered Pierson's shoulder, but likely did extensive internal damage, said Sergeant
Peter Walz, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesman. "We do not have the autopsy report, but [the
AK-47] is a lethal weapon; that's why it is banned in the U.S."
With remarkable composure and her husband by her side, Beverly Pierson described her
son as a risk taker who "had a tenacity for life. He put his whole being into it and decided
not to listen to the limits of other people."
She urged mourners to remember Jordan as a role model, and not to dwell on his death.
"Grieve," she said, "but do not get stuck in it." She also challenged others to follow her
son's lead and "make a plan to do something for someone else."
Pierson, who had lived in Milford for 12 years, was scheduled to return home in roughly 60
days. He was looking forward to life as a civilian, his mother said, adding that he planned
to resume an education he had put on hold to join the Marines. Pierson wanted to pursue a
business degree at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, his family said. A 2003 graduate
of Foran High School, Pierson was a paint-ball enthusiast and avid video and computer
gamer who always had an interest in the military, his father said. A caption under his
photograph in his high school yearbook says: "There is no future, The future is now. So
make the most of it Foran."
In the Marines, Pierson was a leader who had a talent for lifting the spirits of the men
around him when they were down, said his commanding officer. His unwavering belief
helped those who questioned their faith and mission in Iraq. "Cpl. Pierson had been a
bright spot in his platoon, in a place that can take the softest of hearts into a void of
darkness," First Seregeant Ben Grainger said in a eulogy published in the
FallujahCourant.com, a Web site updated by the Marines in Camp Fallujah.
"Even when the gloom of combat reached deep into a man's soul, Corporal Pierson could
bring the Marine back to a sense of purpose, a sense of why we were here and that was
making a difference," he wrote, adding that Pierson was destined to be a leader in the
Marines.
Pierson's military decorations attest to the descriptions of selflessness and courage
provided by Grainger and the Pierson family. Pierson was awarded the Purple Heart after
being injured in a previous insurgent attack in which a grenade exploded and pelted him
with shrapnel. After recovering from his wounds, he returned to combat this spring.
He was also awarded the Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal,
Combat Action Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal.
The Piersons have not made funeral plans for their son and said they are waiting for the
body to be returned by the Marines. They will hold a local service at Calvary Alliance
Church on Orange Avenue and bury their son in Arlington National Cemetery.
Asked whether Connecticut had any plans to honor Pierson, State Senator Gayle
Slossberg said, "It's a little early for that. We're taking it day by day."
The city, meanwhile, continues to mourn Pierson's death and will most likely provide a
permanent memorial in the near future, said Mayor James L. Richetelli.
"We're a city of 53,000, but we're all individuals," the mayor said. "We've lost one, we all
hurt and we all hurt for [the Pierson family]. But the community has really come together
like it always does and that makes me proud. In the weeks ahead, we'll decide how we are
going to honor his memory in a permanent way."
3 September 2006:
It was a somber Sunday for the friends and family of one of Connecticut's war heroes killed
in Iraq. They remembered the life of Marine Corporal Jordan Pierson, calling him a young
man with big heart and a love for life.
A horse draped with the empty boots of a fallen Marine marched in Milford. It is a symbol
of the sacrifice and courage of Corporal Jordan Pierson.
"He lived out his dream and that's all we can ask for on this short time on earth."
In his short life, the 21-year-old who grew up in Milford left behind a legacy of love and
friendship.
"It's rough, man. It's a terrible loss, I loved the kid with all my heart."
Aching hearts for the man who had been wounded once before in Iraq, had earned the
Purple Heart and returned to fight alongside his fellow Marines.
"He was a natural born leader and just an all around good kid, unselfish and very caring."
"This had to be an exceptional young man, he took shrapnel and went right back into
service, that speaks alot of Corporal Pierson."
Pierson put off attending UConn to serve his country. Friend say his commitment to his
mission never wavered.
"Because he knew those people needed help and that is just the kind of person Pierson is
and will always be."
"He was willing to put his life on the line to keep this land the way it is."
Though he's gone, treasured memories remain.
"I will miss him every single day of my life, he was like a brother."
A bond among friends and fellow Marines who will never forget.
"I say thank you, thank you very much."
"If somebody could take 25-percent of what he was about they will wake up a better
person."
A memorial service for Corporal Pierson will be held tomorrow in Trumbull. He'll be laid to
rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia Wednesday.
7 September 2006:
City residents came together Monday to say goodbye to one of their own. Marine Corporal
Jordan Pierson, 21, departed his hometown for his final resting place at Arlington National
Cemetery at about 1 p.m.
Residents began to gather on the Milford Green at about 11:30 a.m. Angie Salanto was one
of the first to arrive. She and a friend sat on a park bench across from the Cody-White
Funeral Home in quiet reflection.
Salanto said it was important for her to attend the send-off for many reasons.
"First, to pay respects to this boy," she said. "I don't know him, and it doesn't matter. My
heart goes out to his family. He paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life. Also, I am a Gold
Star sister, and I am the wife of a deceased Vietnam veteran. I think I belong here."
Helen Jorge came from West Haven. She choked back tears as she held a tiny American
Flag. "I don't know this family, or this boy, but I needed to be here to say 'thank you,'" she
said. "It's the least I could do."
Two men drove by on motorcycles with American Flags mounted on the backs. They
slowed as they passed the funeral home.
Patty Gambori brought her children. "We came to honor one of our own," she said. "This
was a Milford boy. It's important for our children to understand the sacrifice that he made.
"Milford is a town that really comes together in a tragedy. We need to show our support
and to be a part of this occasion," she said.
Gambori's son, Nicholas Holt, 10, participated in the ceremony with his Boy Scout Troop
196.
"We're here to honor a soldier that died," he said.
After noon, more and more people came to the center. Some were in family groups; others
came alone.
The roar of engines filled the air as 12 motorcycle police representing Milford, Bridgeport,
Trumbull and Fairfield arrived. The officers lined up in front of Rainbow Gardens next to
the funeral home.
As the crowd thickened, the Pierson family arrived in a limousine with a police escort at
about 12:15 p.m. His mother looked at the crowd from the car window. The family entered
the funeral home through the rear door.
Shannon Dolan, 7, found a spot next to the road. In her grasp was a hand-made sign
adorned with flag stickers that read, "Thank You Jordan." It was her way of honoring the
young Marine.
Nearby, an elderly man wearing a U.S. Marine shirt and a veteran's cap sat on a park
bench. Although he did not want to give his name, he shook his head and commented on
how young Pierson was.
A man approached and extended his hand, "Thank you, sir, for your service," he said.
The veteran shook his hand and nodded.
Just before 1 p.m. Police Chief Keith Mello and Mayor James Richetelli exited the funeral
home, followed by Fire Chief Louis LaVecchia and Police Commission Chairman Kenneth
Fellenbaum, all of whom stood by the family during this difficult time.
Six Marines in dress uniforms exited and stood at attention at the top of the stairs.
The motorcycle police strapped on their helmets and stood at attention behind their bikes.
The crowd, which swelled to several hundred, was eerily silent and the air was still.
Of the line of flags held by the honor guard, only the red Marine flag pulled away from its
flagpole and waved in the breeze for a couple seconds; the other flags remained still. At
the same time bright sunshine illuminated the front door as the Marines prepared to take
their brother home. Each one slowly raised his hand in a respectful salute as the flagdraped silver casket was wheeled between them.
Pierson's parents, Beverley and Eric, and his uncle, Michael Pierson, stood on the left side
of the entrance as the Marines carried the soldier to a waiting hearse.
Wiping away tears, the family followed them. The sun again hid behind the clouds.
A police car, a pickup truck adorned with several large flags, and the motorcycle police led
the procession.
Along the Milford Green, police officers saluted, veterans lowered their hats to their hearts,
and just about everyone choked back tears as they held their American Flags high,
saluting the fallen soldier in their own way.
Once the family's car passed, the crowd shifted to the other side of the green where they
paid their final respects before Jordan Pierson's journey to Arlington National Cemetery.
7 September 2006:
The body of Marine Corporal Jordan Pierson was laid to rest Wednesday at Arlington
National Cemetery in a ceremony attended by more than 60 family members and friends
who grieved the passing of a young American hero. Pierson, 21, of Milford, Connecticut,
was killed August 25, 2006, by enemy gunfire while he was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq.
Pierson's mother, Beverly; father, Eric; and 11-year-old brother, Ethan, sat at the gravesite.
After Chaplain William Middleton spoke, Beverly Pierson rose to address family and
friends. She read a prayer, "Afterglow," that she said her son would appreciate.
"I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one.
"I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
"I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways.
"Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
"I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun.
"Of happy memories that I leave when life is done."
Middleton acknowledged that these are difficult times for the family and friends gathered at
a place set apart for war heroes. But he told them they can take solace in his exemplary
life.
"As we come to this resting place, we know the Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a place for
him in heaven," he said.
Middleton also told those gathered near Pierson's flag-draped casket that his sacrifice
reminded him of that of missionary William Borden, the heir to the Borden Dairy estate
who gave away his fortune in the early 1900s to help the needy of the world.
Borden, who attended Yale University and graduated from Princeton Seminary, is
remembered for writing in his Bible the phrases: "No reserves; No retreat; and No regrets."
He died at age 25 after contracting spinal meningitis in Egypt — on his way to a mission in
China.
"Jordan lived this kind of life: No reserve. No retreat," Middleton said.
A firing party volleyed three shots in honor of Pierson, and a lone bugler played taps.
Major General Cornell Wilson then presented Pierson's mother with the American flag that
draped his casket.
Pierson was the 260th person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be buried at Arlington.
He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in
Plainville, Connecticut.
Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Representative Rosa DeLauro, D-3, attended the
ceremony.
"There is not much you can say except to offer your prayers and love," DeLauro said. "It is
just so sad. It is very difficult to lose a young hero."
Marine Recalled as a True Hero
Corporal Worried About Others More Than Himself, Friends Say
By Arianne Aryanpur
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Thursday, September 7, 2006
It was apparent early on that Marine Corporal Jordan Pierson was destined for the military,
family friend Gloria Amendola said. Her son, Michael Amendola, was Pierson's best friend.
"When Mike was drawing kites, Jordan was drawing AK-47s," Amendola recalled.
Major General Cornell Wilson presents a flag to Corporal Pierson's parents, Beverly and Eric Pierson, and his
brother, Ethan
Pierson's interest in the military continued through high school. He joined the Marines
immediately after graduating in 2003.
Yesterday afternoon, mourners gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor Pierson,
21, of Milford, Connecticut. He died August 25, 2006, from small-arms fire in Anbar
province, Iraq.
He was the 260th person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be buried at Arlington.
The motorcade to Section 60 included Patriot Guard Riders -- motorcyclists who
sometimes attend military funerals to pay respects. Pierson's parents -- Eric and Beverley
Pierson -- and his brother, Ethan, 11, led the procession through the soggy grass to grave
site No. 8,421.
The two clergymen who delivered the sermon told those gathered that Pierson was a hero
and that Arlington was a fitting resting place for the young man.
After graduating from Foran High School in Milford, Pierson attended recruit training at
Parris Island, South Carolina. He was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based in Plainville, Connecticut. Pierson was deployed to
Iraq in March and was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded by a hand grenade.
Michael Amendola said Pierson was trying to protect others. "He was worried about others
more than his own well-being, and that is the true meaning of a hero, of a Marine,"
Amendola said yesterday.
After the Arlington ceremony, friends and family gathered near their cars, sharing stories
and memories.
His grandmother remembered taking him to the airport the day he was deployed to Iraq.
"He was so quiet when he was leaving," she said. "He had a lot going on in his head. He
knew where he was going."
Ethan recalled he and his brother spending hours playing video games. "He always said I
was cheating," he said. Others said Pierson enjoyed paintball and making people laugh.
Gloria Amendola said that she had sent Pierson an article after he had deployed about the
future of warfare. But Pierson had a keen interest in military news and had already read
about it, she said.
Pierson's first tour of Iraq was to conclude in October, according to military officials. He
kept in touch with family and friends through handwritten letters. Although he wrote home
often, he never complained. He loved what he was doing, Gloria Amendola said.
"We're going to miss him," she said, "but we know he died doing what he believed in."
Stoic In Devotion 'Marines Don't Cry'
September 10, 2006
By JESSE HAMILTON,
Courtesy of the Hartford Courant
It's strength they want to show now, as they stand in this field of white marble markers.
Strength for Corporal Jordan Pierson. Strength for his family. Utterly unruffled.
So they watch without expression as their friend's casket is prepared for the grave. They
stand, their mirror-polished shoes on Arlington National Cemetery grass, the brass
buttons on their dress blues shining, each face a solemn mask. The way they were taught.
"Marines don't smile," one of the Marines from Charlie Company had said that morning at
the hotel.
Not that there's any cause to smile here, in one of the country's most somber places,
where markers bearing the names of the latest conflicts have filled new swaths of land in
the five years since 9/11. The Marines stand behind a crowd from Connecticut and greet
the rifle volleys with stoic faces. They don't flinch at the 24 notes of taps, which wrench a
fresh round of sobs from Pierson's friends and family.
Most of the Marines in the group volunteered to drive more than 300 miles for this
hourlong ceremony. They didn't have to be here. But it was an easy choice. Of course they
want to see this to the end. Pierson deserves it.
So, these Marine reservists from the Plainville-based unit - most of them kept back from
the company's deployment to Iraq for medical reasons - stand as symbols and reminders
for Pierson's people. This is what Pierson was, their quiet presence shouts. He was part of
something serious and had won a place in a fraternity that makes a try at transcending
death.
The Marines, who don't smile.
But of course, they do.
The day before, on Tuesday, a Corporal and three Lance Corporals climb into a borrowed
military van: Corporal Terry Hanechak, 25, from West Springfield; Lance Corporal Roberto
Diaz, 22, from New Britain; Lance Corporal James Serafino, 22, from Stamford; and Lance
Corporal Gregory Duplessie, 25, from Thomaston.
Except for fresh haircuts, tight to their scalps, they look like any other young men, in Tshirts and shorts or jeans, earrings glinting in Diaz's ears. They adjust the stereo to find a
compromise: classic rock, while Diaz plugs into the hip-hop on his laptop. They are young
guys going on a trip. And in each other's easy company, they smile.
These four are some of the Charlie Company Marines in a strange limbo. They were called
for war and ready to serve. But Hanechak's eardrum blew from an infection. Diaz's knee
gave out. Duplessie suffered recurring bouts of tonsillitis. Serafino had a herniated disk in
his back.
None of these is a grave illness, but each was enough to keep the Marine from getting
medical clearance to go to Fallujah with the unit.
So they've watched from afar. They've seen friends come home in caskets. They feel guilty
about not being over there with their comrades, exorcising the demons of 9/11. And they
are anxious to do whatever they can on this end. So they are driving south through the
Atlantic states, every mile taking them closer to the remains of the young corporal shot to
death in Fallujah and about to be buried with military honors.
The gravity of their mission doesn't muffle them. They talk and laugh about girls and cars.
The van is a stage for the rehashing of exploits, from military training exercises to
nocturnal adventures.
Delaware becomes Maryland, then D.C., and finally the van is passing the vast Pentagon
and the green of Arlington National Cemetery, beside which the four Marines find their
hotel and join others from Charlie Company who have made the trip. Through the windows
of the hotel, they can see distant fields of the cemetery, salted with marble.
As evening comes, the Marines descend on Washington, testing the engine of a rented
Cadillac and moving wherever the night pulls them.
At the first stop, it's a round of whiskeys. "To Pierson."
Duplessie, Diaz and Serafino stop at a nightclub, but the bouncers won't let Duplessie in
because he's wearing shorts. He doesn't want to hold his buddies back, so he spends $100
buying the pants off a guy outside. The two swap pants for shorts in the street.
The next day's somber duty doesn't cast a shadow on the Marines' frenzied night. They
know Pierson would be next to them if he could be. The 21-year-old from Milford could
keep up with anybody, they know. And with Pierson now only a few miles away, it is their
final night on the town with him.
Wednesday, the day of Pierson's ceremony, Arlington - a machine of funerary efficiency is planning for five burials.
The Charlie Company Marines have prepared themselves meticulously, checking each
emblem and ribbon, rolling the lint from the backs of each other's uniforms. They look
official, even though they will be only guests today. Arlington has its own honor guards,
the most highly trained in the country.
The Marines drive into the cemetery, unsure of where they are supposed to be or what they
should be doing. They pull over as a hearse and procession approach.
"Should we salute?" Serafino asks, lifting his white-gloved hand to his brow.
"You don't salute in a vehicle," Hanechak answers.
Serafino lowers his hand as the hearse passes. "Are you sure?"
They have conducted their own funeral ceremonies back home, thick with ritual and
tradition, but this is the pinnacle of such things, and there are a lot of rules. When
Pierson's ceremony is to begin, and a crowd gathers, some of the Marines aren't sure what
part to play. In the end, their only job is to stand and watch.
Pierson's "ashes to ashes, and dust to dust" join more than 260,000 others here. As the
folded flag is passed to his parents, the family asks for a moment alone with the casket.
The crowd disperses.
The Marines congregate around a nearby headstone. "Brian Scott Letendre, Captain, U.S.
Marine Corps," it reads.
Letendre, an active-duty officer whose family lived in New Britain, was with Charlie
Company and went to Iraq, where a suicide car bomb killed him in Ramadi in May. The
Marines give him their white-gloved salutes and crouch to touch the stone.
"Marines don't cry," Duplessie will say later.
But the day has struck him deeply. He watched all the people weep for Pierson, all these
people who won't ever be quite the same. Then he looked up and saw the stones in eyebending rows to the horizon, all exactly alike, all marking this same impossible burden
thousands of times over. He could hardly imagine the pain this place had witnessed.
Marines don't cry. But, of course, they do. If it happens, it's better in private or with each
other, they say. As Diaz confesses, when he stood his late-night turns at watch beside
Pierson's open casket days earlier, he shed tears that the demand of his parade-rest
stance wouldn't allow him to wipe.
At this famed burial ground, the white markers are moving in a slow march across the last
open spaces in this famous burial ground.
"There's a lot more ground left in this cemetery," Serafino observes.
Hanechak's answer: "There's always another war to fight."
The Marines return to the hotel and shed their dress uniforms, packing them carefully
away for next time.
On the dark ride home, they'll recall every detail, every step and movement of Pierson's
professional honor guard, as if remembering the highlights of a World Series game. The
graceful steps. The astonishing strength of each pallbearer's one-handed hold on the
casket. The synchronized movements of their hands as they folded the flag. "They were
pretty tight," Duplessie will say. "We gotta learn that."
But first, they decide to make a stop at a monument. After losing their way in the tangle of
D.C.'s roads and quarreling like brothers, they pull up to the Marine Corps War Memorial the bronze statue of the raising of the U.S. flag above Iwo Jima in World War II.
In that battle more than 60 years ago, Charlie Company was there, on the right flank of the
invasion force. The latest Charlie Company Marines stare at the larger-than-life figures,
towering over them, frozen in their efforts to fly the flag.
But the young Marines don't linger. They have to get on the road. Another Marine from
Connecticut has died in Iraq. He'll be needing them.
Marine Corporal and Milford native son Jordan Pierson, who was killed in action in Iraq on
August 25, 2006, was not well known for his faith when he joined the military.
While serving his country, though, he found his ministry, according to his mother, Beverly
Pierson.
The Piersons are members of Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Trumbull.
The Rev. David McIntyre, pastor, said that, though his mother is "very involved," Jordan
was "pushing the edges of the envelope" while still a student at Foran High School.
McIntyre said Pierson wasn't involved in the church, but before he went to boot camp, the
congregation "let him know we'd be praying for him."
Beverly said, "We had to drag him to church, but he learned to minister."
While in Iraq, Pierson learned Arabic to learn about the people for whom he was fighting,
his mother said.
"He's known in communities in Iraq," she said.
McIntyre said that facing the stark issues of life and death might have forced Jordan to
say, "'I can make a difference.'"
"He was reaching out in a positive way to the people of Iraq," McIntyre said.
From what he has heard, McIntyre believes, "He really stepped up and became the leader
he was meant to be."
Both McIntyre and Beverly Pierson believe that was Jordan's ministry. They said he found
a way to do good work with the Iraqis and gave his life for that cause.
Beverly Pierson has many questions but few doubts.
"Why God wanted the leaders, the people who changed lives, is beyond us," she said.
But her loss has led her to greater faith and a firm resolve to make a difference in her son's
name.
"These guys are not going to die in vain," she said.
Jordan Pierson was recently buried in Arlington National Cemetery but with the wrong
name on his tombstone.
The Department of Defense fixed the headstone, but that was not the only problem she
saw while there for the funeral.
"It was like a meat-packing plant," Beverly said. "There were 26 interments that day."
She also has a cousin buried in Arlington. He died in Viet Nam, and she said his "grave
was despicable."
The area where her cousin was buried was unkempt and poorly maintained, she said.
"Washington needs to budget money to keep the cemetery up," Beverly said. "That should
be the foremost thing for a country that sends men over to die."
She calls it her mission to see that the veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice are
honored appropriately.
"I'm finding a connection to God though all of this," she said. "If this is our new mission,
so be it."
The family is still grieving for their lost son and brother, but they believe it was for a
purpose.
"God wanted us to learn more about Jordan," Beverly said, "and the world to know more."
McIntyre said finding these things out about their son has become a key for healing for the
family.
"The harvest that we have seen is wonderfully encouraging," McIntyre said of Jordan's
work.
Jordan's father, Eric Pierson, is writing about their experiences of coping with grief, and
the family is seeing a grief counselor.
"It's been a tough year," Beverly said.
"You have to grieve," she said. "Milford is not going to let [Jordan's memory] die."
24 December 2006:
By Kyn Tolson
Courtesy of the Day.Com
What does a Marine leave at the tombstone of his best friend from war?
For 20-year-old Lance Corporal Jason “Jay” Cooling, there is little in this world much
closer to his true self than a small metal tag.
His dog tag.
That's what he leaves behind, because he can't leave his heart.
On this bright, brisk Saturday morning in December, Cooling has journeyed from
Connecticut to this cemetery on the banks of the Potomac, to the last row of graves where
troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been put into the ground. Just feet from the
gravestone of his friend, Corporal Jordan Christopher Pierson, is a barren swath of earth,
stripped of grass in preparation for the caskets to come.
Cooling has traveled with two others from Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 25th
Marines, based in Plainville. About three months ago, these men in the 2nd platoon were
all living and fighting in Fallujah, Iraq. One of them, Sergeant Terry Rathbun, returned a few
days early in a medical evacuation, in critical condition after being shot in the face while
on foot patrol.
Today, this small band of men, chafing under the stiff collars of their “dress blues,” is on a
pilgrimage of sorts. Two of the four Marines from Charlie Company killed in combat were
buried here. Now these three men, who've changed from jeans and sweatshirts to show
their respect, want to touch the fallen soldiers' graves, take photographs, and leave behind
a token — some measure of meaning.
“There is nothing like the brotherhood of Marines,” Rathbun said. “These men were our
brothers.”
When home is half a world away, it is a beckoning dream with no hard edges.
From arid, battle-ravaged Fallujah, places like East Lyme and Southbury in Connecticut
and Delran in New Jersey hold the promise of life as it should be.
Marines in war talk about video games, jobs they might get, and, of course, girlfriends and
families. Some plan for weddings months away. Almost all of them talk every so often
about the cars or trucks they hope to buy, the food they'll feast on. Taco Bell becomes just
another symbol of all they can't get hold of soon enough.
And then, when home is reality, the gauzy vision takes on sharp shape.
Always there is the goodness of being in the arms of loved ones, finally.
But there is also, for many, the edgy voice inside the head. And it asks: What are you
going to do now?
The nearly 200 men of Charlie Company, which served in Iraq from April to October, are all
answering that question in their own ways.
For some of the reservists it is easier. They will soon fall back into the patterns of college
they postponed, or the jobs they temporarily left behind. And their girlfriends or wives are
glad to have them back in the fold.
For others, the direction is not quite so clear.
“Playing with toys,” says Cooling in short-speak to explain what he's been up to since
arriving home in Southbury to his longtime girlfriend and family. He bought a new 2006
Ford F150 and has been riding his four-wheeler. He and a friend bought a used Nissan they
have been fixing up and plan to sell for a profit.
He tells this to Rathbun, who, despite spending most of October in the National Naval
Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, after a bullet severed muscles and shattered bones
in his face, neck and back, is now behind the wheel of his black Dodge Charger Hemi.
Driving from his home in East Lyme, 35-year-old Rathbun has picked up Cooling, who
carries his formal Marine uniform on a hanger, at the Bridgeport train station.
The next stop will be Delran, New Jersey, where Corporal Thomas Corsanico, 24, lives with
his fiancée.
Rathbun, a squad leader of about a dozen men in Iraq, has organized this overnight
venture.
First they will go to the Bethesda hospital, where Rathbun has unfinished business and
where all three men want to visit wounded Marines. Cooling and Corsanico particularly
want to see any men from the group that replaced them in Fallujah. They've heard that,
already, several have been killed.
Rathbun also wants to see the nurses who cared for him, and he's brought small packages
of Godiva chocolate for them all. This won't be his only return to the hospital. More
operations are planned — one for his teeth and jawbone and plastic surgery for the scar
running from the right side of his mouth down the length of his neck. He hopes surgery
can repair several severed muscles; his right arm isn't held solidly into his shoulder
socket, and he has trouble turning his head to one side.
“I can't do three push-ups,” he says. “I used to do 100, easy.”
Rathbun, recently divorced, has extended his active-duty status for the medical treatment.
Before he was wounded, he toyed with taking a job with the New York Police Department,
where he tested successfully before being called up for war duty.
Now all is uncertain. He wonders about taking the U.S. Postal Service test. He thinks he
can't do the hard labor he once did as a carpenter.
At Bethesda, the liaison office that works with injured Marines and their families has asked
Rathbun if he'd like to help out there.
“You have the kind of attitude we need here,” says Lieutenant Colonel John Worman,
who's in charge of that office and wants to bring in Rathbun. “We need people like you.”
Like Rathbun, Cooling isn't quite sure what he'll do, though he wants to buy a lakeside
house as an investment. His girlfriend studies accounting at Western Connecticut State
University, and he might go next fall to a satellite campus of the University of Connecticut.
He's considered AMI, an automotive technical school in Florida, but it's expensive and the
GI bill probably won't cover all the tuition.
“I gotta do something,” he says. “If I sit around, I just think about Fallujah. ... I know I
couldn't stand being in an office.”
For Corsanico, the future looks more landscaped.
He and his fiancée have moved up a wedding once scheduled for this summer to mid-
January. They expect their first child on July 30. She's a school psychologist, and
Corsanico, who majored in criminal justice at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia,
hopes to line up interviews with the FBI and the Secret Service.
Cooling and Rathbun, who will be in the wedding party with other Marines in their dress
blues, congratulate him heartily — with “oh yeahs.” They tell Corsanico he'll need to trade
in the sporty black Mustang he just purchased for a family van.
“I can't believe it,” says Cooling. “It's 'cause he's my first friend to have a baby. ... But Tom
will be good. It's right. Some others I couldn't see, but Tom I can see.”
At Arlington National Cemetery, the Marines search for Pierson's gravestone.
The marker for Captain Brian Letendre is not far away. He was killed in a bomb explosion a
couple of months before Pierson, of Milford, was shot dead on August 25 while walking on
patrol near Fallujah's downtown market.
At each grave, they leave a tile decorated with a Marine eulogy.
Rathbun also puts down a Marine medallion.
At one, Cooling leaves his dog tag, that bit of metal punched with what the military calls
“the vitals.”
The men say they've come to “see” their friends. For them, it's not a goodbye. It's more of
a greeting, though so difficult they linger speechless. Together, they stand almost at
attention. They take pictures and pose for them. They touch the white marble.
Then, as the men head back to the car, Cooling decides he's going to see his best friend
again.
This time he squats in front of the engraved stone, and takes off his white hat. He cries.
In this sorrow, he, Rathbun and Corsanico head to a memorial — Iwo Jima, just past the
walls of the cemetery.
There, strangers dart over to them, ask them to pose for photos and to be photographed
alongside them.
An 83-year-old Maryland man, Gordon Ward, approaches the trio from Charlie Company.
He tells them he's a survivor of Iwo Jima, a former Marine sergeant, and he opens a
scrapbook of photos and clippings. He talks about the fighting, the wound that forever
changed his leg.
“I lost a lot of friends there,” he says.
They nod. They know.
Back on the road, headed out of Virginia for Interstate 95-North, Cooling says, “I came to
these places in an eighth-grade trip, about six years ago. It didn't mean anything to me
then. But it does now.”
K.I.A.
8/25/06
By: Ethan Pierson
There is a scent of cut grass
I feel myself sinking through the ground
I inhale the scented flowers layered on sacred
ground
I spot our American flag
I feel comfortable, safe, and without a care
I hear soft sounds
I see where my brother lays
I hear cries of sorrow
I see row after row of headstones
I hear Taps on a single scanty trumpet
I taste my anger towards killers
Come with me to Arlington National
PIERSON, JORDAN CHRISTOPHER
CPL US MARINE CORPS
DATE OF BIRTH: 06/22/1985
DATE OF DEATH: 08/25/2006
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8421
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson
Posted: 28 August 2006 Updated: 3 September 2006 Updated: 7 September 2006 Updated: 10 September 2006 Updated: 17 September 2006
Updated: 2 November 2006 Updated: 2 December 2006 Updated: 24 December 2006
Updated: 22 August 2008
Photo Courtesy of Holly, November 2006
Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson
Hometown: Enfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 19 years old
Died: September 3, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province.
Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson
Enfield Recalls A 19-Year-Old Determined To Be A Marine
By DAVID OWENS And HILDA MUÑOZ Courant Staff Writers
September 5, 2006
ENFIELD - Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson of Enfield, a member of the Young Marines from the age of 11,
was killed Sept. 2, 2006 by a roadside bomb near Ramadi, Iraq. He was 19 years old.
A 19-year-old Marine from Enfield was killed Saturday morning in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated as
his unit traveled from Ramadi to Habina, a family friend said Monday.
Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson's parents, Louis and Kathy Johnson, learned of his death Sunday evening
when a Marine Corps casualty assistance team visited their Few Street home.
Word of the young Marine's death spread quickly in Enfield, where Johnson, a 2005 Enfield High School
graduate, was remembered Monday as a "focused and thoughtful" young man whose dream since
childhood was to become a Marine.
"He was hell-bent on being a Marine," said Ron Jackman of Longmeadow, Mass., a family friend who was
serving as the Johnson family spokesman. "When he found out he was going to Iraq, he was hell-bent on
going. He had no fear whatsoever."
The Marines declined to comment about Johnson until the Department of Defense formally announces his
death. There have been 33 servicemen and civilians with Connecticut ties who have died in Iraq and
Afghanistan since 2002.
Johnson is the second serviceman from Enfield to die in Iraq. Marine Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan, 42, of
Enfield, was killed in battle March 23, 2003, in Nasiriyah, Iraq. Jordan was promoted to gunnery sergeant
posthumously.
Johnson served with weapons company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, from Camp Lejeune, N.C. He arrived
in Iraq in mid-July.
And while Johnson's family was supportive of his deep desire to be a Marine, they also had some
reservations about his service in Iraq.
His mother was afraid of getting "that knock on the door," Jackman said. "That's what they got - the knock
on the door."
The Rev. Michael J. Coons, pastor of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Enfield, said he spent time with
Johnson's family Sunday night. Many church members learned of Johnson's death during a prayer circle on
Monday.
"Their faith in the Lord Jesus is strong," Coons said of Johnson's family. "They know he's in heaven with
Jesus and they know they will see him again. The pain of separation, the pain and the grief of loss is very
real."
Coons said he found Johnson to be an impressive young man who was active in church and committed to
his faith.
"I had the privilege of baptizing him and confirming him in the Christian faith," Coons recalled. "Sometimes
teenagers complain about going to confirmation class."
Johnson, however, never did. "We always enjoyed talking about our Lord and savior," Coons said.
Johnson's other passion was the Marines, and he prepared himself for his service by joining a Young
Marines detachment at Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts when he was 11.
The Young Marines, founded in 1958 in Waterbury, is a youth education and service program for boys and
girls ages 8 through completion of high school that promotes the mental, moral and physical development of
its members.
"This is pretty sad," said Edward C. Mitrook, commanding officer of the Westover Young Marines
detachment and a retired Marine Corps sergeant major. "He did touch a lot of people. He probably thought
he didn't, but he did."
Johnson attained the rank of staff sergeant in the Young Marines and was a role model to younger
members, Mitrook said. Johnson is the first alumnus of the Westover detachment to be lost in combat, he
added.
But Johnson understood what he was getting involved in when he joined the Marines, Mitrook said. He
knew he'd likely see combat. "He was living his dream," added Patrick Droney, an Enfield police lieutenant
and friend of Johnson through church.
Mark Durfee, the head elder at Johnson's church and a retired Army lieutenant colonel, recalled Johnson as
a kind and thoughtful young man.
"You'd love to have him as your own such - such a gentleman," said Durfee, who teaches in the Army
Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program at New Britain High School. "Kids today think about
themselves first and foremost. He was not like that. He's got to be in the top 1 percent of kids today. He was
so focused and thoughtful."
Durfee said he spoke to Johnson's father Monday morning and he recalled for him a conversation father
and son had had a few days ago.
"He said [Iraq] is where he belonged and he knew where he was supposed to be," Durfee recalled. "I
believe it was deep in his faith, in his being. He knew this was something that was important."
Still, Johnson's death has been difficult, Durfee said.
"Our whole church is quite overwhelmed," he said. "We know he's in a better place. The sad part is not
being around to see him grow up. The sadness is seeing his mom and dad in their situation."
Jackman said that he saw Johnson about 10 weeks ago, when he visited Enfield after completing boot
camp at Parris Island, S.C., and his transformation into a Marine.
"You could see it come out in him - the haircut, the pushed-back shoulders, trim and tan," Jackman said.
"And he was proud of it. You could tell."
Johnson's next goal was to become an elite Marine Corps scout-sniper, Mitrook said. He hoped to attend
sniper school upon his unit's return from Iraq.
Durfee said it's important to remember the sacrifice so many young people make.
"I thank God that there are still young people out there willing to do what they do," Durfee said. "We would
not be where we are today as a free country without many Phil Johnsons."
Material from the Associated Press report is included in this story.
Contact David Owens at dowens@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Philip Alexander Johnson
LCPL Philip Alexander Johnson ENFIELD, CT. LCPL Philip Alexander Johnson 19, departed his earthly life on Sunday
Sept. 3, 2006 while on active duty serving his country honorably in Iraq since July 14, 2006. He was born on April 29,
1987 in Hartford, CT the beloved son of Louis and Kathy (Titus) Johnson. Philip was a graduate of Enfield High School
Class of 2005. He was involved with the wrestling team during his Junior year. He was a member of Voices
Incorporated, a choral program that integrated both Enfield High Schools. He enjoyed music tremendously and
played several instruments including saxophone, drums, keyboards, and bass guitar. His musical idol was Paul
McCartney, who he got to see in concert. Philip's love for his country was strong and true. He wanted nothing more
than to be a Marine from the time he knew what a Marine was. There is a certain pride in a Marines' eye very early
on in life and he had that pride. Philip was heavily involved with the Westover Young Marines. He joined in 1998,
achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and was honorably discharged in July 2005 he took his duties very seriously. Philip
left for Parris Island in Aug. 2005. During boot camp he achieved the position of Squad Leader and Platoon Guide. He
graduated from Parris Island Oct. 17, 2005 with the rank of PFC and quickly earned the rank of LCPL. He was
stationed in Camp Lejeune NC where he trained with the 3D BN 2D MAR Scout Sniper Weapons Unit. Shortly after
arriving in Iraq he transferred to 3D BN 2D MAR KILO Company. LCpl Jophnson's personal awards include, One Purple
Heart, One Combat Action Ribbon, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and National
Defence Medal. Besides his parents Philip is survived by his loving family; a sister; Jessica Titus of Vernon, maternal
grandmother; Beverly (Robidoux) Titus, maternal great-grandmother; Doris (Riendeau) Robidoux both of South
Windsor, uncle Bill Johnson of E. Windsor and aunt Josephine Johnson both of E. Windsor, cousins Mary Margaret
and Dana Medling both of Waterford, CT, cousin Seaman William Johnson and his wife Missy stationed in Kings Bay,
GA, auntie Anne Titus Honn and uncle Rick Honn and two cousins Jacob and Andrew of Silver Spring, MD, uncle Paul
Titus of E. Windsor and cousin Jimanie Titus of Enfield, uncle Andy Titus and auntie Lori and two cousins Joe and
Jonathan of E. Windsor, many, many friends and of course his Marine Brothers. Philip was predeceased by his
maternal grandfather; Richard J. Titus and paternal grandparents; William L. and Helen (Plona) Johnson. Funeral
services for Philip will be held on Friday Sept. 15, 2006 at 2:00pm in the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer 20 North
Street Enfield with Pastor Michael Coons officiating. Interment with full military honors will take place in the
Hazardville Cemetery, Enfield. Philip's family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday Sept. 14 from 2 to 8pm at
Browne Memorial Funeral Chapels 43 Shaker Rd. Enfield, CT.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorial donations be made to Westover Young Marines Fund C/O
Enfield Federal Savings & Loan Assoc. 855 Enfield St. P.O. Box 1279 Enfield, CT 06083-1279.
Published in The Republican on September 13, 2006
Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras
Hometown: Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 19 years old
Died: September 3, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 168th Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort
Carson, Colo.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his dismounted patrol during combat
operations in Baqubah.
Pfc. Nicholas A Madaras
Bomb Claims `Son Of Wilton'
By DAVID FUNKHOUSER Courant Staff Writer
September 6, 2006
WILTON - Army Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras of Wilton, a soldier with the 4th Infantry Division, was killed by a
bomb while on foot patrol in Baqouba, Iraq, on Sept. 3, 2006. He was 19 years old.
Nicholas A. Madaras had plans for college, but he thought a stint in the Army would be good for him. His
hometown is mourning him now, remembering the young man as a leader on the soccer field, a sharp
student and a caring person.
Madaras, 19, a private first class, was on foot patrol with his 4th Infantry Division unit Sunday during a
combat operation in the Iraqi town of Baqouba when a bomb exploded, fatally wounding him, according to
the Defense Department.
He is the third serviceman from Connecticut to have died in Iraq in a nine-day period. Madaras was
scheduled to finish his tour in Iraq on Oct. 24, three days after his 20th birthday.
"Everybody here is very deeply saddened," said Bob O'Donnell, associate principal at Wilton High School,
from which Madaras graduated in 2005. "He was a good student, a great kid. It's a really tragic loss."
Madaras was the son of William J. and Shalini Madaras of Wilton and the older brother of Marie, a senior at
Wilton High, and Christopher, a fourth-grader. His father referred questions to a National Guard spokesman
Tuesday. Lt. Col. John Whitford said the Guard notified the family of Madaras' death Sunday evening, but
he had no other information.
First Selectman William F. Brennan said he and his wife expressed their condolences to the Madaras family
on Monday. Brennan said his wife is an acquaintance of Shalini Madaras.
"This is a very sad day for Wilton," Brennan said. He ordered the town's flags flown at half-staff "in respect
for a beloved son of Wilton."
Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Tuesday ordered U.S. and state flags, already at half-staff to honor Marine Cpl.
Jordan C. Pierson, 21, of Milford, to remain at half-staff for Madaras and Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson of
Enfield. Johnson, 19, was killed Saturday by a roadside bomb.
"This is a tremendously sad day for Connecticut," Rell said Tuesday in a statement.
On Monday, friends and family attended a memorial for Pierson, a member of Plainville-based Charlie
Company, part of the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, who was killed Aug. 25 in Fallujah. He is to be buried
today in Arlington National Cemetery.
Guidance counselor Dann Pompa worked closely with Madaras the last two years he attended high school.
Pompa recalled Madaras as a creative young man.
"He was very genuine, a person who cared a lot about people, who related to both adults and peers,"
Pompa said. "He was very introspective. ... There was a lot of depth in him."
Pompa said he received an e-mail from Madaras at the end of last year discussing his plans to attend
college and pursue a career in nursing.
Jim Lewicki, Wilton's head boys' soccer coach, said Madaras started for the team for three years under
former head coach Jim Cook, and he worked as the team manager when he stayed on an extra year at
Wilton High.
Madaras "was a quiet but intense" soccer player, Lewicki said. "He was a warrior - he worked his ass off,
and he led by example." He left for basic training soon after graduating, Lewicki said, and was recently
home on leave.
O'Donnell said the tight-knit school community was pulling together behind Madaras' sister and the rest of
the family. He remembered Madaras as "a sharp young man who was very caring, who cared for his friends
and family."
Contact David K. Funkhouser at dfunkhouser@courant.com.
An Advocate of Stamford report is included in this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
http://www.kickfornick.org/about-nick-madaras
About Nick Madaras
When he was home on leave in July 2006, he rounded up as many balls as he
could to bring back to the children of Iraq. Nick figured if a war that had raged on
for more than thirty years in the Ivory Coast could be stopped because of soccer,
why couldn’t one be ended in Iraq?
Nick’s Story:
On the 4th of July 1990 Nick and our family arrived in the U.S. from overseas after having lived abroad
for several years and everything was foreign, especially the sports. Nick had no idea what soccer even
was! Besides his school enrollment, settling in meant getting him involved in all the activities children
here regularly participate in and soccer was one of them. He did not like it but was given little choice.
The coach he had for his first season of youth recreational soccer also turned out to be his coach in his
last season, Guy Ferro. Guy appealed to Nick’s sense of humor to keep him interested in soccer to the
extent that Nick eventually teamed with Guy as his assistant coach. In the beginning, Saturday
mornings consisted of us pushing Nick out the door for a soccer game and then yelling from the side
lines to tell him which direction he should be running with his team.
Over the years, Nick grew to love the sport over all others he played like basketball, lacrosse and
baseball. He started refereeing as soon as he was old enough and began volunteer assistant coaching
in middle school. In 9th grade he started coaching his own team and continued doing so right up until
the last month before he left for his military training. At the same time, he was playing for Wilton High in
the fall, indoor in the winter and Premier League in the spring.
As a volunteer coach for the younger players, he always seemed to bring out the best in them and win
or lose Nick’s team came off the field happy. He would point out the players’ strengths and
weaknesses, advise them how to improve their game, and encourage their sportsmanship. A mother
once commented that she had to force her son to play one last season, but after spending that season
on Nick’s team, he went on to play on the high school varsity team.
So, it was not strange to hear Nick say when he came home on leave how talented the children in Iraq
were at soccer, using anything they could find to use as a ball (which was for the most part old tin
cans). Their skills impressed him so much and he told the children that they could show his high school
buddies a thing or two, and just imagine what they could do with a real soccer ball! Because of his love
for the sport, it was an instinctive desire to share this love with the children in his area. He asked us to
send him a few balls so he could distribute them to the children in Baqubah. Sadly he never got the
chance to do this.
Shortly after September 3rd 2006, we got a call from a gentleman, Ken Dartley of Wilton, who read
about Nick’s passion for the sport and his desire to share this love with the Iraqi children. He asked if it
would be alright with us to start a program of collecting soccer balls in Nick’s honor to fulfill Nick’s wish
to share his passion. That was the beginning of the program “Kick for Nick.” So far more than 10,000
balls have been donated and sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. The program has expanded to New Mexico
where Nick’s aunt lives and it continues to grow.
Soldiers who have distributed the balls to the children have told us this act of kindness and generosity
has given way to an atmosphere of friendship and camaraderie. They have been very enthusiastic
about the distribution and some have even expressed the wish to start a collection in their location
when they return home. Nick showed us many photos of the people and children in Iraq. He was
amazed at how they would be smiling despite their difficult situation. The ball distribution, a gesture of
friendship regardless of political differences, brings a feeling of hope and unification…leaving no room
for cultural or religious barriers. The simple act of sharing, in Nick’s case a sport he loved so much,
inspires hope for all to play on the same field, together and live in harmony.
This is the heart and soul behind the “Kick for Nick” program,
inspired by a young man who loved every aspect of the game of
soccer, especially the team spirit it engendered. He was very
proud of his team name “Band of Brothers” and took that
relationship very seriously.
So, if you see a ball collection basket around your town, you know
it is Nick’s ammunition to create a friendly world through his love
of soccer. Every ball handed out generates a smile and every smile generates a memory of good will
and friendship, which one day will allow us to play on one field.
By Bill & Shalini Madaras, Nick's parents
Support KickForNick
You can support Kick for Nick in 3 ways:
1. Send Soccer Balls (see this page for details)
2. Run a Ball Collection (for detailed shipping directions (download the PDF)
3. Support Kick For Nick financially with your donation
Donations to this fund will be for the exclusive use of the Kick For Nick Foundation to purchase
balls, pumps & packaging materials and to cover shipping costs. Nick's parents, Shalini and Bill
Madaras, continue to be actively involved.
This fund is a 501(c)(3) Organization so all donations are tax-deductible, a thank-you letter will be
sent to donor's giving the details of the fund, which can be used for tax purposes.
Donations by credit card are accepted and appreciated, please click on the button above to be
brought to the donation page.
For donations by check, please make payable to:
Kick For Nick Foundation
c/o Bill Madaras
35 Signal Hill Road South
Wilton, CT. 06897
If you need more information:
Bill Madaras (madintl@aol.com)
Telephone: (203)-563-0013
How You Can Help - Send Soccer Balls
Send Soccer Balls! (individuals or a few cartons)
Send balls to:
Bill Madaras
35 Signal Hill Road South
Wilton, CT. 06897
Telephone: 203-563-0013
We are working on arrangements to make bulk shipments possible, thank you for your patience.
Box size suggestion: use 4.0-4.5 cubic foot size boxes for easiest shipment (25 - 30 balls will fit in this size box).
However if you would like to use a larger box please note the maximum size that the post office will accept is 108
inches or less in combined length and distance around the thickest part. Otherwise a surcharge may be added or the
box may even be refused.
For more information on Soccer Ball Donations:
Bill Madaras (madintl@aol.com)
or
Ken Dartley (globchem@optonline.net)
The Kick For Nick Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization - all donations are tax-deductible to the extent
allowed by law.
Nick Madaras was raised for a majority of his life in a little town called Wilton, Connecticut. From an early
age Nick took a liking for athletics, trying his hand in every imaginable sport. One sport in particular really
seemed to be a perfect fit for Nick, soccer. Nick dedicated himself to the sport of soccer; going to summer
camps, coaching his younger brother Christopher in the recreation league, and sharpening his skills in the
off season with his friends on a local team and playing in the backyard with his sister Marie. Nick played the
left flank on defense throughout high school, and although he wasn’t the fastest player or have world class
skills, there isn’t another person on this planet I would trust more to have as my last line of defense than
Nick. Nick’s work ethic and dedication to the team was something we all strive for, but rarely achieve.
Nick took that work ethic and dedication into the Army with him when he left for basic training in July of
2005. After basic, AIT, and airborne school he was sent to Ft. Carson and prepared for deployment to Iraq.
Nick was assigned to the PSD that protected LTC. Fischer, the commander of the 1-68 CAB. The members
of the PSD came to love Nicky the way we love him here back at home. He never put himself first, and
would do whatever it took to make everyone else’s days easier. He had an amazing ability to know what
people wanted, and would always take the liberty in making sure it was done to perfection before he was
even asked to do so.
At the end of his 16 hour days in the Iraqi sun in hostile Baqubah, Iraq, Nick would run across FOB
Warhorse to get to the phones and make sure the people he loved back at home knew he was safe. Only
when he knew everyone else around him was content, would Nick allow himself to relax.
The war itself at times confused Nick, the way is confuses many others. He believed in what he was doing,
and truly wanted to help the people of Iraq. Nick particularly was fond of the Iraqi children. He would see
them kicking bags of rocks around the streets trying to play soccer and realized these kids are no different
than him. When he was home on leave in July 2006, he rounded up as many balls as he could to bring
back to the children of Iraq. Nick figured if a war that had raged on for more than thirty years in the Ivory
Coast could be stopped because of soccer, why couldn’t one be ended in Iraq?
Nick was killed in action by an IED on September 3rd of 2006 at the age of 19. The men in his unit and all of
us back home were completely devastated and continue to mourn to this day. Our way to get back at the
men who did this, however, won’t be a course of hatred and rage. Instead we are spreading Nick’s love of
soccer and his dedication to the children of Iraq by sending to Iraq soccer balls to be distributed to the
children of Iraq directly by our soldiers in the field. We are all fulfilling Nick’s dream by collecting and
distributing these balls. Nick’s Comrades in Arms have told us that when the times get really rough over
there and they’re searching for a reason for all of the madness, they can hand a ball to one of the children
and look at their eyes glow with happiness, remember Nick, and realize that yes, it is worth it.
Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras
1-68 CAB
10/21/86 – 9/3/06
KICK for NICK
Written by
Tom Thresher
Wilton CT
A Program to Provide Soccer to the Children of Iraq
Capt. Jason R. Hamill
Hometown: Salem, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 31 years old
Died: November 26, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Tex.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his vehicle in Baghdad.
Capt. Jason Hamill
Salem Resident Killed In Iraq
By REGINE LABOSSIERE Courant Staff Writer
November 28, 2006
Army Capt. Jason Hamill, 31, who grew up in Salem, was killed Nov. 26, 2006 with two other soldiers when
a roadside bomb exploded in Baghdad. He was within days of finishing his tour in Iraq.
A Connecticut native about to end his one-year tour of duty in Iraq was killed Sunday in Baghdad, his family
said Monday.
Army Capt. Jason Hamill of the 4th Infantry Division and two other soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb
while riding in an armored vehicle, said Hamill's father, Dick Hamill of Salem.
Jason Hamill, 31, was born in New Haven, attended grade school in Salem and graduated from East Lyme
High School in 1993. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with an engineering degree in 1998,
his father said. Hamill was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and was supposed to return next week.
His mother, Sharon Hamill, was the first in the family to learn of her son's death when Army representatives
visited the Salem house Sunday.
"My first thought was that was Jason ringing my doorbell, because he was due home about this time and I
thought he was being his typical wise guy," she said, adding that her son was a comedian who kept his
family laughing.
"I did not expect this to happen. I expected him to come home next week or in a few days," Hamill said.
Dick Hamill said his son "enjoyed being in the Army. He believed in what he was doing. ... He felt a strong
sense of purpose in what he was doing."
Jason Hamill was one of a set of triplets and also had an older sister. He spent a lot of his high school
career wrestling, running track and playing the drums in the school band. But when he got to college, his
father said, being a member of the ROTC program and studying engineering took up most of his time. He
entered the Army as soon as he graduated from college in January 1998.
As a soldier, he served in Kosovo and Afghanistan and was hoping to start a family with his wife when he
returned from Iraq, his father said. Hamill and his wife, Karen, married in 2005 and were in the middle of
fixing up their four-bedroom house in Killeen, Texas, Dick Hamill said.
An Associated Press report is included in this article.
Contact Regine Labossiere at rlabossiere@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Jason R. Hamill (1975 - 2006)
Jason R. Hamill, 31, an Army captain, was killed Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006, while serving
in Iraq.
Funeral: Noon Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Plymouth Park Baptist Church, 1714 N. Story
Road, Irving. Burial: Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Visitation: The family will
receive friends 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home.
Memorials: East Lyme Scholarship Association/Jason Hamill, Box 190, Niantic, Conn. 06357.
Capt. Hamill was born Jan. 5, 1975, in New Haven, Conn., to Richard and Sharon Norton Hamill. Jason
grew up in Salem, Conn., and graduated from the University of Connecticut before joining the Army in 1998.
He married Karen Nixon on July 30, 2005, in Rockwall and was stationed at Fort Hood before being
deployed to Iraq in December 2005.
Survivors: Wife, Karen of Euless; parents, Richard and Sharon Hamill of Salem, Conn.; brother, Jeffrey
Hamill of Providence, R.I.; sisters, Stephanie De Lancastre and husband, Alexandre, of New Haven, Conn.,
and Tonya Taday and husband, Alexander, of Manassas, Va.; and two nephews.
Published in Star-Telegram on December 5, 2006
Students open hearts, find heroes in letters to troops’ families
John C. Schultz read a list of soldiers killed in combat and found inspiration where others find despair. The
casualties sparked an idea for his classroom.
Schultz is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve and commander of 844th Engineer Combat Battalion,
but in civilian life is a science instructor working toward his teaching license through the “Troops to
Teachers” program.
He works with about 45 at-risk youth inside a central Kentucky juvenile detention center, teaching teens
who have taken some bad turns in life.
“If all the kids could just envision what’s going on over there, maybe they would not feel so sorry about
themselves and their troubles and lives,” he said.
He asked them to write letters of sympathy to the family members of soldiers killed Nov. 23-30 in Iraq and
Afghanistan and enlisted English teacher Tammi Gividen to help with the project.
“It was amazing to me their ability to identify with those families and see from their hardships what they had
to endure,” Schultz said. “I was touched by the sincerity and the deep feelings by those kids.”
Officials at the center allowed Schultz to share the six letters published here, provided identifying
information was withheld to protect the minors’ identities.
— Melissa Vogt
Dear family of Capt. Jason R. Hamill,
Hi, my name is Apphia. You may not know me but I live in a juvenile detention center.
My teacher came in and had us look at the names of all the soldiers that died the week of Thanksgiving.
It was quite a shock, because I realized that my life is a lot better than some. I live in the custody of the
state and I have been in placement for almost four years. So it’s kind of hard to explain where I am coming
from ... but by looking at the beloved picture of Capt. Jason, I feel appreciated.
I have everything I need — I have a place to live, food to eat, and I’m getting all the support I can get to help
fix my mistakes that I have made in my life. And that’s because of people like Jason.
It encourages me more and more to try harder in succeeding in my behavior in life.
I’m sorry that your family member has passed. But look at it this way ... it was for something good. He
passed for us, our country and our freedom. And trust me, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if I had a
child die.
I have a daughter that will be 3 years old in May, and I’m just thinking about Jason and hoping that if he had
kids, that those kids will grow up and be strong just like their daddy did.
Hold your head up high and be/stay strong.
Sincerely,
Apphia
Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Phaneuf
Hometown: Eastford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 38 years old
Died: December 15, 2006 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Brigade, Hartford, Conn.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Humvee during combat operations in
Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Phaneuf II
Military Family Bears Up
By STEPHANIE SUMMERS Courant Staff Writer
December 19, 2006
Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Phaneuf II of Eastford died Dec. 15, 2006 when the armored
vehicle he was driving struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He was 38 years old, and left a wife and
three children.
Joe Phaneuf's wife, Michele, and his siblings are standing on the front porch Monday telling great stories
about him, laughing and teasing one another in that take-no-prisoners Phaneuf way. The kids are in school
as they would be any other day. No one is moping, and the only sign of tears comes when the subject turns
to his sense of mission, as a soldier and a human being.
Like when he re-upped with the National Guard after 9/11.
"He had to, to protect our country. He had to find those terrorists," Holly Grube of Eastford said of her
brother's decision at the time.
Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Phaneuf II died Friday when the armored vehicle he was driving struck a roadside
bomb in Afghanistan. Two other soldiers who were in the vehicle survived.
On Monday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered U.S. and Connecticut flags to be lowered to half-staff until
Phaneuf's burial.
"Joseph Phaneuf was a volunteer citizen-soldier who served his state and country in the truest sense," Rell
said. "His example of service and sacrifice is as inspirational as his death is tragic. We need to always
remember that fine men and women like Joseph Phaneuf step forward to protect us, regardless of the risk
and danger to themselves."
The Phaneufs are full of such examples.
All four brothers have been in the service. Rob Phaneuf of Putnam, and Dennis Phaneuf of Medford, Mass.,
were Marines, like their father, Peter Phaneuf of Killingly, who did two stints in Vietnam. Tony Phaneuf of
Danielson, served in the Army, notably in Bosnia and Somalia. Joe's birthday was even military: He turned
38 on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day.
The brothers are tight. They traveled in a pack at parties, bandying their brand of humor and putting
girlfriends and wives through the ropes (although Joe was always more sensitive, and an uncontested
heartthrob, Rob's wife, Kim, recalls). All four of them eloped when they married. They even have crossed
paths in the service - Joe and Tony at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and again when both were stationed in
Germany; Rob and Dennis at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
But it's that orneriness that hangs in the air, the memory of their brother present on the porch of the
rambling white farmhouse Monday.
Joe photographed a desert sunset in Ghazni, Afghanistan, and created a postcard. After he was moved to a
less attractive spot, he wrote on the card to Rob, "This is where I was staying. But if you want to see where
I'm staying now, just pop the lid on your septic tank and take a peek inside."
His 13 nieces and nephews were nuts about him. He sent them desert hats and gifts, issuing all of them
ranks, but never higher than his own. He loved to give the kids in Afghanistan coveted ballpoint pens and
candy.
He'd slip in a few Fireballs, "just to see their little faces," Michele said. "He wasn't perfect."
And there was the time Joe and some other fathers built the playscape at Eastford Elementary. They
embedded a dime in the pavement, imagining the future generations of kids trying to pick it up. That was
Joe.
Besides his military service, he was an emergency medical technician and firefighter. He and Michele, also
an EMT, took turns answering calls when the kids were small. They met in high school but started dating
when they met again while Michele was getting EMT training.
As the porch conversation lulls, the family members look at their feet. "It's all so wrong," Rob says.
"Surreal," Michele finishes. "Yeah, surreal," Tony agrees.
"You drive down the road and it's all the same," Michele said. "Santa is coming. If I didn't have three kids, I'd
be a ball in that bed right now."
Ryan is 15, and the girls, Danielle and Jordan, are 11 and 9.
They hadn't seen their dad since August, when he was home for a break. He left for Afghanistan in April
with the 102nd Infantry Battalion of New Haven, due back in spring 2007.
He served in Iraq from February 2004 to 2005.
"Here we are waiting for him to come home," Rob said.
Funeral arrangements won't be made for a few days, as the family awaits the return of Phaneuf's body in a
week or 10 days, Michele said. Her husband was clear that he wished to be buried in Arlington National
Cemetery.
"I told him I love him," Rob told the family about his last phone conversation with his brother in October.
"The first time he went to Iraq, I told him. He got awkward and kind of said, `Love you, too.' But the second
time, you could see stuff heating back up in Afghanistan. He didn't hesitate: `I love you, too,'" he told Rob.
