Army Spc. Ronald A. Schmidt

Died August 3, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

18 year old Ronald Schmidt, of Newton, Kan.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, Kansas Army National Guard, Kingman, Kan.; died Aug. 3 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained Aug. 2 in a vehicle accident in Balad.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Specialist Ronald Andrew Schmidt,” said Governor Kathleen Sebelius. “He made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and his loved ones and fellow soldiers need our prayers through this very difficult time.”

“It’s a tragic day for our Kansas National Guard family,” Bunting said. “Our hearts go out to the family of Spc. Schmidt, and we will do everything we possibly can to support them through this time. We ask so much of our soldiers, hoping and praying they never have to give their life as Spc. Schmidt did. We are honored to have known him and will remember him accordingly.”

Schmidt enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard on Jan. 27, 2007 during his senior year at Newton High School. He began his military career with Battery C, 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery and was trained as a cannon crewman upon graduation from Newton High in May 2007. He was promoted to Private First Class (Pfc.) on Nov. 28, 2007 and then to Specialist (Spc.)
Schmidt is survived by his mother, Andrea Maria Schmidt, of Newton, and his uncle Paul Schmidt, of Goddard.
Funeral arrangements are pending.

Schmidt is the tenth Kansas Army Guardsmen to have died in the Global War on Terror since the war began.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Severin W. Summers III

Died August 2, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

43 year old Severin Summers III, of Bentonia, Miss.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Miss.; died Aug. 2 in Qole Gerdsar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Capt. Ronald G. Luce Jr. and Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Granado III.

Summers loved the outdoors

The Associated Press

Severin W. Summers loved entertaining people, especially children — a trait that served “Sev” well during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

“He was everybody’s favorite uncle,” said his father, Severin Summers II.

The younger Summers was an outdoorsman who loved to hunt, fish and explore in the woods.

“I will never forget our canoe trip in the tornado,” Rob Savage of Phoenix wrote in an online bulletin board. “He was a darn keen woodsman.”

Summers, 43, of Bentonia, Miss., was killed Aug. 2 by a roadside bomb in Qole Gerdsar, Afghanistan. The Mississippi National Guardsman graduated from Christian Life Academy in 1984 and attended Louisiana State University. He was in the military for 20 years.

Many remembered his sense of humor and ability to make people laugh.

“His corny Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions always made me crack up,” Michael Stampley wrote on an online bulletin board.

Another friend remembered Summers’ days cutting up in high school classes.

“We were on the teacher’s bad boys list pretty much every day,” Scott Bice wrote online.

Summers is survived by his wife, Tammy; parents, Severin and Charlene Summers; and three daughters, Jessica, Shelby and Sara.

Army Sgt. Jonathan M. Walls

Died August 1, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

27 year old Jonathan Walls, of West Lawn, Pa.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Aug. 1 in Mushan village, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his patrol with improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades. Also killed were Army Pfc. Richard K. Jones and Army Pvt. Patrick S. Fitzgibbon.

‘His kids were his life’

The Associated Press

As a kid, Jonathan Walls spent a lot of time playing “shoot-em-up” video games.

As it turned out, it was good training for his military career, said his father, Steven.

Walls, 27, of West Lawn, Pa., was once assigned to maneuver the high-tech armored combat vehicle called the Stryker, which has sophisticated sensors and communications systems.

“He loved it,” Steven Walls told the Reading Eagle. “He said, ‘Dad, it’s just like the video games.’ ”

Walls was one of three Army soldiers killed Aug. 1 when their patrol was attacked with explosives in Mushan Village, Afghanistan. All were assigned to Fort Carson, Colo.

Walls, a 2001 graduate of Wilson High School, wanted to do work that helped people. Beyond his military work, becoming a family man allowed him to do that, his father said. He left behind a wife, Meghan; son, Hayden; and daughters, Lily and Allahna.

“He was a good dad, a good son, a good soldier and a good man,” his father said.

“His kids were his life. He lived for them.”

Army Spc. Alexander J. Miller

Died July 31, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Alexander Miller, of Clermont, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died July 31 in Barge Matal, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire.

Soldiers and retired veterans joined Clermont police, city officials and friends who gathered Aug. 9 to honor a young infantryman killed in action. Spc. Alexander J. Miller, 21, died July 31 from wounds suffered in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, when his unit came under fire from rocket-propelled grenades and small arms.

