Army Pfc. Justin A. Casillas

Died July 4, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

19 year old Justin Casillas, of Dunnigan, Calif.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died July 4 at Combat Outpost Zerok, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked the outpost using small arms and indirect fires. Also killed was Pfc. Aaron E. Fairbairn.

Calif. soldier killed by bomb in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

DUNNIGAN, Calif. — Pentagon officials say a soldier from Yolo County was killed on July 4 during an insurgent attack in Afghanistan.

Nineteen-year-old Pfc. Justin Aaron Casillas was one of two soldiers killed when a truck bomb exploded at Combat Outpost Zerok. Also killed was 20-year-old Pfc. Aaron Fairbairn of Aberdeen, Wash.

The attack also injured seven other U.S. soldiers.

Casillas and Fairbairn were assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division based at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Casillas, of Dunnigan, was a paratrooper who had been deployed only four months. He graduated from Pierce High School in Arbuckle last year.

Army Pfc. Jacob A. Dennis

Died July 3, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Jacob Dennis, of Powder Springs, Ga.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died July 3 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained June 30 in a weapons system accident at Forward Operating Base Lane, Afghanistan.

Fallen private remembered for positive attitude

The Associated Press

Pfc. Jacob Dennis enjoyed cooking and knew how to bake a delectable cheesecake, according to his family.

The resident of Powder Springs, Ga., had been involved in Boy Scouts and youth ministry at Roswell Street Baptist Church. He graduated from North Cobb Christian School in Kennesaw, where he played soccer and ran track. He also was involved in theater and the school band.

“Jacob was very much a people person,” said his aunt Beth Wright. “You couldn’t meet him and not love him. I never in my life can remember a time where Jacob had a bad attitude about anything.”

Dennis, 22, died July 3 in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained June 30 in a weapons system accident in Zabul province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, where he met his wife, Allysha. They married in June 2009.

He was supposed to come home at the end of July. His wife said he could have come home sooner but wanted to stay with his fellow soldiers.

“He loved the guys he was with like brothers,” she said.

Dennis had briefly gone to culinary school at Chattahoochee Tech before enlisting in the military.

Survivors include his parents, a brother and a sister.

Marine Lance Cpl. Charles S. Sharp

Died July 2, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Charles Sharp, of Adairsville, Ga.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died July 2 while supporting combat operations in Garmsir, Afghanistan.

Enjoyed being near water, beach

The Associated Press

Charles S. Sharp — better known by his middle name, Seth — had a strange request on his Christmas list last year: a coloring book and crayons.

“He said it wasn’t for him but for the children he’d met in Iraq,” said his father, Rick. “He was just that kind of kid. He was proud to be a Marine and be called a Marine.”

Sharp, 20, of Adairsville, Ga., was shot and killed July 2 as his unit pushed into Taliban-controlled Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The former Cub Scout who spent many a day hunting in the hills of Georgia with family was determined to join the Corps. He put those skills to good use, graduating from boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., at the top of his class in marksmanship.

“Seth really loved the water and the beach. I said, ‘You love the water. How about the Coast Guard?’ ” said his mother, Angela Sharp Preston. “He was kind of headstrong about the Marine division.”

He and his fiancée, Katie McMahan, had thought about moving to Florida so he could start college, Preston said.

Sharp is survived by his parents and his stepmother, Tiffany Sharp.

Army Pfc. Jonathan M. Rossi

Died July 1, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

20 year old Jonathan Rossi, of Safety Harbor, Fla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; died July 1 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire.

Jonathan M. Rossi was quiet and creative. An artist, he used pencils to sketch Asian-style pieces. As an adult, Jonathan was covered in tattoos of his own creation, including dragons and other designs, said his stepmother, Kathleen Rossi. “One of his tattoos, when he folded his arms in front of him, it said, ”To win is to be prepared to die,”” she said. “What he said it meant to him was that to do his job and be in the Army, he had to be prepared to die in order to win for his country.”

Rossi, 20, of Safety Harbor, Fla., died July 1 in Baghdad of wounds from an explosive and small-arms fire. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Bliss. Rossi loved martial arts and hoped to become a Ranger. But a knee injury during jump school sidetracked that goal. Rossi found another military specialty, working with explosive devices. He ultimately hoped to work for the CIA.

“He was a loving, caring young man. He loved his family, loved his friends and would do anything for anybody. He had a big heart. He was a great son, a great friend to everybody,” said his father, Michael.

Army Staff Sgt. Robb L. Rolfing

Died June 30, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

29 year old Robb Rolfing, of Sioux Falls, S.D.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, Colo.; died June 30 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire.

* * * * *

Vassar graduate dies in Iraq

By Dennis Gale

The Associated Press

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Robb Rolfing had wanted to be a soldier since he was a little kid. And when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, spurred the Vassar graduate to join the Army, he aimed for the top.

“He had wanted to be a soldier and specifically a Green Beret, Special Forces guy, for a long time,” said his father, Rex Rolfing of Sioux Falls.

“That was his dream. That’s what he wanted to become. The elite of the elite. And that’s what he was.”

Staff Sgt. Robb Rolfing died early June 30, Iraq time, after being hit by a round of enemy fire in a southern Baghdad neighborhood. He was 29.

He was in the Special Forces, assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group Airborne, out of Fort Carson, Colo., the Defense Department said July 2.

Five other Fort Carson soldiers died in Iraq this past week when their patrol was ambushed by insurgents, marking the post’s largest death toll in a single incident. Rolfing was the 213th soldier from the post to die in the war, but only the third in the 10th Special Forces Group.

After joining the Army, Rolfing was allowed to try out for Special Forces school. He was accepted but then was sent to Iraq for his first tour of duty.

“And then when he came back, he went through the intense year and a half of school that they [Special Forces] have,” his father said.

Only about 3 percent of those allowed to try out eventually graduate, Rex Rolfing said.

His son had been in Iraq on his second tour of duty since March.

He was training Iraqi police to clear insurgents. “They came under fire in clearing a neighborhood in southern Baghdad,” his father said. “He came under fire and he caught a round that went through his arm and into his chest.”

His body is being brought home and is under 24-hour guard, accompanied by a Special Forces member from his unit. “We do not know where it is and when it will be here,” Rex Rolfing said.

When a service is held in Sioux Falls “it’ll be a celebration of Robb’s life,” his father said.

Asked to describe how he and his wife, Margie, were notified, Rolfing said it was “kind of like the movies. They just show up with a chaplain and a guy from the service. Two guys in uniform show up at your front door and ring your doorbell. So it’s difficult.”

“You can’t imagine” the emotions, Rolfing said. “We didn’t even open the door, Margie and I. We knew right away … when we saw the two soldiers standing there, we knew right away. We just started bawling and hugging each other. And it was probably a full minute before we could garner enough strength to open the door.”

Robb was the oldest of Rex and Margie’s three children. Brother T.J is 26 and sister Tiffany is 20.

Robb Rolfing played soccer, football and hockey and was the kicker for the Sioux Falls O’Gorman football squad in high school.

He got an academic scholarship and played soccer at Vassar College in New York.

“He was a very bright, bright young man,” Rex Rolfing said.

Rex and Margie Rolfing have been married for 35 years.

Their wedding anniversary was Sunday.