Contact Stephanie Summers at ssummers@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Joseph E. Phaneuf II
PHANEUF, Staff Sgt. Joseph E. II Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Phaneuf II, 38, of Kozey Road died Friday, (December 15,
2006) in Afghanistan. He was the loving husband of Michele Kozey Phaneuf for eleven years. Born in Putnam, he was
the son of Peter Phaneuf of Dayville, and Barbara Ortega Phaneuf of Killingly. Staff Sgt. Phaneuf joined the
Headquarters Company of the First Battalion 102nd Infantry Brigade in New Haven in November of 2005. He was also
deployed to Iraq in February of 2004 with the Connecticut Guard's 118th Medical Battalion. Prior to his service in
Afghanistan, he worked as a field operating technician for T-Mobil for five years. Joseph was a member of the Eastford
Volunteer Fire Department and also coached basketball, T-ball and baseball. He enjoyed photography and golf and
was an avid Michigan Wolverine fan. Besides his wife and his parents, he is survived by three beloved children, Ryan
Phaneuf, Danielle Phaneuf and Jordan Phaneuf, all at home; three brothers, Dennis Phaneuf of Medford, Ma., Tony
Phaneuf of Killingly, and Rob Phaneuf of East Putnam; three sisters, Tiffany Gion of Killingly, Holly Grube of Eastford,
and Veronica Mobley of Montville; father and mother in-law, Greg and Teddy (LaBarre) Kozey of Eastford; a sister-in
law, Sharon Kozey of Eastford and 13 nieces and nephews. Friends and relatives are invited to visit with Joseph's
family on Tuesday, December 26, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. in the Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church Street,
Putnam, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11a.m. Wednesday, December 27 at St. Patrick Cathedral, 213
Broadway, Norwich, CT. Burial with military honors will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Phaneuf Children's Education Fund c/o NewAlliance Bank, PO Box
71, Eastford, CT 06242.
Published in Hartford Courant from December 21 to December 22, 2006
Joseph Edgar Phaneuf II
Staff Sergeant, United States Army
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 1290-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 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 Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sergeant Joseph E. Phaneuf, 38, of Eastford, Connecticut, died December 15,
2006, in Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations.He was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Brigade, Hartford, Connecticut.
For further information related to this release, contact the Connecticut National Guard
Public Affairs Office at (860) 524-4857.
Decenber 18, 2006:
American and state flags are flying at half staff today, honoring a soldier from
Eastford who was killed in Afghanistan.
38-year-old Staff Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf II is being remembered as an honorable
man.
The Town of Eastford has a smaller population than some Connecticut high schools.
The death of this National Guardsmen has left many heavy hearts in this corner of
Connecticut.
The symbols of a fallen soldier are easy to see flags at half staff, black bunting.
"We look at him as a son of Eastford," says 1st Selectman Ray Torgeson.
Phaneuf was killed in action in Afghanistan when his armored vehicle struck a
roadside bomb.
Phaneuf's wife is proud of his service.
Michelle Phaneuf says,"He went there to take care of these people and make thier
lives better at his own risk and risk to himself - that, that's a hero."
Phaneuf lived in Eastford, a town of less than 2,000. It is a small community now
coping with the cost of war.
Torgeson says,"I know Joe was committed to his mission of serving his country and I
think he was equally committed to serving his country and his family as well."
Phaneuf was a real part of the Eastford family and volunteered for the fire department.
Many children knew Joe Phaneuf. They called him Coach. He volunteered as coach
of the local basketball and little league teams.
Torgeson says,"We're neighbors. We're family a big family but neighbors none the
less."
The bigger Eastford family looking to comfort the soldier's immediate family.
Dave Olsen, Commander VFW, says,"It's going to be a sad day today and for a long
time, especially for his children and his wife."
Michelle says,"I can't let him down, I can't. I have to take care of the kids and I have
my family and I go on from there."
Sadly one symbol will change, the Blue Star banner representing a local soldier in
service will be replaced by a gold star banner marking a local soldier lost.
Torgeson says,"We're proud of the fact he was a person of high caliber and we're
gonna miss him."
Phaneuf has a son in high school and two young daughters. Funeral arrangements
are still being made but family tell us they'd like him to rest at Arlington National
Cemetery.
A Connecticut soldier has been killed in Afghanistan by a roadside explosive, military
officials confirmed Monday.
Staff Sergeant Joseph E Phaneuf Jr., 38, of Eastford, died Friday when his armored
vehicle struck a roadside bomb. Officials say Phaneuf's wife, Michelle, and other
family members were notified Saturday.
"It is very difficult to lose another great soldier who answered the call to duty," said
Major General Thaddeus J. Martin, the adjutant general and commander of the
Connecticut National Guard.
Phaneuf was a member of the New Haven-based First Battalion 102nd Infantry and
was one of three soldiers in the vehicle when the explosion occurred.
He is the seventh Connecticut resident to die this year in fighting in Afghanistan or
Iraq, and the 36th since fighting began in 2002.
Governor M. Jodi Rell on Monday ordered U.S. and state flags lowered to half-staff
until Phaneuf's burial, which has not yet been scheduled.
"Joseph Phaneuf was a volunteer citizen-soldier who served his state and country in
the truest sense," Rell said. "His example of service and sacrifice is as inspirational
as his death is tragic."
Michelle Phaneuf said her husband served in the military in the 1990s and re-enlisted
after the 2001 terrorist attacks. He served in Iraq and volunteered for the Afghanistanbound unit because he felt strongly about the need to serve overseas again, she said.
"He was a soldier, a patriot through and through," she said.
Michelle said, he enjoyed working with the children and bringing them candy,
ballpoint pens and other items they otherwise rarely could get. "He felt he was needed
to go over there and do what he could do," she said.
Staff Sereant Joseph E Phaneuf last spoke with his wife by telephone on Wednesday.
They have three children.
"We're going to have Christmas," she said. "That's what he would have wanted, and
that's what we're going to do."
Funeral and burial arrangements are pending, but Michelle Phaneuf said her husband
told her he wanted to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Phaneuf's battalion was mobilized in January and left for Afghanistan in April. It is
scheduled to return to Connecticut in spring 2007.
19 December 2006:
Joe Phaneuf's wife, Michele, and his siblings are standing on the front porch Monday
telling great stories about him, laughing and teasing one another in that take-noprisoners Phaneuf way. The kids are in school as they would be any other day. No one
is moping, and the only sign of tears comes when the subject turns to his sense of
mission, as a soldier and a human being.
Like when he re-upped with the National Guard after 9/11.
"He had to, to protect our country. He had to find those terrorists," Holly Grube of
Eastford said of her brother's decision at the time.
Staff Sergeant Joseph E. Phaneuf II died Friday when the armored vehicle he was
driving struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Two other soldiers who were in the
vehicle survived.
On Monday, Governor M. Jodi Rell ordered U.S. and Connecticut flags to be lowered
to half-staff until Phaneuf's burial.
"Joseph Phaneuf was a volunteer citizen-soldier who served his state and country in
the truest sense," Rell said. "His example of service and sacrifice is as inspirational
as his death is tragic. We need to always remember that fine men and women like
Joseph Phaneuf step forward to protect us, regardless of the risk and danger to
themselves."
The Phaneufs are full of such examples.
All four brothers have been in the service. Rob Phaneuf of Putnam, and Dennis
Phaneuf of Medford, Massachusetts, were Marines, like their father, Peter Phaneuf of
Killingly, who did two stints in Vietnam. Tony Phaneuf of Danielson, served in the
Army, notably in Bosnia and Somalia. Joe's birthday was even military: He turned 38
on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day.
The brothers are tight. They traveled in a pack at parties, bandying their brand of
humor and putting girlfriends and wives through the ropes (although Joe was always
more sensitive, and an uncontested heartthrob, Rob's wife, Kim, recalls). All four of
them eloped when they married. They even have crossed paths in the service - Joe
and Tony at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and again when both were stationed in
Germany; Rob and Dennis at Camp Pendleton, California.
But it's that orneriness that hangs in the air, the memory of their brother present on
the porch of the rambling white farmhouse Monday.
Joe photographed a desert sunset in Ghazni, Afghanistan, and created a postcard.
After he was moved to a less-attractive spot, he wrote on the card to Rob, "This is
where I was staying. But if you want to see where I'm staying now, just pop the lid on
your septic tank and take a peek inside."
His 13 nieces and nephews were nuts about him. He sent them desert hats and gifts,
issuing all of them ranks, but never higher than his own. He loved to give the kids in
Afghanistan coveted ballpoint pens and candy.
He'd slip in a few Fireballs, "just to see their little faces," Michele said. "He wasn't
perfect."
And there was the time Joe and some other fathers built the playscape at Eastford
Elementary. They embedded a dime in the pavement, imagining the future generations
of kids trying to pick it up. That was Joe.
Besides his military service, he was an emergency medical technician and firefighter.
He and Michele, also an EMT, took turns answering calls when the kids were small.
They met in high school but started dating when they met again while Michele was
getting EMT training.
As the porch conversation lulls, the family members look at their feet. "It's all so
wrong," Rob says. "Surreal," Michele finishes. "Yeah, surreal," Tony agrees.
"You drive down the road and it's all the same," Michele said. "Santa is coming. If I
didn't have three kids, I'd be a ball in that bed right now."
Ryan is 15, and the girls, Danielle and Jordan, are 11 and 9.
They hadn't seen their dad since August, when he was home for a break. He left for
Afghanistan in April with the 102nd Infantry Battalion of New Haven, due back in
spring 2007.
He served in Iraq from February 2004 to 2005.
"Here we are waiting for him to come home," Rob said.
Funeral arrangements won't be made for a few days, as the family awaits the return of
Phaneuf's body in a week or 10 days, Michele said. Her husband was clear that he
wished to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
"I told him I love him," Rob told the family about his last phone conversation with his
brother in October.
"The first time he went to Iraq, I told him. He got awkward and kind of said, `Love you,
too.' But the second time, you could see stuff heating back up in Afghanistan. He
didn't hesitate: `I love you, too,'" he told Rob.
The casket of Staff Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf II is carried down the steps of St. Patrick Cathedral in
Norwich after his funeral
Michele Phaneuf, widow of Staff Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf II, holds the hands of her daughters,
Jordan, 9, left, and Danielle,11, right, as they follow the casket of her husband down the stairs of St.
Patrick Cathedral in Norwich.
Michele Phaneuf, widow of Staff Sgt. Joseph Phaneuf II, holds the hands of her daughters,
Jordan, left, and Danielle,right, as they follow her husband's casket down the steps of St. Patrick
Cathedral in Norwich
AT THE FUNERAL for Staff Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf II at St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich on Wednesday
morning, his wife, Michele Phaneuf, blows him a final kiss as his casket is loaded into the hearse. With
her are daughters Jordan, left, and Danielle, right. Phaneuf, 38, was killed December 15 when his
armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb. He was in Afghanistan with the 102nd Infantry Battalion of New
Haven, and was due to return home in the spring. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Michele Phaneuf, second from left, widow of Staff Sgt. Joseph Phaneuf II, waits with family as his casket
is loaded into the hearse following his funeral service in Norwich.
Governor M. Jodi Rell leaves St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich with Major General Thad Martin of
the Connecticut National Guard behind her after the funeral of Staff Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf II. At right
is U.S. Rep.-elect Joe Courtney. Phaneuf will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Hundreds of mourners slowly leave St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich after the
funeral service of Staff Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf II.
Posted: 18 December 2006 Updated: 19 December 2006 Updated: 29 December 2006 Updated: 1 January
2007 Updated: 4 March 2007
Photo Courtesy of Holly, March 2007
2007
Sgt. Richard L. Ford
Hometown: East Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 40 years old
Died: February 20, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Killed during combat operations in Baghdad.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Sergeant Was Father Figure to Unit
By Fredrick Kunkle Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, March 6, 2007
An Army representative consoles Mason Ford, father of Sgt. Richard L. Ford, 40, of Connecticut, the soldier's sister,
Vanessa Migliore, and his son, Michael Ryan Patrick, 11. Ford died of combat injuries he received in Iraq. (By Michael
Williamson -- The Washington Post)
As pallbearers stretched an American flag above the silver casket of Sgt. Richard L. Ford yesterday, three
volleys of gunfire sounded in salute, but they came from another funeral on a busy day in the fields of white
stone at Arlington National Cemetery.
Then it was Ford's turn, and seven riflemen cracked off 21 shots. As the first few notes of taps sounded from
a bugler standing in a row of bare trees, a tall blond man in the crowd of mourners trembled, his head bent as
he wept. A woman beside him stroked his shoulders with a gloved hand.
Brig. Gen. Bennie E. Williams collected the flag, which had been folded and tucked into a triangle of stars,
and handed it to Ford's sister, Vanessa Migliore.
On a day of blue skies and boisterous winds that hinted of spring, Ford became the 314th service member
killed in the Iraq war to be buried at Arlington. Ford, of East Hartford, Conn., died Feb. 20 in Baghdad from
combat wounds. He was 40 years old and on his third tour of duty in Iraq.
"I really feel like a source of protection in my life is not there, and it's not easy," said Migliore, 41, of East
Hartford.
Among what Ford leaves behind: a sister close enough in age and temperament that she considers herself his
twin; a reputation for sacrifice and public service since before he joined the National Guard 12 years ago; a
smile that could coax just about whatever he wanted from others; and an 11-year-old son, Michael D.
Patrick.
Ford was one of four children; he also had two younger half-brothers. He and his sister were 11 months
apart.
"We were like twins. We were inseparable. We finished each other's sentences," she said.
Ford joined the Connecticut Army National Guard in 1995. He was placed on active duty in June 2004 and
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd
Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Family members said Ford talked about what it was like to be one of the older warriors in his unit, with the
younger soldiers kiddingly calling him "Grandpa." But they looked up to him and sought his ear. He called
them "Sgt. Son."
"The first thing you would notice about him was his million-dollar smile. That's what I'll miss most," said his
aunt, Arlene Ford, 59, of Manchester, Conn.
Growing up in Colchester, Conn., Ford attended Bacon Academy and talked about becoming a police officer.
It seemed the right job for someone who liked feeling adrenaline in his veins and serving his community, she
said.
Ford also loved sports, especially the Boston Red Sox. (Baseball was one area where the brother's and sister's
tastes diverged: She is a Yankees fan.)
When Migliore invited him to join her at a game at Yankee Stadium, Ford gladly accepted, braving Bronx
fans by taking his seat near home plate attired in Red Sox gear.
He rooted for the Sox without fear and endured a hail of peanuts from Yankees fans with a smile. When fans
chanted "1918!" -- a reference to the longtime curse on his team's World Series hopes -- Ford stood, waving
his arms and conducting the crowd as if he were a maestro, Migliore said.
Ford was tight-lipped about what he had seen and done in the war. But he believed in the war's purpose even
as he deplored the losses, she said.
"He was, like, 'I really want to go,' " Migliore said. "I have no doubt he died doing what he loved best."
Richard L. Ford used to tell David Reeves that he was his most beloved cousin. "I know I'm his favorite cousin, but I
guarantee if you interview every one of my cousins they'll tell you that they were his favorites, because that's how
Rich was," Reeves said. "If you were in his presence, he made you feel like you were the most important person. He
was that kind of guy."
Richard had a million dollar smile which could coax you into just about anything. He had a love for laughter and was a
sports enthusiast. He enjoyed his daily work-outs, running and playing basketball. His favorite sports teams were The
Boston Red Sox, The Dallas Cowboys and UCONN Men's & Women's basketball teams.
Ford, 40, of East Hartford, CT, died Feb. 20 of injuries sustained in combat in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Bragg
and was on his third tour of Iraq. Ford was the recipient of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, and he received an
Army Commendation Medal with a "V" for Valor in February 2005, for his role in an incident in Mosul.
Being one of the older soldiers in his unit, the younger soldiers would kiddingly call him "Grandpa" and he'd refer to
them as "Sgt Son." In spite of the jokes, the soldiers sought him for guidance and many thought of him as a father
figure.
Richard will always be remembered for his dedication, heroism and most of all for the great love he had for his family
and friends.
Richard L. Ford
FORD, Richard L. Sgt. Sgt. Richard L. Ford, 40, of East Hartford, died Tuesday (February 20,
2007) in Baghdad, Iraq from injuries sustained in combat. Born in Middletown, on April 4, 1966
to Mason L. Ford of Colchester and the late Claudette Y. Ford of Middletown. Richard was raised
in Colchester where he graduated from Bacon Academy. A resident of East Hartford for the past
ten years, Richard joined the CT National Guard in 1995 where he was stationed in Windsor
Locks at the Detachment 1 Company G 104th Aviation. He entered active duty in 2004 and was
assigned to the White Falcons 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division in Ft. Bragg, NC. A decorated soldier, he had previously served
two tours in Iraq. He was a recipient of the Army Medal of Valor, the Bronze Star and Purple Heart among several
other honors. Besides his father, Mason Ford of Colchester, Richard is survived by his 11 year old son, Michael D.
Patrick of Bridgeport; his sister and brother-in-law, Vanessa and Robert Migliore of East Hartford; two brothers,
Matthew L. O'Connor of Lebanon and Mason Ford Jr. of California and grandmother, Marjorie Gordon of
Middletown. He also leaves a host of aunts, uncles and cousins. Predeceased by a brother, Kevin Ford; grandmother,
Thelma R. Ford and grandfather, Carter Ford. An avid sports fan, Richard was thrilled to see his team, The Boston Red
Sox, win the 2004 World Series. He was a devoted father and loving brother with strong ties to his extended family.
His happy spirit and beautiful smile will be sorely missed by all who's life he touched. Richard is truly our Hero. Calling
hours will be held on Wednesday February 28 from 4-8 p.m. at St. Andrew's Church, 128 Norwich Ave., Colchester.
Funeral services with full Military Honors will be held on Thursday March 1, 10 a.m. at St. Andrew's Church. A 2 p.m.
graveside service will be at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday March 5. Belmont Funeral Home of Colchester in
care of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made payable to Michael D. Patrick Fund c/o Vanessa A. Migliore, 100 Mulcahy
Drive, East Hartford, CT 06118.
Published in Hartford Courant on February 27, 2007
Sgt. Richard L. Ford
Sergeant Dies Of Combat Wounds In Third Deployment
By RACHANA RATHI Courant Staff Writer February 23, 2007
Army Sgt. Richard L. Ford, a decorated soldier from East Hartford, died Feb. 20, 2007 on his third
deployment to Iraq of wounds suffered from small arms fire near Baghdad. He was 40 years old.
A decorated soldier from East Hartford has died of wounds suffered in combat in Iraq, the Defense
Department said Thursday.
Sgt. Richard L. Ford, 40, was on his third deployment to the country. He died Tuesday of wounds from small
arms fire near Baghdad. He became the 37th person with Connecticut ties to die in Iraq or Afghanistan
since March 2002.
"I am extremely proud of my dad's service to our country," his son Michael Ryan Patrick, of Bridgeport, said
in a statement. "My dad is my greatest hero."
Ford was a rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N.C. He had served previous tours in Iraq, from December
2004 to March 2005, and from September to December 2005, the Defense Department said. Ford was the
recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and received an Army Commendation Medal with a "V"
device for Valor in February 2005, for his role in an incident in Mosul.
A specialist at the time, he helped save members of his crew while under enemy fire, according to the
Defense Department.
"As both a fatherly and brotherly figure, he was looked up to by many of his fellow paratroopers," said Lt.
Col. Richard Kim, battalion commander, in a statement. "He contributed immensely to the readiness of the
organization and will be sorely missed."
Ford joined the Army National Guard in 1995 and was placed on active duty in June 2004.
He is survived by his son; his father, Mason Ford, of Colchester; a sister, Vanessa Migliore, of East
Hartford; and a brother, Matthew O'Connor, of Lebanon.
A memorial service will be held for him by his unit in Iraq. Funeral arrangements by the family have not
been finalized.
Contact Rachana Rathi at rrathi@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Richard L. Ford
Sergeant, United States Army
NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 210-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2007
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.
Sergeant Richard L. Ford, 40, of East Hartford, Connecticut, died February 20, 2007,
in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered during combat operations.Ford was assigned to
2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the 82nd
Airborne Division Public Affairs Office at (910) 432-0661.
Funeral Announced For Paratrooper Killed In Iraq
February 27, 2007
Funeral services have been announced for a soldier from East Hartford who was
killed in Iraq.
U.S. Army Sergeant Richard Ford, 40, died last Tuesday as a result of enemy gunfire.
Calling hours will be held on Wednesday at St. Andrews Church in Colchester from 4
p.m. to 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the same church.
Ford will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.
27 February 2007:
Calling hours will be Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Andrew's Church, 128
Norwich Avenue, Colchester, Connecticut.
The funeral, with full military honors, is planned for Thursday at 10 a.m. at the
church while burial will take place on Monday at 2 p.m. in Arlington National
Cemetery in Virginia.
The Belmont Funeral Home at 144 S. Main Street in Colchester is handling the
arrangements.
Ford, 40, was a seasoned Army Sergeant from East Hartford, Connecticut, who was
on his third tour of duty in Iraq when he died February 20, 2007, in Baghdad.
According to the military he had been assigned to the elite White Falcons regiment,
based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Ford was born in Middletown and raised in Colchester before moving to East
Hartford about 10 years ago.
He is the 37th person with ties to Connecticut who died in Iraq and Afghanistan since
March 2002.
Ford joined the Army National Guard in 1995 and entered active duty in 2004. He
previously served in Iraq from December 2004 to March 2005, and again for a second
tour from September 2005 through December 2005. He was a recipient of the Army
Medal of Valor, the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart among several other honors.
He leaves an 11-year-old son, Michael D. Patrick of Bridgeport, his father, Mason
Ford of Colchester, two brothers, Matthew O'Connor of Lebanon and Mason Ford
Jr. of California, and a sister, Vanessa Migliore, of East Hartford.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Michael D. Patrick Fund c/o Vanessa
A. Migliore at 100 Mulcahy Drive, East Hartford, Connecticut 06118.
Eastern Connecticut grieves 'true hero'
By JULIE A. VARUGHESE
Courtesy of the Norwich Bulletin
Nichelle Rollins said she sometimes wondered if her chest had a mark on it from a
class ring U.S. Army Sgt. Richard Ford gave her years ago.
The ring was too large for her fingers, so she wore it around her neck.
But, like a pendulum, the ring would hit her chest every time she bent over.
No marks exist now, yet Rollins recalled the feeling of his ring Thursday at Ford's
funeral service at St. Andrew Church.
"He did definitely leave a mark on my heart," said Rollins, who once dated Ford. She
and other friends, relatives and military personnel praised Ford's generous and
courageous spirit, through laughter and tears.
Ford, who lived in East Hartford but grew up in Colchester, died February 20, 2007,
after sustaining injuries during combat in Iraq. It was his third tour of duty in Iraq
with the 82nd Airborne Division of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Ford, 40, leaves a son, Matthew Patrick, 11; his father, Mason Ford of Colchester; a
sister, Vanessa Migliore; and two brothers, Matthew and Mason Jr.
The casket of U.S. Army Sergeant Richard L. Ford is carried from St. Andrew's
church in Colchester, Connecticut, Thursday, March 1, 2007, after a funeral service for him.
Vanessa Migliore of East Hartford, sister of U.S. Army Sergeant Richard Ford, is consoled
Thursday at St. Andrew Church in Colchester after a funeral service honoring the East
Hartford soldier who died February 20, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq, from combat injuries.
Ford was remembered by his son's grandfather, James Patrick, as someone who
would not only drive hundreds of miles to visit his son, but also immediately assume
responsibility for household chores.
"He'd come and he'd wash dishes, he'd cook, take the kids shopping. One time I
didn't know where he was. He took the dog for a walk, didn't come back for an hour,"
Patrick said.
Patrick said he considered Ford another one of his sons.
"He was the sixth. Now I have five (sons). I'm going to miss him," Patrick said.
Matthew Patrick's mentor and teacher from the fourth grade, Debra Wright of
McKinley School in Bridgeport, recited a poem Patrick wrote. In it, he referred to
himself as an oyster and his father as a pearl, because of Ford's bright personality and
shining character.
State Senator Eileen Daily, D-Deep River, and state Representative Linda Orange, DColchester, presented Ford's family with a citation from the General Assembly and a
state flag flown Tuesday at half staff that also was enclosed with a letter from the
Connecticut State Capitol Police.
Gregory Powell, a Sergeant Major with the Connecticut National Guard in
Waterbury, said, "We just can't replace a Richard Ford, as a person and as a
soldier."
Betty Turner, who knew Ford as a child, said, "Richard's our true hero. I don't know
what else to say. It's just a kid I love. He and my son are the same age."
Ford was raised in Colchester and lived in East Hartford for 10 years. His father,
Mason, is a member of the Colchester Hayward Fire Department.
Ford will be buried at 2 p.m. Monday at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Sergeant Was Father Figure to Unit
By Fredrick Kunkle
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
As pallbearers stretched an American flag above the silver casket of Sergeant Richard
L. Ford yesterday, three volleys of gunfire sounded in salute, but they came from
another funeral on a busy day in the fields of white stone at Arlington National
Cemetery.
Then it was Ford's turn, and seven riflemen cracked off 21 shots. As the first few
notes of taps sounded from a bugler standing in a row of bare trees, a tall blond man
in the crowd of mourners trembled, his head bent as he wept. A woman beside him
stroked his shoulders with a gloved hand.
An Army representative consoles Mason Ford, father of Sgt. Richard L. Ford, 40, of Connecticut, the soldier's
sister, Vanessa Migliore, and his son, Michael Ryan Patrick, 11. Ford died of combat injuries he received in Iraq.
Brigadier General Bennie E. Williams collected the flag, which had been folded and
tucked into a triangle of stars, and handed it to Ford's sister, Vanessa Migliore.
On a day of blue skies and boisterous winds that hinted of spring, Ford became the
314th service member killed in the Iraq war to be buried at Arlington. Ford, of East
Hartford, Connecticut, died February 20, 2007, in Baghdad from combat wounds. He
was 40 years old and on his third tour of duty in Iraq.
"I really feel like a source of protection in my life is not there, and it's not easy," said
Migliore, 41, of East Hartford.
Among what Ford leaves behind: a sister close enough in age and temperament that
she considers herself his twin; a reputation for sacrifice and public service since
before he joined the National Guard 12 years ago; a smile that could coax just about
whatever he wanted from others; and an 11-year-old son, Michael D. Patrick.
Ford was one of four children; he also had two younger half-brothers. He and his
sister were 11 months apart.
"We were like twins. We were inseparable. We finished each other's sentences," she
said.
Ford joined the Connecticut Army National Guard in 1995. He was placed on active
duty in June 2004 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment,
2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North
Carolina.
Family members said Ford talked about what it was like to be one of the older
warriors in his unit, with the younger soldiers kiddingly calling him "Grandpa." But
they looked up to him and sought his ear. He called them "Sergeant Son."
"The first thing you would notice about him was his million-dollar smile. That's what
I'll miss most," said his aunt, Arlene Ford, 59, of Manchester, Connecticut
Growing up in Colchester, Connecticut, Ford attended Bacon Academy and talked
about becoming a police officer. It seemed the right job for someone who liked feeling
adrenaline in his veins and serving his community, she said.
Ford also loved sports, especially the Boston Red Sox. (Baseball was one area where
the brother's and sister's tastes diverged: She is a Yankees fan.)
When Migliore invited him to join her at a game at Yankee Stadium, Ford gladly
accepted, braving Bronx fans by taking his seat near home plate attired in Red Sox
gear.
He rooted for the Sox without fear and endured a hail of peanuts from Yankees fans
with a smile. When fans chanted "1918!" -- a reference to the longtime curse on his
team's World Series hopes -- Ford stood, waving his arms and conducting the crowd
as if he were a maestro, Migliore said.
Ford was tight-lipped about what he had seen and done in the war. But he believed in
the war's purpose even as he deplored the losses, she said.
"He was, like, 'I really want to go,' " Migliore said. "I have no doubt he died doing
what he loved best."
An Army Honor guard carry the coffin of Army Sergeant Richard Ford,
during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Monday, March 5, 2007.
An Army Honor guards lifts the flag draping the coffin of Army Sergeant Richard Ford,
during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Monday, March 5, 2007
An Army Honor guard member, holds the flag that draped the coffin of Army Sergeant Richard Ford,
during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Monday, March 5, 2007.
Mason Ford, father of Army Sergeant Richard Ford, second from right, and his son
Michael-Ryan Patrick, 11, stand at attention as the Taps is played during a funeral ceremony at Arlington
National Cemetery Monday, March 5, 2007
Pfc. Stephen K. Richardson
Hometown: Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 22 years old
Died: March 20, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Incident: Killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near his vehicle during combat operations in
Baghdad.
Slain Jamaican-born US - soldier hailed as hero
published: Monday | April 9, 2007
Members of the United States army carry the coffin of Jamaican-born soldier, Specialist Stephen Richardson, following a
thanksgiving service at the Jamaica Council Seventh-day Church of God at 54 Chisholm Avenue, Kingston 13, yesterday. Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
The death of Jamaican-born soldier Stephen Richardson of the United States army is another
indication that the U.S.-led war in Iraq is not yet won and remote countries such as Jamaica are
paying dearly.
Specialist Richardson was killed in the line of duty while fighting in Iraq on March 20. He joined the U.S.
military in August 2005 where he enlisted with the First Infantry Division based in Kansas. He was sent to
Iraq in February.
Yesterday, a throng of family, friends, colleagues and well-wishers gathered at the Jamaica Council
Seventh-day Church of God at 54 Chisolm Avenue, Kingston 13, to bid farewell to a Jamaican hero and a
'Georgian Gem' as described by the vice-principal of St. George's College,Valerie Virgo.
While attending St. George's (1996-2001), Ms. Virgo said excellence was Richardson's forte. She
remembered him as a top-10 student, who was always punctual, disciplined and helpful.
It was those qualities that led him to serve in the U.S. army, attributes which were also recognised by his
peers and superiors in the military. He was given an official funeral by the U.S. army.
Specialist Richardson was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medal for meritorious service and
wounds sustained in the war against terrorism.
"His commitment contributed to our nation's continuing war on terror and his actions represented his
dedication to the security of the United States of America," Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army, Pete Geren,
stated in a message read at the funeral yesterday.
He was also given the Good Conduct Medal "for exemplary behaviour, efficiency and fidelity," Geren said.
Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, who paid tribute on behalf of the U.S. Army, described the 22-yearold soldier as an "exceptional man ... and soldier". He said Specialist Richardson did not only want to make
a difference for the U.S., but also Jamaica and the rest of the world.