As Clermont Mayor Hal Turville said, following the funeral at First United Methodist Church-Clermont, “Until today, that war was far, far away.”

Miller was a graduate of East Ridge High School. His funeral was attended by about 500, including an honor guard from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and 97 members of the Patriot Guard Riders, who rode in on 66 bikes from Panama City, Sarasota, DeLand and numerous other points in the state.

“This is our third ride in two weeks,” ride captain Carl Swofford said, “and we have another one in the works for Homestead.”

The military presence at the funeral included Army Maj. Gen. Robert E. Livingston, Jr., who is attached to CENTCOM at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. Miller had been awarded two medals posthumously, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. During the funeral, the Livingston presented the medals to Miller’s mother, Sue Miller of Clermont.

At various points in the ceremony and in conversation during the reception that followed, Miller was consistently portrayed as a young man who was bright, dependable and always smiling, with a talent for making the people around him smile.

Earl Shaver was Miller’s roller hockey coach and delivered the eulogy. Speaking afterward, Shaver said “I was Alex and Rich’s coach for a good three years. (Rich is Alex’s brother). I’d do it all again. They made me feel special as a coach … (Alex) was a bright kid. He always had a smile. After a game, win or lose, he’d take his shirt off and skate around the rink, waving it in the air. That was Alex. He was a good kid. I’m going to miss him dearly.

Miller’s funeral included full military honors, held outside in the church courtyard, complete with a flag-folding ceremony, a 21-gun salute and taps by a live trumpeter. As the air rose from the courtyard, heated by the midday sun, it formed the beginnings of a little cloud overhead. As reported by one guest at the funeral, Charlene Forth of Clermont, a white bird climbed with the air, even as Miller’s mother was receiving the flag that had draped her son’s casket.

Miller was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based in Fort Drum, N.Y.

Specialist Miller was laid to rest with full military honors in the Columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan F. Stroud

Died July 30, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Jonathan Stroud, of Cashion, Okla.; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died July 30 at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. Also killed was Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory A. Posey, 22, of Knoxville, Tenn.

On July 4, 2009, Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan Stroud penned a letter to Sam Boyd, the best man in his wedding. It read, “Hey guys I hope all is well. I should be back there pretty soon in about four-and-a-half months. It’s really hot here; we moved from the desert down to the river, and now it’s super hot and humid. It’s really pretty out here in its own way. It’s peaceful at night except when you hear the gunshots.”

Lance Corporal Jonathan Stroud was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as a combat engineer. He was killed during a firefight while his unit was on foot patrol on July 31, 2009 in Garmsir District, Afghanistan.

Jonathan was born on October 10, 1988 in North Richland Hills, Texas. He attended Cashion High School in Cashion, OK where teachers remember him as exceptionally intelligent – superior skills in reading and writing. Fellow students remember him as the class clown – goofy, gangly, dorky, the most honest, and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. In his senior yearbook, Jonathan said that he was most likely to smell like green beans. Why? Because he just had that kind of humor.

Jonathan Stroud and Boyd had been friends since two days after Stroud moved to Cashion in elementary school. They often either hung out at Boyd’s house or hit the road in his pickup. “For no reason at all, he loved to drive,” Boyd said. “So he would pop in a cassette and we’d drive around for hours, just talking and listening to the music.”

He graduated in 2007 and joined the Marines on April 14, 2008. He was awarded numerous medals and honors, to include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

He leaves behind a wife, Lacie, who was due to deliver their first child in December 2009.

Jonathan’s quirky sense of humor came through with the final song played at his funeral, a special request he made for his memorial service in case he didn’t make it back – Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.”

He is survived by his wife Lacie E. Stroud of Jacksonville, N.C.; mother Mavis Stroud of Cashion, OK; father Bill R. Stroud of Bedford, TX; and sister Marissa L. Stroud of Oklahoma City, OK. Jonathan’s bright smile and sense of humor will be missed by all that knew and loved him.

Lance Corporal Stroud is buried in Cashion Cemetery, Cashion, OK.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Douglas M. Vose III

Died July 29, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

38 year old Douglas Vose, of Concrete, Wash.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Stuttgart, Germany; died July 29 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.

‘He was a soldier first’

The Associated Press

Doug Vose was described as a courageous Green Beret who was both confident on the battlefield and relaxed while enjoying a glass of fine red wine.

