Died January 31, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

25 year old Darrell Fernandez, of Truth or Consequences, N.M.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Jan. 31 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle accident.

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Fort Carson soldier dies after Iraq vehicle wreck

The Associated Press

FORT CARSON, Colo. — The Defense Department says a Fort Carson soldier from New Mexico died after a vehicle accident in Iraq.

The military said Wednesday that Spc. Darrell L. Fernandez died Saturday in Kirkuk. The accident is under investigation.

The 25-year-old Fernandez was from Truth or Consequences, N.M. He graduated from Hot Springs High School and married his high school sweetheart, Katrina, shortly after graduation, said his father-in-law, Richard Fair.

His grandmother, Ida Hamilton, 70, said Fernandez had been injured by shrapnel on his second tour of Iraq in 2006, and fought to recover so he could return to Iraq.

“It’s been real rough for all of us,” she said. “He did not say why he wanted to go back.”

Hot Springs High teacher Harry Nordgren, who taught American history to Fernandez, said, “These young men and women are every bit as great as my father that was in the second world war. A lot of Americans have a tendency to think that this generation can’t be a great generation. Darrell’s sacrifice put the lie to that concept.”

Fernandez enlisted after graduation and was assigned to Fort Carson’s 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Fair said Fernandez and his wife had hoped to have children after he returned permanently from Iraq.

Died January 30, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

51 year old Milton Suggs, of Lockport, La.; assigned to the 38th Operational Support Airlift Detachment, Hammond, La.; died Jan. 30 of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti.

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Pilot was an avid aviator, dedicated soldier

The Associated Press

Milton E. Suggs was known for his love of flying. Other aviators called him more than able and said that part of his mission in Djibouti was flying a plane described as a “VIP transport,” intended for dignitaries such as members of Congress and high-ranking officers.

“He was an exceptional aviator,” said Keith “Doc” Dockery, base manager at Air Logistics in Galliano, where Suggs worked and was a friend for more than 20 years.

Suggs, 51, of Lockport, La., died Jan. 30 at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, of injuries from a non-combat incident. He was assigned to Hammond, La. He was an avid aviator who owned his own Piper aircraft.

“He was very knowledgeable and very skillful, probably the best,” Dockery said. “He was dedicated to anything he undertook. If he told you he was going to do something, he would take it to the bank. If he gave you his word, it was.”

Suggs and his wife, Kim, were married in 1994 in the living room of their Lockport home. Both have long reputations for civic involvement in Lockport. He also is survived by one daughter, Sophia Suggs, and one grandchild, Erica Hurst.

Died January 29, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

47 year old Keith Taylor, of Irvine, Calif.; assigned to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command, Iraq Detachment; killed died Jan. 29 in a rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

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Naval officer dies in Iraq rocket attack

Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Navy sailor who lived in Jacksonville before joining the military was killed in an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, the Department of Defense said.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Keith E. Taylor, 47, died Saturday when a rocket hit an office at the embassy in Baghdad, a Department of Defense news release stated Monday.

Taylor was assigned to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command, Iraq Detachment, the release said.

Taylor lived in Irvine, Calif., but grew up in Jacksonville. He graduated from Sandalwood High School in 1975 before joining the Navy.

Taylor had five weeks left on a six-month deployment. He is survived by a wife and three children, according to First Coast News.

Died January 28, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

34 year old Charles Jones, of Lawtey, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Jan. 28 in the crash of an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter in Baghdad. Also killed was Army Capt. Orlando A. Bonilla.

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Former Arkansan killed in Kiowa crash

Associated Press

BEEBE, Ark. — A former Arkansas resident died in an Army helicopter crash in Baghdad.

Chief Warrant Officer Charles S. Jones, 34, died in the Jan. 28 crash, along with Army Capt. Orlando A. Bonilla, 27, according to the Defense Department.

Jones graduated from Central High School in West Helena, Allene Jones of Beebe said of her only child.

Army officials said Jones was either piloting or co-piloting the OH-58 Kiowa copter when it went down in a southwestern part of the capital city. Officials involved in the recovery operation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were convinced the helicopter was not shot down, but they did not know the cause of the crash.

The OH-58 Kiowa copter usually carries a pilot and copilot and is used mostly for surveillance purposes. Both men were serving with the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.

Jones was born in Missouri and grew up in various places around the country, his mother said. His father, Charles E. Jones, spent 30 years in the U.S. Air Force.

The younger Jones had always wanted to fly; he spent 11 years in the Navy, but when he was unable to become a pilot, he switched to the Army in December 1999, Allene Jones said.

Married and a father of four, he had been in Iraq since last March and was supposed to come home this March.

Died January 27, 2006 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Billy Brixey Jr., of Ferriday, La.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; attached to 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Jan. 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds sustained Jan. 25 when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was traveling in a convoy in Afghanistan.

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Hawaii-based Marine dies after Afghanistan bomb attack

Associated Press

HONOLULU — A 21-year-old Hawaii-based Marine died from wounds suffered when a bomb exploded near his convoy in Afghanistan less than one month after he arrived in the central Asian nation, the military said Monday.

The Pentagon said Marine Lance Cpl. Billy Brixey Jr. of Ferriday, La., died at a U.S. military hospital in Germany on Friday. The statement said he died “as a result of an improvised explosive device.”

Referred to as IEDs by the military, such devices include roadside bombs or booby traps. They are the leading cause of U.S. troop deaths in Iraq.

Joe Brixey said his grandson was a passenger in the vehicle on Jan. 25 when the explosion happened. “They were on patrol in a convoy when they were hit by what they told me was a roadside bomb. It wounded him pretty bad,” he said.

Brixey said his grandson had both legs amputated in Afghanistan and was traveling to the German hospital when he died from cardiac arrest.

His family learned of his death on Saturday when military personnel arrived at the home of Brixey’s father, Billy D. Brixey Sr., of Vidalia, the grandfather said.

Brixey was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Marine Regiment at Kaneohe Bay. In Afghanistan, his unit was attached to a unit based in Okinawa, Japan.

Brixey joined the Marine Corps in 2002 and moved to Hawaii one year later. He deployed to Afghanistan as a motor transport mechanic earlier this month, Marine Corps Base Hawaii said in a statement.

Several hundred Marines from Brixley’s battalion left Hawaii earlier this month for a seven-month tour in Afghanistan. They relieved a fellow Hawaii-based unit, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

Brixley was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

“He was a fellow that touched a lot of lives around Ferriday,” Joe Brixey said. “He was a good Christian boy. He loved the church, and he loved the Marines, and he made the sacrifice.”

Brixey’s body was en route to Baton Rouge and will be brought to Ferriday, family members said. Comer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, which are pending.

He is also survived by a sister.

Died January 26, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

29 year old Matthew Kahler, of Granite Falls, Minn.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died Jan. 26 at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from small-arms fire in Waygul, Afghanistan.

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Soldier dies after possible friendly fire

The Associated Press

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — An Army sergeant killed in Afghanistan believed in his mission battling “thugs and hoodlums,” his father said.

Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Ryan Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls, died Saturday after being shot in Waygul. The Defense Department said Kahler may have been hit by friendly fire from an Afghan guard who mistook him for the enemy.

Kahler, who served in Iraq as well as Afghanistan, thought often of his family, his father Ron said on Monday.

“He told me there is a group of thugs and hoodlums who want to rule the world,” Ron Kahler said. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were about keeping the world safe from those people, Kahler said.

Matthew Kahler and his wife, Vicki, have a 4-year-old daughter. The family had been stationed in Vicenza, Italy, for about eight years, his father said.

Ron Kahler said he advised his son to join the Special Forces when Matthew Kahler joined the Army the summer of his junior year at Yellow Medicine East High School. Special Forces would teach Matthew how to survive, his father believed.

Matthew took his father’s advice. He was a member of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

“But now, he’s coming home but he’s not coming home alive,” Kahler said.

Students and staff at Yellow Medicine East High School were absorbing the news of Matthew’s death on Monday. Many of his nieces and nephews are students, Principal Karen Norell said.

Matthew Kahler graduated in 1997; his wife also attended the school.

Rene Diebold of Marshall said Kahler was a longtime friend of her son Dixon.

“As a high school student, (Matthew) was just one of those kids who came over and when you invited him to dinner he was so appreciative and so respectful,” Diebold said.

Dixon Diebold remembered starting a stereo shop in Granite Falls with Kahler when the two were young teenagers. “It was less business and more goofing off,” Diebold said of the pair’s business venture. He also remembered Kahler as a “kind of scrawny” wrestler in high school who always seemed to be competing despite being in pain.

“He was one of the most loyal people,” Diebold said. “I’m sure that’s the way he was with his men.”

Ron Kahler said his son first wanted to be in the military when he was around 10 years old. Matthew was happy with what he was doing, his father said.

Kahler was born in Iowa and lived in Montevideo for several years before he eventually moved to Granite Falls in about 1989, Ron Kahler said.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

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Hundreds honor Granite Falls soldier on his final trip home

The Associated Press

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Hundreds of people lined the streets of this western Minnesota town Feb. 6 for a procession for Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Kahler, a local soldier who was killed during his third tour of duty in the Middle East.

Kahler, 29, was killed Jan. 26 while on duty near Waygul, Afghanistan, apparently by friendly fire from an Afghan guard allied with U.S. troops.

“This was his home, and we were here to welcome him back,” said Darwin Strong, who joined a crowd of students and residents outside Yellow Medicine East High School.

The tribute began that morning in Willmar, where American flags lined the sidewalk at the municipal airport as the casket carrying Kahler’s body was removed from a plane. After a private ceremony, the casket was loaded into a hearse, which was escorted by fire trucks and police cars for the 40-mile trip to Granite Falls.

Along Highway 23 in the small town of Raymond, sixth-grade students waved flags while people lined the streets.

In Granite Falls, the procession passed the Yellow Medicine County Courthouse and YME High School, where Kahler graduated in 1997. Students filed out the front doors and quietly took up positions lining the street. Some carried American flags or posters reading “In Honor of Matt.”

Ben Lecy, a close friend of Kahler’s and a teacher at the high school, said he and Kahler had discussed the soldier’s willingness to go into harm’s way when Kahler was last home. Lecy said he warned his friend that he could be shot.

“Yes, sir, but I’m willing to do that for my country,” Lecy said Kahler told him.

Kahler was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. His funeral was planned for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at Granite Falls Lutheran Church.

Kahler is survived by his wife, Vicki, and their 4-year-old daughter, Allison.

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Minnesota soldier laid to rest in Granite Falls

The Associated Press

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — A fierce wind whipped the American flags held by an honor guard as Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Ryan Kahler was laid to rest Feb. 9. And many mourners braved whiteout conditions to get to his funeral.

During the service at Granite Falls Lutheran Church — filled to overflowing with family, friends, neighbors and military personnel — Kahler was remembered for being a servant and a shepherd to the troops he led.

Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls, was killed Jan. 26 while leading his platoon on a patrol near Waygul, Afghanistan, apparently by friendly fire from an Afghan guard allied with U.S. troops. He was on his third tour of duty in the Middle East.

The Rev. Steve Carmany said Kahler repeatedly demonstrated courage and loyalty, was “selfless almost to a fault” and was “tireless” in his care for others.

Kahler was someone you’d “want to have your back,” Carmany said.

Sgt. 1st Class William Stockard said Kahler led his troops by example. While recalling his sharp, sarcastic wit, he also said Kahler was a “terrific father” and treated his soldiers with the same kind of love.

The Rev. Bob Knutson said Kahler was committed to making the world better for his 4-year-old daughter, Allison.

Besides Allison, Kahler is survived by his wife, Vicki; parents Colleen Kahler of Montevideo and Ron and Shellie Kahler of Searles, one sister and two brothers.

Died January 24, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

31 year old Keith Callahan, of McClure, Pa.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 24 of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a combat patrol south of Baghdad.

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N.C.-based soldier killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A North Carolina-based soldier has died from wounds he suffered while fighting in Iraq, the Defense Department announced Jan. 25.

Sgt. 1st Class Keith A. Callahan, 31, of McClure, Pa., died Jan. 24 after an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on combat patrol south of Baghdad.

Callahan was a platoon sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Callahan posted himself at a road crossing to act as additional security for his platoon when he was killed, said Lt. Col. Ross E. Davidson of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Squadron, 73rd Calvary Regiment.

“At the time, of his death his sole concern was for the welfare of his men,” Davidson said.

Callahan joined the Army in February 1996 and reported to Fort Bragg in October 2001. He was on his fourth deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when he was killed, according to a statement released by the 82nd Airborne Division.

Callahan is survived by his wife Doty, sons Devin and Brady, daughter Brooke and stepson Tyler, who live in Fayetteville, N.C. Their ages were not provided.

Dody Callahan said her husband was a sports enthusiast who loved his children and family. He also treated his fellow soldiers as family, she said.

“Keith loved his soldiers, and his dedication to duty lasted to the end,” Dody Callahan said in a written statement. “He gave his life to protect his soldiers. He would now want his soldiers to bravely forge ahead in his mission and continue his legacy.”

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Woburn native killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

BOSTON — A former Woburn resident has been killed in Iraq during his fourth deployment to the country.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Keith Callahan, 31, was killed Jan. 24 when his vehicle struck an explosive device south of Baghdad. Callahan, of McClure, Pa., was providing security for his platoon, Army officials said.

In Woburn, childhood friends and former teachers at Woburn Memorial High School, where he graduated in 1993, grieved.

“When I heard that he had died, I was devastated,” John Morandi, Callahan’s former wrestling coach, told The Boston Globe. “He was this little short guy who was just so fast and extremely coachable. He did everything to help out the team, and you could see back then that the military was a great fit for him.”

Principal Bob Norton said Callahan’s name would be added to a memorial at the school for Woburn residents killed in the line of duty since the Revolutionary War. The last of more than 200 names on the memorial is Cpl. Charles McMahon, a Marine killed during the evacuation of Saigon on April 29, 1975.

“We have a lot of kids who are in the military and have been to Iraq, and up to Wednesday, we were very fortunate that none had died,” Norton said.

Callahan joined the Army in February 1996. He was on his fourth deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom when he was killed, according to a statement released by the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

“Keith loved his soldiers, and his dedication to duty lasted to the end, shown by the fact that he gave his life to protect his soldiers,” his wife, Dody, said in a statement.

Callahan also is survived by sons Devin and Brady, daughter Brooke and stepson Tyler. He will be buried near McClure, with a memorial in Woburn planned for next week.

Died January 23, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

43 year old Jose Rangel, of Saratoga, Calif.; assigned to the 1106th Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot, California Army National Guard, Fresno, Calif.; died Jan. 23 of non-combat-related injuries in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

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Father of three dies during Kuwait training drill

Associated Press

FRESNO, Calif. — A Fresno man with the city’s Army Reserve depot died in Kuwait during a training drill Sunday, the Army confirmed Tuesday.

Jose Carlos Rangel, 43, was assigned to the 1106th Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot in Fresno, where he worked full-time overseeing the tool room.

He was running as part of a training drill Sunday when he collapsed, said his wife, Noemi Rangel.

Rangel was taken to the base hospital at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, where he died.

Born in Mexico, Rangel was the youngest of 10 children. His family moved to Stockton when he was 13.

At 19, he joined the Marine Corps after earning dual citizenship.

The father of three young boys was deployed to Kuwait in December after returning from Fort Lewis, Wash., in October and spending six weeks in Fresno with his family.

Members of his unit were placed on the front lines in Baghdad soon after they arrived, but Rangel had not been sent to the war zone. His job was in a hazardous materials unit.

In three years, he would have had 20 years of military service and qualified for a retirement pension.

“He said he wanted to buy a place in Ensenada and retire there,” Noemi Rangel said.

Died January 22, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

27 year old Nainoa Hoe, of Kailua, Hawaii; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Jan. 22 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds received when he was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire.

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Officer with Oregon ties killed in Iraq

Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — A soldier with Oregon ties has died in Iraq, family members said Monday.

Nainoa K. Hoe, 27, was shot and killed by a sniper last weekend as he led a foot patrol through Mosul, according to his wife of seven months, Emily Hoe, a Western Oregon University business student whose parents live in Newberg.

Nainoa Hoe was originally from Kailua, Hawaii, a Honolulu suburb, and graduated with a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hawaii, according to his mother-in-law, Sharon Vo.

A first lieutenant in the Army, Hoe had been stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., but hoped someday to join the FBI, his mother-in-law said.

Hours before his death, Nainoa Hoe had emailed his wife to tell her that he’d be home on leave in February, Vo said.

“We think he had that joy in his heart,” Vo said.

Nainoa and Emily Hoe were married last June during a simple sunset ceremony on a Hawaiian beach, Vo said, attended only by their families. The two were planning a formal reception for next fall, when Nainoa Hoe was due to return from Iraq, she said.

“He was a wonderful man. She fell in love with him immediately,” Vo said, of her daughter. “She has a notebook here with all his awards. He was a top soldier. He had done so much, it’s unbelievable. Now she is 21 and a widow.”

A memorial service in Hoe’s honor is planned at Fort Lewis, Vo said.

“He was following his duty, that was what he was doing,” Vo said. “We support the troops a thousand percent.”

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Officer killed in Iraq honored at memorial service

FORT LEWIS, Wash. — A soldier from Hawaii who was killed in Iraq was remembered as a brother, husband and son Wednesday during a memorial service.

“He was a great guy,” said Pfc. Nakoa Hoe, the brother of 1st Lt. Nainoa K. Hoe. “He was a great brother, he was a great husband to my sister-in-law, and he was a great son to my parents.”

“I’m very proud him, and in 27 years of his life, I knew him for 19 of them. And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Nakoa Hoe said.

Nainoa Hoe was shot to death by a sniper Saturday as he led a foot patrol in Mosul, according to the Defense Department.

“The truth of the matter is, Nainoa is not resting right now,” his brother said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that 1st Lt. Hoe is looking down on his men, protecting them, influencing their every decision, and just adding that little bit of luck that everybody needs in combat.”

The memorial service was held at the Main Post Chapel, where Hoe’s father, Allen Hoe, saluted a photograph of his son and embraced service members who came to pay their respects.

Nainoa Hoe graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1995 and earned his bachelors degree in management information systems and a master’s in business administration from the University of Hawaii. He and his wife, Emily, married last June in Hawaii Kai.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, based out of Fort Lewis, Wash. He had been in Iraq since October.

Nakoa Hoe is with the 100th Battalion, 29th Brigade, based at Fort Shafter in Honolulu. The unit is scheduled to leave for Iraq from Fort Polk, La., within a month.

— Associated Press

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Slain soldier’s family asks public to support Hawaii troops headed to Iraq

HONOLULU — The family of a Hawaii soldier who was killed in Iraq is asking Hawaii residents to remember the Hawaii National Guard members who will be spending a year in Iraq.

Advance elements of the Guard’s 29th Infantry Brigade arrived in Iraq last week.

The family of 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe issued a statement asking the people of Hawaii to remember the brigade families “who will live in fear every day until their loved ones return.”

“Help them now, love them now and share your aloha with them now as we have learned to cherish life in this special place we call home,” the Hoe family said.

Hoe’s younger brother, Nakoa, is a member of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, one of three combat units assigned to the 29th Brigade. Army officials say the younger Hoe has not said whether he will seek a waiver from combat duty since he is now the sole surviving son.

The Hoe family said it is “deeply humbled by the outpouring of love and aloha for Nainoa. We are truly blessed with wonderful memories of his life and remain in awe of the countless others whose lives he touched and made a difference.”

The family extended its thanks for the prayers and messages of love and support.

“Nainoa was not one who just dreamed, he dedicated his life to making things happen. Above all, he loved life, especially when he was sharing with or helping others,” the statement said.

“Nainoa would want us to remember the good times and the many blessings we shared and above all to celebrate his life and the things he cherished, ohana, his heritage and the men and women he served with in the Army…he lived his dream,” the family said.

Nainoa Hoe, 27, was killed by a sniper in Mosul, Iraq, while leading his platoon on Jan. 22. He was a graduate of the Kamehameha School and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Hawaii College of Business Administration. He was commissioned as an Army officer through the UH ROTC program.

— Associated Press

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Hawaii soldier honored at memorial service

HONOLULU — Hundreds of mourners attended memorial services late Monday for a soldier from Hawaii who was killed in Iraq.

First Lt. Nainoa Hoe, 27, will be buried Tuesday at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe.

The service at Kawaiahao Church included a traditional Hawaiian ceremony.

The Hoe family issued a statement, thanking the people of Hawaii for their prayers, support and love.

“Nainoa was not one to just dream. He dedicated his life to making things happen. Above all, he loved life, especially when he was sharing or helping others,” the family said.

Hoe was killed by a sniper in Mosul, Iraq, while leading his platoon on Jan. 22.

He graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1995 and earned his bachelors degree in management information systems and a master’s in business administration from the University of Hawaii. He and his wife, Emily, married last June.

Hoe was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Wash. He had been in Iraq since October.

— Associated Press

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Soldier remembered as standout student, citizen

HONOLULU — Army 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe was remembered as a Hawaiian warrior who always put others before himself.

Hoe, 27, was buried Tuesday at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, not far from where he grew up in Kailua.

“Nainoa’s life came to an end much too soon, but I know few people who have lived so fully as he did,” Lt. Col. James Johnson said. “His indelible imprint has left me with not just the quintessential example of excellence as a cadet and junior officer, but with a reaffirmation of faith in the human spirit.”

Hoe was killed by a sniper in Mosul, Iraq, while leading his platoon on Jan. 22.

His funeral included Hawaiian chants and military honors. Bag pipes echoed in the valley.

Adjutant General Robert Lee said Hoe caught his eye.

“Soldiers that get your attention either do very well or they are in serious trouble on both extremes,” Lee said. “I just wanted to assure the audience that Nainoa was of the first category. Nainoa got our attention in a very big way.”

Hoe graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1995 and earned his bachelors degree in management information systems and a master’s in business administration from the University of Hawaii. He and his wife, Emily, married last June.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Wash. He had been in Iraq since October.

“This is very difficult because we lost Hawaii’s best, and you know we will have more soldiers going into harm’s way,” Lee said.

— Associated Press

Died January 21, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

29 year old Kyle Childress, of Terre Haute, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died of wounds received in Duluiyah, Iraq, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire, on Jan. 21 in Balad, Iraq.

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Soldier killed in Iraq was to have returned next month

Associated Press

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The mother of a soldier from Terre Haute killed last week in Iraq said he seemed confident that he would be safe when they spoke two weeks ago.

Army Sgt. Kyle William Childress, 29, died Friday in Balad, north of Baghdad, from wounds he received when his unit was attacked in Duluiyah, Iraq, the Department of Defense said Monday.

“He, in his own mind and heart, knew he was good at his job and trained well,” Nancy Knight of Prairieton told the Tribune-Star. “He was proud.”

Childress was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division based in Schweinfurt, Germany, the military said.

His yearlong tour of Iraq would have been completed at the end of February, his family said. He planned to spend time with his fiancee in Germany and then come home for about a month, said his father, Keith Childress.

“You couldn’t have asked for a better kid,” he said.

Family members described Childress as easygoing and calm and said they were surprised when he joined the unit, which has seen action in Iraq.

Gretta Childress said she was proud of her brother.

“He didn’t go into the Army and try to go to the middle,” she said. “He went right to the front.”

Kyle Childress was a 1994 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School, where he played football.

He was the 38th person from Indiana to have died after being sent to the Middle East since the buildup for the invasion of Iraq began in early 2003.

Died January 20, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

23 year old Amy Sinkler, of Chadbourn, N.C., assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died Jan. 20 in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked her unit with a rocket-propelled grenade.

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Joined Army to leave small NC hometown

The Associated Press

Amy Sinkler’s reason for joining the military was simple: She wanted to get out of the little town where she grew up and spent her life, and see the world.

“Basically, we were in our hometown forever,” her best friend, Brittany Rahman, told The Fayetteville Observer. “We grew up there, didn’t travel much, so we wanted to get away and see different stuff.”

Sinkler graduated from West Columbus High School in Chadbourn, N.C., in 2006. Rahman graduated a year earlier. Both wound up joining the military.

Sinkler, 23, was killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack Jan. 20 in Baghlan province, Afghanistan. She was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska. She was a vehicle driver with a group at the post known as the “Rough Riders.”

Rahman said her friend had settled in well at the post, buying herself a car and marrying her high school boyfriend, Doug Sinkler.

The soldier was a strong-minded person and wasn’t one to hold back what she was feeling, Rahman said.

“That’s not Amy,” she said. “She’s going to tell you exactly how she’s feeling.”

Pfc. Amy R. Sinkler, 23, of Chadbourn, N.C., died Jan. 20 in Baghlan province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked her unit with a rocket propelled grenade. She was assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Survivors include her husband, Douglas Sinkler; her parents, Randolph and Jackie Bullock Thompson of the home; three sisters, Brittney Bullock of the home, and Sharonda Thompson and Sabrina Thompson, both of Whiteville; a brother, Randolph Thompson Jr. of Whiteville; paternal grandparents, Roosevelt and Irene Thompson of Chadbourn; maternal grandparents, Juanita Bullock of Fair Bluff and Raleigh Eady of Nichols, S.C.

Died January 19, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Jacob Neal, of San Marcos, Texas; assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Grand Rapids, Mich.; died Jan. 19 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.

Cpl Neal reported to San Diego for basic training in January, 2004. After graduating basic training in April, he reported to the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California. He graduated with the Military Occupation Specialty of 0341, Mortarman.

Upon graduating from the School of Infantry, Cpl Neal reported to Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, Austin, Texas for duty. In June 2006, he transferred to Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, Grand Rapids, Michigan for duty as a Fire Team Leader and a Mortarman.

In June of 2006, Cpl Neal was activated with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 5-7.2. Upon activation, he completed training at Camp Pendleton, California, and then in August of 2006, he went to Twentynine Palms, California for desert training and Mojave Viper. In October of 2006, Cpl Neal arrived in Al Fallujah, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl Neal is survived by his parents Perry L. Neal and Judy L. Neal of San Marcos, Texas.

Military Schools: Basic Training, School of Infantry

Personal Decorations: Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Navy Unit Commendation.

Died January 18, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

26 year old Roberto Andrade Jr., of Chicago; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle.

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Soldier was known for his smile

The Associated Press

Roberto Andrade Jr. joined the Army in 2001 and was finishing his third tour in Iraq. His grandmother said he was hard to miss.

“If people asked you which one was he, you would say, ‘He was the one with the smile.’ He was very soft spoken, but he could command with that smile,” Vicky Munari said.

Andrade, 26, of Chicago, died Jan. 18 in Baghdad when an explosive struck his vehicle. He was assigned to Fort Hood and enjoyed playing soccer, football and basketball.

“His dedication to his job and soldiers were unmatched, and he had a quiet strength about him,” said Lt. Col. Scott McKean, Andrade’s battalion commander. “Staff Sgt. Andrade embodied perseverance, courage and devotion to duty.”

He also is survived by his mother, Sandra Valencia; his father, Roberto Andrade Sr.; and his stepmother, Veronica Andrade.

“He always led by example in everything, and he strived to be the best and expected nothing less from his soldiers,” said Capt. William Hollbrook, Andrade’s company commander. “He was inspiring and his memory will live on with us for the rest of our lives.”

Died January 17, 2014 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Andrew Sipple, of Cary, N.C.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a noncombat incident.

Andrew H. Sipple, 22, died on January 17, 2014 while serving his country in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Andrew was born on September 25, 1991 in Durham, NC and was raised in Cary, NC. He was the oldest child of Steven H. and Beth M. (Hassett) Sipple. In addition to his loving parents, he is survived by his cherished sister and brothers, Katherine M., Benjamin T. and Jacob S. Sipple. Andrew is also survived by his paternal grandmother, Ruth E. (Bunting) Sipple, of Raleigh, NC and his maternal grandmother, Diane B. (Ramsbotham) Hassett, of Fairhaven, MA and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Joseph H. Sipple, Jr. and his maternal grandfather, David J. Hassett.

Andrew entered active duty with the U.S. Army in April 2010. He was most recently assigned to the Cobra Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX. He served his country during Operation New Dawn, Iraq, 2011 and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, 2013-2014. Andrew’s awards and decorations included the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with campaign star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and NATO Medal.

Most importantly, Andrew will be remembered for his kind and gentle heart. He was a quiet, thoughtful, and humble man who had sincere compassion for all. Andrew was brilliant and athletic and had an extremely sharp, intellectual wit. His smile was magical. His heart was huge.

Family will receive relatives and friends Tuesday evening, January 28, 2014 from 6 to 8 PM at Apex Funeral Home, 550 West Williams St. Apex. A celebration of Andrew’s life and burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, Andrew’s family would sincerely appreciate donations to the Fisher House Foundation (fisherhouse.org), an organization that supports families of the fallen and injured soldiers or Activate Good (activategood.org), an organization that supports a wide range of charitable causes in our local community.

Died January 16, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

27 year old David Sharrett, of Oakton, Va.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Jan. 16 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained from grenade and small-arms fire during combat operations. Also killed were Pfc. Danny L. Kimme and Spc. John P. Sigsbee.

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101st soldiers to be honored at memorial service

The Associated Press

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Three Fort Campbell soldiers who were killed this week in Iraq were from the same brigade that lost three soldiers last week, Army officials said Jan. 18.

The Army says the 101st Airborne Division soldiers died from wounds sustained Jan. 16 when their patrol came under small-arms fire and grenade attack in Balad. Two other soldiers were wounded.

Pfc. Danny L. Kimme, 27, of Fisher, Ill.; Pfc. David H. Sharrett II, 27, of Oakton, Va.; and Spc. John P. Sigsbee, 21, of Waterville, N.Y., will be remembered at a memorial service in Iraq.

They were all assigned to the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. Six soldiers from the 1st Brigade have been killed in Iraq in January.

A monthly remembrance ceremony will be held at the post on the Tennessee-Kentucky state line.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of the soldiers.

Sigsbee joined the Army in October 2005 and arrived at Fort Campbell in April 2006. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained during combat. He is survived by his parents, James and Susan, of Waterville, N.Y.

Sharrett joined the Army in August 2006 and came to Fort Campbell in December 2006. He is survived by his wife, Heather Shell, of Oak Grove, Ky., and his parents, David H. Sharrett Sr. of Oakton and Kimberly Drummond of Strasburg, Va.

Kimme joined the Army in October 2006 and arrived at Fort Campbell in March 2007. He is survived by his wife, Corinne, of Fort Campbell and his parents, Douglas Kimme of Fisher, Ill., and Patricia Barry of Jacksonville, Ark.

The military is also investigating the deaths of three other 1st Brigade soldiers who were gunned down during a three-hour firefight in the Salahuddin province north of Baghdad last week.

The incident is being investigated to determine whether the soldiers were killed by the enemy or by U.S. troops in friendly fire.

Died January 15, 2012 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Jon-Luke Bateman, of Tulsa, Okla.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Jan. 15 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

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Pendleton, Okinawa Marines die in Afghanistan

Marine Corps Times staff report

Two Marines were killed Sunday in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department.

Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman and Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran died in combat in Helmand province, Pentagon officials said in a news release issued Tuesday. It’s not immediately clear if their deaths are related.

Bateman, 22, of Tulsa, Okla., was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif. An infantryman, he was on his first combat deployment.

Cochran, 20, of Wilder, Idaho, was assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, out of Okinawa, Japan. He was a water support technician.

Marines with 2/4 have been operating in the southern part of Musa Qala, according Lt. Col. Bill Vivian, the battalion’s commander, who posted a message Saturday on the unit’s Facebook page.

Earlier this month they launched Operation Double Check, aimed at booting Taliban fighters from the area, which he referred to as “contested terrain.”

The enemy, he said in his message, “doesn’t want to let it go.”

Vivian said 2/4 is scheduled to be replaced in March by Camp Pendleton’s 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. Ninth ESB has been in theater only since late-November.

Died January 14, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

25 year old Christopher Hrbek, of Westwood, N.J; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 14 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

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Marine awaiting Bronze Star killed by IED

Staff report

A North Carolina-based Marine in line to receive a medal for valor died in Afghanistan on Thursday, according to the Defense Department and media reports.

Sgt. Christopher R. Hrbek, 25, a field artillery cannoneer with 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, was killed in Helmand province, according to the Defense Department.

The New Jersey Bergen County Record reports that Hrbek was killed when he stepped on an improvised explosive device.

The Westwood, N.J., native was going to be awarded a Bronze Star with combat “V” for saving the life of his sergeant major, who stepped on an IED under enemy fire Dec. 23, the paper reported.

“I told him, we are proud of you for doing the right thing,” Hrbek’s step-father, Jaymee Hodges, told The Record. “He didn’t think about it, he just did it. He loved being a Marine.”

Hrbek was a local firefighter who joined the Corps in January 2003 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. His two step-brothers are New York City firefighters, according to The Record.

He served two tours in Iraq between September 2007 and March 2009, according to a II Marine Expeditionary Force release.

He planned to become a drill instructor when he returned from deployment this spring, his step-father said.

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Town welcomes home Marine killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

WESTWOOD, N.J. — Flags lined the streets of a northern New Jersey town Jan. 21 in honor of a Marine killed in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Christopher Hrbek’s body was escorted through his hometown of Westwood as hundreds of residents lined the streets to pay their respects.

The 25-year-old artilleryman was killed Jan. 14 by an improvised explosive device during a combat operation in Helmand Province.

Hrbek joined the Marines in 2002 after graduating from Westwood High School. He was a nine-year member of the Westwood Fire Department and came from a family of firefighters.

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Post office to be named in honor of Hrbek

The Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez say the Senate has approved their resolution to rename a post office in Westwood in honor of a local Marine killed in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Christopher R. Hrbek was killed in action in Hamal province in January.

Hrbek was a nine-year volunteer firefighter with the Westwood Fire Department.

Lautenberg said May 25 that renaming the post office would be a permanent reminder of his sacrifice and dedication.

Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., has introduced a similar measure in the House of Representatives on behalf of the entire New Jersey delegation.

Died January 13, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

25 year old Daniel Merriweather, of Collierville Tenn.; assigned to the 118th Military Police Company (Airborne), 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne), 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 13 at Combat Outpost McClain, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Pfc. Geoffrey A. Whitsitt.

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DoD: Memphis soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Department of Defense says a Memphis soldier was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb.

Family members told The Commercial Appeal 25-year-old Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Dewayne Merriweather was killed Jan. 13 when the Humvee he was driving triggered the bomb.

He was assigned to the 118th Military Police Company, 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C., where he lived with his wife, Rachelle.

Merriweather’s sister, 27-year-old Adrienne Winton, told the paper her brother left behind two sons, 3-year-old Kale Rausch and 3-month-old Daniel Merriweather Jr.

Merriweather last saw his family in October when he returned to Memphis for two weeks for the birth of his second child.

“He was a very loving, caring person,” Winton said. “He cared about his family. He would always call me and tell me what was going on.”

Winton said Merriweather joined the Army in 2002, shortly after graduating from Overton High School, where he studied broadcast journalism and played football.

“He was always behind the camera,” she said. “He didn’t have one of those personalities where he liked to be in front of the camera.”

Merriweather chose to join the military because he wasn’t a “school person,” she said. He preferred guns, sports, cowboy hats and boots, and country music.

He had served two previous tours of duty — first in Afghanistan, then in Iraq — before he was shipped back to Afghanistan in May.

He also leaves his parents, Pamela and Darryl Finnie; and his 14-year-old brother, Darryl Finnie Jr.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed, but the family has asked that memorials be given to HIV research in lieu of flowers.

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Enlisted before graduating high school

The Associated Press

Daniel Merriweather loved his cowboy boots and big belt buckles — and loved the Kool-Aid and candy his mom would send him in care packages.

“Daniel is all country,” said his mother, Pamela Finnie.

But her son also was concerned: It was his third tour of duty in a combat zone, and he didn’t think he was coming home this time. She told him to have faith and pray.

“He told me he didn’t think God would hear him,” Finnie said. “But I think he did pray and got a chance to get himself together, and here we are.”

Merriweather, 25, of Collierville, Tenn., was killed by a roadside bomb Jan. 13 near Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., and lived in North Carolina with his wife, Rachelle.

Merriweather graduated from Overton High School and enlisted in the Army two days before graduating. The high school football player — he was a linebacker — didn’t make his mom happy by joining at first, but she and others came to understand his patriotism and purpose.

“He’d just say it was something he had to do,” said Thomas Ammons, one of the soldier’s close friends.

Merriweather also is survived by two sons, Kale Michael Rausch and Daniel Merriweather Jr.; father, Daryl Finnie; two sisters; three brothers; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Died January 12, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

28 year old Zainah Creamer, of Texarkana, Ark.; assigned to 212th Military Police Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, Fort Belvoir, Va.; died Jan. 12, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her unit with an improvised explosive device.

* * * * *

Dog handler killed in Afghanistan remembered

The Associated Press

TEXARKANA, Ark. — A 28-year-old Arkansas soldier killed in Afghanistan has been remembered as someone who cared about others and gave her life to protect her country.

A memorial service was held Saturday for Sgt. Zainah Caye Creamer, who died Jan. 12 in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan when her unit was attacked with homemade bombs. She was a dog handler with the 212th Military Police Detachment at Fort Belvoir, Va.

“When I said goodbye to Caye late last year, I never thought I would be saying goodbye forever,” her friend Cameron Paige Young said during the service, according to the Texarkana Gazette. “Just after the new year started, she wrote to me and wanted me to send her some things she needed. Then I read her last words, ‘Miss you. Love, Caye.’

“After I heard what happened to her a few days later, I kept telling myself that this can’t be real.”

Army Spc. Christopher M. Hines, who was in Creamer’s unit, said she was good at reading people and seemed to know what he would say before he even spoke.

Creamer said he trained Hines to be a military police officer. They conducted security searches at Fort Belvoir before she left the United States. The two last spoke two days before she was killed.

“I told her I had to get back to work, and she said, ‘OK. Happy searching.’ If there’s one thing I can search for now, it would be something to make me smile so I can forget why I’m sad,” Hines said.

The Rev. John C. Arnold said Creamer had a worldwide impact on people because of her military deployment.

“You have heard it said that the sun never sets on the British Empire.” Arnold said. “The sun never set on Caye’s friends because she had them around the world.

“Twenty-eight years of living may seem short to us, but if you live a life in the fullness of what God made you to be, that’s a lifetime.”

Creamer is scheduled to be buried following a memorial service in the Philippines, where her mother and stepfather live.
 

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Texarkana to dedicate bridge for 2 fallen soldiers

The Associated Press

TEXARKANA, Ark. — The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department has granted Miller County permission to designate a bridge in honor of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Officials hope to designate the North State Line Avenue bridge across Interstate 30 as the Kyle Brandon Stout/Zainah Creamer Memorial Bridge. A sign has already been placed on the Texas side of the bridge.

The Texarkana Gazette reports that the bridge straddling the state line will honor one fallen soldier from Arkansas and one from Texas.

Creamer graduated from Arkansas High School in Texarkana and was killed in January 2011 in Afghanistan, where she worked as a dog handler with the 212th Military Police Detachment. She was 28.

Stout was a native of Wake Village, Texas, and died in July 2010 while serving near Kandahar.

Died January 11, 2012 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Neil Turner, of Tacoma, Wash.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; died Jan. 11 at COP Kherwar, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

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Wash. flags lower Thursday for dead Tacoma soldier

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire has directed that flags at state buildings be lowered to half-staff Thursday in memory of a Tacoma soldier who died in Afghanistan.

Twenty-one-year-old Pfc. Neil I. Turner died Jan. 11 of injuries from a training accident. He was assigned to a unit from Fort Bliss, Texas.

Soldier assigned to Fort Bliss dies in Afghanistan
AP
TACOMA, Wash. — The father of a soldier assigned to Fort Bliss his son died in a training accident in Afghanistan. 

The Pentagon did not provide details about the death Wednesday of 21-year-old Pfc. Neil I. Turner, saying only on Friday that he 
died from a non-combat related incident. 

He was assigned to a unit from Fort Bliss, Texas — the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. 

The News Tribune reports his parents, Leland Turner and Charlotte Cox-Turner, left Tacoma Thursday for Dover Air Force Base, Del., for the return of his body. 

Leland Turner wrote on Facebook that his son died in a training accident. 

About 50 friends held a candlelight vigil Thursday night in the neighborhood where the 2008 Lincoln High School graduate grew up.

Died January 10, 2014 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

27 year old Andrew McAdams, of Cheyenne, Wyo.; assigned to Det 53, Operational Support Airlift Cmd, Joint Force HQ, Wyoming Army National Guard, Cheyenne, Wyo.; died Jan. 10, at Bagram Airfield, in Parwan province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in an aircraft crash. Also killed was Sgt. Drew M. Scobie.

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2 soldiers killed in Afghanistan crash are identified

The Associated Press

The Defense Department today identified two soldiers who died in an aircraft crash Jan. 10 in Afghanistan.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew L. McAdams, 27, and Sgt. Drew M. Scobie, 25, were killed in the crash, according to the DoD announcement.

McAdams was from Cheyenne, Wyo., and assigned to Detachment 53, Operational Support Airlift Command, Joint Force Headquarters, Wyoming Army National Guard, Cheyenne, Wyo.

Scobie was from Kailua, Hawaii, and assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery, Wahiawa, Hawaii Army National Guard, Oahu, Hawaii.

They died in a crash at Bagram Airfield, in Parwan province, Afghanistan.

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Wyo. soldier killed in crash joined Guard as teen
The Associated Press

CASPER, Wyo. — A Wyoming soldier killed in Afghanistan loved flying so much he enlisted in the National Guard in high school and worked part-time to pay for his pilot’s license.

Twenty-seven-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew McAdams was killed when a reconnaissance aircraft crashed in Afghanistan Friday.

He graduated from Cheyenne’s East High School in 2004. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that he doubled up on classes so he could skip senior year and begin his flying career.

English teacher Sonja Turner remembers him as “precociously mature.” He was able to fly around the country because he was a Guard member. She recalled that once he was stuck on the West Coast for days without any money.

He leaves a wife and three-month-old daughter. His mother, father and sister live in Cheyenne.

Died January 9, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Joseph Fite, of Round Rock, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Austin, Texas; killed Jan. 9 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

Joseph Earl Fite, of Round Rock, Texas, had played the trombone in his high school band and enrolled in the school’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. He wanted to wear the Marine uniform.  He knew that the Marines were the elite and the best of the best, and that’s what he wanted to be and that’s what he was. He set a good example for very young Iraqis, so that they could draw good impressions of what Americans are like from their experience with him. 

Corporal Joseph E. Fite, 23, of Round Rock, Texas, died on January 9, 2005, in hostile action when a driver crashed through a checkpoint barricade in Anbar province, Iraq, and struck him. He was based in Austin, Texas, with the Marines Reserve 1^st Battalion, 23^rd Marine Regiment.

Died January 8, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

21 year old Ryan Hopkins, of Livermore, Calif., died Jan. 8, at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of injuries sustained in a motor pool accident in Baghdad on Oct. 4, 2008. At the time of the incident, he was assigned to the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. At the time of his death, he was assigned to the Warrior Transition Unit, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

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Sgt. had a love for life

The Associated Press

Some of Ryan Hopkins’ favorite ways to pass the time were skateboarding, golfing and snowboarding.

Born in Livermore, Calif., Hopkins graduated from Livermore High School. He had an outgoing personality, lots of friends and a love for life, according to an obituary published in the Contra Costa Times.

Hopkins “was sure to be found in a crowd,” his family said.

Hopkins, 21, died Jan. 8 after a routine surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, his family said. He was being treated for injuries from an October 2008 motor pool accident in Baghdad. The Department of Defense did not include Hopkins in its count of Iraq war casualties until September.

He had been assigned to Fort Carson in 2008. At the time of his death, he was assigned to Fort Sam Houston.

His wife, Kitty Hopkins, whom he met in the military, said his injuries included second- and third-degree burns from the waist up. He had been expected to survive, she said.

Died January 7, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Timothy Hanson, of Kenosha, Wis.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Jan. 7 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire.

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2 Wisconsin soldiers killed in Iraq over 3 days

The Associated Press

KENOSHA, Wis. — Another Wisconsin soldier has been killed in Iraq — the second in three days.

Army Pfc. Timothy R. Hanson, 23, of Kenosha, died Jan. 7 in Salman Pak from injuries suffered after he was shot by enemy small-arms fire, the Department of Defense said.

His mother, Susan Hanson, said Jan. 8 the family was told he was shot in a tower while on nighttime guard duty in southeast Baghdad. “That’s all we know so far.”

She said she learned the news while waiting for a telephone call from him after a phone conversation Jan. 5, urging her to make sure to get his income taxes done because he expected a big refund.

When the phone call didn’t come, she thought he was just delayed. “The next thing I know is I have two military gentlemen at the door,” she said.

Her son always seemed in “pretty good spirits” about his duty in Iraq, Susan Hanson said.

“He felt secure where he was and was getting bored. … About the only negative I heard lately was, ‘I wish the military had two sets of clothes. I get sick of wearing the same thing, day in and day out,’” she said.

Hanson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Benning, Ga. He was single.

Elsie Jackson, a spokeswoman at Fort Benning, said Hanson, who joined the Army in April 2006, was a member of an infantry crew that fired mortars.

He was among about 4,000 soldiers from Fort Benning shipped to Iraq last March for a 15-month deployment, Jackson said. It was his first duty in Iraq.

Hanson is the 83rd Wisconsin resident to die as a result of service in the Iraq war, which started in 2003.

On Monday, the Pentagon announced that Army Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, died Jan. 5 in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device.

Lemke, who was assigned to an infantry unit out of Fort Lewis, Wash., had intense training in the Arabic language before being deployed to Iraq last April, according to his father, Gregory Lemke of Milwaukee.

Lemke was a 1996 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran High School.

Hanson graduated from Indian Trail Academy, one of five public high schools in the Kenosha Unified School District, in June 2003.

Richard Aiello, principal at the school, said Hanson completed the school’s communications program, not its military affairs program.

History teacher Che Kearby had Hanson in classes as a freshman and junior and remembers him as very quiet and very reserved and a lover of history.

“He always seemed to seek out adult companionship. In high school probably some of the people he was closest to was some of his teachers,” Kearby said. “Behaviorwise, great kid.”

“He was very cerebral, and often talked, especially when it came to history, above most of his classmates. He definitely had a passion for it.”

Hanson attended about two years of college, at Northern Michigan University and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, studying history, before deciding to join the Army, his mother said.

“I wasn’t thrilled. … knowing where he was going,” she said.

Her son told her that in his first two months in Iraq, he hadn’t shot his gun.

“I said, ‘OK. I like the area you are in. Stay there.’ I guess just recently it was getting more active,” the mother said.

Hanson, who lost 35 pounds to meet the Army’s enlistment requirements, loved movies and took his collection of nearly 300 DVDs and a portable player with him to Iraq, the mother said.

“He was into history. He loved World War II. He was interested in the Civil War when he was younger and then switched to World War II,” she said. “He read anything and everything about it.”

He liked the military life and was already talking about re-enlisting, Mrs. Hanson said. “It kind of fit his personality. He was a kid who was in Boy Scouts. He always loved to camp out, the field trips.”

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Body of Kenosha solider killed in Iraq returns home

The Associated Press

KENOSHA, Wis. — The body of a 23-year-old Kenosha native arrived home this weekend after he was killed while serving his first tour of duty in Iraq.

Army Pfc. Timothy Hanson returned Jan. 12 at the Kenosha Municipal Airport to a short ceremony of the Army Honor Guard with his mother Susan, father Robert and siblings Andrew and Jennifer.

Hanson was killed last week by enemy small-arms fire in Salmon Pak in southeast Baghdad, according to the Department of Defense. His family said he was shot in a tower while on nighttime guard duty.

He was part of a mortar infantry crew for the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga.

At Piasecki-Althaus Funeral Home, family members saw Hanson for the first time since June 23, when he reported back to duty.

The last time his sister Jennifer Hanson-Clope said she talked to him was shortly before Christmas. He was in good spirits but said he missed a “real” Thanksgiving dinner and looked forward to April 15, she said. That’s when he was scheduled to take his next leave.

“I think that had he lived, he would’ve liked to do professional military,” Hanson-Clope said. “He always joked about becoming one of those old history guys talking on the History Channel.”

His love of history, especially his study of World War II, was matched only by his keen interest, almost obsession, for watching movies and TV programs, she said.

Hanson’s visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Jan. 15 at Piasecki-Althaus Funeral Home in Kenosha. Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. Jan. 16 at the funeral home and a private inurnment will be held at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park.

Died January 6, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

20 year old Michael Jarrett, of North Platte, Neb.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Illesheim, Germany; died Jan. 6 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.

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Friends fondly remember ‘Potato’

The Associated Press

Michael R. Jarrett grew up in southern California but joined the Army in 2007 in North Platte, Neb., where he had traveled with best friend Andy Clark.

“He decided it was better than minimum wage in Nebraska,” Clark told the Ramona Sentinel of Ramona, Calif.

Jarrett’s mother, Brenda, said the longtime Boy Scout had a knack for getting others involved, whether he was camping, riding three-wheelers or digging for crabs at the beach. She called him Mike, but close friends used the default moniker he was once assigned while logging on to play a video game.

“For the next hour we all kept getting killed by ‘Potato,’ ” Clark said, according to the newspaper. “The guys kept saying, ‘Dude! Who’s Potato?’ ”

From then on, it was Jarrett.

The lanky, 20-year-old helicopter mechanic died Jan. 6 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries from a noncombat- incident. He was assigned to Illesheim, Germany.

“He always did what was asked of him,” automotive instructor Robert Grace of Ramona High School told the Sentinel, adding that Jarrett was one of the most courageous kids he knew.

Jarrett left the school but earned a diploma from the district’s adult school program in 2007.

He is also survived by his father and sister.

Died January 5, 2016 Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

30 year old Matthew McClintock, of Albuquerque, N.M.; died Jan. 5 in Marjah District, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when the enemy attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Washington National Guard, Buckley, Wash.

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DoD identifies Special Forces soldier killed in Afghanistan

By Michelle Tan
Military Times

The Defense Department identified the soldier killed Tuesday in Afghanistan.

The incident is under investigation.

McClintock, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, in Buckley, Washington.

McClintock and his fellow Green Berets, from 1st Battalion?s A Company, deployed to Afghanistan in July, according to information from the Washington Army National Guard.

McClintock joined the Army in 2006. After completing his training, McClintock was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, deploying to Iraq in 2007.

He was chosen for selection in the U.S. Army Special Forces School in May 2009, according to information from the Guard. He was assigned to 1st Special Forces Group, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, in November 2010.

He deployed to Afghanistan from August 2012 to May 2013.

McClintock left active-duty in December 2014 and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, which is part of the Washington Guard. He was a Special Forces engineer sergeant, according to information from the Guard.

?Staff Sergeant McClintock was one of the best of the best,? said Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty, commander of the Washington?Guard, in a statement. ?He was a Green Beret who sacrificed time away from his loved ones to train for and carry out these dangerous missions. This is a tough loss for our organization.?

McClintock is survived by his wife, infant son and his parents, according to the Guard.

McClintock was killed and two others were wounded in hours-long fighting Tuesday near the city of Marjah, in southern Helmand province.

Col. Mike Lawhorn, a military spokesman in Afghanistan, said ?all casualties have been evacuated,? the Associated Press reported earlier on Wednesday.

The troops? evacuation was delayed Tuesday when one helicopter took fire and was unable to land, and another was unable to take off.

Lawhorn told the AP that U.S. special operations forces were advising their Afghan counterparts during the battle. The Taliban have recently attacked a number of cities in Helmand, one of several fronts where the insurgents have advanced in the year since the U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission.

Initial reports about the battle were sketchy.

“There is still a fight going on,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Tuesday afternoon, hours after the casualties were sustained. “We don’t yet have all the details surrounding what has taken place.”

Cook added two U.S. helicopters were dispatched to the scene to provide medical evacuation for the U.S. casualties but could not complete the mission, according to the AP. One was waved off after taking fire and returned safely to its base, Cook said. The other, an Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk, landed safely but was unable to take off because its rotor struck a wall.