Family members angry
However, some family members were incensed that he was killed in the controversial Iraq war. One irate
man, who said he was a cousin, voiced his anger aloud, quarrelling that the U.S.-led war in Iraq was
"foolishness".
"Mi use to hold him in my hand as a baby and look deh now, him dead," lamented the relative, who
appeared to be in his early 30s. "Weh (George) Bush nuh go send him daughter ah Iraq?" he continued,
while other relatives added to the chorus.
Four American soldiers were killed in attacks south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad yesterday while another two
died from wounds suffered.
More than 3,200 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq in four years of war and thousands more have been
wounded, the lead factor in why many Americans are ready to wind down U.S. involvement in Iraq.
Specialist Richardson is survived by his pregnant wife, Katana, and young daughter, Iyana. He was buried
in the Port Maria Cemetery, St. Mary.
Pfc. Stephen K. Richardson
Army Pfc. Stephen K. Richardson, who grew up in Bridgeport, was killed March 20, 2007 by a roadside
bomb in Baghdad. He was 22 years old, and left a wife and daughter in Kansas.
The flags are at half staff again by governor's order for a Connecticut soldier killed in action in Iraq.
This time it is for a Bridgeport soldier, a member of a unit recently sent to bolster security in Baghdad.
Pfc. Stephen K. Richardson, 22, was killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb, which has been the deadliest
weapon of the insurgency. The blast also killed Sgt. Wayne Cornell of Nebraska, who was a member of
Richardson's Army unit, the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 4th Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division.
Richardson was an active-duty soldier who grew up in Bridgeport, where his father, Cedric Richardson, still
lives. The younger Richardson was living in Kansas with his wife and daughter before being deployed last
month to Baghdad.
He went to Bassick High School in Bridgeport. Then he attended the University of Bridgeport before
joining the Army. His unit was based at Fort Riley in Kansas.
In his semester at the university, he did "very well," said university President Neil Albert Salonen. "He was
well thought of. It's a kick in the stomach. There's no easy way to take news like this."
Richardson made an impression on his academic adviser and literature professor, Ed Geist. "He was a
serious young man," said Geist, who recalled an essay Richardson wrote as a student. "He talked about
wanting to go back to Jamaica. He thought international business was a particularly good goal for him. He
really wanted to have some sort of impact ... He seemed to have his head in the right place."
While Richardson was serving America, he had a strong connection to Jamaica, where relatives - including
his mother - still live. Richardson was born in Jamaica and moved to Connecticut before his teen years, said
Lt. Col. John Whitford of the Connecticut National Guard.
Geist had wondered what happened to Richardson, who had signed up for a second semester but hadn't
attended. He learned Thursday that the student he taught about American playwrights had been killed in the
war. "I feel terrible," Geist said.
According to a spokesman at Fort Riley, Richardson enlisted in the Army in 2005 and joined the unit last
year. This was his first deployment.
Richardson's body was expected to arrive at Dover Air Force Base late Thursday, said Whitford. The Guard
was providing casualty assistance services to Richardson's father in Bridgeport. Soldiers from Fort Riley are
doing the same for Richardson's wife, Katana, and 10-month-old daughter, Iyanna. The family has not yet
decided on arrangements for Richardson's burial.
The mission of the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, according to the Army, was to "assist Iraqi Security
Forces to clear, control and retain key areas of the capital city in order to reduce violence and to set the
conditions for a transition to full Iraqi control of security in the city." So the level of scrutiny on the actions of
these and other soldiers in Baghdad has been high in recent weeks.
The last of the 3,100 soldiers of the brigade had arrived in Iraq less than three weeks ago.
Although Fort Riley is accustomed to such losses, having lost 87 soldiers in this war, Connecticut has lost
fewer than 40 troops with local ties since 9/11.
Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi extended his city's sympathy to Richardson's family.
"Private Richardson served our country with courage and conviction," Fabrizi said. "Every time we lose a
soldier in combat it's heartbreaking, but it is even more so when it's one of your own and when it is
someone so young. Private Richardson has made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and for that we are
humbled and deeply grateful."
On Thursday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered the state's flags flown at half staff. In a statement, she said about
Richardson's death: "Our gratitude runs deep, especially when such a young life is ended so soon. On
behalf of all of Connecticut, I extend condolences and prayers for comfort to his family - here in Connecticut,
his wife and daughter in Kansas and his relatives in Jamaica."
Contact Jesse Hamilton at jhamilton@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Army Pfc. Stephen K. Richardson
22, of Bridgeport, Conn.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died March 20 in Baghdad when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed was Sgt. Wayne
R. Cornell.
Soldier from Bridgeport dies in Iraq
The Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered U.S. and Connecticut flags lowered to half-staff March 22
in honor of a soldier from Bridgeport killed this week in a roadside bombing in Iraq.
Army Pfc. Stephen K. Richardson, 22, died March 20 when the bomb exploded near his vehicle, the
Department of Defense said March 21. The blast also killed another soldier in his unit. They were soldiers
with 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, based in Fort Riley, Kan.
He’s the 38th person with Connecticut ties who has died since March 2002 in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Private Richardson and thousands upon thousands of brave men and women like him serve our nation
every day,” Rell said. “Our gratitude runs deep, especially when such a young life is ended so soon. On
behalf of all of Connecticut I extend condolences and prayers for comfort to his family — here in
Connecticut, his wife and daughter in Kansas and his relatives in Jamaica.”
Flags will remain at half-staff until Richardson is buried. Funeral arrangements have not yet been
announced.
Richardson, an indirect fire infantryman, enlisted in the Army in 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry
Division in 2006, according to Fort Riley. It was his first deployment in the war.
He was born in Jamaica and moved to Connecticut when he was 12 or 13, said Lt. Col. John Whitford of the
Connecticut National Guard. Richardson was a student for one semester at the University of Bridgeport in
2004.
Professor Edward Geist, Richardson’s adviser there, said Richardson wanted to be a business major and
study international business. Geist remembered a placement essay in which Richardson wrote that he
wanted to return to Jamaica and use his education to bring about positive changes.
“He would have done that, too,” Geist said. “He would have succeeded in getting his business degree. He
had his best grade in accounting. He had a real interest in it.”
Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi extended his city’s sympathy to Richardson’s family.
“Private Richardson served our country with courage and conviction,” Fabrizi said. “Every time we lose a
soldier in combat it’s heartbreaking, but it is even more so when it’s one of your own and when it is
someone so young. Private Richardson has made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and for that we are
humbled and deeply grateful.”
Richardson is survived by his wife, who lives in Kansas; his mother, who is in Jamaica; and his father, a
resident of Bridgeport.
Richardson’s body was due to be returned to the U.S. on March 22. Funeral plans have so far not been
announced, Whitford said.
Grandmother seeks new passport to attend soldier’s funeral
The Associated Press
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Rep. Christopher Shays is trying to help the grandmother of a Connecticut soldier
who was killed in Iraq renew her passport so she can attend his funeral in Jamaica.
Pfc. Stephen Richardson, 22, was killed last week by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. It was his first tour of
duty in Iraq.
Richardson, a native of Jamaica, moved to Bridgeport in his early teens. His funeral has been scheduled for
April 8 in Jamaica, where his mother lives.
His grandmother, Ina Jackson of Bridgeport, is worried that she may not be able to attend because her
passport is expired.
A spokesman for Shays, R-Conn., said the congressman is working with Jackson to get her a new passport,
probably this week.
Jackson is now trying to raise money for the air fare and is optimistic she will go to Jamaica.
“I think it is all going to work out and I hope to be there,” she said.
Richardson enlisted in the Army in 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division last year,
according to Fort Riley where he had been stationed.
Legislators help grandmother attend soldier’s funeral
The Associated Press
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Lawmakers will pick up the tab so a local grandmother can fly to Jamaica for the
funeral of her grandson, a soldier killed last week in Iraq.
State Rep. Charles D. Clemons Jr., D-Bridgeport, called Ina Jackson over the weekend to tell her the state
legislature’s Black and Latino Caucus will pay for her plane ticket. Her grandson, Pfc. Stephen Richardson,
who was in his early teens when he moved to Bridgeport from Jamaica, will be buried there April 8.
Lawmakers who read an article about Jackson in the Connecticut Post also offered to pay for plane fare for
the 4-year-old granddaughter Jackson cares for during the day.
“I read the article last night when I got back from Hartford,” Clemons said. “I thought that it would be a noble
cause for the caucus to help out the family financially.”
The caucus, which has 19 members, contributes each year to charitable causes.
“I’m excited,” Jackson said. “Everything is coming together.”
U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays’ office is also helping Jackson get a new passport, since hers is expired.
Shays, who met with Jackson on March 25, said there should be no problems with getting her passport in
time.
“I’m confident that it will all work out because there are so many people helping,” Shays said. “Everyone is
pitching in to help a beautiful family.”
Richardson, 22, was killed last week by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. It was his first tour of duty in Iraq.
He enlisted in the Army in 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division last year, according to Fort
Riley, Kansas, where he had been stationed.
Stephen K. Richardson
Thursday, March 22 2007 @ 06:08 AM EDT
Contributed by: River97
Jamaica Observer -- ABOUT 4:00 am on Tuesday, Jacqueline Hamilton-Carby said her
morning prayers, but could not return to sleep.
Her son Stephen K. Richardson, who had been living in the United States since 1999, was on her mind.
She decided to write him a letter.
"It has been 43 days, that is 1,032 hours or 61,920 minutes better yet 3, 715,200 seconds since I heard
your voice. That is a long, l-o-n-g time, but whereas I was worried before, I have placed you in the hand
of God," Hamilton-Carby wrote. Four hours after she put down her pen, 22-year-old Richardson, a member
of the US Army who had been deployed to the war in Iraq, was dead.
"My, my, my, my son," Hamilton-Carby muttered, with a deep sigh yesterday afternoon.
"I was hoping that maybe is a hand blow off or maybe a foot," Hamilton-Carby said of her state of mind
when she first learnt later that day that something had happened to her son. When she finally got
confirmation of his death, she just broke down.
Hamilton-Carby was not formally notified of her son's death until yesterday afternoon. A lieutenant based
at the American Embassy in Kingston, gave her the news - although she had already spoken to her son's
wife earlier in the day and had her worst fears confirmed.
Hamilton-Carby is not sure how her son died, but is satisfied that God took him at the appropriate time.
"I am not angry with the US Army, I am not angry with Mr [US President Geroge W Bush, I'm not angry
with anyone. I refuse to be angry. He [Richardson] chose to go there...I just view it as the work of God,"
Hamilton-Carby said, clearly saddened. She told the Observer that she had cried so much the day before,
she felt like she had no more tears left.
Hamilton-Carby said she last spoke to her son on February 5 - the day he was deployed to Iraq. In the
letter she wrote to him early Tuesday morning, she called Richardson the "crowned one".
Yesterday, Lt Terry McFarlane, who is based at the United States Embassy in Kingston told the Observer
that he was unable to comment on how Richardson, a Private First Class, died or where in Iraq he was
based. Private First Class is the rank above Private and below Corporal in the US Army.
Hamilton-Carby said arrangements will be made for the funeral of her only child to be held in St Mary.
"I told them that he is a Jamaican and I want him here," she said.
Richardson died leaving behind one child and baby scheduled to arrive on July 7 - on the same day he
would have celebrated his 23rd birthday had he lived.
1st Lt. Keith N. Heidtman
Hometown: Norwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: May 28, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry
Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Incident: Killed in Muqdadiyah when his OH-58D Kiowa helicopter crashed after receiving heavy
enemy fire during combat operations.
1st Lt. Keith Heidtman
Family Says Army Officer Was In Helicopter That Crashed; 1 of 8 Killed In Incident
By JESSE HAMILTON Courant Staff Writer
May 30, 2007
NORWICH - Army 1st Lt. Keith Heidtman was killed May 28, 2007 - Memorial Day - when enemy fire
brought down his helicopter in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad. He was 24 years old.
In a harsh reminder of the meaning of Memorial Day, 10 American soldiers, including an officer from
Norwich, died in Iraq Monday.
Though military sources had not yet provided details, the family of Army 1st Lt. Keith Heidtman said they
were told he died Monday when his helicopter went down in the volatile Diyala province northeast of
Baghdad. As Heidtman's family learned of the 24-year-old's death, news was emerging from Iraq about the
incident. The U.S. military on Tuesday announced the loss of a Kiowa helicopter - a small, highly
maneuverable scouting and attack aircraft with two aboard. As a ground rescue team raced toward the
scene, its vehicles were hit by roadside bombs, killing six more soldiers. Two other soldiers were killed
Monday by a roadside bomb in south Baghdad, the military reported.
The 116 deaths reported by i-casualities.org, a website that compiles statistics about the war in Iraq, makes
this month among the worst of the war. The site also gives the latest total count of U.S. fatalities at 3,468.
Heidtman's family and friends struggled Tuesday with the news that they had lost a son, brother, baseball
player and college graduate. The family issued a statement, saying they were devastated by the loss but
"proud of his service to his country."
"We support what he wanted to do," said his stepfather, Arthur Robidoux.
They also wanted to say they were glad for the support already pouring in. Their day was hectic, Robidoux
said - "mentally and physically trying."
Keith Heidtman, the son of Kerry Heidtman and Maureen Robidoux, graduated six years ago from the
Norwich Free Academy. Hugh "Duke" Campbell, a principal there, was his assistant baseball coach. "It's
tragic news for all of us," Campbell said.
Campbell knew Heidtman since he was a boy coming to baseball camps and remembers him as the hardworking first baseman and outfielder who hit .371 one year.
On Tuesday, he sat looking at a letter of recommendation he had written for the pending grad in 2000, when
Heidtman was applying to the University of Connecticut.
It opened: "Keith Heidtman represents everything that is right about young people today. He brings the
whole package to the table every day."
Heidtman graduated two years ago from UConn with honors. His education also included ROTC - the fouryear training program to become a military officer.
"He showed up in my office one day," said Maj. Glenn Colby, enrollment officer there. "He wanted to serve
his country," Colby said. "You couldn't ask for a better kid."
Last year, Heidtman had another graduation - from an Army aviation school in Alabama. And then, six
months ago, he was in Iraq.
As Memorial Day approached, Task Force Lightning was working northeast of Baghdad in one of Iraq's
more unsettled regions.
The commander of U.S. forces there, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, said earlier this month that Diyala
province's government is nonfunctional and that he would need additional forces in Diyala "to get that
situation to a more acceptable level."
Seventeen days later, on Monday, eight of his soldiers were killed in this single incident.
A spokesman with the Connecticut National Guard, which is usually assigned to assist Connecticut families
like Heidtman's in the casualty process, said his office isn't allowed to talk about such casualties in the first
24 hours after the family is notified.
But as she has so many times, Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Tuesday ordered that the state's flags fly at half-staff
until the burial.
From the Multi-National Force Iraq, a brief notice: "Two Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed when a
helicopter went down in Diyala province May 28. The incident is under investigation."
Heidtman isn't the first former student of Norwich Free Academy killed in Iraq. That was Spec. Jacob D.
Martir, shot in Sadr City in 2004. Nor was he the first ROTC graduate from UConn to fall. Capt. Jason
Hamill was killed in Iraq just a few weeks before Heidtman got there.
Keith Heidtman
Norwich - 1st Lieutenant Keith Neal Heidtman, 24, of 133 Scotland Road, died Monday, May
28, 2007 in Diyala, north of Baghdad, Iraq. Keith was one of two pilots shot down by enemy fire
in their OH-58D Kiowa reconnaissance helicopter.
Keith was born in Norwich on September 2, 1982. He is survived by his parents Maureen and
Arthur Robidoux and Kerry Scot Heidtman; his sister, Keely Jean Heidtman and her husband
Gregory LaPointe; and his longtime girlfriend, Meghan Lenehan.
He also leaves behind his grandparents, Howard and Louise Heidtman of Norwich, Regina
O'Brien of Cos Cob, and Georgia Robidoux of Norwich. He was predeceased by his grandfather,
Eugene F. O'Brien. Keith will be deeply missed by his aunts, uncles, cousins and his muchloved friends.
Keith was a 2001 graduate of the Norwich Free Academy where he excelled both academically and athletically. In the
summer of 2002, he served as a lifeguard and counselor at The Hole in The Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, where he
worked with children with cancer and other serious illnesses. Keith's experiences at the camp left him with fond
memories of both the kids and staff with whom he worked. His time at the camp was influential in developing his
personal character and enthusiasm for helping others.
After high school, he attended the University of Connecticut in Storrs, where he graduated in 2005 with honors,
receiving a bachelor of science degree in resource economics. While attending the university, Keith was a cadet in the
Department of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps and, upon graduation, earned the title of Distinguished Military
Graduate in recognition of his outstanding qualities of leadership, high moral character, academic achievement, and
exceptional aptitude for military service. Keith was then selected to attend the U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center in
Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he began his military service as an aviator.
In August 2006, Keith earned his wings and was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment at Schofield
Barracks in Hawaii. In December 2006, he was deployed to Iraq, where he served until his death.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2007, at the Norwich Free Academy Alumni Gymnasium from 6 to 9
p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 8, 2007 at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich
at 10 a.m. with a burial service to follow at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Norwich.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Keith Heidtman to The Hole in the Wall
Gang Camp at 555 Long Wharf Drive, Department W, New Haven, CT, 06511 (203-772-0522).
The Church and Allen Funeral Home, 136 Sachem St., Norwich, is entrusted with the arrangements.
Published in The Day on June 5, 2007
Army 1st Lt. Keith N. Heidtman
24, of Norwich, Conn.; assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation
Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died May 28 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, of
wounds sustained when his OH-58D Kiowa helicopter crashed after receiving heavy enemy fire
during combat operations. Also killed was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Theodore U. Church.
Norwich soldier dies in helicopter crash in Iraq
The Associated Press
NORWICH, Conn. — A helicopter crash in Iraq on Memorial Day claimed the life of a Norwich soldier, the
governor’s office said May 29.
Army 1st Lt. Keith Heidtman, 24, was the 37th military member with Connecticut ties to die since the war
began in 2002. Two Connecticut civilians have also been killed. Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered all state and U.S.
flags lowered to half staff in Heidtman’s honor.
“Lt. Heidtman made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, and he did so to protect the freedom that we so often
take for granted,” Rell said in a statement. “To have given his life on Memorial Day is especially poignant.”
Heidtman was one of 10 U.S. soldiers who died in roadside bombings and the helicopter crash May 28, the
military reported, making May the deadliest month of the year for U.S. troops in Iraq.
The American deaths raised the number of U.S. forces killed this month to at least 112, according to an
Associated Press count assembled from U.S. military statements.
Eight of the soldiers were from Task Force Lightning — six killed when explosions hit near their vehicles
and two in a helicopter crash. The military did not say if the helicopter was shot down or had mechanical
problems.
Heidtman was a 2001 graduate of Norwich Free Academy and a graduate of the University of Connecticut.
His parents were notified May 29. He was the son of Kerry Heidtman and Maureen Robidoux. His stepfather
is Art Robidoux. A phone message from The Associated Press was left at his family’s home.
“If you had to pick your son, this is who you would pick. He was handsome, he was bright,” Kerry Heidtman
told The Day of New London.
Heidtman arrived in Iraq in December and was scheduled to come home for leave in July.
“We’re sending our finest, and we’re losing them,” Kerry Heidtman said.
Protesters a no-show at soldier’s funeral
The Associated Press
NORWICH, Conn. — Protesters who had threatened to disrupt the funeral of a Norwich soldier killed in Iraq
were a no-show June 8.
Army 1st Lt. Keith Heidtman died May 28 when his helicopter was shot down. His funeral was at St.
Patrick’s Cathedral.
“In his 24 years, Keith accomplished more, gave more, made a greater impact on our world, than most do in
many decades of life,” Connecticut Army National Guard State Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Kevin P. Cavanaugh said
at the church. “Keith made a difference.”
A solemn ceremony at his grave featured a rifle salute, a flyover by two Connecticut National Guard
Blackhawk helicopters and a flag-bearing tribute by dozens of supporters.
The threat of protests by a Kansas group called Westboro Baptist Church prompted legislators and Gov. M.
Jodi Rell to work together this week to fast-track a bill limiting such demonstrations.
The same group from Kansas protested at an East Lyme military funeral last December. The group held
signs that read “Thank God for IEDs” — improvised explosive devices — and “God is America’s Terror.”
They claim that the deaths of American soldiers are punishment from God for the country’s tolerance of
homosexuals.
Legislators passed the bill this week before the legislative session ended. Rell signed it June 6.
The Legislature had already passed a similar bill earlier in the session, but the law wouldn’t have taken
effect until Oct. 1.
The legislation bars anyone from willfully making or assisting in making a noise or diversion that’s not part of
any funeral, or intending to disturb the peace at any funeral, within the property line of a cemetery or house
of worship, or within 150 feet of the intersection of the boundary and a roadway.
Though there were no Westboro protesters at the funeral, a group called the Patriot Guard Riders,
members of the Waterford High School Drama Club and several other groups were on hand to support the
troops.
John Coffindaffer, president of the Sikorsky Veterans Association, came from Oxford.
“We’re just here to offer our support for the lieutenant and his family,” said Coffindaffer, a retired Air Force
helicopter pilot.
Heidtman was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Rell and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney
were among the dignitaries who attended.
Cpl. Andre . Craig Jr.
Hometown: New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 24 years old
Died: June 25, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Incident: Died of wounds suffered from a makeshift bomb in Baghdad.
Pfc. Andre Craig Jr.
Family Doubts
By ARIELLE LEVIN BECKER The Hartford Courant
June 28, 2007
Army Pfc. Andre Craig Jr. of New Haven was killed when a bomb exploded near the convoy on which he
was serving as a gunner in Baghdad. He was 24 years old and left an infant daughter.
NEW HAVEN -- The last time Pfc. Andre Craig Jr., called home, on Saturday, he told his mom he was
exhausted. The 24-year-old infantryman had been on patrol all night, family members said.
Then he left for a mission, they said. Soon afterward, the Humvee in which Craig was riding in was struck
by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He died Monday from his wounds, according to the
Department of Defense.
"At least he talked to everybody before he died," Craig's former girlfriend, Rhea Knight, said Wednesday.
Her eyes welled when she noted that she still had a record of his last call to her in her cellphone.
But family members said the call also left them unsettled, wondering whether the soldiers' exhaustion and
the 24-hour watch Craig described had contributed to Craig's death.
"We believe that's why we lost Andre," said Erik Brown, Craig's godfather. "Had they been able to rest,
Andre would be alive today."
An Army spokeswoman said no comment was available to the family's statements.
Brown served as a family spokesman while talking to reporters Wednesday. More than a dozen relatives
stood behind him, many, like Brown, wearing T-shirts showing a photograph of Craig in uniform and the
words "Dre-2007" and "In God We Trust."
Craig's mother and wife did not wish to speak with reporters, but relatives at the press conference outside a
relative's home on Bassett Street held Craig's baby daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was in Iraq.
She wore a white dress decorated with red and blue stars.
Craig returned home on leave last month, meeting Taylor for the first time and visiting with neighbors, who
warned him to be careful in Iraq.
"Dre," as Craig was known, had long dreamed of joining the Army and also hoped to become a state
trooper after his service, relatives and friends said. The Wilbur Cross High School graduate had hoped the
Army would pay for his college education.
One of six siblings in a close-knit family, Craig served as a big brother figure to many children in the Hill
neighborhood where his family lived, urging young people to stay out of trouble, residents there said.
Jonathan Craig, 20, recalled his big brother's love for clubbing and bowling, and the late-night phone calls
from Iraq.
Seeing his daughter changed Andre, Jonathan said - he had a gleam in his eye, as if he suddenly had a
new purpose in life.
But during his time home from Iraq, Jonathan said, Andre also seemed to have something on his mind, as if
he knew something bad was going to happen.
Jonathan recited his brother's last words to him: "Take care of my daughter as if you were the father, until I
come back."
Now the family will help raise Taylor, said another relative, Emerson Stevenson.
Craig had served about six months in Iraq, family members said. He joined the Army in October 2005 and
served with the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, based in Fort Riley, Kan.
During phone calls home, Craig would report on the conditions in Iraq, Brown said, telling relatives and
friends about feces in the streets and women being raped. Craig was happy to work to improve conditions,
Brown said.
Brown said he had misgivings about the war, particularly with American soldiers in the midst of a civil war.
But he always supported his godson's job there. "Andre was a soldier," Brown said. "He felt that he was
doing the right thing."
It was ironic, said John Elliott, a family friend, that Craig had made it out of a tough neighborhood to do
something positive, only to be killed doing it.
Craig was believed to be the first New Haven resident to die in Iraq. Since 2001, 39 servicemen and women
with Connecticut ties have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Elliott, 26, said joining the military was a way for young people from the neighborhood to pay for higher
education.
"That's our way of getting to college and doing something positive," said Elliott, who served six years in the
Army.
Now, Elliott said, he advises other young people considering the same path to wait until the war is over. Or
to consider loans, he said.
Knowing other people who served in Iraq and who came home made it easy to assume that Craig would
too, he said.
"It's a big eye-opener for everybody," he said. "It's a shock."
Contact Arielle Levin Becker at alevin-becker@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Jonathan Craig''s eyes welled up with tears when he recalled the last visit by his older brother, Andre Craig Jr. "The
last words he said to me in the living room is take care of my daughter as if you were a father to her until I come
back," Jonathan Craig said. Craig, 24, of New Haven, Conn., was killed June 25 in Baghdad of wounds from an
explosive. He was a 2001 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley. Eric Brown, his godfather, said Craig
had hoped to use his military service to help with college costs, and that he planned to become a state trooper when he
finished his military service. Ron Rosarbo, a high school security guard for 12 years, said he remembered Craig well.
"He was a quiet leader. He always volunteered to do things, move boxes, take down bleachers." Jonathan Craig said
his older brother had wanted to join the military since childhood and turned down a scholarship to Rutgers University
to serve in the Army. "He was trying to help his family," said his younger brother. He also is survived by his wife,
Shantia, and daughter, Taylor.
Army Spc. Andre Craig Jr.
24, of New Haven, Conn.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died June 25 in Baghdad of wounds sustained
from an improvised explosive device.
New Haven soldier dies in Iraq
The Associated Press
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A New Haven soldier whose daughter was born earlier this year has been killed in
Iraq by a roadside bomb, the governor’s office said June 27.
Army Spc. Andre Craig, a graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, died June 25 in Baghdad when a bomb
exploded near the convoy on which he was serving as a gunner.
Craig, 24, returned to New Haven recently for a brief visit to celebrate his birthday and to meet his infant
daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was serving in Iraq.
The governor has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until Craig’s burial.
“He took on the most hazardous duties to protect our country’s freedom,” Rell said in a statement. “His
bravery, his courage and the sacrifice he made for each and every one of us will never be forgotten.”
Craig was the 38th military member with Connecticut ties to die since the war began in 2002. Two
Connecticut civilians have also been killed.
Craig lived with his 20-year-old brother, Jonathan, and was known to friends, family and children in his
neighborhood as “Dre,” according to neighbors.
Craig and his five siblings were close to their mother, a nurse’s aide at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New
Haven, said family friend Khabira Hill.
“He wanted to make her proud,” Hill told The Hartford Courant.
Craig’s family plans to hold a funeral service in New Haven and have him buried in Arlington National
Cemetery in Virginia.
Family of slain soldier blames exhaustion
By John Christoffersen
The Associated Press
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The family of a soldier killed in Iraq on June 25 blamed his death on exhaustion,
saying soldiers there are not getting enough rest.
Spc. Andre Craig Jr., 24, of New Haven, died of wounds sustained from the explosion of a roadside bomb in
Baghdad.
Craig, a graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, was an infantryman assigned to 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry
Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, in Fort Riley, Kan.
He entered the Army in October 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division in March 2006. This
was his first deployment to Iraq.
Craig, whose nickname was Dre, called his family by cell phone June 23 to tell them he was on 24-hour
security duty, said Erik Brown, his godfather and family spokesman. After that, Craig went out on a mission
and was killed, he said.
“He was very tired, he was exhausted,” Brown said June 28. “Due to that exhaustion, we believe that’s why
we lost Andre. The soldiers are not getting rest, they’re tired.”
An Army spokeswoman at Fort Riley did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the family’s
assertions.
Brown and family members wore T-shirts with Craig’s picture and the words, “Dre 2007 in God we trust.”
Craig, 24, returned to New Haven recently for a brief visit to celebrate his birthday and to meet his infant
daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was serving in Iraq.
Craig described “deplorable” conditions in Iraq, including women being raped and feces in the street, Brown
said.
“They’re terrorizing each other and we have our soldiers in the middle of a civil war,” Brown said.
Still, Craig was happy doing his job, Brown said. Family and friends said Craig, who had been in Iraq about
six months, wanted to be a state trooper and had planned to go to college.
The governor has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until Craig’s burial.
“He took on the most hazardous duties to protect our country’s freedom,” Rell said in a statement. “His
bravery, his courage and the sacrifice he made for each and every one of us will never be forgotten.”
Craig was the 38th military member with Connecticut ties to die since the war began in 2002. Two
Connecticut civilians have also been killed.
Craig lived with his 22-year-old brother, Jonathan.
Craig and his five siblings were close to their mother, a nurse’s aide at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New
Haven, said family friend Khabira Hill.
Craig’s family plans to hold a funeral service in New Haven and have him buried in Arlington National
Cemetery, Va.
Jonathan Craig’s eyes welled up with tears as he recalled his brother’s last visit with his daughter.
“The last words he said he said to me in the living room is take care of my daughter as if you were a father
to her until I come back,” Jonathan Craig said.