“That’s what made Doug so unique,” said Dave Takaki, a retired master sergeant who served with Vose.

Vose, 38, of Concrete, Wash., was based in Stuttgart, Germany. He spoke fluent German.

He was killed July 29 after insurgents attacked his unit in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Vose is survived by his wife, Nicole, two sons, two daughters and mother, Paulette.

His late father was a Marine who instilled a strong work ethic in him, said Vicki Frank, the mother of one of Vose’s best friends.

“He was the best citizen and had the sweetest temperament,” she said.

As a youth, Vose would split wood each day with his brother. Then, he would work a shift at Red Apple, a local market, Frank said.

After graduating from high school in 1988, Vose joined the Army. A decade later, he joined the Special Forces, and began rising through the ranks.

“The whole family is military, and that’s all Doug wanted to do,” Frank said. “He was a soldier first.”

Navy Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jarod Newlove

Died July 28, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

25 year old Jarod Newlove, of Renton, Wash.; assigned to Commander, Navy Reserve Force Command, Norfolk, Va.; died in Logar province, Afghanistan, when he was captured and believed to have been killed by the Taliban. Coalition forces recovered his body July 28 after an extensive search. Also kidnapped and believed to have been killed by the Taliban was Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Justin McNeley.

Body of 2nd sailor recovered in Afghanistan

By Amir Shah and Deb Riechmann

The Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan — A second sailor who went missing in a dangerous part of eastern Afghanistan was found dead and his body recovered, a senior U.S. military official and Afghan officials said July 29.

The family of Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jarod Newlove, a 25-year-old from the Seattle area, had been notified of his death, the U.S. military official said on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to disclose the information.

Newlove and Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Justin McNeley went missing July 23 in Logar province. NATO recovered the body of McNeley — a 30-year-old father of two from Wheatridge, Colo. — in the area Sunday.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press in Kabul that two days ago the Taliban left the “body of a dead American soldier for the U.S. forces” to recover. The Taliban said McNeley was killed in a firefight and insurgents had captured Newlove. Mujahid offered no explanation for Newlove’s death.

NATO officials have not offered an explanation as to why the two service members were in such a dangerous part of eastern Afghanistan.

The sailors were individual augmentees at a counterinsurgency school for Afghan security forces, according to senior military officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. The school was headquartered in Kabul and had classrooms outside the capital, but they were never assigned anywhere near where McNeley’s body was recovered, officials said.

The chief of police of Logar province, Gen. Mustafa Mosseini, said coalition troops removed Newlove’s body about 5:30 p.m. July 28.

Newlove was shot once in the head and twice in the torso, according to Logar provincial spokesman Din Mohammad Darwesh. He speculated Newlove may have been wounded in a shootout with the Taliban and died because there was no medical care available in the rugged mountain area.

Mosseini said he thought the body washed downstream after rains July 27.

He noted in the past several days, the Taliban were being pressured by coalition forces in the area.

“The security was being tightened,” Mosseini said. “Searches continued from both air and the ground. Militants were moving into Pakistan.”

Mohammad Rahim Amin, the local government chief in Baraki Barak district, also said coalition forces recovered a body about 5:30 p.m. and flew it by helicopter to a coalition base in Logar province, about 40 miles away.

“The coalition told our criminal police director of the district that the body belonged to the foreign soldier they were looking for,” Amin said.

Candlelight vigil held in sailor’s memory

The Associated Press

SEATTLE — Family and friends of a sailor killed in Afghanistan after vanishing in a hostile area have organized a candlelight vigil at his old high school in Seattle.

The Aug. 3 vigil is planned for Chief Sealth High School, from where Petty Officer 2nd Class Jarod Newlove graduated in 2003.

Afghan officials said last week that Newlove’s body was recovered from a river. The Navy confirmed his death.

Newlove and Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley were driving through a dangerous part of eastern Afghanistan when they became involved in a firefight July 23. McNeley also was killed.

At first, the Taliban said they had taken Newlove and a massive search was launched. Days later his death was confirmed.

The Navy is investigating what two junior enlisted men in noncombat jobs were doing driving alone nearly 60 miles from their base in a dangerous area controlled by the Taliban.

Flags at half-staff for slain sailor

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire ordered flags at all Washington state buildings to be flown at half-staff Aug. 5 in memory of Navy Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jarod Newlove of Renton, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Newlove, 25, and Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, went missing July 23 while driving alone nearly 60 miles from their base in territory controlled by the Taliban. Their bodies were recovered several days later.