* * * * *

Governor requests flags at half-staff for fallen soldier

The Associated Press

PIERRE, S.D. — Gov. Mike Rounds has requested that all flags in the state be flown at half-staff July 10 in honor of Army Staff Sgt. Robb Rolfing of Sioux Falls, who died last week in Iraq.

Rolfing’s funeral will be held July 10 at the Sioux Falls Arena.

The 29-year-old Special Forces engineer died of wounds from enemy small-arms fire last June 30 in Baghdad.

“Staff Sgt. Rolfing paid the ultimate price in defending our nation,” Rounds said in a release. “He represents what is best about the brave men and women who wear the uniform of the United States and put their lives on the line so we can enjoy freedom. This is a tragic reminder of the sacrifice that comes with that freedom. Our hearts go out to his friends and family, and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”

* * * * *

Community honors Staff Sgt. Robb Rolfing

By Charles Pulliam

The Associated Press

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Staff Sgt. Robb L. Rolfing of Sioux Falls, shot and killed late last month while leading his unit into an insurgent compound in Iraq, was laid to rest in his hometown on July 10.

Rolfing, 29, was in the U.S. Army Special Forces out of Fort Carson, Colo., and was deployed in March on his second tour of duty in Iraq.

He died June 30 in al-Dora, a neighborhood in southern Iraq from wounds sustained from small-arms fire while leading his unit into an insurgent compound.

“This young man answered the call,” Gov. Mike Rounds said July 10 during Rolfing’s funeral service at the Sioux Falls Arena. “He answered it for all of us.”

Sen. John Thune also spoke at the service. He said Rolfing was living a life of purpose and was the “best of the best.”

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin also spoke. Former Rep. Bill Janklow, Mayor Dave Munson and more than 1,000 others attended.

Army Lt. Col. Rick Steiner, deputy commander of Rolfing’s 10th Special Forces Group, relayed a message from Rolfing’s supervisor, Master Sgt. Tommy Myers, saying Rolfing “was a warrior, was a hero and an exemplary Green Beret. He was one of us.”

His parents, Rex and Margie Rolfing, were presented with the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star during the service.

Nearly 100 motorcycles with the Patriot Guard Riders escorted Rolfing’s body and the members of his Special Forces unit served as pallbearers. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery with full military honors.

Rolfing had wanted to join the Army since childhood. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he was driven to enlist. He completed his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and was deployed on his first tour in Iraq with 101st Airborne. After returning, he went to Special Forces school, undergoing an intense year and a half of training to became a member of the elite Green Berets.

Rolfing graduated from O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls and played soccer at Vassar College in New York.

In 1999, Rolfing led the Vassar Brewers soccer team to its first NCAA postseason tournament berth in school history — a first in any sport at Vassar.

“His transformation as a player and a person over the next three years was amazing,” said Chris Parsons, Rolfing’s soccer coach. “A skinny, long-haired Robb grew up into a man with a chiseled body and clean, shaven head.”

“Robb was utterly, completely committed to the cause” in everything he did, Parsons said.

Rolfing graduated from Vassar with a bachelor’s degree in astronomy and physics in 2000.

His cousin, Ryan Flohrs, called Rolfing a “goofball extraordinaire.” Rolfing was passionate in all that he did, though, Flohrs added.

“Robb loved karaoke, but boy, was he a terrible singer,” he said. “Now that’s passion.”

“He was the brother that I never had,” he said. “Just being with Robb was the memorable part.”

Rolfing family’s was out for dinner June 29 at a Sioux Falls restaurant and passed by a sculpture of an angel holding a fallen soldier. Looking back, family members said, with the time difference, it was at that moment Robb Rolfing died.

Army Spc. Robert L. Bittiker

Died June 29, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

39 year old Robert Bittiker, of Jacksonville, N.C.; assigned to the 120th Combined Arms Battalion, North Carolina National Guard, Wilmington, N.C.; died from wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle June 29 in Baghdad. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Edward C. Kramer, Sgt. Juan C. Baldeosingh and Sgt. Roger L. Adams Jr.

Funerals scheduled for 2 guardsmen killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Funeral arrangements are set for two of the four North Carolina National Guard soldiers killed in the unit’s largest single combat loss since World War II.

A funeral will be held for Spc. Robert Bittiker on Wednesday at the Jones Funeral Home in Jacksonville. He will be buried at the Coastal State Veterans Cemetery. Mourners are invited to line the roads from the funeral home to the cemetery.

Sgt. 1st Class Edward Kramer’s memorial service will be held Thursday at St. Mark Catholic Church in Wilmington. Mourners are also invited to line the roads from the church to the Wilmington National Cemetery.

Kramer’s family requested donations be made to Step Up for Soldiers and St. Mark Catholic School instead of flowers.

Working on cars was Bittiker’s passion

The Associated Press

Robert L. Bittiker was a hardworking National Guardsman who kept busy as a trucking company foreman, but he always made time for his sons.

“He loved his sons very much — followed them through all their sports,” said Brian Wheat, Bittiker’s stepfather. Bittiker, who worked for Elijah Morton Trucking Inc. and owned a taxi cab in Jacksonville, N.C., also was an avid sportsman who enjoyed fishing.

Bittiker, 39, of Jacksonville, N.C., was killed June 29 when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad.

The Wilmington, N.C.-based National Guardsman enjoyed cheering on the Washington Redskins and working on a beat-up truck and Ford Mustang, said his mother, Mary Wheat.

“They were pretty rough and unfixable,” she said. “But you probably couldn’t convince him of that.”

Bittiker enlisted in the North Carolina Army National Guard in 1990. This was his third combat deployment, having served in Bosnia and then Iraq in 2004. Bittiker’s family has a history of service. His father served in the Marines and his mother worked for the Department of Defense.

He is survived by his wife, Tami; two sons, Cameron, 14, and Ronnie, 18; and a stepson, Robert Jenkins.

Army Pvt. Steven T. Drees

Died June 28, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

19 year old Steven Drees, of Peshtigo, Wis; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died June 28 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained June 24 in Konar Province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire and a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher.

Peshtigo soldier Steven Drees remembered

By Paul Srubas

Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette

PESHTIGO — Friends and well-wishers carrying candles and waving flags lined the streets of Peshtigo Monday night to honor a 19-year-old soldier who died Sunday as a result of injuries he sustained in Afghanistan.

Army Pvt. Steven Drees’ family found out Wednesday morning that he had been shot in the head when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire and a grenade launcher in Konar Province, Afghanistan, said Barb Bayer of Peshtigo, Drees’ cousin.

His parents, Dawn Bayer and Paul Drees, and his twin brother, Charlie, were present when Drees died Sunday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, Barb Bayer said. He had been kept alive until his organs could be harvested for donation, and family members learned this weekend that Drees’ organs may have saved the lives of three people, Bayer said.

Drees’ parents and brother arrived in Peshtigo about 9:30 p.m. Monday. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the home at 281 S. Peck Ave. and along the street to welcome them. Candles on the street and a police escort guided the family to their flag-covered yard.

High school friends of Drees said they spent the past four days preparing for the memorial. “We wanted it to be happy,” said James Meeks, 17, a high school friend. “Before Steve left, he told everyone that if anything happened to him he wanted them to be proud, not sad.”

The mourners seemed to express their reactions in different tones. Some joked about past memories, others expressed anger toward the insurgency, and some just wept.

One friend, Josiah Schafer, said the loss has motivated him even more to join the Army.

“I know he would be proud and supportive of me,” Schafer said. “If I die, I hope I have the same support as Steve did.”