Family, friends recall soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Jonathan Craig’s eyes welled up with tears when he recalled the last visit by his older brother, Army Pfc.
Andre Craig Jr.
“The last words he said to me in the living room is take care of my daughter as if you were a father to her
until I come back,” Jonathan Craig said.
Craig, 24, of New Haven, Conn., was killed June 25 in Baghdad of wounds from an explosive. He was a
2001 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.
Eric Brown, his godfather, said Craig had hoped to use his military service to help with college costs, and
that he planned to become a state trooper when he finished his military service.
Ron Rosarbo, a high school security guard for 12 years, said he remembered Craig well. “He was a quiet
leader. He always volunteered to do things, move boxes, take down bleachers.”
Jonathan Craig said his older brother had wanted to join the military since childhood and turned down a
scholarship to Rutgers University to serve in the Army. “He was trying to help his family,” said his younger
brother.
He also is survived by his wife, Shantia, and daughter, Taylor.
PFC. ANDRE CRAIG JR, KIA JUNE 25, 2007
By Kenton Robinson
Joyce Craig opens her well-thumbed Bible, unfolds a worn and tear-stained letter and reads:
“ 'Hi, Mom, I'm glad to hear that you are still focused on your ministry. You are truly my inspiration. ...' ”
She pauses, closes her eyes, tries to stop her tears. Even her grandchildren, restive in their parents' arms,
grow still. After a long silence, she resumes:
“ 'I want to say thank you for raising me to be a man. You never let me quit, and you never let me settle
for less. ... I'm glad you accept my dream. And I'm also happy to finally say, “I made my mother proud.” '
”
She folds the letter back between the pages.
“That's what he wanted to do,” she said. “He wanted to make his mother proud.”
Army Spc. Andre Craig Jr. was just two weeks away from his 24th birthday when he left his mother's
house on New Haven's Rosette Street for the last time in June 2007.
On leave from duty in Baghdad, he had come home in May to see his family and to meet his daughter,
Taylor Craig, who was born while he was in Iraq.
He had grown up here and on Carmel Street, two of New Haven's tougher neighborhoods, with his
mother, brothers and sisters, and he had shunned the shoals of crime and drugs to chase his dream.
“It was always his dream to go into the Army,” Joyce Craig said, “to fight for the people. And I asked
him, I said, 'Why the Army?' He said, 'Ma, it's my dream.'
“He wanted to go into the Army for college, to get money for college, and he wanted his family to live
and have better than what they had. ... He didn't want us to struggle to pay bills.”
Knowing well her son's determination, she gave him permission to go. Her middle child, the one they
called Dre, whom the others called the Momma's Boy, went off to war.
He left behind two older sisters: Valencia Cook, 31, and Debra Russell, 29; and three brothers: Michael
Cook, 26, Jonathan Craig, 22, and Matthew Craig, 20. He also had a half brother and half sister, 27-yearold Andre Brown, and Nashimma Williams, 29.
His sister Debra muses about the special bond Andre had with their mother.
“Every parent has ... a child they have a closer bond to. My sister and I were more independent, and
Michael was more independent, whereas Andre ... he was joined to my mom's hip a lot.”
“He was a momma's boy,” agrees his other sister, Valencia.
They laugh to remember how, when the sons and son-in-law Julian Russell went bowling last May, their
mother insisted she go along.
“Dre said, 'Ma, there ain't no girls going.' I said, 'I don't care, I'm going with you. ... I'm gonna go and I'm
gonna kick you all butts.'”
The night got wild when her sons began stacking up the shot glasses and bowling two balls at a time down
the same lane.
“So I really had to take them out of the place, because they were cutting up,” Joyce Craig said. “And
they walked outside busting out laughing. And I said, 'That's not funny, because you were disrespectful.' ”
Russell said that when Andre came home they decided they weren't going to let anything spoil their fun.
“Life's too short,” he said. “You never know.' ”
Certainly, Andre had had his eyes opened.
He wrote to his mother telling her of the horrors visited on the Iraqis.
“I'm glad that I'm down here and I can help them,” he wrote. “All I ask for you to ask the church to do is
to pray for God's mercy on these people.”
And when he came home it was as if the sun itself had broken through the clouds.
“He came home and he just showed everybody how much he loved us,” Julian Russell said. “He came
home and did everything for everybody. Cooked, cleaned. He came to show love.
“The funny thing is you wondered where all his love came from. You wondered how this man, that I'm
older than, that I can look up to him. Because he chose to go where I didn't want to go. I joined in 2000,
and, believe me, if I'd known I was going to go to Iraq in 2004, I wouldn't have joined. He was a braver
man than I will ever be.”
Debra Russell added, “When my husband was in Iraq, my brother took care of me. I was pregnant with my
daughter and ... Andre would take my car, pick me up, bring me to my doctor's appointment, so much so
that in the beginning, before they knew my husband was in Iraq, they thought he was my husband.”
“He was the first person to see my daughter walk,” Julian said. “He was the first person to be there and
encourage her and to give her a nickname. He loved my daughter a lot.”
And he was smitten, they say, when he learned he had a daughter of his own.
“He had wanted a child to leave behind in case something happened,” Joyce Craig said. But he had had
no children with his wife, Shawntia Craig, who could not be reached to comment for this story.
So when Joyce Craig told Andre that a former girlfriend had had a child by him, he asked his mother to go
see the baby.
“When I walked in the house, the baby was sitting in a chair,” Joyce Craig said. “And I said, 'Oh, my God!'
It looked like I had Andre all over again. It was like Andre was in that chair.”
Soon the whole family was spoiling Taylor, especially when Andre came home on leave.
Andre had always loved children.
“He would leave the house at 8 in the morning; he wouldn't come back till dark time. He'd play
basketball all day with my son. He would play ball in the street with the kids,” Valencia Cook said.
“And that's how he ended up having a close relationship with the children on this street, and that's how
they ended up naming the corner of Wilson and Rosette Street after him.”
After Andre's death, Joyce Craig said, she learned that “there were times when some parents would have
troubles with their kids, and they'd call Andre, and Andre would go and talk to them. ...”
“And I know that Andre wanted to leave a legacy to let people know that just because you live in the
'hood, doesn't mean that you can't fulfill your dream and be successful.”
She remembers that whenever she would ask Andre about Iraq, he would assure her, “Ma, I love my job.”
And yet, when it was time for him to return, “we all sat in here, and we had a prayer, and he broke down
and cried,” she said. “He cried so hard, as if he knew that one day he might not come back.”
July 25, 2007, the day Andre Craig died, was one week after his 24th birthday. It was also the day of
Valencia Cook's baby shower, the day — three hours before the shower — her water broke.
“He called me at the house,” she said, “and I said, 'My water broke,' and he said, 'I told you you were
gonna have that baby 'round my birthday.' And the next day we got the call. ... I was in labor when he
passed away.”
And so Valencia Cook named her baby Andre. Joyce Craig still struggles to make sense of it all.
“He was just willing to die ... for his country, for his family, for his friends. I still cannot get the grips of
that,” she said.
“He didn't die on the street behind drugs, you know? He died with a purpose, and he left a legacy. 'This
was my purpose, to be successful. And this was my legacy, to let other kids know that just because you
are poor or you live in a bad neighborhood, doesn't mean that you can't be successful.' ...
“So constantly thinking on that, it helps me more ... and my anger at him is not like it used to be. I'll tell
him, I'll sit and say, 'I'm proud of you, and you are my hero.'
“I just want to say to other children, if it's not your dream, and it's not really in your bones, don't do it.
... Now is not the time to do it, because so many of our children are dying in this war.”
Andre Craig, Jr.
Private First Class, United States Army
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 806-07
June 27, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Private First Class Andre Craig, Jr., 24, of New Haven, Connecticut, died June 25,
2007, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas
For more information related to this release the media may contact the Fort Riley
public affairs office at (785) 239-3410
27 June 2007:
An Army gunner from New Haven was killed Sunday in Baghdad when a roadside
bomb detonated near his convoy.
Specialist Andre Craig, 24, had been in Iraq about six months and leaves behind a 5month-old daughter, Taylor, according to a WTNH News Channel 8 report.
As a convoy gunner, Craig was in an exposed position, one of the most vulnerable in
an attack or explosion.
A group of women gathered Tuesday at his family's house on Rosette Street said his
relatives did not want to speak with a reporter because the tragedy is "too
overwhelming."
The U.S. Department of Defense did not confirm Craig's death or release any details
Tuesday.
Mayor John DeStefano Jr.'s spokeswoman said he had not yet been in contact with
the family because he was waiting for information from defense officials.
Early in Tuesday's graduation ceremony for Wilbur Cross High School, a moment of
silence was observed for Craig, a 2003 graduate of the city school system.
While home for two weeks within the last month, Craig saw his daughter for the first
time, WTNH reported.
The family may be planning a service in New Haven and burial will be in Arlington
National Cemetery.
Other Greater New Haven soldiers who have died in the Iraq war include Marine
Cpl. Jordan Pierson, 21, of Milford; Army Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr., 37, of
Guilford; and Army Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano, 33, of West Haven.
27 June 2007:
A New Haven soldier whose daughter was born earlier this year has been killed in
Iraq by a roadside bomb, the governor's office said Wednesday.
Army Specialist Andre Craig, a graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, died Monday
in Baghdad when a bomb exploded near the convoy on which he was serving as a
gunner.
Craig, 24, returned to New Haven recently for a brief visit to celebrate his birthday
and to meet his infant daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was serving in Iraq.
Craig was the 38th military member with Connecticut ties to die since the war began
in 2002. Two Connecticut civilians have also been killed.
Craig lived with his 20-year-old brother, Jonathan, and was known to friends, family
and children in his neighborhood as "Dre," according to neighbors.
Craig and his five siblings were close to their mother, a nurse's aide at the Hospital of
St. Raphael in New Haven, said family friend Khabira Hill.
"He wanted to make her proud," Hill told The Hartford Courant.
Craig's family plans to hold a funeral service in New Haven and have him buried in
Arlington National Cemetery.
27 June 2007:
NEW HAVEN, Conn. --A New Haven soldier whose daughter was born earlier this
year has been killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb, the governor's office said
Wednesday.
Craig, 24, returned to New Haven recently for a brief visit to celebrate his birthday
and to meet his infant daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was serving in Iraq.
The governor has ordered that flags be flown at half staff until Craig's burial.
"He took on the most hazardous duties to protect our country's freedom," Rell said
in a statement. "His bravery, his courage and the sacrifice he made for each and
every one of us will never be forgotten."
Craig was the 38th military member with Connecticut ties to die since the war began
in 2002. Two Connecticut civilians have also been killed.
Craig lived with his 20-year-old brother, Jonathan, and was known to friends, family
and children in his neighborhood as "Dre," according to neighbors.
Craig and his five siblings were close to their mother, a nurse's aide at the Hospital of
St. Raphael in New Haven, said family friend Khabira Hill.
"He wanted to make her proud," Hill told The Hartford Courant.
Craig's family plans to hold a funeral service in New Haven and have him buried in
Arlington National Cemetery.
27 June 2007:
The family of a soldier killed in Iraq Monday blamed his death on exhaustion, saying
soldiers there are not getting enough rest.
Private First Class Andre Craig Jr., 24, of New Haven, died of wounds sustained
from the explosion of a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
Craig, a graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, was an infantryman assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division in Fort Riley, Kansas.
He entered the Army in October 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry
Division in March 2006. This was his first deployment to Iraq.
Craig, whose nickname was Dre, called his family by cell phone Saturday to tell them
he was on 24-hour security duty, said Erik Brown, his godfather and family
spokesman. After that, Craig went out on a mission and was killed, he said.
"He was very tired, he was exhausted," Brown said Thursday. "Due to that
exhaustion, we believe that's why we lost Andre. The soldiers are not getting rest,
they're tired."
An Army spokeswoman at Fort Riley did not immediately respond to a request for
comment on the family's assertions.
Brown and family members wore T-shirts with Craig's picture and the words, "Dre
2007 in God we trust."
Craig, 24, returned to New Haven recently for a brief visit to celebrate his birthday
and to meet his infant daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was serving in Iraq.
Craig described "deplorable" conditions in Iraq, including women being raped and
feces in the street, Brown said.
"They're terrorizing each other and we have our soldiers in the middle of a civil
war," Brown said.
Still, Craig was happy doing his job, Brown said. Family and friends said Craig, who
had been in Iraq about six months, wanted to be a state trooper and had planned to
go to college.
The governor has ordered that flags be flown at half staff until Craig's burial.
"He took on the most hazardous duties to protect our country's freedom," Rell said
in a statement. "His bravery, his courage and the sacrifice he made for each and
every one of us will never be forgotten."
Craig was the 38th military member with Connecticut ties to die since the war began
in 2002. Two Connecticut civilians have also been killed.
Craig lived with his 22-year-old brother, Jonathan.
Craig and his five siblings were close to their mother, a nurse's aide at the Hospital of
St. Raphael in New Haven, said family friend Khabira Hill.
Craig's family plans to hold a funeral service in New Haven and have him buried in
Arlington National Cemetery.
Jonathan Craig's eyes welled up with tears as he recalled his brother's last visit with
his daughter.
"The last words he said he said to me in the living room is take care of my daughter
as if you were a father to her until I come back," Jonathan Craig said.
28 June 2007:
The last time Pfc. Andre Craig Jr., called home, on Saturday, he told his mom he was
exhausted. The 24-year-old infantryman had been on patrol all night, family
members said.
Then he left for a mission, they said. Soon afterward, the Humvee in which Craig was
riding in was struck by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He died Monday
from his wounds, according to the Department of Defense.
"At least he talked to everybody before he died," Craig's former girlfriend, Rhea
Knight, said Wednesday. Her eyes welled when she noted that she still had a record
of his last call to her in her cellphone.
But family members said the call also left them unsettled, wondering whether the
soldiers' exhaustion and the 24-hour watch Craig described had contributed to
Craig's death.
"We believe that's why we lost Andre," said Erik Brown, Craig's godfather. "Had
they been able to rest, Andre would be alive today."
An Army spokeswoman said no comment was available to the family's statements.
Brown served as a family spokesman while talking to reporters Wednesday. More
than a dozen relatives stood behind him, many, like Brown, wearing T-shirts showing
a photograph of Craig in uniform and the words "Dre-2007" and "In God We
Trust."
Craig's mother and wife did not wish to speak with reporters, but relatives at the
press conference outside a relative's home on Bassett Street held Craig's baby
daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was in Iraq. She wore a white dress
decorated with red and blue stars.
Craig returned home on leave last month, meeting Taylor for the first time and
visiting with neighbors, who warned him to be careful in Iraq.
"Dre," as Craig was known, had long dreamed of joining the Army and also hoped to
become a state trooper after his service, relatives and friends said. The Wilbur Cross
High School graduate had hoped the Army would pay for his college education.
One of six siblings in a close-knit family, Craig served as a big brother figure to many
children in the Hill neighborhood where his family lived, urging young people to stay
out of trouble, residents there said.
Jonathan Craig, 20, recalled his big brother's love for clubbing and bowling, and the
late-night phone calls from Iraq.
Seeing his daughter changed Andre, Jonathan said - he had a gleam in his eye, as if
he suddenly had a new purpose in life.
But during his time home from Iraq, Jonathan said, Andre also seemed to have
something on his mind, as if he knew something bad was going to happen.
Jonathan recited his brother's last words to him: "Take care of my daughter as if you
were the father, until I come back."
Now the family will help raise Taylor, said another relative, Emerson Stevenson.
Craig had served about six months in Iraq, family members said. He joined the Army
in October 2005 and served with the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th
Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based in Fort Riley, Kansas.
During phone calls home, Craig would report on the conditions in Iraq, Brown said,
telling relatives and friends about feces in the streets and women being raped. Craig
was happy to work to improve conditions, Brown said.
Brown said he had misgivings about the war, particularly with American soldiers in
the midst of a civil war. But he always supported his godson's job there. "Andre was
a soldier," Brown said. "He felt that he was doing the right thing."
It was ironic, said John Elliott, a family friend, that Craig had made it out of a tough
neighborhood to do something positive, only to be killed doing it.
Craig was believed to be the first New Haven resident to die in Iraq. Since 2001, 39
servicemen and women with Connecticut ties have been killed in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Elliott, 26, said joining the military was a way for young people from the
neighborhood to pay for higher education.
"That's our way of getting to college and doing something positive," said Elliott, who
served six years in the Army.
Now, Elliott said, he advises other young people considering the same path to wait
until the war is over. Or to consider loans, he said.
Knowing other people who served in Iraq and who came home made it easy to
assume that Craig would too, he said.
"It's a big eye-opener for everybody," he said. "It's a shock."
Posted: 28 June 2007
Andre Craig Jr
Friday, June 29 2007 @ 08:31 AM MDT
New Haven Register -- NEW HAVEN — The family of Pfc. Andre "Dre" Craig Jr., the first New Haven soldier to be
killed in Iraq, claimed Wednesday he died because the military sent him out exhausted on continuous 24-hour
missions.
Craig was a gunner, one of the most dangerous positions on a convoy, his family said. Craig had just turned 24, and
had recently become a husband and father. He died Tuesday in Baghdad of wounds suffered from an improvised
explosive device during a mission in Bagdad, the Department of Defense reported Wednesday.
"He was on 24-hour security duty. He was exhausted. The soldiers are not getting any rest. Had they been able to
rest, Andre would still be alive," said Eric Brown, Craig's godfather. "Our soldiers are (caught) in the middle of a civil
war."
Craig had called several family members prior to his death to let them know he was exhausted and being sent out on
another 24-hour mission.
Nearly 50 members of the grieving Craig family gathered on Bassett Street Wednesday afternoon, wearing
T-shirts with a photo of Craig in a military cap. The words "In God We Trust" ran below the photo and the
caption DRE — 2007 ran above.
Craig's mother, Joyce, and his wife, Shantia, declined comment and asked Brown to act as their
spokesman.
Brown stressed Craig died fighting for a cause he believed in. "He said the conditions in Iraq are deplorable.
Women are getting raped. There's feces on the street. He was glad to be doing his job."
Jonathan Craig, 22, said his older brother had wanted to join the military since childhood and turned down a
scholarship to Rutgers University to serve in the Army.
"He was trying to help his family," said the younger brother. Craig married Shantia before starting his
military service six months ago and returned for a 13-day furlough May 13, during which he saw his only
child, Taylor, now 5 months, for the first and only time. He had expected to serve an additional 14 months,
family members said.
"He lived it up before he left," said Karema Foster, 30, Craig's cousin. "He savored every moment."
Family members will help with Taylor, said Emerson Stevens, father-in-law of Craig's sister. Brown said
Craig had hoped to use his military service to help with college costs, and that he planned to become a
state trooper when he finished his military service.
Craig joined the Army in October 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division in March 2006. This
was his first deployment.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, out of Fort Riley, Kan.
Craig graduated from Wilbur Cross High School in 2001, school records show. He transferred to Cross
Annex as a sophomore, said Michael Golia, now assistant principal at Cooperative Arts and Humanities
High School. Golia was a math teacher at Annex when he got to know Craig.
Ron Rosarbo, a Cross security guard for 12 years, said he remembered Craig well. "He was a quiet leader.
He always volunteered to do things, move boxes, take down bleachers."
Craig also paid a visit to Cross during his last visit home.
"My heart goes out to Andre's family," said Mayor John DeStefano Jr.
"This is a tragedy that no family should ever have to endure. This war has taken the lives of thousands of
young people who are real heroes. I will keep Andre, his family and the thousands of other men and women
serving in Iraq in my prayers as I urge the community to do the same."
The family expects Craig's body to be returned from Iraq next week, and has not yet made plans on how to
memorialize him.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Andre Craig laid to rest
Dignitaries from around the state gathered at the Immanuel Baptist Church Friday morning to mourn a
hometown hero killed in Iraq.
Andre "Dre" Craig Jr., 24, of New Haven, an Army private first class, died when his convoy was struck by an
improvised explosive device as it patrolled Baghdad the morning of June 25.
His mother, Joyce Craig, and wife, Shawntia, and baby daughter, Taylor, 5 months old, were joined by about
400 people at the church at 1324 Chapel St. for a wake and memorial service.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell, U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and
Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz came to pay their respects to the broken-hearted family.
"He was one of the best. He stayed out of trouble and he took care of his family. That shows a lot of love,"
said Mike Newman, 27, Craig’s stepbrother.
"It was a beautiful funeral to honor a fallen comrade," said the Rev. Anthony Brown of Hamden, also an
Army veteran who said he served from 1977 to 1980.
Rell declared Friday an official day of mourning for Craig with flags lowered to half-staff.
"Craig will always be remembered for having given his life to preserve freedom and offer the benefits of
democracy to the world. His acts of courage reflected the highest standards of a hero. Everyone who met,
worked with or fought along-side Pfc. Craig was a better person for having known him," she said in a
statement.
"I was shocked to see the governor," Newman said, and nodding toward the bikers guarding the church,
added, "All these veterans out there — that’s a lot of love."
More than 80 bikers from the Patriot Guard Riders filed around the church to shield the family from any
possible protesters who came to heckle. Many in the file wore black leather and bandannas, some waved
American flags.
John Scanlon, a biker from Newington, said he counted 42 deaths of Connecticut natives in the Iraq conflict
so far, and has been to quite a few funerals.
"It is depressing, but it is also very healing. When you talk to the family ... when you talk to the family and
they see their (loved one) treated with the utmost respect," Scanlon said.
Craig also will be honored by his hometown.
The Board of Aldermen Monday will pass a resolution "recognizing and paying tribute to" Craig and
extending sympathy to his family.
"It is fitting to pay tribute to this fallen soldier who paid the ultimate price and made the greatest sacrifice to
secure the freedoms for the citizens of our nation," the resolution says.
Dwight neighborhood residents gathered in the leafy square opposite the church on Chapel Street. Many
were saddened as if they had lost one of their own.
"Is Bush inside the church? The president should be inside saying something to the family," said Christine
Oliver, 51, as she rested outside the church.
Emerson Stevens, of New Haven, who is close to the Craig family, said they deeply appreciated the
community’s show of support. "It was excellent of the government officials and to the motorcyclists in
particular."
Stevens said the Craig family was presented with a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and several other military
medals during the service.
The Bronze Star is awarded for heroism or meritorious service in combat. The Purple Heart is awarded to
those who have been wounded or killed.
"Where is Bush? Where is the president," said Brown after the service. "How many of our youth have to die
in Iraq before Bush and Cheney are satisfied? How many have to die before they pull out the troops." Brown
also criticized U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman for repeatedly voting to support and fund the war and not
personally attending the funeral.
Craig’s relatives defended his decision to serve despite the danger.
Stevens said that military service had been Craig’s dream since childhood.
"If people are going to bomb our country, why don’t we go there and fight instead of sitting home and doing
nothing?" he said. But Newman said he was inspired by Craig’s dedication.
"He had the chance to play basketball for Rutgers — he turned it down to go to the Army. I was with Andre
the day he signed up with the Army. What’s crazy is I just signed up, too," Newman said.
Stevens said Craig hoped the military would help cover his college costs when he finished his service.
When services for Craig ended, members of the Connecticut Honor Guard carried out the white coffin,
draped in an American flag, They marched with slow stiff steps and gently pushed the casket into the hearse.
They marched away slowly.
A police escort led the way to the Connecticut State Veterans’ Cemetery in Middletown, a field of matching
white stones tucked amid the rolling hills blossoming in tiger lilies and Queen Anne’s lace.
Craig, who graduated from Wilbur Cross High School, was part of Company Bravo, 2nd Battalion, 16th
Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Andre Craig remembered
NEW HAVEN - The last time Pfc. Andre Craig Jr., called home, on Saturday, he told his mom he was
exhausted. The 24-year-old infantryman had been on patrol all night, family members said.
Then he left for a mission, they said. Soon afterward, the Humvee in which Craig was riding in was struck by
an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He died Monday from his wounds, according to the Department
of Defense.
"At least he talked to everybody before he died," Craig's former girlfriend, Rhea Knight, said Wednesday.
Her eyes welled when she noted that she still had a record of his last call to her in her cellphone.
But family members said the call also left them unsettled, wondering whether the soldiers' exhaustion and
the 24-hour watch Craig described had contributed to Craig's death.
"We believe that's why we lost Andre," said Erik Brown, Craig's godfather. "Had they been able to rest,
Andre would be alive today."
An Army spokeswoman said no comment was available to the family's statements.
Brown served as a family spokesman while talking to reporters Wednesday. More than a dozen relatives
stood behind him, many, like Brown, wearing T-shirts showing a photograph of Craig in uniform and the
words "Dre-2007" and "In God We Trust."
Craig's mother and wife did not wish to speak with reporters, but relatives at the press conference outside a
relative's home on Bassett Street held Craig's baby daughter, Taylor, who was born while he was in Iraq. She
wore a white dress decorated with red and blue stars.
Craig returned home on leave last month, meeting Taylor for the first time and visiting with neighbors, who
warned him to be careful in Iraq.
"Dre," as Craig was known, had long dreamed of joining the Army and also hoped to become a state trooper
after his service, relatives and friends said. The Wilbur Cross High School graduate had hoped the Army
would pay for his college education.
One of six siblings in a close-knit family, Craig served as a big brother figure to many children in the Hill
neighborhood where his family lived, urging young people to stay out of trouble, residents there said.
Jonathan Craig, 20, recalled his big brother's love for clubbing and bowling, and the late-night phone calls
from Iraq.
Seeing his daughter changed Andre, Jonathan said - he had a gleam in his eye, as if he suddenly had a new
purpose in life.
But during his time home from Iraq, Jonathan said, Andre also seemed to have something on his mind, as if
he knew something bad was going to happen.
Jonathan recited his brother's last words to him: "Take care of my daughter as if you were the father, until I
come back."
Now the family will help raise Taylor, said another relative, Emerson Stevenson.
Craig had served about six months in Iraq, family members said. He joined the Army in October 2005 and
served with the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, based in Fort Riley, Kan.
During phone calls home, Craig would report on the conditions in Iraq, Brown said, telling relatives and
friends about feces in the streets and women being raped. Craig was happy to work to improve conditions,
Brown said.
Brown said he had misgivings about the war, particularly with American soldiers in the midst of a civil war.
But he always supported his godson's job there. "Andre was a soldier," Brown said. "He felt that he was
doing the right thing."
It was ironic, said John Elliott, a family friend, that Craig had made it out of a tough neighborhood to do
something positive, only to be killed doing it.
Craig was believed to be the first New Haven resident to die in Iraq. Since 2001, 39 servicemen and women
with Connecticut ties have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Elliott, 26, said joining the military was a way for young people from the neighborhood to pay for higher
education.
"That's our way of getting to college and doing something positive," said Elliott, who served six years in the
Army.
Now, Elliott said, he advises other young people considering the same path to wait until the war is over. Or
to consider loans, he said.
Knowing other people who served in Iraq and who came home made it easy to assume that Craig would too,
he said.
"It's a big eye-opener for everybody," he said. "It's a shock."
http://www.123people.com/ext/frm?ti=person%20finder&search_term=andre%20craig
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Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Dale . Lewis
Hometown: Brookfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 30 years old
Died: July 6, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Navy, Navy SEAL, Virginia Beach, Va.
Incident: Killed while conducting combat operations in Baghdad.
Special Warfare Operator Jason D. Lewis
By DAVE ALTIMARI The Hartford Courant
July 8, 2007
Navy SEAL Jason D. Lewis, a Brookfield native and special warfare operator first class, was killed in
combat July 6, 2007 in Baghdad. He was 30 years old, and left a wife and three children in Virginia.
A 30-year-old Navy SEAL who was a Brookfield native was killed Friday by an improvised explosive device
during a combat mission in Baghdad, military officials confirmed on Saturday.
Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Jason D. Lewis was one of three sailors killed by the bomb. Naval
officials would not release any more details on how or where Lewis was killed or what the sailors were doing
when the bomb exploded, citing security concerns.
Lewis is survived by his wife, Donna, and three children who live in Virginia Beach, Va. Donna Lewis is
also from Brookfield.
A woman who answered the phone at the Brookfield home of Donna Lewis' parents, John and Doris
Tyransky, Saturday evening said the family was referring all questions to the Navy and would not have a
comment on the death.
Lewis is the 40th active duty service member with ties to Connecticut to have been killed in Iraq or
Afghanistan since 2001. He is the second from Brookfield to die in Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt
III, 21, died in March 2005 from injuries suffered during a firefight near Fallujah.
The other sailors killed on the mission with Lewis Friday were Steven P. Daugherty, 28, of California and
Robert R. McRill, 42, of Florida.
``Petty Officers Lewis, Daugherty and McRill were patriots in the truest sense. Our hearts and prayers go
out to their families, friends, and teammates during this very difficult time. They had a combined 34 years of
dedicated service to our country,'' said Capt. Chaz Heron, commander, Naval Special Warfare Group Two.
``These sailors embodied the Navy core values of honor, courage, and commitment, time and again in
training and on the battlefield. The Naval Special Warfare family will miss them and will ensure they are
never forgotten.''
Lewis enlisted in the Navy July 22, 1996, and graduated from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.
In February 1997, Lewis entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in Coronado, Calif.
Lewis completed advanced SEAL training courses including parachute training at Basic Airborne School,
Fort Benning, Ga., before being assigned to a West Coast-based SEAL team in October 1997. He reported
to the Naval Special Warfare Center, Coronado, Calif., in March 2004, and transferred to an East Coastbased SEAL team in January 2006.
It was unclear if this was his first tour of duty in Iraq.
Lewis' awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal, Navy ``E'' ribbon, Good Conduct Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps
Overseas Service ribbon, Expert Rifleman Medal and Expert Pistol Shot Medal.