A candlelight vigil was held Aug. 3 for Newlove at Chief Sealth High School in West Seattle, where he was remembered for playing sports.

Army Spc. John O. Tollefson

Died July 27, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old John Tollefson, of Fond du Lac, Wis.; assigned to the 411th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; killed July 27 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during a patrol in Ashraf, Iraq. Also killed was Army Spc. Adrian J. Butler.

Fond du Lac soldier killed in Iraq

Associated Press

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — A soldier from Fond du Lac has been killed in the war in Iraq, friends of the family say.

Ed Hammer confirmed Thursday evening that Spc. John O. Tollefson, 22, was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday by an improvised explosive device while on patrol, but the Department of Defense did not immediately release any information about the death.

Tollefson, the son of Walter Tollefson of Fond du Lac and Mary Steinman of Rosendale, was a 2001 graduate of Goodrich High School, where his football coach, Mike Dressler, had fond memories of him.

“He had two concussions within a week apart. The doctor said he shouldn’t play anymore,” Dressler said. “He was a starter at the outside linebacker spot. John did not play football his senior year, but he stayed with the program and helped us with duties on the field. He loved the game so much he began the process to become came an official and began to officiate youth football programs.

“It tells you the kind of heart the young man has. Too many times today people find excuses on why not to do something. John found a way to do it.”

Dressler said Tollefson’s death and those of other soldiers touched communities as a whole.

“They all touch the lives of people in the community, not just immediate family circle,” he said. “They were the kind and caring people.”

Fond du Lac City Councilman Sal Curcurio, a friend of the family, said the young man who was the 41st Wisconsin service member reported killed in Iraq was interested in cars and motors as well as football.

“It seems like it’s always the good kids that get killed, and this time it really, really was,” Curcurio said.

Curcurio said Tollefson had regular contact with his family while in Iraq and was proud to be a soldier.

“Parents should never have to bury their son,” Curcurio said. “But at least we can rest knowing that he was doing what he wanted to be doing.”

Parents of fallen soldier ask for prayers for troops

Associated Press

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — The parents of a Fond du Lac soldier killed in Iraq called for prayers for U.S. troops after their son’s funeral Tuesday.

Their son, Spc. John Oliver Tollefson, 22, was killed July 27 by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Iraq.

“John was a very caring son, a loving son, a companion and a friend. He’s surely going to be missed and never forgotten,” Wally Tollefson said at a brief press conference at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

“Please pray for all our troops. They need our prayers,” he added.

His mother, Mary Steinman, said that since John’s death, she’s been overwhelmed with support from people she never knew before who have loved ones in the military.

“Please don’t forget John,” she said. “He’s a great kid and he’s going to be very, very missed.”

Tollefson, was one of two Wisconsin soldiers killed in Iraq that day. The other was Army Capt. Benjamin D. Jansky, 28, of Oshkosh, who died after his vehicle was accidentally struck by another military vehicle.

Army Sgt. William R. Howdeshell

Died July 26, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

37 year old William Howdeshell, of Norfolk, Va.; assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died July 26 in Saqlawiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Spc. Charles E. Bilbrey Jr. and Spc. Jaime Rodriguez Jr.

From arlingtoncemetery.net:

They called him Sergeant Howdy, as in Howdy Doody, the 1950s television character with a perpetual smile. That was Sgt. William Howdeshell.

“They always come up with names for everyone,” Howdeshell’s wife Kimberly recalled. “He was a big joker. They did a lot of that over there. They keep their sanity by playing jokes.”

Howdeshell never graduated from high school, but he wasn’t just another kid from Illinois with an ear for Metallica and Slayer. He was sharp, smart enough to ace his ASVAB exams when he enlisted in the Navy two years before meeting his future bride. He was 26 when he signed up.

“He qualified for anything,” Kimberly said. “He had many, many choices when he joined.”

Back then, Howdeshell was living in Springfield, where he was born. He became an aviation electrician and set out to see the world. He’d always wanted to be a soldier, but an allergy to ants forced him to pick another branch.

Less than a month after the two met, Kimberly married Howdeshell in a simple civil ceremony in Virginia, while a hurricane brewed. They picked Aug. 26 — after all, her birthday is June 26, and he was born on Feb. 26.