Funeral plans won’t be made until the family learns when the Army plans to release the body and transport it home, Bayer said. She said the family is very close-knit, and that Drees had never been away from home for long before he enlisted in the Army on July 25, 2008.

“When he went to basic training, he wrote home every day,” Bayer said. “He always wrote poems. It kept him going through the training.

Bayer is Drees’ mother’s cousin, but she was always “Auntie Barb” to Drees, she said. She described Steven as a playful young man — “a child at heart” — who loved children. As a boy, he played baseball, and he lettered in both football and basketball in high school, she said.

Drees’ high school friends all solicited area businesses for donations for the candles and flags used in Monday night’s event, Bayer said.

“The kids have been wonderful,” she said. “Some of the family members wouldn’t have made it through without the kids here supporting them.”

The kids were planning to have T-shirts and rubber bracelets made in Drees’ honor, for the funeral, and plans are under way for a parade for when his body is returned to Peshtigo, she said.

John Bayer, Drees’ uncle, said Drees was very dedicated to the Army.

“He did what he wanted to do, and he was proud of what he was doing,” Bayer said of his nephew.

Drees was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

He joined the Army July 25, 2008, and was deployed May 26, on his 19th birthday.

Drees and his girlfriend from Silver Spring, Colo., were expecting their first child, John Bayer said.

Since Drees’ enlistment, he has received the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the following medals: National Defense Service, Global War on Terrorism Service, Army Good Conduct, Purple Heart and Bronze Star, according to the Public Affairs office at Fort Carson.

Flags fly at half-staff for Drees

The Associated Press

PESHTIGO, Wis. — Flags at Wisconsin National Guard armories, air bases and other facilities throughout the state will fly at half-staff in honor of a Peshtigo soldier killed in Afghanistan.

The state Department of Military Affairs announced the order honoring 19-year-old Army Pvt. Steven Drees. He was injured June 24 in an attack that involved small-arms fire and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. He died four days later.

His funeral is scheduled Tuesday at Peshtigo High School where he graduated last year.

Army Staff Sgt. Travis K. Hunsberger

Died June 27, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

24 year old Travis Hunsberger, of Goshen, Ind.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died on June 27 of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while on combat patrol near Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.

Fort Bragg-based soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

GOSHEN, Ind. — A North Carolina-based Special Forces soldier was killed when he stepped on a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, the military said.

Army Staff Sgt. Travis K. Hunsberger, 24, of Goshen, died Friday near Tarin Kowt, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command said. Hunsberger was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, N.C., and left on his second deployment to Afghanistan in May.

He is survived by his wife, Hannah Hunsberger, of Fort Bragg; his parents, Steve and Ronda Hunsberger; a brother, Kyle Hunsberger, and a sister Kelsey Hunsberger, all of Goshen.

“He loved his family with his whole heart,” Ronda Hunsberger said.

The 2002 Northwood High School graduate enlisted just over four years ago after two years at Ball State University, his mother said. She said he had been injured twice during his deployments.

Hunsberger joined the Army in 2004 and entered Special Forces two years later.

Hunsberger had been married for less than two years. He had his wife invited his parents to Fort Bragg last Christmas to witness a re-enactment of their wedding. Travis and Hannah Hunsberger had a small private wedding before his first deployment.

Hunsberger was remembered Sunday during services at Wakarusa Missionary Church.

Army Pfc. Peter K. Cross

Died June 26, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Peter Cross, of Saginaw, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died June 26 at FOB Shank, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.

Army Pfc Cross was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. He died at Combat Outpost Carwile, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. Cross had gone to get “chow” for his unit, which was on patrol. He was returning with the food when he rounded a corner on a mountainous road, saw children herding sheep, swerved to avoid them and rolled down the mountain. The crash killed Cross but no one else was hurt.

Peter was a 2007 graduate of Boswell High School in Saginaw, Texas. He had wanted to be a missionary and had traveled on mission trips to Fiji, Finland, Cameroon and Zambia while in middle school and high school. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Spokane, Washington for a year before deciding to join the Army – he decided he needed to mature a little.

In August 2008, Peter joined the Army and arrived at Fort Drum just as his brigade was deploying to Afghanistan in February. His awards include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal. Peter loved kids and was always thinking of others. While in Afghanistan, he used to hand out candy, pens, paper and anything else he could spare for the kids when they would come around.

Army 1st Lt. Brian N. Bradshaw

Died June 25, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

24 year old Brian Bradshaw, of Steilacoom, Wash.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died June 25 in Kheyl, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army 1st Lt. Bradshaw was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. He had been on patrol in Kheyl, Afghanistan when his vehicle struck an improvised bomb. Bradshaw and the other soldiers escaped without injury, but with the soldiers out of their vehicle, a passing civilian truck detonated a second roadside bomb which killed him.

Brian was born at Madigan Army Medical Center to military parents. He graduated from Bellarmine High School in Tacoma, Washington and then graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2007. While in high school, Brian served as a member of Pierce County Search and Rescue and was a counselor during summers at Camp Don Bosco where he had once been a camper himself. By the time he went to the university, he decided to join their ROTC program.

After graduation, Brian joined the Army and was deployed to Afghanistan in March. He didn’t go to win a war – he went to try and help the people there to have a better life. While on deployment, he would talk with his father about his fear for the safety of all his men – not himself. He would be tired but always upbeat and was especially happy when he received packages from home. In the packages, he had asked for items to give away to the local children. While on patrol, Brian and his men would take crayons, colored pencils, books and toys to give away to the kids.

He was considering making the Army a career but he had also talked about teaching history and he had started taking helicopters for back country skiing and possibly becoming a guide for back country skiing. Brian was very athletic and action-oriented. He bicycled, did back country skiing and climbed mountains. But most of all, Brian was a kind, caring person with a great sense of humor.

Army Cpl. Casey L. Hills

Died June 24, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Casey Hills, of Salem, Illinois; assigned to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, Pago Pago, American Samoa; died June 24 at Camp Virginia, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.

Cpl. Casey L. Hills of Salem, Illinois is the son of Tami and Mark Hills of Salem. He originally served in the Illinois Army National Guard before he transferred to the Army Reserve and was assigned to the 100th Battalion’s Charlie Company after it was activated in August. Casey was hard working, quiet, and unassuming. The Ready Reserve soldier worked very hard and was well liked by his buddies. He never complained about being called back to duty and always carried his fair share.

Casey had been assigned to Kuwait since October 2008 and had been scheduled to return home in late July 2009. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon. Casey was part of a mission into Iraq from their base in Kuwait.

He died at age 23 in a humvee accident in Iraq. He was killed in a multi-vehicle crash in the southern part of the country during convoy operations. Casey is survived by his parents, Mark and Tammy Hills, grandparents, Billy and Violet Hills, brother, Blake Hills, sister: Danielle Hills, niece, Lorelei and nephew, Briar.

Army Capt. Gregory T. Dalessio

Died June 23, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

30 year old Gregory Dalessio, of Cherry Hill, N.J.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany; died June 23 in Baghdad of wounds sustained in Salman Pak, Iraq, when his patrol encountered small arms fire during combat operations. Also killed was Pfc. Bryan M. Thomas.

Cherry Hill soldier loved family, God

By George Mast

(Cherry Hill, N.J.) Courier-Post

Those who knew Greg Dalessio are quick to point out two traits in his life — his love for his family and his faith in God.