Contact Dave Altimari at daltimari@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Lewis enlisted in the Navy July 22, 1996, and graduated from Recruit Training Command, Great
Lakes, Ill., in November. In February 1997, Lewis entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL
(BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif. Following graduation from BUD/S, Lewis completed advanced
SEAL training courses including parachute training at Basic Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga.,
before being assigned to a West Coast-based SEAL team in October 1997. He reported to the Naval
Special Warfare Center, Coronado, Calif., in March 2004, and transferred to an East Coast-based
SEAL team in January 2006. Lewis' awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation
Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy 'E' ribbon, Good Conduct Medal (two
awards), Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service ribbon, Expert Rifleman Medal and Expert Pistol
Shot Medal. Lewis is survived by his wife and three children.
Jason D. Lewis
Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Dale Lewis of the United States Navy SEALs, of Virginia Beach, Va., formerly of
Brookfield, beloved husband of Donna (Tyransky) Lewis, died of injuries sustained in combat. He was born in Danbury
on June 30, 1977, cherished son of Jean Mariano of New Milford and Dale Lewis.
Jason lived in Brookfield for most of his life. He enjoyed fly fishing, rock climbing, cycling, and all outdoor activities.
He was a devoted father who loved spending time with his family.
In addition to his parents and his wife, Donna, he will be sadly missed by his three children: Jack, Max and Grace; his
maternal grandparents, Joseph and Frances Mariano of Brookfield; his sister, Jennie Schell and her husband,
Kenneth, of New Milford; his mother and father-in-law, Jack and Doris Tyransky, of Brookfield; his sister-in-law, Kerri
Eannarino and her husband, Brett, of Brookfield. He is also survived by several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and
cousins.
Funeral services will be held at the First Assembly of God in Brookfield, Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 11 a.m. Burial in
Center Cemetery, New Milford with full military honors, will follow.
The family will receive friends at the First Assembly of God, Friday, July 13, 2007, from 4 to 8 p.m.
The Cornell Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Jason Lewis Memorial Fund, in
care of Union Savings Bank, 226 Main Street, Danbury, Conn. 06810; or to the Naval Special Warfare Foundation, P.O.
Box 5965, Virginia Beach, VA 23471.
To light a candle of hope and remembrance, please visit our website at www.CornellMemorial.com.
Published in News Times on July 10, 2007
Petty Officer First Class Jason Dale Lewis
June 29th, 2009
Birth: June 30, 1977 in Danbury, Connecticut
Death: July 6, 2007 in Sadr City, Iraq
Petty Officer First Class Jason Lewis of Brookfield, Connecticut was the son of Jean Mariano and Dale
Lewis and the husband of the husband of Donna Tyransky Lewis. He lived in Brookfield for most of his
life where he enjoyed fly fishing, rock climbing, cycling and all outdoor activities. He was a devoted
father who loved spending time with his family. Jason was a SEAL based at Little Creek Naval
Amphibious Base. He joined the Navy in 1996 and graduated from basic SEAL training the following
year then joining a West Coast special warfare team. Jason transferred to the East Coast in January
2006 where he lived in Virginia Beach. His awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation
Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy ribbon, Good Conduct Medal (two awards),
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service ribbon, Expert Rifleman Medal and Expert Pistol Shot Medal.
He died as a result of enemy action while conducting combat operations in the vicinity of Baghdad, Iraq
at age 30.
East Coast-based SEAL team
Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base
Virginia
Burial is at Center Cemetery in New Milford, Connecticut
Sgt. Jason M. Lantieri
Hometown: Killingworth, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 25 years old
Died: October 10, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 725th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry
Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska
Incident: Died in a vehicle accident in Iskandaryah.
Charlie Macunas, who was a teacher and principal to Jason M. Lantieri, said he held a solid "B"
average while playing on the high school's soccer, basketball and baseball teams. "He worked hard
academically, but you could always tell it was hard for him to sit still. He was a bundle of energy,"
Macunas said of Lantieri, who also served on the school's student council for two years. Lantieri,
25, of Killingworth, Conn., died Oct. 10 in Iskandaryah of injuries from an Oct. 9 vehicle accident. He
was assigned to Fort Richardson. Lantieri graduated high school in 2000 and earned a business
degree from Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. In a MySpace posting in January,
Lantieri described traveling around Europe during a 15-day break from Iraq. He said Europe was
beautiful, and he raved about the Coliseum, the Louvre and the food. He wrote: "Europe is a great
place to just live for the day and for the moment. For now I will say arrivederci, auf wiedersehen
and au revoir to Europe, but the next time around I'll be bringing Chuck Norris." He is survived by
his parents, Kathleen and Jon.
Jason Lantieri
LANTIERI, Jason Jason Lantieri, a young man from Connecticut and an Army sergeant, died in Baghdad, Iraq on
Wednesday (October 10, 2007) in an accident. He was 25. Jason was born in Waterbury on July 24, 1982. He spent his
early childhood in Naugatuck, and then moved to Killingworth, where he graduated from Haddam-Killingworth high
school and played basketball, soccer, and baseball. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Western New England
College in Springfield. Jason enlisted in the Army in 2005, and he was sent to Iraq in 2006. He was promoted to
sergeant while in Iraq, and Jason was due to come home in December 2007. Jason's vivid spirit and mischievous
nature left their mark. Here's one story told by Jason's best friend, Steve Haeckel. One day, playing golf with friends,
Jason belly-flopped into a pond on the fairway of the eighteenth hole as a thunderstorm approached. "We're going
to get wet anyway," Jason said. There was almost nothing Jason wouldn't try, and there was no dare Jason wouldn't
take. Jason's contagious smile and his permanent optimism pulled him out of plenty of scrapes. Throughout his short
life, Jason always dreamed big and lived life to the fullest. Jason was an avid fan of many sports, but waffle ball had a
special place in his heart. His waffle ball bats, customized with electrical tape and all sorts of geegaws, were a perfect
example of Jason's tinkering. He always had a good idea how to make things better, faster, and stronger. Jason is
survived by a large family; his parents, Jon and Kathy Miller; and his brother and sisters, David Miller, Sarah
Greenaway, and Rachel and Amy Durette. He was "Uncle Jay" to seven nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind
several aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandmothers. Jason's mother, Karen Lantieri, died several years ago. Jason's
many friends around the world are devastated by the loss. The family will receive friends from 5-9 p.m., Wednesday,
October 17, at the field house of the Haddam-Killingworth High School, 95 Little City Road, Higganum. Services will be
2 p.m., Thursday, October 18 at the High School with burial to follow in Evergreen Cemetery in Killingworth with full
Military Honors.
In lieu of Flowers memorial contributions may be made payable to the Jason Lantieri Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o
Steve Haeckel, 134 Salem Drive, Cromwell, CT 06416. Swan Funeral Home Clinton is in charge of arrangements.
Published in Hartford Courant on October 14, 2007
Soldier from Conn. dies in Iraq vehicle accident
By Associated Press | October 12, 2007
HARTFORD - A US Army sergeant who grew up in Killingworth died accidentally in Iraq this week after he
was pinned between vehicles, his family said yesterday.
Jason Lantieri, 25, joined the Army two years ago and was due home in December for a break, said his
mother, Kathleen Miller of Clinton. She said a military official came to her home Wednesday morning to tell
her that her son had died from injuries suffered in an accident Tuesday.
"We don't have all the details," Miller said in a phone interview. "Our family is devastated. He was a pretty
special person, full of fun, full of life. He went into the service looking for an adventure."
Lantieri was supposed to come home over the summer, but his unit's deployment was extended, Miller said.
Lantieri graduated from Haddam-Killingworth High School in 2000 and earned a business degree from
Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. He was serving with the Army's 25th Infantry Division in
Baghdad, state officials said.
Miller said her son's body will be returned to the United States in five to seven days. She said the family has
tentative plans to hold a memorial service at Haddam-Killingworth High School. A date has not been set.
The Defense Department said yesterday that Lantieri died Wednesday from injuries suffered on Tuesday.
The circumstances surrounding the accident are under investigation, according to the Defense Department.
Governor M. Jodi Rell ordered Connecticut and US flags flown at half-staff until Lantieri is buried.
"I ask that we unite as a state to honor the sacrifice that Sergeant Lantieri has made on our behalf," Rell
said in a statement.
Lantieri was the 39th military member with Connecticut ties to die in Iraq and Afghanistan since the wars
began in 2002. The last, Army Private First Class Andre Craig of New Haven, died in Iraq in June. Two
Connecticut civilians have also died.
Miller said Lantieri had a difficult early childhood with his biological family in the Naugatuck-Waterbury area.
She did not want to elaborate. She and her husband, Jon, adopted him, and he grew up in the Miller family
with a brother and sister.
His mother believes he enlisted because he wanted to see the world. "I think he was anxious to travel and
explore," Kathleen Miller said.
After they learned of his death, Lantieri's friends posted notes on his MySpace.com page, calling him a
hero.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
2008
Cpl. Christian S. Cotner
Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 20 years old
Died: May 30, 2008 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Marines, Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan
Incident: Died in a non-hostile incident in Anbar province.
Cpl. Christian Cotner
Waterbury Man Remembered For Positive Attitude
By JIM SHEA Courant Staff Writers
June 8, 2008
Marine Cpl. Christian Cotner of Waterbury died May 30, 2008 in a non-hostile incident in Iraq's Anbar
province on his first tour duty in Iraq. Details of his death were not released. He was 20 years old.
In an aged cemetery, beneath a leaning evergreen, on a morning warm with the promise of summer, Marine
Cpl. Christian Scott Cotner was laid to rest Saturday with full military honors.
Cotner, 20, was killed May 30 in Iraq during his first tour of duty in the war zone. Details surrounding his
death have not been released.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell was among the crowd of about 500 mourners who attended the service. Rell said she was
there to share the family's loss and pay her respects. "Losing a child is every mother and father's worst
nightmare," she said.
Other top state officials in attendance included Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, Attorney General Richard
Blumenthal, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz and Comptroller Nancy Wyman.
"I went to school with Scott and also worked with him at Roller Magic," Amy Percy, of Naugatuck, said
before the service. "I always remember him as being funny. He could always make me laugh. He was just a
sweetheart."
Percy also remembered Cotner as being gung-ho. "He always talked about the Marines. He really wanted to
go over there."
Another friend, Lauren Galanti, of Waterbury, said Cotner's death brought home the reality of the war.
"Until I heard about it, I never thought much about Iraq," Galanti said. "When I realized Christian isn't
coming back, I realized the war is real."
One person not surprised by the large turnout was Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura. "Waterbury is a very
patriotic city," he said. "We support our own."
Shortly before 9 a.m., 146 members of the Patriot Guard Riders arrived on their motorcycles. The group,
which consists of many ex-service members, often attends services of fallen soldiers.
After dismounting their bikes, Patriot Guard Riders took up large American flags and lined the road into the
cemetery.
"As we drove up and saw the flags, I started to cry," Rell said.
When the motorcade following the hearse bearing Cotner's body arrived, it was led into the cemetery by a
riderless horse with a pair of backward boots in the stirrups. The horse, named Melody, is owned by Marine
Rick Kowalker of Cromwell and was making its 169th appearance at a service member's funeral.
The casket was unloaded by a contingent of Marines. As is tradition, a Marine stays with the body from the
time it arrives back into this country until the time of interment, Staff Sgt. James Battisti said.
Following prayers, the Marine guard unfolded the flag that had covered the casket and held it spread out as
a squad of Marine riflemen fired a three volley salute.
The flag was then refolded and presented to Cotner's parents. Cotner's mother, Karen, her son's dog tags
hanging from her neck, gently stroked the tightly folded flag for the rest of the service.
A memorial service at First Congregational Church in Waterbury followed the burial.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Christian S. Cotner's brother, Eric, said he and his brother grew up on different sides of issues. "I
like the Red Sox. He liked the Yankees. I went to college. He wanted to go in the Marines. I
remember the day he said he wanted to be a Marine. Our whole family worried about what would
happen to him. But when he graduated, I immediately realized he wanted to be the best. I will
always love him and keep him close to my heart." Cotner, 20, of Waterbury, Conn., died May 30
from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province. He was a 2006 high school graduate and was
assigned to Okinawa, Japan. "I always remember him as being funny. He could always make me
laugh. He was just a sweetheart," said Amy Percy, a friend. Cotner didn't like car trips, but lit up at
the sight of steam engines. He loved to play video games, and recently sent his friends several
hand-held video games from Iraq. He was fearless of heights, loved to bungee jump, ride roller
coasters, mess with computers and fly remote-controlled airplanes. He also is survived by his
parents, Karen and Graham.
Christian Scott Cotner
COTNER, Cpl. Christian Scott Corporal Christian Scott Cotner, age 20, died Friday (May 30,
2008), in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Corporal Cotner
was born November 27, 1987, in Waterbury, the son of Graham and Karen (Christensen) Cotner
of Waterbury. He was a graduate of Kingsbury Grammar School, North End Middle School and
Wilby High School. Upon graduation, Mr. Cotner joined the United States Marines Corp and has
recently been serving as a Corporal in the Marines Wing Support Squadron #172, Group #17, 1st
Marine Aircraft Wing III, Marine Expeditionary Force headquartered in Okinawa, Japan. He was
a member of the Boys Scouts of America, the Wilby High School, ROTC, and was a member of
the First Congregational Church of Waterbury. He had a passion for computers and electronic
gaming and enjoyed building and flying remote control airplanes and was a member of the Nutmeg Flyers. Besides
his parents, Christian is survived by a brother, Eric Cotner of Waterbury, his maternal grandparents June Christensen
of Waterbury; and Carl L. Christensen of Lyme, his paternal grandparents Billy and Gloria Cotner of Waterbury, his
aunt Wendy Christensen of Florida, his uncle Eric Christensen and his wife Susan of Shelton, his aunt Cathy Crouse
and her husband Ralph of Wolcott, cousins Stewart and David Crouse, Victoria Jelenik and Julie Christensen as well
many close friends "The Crew". A graveside service with full military honors will be held Saturday June 7 at 10 a.m. at
Riverside Cemetery, 496 Riverside St in Waterbury and a Memorial Service will be held Saturday June 7 at 1 p.m. at
the First Congregational Church of Waterbury, 222 W. Main St. Family and friends who plan on attending the
graveside service are asked to meet directly at Riverside Cemetery and stage outside the cemetery gate until the
family arrives. At the family's request, dress for the 1 p.m. memorial service should be "Tropical Casual" due to a very
warm sanctuary. The Casey-O'Donnell Family Funeral Home 1581 E. Main St Waterbury has been entrusted to assist
the family and the United States Armed Forces with funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the First Congregational Church of Waterbury (222 W. Main St
Waterbury, Ct 06702) for a scholarship fund in memory of Christian Scott Cotner. For more information, to light a
memorial candle, or to send an on-line condolence to the family please visit the funeral homes website at
www.caseyodonnell.com.
Published in Hartford Courant on June 4, 2008
Cpl Christian Scott Cotner October 11th, 2009
Born: November 27, 1987 in Waterbury, Connecticut
Died: May 30, 2008 in AL Asad, Iraq
Cpl. Christian S. Cotner of Waterbury, Connecticut was a graduate of Wilby High School where
he was a member of the ROTC. He was an easygoing student who was well liked and
enthusiastic about learning. He also attended Kingsbury Grammar School, North End Middle
School. Upon graduation, he joined the United States Marines Corp and has recently been
serving as a Corporal. He was a member of the Boys Scouts of America and was a member of
the First Congregational Church of Waterbury. He had a passion for computers and electronic
gaming and enjoyed building and flying remote control airplanes and was a member of the
Nutmeg Flyers. In addition to his parents, Graham and Karen Christensen Cotner, he is
survived by a brother, Eric Cotner, his maternal grandparents June Christensen; and Carl L.
Christensen, his paternal grandparents Billy and Gloria Cotner, his aunt Wendy Christensen,
his uncle Eric Christensen and his wife Susan, his aunt Cathy Crouse and her husband Ralph,
cousins Stewart and David Crouse, Victoria Jelenik and Julie Christensen as well many close
friends “The Crew”. Christian died at age 20 Iraq, while serving during Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
Marines
Marine Wing Support Squadron 172
Marine Wing Support Group 17
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Okinawa, Japan
Burial is at Riverside Cemetery in Waterbury, Connecticut
1st Lt. Thomas J. Brown
Hometown: Shelton, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 26 years old
Died: September 23, 2008 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Unit: Army, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division,
Baumholder, Germany
Incident: Died Sept. 23 in Salman Park, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his patrol came under small
arms fire during dismounted operations.
While stationed at Fort Benning, Thomas J. Brown found an abandoned cat that someone had
apparently tossed out a window. He adopted it as a pet, giving it a loving home, and named it
Batman. "That was Tom," said his mother, Carol Brown. He always looked out for others, both
people or animals. "He always seemed to be picking up abandoned animals," she said. Brown, 26,
of Burke, Va., died Sept. 23 in Salman Pak of wounds from small-arms fire. He graduated from
George Mason University in 2004 with degrees in government and international politics, and was
assigned to Baumholder, Germany. "He tried working, but he found life behind a desk was not for
him," Carol Brown said. So Brown applied for and was accepted to Army Officer Candidate School.
In addition to earning an officer's commission, he earned Airborne wings and a Ranger tab. Brown
wouldn't ask his troops to do anything that he himself wouldn't do, his brother Tim said. "He led his
life by example and was always in front of the pack," he said. "He always wanted to be the one with
boots on the ground and in the front of the line." He also is survived by his mother, Jackie. "He's my
hero," said Ronald Phillips Sr.
Thomas J. Brown
BROWN First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown, age 26, of Shelton, was killed in action Tuesday, September 23, 2008 in
Balad Iraq while serving his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was the beloved son of Carol Mary (Platkiewicz)
Brown of Shelton, and the late Kevin J. Brown. Thomas was born in New Haven, on March 13, 1982, and lived in
Shelton most of his life. He attended St. Jude's Grammar School in Monroe and was a Graduate of Notre Dame of
Fairfield, Class of 2000. Thomas was very active in youth sports. He played in Shelton Little League, Biddy Basketball,
and Travel Soccer for the Shelton U10 thru U16 teams. He played basketball at St. Jude's School, played varsity soccer
and ran track while at Notre Dame of Fairfield. Thomas loved to snowboard, skydive and was a certified scuba diver.
He enjoyed traveling and had a special place in his heart for the little island of St Maarten. He had respect for all
forms of life and was known to rescue any and all injured animals. Thomas graduated from George Mason University
Class of 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and International Politics. He studied abroad in Madrid
Spain and Greece. He was a brother in the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. He enlisted into the United States Army after
gaining acceptance into the Officer Candidate School. Lt. Brown completed basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He
graduated from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant Infantry
Officer on April 13, 2006. He completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course as well as the Mortar Leaders School, both
at Fort Benning. He endured the rigors of Ranger School and went on to earn his Ranger Tab. He also obtained his
Airborne Wings. In Sept 2007 Lt. Brown was assigned to the 1st Armored Division 2-6 Infantry Regiment in
Baumholder, Germany. In October of 2007 he was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant. His unit deployed to Iraq
on April 3, 2008. He was assigned as Mortar Platoon Leader with the 2-6 at COP Carver, and then in July was
reassigned as a Rifle Platoon Leader with the 2-6 Infantry, Alpha Company. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the
Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantry Badge posthumously. Thomas wanted to experience all that life had to offer
and never ignored the little things like a crisp fall morning or the setting sun. He affected everyone he met even in
passing and they all felt they were a better person for knowing him. Thomas is the beloved twin brother of Timothy
Brown of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and his fianc Sarah Colella. He is also lovingly remembered by his maternal grandmother,
Sophie Platkiewicz, his uncles Paul J. Brown Jr. and his wife Michelle of Worcester, Mass., and Neil J. Brown and his
wife, Donna of Springfield, Mass.; aunts Noreen M. Bowler of West Springfield, Mas., and Kathleen M. Brown of
Agawam, Mass.; several cousins, and his loving and devoted longtime girlfriend, Angela Yeo of Fairfax, Va. He was
predeceased by his maternal grandfather, John Platkiewicz, his paternal grandparents, Paul J. Brown, Sr. and Marie C.
Brown, and an uncle, Paul Bowler, II. Friends and family may pay their respects at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390
River Road, Shelton, on Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m. On Thursday friends are invited to join the family for a Mass of
Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at St. Jude Church, 707 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe. Burial with full military honors will take
place on December 11, 2008 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Lieutenant Brown prearranged with his family that in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, ATTN: Tribute/Memorial Department, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Online
condolences can be offered at www.riverviewfh.com.
Published in Connecticut Post on September 30, 2008
First Lt. Thomas J. Brown
Soldier Who Grew Up In Shelton Killed In Iraq
By DAVID OWENS The Hartford Courant
September 25, 2008
First Lt. Thomas J. Brown, who grew up in Shelton, was killed in Iraq on Sept. 23, 2008 in Salman Pak, Iraq.
He was 26.
An Army officer who grew up in Shelton was killed in Iraq on Tuesday after the patrol he was leading came
under small arms fire.
First Lt. Thomas J. Brown, 26, was leading his soldiers on a patrol in Salman Pak, Iraq, the Army said.
Brown was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Armored Division, based in Baumholder, Germany.
"Ever since Tom was young, he always wanted to go into the military," said Carol Brown, his mother. She
said she and her late husband had insisted that their son first go to college. He graduated from George
Mason University.
"He tried working, but he found life behind a desk was not for him," Brown said. So Thomas Brown enrolled
in Officer Candidate School. In addition to earning an officer's commission, he earned Airborne wings and a
Ranger Tab.
Carol Brown said her son, who lived in Burke, Va., was proud to be an infantry soldier. "Infantry meant
everything to him," she said. By being on the ground and leading soldiers, he believed he could make the
most impact and do the most good.
Carol Brown said she learned of her son's death Tuesday afternoon when a chaplain and another officer
visited her home. She said she has tried to remain strong, for her mother and her son's twin brother,
Timothy, who is a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Arizona.
Thomas Brown was due home for leave in 20 days and planned to spend time visiting his 85-year-old
grandmother and traveling to the Caribbean with his girlfriend, his brother and his fianceé, and his mother.
Brown is the 43rd member of the military with Connecticut ties to die in Iraq or Afghanistan since March
2002.
Contact David Owens at dowens@courant.com.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Thomas J. Brown
First Lieutenant, United States Army
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 809-08
September 24, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown, 26, of Burke, Virginia, died September 23, 2008, in Salman Park, Iraq, of
wounds suffered when his patrol came under small arms fire during dismounted operations. He was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder,
Germany.
For more information media may contact the U.S. Army, Europe, public affairs office at 011-49-6221-57-5816 or
8694, or email: ocpa.pi@eur.army.mil.
25 September 2008:
An Army officer who grew up in Shelton was killed in Iraq on Tuesday after the patrol he was leading came
under small arms fire.
First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown, 26, was leading his soldiers on a patrol in Salman Pak, Iraq, the Army said.
Brown was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Armored Division, based in Baumholder, Germany.
"Ever since Tom was young, he always wanted to go into the military," said Carol Brown, his mother. She said
she and her late husband had insisted that their son first go to college. He graduated from George Mason
University.
"He tried working, but he found life behind a desk was not for him," Brown said. So Thomas Brown enrolled in
Officer Candidate School. In addition to earning an officer's commission, he earned Airborne wings and a
Ranger Tab.
Carol Brown said her son, who lived in Burke, Virginia, was proud to be an infantry soldier. "Infantry meant
everything to him," she said. By being on the ground and leading soldiers, he believed he could make the
most impact and do the most good.
Carol Brown said she learned of her son's death Tuesday afternoon when a chaplain and another officer
visited her home. She said she has tried to remain strong, for her mother and her son's twin brother, Timothy,
who is a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Arizona.
Thomas Brown was due home for leave in 20 days and planned to spend time visiting his 85-year-old
grandmother and traveling to the Caribbean with his girlfriend, his brother and his fianceé, and his mother.
25 September 2008:
Shelton (WTNH) -- Flags across the state are flying at half-staff in memory of a soldier from Connecticut who
died in Iraq.
First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown, who grew up in Shelton, died Tuesday, September 23, 2008, Salman Pak,
Iraq. Lieutenant Brown was assigned to A Coompany, 2nd Battalion 6th infantry Regiment, 1st armored
Division, Baumholder, Germany.
Thomas Brown was a soldier's officer. Instead of eating with other officers, he ate with his troops. Instead of
sending soldiers out on patrol, he went with them on every patrol. It was on one of those patrols in a town 60
miles north of Baghdad that Brown was killed in an ambush attack. His troops have already called his family
here in Shelton to say how much they will miss their leader, and Brown's family and the hometown that put his
name on their honor board will certainly miss him too.
"The type of person that you met and everyone around him was better for having known him," said his twin
brother, Tim Brown.
Tom Brown grew up playing little league, basketball and soccer in Shelton and then for Notre Dame High
School. He went to George Mason University, but there was never any doubt he would end up serving his
country. He joined the Army, went through Ranger school and got his Airborne wings. In April, Lieutenant
Thomas J. Brown went to Iraq. On Tuesday, his platoon was ambushed and he was killed.
"We lost someone special a couple days ago because he was one of the people in life that you meet and you
really take something with you from them," Tim said.
And some of the soldiers serving under Lieutenant Brown called him and told him that unlike other officers,
Brown always went with his troops on every mission. They told him Brown led from the front, always riding in
the convoy's lead vehicle.
You know he was never the type of guy to send his troops out without him. He was always there at the front of
the line and that was one thing they said they respected about him that wherever they went he was with
them," Tim said.
Lieutenant Brown knew he had the support of his family and hometown, too. His mom sent him a picture of
Shelton's new wall of honor.
"He had called her back and told her many of the people serving In his platoon were somewhat envious of his
hometown because of the spirit and of the recognition we were paying to the men and women in the services,"
said Mayor Mark Lauretti.
Funeral services have not been announced. Governor Jodi Rell has ordered flags in the state to fly at half staff
until his burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
By KATE RAMUNNI
Courtesy Of The Connecticut Post
25 September 2008
SHELTON, Connecticut - A few years ago, when Army First Lieutenant Thomas Brown was stationed at Fort
Benning, Georgia, he found a forlorn cat that someone had apparently tossed out a window.
Brown took the battered cat, cleaned it up and adopted it as a pet, giving it a loving home.
That cat, dubbed Batman, has been living with Brown's mother, Carol, in her Button Road home since he was
deployed to fight with American forces in Iraq.
Now, the cat whose rescue was a reflection of Tom Brown's caring nature, is an aching reminder of his loss -the 43rd member of the military with Connecticut ties to die in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
"That was Tom," Carol Brown said Thursday of her son's adoption of Batman. He always looked out for
others, both people or animals. "He always seemed to be picking up abandoned animals," she said, and was
equally protective of those he led into battle in Iraq.
Brown, 26, died Tuesday in action in Salman Pak, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, according to the Defense
Department. He was assigned to the Germany-based 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division.
Soon after Brown died, the troops he commanded called his family, according to his twin brother, Tim.
"They wanted to tell Mom what a straight-up guy he was," he said, "and how much they appreciated him as an
officer and how much it meant to serve under him."
Tom Brown wouldn't ask his troops to do anything that he himself wouldn't do, his brother said. "He led his
life by example and was always in front of the pack," he said. "He always wanted to be the one with boots on
the ground and in the front of the line."
Tom Brown grew up in Shelton, and attended St. Jude's School in Monroe and Notre Dame High School in
Fairfield. He went on to earn a degree in politics and government from George Mason University in Virginia.
But it was always his fondest desire to serve his nation in the military, Carol Brown said.
"He always said he wanted to be a soldier," she said. "Thomas always said he wanted to make a difference,
and he saw going into the military and serving in Iraq as a way to do that."
While early reports on Brown's death indicated that he most recently lived in Burke, Virginia, he always used
Shelton as his official address and had only gone to that state for a brief time to stay with his brother, Carol
Brown said.
Her son stuffed a lot of living into his 26 years, she said.
"He loved life and wanted to experience it all," she said. That included scuba diving, sky diving and
snowboarding, she said, as well as playing Little League baseball and Biddy Basketball in Shelton. He also
played soccer throughout his school years. "He enjoyed life to its fullest," she said, adding that he loved to
travel and did so frequently.
He also worked hard, earning the prestigious Army Ranger Tab by successfully completing a harrowing U.S.
Army Ranger Training School on combat tactics in desert, mountain and swamp conditions. "He treasured
that most," his mother said. "He was thrilled when he got that tab."
Carol Brown said she last spoke with her son Saturday, when he recounted for her how his unit had
discovered a cache of weapons.
"He said that by finding that, hopefully they saved some lives," she said. "Those were his last words to me."
Though he didn't have to, Brown always accompanied his unit on its missions, she said. "He insisted he go
out on every mission with his men," she said. "He believed in leading from the front, and I always scolded him
about it."
Tom Brown had planned to return home for an R&R break October 13, when he was to visit his 85-year-old
grandmother and take a trip to St. Martin with his mother, his girlfriend, Angela Yeo, his brother, Tim, and his
fiancee. His father, Kevin, died in 2005.
"He just called me three days ago and said he couldn't wait to get back," Tim Brown said.
Tom Brown and his brother Tim were remembered fondly Thursday by the Rev. William Sangiovanni, the
principal of Notre Dame High School.
"He and his brother went here -- nice kids," he said. "It's so disheartening to hear that news ... You hate to
hear news like this, but especially when it's someone that you know."
He said that many of the Notre Dame faculty members "knew the Brown brothers. [Tom] was very active. The
both played soccer and ran track, and he was involved in volunteering for the Garlic Festival and other things
that we had going on here at the time."
Sangiovanni said that Brown also was in the school's honors program.
News of Brown's death stunned Shelton residents, many of whom learned about the incident through
newspaper and television reports Thursday morning.