“We were soul mates,” she said. “He just looked at me and said, ‘Let’s get married now.’ I said, ‘OK.’ “

Howdeshell was also married to the military. On Oct. 26, 2005, he realized his dream and joined the Army via a program that allows service members to transfer to different branches, allergies to ants notwithstanding.

“He loved the service, but he liked the Army a lot better,” Kimberly said. “He didn’t want a 9-to-5 job. He wanted to be out in the middle of everything. I was worried, but I supported him 110 percent.”

Howdeshell became a cavalry scout. The man who’d always loved shooting pretend guns on computers was soon riding in Humvees and shooting guns for real.
He went to Iraq in January 2007. Kimberly last saw him in June of that year, when he came home for a two-week leave.

“We were trying to see all of the family,” Kimberly said. “We spent a couple of days by ourselves. It was too fast.”

By month’s end, Howdeshell was back in harm’s way.

“I talked to him online the day before it happened,” Kimberly said. “He told me they were going on a dangerous mission. He wasn’t allowed to give me any more information.”

Army officials have filled in some blanks.

“His vehicle was first in line,” Kimberly said. “They hit an IED. I don’t know how to spell or pronounce the name of the town. He was killed immediately. He didn’t know anything. He felt nothing.”

Two other soldiers, Charles E. Bilbrey, 21, and Jaime Rodriguez, 19, died in the blast. Howdeshell, 37, was commanding the Humvee.

Kimberly says she and her husband knew his military career could end in tragedy. Nonetheless, he had just re-enlisted for six years, she said.

“He was in complete support of … the war and what we’re doing,” Kimberly said. “He loved what we were doing. The military was his life.”

Howdeshell was cremated and interred at Arlington National Cemetery after a funeral in St. Petersburg, Fla., where his wife and son live.

Marine Pfc. Donald W. Vincent

Died July 25, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

26 year old Donald Vincent, of Gainesville, Fla.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died July 25 at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province.

Marine ‘touched a lot of hearts,’ dad says

The Associated Press

Donald W. Vincent — better known by his middle name, Wayne — had to work a few odd jobs before everything really fell into place.

“Wayne found he needed to get his life in focus,” said his father, Lee, a retired Navy captain. “The Marines was a means to an end. … He discovered abilities he didn’t know he had.”

Vincent, 26, of Gainesville, Fla., died July 25 after being wounded in combat in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Family and friends recalled that Vincent’s experiences in the Marines gave him a different perspective on life, and that his skills in math and other areas developed with his training. He had worked as an electrician and at a couple of restaurants before deciding to join the military.

“The Marines helped him discover his confidence,” said friend Ian Walters.

Vincent, who loved to hunt, fish and scallop, was the oldest Marine in his unit, earning him the nickname “the old man,” said his mother, Betty Sue.

“He touched a lot of hearts,” Lee Vincent said. “People really loved him and they’re broken-hearted with us.”

Army Spc. Herbeth A. Berrios-Campos

Died July 24, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

21 year old Herbeth Berrios-Campos, of Bealton, Va., assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 24 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.

Quiet, confident described Berrios-Campos

The Associated Press

Herberth Berrios-Campos was an energetic and determined soldier before he even formally joined the military.

“He told me that he was going to join the program and be my highest-ranked cadet, and he was a man of his word, because that next term, he joined up and he stayed,” said Warren Fountain, who was Berrios-Campos’ Junior ROTC instructor in high school.

“If you asked him a question, he said he could do it. He never doubted himself. That’s one thing about Campos.”

Berrios-Campos, 21, of Bealeton, Va., died July 24 in Salman Park, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a noncombat incident. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.

Fountain remembered Berrios-Campos as a quiet but confident young man who enjoyed playing soccer and running cross-country. He said as a teen, Berrios-Campos often wore his uniform on days it wasn’t necessary so he could represent the military.

Capt. Joel Graves, his company commander, remembered Berrios-Campos for his “energetic youthfulness and humorous personality.”

Berrios-Campos is survived by his mother, Armida Carballos, and his father, Jose Campos.

Navy Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Andrew Scott Charpentier

Died July 23, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Andrew Charpentier, of Great Falls, Mont.; assigned to the Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; died July 23 at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Fla., from a non-combat related illness.