These foundations were echoed throughout the funeral mass of Capt. Gregory Dalessio, 30, on Wednesday. Dalessio died June 23 in Baghdad, Iraq from injuries suffered in an attack that day during his second tour of duty.

The Cherry Hill native was laid to rest with full military parade in Colestown Ceremony following the morning service at St. Peter Celestine Church on Kings Highway.

“When thinking of Greg only one word comes to mind — family,” his younger brother Nicholas Pagano shared during the service.

Dalessio was the oldest of eight children.

“There are few things left in this world that can not be measured and Greg’s love for his family remains one of those things,” Nicholas said.

Greg’s brother Daniel Pagano read a letter to the approximately 400 gathered at the parish that his brother had sent from Iraq two days after Thanksgiving.

In the letter Greg said he was writing to his family in the place of Christmas presents and took time to individually thank each one for their impact on his life. The letter drew laughter at times and moments of silence at others as family members fought back tears

Greg described one sister as giving the best hugs in the world and to a brother he attributed the title “king of love.”

To his mother Maureen Pagano, Greg wrote, “You are my favorite person in the world.”

He went on to say that he only hoped to one day become half the parent his mother had been to him and his siblings.

While Dalessio will never get that chance, Father Thomas Newton, the pastor of St. Peter Celestine, where Dalessio was an active member, pointed out that he had already impacted all of their lives.

“Think about the good that he has brought into your life,” he said.

Newton said to observe Dalessio’s life of love and service is to see an example of Jesus himself.

Dalessio was raised in the Knollwood section and graduated from Bishop Eustace Prep School in Pennsauken in 1996. He was fatally shot June 23 as he emerged from a weekly reconstruction meeting with Iraqi officials. A second U.S. soldier, Pfc. Bryan M. Thomas, was also killed in the attack.

In the moments after the shooting Dalessio’s captain held him in his arms and told Dalessio he loved him, Newton said, adding that moments later Dalessio was handed into the arms of God.

Military representatives presented Dalessio’s family with the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge at the close of the service.

The flag draped coffin was escorted to Colestown Cemetery by around 30 members of the New Jersey Patriot Guard Riders. The bikers, comprised mostly of veterans, lined the front of the parish before the service with U.S. flags.

Several members of the military who served with Dalessio were present on Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Jeff Grable, described Delassio, who served under him in Iraq in 2006, as a man with exceptional character.

“He got tough jobs done and I didn’t have to check up on him,” Grable said.

While Delassio’s leadership and personality set him apart from others, Grable referred back to the familiar traits as to what stood out most in Delassio’s life.

“There was no questioning Greg’s faith and Greg’s love for his family and his friends,” he said.” There wasn’t anybody that did not know about Greg’s family.

Army Sgt. Michael J. Montpetit

Died June 22, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

31 year old Michael Montpetit, of Honolulu; assigned to the 15th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died June 22 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.

Family remember soldier who died in Iraq

The Associated Press

Army Sgt. Michael J. Montpetit grew up in Hawaii, dropped out of high school and got a job at a Pizza Hut, where he met and fell in love with Christina when they were both 18.

Christina, the daughter of a career sailor, moved to Hawaii after graduating from high school in Kansas. She persuaded Montpetit to go back and obtain his GED.

“School wasn’t for him,” Christina said. “He’s very smart, but sitting in class just wasn’t his thing.”

Montpetit then turned to the Army, where he had his choice of assignments in New York, Texas or Germany.

“We were so young,” Christina said. “We weren’t sure if he should go to another country and we weren’t sure how populated the New York area would be. So we picked Texas, where they have the largest Army base.”

Montpetit, 31, of Honolulu, was electrocuted while working on a generator outside of Baghdad on June 22. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.

Montpetit was sent to Korea and served two tours in Kuwait and two more in Iraq, and worked as a mechanic fixing generators and trucks with his company.

He also is survived by a 12-year-old son, Christian, and 8-year-old daughter, Courtney.

Army Sgt. Ricky D. Jones

Died June 21, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

26 year old Ricky Jones, of Plantersville, Ala.; assigned to the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Polk, La.; died June 21 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by indirect fire. Also killed was Spc. Rodrigo A. Munguia Rivas.

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — On the morning of June 26, friends and fellow warriors of U.S. Army Sgt. Ricky DeWayne Jones gathered at the Enduring Faith Chapel on Bagram Air Field to honor his life and service.

Jones, 26, a native of Plantersville, Ala., served as range control and reenlistment NCO for Fort Polk’s 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and deployed with Headquarters and Headquarters Company on June 12, 2008, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was killed June 21 in an early morning indirect fire attack on Bagram Air Field.

“Sergeant Jones has done his duty, and he has given his last breath to the U.S. Army and the United States of America; an honor many Soldiers have endured throughout history,” said 1st MEB HHC Commander, Capt. Paul Escobar.

Remembered for his Christian faith, devotion to God and love for his parents, wife and children, Jones stood out in Task Force Warrior as a kind-hearted family man with a thick Alabama accent, a funny story to share, and a willingness to lend a hand to those in need.

“I didn’t really know him that long, but in the short time we shared, we formed an unbreakable bond,” said Spc. De’Ontay Winchester, Task Force Warrior S6 web master.

During his tribute, Winchester recited a poem he’d written about his special friendship with Jones, which included this line: “Things you never told to anyone, you said those things to me.”

Sgt. Willie Givens of 337th Signal Company also paid tribute to his friend, recalling his final moments with Jones shortly before the attack.
“He gave me his vehicle and told me to drop him off at billeting so he could check in with Mrs. Jones before getting some rest,” Givens said, referring to billeting NCO, Cpl. Fredda Jones, also of Task Force Warrior and Jones’ widow.

Sgt. 1st Class Revon Spain, brigade equal opportunity NCO, had also spoken to Jones about seeing him Sunday morning in church.
“Sergeant Jones would always talk about motorcycles and four wheelers, and how his four-year-old son just loved to ride a four wheeler,” Spain recalled, explaining how Jones would try convincing him to ride a motorcycle.

Spain said Jones would always encourage him, “Man, Fredda rides them.” Spain said he would always reply, “Yeah, because Fredda is crazy just like you are.”
Members of Task Force Warrior, civilian contractors and friends of Jones paid their final respects during the ceremony.

“Let us make Jones proud by not allowing this tragic event to demoralize our unit’s morale,” Escobar said, challenging the 1st MEB to honor Jones by a deepening commitment to the Task Force Warrior mission.

Navy Command Master Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey J. Garber

Died June 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

43 year old Jeffrey Garber, of Hemingford, Neb.; assigned to the Dwight D. Eisenhower in the North Arabian Sea; died June 20 of non-hostile causes.

The command master chief for Carrier Air Wing 7, now deployed aboard the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, was found dead Saturday in his stateroom, apparently of natural causes, the Navy announced.

Command Master Chief (AW/SW) Jeffrey Garber, 43, was unresponsive when sailors discovered him at 8:15 a.m. local time Saturday; medical teams responded quickly but he was declared dead eight minutes later, the Navy said.

“Master Chief Garber was one of the finest individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” said Capt. Calvin Craig, commanding officer of CVW 7. “He was the epitome of what a command master chief should be — at every turn selflessly taking care of the men and women of the air wing and the entire Ike strike group team. To say that he will be sorely missed is an understatement. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the Garber family.”

