Died January 4, 2014 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

38 year old William Lacey, of Laurel Hill, Fla.; assigned to 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.; died Jan. 4, 2014, in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the enemy attacked his unit with rocket propelled grenades.

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Knox soldier killed in RPG attack in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

FORT KNOX, KY. — A soldier from the Florida Panhandle died when his unit was attacked by rocket propelled grenades in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense says Sgt. 1st Class William K. Lacey of Laurel Hill died Saturday in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

Lacey was on his fifth deployment and was scheduled to come home in less than two weeks. He was assigned to the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigrade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Fort Knox, Ky.

His father, John Lacey, told the Northwest Florida Daily News he was incredibly proud of his son.

“He was brave beyond brave,” John Lacey said. “He was out there in the middle of nowhere, in hell, and he kept doing it over and over and over … I’m just so proud of him.”

John Lacey and his wife, Karla, were at their Laurel Hill home when the Army officials arrived with the news.

“The worst thing you can possibly see when you have a child in a war zone is gentlemen walking up in uniform,” Lacey’s stepmother said Sunday. “It’s devastating.”

William Lacey joined the Army in 2003 and severed three tours in Iraq and was on his second in Afghanistan. He came from a military family. His father retired from the Air Force and his brother served in the Army.

Karla Lacey said William was proud of his father’s service and his goal was to make it to the same rank, which he did a few months ago.

He leaves a wife, Ashley Lacey, a 4-year-old daughter, three step-daughters and mother Pam Joiner.

“He loved his family — all of them,” Karla Lacey said. “He was a wonderful son, a wonderful father, a wonderful husband and a wonderful brother.”

Died January 3, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

37 year old Andrew Olmsted, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire during combat operations. Also killed was Capt. Thomas J. Casey.

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Major’s final blog entry posted after his death

The Associated Press

DENVER — Maj. Andrew Olmsted’s “Final Post” was published online — after the Rocky Mountain News blogger was killed in Iraq.

Olmsted died Thursday with another soldier, Capt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, when rebels attacked with small arms near Sadiyah, the military said.

Olmsted, who began writing for the News on May 21 and described himself as a libertarian, had written what he called “Final Post” about his death. He asked a friend to post it on his Web site AndrewOlmsted.com if he died in Iraq.

In it, Olmsted, 37, warned against making his death an argument for or against the war.

“My life isn’t a chit to be used to bludgeon people to silence on either side,” he wrote. “I have my own opinions about what we should do about Iraq, but since I’m not around to expound on them I’d prefer others not try and use me as some kind of moral capital to support a position I probably didn’t support.”

He also quoted Plato as saying “only the dead have seen the end of war.”

“The news is devastating,” News Editor John Temple said. “The major was a brave man who obviously thrived on sharing his experiences and thoughts on his blog. He provided a perspective on Iraq that would have been impossible for a journalist. Our thoughts are with his wife, family and unit.”

The Department of Defense said Olmsted and Casey were assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan.

Olmsted leaves behind his wife of 10 years, Amanda Wilson, of Colorado Springs.

“Believe it or not, one of the things I will miss most is not being able to blog any longer,” Olmsted wrote. “The ability to put my thoughts on (virtual) paper and put them where people can read and respond to them has been marvelous, even if most people who have read my writings haven’t agreed with them. If there is any hope for the long term success of democracy, it will be if people agree to listen to and try to understand their political opponents rather than simply seeking to crush them.”

Died January 2, 2005 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

47 year old Pedro Munoz, of Aquada, Puerto Rico; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 2 in Shindand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained Jan. 1 when his patrol encountered enemy fire.

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N.C.-based Green Beret killed in Afghanistan

Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — An Army Special Forces soldier based at Fort Bragg died in western Afghanistan on Sunday during combat against enemy forces, the Pentagon said Monday.

Sgt. 1st Class Pedro A. Munoz, 47, was fatally wounded late Saturday by small-arms fire while his unit was conducting an offensive operation in Shindand, Afghanistan. He died early Sunday during a medical evacuation from the scene, the Army Special Operations Command said in a separate statement Monday.

Munoz served as an operations and intelligence sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, the Special Operations Command said.

A native of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, Munoz joined the Army in February 1986. He served in the Special Forces during operations in the first Gulf War.

In 1997 he was assigned to the Army’s exhibition parachute team, the Golden Knights.

An Army spokeswoman, Maj. Elizabeth Robbins, said a report of the incident said Munoz’ small Special Forces team was conducting a routine patrol when it came under fire. He was listed as the only fatality of the engagement.

Munoz is survived by his wife, Gisela, and his daughter, Dalia.

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Green Beret remembered as dedicated soldier and father

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A Green Beret killed this month in Afghanistan was remembered during a memorial service Friday as a loving family man and dedicated soldier.

Sgt. 1st Class Pedro A. Munoz, 47, was fatally wounded Jan. 2 by small-arms fire while his unit was conducting an offensive operation in Shindand, Afghanistan. He died during a medical evacuation from the scene, the Army Special Operations Command said.

Munoz served as an operations and intelligence sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, N.C., the Special Operations Command said.

Several hundred people gathered at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Chapel on Fort Bragg to honor Munoz, a native of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico.

Munoz’s wife, Gisela, and daughter, Dalia, both of Fayetteville, attended the memorial service, as did several members of his family from Puerto Rico.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. George Miller spoke of his time with Munoz in the 3rd Special Forces Group, when the pair deployed to Colombia in the mid-1990s.

Miller said he was impressed with how Munoz bonded with the Colombian forces.

“He always thought of other people before himself,” he said.

Miller supported Munoz when he said he wanted to join the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights, in 1997.

“I was so proud of him when he made the team,” Miller said. “It was something he wanted, and failure was not an option.”

Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Mulford, a member of the Golden Knights when Munoz tried out, said it was unusual to see a soldier nearing his 40s go out for the team, let alone make it.

“I said to myself, ‘This is an old man,’ “ Mulford said.

Mulford said Munoz always scored among the highest on physical fitness tests even though he insisted on being graded by standards set for 17- to 21-year-old soldiers.

Munoz returned to Special Forces in 2002, this time joining the 1st Battalion of the 7th Special Forces Group.

“He was 47 years old and on an A-Team,” Miller said. “That’s unheard of.”

Munoz was honored posthumously with the Bronze Star with valor device, the Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal.

— Associated Press

Died January 1, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

19 year old Brian Parrello, of West Milford, N.J.; assigned to Small Craft Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Jan. 1 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

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New Jersey Marine killed in Iraq

Associated Press

WEST MILFORD, N.J. — A 19-year-old Marine from Passaic County who was killed in Iraq is being remembered as a dedicated member of the military.

Lance Cpl. Brian Parrello was killed Friday while serving with the 2nd Marine Division, Small Craft Company, in the city of Hadithah, but details were scarce, his family said.

His brother, Matthew Parrello, 22, said Brian “wanted to serve his country, and he loved what he was doing.”

The family was notified of his death about 2 p.m. on Saturday, and Marine officers told them additional information should be available by Tuesday.

“He was proud to be a Marine, and he loved the guys he was serving with,” Matthew Parrello told The Record of Bergen County for Monday’s newspapers.

Parrello was unsure what his brother’s exact duties were, but he said Brian told his family about working on riverboats on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.

“He didn’t tell us a lot of what he was doing, but I know he moved to all the hot spots,” Matthew Parrello said.

Brian was an athlete since childhood, playing Little League baseball and then football and hockey in high school.

As a student at West Milford High School, Brian thought about joining the service for several years. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks made up his mind.

“He was in high school when the attack occurred, and he knew then he would probably be shipped overseas if he joined,” his brother said. “But he didn’t care. He wanted to do this.”

Michael McCormick, principal of West Milford High School, also said he recalls Brian speaking of a desire to join the military.

“It was a goal of his, and he reached it,” McCormick said.

Sean Poppe, the high school’s football coach, said Brian Parrello “possessed a strong desire to excel in whatever he did. He always had a tremendous attitude and spirit, and I’m sure he brought that to the Marines.”

Brian enlisted in February 2003 and began active duty Sept. 22, 2003, three months after his high school graduation.

He recently told his brother, Anthony, who is Matthew’s twin, that he wanted to become a history teacher when he left the service.

The family plans to establish a scholarship in his name.

This is a simple site to take a closer look at some of the many who gave all for the freedom I enjoy today. 

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.   ~Ronald Reagan