Flags fly at half-staff for Great Falls sailor

The Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. — Gov. Brian Schweitzer has ordered the American and Montana state flags to fly at half-staff Friday and Saturday in honor of a sailor from Great Falls who died last week at a Miami hospital.

Navy Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Andrew Charpentier died at a Miami hospital on July 23 of a brief, noncombat related illness. He was 21.

Charpentier had been assigned to the Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Charpentier’s funeral is scheduled Saturday morning at Central Assembly of God Church in Great Falls, with burial to follow at Highland Cemetery.

Army Sgt. Joshua J. Rimer

Died July 22, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

24 year old Joshua Rimer, of Rochester, Pa.; assigned to the 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.; died July 22 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Received Purple Heart in Iraq tour

The Associated Press

Joshua J. Rimer read to his new wife every night and took care of her when she was sick. When it snowed, he always drove his mother-in-law to and from work.

“He is amazing. I mean he was amazing,” said his widow, Annalisa. “People just love Joshua.”

Rimer, 24, of Rochester, Pa., was killed July 22 by an improvised explosive in Zabul province, Afghanistan. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Carson, Colo.

Rimer, who played the trumpet and was in band and chorus, joined the military right after graduation and spent three years in Iraq on his first tour. He received a Purple Heart after receiving shrapnel wounds to the neck.

“Everyone was saying, ‘You got the Purple Heart, you can come home now,’ ” said Amy Nichols, his cousin. “But he said, ‘This is what I do. This is me.’ ”

His family said Rimer was a good leader who constantly drilled his men and was respected for his knowledge and loved for his outgoing personality.

“I remember my brother as being a fun-loving person who had the best personality you’d ever meet,” Shannon Rimer said. “He was always the center of attention. That’s who Joshua was.”

Army Sgt. Raymundo P. Morales

Died July 21, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

34 year old Raymundo Morales, of Dalton, Ga.; assigned to the 148th Brigade Support Battalion, Cedartown, Ga.; died July 21 in Methar Lam, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover.

Believed in protecting his country

The Associated Press

Everyone knew Raymundo P. Morales’ smile.

“As soon as you seen him, whether he was down or not, he always had that smile no matter what,” said his aunt, Maria Vicencio, adding that the man known as “Ray” had an infectious laugh and sense of humor.

Morales, 34, of Dalton, Ga., was killed July 21 when the Humvee he was riding in rolled over in Methar Lam, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Cedartown, Ga.

The sergeant graduated from Murray County High School in 1992. He had only been in Afghanistan for about a month, but his family says he was doing what he enjoyed most.

“He was always trying to help people. He says he loved the Army, that’s why he joined,” said his uncle, Jorge Vicencio.

The Georgia National Guardsman planned to be in the military for the rest of his career, said his brother, Tommy.

“He said, ‘Daddy, if I don’t, who will? You know, who will protect us and our country?’ So that’s what he did,” Morales said.

Morales is survived by four children, his parents and a brother and sister.

Army Sgt. Gregory Owens Jr.

Died July 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

24 year old Gregory Owens, of Garland, Texas; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (Strike), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died July 20 in Maydan Shahr, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle followed by an attack from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. Also killed were Spc. Anthony M. Lightfoot, Spc. Andrew J. Roughton and Pfc. Dennis J. Pratt.

Followed dad’s footsteps by joining military

The Associated Press

Gregory Owens Jr. had an attitude of thinking of others first. When his sister had her appendix removed one summer, he kept her company for an entire week.

And instead of taking his scheduled leave from duty in Afghanistan in July, he swapped shifts with another soldier so that he’d be home in mid-October as a surprise for his father’s 50th birthday.

Owens, 24, of Garland, Texas, died July 20 in Wardak province, Afghanistan when his vehicle was hit with a roadside bomb and enemy fire. He was based in Fort Drum, N.Y.

“He always put others before himself,” said his mother, LaDonna. “He made time to spend with other people and to listen to them.”

He was born in Germany during his father’s military service and had followed in those footsteps by joining the Army in 2007. He had graduated with honors in 2002 from Hillcrest High School, where he kept a full schedule but still managed to find time to roughhouse with his younger brothers and play sports with them.

“He did everything to keep my mom busy 24/7: band, Boy Scouts, church,” said his sister, Shelena.

Owens is survived by his parents, sister and younger brothers, Lamar and Jonathan.

Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon T. Lara

Died July 19, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

20 year old Brandon Lara, of New Braunfels, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 19 in Ubaydi, Iraq, while supporting combat operations.

Was eager to join the Corps

The Associated Press

As his Canyon High School classmates donned caps and gowns, Brandon Lara was in his helmet and fatigues. He was so eager to become a Marine that he finished his studies a semester before his May 2006 graduation.

“He had long waited for his 18th birthday so he could join,” said his father, Jacob Lara Jr. “When his classmates were walking the stage, Brandon was serving his first tour.” And he volunteered for his second.

Brandon Lara, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, died July 19 in Iraq while supporting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif., and scheduled to be home in October, in time for his birthday.

“Ever since I can remember, he knew exactly what he wanted to do,” his stepmother, Gloria Lara, said. “He’s always wanted to be military. Since he was little, he was into guns and swords and knives.”

She said they communicated constantly on the MySpace social networking Web site. During their last phone conversation, she said, he told her he was thinking of home.

Brandon Lara also is survived by his mother, Shannon Martin; his brother, Jonathon; and his sisters, Victoria and Rebecca Lara and Stormi McCandless.

Air Force Capt. Mark R. McDowell

Died July 18, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

26 year old Mark McDowell, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; died July 18 in an F-15E crash near Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Capt. Thomas J. Gramith.

F-15E was 1st fighter to crash in Afghanistan

By Bruce Rolfsen

Staff writer

The loss of an F-15E Strike Eagle over the weekend marked the first crash of an Air Force fighter in Afghanistan since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2001. Both crewmembers died.

The jet was not shot down, according to a statement from the Defense Department released shortly after the crash. The cause is still under investigation.

Killed were pilot Capt. Mark R. McDowell, 26, and weapons systems officer Capt. Thomas J. Gramith, 27, both deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. N.C.

The two were flying a close-air support mission over eastern Afghanistan about 3:15 a.m. when the crash occurred, officials said. The government did not say whether the aviators ejected.

The F-15E was the second loss of a deployed fighter from Seymour Johnson since 2001. In April 2003, a jet crashed on a combat mission north of Baghdad, Iraq. Because the crash was considered a combat loss, the Air Force didn’t reveal the specific cause.

McDowell’s grandfather, Gilbert McDowell, told television station WRAL in North Carolina what motivated the captain.

“(Flying) was his life,” the elder McDowell said. “He died doing what he wanted to do. He wanted to fly. He was called to fly … God called him to be a pilot.”

McDowell was a 2005 class member of the Air Force Academy, where he met his wife, Kate, also an Air Force officer.

Gramith’s hometown was given as Eagan, Minn. No other additional information was provided by the Defense Department.

‘Always good at everything,’ wife recalls

The Associated Press

Mark McDowell was a 4.0 student, the MVP on his high school soccer team and the usual winner in the golf matches he played against his brother.

When he decided he wanted to attend the Air Force Academy, he was accepted and graduated in 2005 with a degree in physics.

“He was always good at everything,” said his wife, Katie. “If we did something, he always learned quickly, or was always better at it than everyone.”

McDowell, 26, of Mooresville, N.C., died July 18 when the F-15 he was piloting went down near Ghazni province, Afghanistan. He was based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

“He loved flying. He loved being a part of the community that was doing what they’re doing,” his wife said.

The couple met while attending the academy. Katie McDowell was deployed to Iraq in June.

Mark McDowell graduated from South Iredell County High School in Statesville, N.C.

He is survived by his wife; stepfather and mother, Bill and Barbara Thomas; father and stepmother, Stan and Karen McDowell; and brothers Joseph McDowell and Bill Thomas.

“He was a great brother. I always looked up to him. He used to push me around a lot, but then I got to be bigger than him,” Joseph McDowell said.

Army Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick

Died July 17, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old daniel Drevnick, of Woodbury, Minn., assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, Stillwater, Minn.; died July 17 in Basra, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire. Also killed were Spc. James D. Wertish and Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV.

Minnesota mourns guardsmen killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

STILLWATER, Minn. — Condolences poured in from across the state Saturday after three soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were killed in Iraq.

The Pentagon on Saturday confirmed the slain soldiers were 22-year-old Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick, of Woodbury; 20-year-old Spc. James D. Wertish, of Olivia; and 27-year-old Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV, of Cottage Grove.

All three were assigned to Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division.