Garber, of Hemingford, Neb., enlisted in the Navy in 1983 and his assignments included time aboard the cruiser Worden; the carrier Nimitz; the dock landing ship Portland; and service as the command master chief of Strike Fighter Squadron 34, the “Blue Blasters.”

A Navy announcement included fond remembrances from several of Garber’s shipmates, including Rear Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, the Eisenhower strike group’s commander; and the carrier’s top enlisted man, Command Master Chief Bryan Exum.

“The impact master chief Garber has had on the Navy is immeasurable,” Exum said. “Our last conversation was about the importance of CPO history and heritage, and it ended with a firm handshake and smile. I will never forget our last handshake. He was the embodiment of a great CMC. He will be missed by the men and women of team Ike.”

The crew of the Eisenhower planned an underway memorial service for Garber on Saturday. The carrier is in the north Arabian Sea as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Melton

Died June 19, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

26 year old Joshua Melton, of Carlyle, Ill.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, Marion, Ill.; died June 19 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Sgt. Paul G. Smith.

Ill. soldier killed months before tour was to end

The Associated Press

GERMANTOWN, Ill. — The brother of a southern Illinois soldier killed in Afghanistan says his sibling was expected to return home in September to his wife and 16-month-old daughter.

Twenty-six-year-old Staff Sgt. Joshua Melton was from Germantown in Clinton County. He died along with 43-year-old Sgt. Paul Smith of East Peoria on Friday.

The Illinois National Guard says their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Kandahar.

Melton enlisted in the National Guard in 2000 while still in high school in Breese.

Dustin Melton says his late brother knew from the time he was a boy that he wanted to be a soldier.

Joshua Melton’s widow, Larissa Melton, says her husband died as something he always wanted to be — a hero.

Army Master Sgt. Kevin A. Dupont

Died June 17, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

52 year old Kevin Dupont, of Templeton, Mass.; assigned to the 79th Troop Command, Rehoboth, Mass.; died June 17 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered March 8 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Died with wife by his side

The Associated Press

CHICOPEE, Mass. — A soldier has died from injuries he suffered when a military vehicle he was riding in ran over an improvised explosive in Afghanistan three months ago.

Kelli Dupont says her brother, Army Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Dupont, died early June 17 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where he was being treated for third-degree burns.

Dupont, 52, was injured March 8. He graduated from Chicopee High School in 1976 and most recently lived in Templeton. He was a member of the Massachusetts Army National Guard.

Kelli Dupont says her brother’s wife was at his side when he died.

Dupont is survived by elderly parents, two brothers and two sisters.

Army Sgt. Joshua W. Soto

Died June 16, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

25 year old Joshua Soto, of San Angelo, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; died June 16 in COB Adder, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

A Fort Bliss infantryman wounded in combat on a previous tour died Tuesday when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Iraq, Army officials said Friday.
Sgt. Joshua W. Soto, 25, from California, led an elite Bradley fighting vehicle crew with the 1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment, known as the “Steel Tigers.” He went to Iraq for the third time this spring with about 4,000 other members of Fort Bliss’ 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.

“He was the type of (noncommissioned officer) soldiers love to follow, and he was the type of leader commanders strive to have in their unit,” said Lt. Col. Jay Gallivan, Soto’s battalion commander, in an e-mail from Iraq. “Brave, disciplined, and always putting the needs of his troops before his own, Sergeant Soto will be missed. He was our very best.”
The Fort Bliss soldiers are working in southern Iraq. Although they are not leading combat patrols as in previous deployments, they are traveling with Iraqi security forces as advisers and face the same dangers, Col. Peter Newell, the brigade commander, said when the unit deployed. The unit is assisting in the transfer of authority to Iraqi forces.
Soto is survived by his wife, Thelma, and 9-month-old-son, Jayden.

Soto joined the Army in November 2003. After completing training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in Germany and was deployed for the invasion of
Iraq, which began in 2003.
During his second deployment, Soto was leading a squad on a foot patrol when it came under attack, according to information provided by his brigade in Iraq. Soto was shot in the right ankle and received a Purple Heart. When he returned to duty soon afterward, he took the gunner position on one of his platoon’s trucks.
Soto then left the Army but rejoined in October 2006. He was assigned to a long-range surveillance team with a Fort Hood military intelligence battalion. In March 2008, he was assigned to the Fort Bliss battalion. During training for deployment, Soto’s soldiers were recognized as the battalion’s “Top Bradley Crew.”

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
Soto also received two Army Commendation medals, the National Defense Service Medal, three Iraq Campaign medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, three Overseas Service ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Soto also was trained as a combat lifesaver.

Army Spc. Jonathan C. O’Neill

Died June 15, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Jonathan O’Neill, of Zephyr Hills, Fla.; assigned to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Stewart, Ga.; died June 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds sustained June 2 in Paktya, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Funeral held for decorated soldier

The Associated Press

LEBANON, Tenn. — A decorated Army soldier who died from injuries suffered in Afghanistan was remembered Tuesday by friends and family in Tennessee.

Spc. Jonathan Charles O’Neill died June 15 at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, nearly two weeks after he was wounded in Afghanistan. The Army said the 22-year-old was injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle and he was subsequently attacked by small arms fire.

The Lebanon Democrat reported his funeral was Tuesday morning at St. Frances Cabrini Church with full military honors following. He is survived by his parents, Bob and Jackie O’Neill, brothers, Brian and Matthew O’Neill; sister, Kaitlyn O’Neill, all of Watertown.

The Zephyrhills, Fla.,-native served in the Army since January 2007 with the 549th Military Police Company of Fort Stewart, Ga. President Barack Obama presented him with a Purple Heart and Presidential Coin this month in Landstuhl, Germany, while he was being treated for his injuries.

His mother kept all of his friends updated on the progress of his medical treatment through the soldier’s Facebook page, said Brandyn Errickson, a friend of O’Neill’s.

Errickson said O’Neill joined the Army to get experience in law enforcement.

“(He) was looking to get into being a policeman or into crime scene type work. He figured the best way to do this would be to get into the Army in the Military Police unit.

O’Neill was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star posthumously.

Marine Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass

Died June 14, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Layton Crass, of Richmond, Ind.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 14 in Farah province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed were Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, Pfc. Dawid Pietrek and Pfc. Michael Robert Patton.

Marine returns home today

By Michelle Manchir

(Richmond, Ind.) Palladium-Item

The body of Lance Cpl. Layton Crass is expected to be returned to Richmond this afternoon.

Local officials encourage community members to line the streets about 2 p.m. today and honor his three years of military service.

Funeral service arrangements for the Marine who died Saturday in Afghanistan are still pending. Funeral Director Gil Alford of Doan & Mills Funeral Home said he would publicize details as soon as the family secured plans.

The 22-year-old Marine’s body is expected to arrive at Dayton’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base around 12:30 p.m. today. His family, including parents Donald and Lynne Crass, brother Devin, and sister Dusty Throop, will ride along with his hearse, a police escort and Cincinnati’s Patriot Riders into Richmond on U.S. 40, Alford said.

The 2005 Richmond High School graduate was conducting combat operations in southwestern Afghanistan’s Farah Province when a bomb exploded near a vehicle in which he and three other Marines in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines were riding. All four were killed.

The military processional, like that of Cpl. Johnathan Lahmann of Richmond, who died in Iraq on Dec. 10, 2007, will enter Richmond via U.S. 40 East and move down Main Street. It will end at Doan & Mills Funeral Home across from Earlham College.

Local law enforcement supplements his escort, said Richmond Mayor Sally Hutton, who called the convoy a “community event.”

“We need to make sure the family has as much support as we can give them,” she said.

Locals are asked to carry American flags and perch along Main Street as the hearse passes.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ office notified county officials to fly flags at half-staff until Crass’ funeral.

The Department of Defense released information Wednesday that gives a deeper look into Crass’ military service.

He was trained as a Rifleman and he was contracted to end his term in June 2009.

In early 2006, the Marine completed 12 weeks of basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.

Crass also earned at least seven awards and decorations since his service entry date in June 2005.

Peter Werle, a high school classmate and fellow RHS Computer Club member, recalled Crass’ fervor toward Marine Corps.

“I remember how proud Layton was to get into the Marines,” Werle wrote in an e-mail. “ … He saw the Marines as a real shot to do something exciting and important.”

Lynne Crass, the Marine’s mother, said Tuesday night her son had aspirations for law enforcement. He was active in the Richmond Police Youth Cadet Program.

Diane Whitehead, Neighborhood Resource coordinator for Richmond Police, said she remembers Crass’ impeccable attendance in the program in 2006.

“He always showed up. He was very loyal,” she said Wednesday. “ … He was just really a good morale booster.”

‘Delight in life’; honor in death

By Michelle Manchir

(Richmond, Ind.) Palladium-Item

Family, friends and acquaintances of Richmond’s fallen Marine gathered Tuesday afternoon at Tiernan Center to celebrate his 22 years of life.

Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, a Richmond High School graduate, was killed by a roadside bomb June 14 in Afghanistan.

He was a Rifleman in the Marine Corps based in Twentynine Palms, Calif., who loved rollerblading, sports and video games.

He left six months ago to assist in training Afghan police, his second deployment with the Marines. He completed a tour in Iraq last year.

On Tuesday, American flags that poked out of wreaths, armfuls of red roses and Bible verse-laden knit blankets — gifts from friends — flooded around Crass’ flag-draped, closed casket on Tiernan Center’s gym floor at RHS.

The Rev. Ray Armstrong of Hagerstown led the 45-minute service, at which he and Rep. Mike Pence spoke on a stage in front of about 300 seated guests.

Crass’ mother, Lynne, found support in his father Donald’s arms throughout the service.

His brother, Devin Crass, also a Marine, wore his dress uniform. His sister, Dusty Throop of Richmond, attended with husband Nicholas and their 3-year-old son, Brenton.

Dusty Throop approached the casket with the blond toddler, who lurched toward Crass’ Marine photograph nearby, before ceremonies began.

Friends in black suits, military uniforms and blue jeans swatted away sudden tears with their hands and tissues as Armstrong spoke of their late loved one whom Armstrong described as finding “delight in life.”

In his eulogy, Armstrong, who is close with Crass’ family and mourned with them at grandmother Darlene Crass’ Richmond home last week, spoke of the Marine’s great commitment to freedom.

“Layton Crass acted on his convictions … the conviction that evil dare not prevail,” Armstrong said. “He gave his life in service to that conviction in the belief that people everywhere have a God-given right to freedom, to peace and to self-determination.”

Pence, who attended the funeral with wife Karen, spoke of the Marine’s inspiring dedication to military service, calling him a “son of Richmond.”

He told Crass’ family he was there as a congressional representative and as a dad.

“Know that this nation and this state and this father owes you a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay but we will never stop trying,” Pence told the crowd, “and we will honor the memory of your son because he most assuredly is an American hero.”

After the ceremony, dozens of Patriot Guard riders, veterans on motorcycles with dangling patriotic flags, led Crass’ black hearse down Hub Etchison Parkway and U.S. 40 West.

A procession that went on for about 15 minutes followed it to Crown Hill Cemetery in Centerville, where the Richmond son was laid to rest.

Army Staff Sgt. Edmond L. Lo

Died June 13, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Edmond Lo, of Salem, N.H.; assigned to the 797th Ordnance Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; died June 13 in Samarra City, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device that his explosive ordnance disposal team was acting to neutralize detonated.

Staff sergeant was determined to serve country

The Associated Press

SALEM, N.H. — Bright and hardworking like his immigrant parents, Edmond Lo’s future grew even more promising when he was offered a full scholarship to a prominent engineering school. But he turned it down, choosing instead to disarm bombs for the Army.

It was a job intended to save lives, but one that cost Lo his. The 23-year-old staff sergeant was six months into his second tour of duty in Iraq when a roadside bomb he was working on exploded June 13 in Samarra City, his family said.

“I told him to be careful, and he said, ‘I know, I know,’ ” his mother, Rosa Lo, told the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Lo graduated from Salem High School in 2004, where he was a member of the Air Force Junior ROTC program. He was commander of the drill team, color guard and operations squadron, said Thomas Puzzo, a retired Air Force chief master sergeant who helps lead the group.

“We called him Mr. Dependable,” Puzzo told the newspaper. “Every time we needed something, he was there.

Lo was in the second half of his senior year when he started talking about enlisting, Puzzo said. He already had begun getting college acceptance letters.

Lo’s mother said she wanted her son to go to college. The Rochester Institute of Technology accepted him, offered a full three-year scholarship and kept calling, even after he had left for boot camp, she said.

“He had a very strong will,” she said. “He wanted to serve the Army.”

Gene Clark, director of veterans enrollment services at the Rochester Institute of Technology, said the offer almost certainly came from ROTC, perhaps supplemented by the school. He expressed condolences to the family.

“Those of us who are involved in working with veterans often say it’s that 1 percent who are paying the price for the other 99 percent of us to be free,” Clark said.

Lo was the youngest of six children born to parents who emigrated from Hong Kong, became U.S. citizens and started a family. The family runs a computer repair service in Salem.

Lo was assigned to the 797th Ordnance Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion based in Fort Hood, Texas.

After his first tour in Iraq, Lo visited Salem High, sharing photos and stories of Iraq. He didn’t give a lot of details, but said he found the Iraqis gracious, Puzzo recalled.

Lo laid to rest

The Associated Press

SALEM, N.H. — Family, classmates and comrades in arms came together in Salem to remember Army Staff Sgt. Edmond Lo, a young man who turned down a college scholarship to serve his nation.

Lo, a 23-year-old Salem High graduate, was killed June 13 when a roadside bomb he was trying to disarm exploded in Iraq. He was buried Saturday after a funeral service at Mary Queen of Peace Church in Salem.

Retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Puzzo recalled Lo as a quiet and competent leader during his high school’s Junior ROTC program. According to the New Hampshire Sunday News, Lo was the third serviceman from Salem killed in Iraq since 2006.

Family donates sign to fallen hero’s high school

The Associated Press

SALEM, N.H. — The family of a New Hampshire solider who was killed in Iraq while trying to disarm a roadside bomb has donated a 6-foot-high message board in front of his high school.

The $20,000 board was installed in late December 2011 at Salem High School in memory of Army Staff Sgt. Edmond Lo, who was killed in June 2009.

Lo graduated from Salem High School in 2004, one of four graduates of the school to die while serving in Iraq. Rosa Lo said her son enjoyed his time at Salem High and especially loved the school’s Junior ROTC program.

A computer can display several different messages within seconds of each other on the board, according to The (Lawrence, Mass.) Eagle-Tribune. One message says “In memory of Staff Sgt. Edmond Lo.”

Army Sgt. John D. Aragon

Died June 12, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old John Aragon, of Antioch, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 12 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

Antioch soldier killed by roadside bomb in Iraq

The Associated Press

ANTIOCH, Calif. — When John Aragon told his mother during his senior year of high school that he wanted to join the Army, she urged him to wait at least a year before making the decision.

Aragon completed a year at a community college, but the delay did nothing to diminish his passion for the military, his mother said. He called his parents once he reached Fort Campbell, Ky., to tell them all about it.

“He said, ‘I love the Army and the Army loves me,”’ Denise Aragon said. “The two just clicked.”

Aragon served for just over two years before he was killed Thursday by a roadside bomb in Iraq, the Department of Defense announced Friday. Officials said the 22-year-old died of wounds suffered when his Humvee struck the bomb in Kadamiyah, just northwest of Baghdad.

Aragon’s father, John Aragon Sr., said his son wanted to be near the action: “He would say, ‘A true soldier is a fighting foot soldier.”’

But, the elder Aragon said, his son never harbored any romantic notions of war.

“He’d tell us it was pure hell,” he said. “Those were his words: ‘pure hell.”’

Both parents said they are proud of what he accomplished, including the rank of sergeant in two years with the 101st Airborne Division.

The Antioch High School graduate, a die-hard Oakland Raiders fan with the team’s name tattooed above his heart, always kept close ties to home, calling his parents once a week and looking forward to care packages they would send filled with his favorite snacks. Denise Aragon said she had planned to send one more round of snacks before he was due home for a break next month.

“We never got to send them,” Denise Aragon said.

Army Pvt. Eugene M. Kanakaole

Died June 11, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

19 year old Eugene Kanakaole, of Maui, Hawaii; assigned to the 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; died June 11 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

Maui soldier dies in Iraq

The Honolulu Advertiser

A 19-year-old Kihei, Maui, man serving with the Army in Balad, Iraq, died of injuries suffered in a noncombat-related incident on June 11, the Department of Defense reported yesterday.

Pvt. Eugene D.M. Kanakaole, a graduate of Maui High School, was assigned to the 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

The incident is under investigation, the military said. Balad is about 50 miles north of Baghdad.

Geraldine Serrao, his paternal grandmother, described Kanakaole as “a real cool guy” who “never got into trouble.”

On his own MySpace page, Kanakaole gave himself the moniker “hawaiiansoljah” and inserted as his quote, “id rather die on my feet then live life on my knees.”

Kanakaole last signed on to his MySpace page on May 31. He last listed his mood as “mischievous.”

A group of 104 soldiers from the 87th Engineer Company was sent to Iraq in early May on a 15-month deployment. Their job is primarily to detect and clear roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices, 1st Lt. Benjamin Washkowiak, the company’s executive officer, told the Killeen (Texas) Daily Herald last month.

The 87th’s engineers trained for this mission at Fort Hood and at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., the newspaper reported. In Iraq, the 87th is working in tandem with the 5th Engineer Battalion out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

Kanakaole is the first service member whose hometown is in Hawaii to die in Iraq since Dec. 31, when Sgt. Reno S. Lacerna, 44, of Waipahu died of a noncombat-related illness in Al Qayyarah, Iraq.

Lacerna was assigned to the 87th Corps Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.

Marine Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ricky L. Richardson Jr.

Died June 10, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

33 year old Ricky Richardson, of Franklin, Mo.; assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died June 10 while supporting combat operations in Delaram, Afghanistan.

EOD warrant officer dies in Afghanistan

Staff report

An Okinawa-based warrant officer died June 10 in Afghanistan, Marine officials said.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ricky Richardson, 33, of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, was killed in Farah province, according to a statement released by Marine officials in Japan. The cause of death was not immediately released, but relatives told FOX TV-2 in Missouri that he died “dismantling bombs.” He was in a region of western Afghanistan where Marines have faced a fierce insurgency for more than a year.

Richardson joined the Corps in 1996, officials said. He served as a machine gunner before becoming an explosive ordnance disposal technician, eventually reaching the rank of gunnery sergeant. He was appointed as a warrant officer in 2007 and had deployed to Afghanistan as an EOD officer in February, his sixth combat tour, officials said.

Richardson was a native of Sullivan, Mo., a town of about 6,000 where he maintains strong family ties, news reports said. He enlisted in Franklin, Mo., which is about 100 miles away.

His personal awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Army Spc. Thomas F. Duncan III

Died June 9, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

21 year old Thomas Duncan III, of Rowlett, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died June 9 in Sinjar, Iraq, of wounds sustained during combat operations.

Spc. Thomas F. Duncan III, age 21, was assigned to 2 nd Battalion, 75 th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Wash. He was born on April 13, 1987. He died June 9, 2008 as a result of gunshot wounds received during combat operations in Iraq.

After graduating from high school, Duncan enlisted in the Army from his hometown of Rowlett, Texas in February 2006. He completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course there, he was assigned to the Ranger Indoctrination Program also at Fort Benning.

He graduated from the Ranger Indoctrination Program in August 2006.

He was assigned to 2 nd Bn., 75 th Ranger Regiment in September 2006.

He served as an assistant machine gunner, M240B machine gunner and as a grenadier.

Duncan’s awards and decorations include the Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab.

Duncan is survived by his wife Megan Duncan of Louisa, Ky., his mother Amanda Duncan of Bedias, Texas and his father Thomas F. Duncan II of Oakwood, Ga.

Ranger Duncan distinguished himself as a member of the Army’s premier lightinfantry unit, traveled to all corners of the world in support of the Global War on Terrorism, and fought valiantly to “uphold the prestige, honor, and high ‘esprit de corps’” of the Ranger Regiment.

Army Staff Sgt. Tyler E. Pickett

Died June 8, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

28 year old Tyler Pickett, of Saratoga, Wyo.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died June 8 of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using improvised explosive devices.

Wyoming soldier killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

SARATOGA, Wyo. — A soldier from Saratoga who died in Iraq this weekend was remembered by his mother as a dedicated serviceman who looked forward one day to retiring to the Wyoming mountains.

The Department of Defense announced Wednesday that Staff Sgt. Tyler E. Pickett died Sunday in Kirkuk Province. He was killed by enemy forces using an improvised explosive device.

Pickett was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Pickett’s mother, Saratoga resident Sheri Peterson, said her 28-year-old son was killed in a suicide bombing that also injured 18 other people. Pickett was on his second tour in Iraq and had also served in Afghanistan.

Pickett is survived by his wife, Kristy, of Antwerp, N.Y., and her two children, Peterson said. The couple celebrated their second anniversary in February.

Pickett was born in Rice Lake, Wis., and moved to Saratoga, in south-central Wyoming, at the age of 14.

“When you move to a small town, sometimes it’s hard to acclimate,” Peterson said. “That didn’t happen here. He was friends with everyone. It didn’t matter where he was, he always touched someone’s life.”

Pickett graduated from Saratoga High School in 1999 and enlisted in the military about a year later, Peterson said. She said serving in the military was always a part of Pickett’s plan.

“He knew what he wanted long before most kids do,” she said.

Peterson said her son came from a family with a history of military service.

“My son’s job was to protect his country, and when you protect your country, you put your life on the line every day; just like a police officer does, just like a fireman does,” Peterson said.

Pickett’s survivors include his father, Ed Pickett, of Rice Lake, and other family members in Wyoming. Peterson said funeral services are planned in Saratoga, Antwerp, N.Y., and Minnesota.

Soldier killed in Iraq given hero’s funeral

The Associated Press

ANTWERP, N.Y. — Family and friends gathered at an upstate New York church for the funeral of a fallen soldier.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Pickett was killed June 8 in Iraq’s Kirkuk Province when his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device.

Pickett’s commanders remembered him Wednesday during services at St. Michael’s Catholic Church as “not just a soldier. He was a leader of soldiers.”

Pickett was from Wyoming and lived in Antwerp for only a few years. But he was a well-known and well-liked member of the tight-knit community just outside the U.S. Army’s Fort Drum, the home of the 10th Mountain Division, in which Pickett served.

Pickett was supposed to be home on leave when he died, but his homecoming was delayed until June 30.

He is survived by his wife and two stepchildren.

Saratoga mourns fallen soldier

The Associated Press

SARATOGA, Wyo. — Mourners gathered in Saratoga on Monday to honor Staff Sgt. Tyler E. Pickett, a former Saratoga resident who was killed in action in Iraq earlier this month.

The 28-year-old was remembered as a dedicated soldier who made a big impression on the southern Wyoming town during his years there.

Pickett was killed in a suicide bombing on June 8 during his second tour in Iraq, the military said. He had also served in Afghanistan.

“Tyler died doing what he hired up to do and that’s the way he looked at it,” said Pickett’s grandfather, Jim Peterson, who traveled from Elysian, Minn.

Pickett was assigned to the Army’s 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. He was buried at a formal military service in New York earlier this month.

Pickett, who most recently lived in Antwerp, N.Y. with his wife Kristy and her two children, planned to retire to Wyoming, Kristy Pickett said.

She said being a soldier was more than a career to her husband.

“It was something he was passionate about,” Kristy Pickett said in a story in Tuesday editions of the Rawlins Daily Times. “He made a choice to help people and he did a good job. You just have to honor that decision of his.”

Nancy Vargas, Pickett’s English teacher at Saratoga High School, said she felt a mixture of sadness and pride about her former student’s death.

“If you didn’t like Tyler, well, you just didn’t like people,” Vargas said. “He left his footprints all over this valley and all over our hearts.”

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., also attended the event. Barrasso said he’d never met the fallen soldier, but “just in visiting with both his wife and his mother today, I know the great love that he had for this state.”

The Platte Valley community did much of the organizing for Monday’s memorial service, said Sheri Peterson, Tyler Pickett’s mother.

“Tyler’s military motto is deeds not words,” she said. “That motto would be appropriate for the valley.”

Air Force Senior Airman William N. Newman

Died June 7, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old William Newman, of Kingston Springs, Tenn.; assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team of the 15th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; died June 7 south of Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.

Family remembers airman killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

On his first date, Senior Airman William N. Newman took his wife-to-be, Soyong, to a “Spider-Man” movie and gave her a portrait sketch of herself he had drawn.

The couple shared much in the less than 2 years they were married — he learned enough Korean to be able to write to her and she, trying to stay one step ahead, had been studying Japanese.

“We never ever had a fight,” she said.

Newman, 23, of Kingston Springs, Tenn., died June 7 from an explosive south of Balad, Iraq. He was a 2001 high school graduate and was assigned to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.

“He was a strong-headed, incredible guy who always thought of others before himself, and died trying to change the world,” said his sister, Emily Swaggerty.

Newman had many interests, including break dancing, ultimate Frisbee and working out. His wife sent him Korean snack packages from home.

Soyong Newman last spoke to her husband at noon the day before he was killed. Her husband had passed his college-level equivalence test for an associate degree and “was so excited,” she said.

“I would tell him now: ‘You’re a hero, my hero always,’ ” she said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua R. Whittle

Died June 6, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Joshua Whittle, of Downey, Calif.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died June 6 while supporting combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan.

Marine Lance Cpl. Whittle was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He died while supporting combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan after stepping on a landmine. At the age of 12, the attacks of 9/11 put into motion what course Joshua’s life would take. He didn’t want anyone messing with his country so by the time he was in high school; he announced he was going to be a Marine because they were the toughest branch. He graduated from Columbus High School in Downey and enlisted. Joshua was a tough young man, but also classy and respectful. He always liked adventure and as a teenager he enjoyed skateboarding and bungee jumping, was an UFC fan and threw himself into the center of mosh pits at concerts. But at the same time, he didn’t smoke or drink and grew up to be a respectful young man who took up for the underdog. Joshua would have made the Marine Corps his career but he was killed just three weeks after arriving in Afghanistan.

Marine Lance Cpl. Robert D. Ulmer

Died June 5, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Robert Ulmer, of Landisville, Pa.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune N.C.; died June 5 as a result of a nonhostile incident in Taqaddum, Iraq.

During his senior year in high school, Robert D. Ulmer enrolled in a class to learn how to fix all kinds of motorcycles, recreational vehicles, lawnmowers and other outdoor machines. Early on in the 2005-06 school year, Ulmer helped “break the tension” in teacher Matthew Mann”s class one day when he was repairing a motorcycle tire. “He had straps on the tire that you”re supposed to take off when you start to fill the tire with air, but he forgot to take them off,” Mann said. “Next thing I know, I hear this loud ”pop” because the sidewall blew out of Rob”s tire. “He laughed it off with his big booming laugh, and that got the other students to laugh. He helped everyone learn we all make mistakes and you just have to move on.” Ulmer, 22, of Landisville, Pa., died June 5 in Al Anbar province as a result of a non-hostile incident. He was a 2006 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Lejeune. Mann remembers that whenever he surveyed his students to find out what careers they planned to pursue upon graduation, Ulmer always replied that he was going into the Marines. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca.

Army Spc. Charles Parrish

Died June 4, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Charles Parrish, of Jasper, Ala.; assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died June 4 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered earlier that day in Jalula, Iraq, when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank grenade.

Was 1 month short of returning home

The Associated Press

JASPER, Ala. — A 23-year-old soldier from Jasper died in rocket-propelled grenade attack in northern Iraq, just about a month shy of his expected return from Iraq next month, his mother said.

Spc. Charles ‘Dusty’ Parrish died June 4 during a reconnaissance mission to clear land mines, said his mother, Tina Rigsby.

Rigsby said her son was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and had recently re-enlisted. She said he had been in Iraq for 14 months and was to be stationed in Columbus, Ga., after his expected return from Iraq on July 15.

His homecoming was eagerly anticipated by his wife, Ashley, and his 4-year-old son Caden, Rigsby said.

An Army medic, Parrish trained many of the medics who assisted in his surgery after the attack, his mother said.

“They said he gave a good fight,” she said.

Parrish graduated from Walker County High School in 2003 and had been in the Army three years. He enjoyed weightlifting and won some bodybuilding competitions while in the Army, Rigsby said.

“He was very athletic,” she said. “He couldn’t wait to get home because this is his son’s first year to play T-ball. He was going to come home and tell him how to bat.”

Most of all, Rigsby said, her son was always there to cheer her up.

“Dusty was the type of person who would make you laugh,” she said. “He had an innate ability to make you happy when you were sad.”

On Friday afternoon, the family was still struggling with how to tell Caden his dad wouldn’t be coming home.

“I hate that we have to tell his son,” Rigsby said.