Flowers and a note to Brown were left Thursday at a veterans' honor wall near the war memorial building at
Riverview Park.
Jean Stott, 44, of New Street, said Brown's death is jarring news because it happened to someone from her
hometown.
"My thoughts and prayers to the kid's family and friends. I'm honored that a kid his age would go and fight for
freedom," she said.
Frances Zak, 86, of Myrtle Street, said the news made her "sick to my stomach. "It hits so close to home," Zak
said. "I just felt terrible hearing about it. The city should do something for his family."
Lisa Spinelli, 39, said Brown's death is another reason why America's military involvement in Iraq should end
soon. "It's unfortunate for the families and children, and I really think we should stop and bring the troops
home," she said.
Funeral arrangements for Tom Brown aren't yet set, Carol Brown said, but the wake will be held at Riverview
Funeral Home in Shelton and the funeral at St. Jude's Church in Monroe. He will be buried with full military
honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Courtesy of ConnPost.Com
By PETER URBAN Staff Writer
29 September 2008:
SHELTON, Connecticut -- The funeral of Army First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown, who was killed in action last
Tuesday in Iraq, will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Jude Church, 707 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe,
Connecticut.
It was also announced by his family that Brown's wake will take place Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m. in the
Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road.
He will be buried December 11, 2008, with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Brown, who was 26 at the time of his death, had attended the St. Jude School in Monroe and Notre Dame
Catholic High School in Fairfield. He received his bachelor's degree from George Mason University in 2004. A
graduate of the Army's Officer Candidate School and a recipient of the Ranger Tab, Brown was commissioned
as a Second Lieutenant in 2006.
He was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant last October and deployed to Iraq in April.
He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry badge posthumously.
He is survived by his mother, Carol Brown, of Shelton, and a twin brother, Timothy Brown of Arizona.
Memorials contributions, in lieu of flowers, should be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Attention:
Tribute/Memorial Department, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.
10 December 2008:
Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell says an Army Lieutenant from Shelton who was killed in Iraq is set to be
buried Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery.
First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown was killed September 23, 2008, when his patrol came under small-arms fire
about 60 miles north of Baghdad. His family held funeral services in Monroe in October.
Rell is ordering all U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to be lowered to half-staff on Thursday in his honor.
Brown was the 41st member of the military from Connecticut to die in Iraq or Afghanistan since the wars
began. He grew up in Shelton and had been living in Burke, Virginia.
Shelton soldier, killed in Iraq, laid to rest
By PETER URBAN Staff writer
11 December 2008
Army First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery
this morning as a steady, cold rain fell on nearly a hundred mourners gathered at the gravesite.
Brown, 26, of Shelton, Connecticut, was killed in action in Iraq on September 23, 2008. He was promoted to
First Lieutenant in October 2007, and his unit was deployed to Iraq in April. Brown was posthumously
awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Brown's flag-draped casket was carried on a caisson, preceded by the Army Marching Band, along a quiet
road leading to the gravesite in Section 60 where many of the 450 Iraqi casualties interred, inurned or
memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery lay.
About 50 mourners followed on foot behind the horse-drawn caisson. Another 60 mourners followed behind in
cars.
Eight body bearers carried the casket from the roadside a short distance to the gravesite, where a canopy had
been erected to shelter his surviving family, which included his mother Carol Brown and brother Tim Brown,
from the steady rain.
A lone bugler played Taps. A firing party of seven soldiers each fired three rounds in salute.
Rev. Joseph Goudreau led a prayer.
The American flag that had covered Brown's casket was folded and presented to his mother by Major General
Richard J. Rowe, Jr., the commanding general of the Military District of Washington.
Army Secretary Pete Geren knelt before a seated Carol Brown and offered his condolences to her and Brown's
brother. So did Betty Kelson, an Arlington Lady -- one of about 65 women who volunteer to attend Army
funerals held at the nation's most hallowed cemetery.
The ceremony ended after about half an hour.
Brown attended St. Jude School in Monroe as a child. He went on to graduate from Notre Dame High School
of Fairfield and George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. Later, he was graduated from the Army's Officer
Candidate School, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant infantry officer on April 13, 2006. He also
earned the Ranger Tab and his Airborne Wings.
Caison bearing the remains of First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown moves through Arlington National Cemetery.
Members of the honor guard take part in funeral services for Army First Lieutenant
Thomas J. Brown Thursday, December 11,2008, at Arlington National Cemetery
Major General Richard Rowe, left, presents Carol Brown with an American flag during funeral services for her
son,
Army First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown, Thursday, December 11, 2008, at Arlington National Cemetery
Army Secretary Pete Geren, left, meets with the family of Army First Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown,
Thursday, December 11,2008, during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery
Photo By Tom Gugiluzza-Smith,December 2008
BROWN, THOMAS J
1LT US ARMY
DATE OF BIRTH: 03/13/1982
DATE OF DEATH: 09/23/2008
BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8744
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson
Posted: 25 September 2008 Updated: 26 Sepember 2008 Updated: 29 September 2008 Updated: 10 December 2008 Updated: 11 December 2008 Updated: 14 January 2009 Updated:
19 June 2009
Updated: 1 October 2009
2009
Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver
Hometown: Hamdon, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 32 years old
Died: October 2, 2009 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division -Greensboro, N.C.
Incident: Died in Murcheh, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when they were attacked by a
suicide bomber.
Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver
By PETER MARTEKA The Hartford Courant
October 5, 2009
HAMDEN - Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver of Hamden died Oct. 2, 2009 in an ambush while on patrol in
Muscheh, Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. He was 32.
When the flag-draped casket of U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver arrived at Dover Air Force Base
Saturday, he was not only mourned by his parents and fiancée, but will be by thousands of people in
Uganda who simply knew him as "Moses Ben," the man who brought them clean and sustainable drinking
water.
Sklaver, a 32-year-old Hamden native, was killed in an ambush, possibly by a suicide bomber, while on
patrol Friday in Muscheh, Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border.
Major Charlie Jaworski, a spokesman for the Army, declined comment on how Sklaver, who was in the
422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, was killed. The Department of Defense had not officially
released details of Sklaver's death by Sunday afternoon.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered the state's flags to be flown at half staff until Sklaver's funeral.
In Hamden, Sklaver's father, Gary Sklaver, was awaiting the arrival of relatives and friends from across the
world who are coming for his son's funeral. The funeral has tentatively been scheduled for Tuesday. He said
his son was a "very bright and ethical man" and was preparing to marry Beth Segaloff in June.
"He certainly touched a lot of people with his work," Gary Sklaver said Sunday. "He was certainly special to
us. Every soldier over there is a hero. And everyone over there has someone back home who grieves for
them. All soldiers families are worried and all of us have to pray for those who are still over there."
Benjamin Sklaver, who has a brother and sister, was the director and founder of ClearWater Initiative, a
New Haven-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean water to populations affected by
humanitarian emergencies. The projects were focused on conflict-affected areas of northern Uganda.
The company had brought clean drinking water in the form of wells to more than 6,500 people since 2007.
The organization's goal was to "directly impact the lives of more than 10,000 people by 2012.
"It's a sad day for Hamden," said Hamden Mayor Craig Henrici, a family friend. "He's kind of like the allAmerican boy who grew up to be a hero and a humanitarian."
According to the ClearWater website, Sklaver served in the military's Combined Joint Task Force — Horn of
Africa in 2006 and 2007, with a mission to mentor Ugandan military units. While in Uganda, he was struck
by the high rates of child mortality linked to dirty drinking water. When he returned home, he began
ClearWater, linking donors with Ugandan partners to bring clean water infrastructure projects in remote
villages.
Gary Sklaver said his son's faith in Judaism was important to him.
"Our Jewish faith teaches us to do good deeds and do what we can to make the world a better place. This
was a young man determined to make the world a better place," he said.
According to Gary Sklaver, his son expected to be home last May. But the "stop-loss" policy of keeping
troops past their enlistment dates led to Sklaver's staying in Afghanistan until the end of his tour. Earlier this
year, the Obama administration put an end to the policy.
"There are soldiers making great sacrifices for this country, but it's not making the front pages," Gary
Sklaver said, noting he viewed the caskets of 10 bodies coming off the plane during the transfer ceremony
at Dover. "There are still soldiers dying out there. And they deserve our respect."
While in the United States, Sklaver was an international emergency and refugee health analyst at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
He relocated to Westchester County, N.Y., to take a job with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency so he would be closer to his fiancée. He graduated from Hamden High School in 1995, was a
graduate of Tufts University and had a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver
Benjamin A. Sklaver, from Hamden, Conn., was a captain in the in the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 3rd Infantry
Division of the United States Army. He was the director and founder of ClearWater Initiative, a New Haven-based
nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean water to populations affected by humanitarian emergencies.
Published in Hartford Courant from October 5, 2009 to October 10, 2010
Army Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver
32, of Medford, Mass.; assigned to the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, Greensboro,
N.C.; died Oct. 2 in Murcheh, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when he was attacked by a
suicide bomber. Also killed was Pfc. Alan H. Newton Jr.
Dad: Soldier wanted to win hearts of Afghans
By Pat Eaton-Robb
The Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver was a humanitarian who lived and died trying to fix
whatever he found broken in the world, his friends and family said Monday.
The 32-year-old reservist had worked on refugee issues in Africa and started a nonprofit organization that
brought clean drinking water to thousands. He was killed Friday in southeastern Afghanistan when his civil
affairs unit was ambushed by a suicide attacker.
“Ben was a patriot, loved his country and loved serving,” said friend Jake Herrle. “But he also saw his job in
the Army to be a combatant for peace. He saw the Army as a way to do greater good.”
Sklaver, a Hamden native, was almost finished with his reserve commitment and was engaged to be
married when he was recalled to duty this spring and sent to Afghanistan.
His job there was to help the military establish better relationships with the Pashtun people, so fewer would
join the Taliban, said his father, Gary Sklaver. He would meet with village elders to find out if they needed
schools, a hospital or clean water, and then he would help them get it. Often, he would not know whether
the people he was working with were sympathetic to the enemy.
“The people who are there doing good, such as my son, are the biggest threat to the Taliban, because if
they win over the hearts and minds of the population, then the Taliban doesn’t have the recruiting points
they would have if the soldiers just came in, knocked on doors and killed people,” his father said.
Ben Sklaver had a history of winning people’s hearts and minds, Gary Sklaver said.
After graduating with a master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University, he went to work for
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and traveled to Malawi in Africa to work on
international hunger and refugee relief issues.
In 2006, his reserve unit was sent to the Horn of Africa. He ended up in northern Uganda, where his mission
was to help refugees re-establish communities after 20 years of civil war. Most of his work involved finding
new sources of clean water, helping dig wells or creating protected springs, his father said.
He was so moved by the suffering he saw that he founded the nonprofit Clearwater Initiative when he got
home, recruiting friends to help him continue the work in Uganda.
“It was totally volunteer. He had a full-time job with the CDC and spent about 30 hours a week of his own
time working on this,” his father said.
The organization allows donors to contribute to specific projects, such as repairing a well at a school. They
can then follow online as the project they funded is completed.
Since it began, the Clearwater Initiative has provided access to clean water for more than 6,500 people,
said Herrle, who volunteers and serves on the charity’s board. Sklaver’s goal was to increase that to
250,000 within 10 years.
“He was a tremendously bright and caring person,” Herrle said. “He could have very easily just coasted
along on his talent, looking out for himself. But because of the way he saw the world and saw his place in it,
he always tried to improve it.”
Sklaver had just begun a job in New York with the Federal Emergency Management Agency when he was
called back to active duty in the spring.
At the time of his death, his friends were preparing a giant care package to send to him for Thanksgiving.
Everyone who donated to the package also made a donation to his nonprofit.
His family is requesting that mourners contribute to the charity instead of sending flowers.
Sklaver’s funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell has ordered state flags to remain at half-staff until Sklaver has been interred.
Purple Heart, Bronze Star
( MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6,
2009 ) The Purple Heart and the Bronze Star awarded to Capt.
Benjamin Sklaver who died while fighting in Afganistan.
Riderless Horse
(MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6,
2009)
Following a hearse a member of the honor guard leads a riderless
horse before graveside services in Morris for Capt. Benjamin A.
Sklaver kiled while fighting in Afghanistan.
Carrying The Casket
(MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6,
2009)
Soldiers carry the casket of Capt. Benjamin Sklaver at Farband
Cemetery in Morris who died in Afghanistan.
Mourners Shovel Dirt
(MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6,
2009) Mourners shovel dirt onto the casket of Capt. Benjamin
Sklaver after grave site services at Farband Cemetery in Morris.
Capt. Benjamin Sklaver's Funeral
(BETTINA HANSEN / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6, 2009)
Jack Casey, 63, of Groton, a Vietnam veteran with the Connecticut Patriot
Guard Riders, stands with other riders from a variety of organizations outside
the entrance of Congregation Mishkan Israel Synagogue in Hamden before
the funeral for U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver Tuesday. Sklaver, 32, was
a Hamden native who was killed last Friday in Afghanistan.
Gun Salute
(MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6, 2009)
A twenty-one gun salute for Capt. Benjamin Sklaver at Farband Cemetery in Morris
who died in Afghanistan. Sklaver was honored with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star
and a Combat Action Badge during grave site ceremonies.
Hearse
(MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6, 2009)
An honor guard outside Farband Cemetery in Morris stands at attention as the
hearse carrying the body of Capt. Benjamin Sklaver who died in Afghanistan.
Capt. Benjamin Sklaver's Funeral (BETTINA HANSEN / HARTFORD COURANT /
October 6, 2009)
Maj. Charlie Jaworski, left, of the Connecticut Army National Guard, stands next to
Jack Casey, right, 63, of Groton, a Vietnam veteran with the Connecticut Patriot
Guard Riders, outside the entrance of Congregation Mishkan Israel Synagogue in
Hamden before the funeral for U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver Tuesday. Sklaver,
32, was a Hamden native who was killed last Friday in Afghanistan.
U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver's Funeral (BETTINA HANSEN / HARTFORD
COURANT / October 6, 2009)
The funeral procession for U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver rolls down
Dixwell Avenue in Hamden Tuesday underneath a large flag hung off of a
Hamden Fire Department fire truck. Sklaver, 32, was a Hamden native who was
killed last Friday in Afghanistan.
Half-Staff Flag (BETTINA HANSEN / HARTFORD COURANT / October 6, 2009)
A flag flies at half-staff in Hamden Tuesday for U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin
Sklaver, 32, a Hamden native who was killed last Friday in Afghanistan.
Mourners (THOMAS CAIN / AP / October 6, 2009)
Mourners of Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver make their way into Congregation
Mishkan Israel in Hamden. Army Captain Sklaver was killed in an ambush in
Afghanistan.
Capt. Benjamin Sklaver's Funeral (THOMAS CAIN / AP / October 6, 2009)
A hearse carrying the body of Army Captain Benjamin Sklaver drives
underneath an American flag in Hamden. Army Captain Sklaver was killed in
an ambush in Afghanistan.
Gretchen Callahan (THOMAS CAIN / AP / October 6, 2009)
Gretchen Callahan of Hamden, Ct., right, holds an American flag as the funeral
procession for Army Captain Benjamin Sklaver passes by in Hamden. Army
Captain Sklaver was killed in an ambush in Afghanistan.
Capt. Benjamin Sklaver (COURTESY OF JAKE A. HERRLE)
Capt Sklaver delivers books to a girls' orphanage in Uganda. His unit also
oversaw the construction of a new dormitory for the girls.
Capt. Benjamin Sklaver, fiancee Beth Segaloff (COURTESY OF JAKE A.
HERRLE)
Ben Sklaver and fiancee Beth Segaloff at their engagement party, New Haven,
CT
Capt. Benjamin Sklaver (COURTESY OF JAKE A. HERRLE)
Cabbagetown neighbors Danny Welch, Missy Bowen, Jake Herrle, Ben Sklaver,
Elizabeth Peterson gathered in New Haven, CT in March, 2009 for the
celebration of Sklaver's engagement to Beth Segaloff.
Hamden Native, Capt. Benjamin Sklaver Buried With Full Military Honor
Rachel Frank Fox 61 Reporter
9:21 p.m. EDT, October 6, 2009
HAMDEN —
Army Captain Benjamin Sklaver was laid to rest Tuesday with full military honors. Sklaver, 32, was killed in
Afghanistan on Friday when his unit was ambushed. People from across the world came to pay their
respects and celebrate the life of the Hamden native.
Police say over 700 people packed into the Hamden Synagogue, Mishgan Israel. Jake Hurrle, a close friend
of Sklaver's says the soldier's death reached as far as China and Israel. "It's an impressive display here
today and I'm very grateful. I hope that it honors the family. I knew that Ben was a very great leader…he
had done amazing work abroad."
A humanitarian, Sklaver worked to provide safe, clean drinking water for Ugandan villagers. Sklaver cared
so much about the issue, he created his own non-profit charity, the Clearwater Initiative Corporation.
Senator Joe Lieberman says Sklaver is a family friend. "He always believed you could reach out as an
American anywhere in the world and touch the heart of someone else." Sklaver's mother Laura is one of the
Senator's lawyers. "Its a tragedy that has really cut deep into a lot of people's hearts and I think we are all
trying to find a way we can comfort his family."
The procession including six police agencies, passed by Sklaver's alma mater Hamden High School. Middle
School students stood outside to honor the fallen soldier. The procession also passed Sklaver's Hamden
childhood home before arriving at Farband Cemetery in Morris.
Following a rifle salute, Captain Sklaver's family was presented with several awards including a Purple
Heart, a Bronze Star and a Combat Action Badge for selfless service and honor while serving his country.
Sklaver is survived by his two parents, a brother, sister, and fiancé. He was due to be married in June.
Copyright © 2010, WTIC-TV
Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver
Benjamin A. Sklaver, from Hamden, Conn., was a captain in the in the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 3rd Infantry
Division of the United States Army. He was the director and founder of ClearWater Initiative, a New Haven-based
nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean water to populations affected by humanitarian emergencies.
Published in The Hartford Courant from October 5, 2009 to October 10, 2010
10/4/09
Statement on the death of Cpt. Benjamin A. Sklaver
Editor's Note:
Ben Sklaver, 32, is the first cousin of Jodi Summit, of
Tower, Minn. He was killed Friday while on patrol in
Aghanistan. This statement is provided for regular readers
of the Timberjay as well as media from across the country
that are reporting on his death.
STATEMENT:
Army Captain Benjamin Sklaver hands out soccer
balls to a group of children in Djibouti in 2006.
The family and friends of Benjamin A. Sklaver mourned his
death and celebrated his inspirational life during funeral
services held Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Congregation Mishkan
Israel, in Hamden, Conn.
The son of Gary and Laura Sklaver, of Hamden, Army Captain Sklaver was killed Oct. 2 by a suicide bomber
while on foot patrol in the Afghan village of Murcheh, located in Kandahar province in southwestern
Afghanistan. A fellow U.S. soldier and an Afghan interpreter were also killed in the blast.
While Ben was just 32 years old, he had already made a tremendous mark in the world. A 1999 graduate of
Tufts University, he went on to obtain a graduate degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School,
also at Tufts. He took a particular interest in assisting refugees and the poor in Africa. During his studies at
the Fletcher School, he volunteered for the Army Reserve and following completion of his degree, he served
with the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta in that agency’s International Emergency and Refugee Health
Branch.
While on active duty with the army in Africa, Ben spent considerable time in northern Uganda, where he
was shocked to learn of the chronic health concerns affecting children, pregnant women, and others in the
region’s small villages stemming from the lack of clean water. During his deployment in Uganda, he worked
to improve access to safe water and upon his return to the U.S. he founded the non-profit charity
Clearwater Initiative in order to continue that work. Over the past two years, his efforts had helped provide
clean water to several thousand Ugandese, prompting many in the region refer to him as “Moses Ben.”
More information on the Clearwater Initiative can be found at www.clearwaterinitiative.org (see link below)
and the family is asking that donations be forwarded to the organization in Ben's name.
Earlier this year, Ben had been hired by the New York Office of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency to conduct disaster planning for the New York tri-state area. He had also announced his
engagement to Beth Segaloff, of Mamaroneck, NY, and the couple was planning a June wedding. Ben was
called back to active duty under a stop-loss order, shortly after starting his new position with FEMA. He had
been in Afghanistan since July.
Ben was deeply committed to his Jewish faith and was influenced by his religion’s call to humanitarian
work, says his father Gary. Ben’s family is devastated by his untimely death, but takes comfort in his
remarkable accomplishments and sacrifice.
“I would like, in whatever small way possible, for this incident to raise awareness of the sacrifice that all of
our soldiers and their families are making in order to protect all of us here at home,” said Gary Sklaver. “I
would encourage everyone to do all they can to send packages and letters of support to our soldiers
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and that we reach out to help comfort the families of these soldiers in our
communities.”
Ben is survived by his parents, his brother Sam and sister Annie, both of New York City, and his fiancée.
For more information, contact Jake Herrle at 646-484-0697
Benjamin A. Sklaver------------Founder, ClearWater Initiative
The family and friends of Benjamin A. Sklaver mourned his death and celebrated his
inspirational life during funeral services held Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 at Congregation
Mishkan Israel, in Hamden, Connecticut.
The son of Gary and Laura Sklaver, of Hamden, Army Captain Sklaver was killed Oct. 2,
2009 by a suicide bomber while on foot patrol in the Afghan village of Murcheh, located in
Kandahar province in southwestern Afghanistan.
While Ben was just 32 years old, he had already made a tremendous mark in the world. A 1999 graduate of
Tufts University, he went on to obtain a graduate degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School,
also at Tufts. He took a particular interest in assisting refugees and the poor in Africa. During his studies at
the Fletcher School, he volunteered for the Army Reserve and following completion of his degree, he served
with the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta in that agency’s International Emergency and Refugee Health
Branch.
While on active duty with the army in Africa, Ben spent considerable time in northern Uganda, where he
was shocked to learn of the chronic health concerns affecting children, pregnant women, and others in the
region’s small villages stemming from the lack of clean water. During his deployment in Uganda, he worked
to improve access to safe water and upon his return to the U.S. he founded the non-profit charity
Clearwater Initiative in order to continue that work. Over the past two years, his efforts had helped provide
clean water to several thousand Ugandans, prompting many in the region refer to him as “Moses Ben.”
Earlier this year, Ben had been hired by the New York Office of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency to conduct disaster planning for the New York tri-state area. He had also announced his
engagement to Beth Segaloff, of Mamaroneck, NY, and the couple was planning a June wedding. Ben was
called back to active duty under a stop-loss order, shortly after starting his new position with FEMA. He had
been in Afghanistan since July.
Ben was deeply committed to his Jewish faith and was influenced by his religion’s call to humanitarian work,
says his father Gary. Ben’s family is devastated by his untimely death, but takes comfort in his remarkable
accomplishments and sacrifice.
“I would like, in whatever small way possible, for this incident to raise awareness of the sacrifice that all of
our soldiers and their families are making in order to protect all of us here at home,” said Gary Sklaver. “I
would encourage everyone to do all they can to send packages and letters of support to our soldiers serving
in Iraq and Afghanistan and that we reach out to help comfort the families of these soldiers in our
communities.”
Ben is survived by his parents, his brother Sam and sister Annie, both of New York City, and his fiancée.
ClearWater Initiative is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization|EIN/Tax ID number: 26-1274724
ClearWater Initiative|P.O. Box 1684 New Haven, CT 06507|Ph: (866)585-6078
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre
Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 21 years old
Died: December 8, 2009 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Marines, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Incident: Died of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province,
Afghanistan.
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
On the Web:
Public contact:
http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=13180http://www.defense.gov/landing/comment.aspx
Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132
or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 963-09
December 10, 2009
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring
Freedom.
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, of Waterbury, Conn., died Dec. 8 of wounds sustained while supporting combat
operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine
Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For additional background information on this Marine, please contact the II Marine Expeditionary Force
public affairs office at 910-451-7200.
Connecticut Marine Dies from Afghanistan Wounds
Updated: Thursday, 10 Dec 2009, 8:18 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 10 Dec 2009, 8:18 PM EST

MYFOX NEW YORK STAFF
MYFOXNY.COM
MYFOXNY.COM - A United States Marine from Connecticut has died from wounds suffered in Afghanistan,
the Pentagon said.
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, of Waterbury, died December 8 after being wounded while on patrol in Helmand
province in August.
Latorre, a mortar man, was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered U.S. and Connecticut flags lowered to half staff until sundown on the day of
Latorre's funeral.
"On behalf of all Connecticut residents, I extend heartfelt condolences to Corporal Latorre's family and
friends," Rell said. "He made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country and our way of life, and we will
honor his selfless service by lowering our flags. Corporal Latorre is truly a hero."
Latorre had also served in Iraq. He is survived by his wife and son, the AP reported.
December 10, 2009
Marine from Waterbury, Conn. dies of combat wounds
(NECN: Brian Burnell, Waterbury, Conn.) - There is word today that a U.S. Marine from Connecticut has
died from injuries suffered in Afghanistan. The Defense Department says 21-year-old Jacob Latorrey of
Waterbury died Tuesday.
Flags in Waterbury, Connecticut fly at half staff as another of its son's has given his life in service to his
country. 21-year-old Marine Corporal Xhacob Latorre succumbed on Tuesday to wounds he suffered 5
months ago in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Corporal Latorre died at a military hospital in Texas where
he was being treated. He was assigned to the second Battalion, eighth marine regiment, 2nd Marine
Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejune, North Carolina. He leaves behind his wife
and son. His home town now awaits his return.
Mayor Mike Jarjura, D-Waterbury, CT: What we will do is offer our full support of the city of Waterbury to the
family as they prepare to, obviously, pay final tribute to Jacob. We have a very active veterans memorial
commission and they will be involved. The police department honor guards will be involved and we will
support the family whatever arrangements are going to be made.
Corporal Latorre's brother, Army Corporal Daniel Latorre is escorting his brother home from Texas. He says
plans call for a funeral next week with burial at Connecticut's military cemetary on Decemeber 17th. Xhacob
Latorre graduated from Crosby High School in 2005 after 3 years in the ROTC program there. He enlisted in
the marines and served in Iraq before being deployed to Afghanistan last May. Waterbury is a city that is proud of
those who serve. There are several monuments to men and women in uniform on the green including a ceremonial
bench dedicated to young marines. The part of west main street that runs along the green has been dubbed "young
marine way".
Mayor Mike Jarjura, D-Waterbury, CT: We have so many ceremonies in honor of veterans and the people
who are serving in the military, active military, and it is truly a patriotic city.
People here will have the opportunity to display that patriotism again when they honor Corporal Xhacob
Latorre.
Marine Cpl. Xhacob Latorre
21, of Waterbury, Conn.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Dec. 8 of wounds sustained while supporting
combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
2/8 Marine dies from combat wounds
Staff report
A North Carolina-based Marine injured in Afghanistan in August died Tuesday, according to the Defense
Department.
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, of Waterbury, Conn., died of wounds he suffered Aug. 10 during combat
operations in Helmand province. He lost both legs when he was struck by an improvised explosive device,
according to the Warrior’s Wish Foundation Web site. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, out of
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Latorre, a mortar man, joined the Corps in June 2005, according to II Marine Expeditionary Force release.
He served two tours in Iraq, one in July 2006 and another in late 2007.
He is survived by his wife and son.
Marine to be laid to rest
The Associated Press
WATERBURY, Conn. — A funeral service is being held for a Connecticut Marine who died Dec. 8 from
wounds he suffered four months earlier during combat operations in Afghanistan.
The funeral for Cpl. Xhacob Latorre is set for Dec. 17 in his hometown of Waterbury. He will be buried at the
State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.
Latorre, 21, died at a Texas hospital from wounds he suffered in August when an improvised explosive
device detonated. He left behind his wife and an 18-month-old son.
He was a mortar man assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He
joined the Marines in 2005 shortly after graduating from Crosby High School in Waterbury.
Marine Holds Folded Flag
( CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17,
2009 ) A Marine holds a folded American flag at the start of the
burial service for U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre at the State
Veterans Cemetery in Middletown Thursday.
U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre's Funeral
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17,
2009) Marine Cpl. Daniel LaSalle pays his last respects to his
brother, Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre, 21, of Waterbury, who
died Dec. 8 at a Texas hospital from wounds he received in
Afghanistan when a roadside bomb went off. LaTorre was
buried Thursday at the State Veterans Cemetery in
Middletown. His brother, who was serving in Iraq this
summer, re-enlisted after LaTorre was wounded.
Xhacob LaTorre
(ASSOCIATED PRESS / December 11, 2009)
Marine Cpl. Xhacob Latorre of Waterbury died Dec. 8, 2009,
from wounds suffered during combat in Afghanistan four
months earlier. His death came four days before his 21st
birthday. He leaves behind his wife, Frances, and a 1½-yearold son, Javier. LaTorre was a 2005 graduate of Crosby High
School in Waterbury.
Honor Guard
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17,
2009)
A Marine Honor Guard salutes as Marine pallbearers carry
the casket holding the body of U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob
LaTorre at his burial service at the State Veterans Cemetery
in Middletown Thursday. LaTorre died Dec. 8 from wounds
he sustained in a bomb blast on Aug. 10 while serving in
Afghanistan.
LaTorre Family
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17,
2009)
The family of U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre awaits the
placement of his casket at his burial service at the State
Veterans Cemetery in Middletown Thursday. LaTorre died
last week from wounds he sustained in a bomb blast on Aug.
10 while serving in Afghanistan.
Pallbearers
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17,
2009) Marine pallbearers carry the casket holding the body of
U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre at his burial service at the State
Veterans Cemetery in Middletown Thursday.
Bugler Plays Taps
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17,
2009) A bugler plays taps at the burial service for U.S. Marine
Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre at the State Veterans Cemetery in
Middletown Thursday. LaTorre died Dec. 8 from wounds he
sustained in a bomb blast on Aug. 10 while serving in
Afghanistan.
to the family and friends of cpl. Xhacob LaTorre
my thoughts and prayers are with you. i am so very sorry for your loss. i thank cpl latorre and
everyone else who is serving their country. their service is much appreciated
Waterbury Marine Dies Four Months After Bomb Blast
By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY
On Monday, in his Texas hospital room, the gravely ill Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre of Waterbury received a
Purple Heart for the wounds he suffered in August from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, he died of his injuries.
The Marine leaves behind his wife, Frances, and a 1½-year-old son, Javier. A 2005 graduate of
Crosby High School in Waterbury, LaTorre was in the ROTC program. He would have turned 21
Saturday.
LaTorre's legs were severely injured when an improvised, explosive device detonated in the
Helmand province of Afghanistan on Aug. 10. The bomb instantly killed a fellow Marine who had
been on foot patrol with LaTorre, said his aunt, Carmen LaSalle.
His legs had to be amputated, LaSalle said. LaTorre had made progress, though, and was talking
and eating at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio within weeks of his injury, she said.
Then infection set in, and his condition worsened, LaSalle said. When he was conscious, he
screamed in pain, she said..................
as always the courant has a link to the war dead from connecticut
Technorati Tags:war dead from connecticut, cpl. xhacob latorre, purple heart, waterbury
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Anonymous said...
Thank you all for honoring my nephew he is an amazing young man with strong
values. He loved with passion his country and is a proud Marine. An amazing and
awsome family man. I am honored and blessed to have him as my nephew he is not
just my heroe his also my angel. I love you Xhacob. Godbless you...Freedom has a
price Jesus paid his for the world and you paid yours for your country
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre
December 10th, 2009
Born: December 12, 1987 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Died: December 8, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre of Waterbury, Connecticut is a 2005 graduate of Crosby High School
where he participated in the ROTC cadet program for three years. As a student, every time
there was an event that required audience participation, Xhacob would raise his hand. He was
always a happy and friendly child. At age 7, a restaurant owner promised him a job if he could
keep a table of 10 laughing for an hour, she said. He did. He was too young to be hired, but
he got a fist full of cash from the patrons who gave him a dollar for every joke that made
them laugh. He joined the Marine Corps in June of 2005 and trained at Parris Island, South
Carolina. He graduated from boot camp on September 23, 2005 and was sent to Camp
Lejeune School of Infantry where he received orders to Weapons Company 2nd Battalion 8th
Marines. His 1st deployment to Ramadi, Iraq was July 24, 2006 where he spent seven months
arriving back to US soil on Feb. 18, 2007. His second deployment to Iraq was October 31,
2007 to May 18, 2008. His third and final deployment was May 18, 2009 to Camp Leatherneck
where he transferred from Weapon to Fox Company. In 2007, Xhacob (pronounced, Jacob)
married his longtime girlfriend and the couple have a young son. Xhacob was promoted to
corporal in June of 2008. Among his Awards and Decorations are the Purple Heart Medal, two
Combat Action Ribbons, Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Iraq
Campaign Medal. He was injured on August 10 2009, and was sent to the Brooke Army
Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas where he died at age 21 of the wounds he
sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Xhacob was
a loving and caring father and husband who provided for his family and served his country
with his life. He was a happy and fun person throughout his life even in his last few days in
the hospital. Xhacob is the son of Nicolasa LaSalle and Daniel LaTorre Sr. In addition to
parents and his wife, Frances, he leaves a son, Javier, a brother, Cpl Daniel L. LaTorre. a
sister, Nicole M. LaTorre, maternal grandparents, Pablo LaSalle and Ana M. Morales among
others.
Marines
2nd Battalion
8th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Burial is at Connecticut Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut -
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-ctwar-casualty-xlatorre,0,6470227.story
Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre
Marine From Waterbury Dies Of Wounds Sustained In Afghanistan
By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY The Hartford Courant
December 11, 2009
On Tuesday, he died of his injuries.
The Marine leaves behind his wife, Frances, and a 1½-year-old son, Javier. A 2005 graduate of Crosby
High School in Waterbury, LaTorre was in the ROTC program. He would have turned 21 Saturday.
LaTorre's legs were severely injured when an improvised, explosive device detonated in the Helmand
province of Afghanistan on Aug. 10. The bomb instantly killed a fellow Marine who had been on foot patrol
with LaTorre, said his aunt, Carmen LaSalle.
His legs had to be amputated, LaSalle said. LaTorre had made progress, though, and was talking and
eating at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio within weeks of his injury, she said.
Then infection set in, and his condition worsened, LaSalle said. When he was conscious, he screamed in
pain, she said.
LaSalle, who helped her sister raise LaTorre, flew to see him for Thanksgiving. He was in bad shape, she
said, and other family members flew in to say goodbye. He died at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday.
LaTorre wasn't the kind of guy who would want a drawn-out mourning period, said his mother, Nicolasa
LaSalle. He couldn't stand seeing people sad, she said.
He was an open, happy and friendly person, she said. In school, every time there was an event that
required audience participation, there was LaTorre, raising his hand, LaSalle said.
When he was 7, a restaurant owner promised him a job if he could keep a table of 10 laughing for an hour,
she said. He did. He was too young to be hired, but he got a fist full of cash from the patrons who gave him
a dollar for every joke that made them laugh.
"You could be sad. You could be crying," his mom said, "but he would look for the way to make you laugh."
In high school, LaTorre, his brother, Daniel, and Carlos Martinez would play jokes on friends, "causing a
little mayhem here and there," Martinez said. "We would sneak up and scare them."
Daniel LaTorre — also a Marine — will accompany his brother on the flight home from Texas on Sunday or
Monday, said Carmen LaSalle.
Daniel, 23, only had a year left in the military, but he re-enlisted after his brother was wounded, she said. He
was serving in Iraq at the time.
"I think he did it for his brother," his aunt said of Daniel's decision. "His brother was a very proud Marine."
She said she doesn't know if Xhacob, who was heavily sedated, was aware of the Purple Heart ceremony in
his hospital room Monday.
"I hope he did hear," she said.
• Staff writer Matthew Kauffman and researcher Tina Bachetti contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Marine from Waterbury, Conn. dies of combat wounds
(NECN: Brian Burnell, Waterbury, Conn.) - There is word today that a U.S.
Marine from Connecticut has died from injuries suffered in Afghanistan. The
Defense Department says 21-year-old Jacob Latorrey of Waterbury died
Tuesday. Flags in Waterbury, Connecticut fly at half staff as another of its son's
has given his life in service to his country. 21-year-old Marine Corporal Xhacob
Latorre succumbed on Tuesday to wounds he suffered 5 months ago in
Afghanistan's Helmand province. Corporal Latorre died at a military hospital in
Texas where he was being treated. He was assigned to the second Battalion,
eighth marine regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
out of Camp Lejune, North Carolina. He leaves behind his wife and son. His
home town now awaits his return. Mayor Mike Jarjura, D-Waterbury, CT: What
we will do is offer our full support of the city of Waterbury to the family as they
prepare to, obviously, pay final tribute to Jacob. We have a very active veterans
memorial commission and they will be involved. The police department honor
guards will be involved and we will support the family whatever arrangements
are going to be made. Corporal Latorre's brother, Army Corporal Daniel Latorre
is escorting his brother home from Texas. He says plans call for a funeral next
week with burial at Connecticut's military cemetary on Decemeber 17th. Xhacob
Latorre graduated from Crosby High School in 2005 after 3 years in the ROTC
program there. He enlisted in the marines and served in Iraq before being
deployed to Afghanistan last May. Waterbury is a city that is proud of those who
serve. There are several monuments to men and women in uniform on the
green including a ceremonial bench dedicated to young marines. The part of
west main street that runs along the green has been dubbed "young marine
way". Mayor Mike Jarjura, D-Waterbury, CT: We have so many ceremonies in
honor of veterans and the people who are serving in the military, active
military, and it is truly a patriotic city. People here will have the opportunity to
display that patriotism again when they honor Corporal Xhacob Latorre.
http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2009/12/10/Marinefrom-Waterbury-Conn/1260478431.html
Marine Cpl. Xhacob Latorre
Died December 08, 2009 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom
21, of Waterbury, Conn.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Dec. 8 of wounds sustained while supporting combat
operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
2/8 Marine dies from combat wounds
Staff report
A North Carolina-based Marine injured in Afghanistan in August died Tuesday, according to the Defense
Department.
Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, of Waterbury, Conn., died of wounds he suffered Aug. 10 during combat
operations in Helmand province. He lost both legs when he was struck by an improvised explosive device,
according to the Warrior’s Wish Foundation Web site. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, out of
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Latorre, a mortar man, joined the Corps in June 2005, according to II Marine Expeditionary Force release.
He served two tours in Iraq, one in July 2006 and another in late 2007.
He is survived by his wife and son.
Marine to be laid to rest
The Associated Press
WATERBURY, Conn. — A funeral service is being held for a Connecticut Marine who died Dec. 8 from
wounds he suffered four months earlier during combat operations in Afghanistan.
The funeral for Cpl. Xhacob Latorre is set for Dec. 17 in his hometown of Waterbury. He will be buried at the
State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.
Latorre, 21, died at a Texas hospital from wounds he suffered in August when an improvised explosive
device detonated. He left behind his wife and an 18-month-old son.
He was a mortar man assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He
joined the Marines in 2005 shortly after graduating from Crosby High School in Waterbury.
Awarded Purple Heart before death
The Associated Press
Xhacob LaTorre enjoyed making people happy.
“You could be sad. You could be crying, but he would look for the way to make you laugh,” said his mother,
Nicole LaSalle.
The 21-year-old Marine corporal even joked around some in his hospital room after being severely wounded
during combat in Helmand province, Afghanistan, last August.
LaTorre, who was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., succumbed to his injuries Dec. 8. It was just four days
before his 22nd birthday and one day after being awarded the Purple Heart.
The Waterbury, Conn., native joined the Marines three days after graduating from Crosby High School in
2005. He was deployed twice to Iraq before being sent to Afghanistan, where he sustained wounds so
severe his legs had to be amputated.
LaTorre was married to his high school sweetheart, Frances LaTorre. They have a son, 1½-year-old Javier,
whom family members say has a strong resemblance to his father.
“To me, it’s like he never left,” said LaTorre’s brother, Danny LaTorre, also a Marine corporal. “Seeing his
son is seeing him grow up all over again.”
Fallen Marine laid to rest
Updated: Thursday, 17 Dec 2009, 6:54 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 17 Dec 2009, 5:41 AM EST
(WTNH) - Family and friends said goodbye today to a 21-year-old Marine corporal from Waterbury who died
from injuries he received in Afghanistan.
Funeral services were held in Waterbury this morning for Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre, who died last week at a
medical center in Texas.
"It's just, it's very hard, Jacob was loved tremendously, he's unique," said LaTorre's aunt, Carmen LaSalle.
LaTorre was a 2005 graduate of Crosby High School in Waterbury. After graduation, he joined the Marines
serving two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan where he was injured while on foot patrol. He died four
days before his 22nd birthday.
"I'm still in denial, it feels like, in a month, he's gonna stop by," said LaTorre's friend, Felipe Cruz.
His friends and family say it is so hard to understand or accept how someone so vibrant could be gone. For
LaTorre's son, 1-year old Javier, it's unimaginable.
"He sees his picture, he runs to it, he kisses him, he says da-da and there's so little that he can understand
at this point," said LaSalle.
LaSalle also says LaTorre's wife is holding up as best she can.
Following the service in Waterbury, a motorcade brought people to the State Veteran's Cemetery in
Middletown, where LaTorre was buried.
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/military_news/funeral-servicefor-latorre-
A Marine holds a folded American flag at the start of the burial service for U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre at the
State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown Thursday.
Honor Guard
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD COURANT / December 17, 2009)
A Marine Honor Guard salutes as Marine pallbearers carry the casket holding the body of U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob
LaTorre at his burial service at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown Thursday. LaTorre died Dec. 8 from
wounds he sustained in a bomb blast on Aug. 10 while serving in Afghanistan.
Bugler Plays Taps
(CLOE POISSON / HARTFORD
COURANT / December 17,
2009)
A bugler plays taps at the burial
service for U.S. Marine Cpl.
Xhacob LaTorre at the State
Veterans Cemetery in
Middletown Thursday. LaTorre
died Dec. 8 from wounds he
sustained in a bomb blast on
Aug. 10 while serving in
Afghanistan.
Friends, family say goodbye to fallen Marine
Published: Friday, December 18, 2009
By HANNAH VAHL
Press Staff
MIDDLETOWN — A Waterbury Marine who died four days before his 22nd birthday from injuries he sustained in
Afghanistan was buried with full military honors Thursday in the State Veterans’ Cemetery.
U.S. Marine Cpl. Xhacob LaTorre was wounded Aug. 10 when an improvised explosive device detonated as he was
conducting combat operations in Helmand Province. He was brought to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, where
he died Dec. 8.
“Xhacob was loved tremendously,” his aunt Carmen LaSalle said after the service, describing her nephew as funny,
outgoing and respectful.
“The pride was there,” she added. “He loved his country and was proud of it.”
Fellow Marines carry the casket of Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, who died last week after injuries sustained in Afghanistan, to his burial at
the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown on Thursday. (Hannah Vahl | The Middletown Press)
A private funeral service was held Thursday morning in his hometown of Waterbury, and a motorcade that included
members of the Waterbury Police Department, Waterbury Fire Department, and Waterbury Rat Pack Motor Club
escorted his body to Middletown.
The afternoon burial ceremony included a bagpiper, a lone bugler who played taps among the white gravestones, a
21-gun salute and Marine Corps pallbearers in dress blue uniforms. About 150 people came despite frigid weather,
including about 40 representatives of the Patriot Guard Riders and members of LaTorre’s platoon, part of Fox Co. 2nd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, which is based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Members of the honor guard presented American flags, triangularly folded, first to LaTorre’s wife, Frances, then to
his mother, Nicolasa LaSalle, who bowed her head, stifling sobs.
LaSalle said LaTorre’s mother asked him three times whether he was sure about joining the military before signing
the required paperwork, since he needed parental approval to enlist as a 17-year-old. LaTorre served two tours of
duty in Iraq before he was deployed to Afghanistan.
He leaves behind a 1 1/2-year-old son, Javier, who LaSalle said runs up to his father’s picture and kisses it, saying “Dada.”
Middletown fire and police officials gathered along Washington Street as the funeral procession drove by and saluted
LaTorre’s friends and family. The intersection of Main and Washington was closed briefly as the procession
continuted to the cemetery via Route 9.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered all state and U.S. flags, which have been flown at half-mast since Dec. 10, to return to full
mast Thursday at sundown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Hannah Vahl can be reached by e-mail at
hvahl@middletownpress.com.
The Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc
Proudly Presents
The First Annual CPL Xhacob LaTorre
Memorial Golf Tournament
NEVER FORGET
Corporal Xhacob LaTorre
Marine from Waterbury who died from wounds he received in Afghanistan during combat
operations. His death came four days before his 21st birthday.
He leaves behind his wife, Frances, and a 2 year-old son, Javier LaTorre.
Cpl. LaTorre was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
First Annual CPL Xhacob LaTorre Memorial Golf Tournament
Saturday, July, 10, 2010
Hawks Landing Country Club
201 Pattonwood Drive, Southington, CT 06489
Registration 7:00a.m.-8:15a.m.
Tournament begins 8:30 a.m.-Scramble Format
$135.00 per golfer
Includes 18 holes, Putting range, Golf cart, Lunch, Dinner, Beverages, and Beer.
Interested in dinner only? Buffet dinner tickets available for $40.00
Golfers Name
Proceeds to benefit the Corporal Xhacob LaTorre Scholarship Award,
Javier LaTorre College Fund, and The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), which supports wounded soldiers
and their families.
For more information contact
Hispanic Coalition 203-754-6172
President Remi Acosta at 203-841-9136
Or Vice President J. Alvarado at 860-866-6703
Visit the coalition website: www.hcgwtby.com
1st Annual CPL Xhacob LaTorre Memorial Golf Tournament
Being held Saturday, July, 10, 2010 at Hawks Landing Country Club located at 201 Pattonwood Drive,
Southington, CT 06489. Registration 7:00a.m.-8:15a.m., Tournament begins 8:30 a.m.-Scramble Format.
$135.00 per golfer. Includes 18 holes, Putting range, Golf cart, Lunch, Dinner, Beverages, and Beer.
Interested in dinner only? Buffet dinner tickets available for $40.00. All proceeds to benefit the Corporal
Xhacob LaTorre Scholarship Award, Javier LaTorre College Fund, and The Wounded Warrior Project
(WWP), which supports wounded soldiers and their families.
For More Info Please Contact: President Remi Acosta at 203-841-9136
Or Vice President J. Alvarado at 860-866-6703
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Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino
Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Age: 45 years old
Died: December 29, 2009 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Unit: Army, 274th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Died in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading
supplies.
Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino
December 31, 2009
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
On the Web:
Public contact:
http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=13215http://www.defense.gov/landing/comment.aspx
Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132
or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 1012-09
December 31, 2009
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting
Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., died Dec. 29 in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan,
of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading supplies. He was assigned to the 274th Forward
Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
For more information the media may contact the XVIII Airborne Corps public affairs office at 910396-5600 or 910-396-5620.
Flags Lowered In Honor Of Waterbury Native Killed In Afghanistan
By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY The Hartford Courant
2:38 p.m. EST, December 31, 2009
WATERBURY — - As a paratrooper and nurse, Staff Sgt. Ronald Jay Spino's job was to help the wounded.
But no one could save the Waterbury native Tuesday when he was fatally shot while serving with the U.S.
Army in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan.
Spino, 45, was shot in the back while unloading medical supplies, said his cousin, Judi Van Alstyne of
Berlin. He was assigned to the 274th Foward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.,
according to the Department of Defense.
The circumstances of his death are under investigation, stated the DOD in its Thursday announcement of
the casualty.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered U.S. and state flags lowered at half-staff in honor of Spino. The flags are to
remain at half-staff until sundown on the date of his interment, which had not yet been determined.
"This brave and dedicated medic dedicated his military career to treating the fallen on the battlefield," Rell
said in a written statement. "Not only did Staff Sergeant Spino care for their wounds, he was trained to take
extraordinary risks — including combat parachute jumps — to place himself as close to them as possible to
provide the very best care."
Spino leaves his wife, Betty — whom he met in the military — and a stepdaughter, Kandice, 24. His
parents, Rita and James Spino, raised him in Waterbury with his brothers, Glen and James Jr., and his
sister, Maryanne. His home with Betty is in Fayetteville, N.C., near Fort Bragg.
Spino graduated from Holy Cross High School and Teikyo Post University, now known simply as Post
University. He worked in the records room of Waterbury Hospital, where his mother also worked.
There, Spino was known as a conscientious but quiet worker, said Kathy Mancini, a fellow records
employee, through hospital spokesman Matt Burgard. If someone needed information, Burgard said, "he'd
go out of his way to help."
His mother said, "I was outgoing, but my son was quite shy. He blossomed when he joined the service. It
was his true love."
Spino joined the Army in 1993 at age 29. At first, he was a medic, his mother said. Then he became a
nurse, then a paratrooper and, finally, a paratrooper/nurse, trained to parachute into war-torn areas and
help injured soldiers.
This was his fifth assignment, she said; he was transferred from Iraq to Afghanistan two weeks ago. His
body is scheduled to be flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday, his mother said. "He'll be
coming home on New Year's Day."
•Staff writers David Owens and Hilda Munoz and senior information specialist Tina Bachetti contributed to
this story.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
Soldier with Waterbury tie reported slain by insurgent
BY MICHAEL PUFFER REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
Sgt. Ronald Spino, 46, of Fayetteville, N.C.,
was unloading supplies at a base Tuesday
when an Afghan insurgent shot him in the
back. (Contributed Photo)
A soldier who grew up in Waterbury and graduated from Holy Cross High School was killed in
Afghanistan on Tuesday, according to members of his family.
Sgt. Ronald Spino, 46, of Fayetteville, N.C., was unloading supplies at a base Tuesday when
an Afghan insurgent shot him in the back, according to his brother, Glen Spino of Avon. He
said the insurgent wounded two Italian soldiers as well.
Various military spokespeople would not confirm Spino's death on Wednesday. The military
is bound by law not to release names of casualties for 24 hours after a slain
servicemember's family has been notified, military officials said.
Glen Spino said military counselors knocked on the door of the Florida home of his parents,
James and Rita Spino, Tuesday night to give them the news.
The Associated Press reported an Afghan soldier shot and killed a U.S. servicemember and
wounded two Italian soldiers in Western Afghanistan on Tuesday. NATO soldiers tried to
prevent the Afghan soldier from approaching an area where an allied helicopter was about to
land, the AP quoted Afghan Gen. Jalander Shah Bahnam as saying.
Bahnam told the AP that initial reports indicate the Afghan soldier became angry and opened
fire. Allied and Afghan troops returned fire and wounded the shooter.
Ronald Spino grew up with two brothers and one sister on Courtland Avenue in the East End,
according to Judy Van Alstyne, a cousin. Glen, Ronald, and their mother, Rita, all worked
clerical jobs at Waterbury Hospital, family members said.
Longtime Waterbury Hospital clerical worker Kathy Mancini recalled Ronald as quiet and
helpful. Rita Spino, who has since retired, was very outgoing and loved by all, Mancini said.
Ronald Spino lived in Waterbury until age 30, when he joined the Army, family said. It was
here he really found his calling, they said.
Soldier from Connecticut Killed in Afghanistan
Pentagon investigating shooting
Updated: Thursday, 31 Dec 2009, 3:55 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 31 Dec 2009, 3:49 PM EST
By ARUN KRISTIAN DAS
MYFOXNY.COM - A soldier originally from Connecticut has been killed in northwestern Afghanistan, the
Department of Defense said.
Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, died Dec. 29 in Bala Morghab after he was shot in the back while unloading
supplies, the Pentagon said.
The military is investigating the shooting and did not say if he was killed by enemy or friendly fire.
Spino was a paratrooper and nurse trained to jump into combat zones to treat the wounded, according to
reports. He was assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, based out of Fort
Bragg, N.C. The Hartford Courant reported that he has previously served in Iraq and had tranferred to
Afghanistan a few weeks ago.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered flags in the state lowered to half-staff in Spino's honor.
"This brave and dedicated medic dedicated his military career to treating the fallen on the battlefield," Rell
said in a statement. "Not only did Staff Sergeant Spino care for their wounds, he was trained to take
extraordinary risks -- including combat parachute jumps -- to place himself as close to them as possible to
provide the very best care. This speaks far more eloquently than any words can do about Staff Sergeant
Spino's character and bravery. All of Connecticut joins his friends and family in grieving this terrible loss."
Spino lived with his wife in North Carolina, but was originally from Waterbury, Conn., where he attended
Holy Cross High School.
His friends in his unit said that Spino was a quiet, hardworking soldier with a good sense of humor, the AP
reported.
Copyright WNYW/AP
Published: 05:59 AM, Fri Jan 01, 2010
Bragg soldier killed in Afghanistan
By Drew Brooks
Staff writer
A Fort Bragg soldier was shot and killed Tuesday while unloading medical supplies in Afghanistan, officials
said.
Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., had been assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical
Team (Airborne), 44th Medical Command. He was serving as a licensed practical nurse.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation, according to the Department of
Defense.
Spino was shot while unloading supplies in Bala Marghab, a village in the Badghis Province in northwestern
Afghanistan, according to a news release from Fort Bragg.
"Staff Sergeant Spino was a hardworking, diligent airborne combat medic," said Col. Scott Putzier, chief of
staff for the 44th Medical Command. "For those who knew and worked with him, we will remember him as a
dedication non-commissioned officer. He was quiet, so when he spoke, everyone listened and were often
caught off guard by his sense of humor . he was really funny."
Spino is survived by his wife, Betty, and a stepdaughter.
He had originally deployed to Iraq in February but was re-missioned to Afghanistan in November, according
to officials.
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered state and U.S. flags in the soldier's home state lowered to half-staff
following the announcement of Spino's death. The flags will remain at half-staff until sundown on the date of
Spino's funeral, which has not been determined.
Rell said Spino had been expected to return from Afghanistan in about 30 days.
"This brave and dedicated medic dedicated his military career to treating the fallen on the battlefield," Rell
said in a news release. "Not only did Staff Sergeant Spino care for their wounds, he was trained to take
extraordinary risks - including combat parachute jumps - to place himself as close to them as possible to
provide the very best care."
Rell said the nature of Spino's job speaks "far more eloquently than any words can do" about Spino's
character and bravery.
Spino was a 16-year veteran who completed two tours of duty at Fort Bragg between 2003 and 2009,
serving with the 28th Combat Support Hospital, the 602nd Area Support Medical Company and his current
unit.
His first tour of duty was in 1997 and 1998, when he served at Womack Army Medical Center.
Spino has received a number of awards over the years, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army
Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean
Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. He also has the
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional
Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and a Parachutist Badge.
Staff writer Drew Brooks can be reached at brooksd@fayobserver.com or 486-3567.
Waterbury man dies in Afghanistan
Published: Saturday, January 2, 2010
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — A 45-year-old Fort Bragg soldier has been killed while unloading medical
supplies in a village in northwestern Afghanistan.
Military officials say Staff Sgt. Ronald Jay Spino, from Waterbury, Conn., died Tuesday in Bala Morghab, a
village in Badghis Province.
Spino was assigned to the 44th Medical Command at Fort Bragg. He returned from Iraq in February and
deployed to Afghanistan in November.
Conn. Gov. M. Jodi Rell says Spino was expected to return from Afghanistan in about 30 days and ordered
flags in the state lowered to half-staff.
Spino was remembered by friends in his unit as a quiet, hardworking soldier with a good sense of humor.
Ronald Spino
Spino, Ronald
Dec. 29, 2009
A memorial Mass for Staff Sgt. Ronald Spino, who died on Dec. 29, 2009, in Afghanistan, will be at 11 a.m.
Jan. 25 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Venice.
Contributions may be made to Loveland Center, 157 Havana Road, Venice 34293.
MO NDA Y, JA NUA RY 1 1 , 2 01 0
R.I.P. Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino
Army Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino
45, of Waterbury, Conn.; assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort
Bragg, N.C.; died Dec. 29 in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while
unloading supplies.
(The following is taken from www.fayobserver.com of Jan. 1, 2010) A Fort Bragg soldier was shot and killed
Tuesday while unloading medical supplies in Afghanistan, officials said.
Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., had been assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical
Team (Airborne), 44th Medical Command. He was serving as a licensed practical nurse.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation, according to the Department of
Defense.
Spino was shot while unloading supplies in Bala Marghab, a village in the Badghis Province in northwestern
Afghanistan, according to a news release from Fort Bragg.
"Staff Sergeant Spino was a hardworking, diligent airborne combat medic," said Col. Scott Putzier, chief of
staff for the 44th Medical Command. "For those who knew and worked with him, we will remember him as a
dedication non-commissioned officer. He was quiet, so when he spoke, everyone listened and were often
caught off guard by his sense of humor . he was really funny."
Spino is survived by his wife, Betty, and a stepdaughter.
He had originally deployed to Iraq in February but was re-missioned to Afghanistan in November, according
to officials.
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered state and U.S. flags in the soldier's home state lowered to half-staff
following the announcement of Spino's death. The flags will remain at half-staff until sundown on the date of
Spino's funeral, which has not been determined.
Rell said Spino had been expected to return from Afghanistan in about 30 days.
"This brave and dedicated medic dedicated his military career to treating the fallen on the battlefield," Rell
said in a news release. "Not only did Staff Sergeant Spino care for their wounds, he was trained to take
extraordinary risks - including combat parachute jumps - to place himself as close to them as possible to
provide the very best care."
Rell said the nature of Spino's job speaks "far more eloquently than any words can do" about Spino's
character and bravery.
Spino was a 16-year veteran who completed two tours of duty at Fort Bragg between 2003 and 2009,
serving with the 28th Combat Support Hospital, the 602nd Area Support Medical Company and his current
unit.
His first tour of duty was in 1997 and 1998, when he served at Womack Army Medical Center.
Spino has received a number of awards over the years, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army
Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean
Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. He also has the
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional
Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and a Parachutist Badge.
Staff Sgt. Ronald Spino
The impacts of a remote war strike close to home
Published: Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 6:36 p.m.
With the death of Army Staff Sgt. Ronald Spino, Afghanistan no longer seems so remote from the pleasant
shores of Venice, Florida.
In his memory
Memorial contributions can be made to the Loveland Center, 157
South Havana Road, Venice, FL 34292. The organization helps developmentally
disabled children.
As an obituary in Wednesday's Herald-Tribune explained, Sgt. Spino's parents, two siblings and uncle live
in Venice. Spino was fatally shot in what reportedly was a Dec. 29 insurgent attack in Afghanistan.
According to news reports, Spino grew up in Waterbury, Conn., and served with the 274th Forward Surgical
Team, 44th Medical Command, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
By all accounts, Spino was the kind of American this nation never wants to lose: brave, diligent, dedicated,
respected. As with so many men and women serving the nation, his accomplishments and character make
his death all the more grievous.
This particular "casualty" -- a word that never adequately conveys the tragedy it entails -- brings the war
home to Venice, where peace is as easy to find as a sunny day at the beach.
That sunshine dims as we think of what those who serve -- and those dear to them -- sacrifice for this
country. We offer our condolences, our gratitude, and the fervent hope that a better world grows from the
ground where their blood is shed.