“We mourn the loss of these three soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Larry Shellito, the Minnesota National Guard’s adjutant general, in a statement. “They were truly part of our National Guard family.”

The soldiers were killed Thursday evening when insurgents attacked their Basra position with mortars, rockets and artillery.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said in a statement Saturday that she was “deeply saddened” by the soldiers’ deaths.

“They made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and for that we are forever grateful,” she said.

Funeral details were not immediately provided. But an organization that supports military families and troops returning from duty planned a silent vigil to honor the three soldiers and their families.

The Yellow Ribbon Network of Washington County said the vigil, to be held Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Stillwater Veterans Memorial, would also honor all deployed service members and their families.

Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they arrested a member of an Iranian-backed militia suspected in an attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in southern Iraq. It wasn’t immediately clear whether those three soldiers were the Minnesota guardsmen.

Maj. Gen. Adil Daham, chief of the Basra provincial police, said the militiaman confessed early Saturday to the attack on a U.S. base near the airport. The rocket attack was a rare assault on troops in the comparatively quiet south, the U.S. military said.

The last time three Minnesota soldiers were killed on the same day in Iraq was Feb. 21, 2005, when three National Guard troops were killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.

Wilcox, who wanted to become a doctor, had been on his first deployment to Iraq since May, his mother told The Associated Press on Friday.

“He was a very proud young man, just very proud to serve his country,” said Charlene Wilcox.

Carlos Wilcox grew up in Minnesota and graduated from Tartan High School in Oakdale, his mother said. He studied at Arizona State University and in Granada, Spain. He then returned to Minnesota and graduated from Metropolitan State University with a biology degree.

Drevnick had hoped to become a state trooper, said his father, who recently retired from the Minnesota State Patrol.

Ken Drevnick remembered his son’s work ethic in the way he was restoring his muscle car after graduating from Woodbury High School. Dan Drevnick worked two jobs while attending school full time to help pay for the car.

“That’s what type of person he was,” his father said. “To get someplace, he knew he had to make it happen.”

Rev. George Schmit, the Wertish family’s pastor, told the West Central Tribune of Willmar that David and Kim Wertish were in mourning. Their son joined the Guard before graduating from Bold High School in 2007, Schmit said.

The pastor told the newspaper that James Wertish was a “friendly young man” who helped on the family farm. He enjoyed riding snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles in his spare time, Schmit said.

State Rep. Phil Sterner, DFL-Rosemount, where the Red Bull division has its headquarters, said in a statement that the three guardsmen “exemplify the best of our state and of public service.”

Flags lowered to remember fallen soldiers

The Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty is ordering flags at the state Capitol complex lowered to half-staff to honor two Minnesota soldiers killed in Iraq.

Pawlenty ordered flags lowered July 25 to remember Spc. Daniel Drevnick of Woodbury. Drevnick’s funeral is July 25 in Woodbury, with burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

The governor also ordered flags lowered July 27. That’s the day a funeral Mass will be held in Bird Island for Spc. James Wertish of rural Olivia.

Wertish and Drevnick were among three Minnesota National Guardsmen killed by an insurgent attack July 16 in Basra.

‘Wild child’ came from long line of service members

The Associated Press

Dan Drevnick’s affinity with speed began early. He followed his father’s interest in drag racing and even started restoring his own muscle car after graduating from Woodbury (Minn.) High School in 2005.

He worked two jobs to pay for it, said his father, Ken.

“That’s what type of person he was,” he said. “To get someplace he knew he had to make it happen.”

Dan Drevnick, 22, of Woodbury, was one of three Minnesota National Guard soldiers killed July 16 during an insurgent attack in Iraq, a week after he returned from a visit home. He was assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, Stillwater, Minn.

His father said Drevnick was part of a military police unit and hoped to become a state trooper. He was his family’s sixth generation in the military.

His family spoke of “rebellious years” in high school when he pierced his ears and grew out his hair. He was energetic — “our wild child,” his stepfather said — loved learning, skateboarded and raced cars. He also was fond of duct tape and once used it to mummify a friend.

“He was never afraid of anything,” said his stepfather, Charles Freese.

Army Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV

Died July 16, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

27 year old Carlos Wilcox IV, of Cottage Grove, Minn., assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, Stillwater, Minn.; died July 16 in Basra, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire. Also killed were Spc. James D. Wertish and Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick.