Marine Cpl. Stephen R. Bixler

Died May 4, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

20 year old Stephen Bixler, of Suffield, Conn.; assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed May 4 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.

He was conducting patrols against enemy forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This was Corporal Bixler’s second tour in Iraq. Corporal Bixler was a member of the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Corporal Bixler enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in July of 2003. Corporal Bixler applied for and was selected as a member of the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion as a result of his exceptional military skills, fortitude, drive and abilities.

His decorations include: Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2nd award), Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (2nd award) and Purple Heart Medal.

Stephen was born in Hartford on August 17, 1985, and was a lifelong resident of Suffield, graduating from Suffield High School with the class of 2003. Stephen was vigorously involved in high school athletics programs and was a member of the indoor/outdoor track team as well as the cross-country team.

Stephen loved the outdoors and exemplified this by demonstrating his skills as a Boy Scout, culminating in his designation as an Eagle Scout in May of 2003. Stephen was exceptional at snowboarding and had just taken up surfing as well as spending time off road four-wheeling in his Jeep.

Stephen most loved spending time at home with his family and friends. He enjoyed a good movie, telling stories and will be remembered as a quiet, happy, dedicated and hard-working man who had high goals and worked exceptionally hard to achieve them. A loving son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend, Stephen will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Ronald E. Baum

Died May 3, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

38 year old Ronald Baum, of Hollidaysburg, Pa.; assigned to 2nd Intelligence Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed May 3 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

* * * * *

Marine killed in Iraq fighting

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — A Marine from western Pennsylvania who volunteered to go to Iraq was killed May 3 in Anbar province, where the turbulent cities of Ramadi and Fallujah are located, according to defense officials and his family.

Gunnery Sgt. Ronald E. Baum, 38, of Hollidaysburg, was a member of the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Defense officials did not release further information. His brother Jodi Baum, 28, of Altoona, Pa., said defense officials told the family that Baum was in the turret of a Humvee when it was hit by a rocket. Two other Marines in the vehicle survived, Jodi Baum said.

“Ronnie was just so incredible. He volunteered to go to Iraq. He said it would be an opportunity to fulfill his mission and he did it. If there was any way to go, this was the way he would have wanted it,” his brother said.

Ronald Baum and another brother, Marine Staff Sgt. Brian Baum, 37, both joined the Marines in 1986, Jodi Baum said. Ronald Baum took the Marines more seriously.

According to Navy and Marine C orps Web sites, Baum took part in the evacuation of 172 people in Eritrea during a border dispute with Ethiopia in 1998.

He was also an instructor at the Naval Survival School in Rangeley, Maine, where he taught troops to survive in hostile environments and evade capture.

Ronald and Brian Baum were stationed in Iraq, according to Jodi Baum.

Ronald Baum was an avid sports fan and would often call his brothers while watching Pittsburgh sports teams and Penn State football games.

He is survived by his wife, Cindi Baum, 29, and three children, ages 3, 7 and 10.

* * * * *

‘Tough as nails’ Marine killed in Iraq eulogized

ALTOONA, Pa. — A 38-year-old Marine from western Pennsylvania was remembered as fearless and dedicated up until his last minute, when he was hit by a mortar trying to save six soldiers and another Marine.

Hundreds of people crowded into a church in Altoona to honor Gunnery Sgt. Ronald E. Baum, who was killed May 3 in an attack in Al Anbar province, where the turbulent cities of Ramadi and Fallujah are located.

He was buried Tuesday in Blue Knob, not far from his Hollidaysburg home, about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh.

“He gave his life for love of his country, the Marine Corps,” said his wife, Cynthia Baum. “If Ron could speak to us today, he would say, ‘I am proud to be a husband, father, brother, friend, but above all, proud to be a Marine.”’

Baum, a member of the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, was posthumously honored with the Navy Marine Corps Commendation for his actions during the attack.

Defense officials said Baum and seven soldiers came under mortar and machine gun fire. Baum replaced a soldier atop a Humvee and was killed when it was hit by a mortar.

“He was tough as nails, disciplined, compassionate,” said Baum’s company commander Capt. Michael DuBruel. “He helped make the world a batter place. Ron lived life to the fullest. He died while leading men in battle.”

Ronald Baum and another brother, Marine Staff Sgt. Brian Baum, 37, both joined the Marines in 1986, his family said. Ronald Baum took the Marines more seriously.

“It is our sacred duty to defend this country and what we believe in, and my brother did that,” said Brian Baum, who also was in Iraq, but given leave for the funeral. “All I have to say, if you didn’t know him, you didn’t talk to him, he is the greatest person I’ve ever known in my life, the best man I’ve ever seen in my life.”

According to Navy and Marine Corps Web sites, Baum took part in the evacuation of 172 people in Eritrea during a border dispute with Ethiopia in 1998.

He also was an instructor at the Naval Survival School in Rangeley, Maine, where he taught soldiers to survive in hostile environments and evade capture.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, ages 10 and 4; and a 7-year-old daughter.

Army Spc. Jake R. Velloza

Died May 2, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Jake Velloza, of Inverness, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 2 in Mosul, Iraq, after being shot by enemy forces. Also killed was Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery.

Wanted to become special ops soldier

The Associated Press

Jake R. Velloza was a football and baseball standout in high school, where Leon Feliciano served as his football coach.

Feliciano remembers Velloza playing wingback, defensive back, kick returner and kicker on a team that won the 2002 North Coast Section Class B championship in California with an 8-4 record.

“I think he knew from the first day he got into high school that he was going into the military,” Feliciano said. “We talked about college, but he said, ‘No, Coach, I want to be a Ranger doing special ops.’ He was set on his goals.”

Velloza, 22, of Inverness, Calif., was shot and killed May 2 by enemy forces in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.

Velloza worked briefly reading meters for the North Marin Water District — for which his grandfather worked for 21 years — before he joined the Army in 2006.

He completed his first overseas tour, mostly in Baghdad, and then spent about six months training in Texas. Earlier this year, he re-upped for a second tour after a short break at home in Marin.

He is survived by his mother and father, Bob and Susan, and his fiancée, Danielle Erwin.

Army Staff Sgt. William D. Vile

Died May 1, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

27 year old William Vile, of Philadelphia; assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire May 1 near the village of Nishagam, Konar province, Afghanistan. Also killed were Sgt. James D. Pirtle and Spc. Ryan C. King.

Army identifies remains of Riley soldier

By Gina Cavallaro

Staff writer

The remains of a Pennsylvania soldier previously listed by the Army as “duty status whereabouts unknown” have been positively identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, the Defense Department announced Tuesday in a press release.

Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, who was assigned to a military transition team in Afghanistan, died of wounds suffered in an attack May 1 when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire and rocket-propelled grenades, officials said.

The attack took place in the village of Nishagam, Konar province.

Sgt. James D. Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Spc. Ryan C. King, 22, of Dallas, Ga. — both were assigned to Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, of Fort Hood, Texas — also died in the attack.

Vile was assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan.

Soldiers and service members from other branches of the military are trained at Fort Riley in a 60-day course to advise, teach, mentor and coach their counterparts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fiancée says Vile always was honest

The Associated Press

On his first tour in Iraq, William D. Vile was a gunner on a Humvee that was struck and turned over by a roadside bomb.

He told his fiancée, Heather Jackson, “I popped right back up,” but the Army thought his wound deserved a Purple Heart.

Then during his first tour in Afghanistan, he was watching as a helicopter landed with troops. As soon as it landed, the surrounding hills “lit up with enemy fire,” he told her.

He ran to get his flak vest out of his tent and took a bullet in the arm. He pretty much fought off the medics trying to attend to him.

“I need something to stop the bleeding,” he told them. “I have work to do here.”

Vile, 27, of Philadelphia died May 1 when insurgents attacked his unit in Konar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan., and was on his fourth tour of duty.

“I never met anybody who was so honest,” Jackson said. “He never put on a mask. He was never anyone but himself. Bill was larger than life.”

He enlisted in 1998 after graduating high school. He had two Purple Hearts for wounds in combat in both countries.

He also is survived by his mother, Donna.

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan

Died April 30, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Tyler Trahan, of East Freetown, Mass.; assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit 12 in Norfolk, Va., and was deployed with an East Coast based SEAL team; died April 30 while conducting combat operations in Taqaddum, Iraq.

Trahan described as extremely responsible

The Associated Press

Tyler J. Trahan once signed up for a National Honor Society trip to Disney World, only to find out that a big football game was scheduled for the same weekend. He was the quarterback.

Instead of walking away from the commitment he made to the trip, Trahan paid for it anyway, even though he wasn’t able to attend.

“He never backed away from his responsibilities and never wavered from what he believed in, and I can’t say enough about him. I think anyone would be proud to have him as a son,” said National Honor Society Adviser Christine Watling.

Trahan, 22, of East Freetown, Mass., died April 30 while conducting combat operations in Fallujah. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Norfolk, Va.

“He was an outstanding young man. If you wanted something done, you simply asked Tyler to do it and it was done without question,” Watling said.

Tyler was the third generation of his family to serve in the military. His father, Jean-Pierre, served in the Army during the Vietnam era. His grandfather served on a naval destroyer during World War II.

He also is survived by his mother, Maureen.

Army 1st Lt. Salvatore S. Corma II

Died April 29, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

24 year old Salvatore Corma, of Wenonah, N.J.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died April 29 at Forward Operating Base Bullard, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using improvised explosive devices.

Town stops to remember fallen O-2

By Shruti Mathur Desai

(Camden, N.J.) Courier-Post

WOODBURY HEIGHTS, N.J. — Friends and family of 1st Lt. Salvatore Corma gathered to pay their last respects to the fallen soldier during religious and military ceremonies May 12.

It was a day when faith and mission convened, where the “Ave Maria” was immediately followed by “The Star-Spangled Banner.” That’s because Corma loved the church and the military, friends and family said.

“He did what he loved and he loved what he did,” said his uncle, Martin Keeney, before reading Psalm 23. “He loved his brothers and sisters in arms.”

Corma died April 29 in Afghanistan, after waving aside 18 other soldiers to isolate an improvised explosive device. He was 24.

Before the start of Mass at Infant Jesus Parish at St. Margaret’s Church in Woodbury Heights, Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, who serves as the commanding general of Fort Bragg where Corma served, held a private ceremony with the family.

He presented several posthumous medals, including the Purple Heart and a recommendation that Corma receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The bells of the church tolled as Corma’s coffin was escorted out. The American flag was carefully draped across as his parents watched.

The mile-long funeral procession that snaked between Infant Jesus Parish and the Gloucester County Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Monroe was watched by dozens of mourners.

Fire departments brought out their rigs and hung American flags across the roadway, while firefighters and emergency medical personnel stood at attention at the side of the road. Police cars blocked traffic, the officers standing respectfully.

One man, caught by surprise by the procession, swept his weathered brown cap off his head, and stood on the sidewalk in salute, his hat and hand over his heart.

The students of St. Margaret’s School, which Corma attended, lined the street holding small American flags as the hearse carrying Corma’s coffin went by. It was preceded by an honor guard of police and motorcycle riders.

Corma’s mother, Trudy, smiled and waved at the children as she went by. That smile stayed on her face throughout the day.

It was from his mother that Corma learned his optimism, said Rev. Paul Galetto, president of St. Augustine’s Preparatory School, where Corma graduated in 2004.

Galetto, who presided over Mass, advised mourners to banish such thoughts as “Why do the good die young and why did Salvatore die?” Instead he encouraged them to remember Corma’s endless optimism, a trait that kept him smiling from the moment he walked in the doors of the school until the day he left.

“Sal was irrepressively happy,” Galetto said. “Sal never knew how to do anything but his best.”

Galetto said Corma embodied the spirit of service and good deeds, not for his own sake, but to earn the honor of friends, family and “a grateful nation who gives thanks for men and women like Salvatore Corma.”

At the veterans’ cemetery, Corma, a 2008 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, was given military honors, with a 21-gun salute and a bugler playing “Taps.”

Corma would have appreciated the military pomp, said his best friend, Robert Cahall.

“There’s nothing he loved more than the military honors.”

Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas E. Rivers Jr.

Died April 28, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Thomas Rivers, of Birmingham, Ala.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 28 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

‘He wanted that tough challenge and he wanted the action’

The Associated Press

Thomas Rivers had no doubts in his mind that he wanted to be a Marine when he graduated, friends said.

Fred Yancey, who coached Rivers on Briarwood Christian School’s varsity football team, said Rivers was mature and hard-working.

“I see Thomas Rivers as a young man of dedication, a leader of men, a big team, little me kind of guy,” Yancey said. “I knew God had given Thomas a great plan as a U.S. Marine.”

Rivers, 22, of Hoover, Ala., was killed by a roadside bomb April 28 in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C. He graduated from Briarwood in 2007 and had previously served in Afghanistan.

Yancey said Rivers was always excited about becoming a Marine.

“They have a reputation of being the toughest and that’s what drew Thomas to the Marines, I’m positive,” Yancey said. “He wanted that tough challenge and he wanted the action.”

Among Rivers’ survivors are his parents and a sister.

Army Sgt. Keith A. Coe

Died April 27, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

30 year old Keith Coe, of Auburndale, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died April 27 in Khalis, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an explosive device.

‘Coe Daddy’ served as the family prankster

The Associated Press

Keith Coe and his brother, Matt, had a rough childhood and didn’t always get along. But that didn’t keep them from being close friends later in life.

As kids, Matt would say, “Let’s go to Blockbuster and get a movie.” Keith would reply, “Let’s get on top of Blockbuster and make a movie.”

“He kicked the crap out of me for the first 11 years of my life. You know, big brother stuff,” Matt Coe said.

Keith Coe also was the family prankster, the man known to his soldiers as “Coe Daddy” who worked extra hard to make sure the men reporting to him couldn’t outdo him.

The 30-year-old from Auburndale, Fla., was killed April 27 in Khalis, Iraq. He was assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Keith Coe got into some trouble with the law and spent time in jail, but made a complete turnaround when he was released, his family said. He met his wife at a restaurant the pair worked at, and they capped off their marriage with a Hawaiian-themed wedding, said his grandmother Dawn Jones. Of course, grass hula skirts had to be part of the deal.

Among those surviving Coe are his wife, Katrina; two sons, Killian and Keith Jr., and a daughter, Klover.

Marine Lance Cpl. Michael L. Ford

Died April 26, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

19 year old Michael Ford, of New Bedford, Mass.; assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed April 26 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Michael L. Ford of New Bedford, Massachusetts was moved to enlist in the Marine Corps while a senior at GNB Voc-Tech when he saw President Bush on television discussing the war on terrorism. He felt he had to do something and the next day he enlisted. The day Michael left for basic training, it was July 6, 2004, his 18th birthday, and he spent it on a plane traveling to Parris Island, South Carolina. He lived his entire life in New Bedford.

He enjoyed camping, playing video games and listening to music. A very good student, he liked reading Harry Potter books, mysteries and historical novels and would visit the staff at GNB Voc-Tech whenever he was home on military leave. He had dreams of getting a college education and pursuing a career in law enforcement after fulfilling his military obligation.

Ford will be remembered as a young man who loved his family and was deeply saddened when his mother passed away. Michael was one of a long line of culinary arts students at GNB Voc-Tech from the Ford family, which includes his older brother, Joseph Jr., and James and Heather. Michael’s family belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, North Dartmouth, and found strength there after Mrs. Ford’s death. He wouldn’t be ashamed to do anything he wouldn’t tell his mother.

For the Ford family, Michael’s death was the second loss they have suffered in the last, four years. Michael’s mother, Cheryl Viger Ford died in February 2002 at the age of 41.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He died while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq at age 19.

Army Staff Sgt. LeRoy O. Webster

Died April 25, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

28 year old LeRoy Webster, of Sioux Falls, S.D.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died April 25 near Kirkuk, Iraq, after being shot while on a dismounted patrol.

Webster wrestled, played golf and baseball in high school

By William Petroski

Des Moines (Iowa) Register

A soldier from northwest Iowa who was serving his third combat tour overseas has been killed in Iraq, the Department of Defense said April 27.

Army Sgt. LeRoy O. Webster, 28, of Hartley died April 25 after being shot near Kirkuk while on patrol, military officials said.

Webster was a 1999 graduate of Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School, where he wrestled and played on the golf and baseball teams.

He leaves behind a wife, Jessica, who was his high school sweetheart, and three young daughters, Natasha, Kaydence and Jadyn.

“He was a good guy. He had a lot of friends. He liked to have fun,” recalled Jim Thomas, a social studies teacher and the athletic director at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn.

The Webster family had recently moved to Hartley from Texas, where LeRoy Webster had been stationed prior to being deployed to Iraq. Both the fallen soldier and his wife are from families who are well-liked and have deep roots in the area, Thomas said. His parents, Donald and Crystal Webster, still reside in Hartley.

“In a close-knit community like this, it hits everybody pretty hard,” Thomas said.

Two of the Webster children attend Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn schools — one is in third grade, the other is in kindergarten — and the third is a preschooler, said Lynn Evans, the district’s superintendent. He said a counselor would be available for the district’s students.

Webster was born in June 1980 in Spencer and grew up in Hartley. He joined the military as a member of the Iowa Army National Guard, and in 2002 he was called to duty with an Algona-based National Guard unit that provided security at a Department of Defense installation in Newport, Ind.

In 2004 and 2005, Webster served in Afghanistan with a Council Bluffs-based National Guard unit of the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry. After that deployment, he moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., and transferred to the active-duty U.S. Army in 2006, said Lt. Col. Gregory Hapgood Jr., the Iowa National Guard’s public affairs officer. From October 2006 to January 2008, he served with the Army in Baghdad.

Webster’s last deployment to Iraq began in January, Hapgood said. He was serving with Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, of Fort Hood, Texas.

Webster’s family issued a statement April 27:

“LeRoy was a wonderful husband and terrific dad to his three beautiful daughters. He was proud to serve in the United States Army. He will forever be deeply missed by his family and friends.”

Webster received about a dozen awards and decorations during his military career, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.

Dedicated soldier from Hartley is praised during funeral

By William Petroski

Des Moines (Iowa) Register

HARTLEY, Iowa. — Army Staff Sgt. LeRoy Webster, who was killed during combat in Iraq, was remembered Saturday as a good father and husband and a dedicated soldier who never forgot his commitment to duty.

More than 700 people gathered for Webster’s funeral at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School. He was laid to rest in a cemetery on the edge of this northwest Iowa community on a gentle spring afternoon with a bright blue sky overhead.

A bagpiper played “Amazing Grace” and seven soldiers fired their rifles overhead three times before “Taps” was sounded.

“This is a loss for everyone here. This is a loss for many beyond here,” said the Rev. Tim Hogan, pastor of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Hartley, who officiated at Webster’s service.

Webster, 28, died April 25 after being shot near Kirkuk while on patrol with a unit from the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division. He leaves behind his wife, Jessica, who was his high school sweetheart, and three young daughters, Natasha, Kaydence and Jadyn.

This was the second time in four years that Hartley, an O’Brien County community of 1,733 people, has buried one of its native sons after he was killed during combat duty. Army Staff Sgt. Shane Koele, 25, of Hartley died in 2005 when his Humvee struck a land mine just a week after he arrived in western Afghanistan.

Webster, the son of Don and Crystal Webster, grew up in Hartley and was a 1999 graduate of the high school here, where he played football, baseball and golf. He joined the Iowa National Guard in August 2001 and enlisted in the regular U.S. Army in 2006. He had served a tour of Afghanistan with the National Guard and was on his second Army deployment to Iraq at the time of his death.

He was the 71st person with Iowa ties to die in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2003.

Webster was saluted Saturday as a hero who sacrificed his life for the freedom of Americans.

More than 100 patriotic motorcyclists from Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota each stood with an American flag outside the funeral service. Dozens of northwest Iowa firetrucks, with their emergency lights flashing, formed a cordon along the streets of Hartley for the procession of the fallen soldier’s hearse to the cemetery.

A country song, “Life Ain’t Always Beautiful,” was played as his flag-draped casket was brought into the school’s gymnasium for the service. About 50 soldiers in Army uniforms attended, along with more than 100 area military veterans who were seated as a group.

Army Maj. Gen. Abraham Turner, who is chief of staff of the U.S. Strategic Command, expressed sympathy to Webster’s widow, his children and his parents. Turner said Webster was known among his fellow soldiers as fine person who embraced the Army’s values of putting his mission first and never accepting defeat.

“He was unwilling to live in a world where wrong rules over right,” Turner said.

Brig. Gen. Tim Orr, who recently was appointed adjutant general of the 9,400-member Iowa National Guard, was in Iraq a week ago visiting Iowa troops when Webster was killed. However, Orr was in a different area of Iraq and didn’t learn of the Iowa soldier’s death until he was flying back home.

Fellow soldiers described Webster as friendly and outgoing and someone who liked to make other people laugh. But when it came time to work, he was ready, Orr said. He said Webster was representative of the best that Iowa has to offer the nation.

“He loved being a soldier, and he was doing what he wanted to do,” Orr said.

Webster’s wife and children had recently moved back to Hartley from Fort Hood, Texas, where he had been stationed prior to his deployment. His oldest daughter, Natasha, a third-grader, wrote an essay that was placed near his casket prior to Saturday’s service.

Natasha told how her dad was there when she needed him, and how he loved to play basketball and board games and engage in other activities with her and her two sisters.

“We love you, Dad,” she wrote.

Wife says soldier loved golf

The Associated Press

After getting to know LeRoy O. Webster, his eventual wife knew she had to start playing golf.

“I soon realized if I wanted to see him in the summer, I was going to need to learn how to golf. Because if I didn’t know how to golf, I wasn’t going to see him in the summer. So I learned to golf,” Jessica Webster said.

Webster, 28, of Sioux Falls, S.D., was fatally shot April 25 near Kirkuk while on a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

Webster joined the Iowa National Guard in 2001 and enlisted in the Army in 2006. He had served a tour of Afghanistan with the National Guard and was on his second Army deployment to Iraq.

Jessica Webster described her husband as “Strong. Always there for you. He’d go out of his way to help anybody. Best father. Loved his kids. Love of my life.”

He also is survived by three young daughters, Natasha, Kaydence and Jaydn.

Natasha, a third-grader, wrote an essay that was placed near his casket. She told how her dad was there when she needed him, and how he loved to play basketball and board games and engage in other activities with her and her two sisters.

“We love you dad,” she wrote.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Moore Jr.

Died April 24, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

43 year old Benjamin Moore, of Waycross, Ga.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died April 24 at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident.

Schofield soldier known for wisdom

By William Cole

Honolulu Advertiser

Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Moore Jr. was the senior enlisted man in his battalion in Iraq, and he was the “lifeline” of his large family back in Georgia, his sister said.

Moore, 43, an Army veteran of 26 years with service in South Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq, died Friday at Contingency Operating Base Speicher in northern Iraq of non combat related injuries, the Army said.

With Moore’s death, three Schofield Barracks soldiers with the 3rd Brigade have died from non combat causes since the 3,500-soldier unit deployed in October and November. Three other soldiers with the brigade have died in combat.

Moore was the “baby” of the family of 10 sisters and five brothers, said one of those sisters, Teresa Brakes.

“He’s the glue that held the family together when we used to go through crises and stuff,” said Brakes, who lives in Waycross, Ga. “He was the one that we went to and he would sit down and put it to us in a way we could understand, and just give us good advice. And the advice that he gave us, it was usually the right thing to do.”

Moore, known as “Benny” to Brakes, was the youngest of the siblings, but his maturity left others looking to him for guidance, Brakes said.

Her brother was married and has two sons and a daughter, Brakes told The Advertiser in a phone interview yesterday. One of those sons is in the military, she said. Moore’s wife, Mary, also is a Schofield Barracks soldier.

Moore was interested in photography, and he liked to give slide shows at family reunions in Georgia, Brakes said.

Accolades for Moore came in one after the other to http://www.legacy.com, which allows readers to offer condolences.

“I enjoyed all moments with you. Your wisdom and advice helped me more than once. May you rest in peace,” Schofield soldier Staff Sgt. Reag Wood wrote on the Web site.

“My prayers go out to the Moore family. CSM Moore inspired me to become a better (noncommissioned officer) and person. He will always be remembered,” added Staff Sgt. Dirrick Jennings, also a Schofield soldier.

Moore was with the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry “Wolfhounds.”

The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation, the Army said.

Non combat deaths can be the result of natural causes, vehicle or other accidents, friendly fire, homicide or suicide.

Brakes said the Army hasn’t provided any information about what happened to her brother.

“They are not telling us anything,” she said. “They haven’t even released the body yet.”

Brakes said Moore was a “strong-willed” person who loved life and his family.

He loved the Army “and he recommended it to anyone,” his sister said. “His whole talk was the service.”

He had served in Operations Desert Storm in 1991, she said. Moore earned 55 medals over his 26-year career, including a Bronze Star with Valor, the Army said.

In the February edition of the Wolfhounds newsletter to families, Moore said his wife was receiving chemo-therapy for cancer, and he asked that those back home keep her in their hearts.

In addition to the three non combat deaths, Schofield’s 3rd Brigade also has had three deaths in combat.

The latest of those was Spc. Michael J. Anaya, 23, who also was a Wolfhound. Anaya died on April 12 when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle, the last in a convoy.

Battalion commander Lt. Col. Raul Gonzalez said in a letter back home that Pfc. Brendan Marracco sustained “grievous injuries” in that attack and was fighting for his life, and Sgt. Justin Minisall was seriously injured, but was expected to fully recover.

Moore was one of 18 children

The Associated Press

Even as a child, Benjamin Moore Jr. was the one his 17 siblings trusted and relied on for help no matter what the situation.

“Benny was the baby of the bunch of us,” said one of his sisters, Teresa Brakes. “But he was the one we all went to. He was our mediator, our peacemaker.”

Moore, 43, of Waycross, Ga., died April 24 of wounds suffered from non-combat incident in Salah ad Din province. He was assigned to Schofield Barracks.

An expert infantryman, Moore earned 55 medals, including a Bronze Star with Valor, during his nearly 26-year career, with overseas service in Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

Brakes said her brother could be “outspoken and strong-willed” but he was never mean. His decision to enlist immediately after graduating from high school in 1983 exemplified that determination.

“The Army was his life. It was something he always wanted. His motto was: ‘Go Army, Stay Army.’ He would do programs and work with youth when he came home on leave, and that is what he would always tell them,” Brakes said.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; a daughter, Krystal; and two sons, Marcellus and Benjamin III.

Army Sgt. Ronald A. Kubik

Died April 23, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Ronald Kubik, of Brielle, N.J.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died April 23 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations. Also killed was Sgt. Jason A. Santora.

Rangers, Green Berets, friends and family remember Kubik

By Jim McConville

Gannett New Jersey

Army Sgt. Ronald A. Kubik lived life as if already two steps ahead of everybody else.

Kubik also found out early in life his destiny was to be both soldier and leader.

That is how family members and fellow Army Rangers remembered him during a funeral service May 3 at St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church in Holmdel.

Kubik, 21, of Brielle was killed April 23 during combat operations by Company D, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, in eastern Afghanistan’s Logar province.

More than 300 people who also included members of the Holmdel police, New Jersey State Police and Green Berets turned out on an overcast and mildly windy morning to bid farewell to Kubik. Also in attendance was Kubik’s godfather, Alex Kubik III, a deacon who assisted at the celebration of the funeral Mass.

Motorcycle riders from American Legion Post 348 Patriot Guard in Brick provided the motorcade escort to the front steps of the church.

Sixteen Army Rangers served as an honor guard, flanking Kubik’s casket as it was wheeled into church for the standing-room-only funeral.

During the services, Kubik’s mother, Eileen Kubik, described her son as an “achiever” who developed a thirst for life and adventure at an early age.

An avid electric guitarist who was a part of a metal band, Ronald Kubik joined his high school football and wrestling teams, wrote a column for the school newspaper, took an acting class, and liked whitewater rafting and skydiving.

“In your short life you have shown energy, passion and courage,” Eileen Kubik said. “‘Rest peacefully, my brave Ranger; rest peacefully, my brave son.”

Lt. Col. Shawn L. Daniel, executive officer of the 75th Ranger Regiment, described Kubik as a soldier beyond his years.

“Ronny was his own man and lived life like he liked it,” Daniel said. “Ron, rest in peace knowing that your Ranger brothers are still pursuing the fight.”

Struggling to hold back tears, Kubik’s father, Ronald A. Kubik, praised his son’s short but eventful 21 year’s of life.

“He was my best friend,” the elder Kubik said. “I could not be more proud of him than I am now.”

The elder Kubik recalled that during his son’s first leave in three tours of duty, his son presented him with one his medals.

“Dad, you deserve it more than me,” the elder Kubik, holding the medal up, quoted his son as saying. “You made me what I now am.”

Sergeant Kubik’s older sister, Amy Kubik, 25, called her brother “by other half, my brother, my friend.”

Kubik is also survived by his sister, Mary Kubik, 28, of Farmingdale.

St. Benedict Pastor The Rev. Daniel F. Swift said in his eulogy that only those in the military can understand the shared bond between soldiers.

“It is a mystical power of working for something other than yourself,” Swift said. “They’re a band of brothers that cannot be understood unless you are part of that group.”

Swift said Kubik shared that kinship with a special group of men and women who dedicate themselves to the service of others.

“It’s duty, honor, courage and commitment to each other to the one on your right, and the one on your left, even if it means risking your life,” Swift said. “Our world is much safer because there are people like Ron willing to live this life.”

Kubik’s body was taken to the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery in Wrightstown for burial.

Kubik was posthumously given the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal by Lt. Gen. John Mulholland on Sunday. He had also received the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Kubik, who enlisted in the Army in March 2007 after attending community college for a few months, served for more than two years as an assistant machine gunner and as a rifle team leader with Company D.

Kubik had transferred from Manchester Township High School to Manasquan High School, where he graduated in 2006.

School officials said Kubik also had a knack for adapting very quickly to new people and surroundings.

“He came into school his junior year,” Manasquan High School teacher John Driscoll said. “He fit in within a week; it was as if he had gone there his whole life.”

Successfully challenged school suspension

The Associated Press

Ronnie Kubik played electric guitar in a punk band during his high school days. He once came to school with a lime-green Mohawk, and a vice principal threatened to suspend him.

Using his own research, Kubik challenged the suspension all the way to the board of education — and won.

The next week, he cut off the Mohawk, having proved his point.

Kubik, of Brielle, N.J., was a 2006 graduate of Manasquan High School, where he wrote for the school newspaper, took acting classes, wrestled and played football. He learned to skydive, enjoyed whitewater rafting and was an avid fisherman.

Kubik was encouraged by his advanced placement teachers to attend law school, but he joined the Army instead. The 21-year-old died in combat April 23 in Logar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga.

“He accomplished a lot in a short period of time,” said his father, Ronald Kubik. “I am going to miss my little fishing buddy.”

He also is survived by his mother, Eileen Daly.

Marine Cpl. William C. Comstock

Died April 22, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

21 year old William Comstock, of Van Buren, Ark.; assigned to 2nd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, of Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 22 in Anbar province, Iraq, in a nonhostile incident.

Received multiple commendations

The Associated Press

VAN BUREN, Ark. — The Defense Department says a 21-year-old Marine from Van Buren has died after a “non-hostile incident” in Iraq.

Officials say Cpl. William C. Comstock died April 22 in Iraq’s Anbar province. Comstock was assigned to the 2nd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Defense Department says Comstock’s death remains under investigation.

His remains arrived April 22 at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

According to the Southwest Times Record newspaper at Fort Smith, decorations awarded to Comstock include the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

Ark. Marine remembered as unique

The Associated Press

FORT SMITH, Ark. — An Arkansas Marine who died in Iraq overcame living in a series of foster home and excelled as a student athlete in his short, but unique life, friends say.

Cpl. William Craig Comstock, 21, died after what the Defense Department described as a “non-hostile incident” in Iraq’s Anbar province. Comstock’s father, Steve Comstock, said he received word Monday of his son’s grave injury.

He said within hours, the Marines had sent him on the beginning of a 15,000-mile succession of jet flights that brought him to Germany, where his son, on life support, had already been airlifted.

He gave consent to discontinue that support Wednesday.

“Rather than focus on the size of the bullet, I think we should be talking about his contribution to his country,” Comstock’s father told the Southwest Times Record. “I think that is much more important than the gory aspects of his death. He needs to be honored, not exploited.”

Comstock was assigned to the 2nd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force of Camp Lejeune, N.C. The trip to Iraq was Comstock’s second. His father said he was wounded in action about a year earlier, shot in the knee. He earned a Purple Heart. When he recovered, he volunteered for a second tour.

“He was the perfect Marine,” said Janet Parmenter. Parmenter said she met Comstock when he and her son, Nick Harrison, played football in high school. She said their friendship continued after school, with the two getting together when he would come home to Van Buren on leave.

“My son would not be in boot camp if it weren’t for him,” she said. Harrison is due to graduate from Marine basic training next month.

Comstock excelled in sports, both at Cedarville, where he began high school, and Alma, where he transferred in his junior year and graduated in 2006.

“He was just a great kid,” Alma track coach Tom McMurray said of Comstock. “He was a kid you love coaching. Anything you would ask him to do, he was more than willing.”

Comstock’s funeral will be May 2. Following a private service, there will be an 11 a.m. burial ceremony at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith.

Comstock overcame rough childhood

The Associated Press

William C. Comstock overcame living in a series of foster home and excelled as a student athlete in his short but unique life, friends say.

“He was just a great kid,” said his former track coach, Tom McMurray. “He was a kid you love coaching. Anything you would ask him to do, he was more than willing.”

Comstock, 21, of Van Buren, Ark., died April 22 after a noncombat incident in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune and was an ammunition technician.

He was on his second deployment. His father said he was wounded in action about a year earlier, shot in the knee. He earned a Purple Heart. When he recovered, he volunteered for a second tour.

“He was the perfect Marine,” said Janet Parmenter, who met Comstock when he and her son, Nick Harrison, played football in high school.

“My son would not be in boot camp if it weren’t for him,” she said. Harrison is due to graduate from Marine basic training next month.

Comstock joined the Corps in January 2007.

Comstock excelled in sports, both at Cedarville, where he began high school, and Alma, where he transferred in his junior year and graduated in 2006.

Marine 1st Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift

Died April 21, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

28 year old Matthew Vandegrift, of Littleton, Colo.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 21 in Basra, Iraq, from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations.

Marine 1st Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift remembered

The Associated Press

Growing up in Texas, Matthew R. Vandegrift was the kid in the middle of the rock fight, the one who dropped a cat out a second-story window to see if it really would land on its feet, and the one who put the emergency brake on a car that was rolling down a hill after he saw it in a James Bond movie.

“He was never the guy to start the fight,” said his brother, Barrett. “But he was always the one to finish it.”

Vandegrift, 28, of Littleton, Colo., died April 21 from wounds sustained during combat in Basra. He was a 2003 graduate of Texas A&M, where he was part of the school’s Midshipmen Battalion NROTC program, and was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

Vandegrift fulfilled a lifelong desire to serve his country and to follow in the footsteps of his father, who served in the Marine Corps from 1963 to 1971. “That boy thought I hung the moon,” said his father, John Vandegrift. “It’s the proudest thing I can claim.”

Mary Jane Vandegrift described her son as a charismatic child who grew into a caring man, someone who was determined to better the lives of those around him.

“He was the perfect kid,” she said. “One in a million.”

Navy Counselor 1st Class Cherie L. Morton

Died April 20, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

40 year old Cherie Morton, of Bakersfield, Calif.; assigned to Naval Security Force, Naval Support Activity Bahrain; died April 20 in Galali, Muharraq, Bahrain.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Cherie L. Morton remembered

The Associated Press

Cherie L. Morton, known as “Ree” to her friends, was known for her dedication and professionalism, which helped all those she provided career counseling to.

“She wore her uniform with great pride and she stood for honor, courage and commitment,” close friend Renee Anderson told participants during a memorial service. “Ree was meticulous and did everything with pride and dedication.”

Morton, 40, born in Rockville, Ill., was discovered dead in her living room on April 20 after apparently suffering a head injury in Bahrain. She was assigned to Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

Among those who paid tribute to her were masons from the Eastern Sun Military Lodge 198 in Saudi Arabia. She was “a beautiful woman who honored our time while she was among us,” they said. “We pray that Cherie’s family and friends’ hearts be mended during this time of sorrow.”

She is survived by her son, Brian Trevor.

“She was always there for her peers, friends and family and she loved to socialize, shop and dress well,” Anderson said. “She just enjoyed life to its fullest. She will be missed by all.”

Army Sgt. Robert J. Barrett

Died April 19, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Robert Barrett, of Fall River, Mass.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts National Guard, Fall River, Mass.; died April 19 near Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained in the explosion of an improvised explosive device while on dismounted patrol.

Barrett’s body returning to hometown

The Associated Press

FALL RIVER, Mass. — The body of a soldier killed in Afghanistan is coming home.

The remains of Army Sgt. Robert Barrett of Fall River will be flown to Hanscom Air Force Base on April 29 for the start of three days of services, starting with a motorcade to his hometown.

A public wake is scheduled for April 30 at the city’s high school, B.M.C. Durfee High School. Barrett, 20, was a 2007 Durfee High graduate.

A funeral Mass is scheduled for early May 1 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, followed by burial at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.

Barrett, who was helping to train Afghan police, was killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul on April 19. He leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter.

Post office in hometown to be named for Barrett

The Associated Press

FALL RIVER, Mass. — The U.S. Senate has passed legislation honoring a 20-year-old Fall River native who was killed when a suicide bomber attacked his unit in Afghanistan.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said Friday that legislation to rename the main post office in Fall River in memory of Sgt. Robert Barrett passed in the Senate on Thursday night.

Barrett was training Afghan police officers when the suicide bomber stole a uniform, infiltrated the group he and eight other U.S. soldiers were training and launched the attack in April.

The bill was introduced in the House by Frank and co-sponsored by all 11 members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation.

Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown sponsored the bill in the Senate.

The bill is heading to President Obama for his signature. Barrett served at Obama’s inauguration.

Army Staff Sgt. James R. Patton

Died April 18, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old James Patton, of Fort Benning, Ga.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died April 18 in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries sustained as the result of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash.

Always was able to remain composed

The Associated Press

Jimmy Patton was known for his qualities as a soldier — for being “the life of his platoon.”

“He made the best of every situation regardless of circumstance, and he always exuded an easy confidence that it could be done,” said Col. Dan Walrath, Patton’s commander.

That was echoed by soldiers who remembered Patton in messages posted online.

Maj. Ken Rutka of Fort Leavenworth, Kan., said Patton was a “phenomenal Ranger.” He said Patton had a lasting impression on him while the two worked together on a 2008 deployment.

“He was hard, but fair and his Rangers were the most squared away in the battalion,” Rutka wrote in an online memorial.

Patton, 23, was killed in a helicopter crash April 18 in Tikrit, Iraq. He was assigned to Fort Benning, N.C. He was on his seventh deployment, having previously served twice in Iraq and four times in Afghanistan.

He enlisted in the Army in 2004.

Patton is survived by his wife, Beatriz; a daughter, Cecilia; and his parents.

Army Sgt. Michael K. Ingram Jr.

Died April 17, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

23 year old Michael Ingram, of Monroe, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died April 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol.

Was nearing 1-year mark in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

FORT CARSON, Colo. — A 23-year-old Fort Carson soldier died when an improvised explosive device detonated near him while he was on patrol in Afghanistan.

Military officials say Sgt. Michael K. Ingram Jr. of Monroe, Mich., died April 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson.

Ingram had been awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals. He was on his first deployment and had been in Afghanistan since last May.

Flags at half-staff for fallen soldier

The Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff to honor a soldier who was killed in Afghanistan.

Flags are to be lowered April 30 for 23-year-old Army Cpl. Michael K. Ingram Jr. of Newport, Monroe County. He died April 17 in Kandahar of wounds suffered after an improvised explosive device detonated near him.

Funeral services are to be held April 30 at the Stewart Road Christian Ministries in Monroe. Burial will take place in St. Joseph Cemetery in Monroe.

Ingram was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Marine Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II

Died April 16, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

20 year old Ray Spencer, of Ridgecrest, Calif.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died April 16 in Anbar province, Iraq, as a result of a non-hostile incident.

‘Non-hostile’ Iraq death investigated

Staff report

Officials are investigating the April 16 death in Iraq of a Hawaii-based Marine.

Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II, 20, of Ridgecrest, Calif., died as a result of a “non-hostile incident” in Anbar province, according to the Defense Department. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, out of Kaneohe Bay.

The military has not said how Spencer died. A friend told Spencer’s widow that her husband died from a gunshot wound, according to a report in the Bakersfield Californian.

“They’ve told us probably as much as they’ve told you,” Athena Spencer told the newspaper. “It was on base, so it wasn’t combat.”

Ray Spencer, a rifleman, joined the Corps in June 2006 and had just deployed to Iraq for the second time in April. His first tour was from August 2007 to February 2008, according to a Marine Corps Base Hawaii statement released Tuesday.

He graduated in 2006 from Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest, Calif., where he was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, the Californian reported. A former instructor remembered Spencer as charismatic and “a natural leader.”

“He had a great smile and a great sense of humor that probably got him into trouble at times,” George Anderson told the newspaper.

A dignified transfer ceremony took place Sunday night at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Marine was on 2nd tour of Iraq

The Associated Press

Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor George Anderson said Ray A. Spencer II had a great sense of humor, blended with natural leadership.

“He was a very charismatic young man,” Anderson said. “He could get his students to follow him into the jaws of death, which they would have ignored from other students.”

Spencer, 20, of Ridgecrest, Calif., was shot in the chest and killed April 16 in a non-combat incident in Anbar province; the circumstances were being investigated.

He was a 2006 high school graduate and was assigned to Kaneohe Bay. This was his second Iraq deployment. His first was from August 2007 to February 2008.

“Ray was committed to be a Marine from the first day he walked into my class,” said retired Lt. Cmdr. Jim Selle, who also was a JROTC teacher. “He always had a smile on his face.

He is survived by his wife, Athena. The couple were introduced by friends via phone and e-mail.

“He’s just a genuinely sweet person,” Athena said. “He respects women and people in general. He’s never the type of guy to be rude. He was so polite and laid back, never aggressive.”

Army Pfc. Richard A. Dewater

Died April 15, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Richard Dewater, of Topeka, Kan.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died April 15, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device, while on a dismounted patrol near Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.

Soldier lived in Ore., Kan.

The Associated Press

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A soldier with strong ties to Oregon has been killed while on patrol in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Army Pfc. Richard Dewater died April 15 from wounds caused by an improvised explosive device.

The 21-year-old had lived on and off in Grants Pass since he was a toddler, and his grandfather, Richard Sims, still lives in the city. Dewater attended Grants Pass High School in 2004 and 2005 before moving to Topeka, Kan., where his father lives.

The Grants Pass Daily Courier reported that Dewater leaves behind a wife, Valerie. They were married in June, a month before Dewater left for Afghanistan.

Tyler Clinton, 21, told the newspaper that Dewater was his best friend in high school. “We were really close. He was the first real friend I made when I moved up here,” Clinton said. “He loved going fishing, camping, paintballing. We did that stuff every weekend.”

Dewater was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas. A ceremony for Dewater is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 25 at Roseburg National Cemetery, his family told The Oregonian newspaper.

Flags in Oregon to be lowered for fallen soldier

The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. — Flags at public institutions across Oregon will be lowered in memory of a 21-year-old soldier killed while on patrol in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Army Pfc. Richard Dewater died April 15 from wounds caused by an improvised explosive device. Gov. Ted Kulongoski has ordered flags be flown at half-staff Saturday in Dewater’s honor.

Dewater attended Grants Pass High School in 2004 and 2005 before moving to Topeka, Kan., where his father lives.

Dewater was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas.

Had lifelong dream of joining military

The Associated Press

The last time Richard A. Dewater and his father spoke on the phone was right after April 10. Rick seemed “jazzed” about something, his father said.

“He said he couldn’t talk about it,” Bob Dewater said. “But he also said he was looking forward to coming home. Too many of them look forward to coming home, and they don’t.”

Dewater, 21, of Topeka, Kan., died April 15 of wounds suffered from an explosive near Korengal Valley. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.

“He was amazing. He had a personality that would draw you in. He loved fishing. He loved guns. He loved what he was doing. He dedicated himself to it,” his father said.

Dewater moved to Topeka with his father in May 2007. He was born in San Diego. His father said his son was 4 when he first said he wanted to be in the military: “It lit a spark in him. It was a dream of his.”

Ryan Burge said he and several of Rick’s friends met at Echo Cliff, near Dover, to remember their friend. “He was a great guy,” Burge said. “He was always set on going into the military. It is a shock that he is gone.”

He and his wife, Valerie, were married in Topeka in June.

Army Sgt. Francisco X. Aguila

Died April 14, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

35 year old Francisco Aguila, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; assigned to the 82nd Sustainment Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died April 14 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.

Aguila described as a ‘family man’

The Associated Press

Maj. James Dobrinska, executive officer for the 82nd Sustainment Brigade, said Francisco X. Aguila’s competence and leadership were critical to the success of Bravo Detachment’s mission.

“He ensured that every trooper in the task force received their proper pay and benefits while serving our nation in combat,” Dobrinska said.

Aguila, 35, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, died April 14 in Kabul of wounds suffered from a noncombat incident. He was assigned to Fort Bragg.

Aguila was assigned as a finance specialist in the 82nd Finance Company of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade of the 18th Airborne Corps in March 2007. He deployed to Afghanistan in July.

Aguila is survived by a wife and two daughters who live in Bayamon.

Aguila joined the Army in March 2000 and had been assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Camp Humphreys, South Korea.

“Cpl. Aguila was a dedicated family man, soldier and leader whose motivation and positive attitude left a lasting impression on all that knew him. He was invaluable to his company, to the brigade and to his fellow troopers. Cpl. Aguila will be missed by us all. We are devastated by his loss,” Dobrinska said.

Army Sgt. Raul Moncada

Died April 13, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

29 year old Raul Moncada, of Madera, Calif.; assigned to the 563rd Military Police Company, 91st Military Police Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died April 13 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Served in Marines before transitioning to Army

The Associated Press

Raul Moncada enrolled in the Marines at age 17 — less than a week after graduating from high school. He was honored at one point as the youngest active-duty Marine in the country, his family has said.

“He was very outgoing. He would do anything he could for anybody,” said his sister, Miriam. “He was a great person all around. Everybody knew him. Everybody loved him.”

Moncada, 29, of Madera, Calif., was killed by a roadside bomb April 13 when his convoy came under attack as it was returning to a base in Baghdad. He was on his second tour.

“He was such a one-of-a-kind person,” said Cecilia Herrera, a longtime neighbor. “He was a polite person, a humble person.”

As the third-oldest in a family of eight children, he served in the Marines for six years before taking a one-year break. He returned to the military in June 2004 — this time in the Army’s military police program.

Moncada was assigned to Fort Drum. He loved playing baseball and was a fan of the Seattle Mariners and Dallas Cowboys.

He is survived by his 6-year-old daughter, Priscila; his girlfriend Tina; his father, Raul; and his mother, Obdulia.

Army Cpl. Michael J. Anaya

Died April 12, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Michael Anaya, of Crestview, Fla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died April 12 in Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Always envisioned serving in military

The Associated Press

Michael J. Anaya had dreams of being in the military since he was a little boy. His family said he’d don a uniform to pretend he was a soldier.

“He knew the risk, and he said that’s what he loved and that’s what his life was meant for,” said Katie Rowe, who is engaged to his older brother, Carmelo Jr. “He has, ever since he was 5 years old, known that’s what he wanted to do.”

Anaya, 23, of Crestview, Fla., died April 12 in Bayji when his truck drove over a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Schofield Barracks.

“It didn’t take long for someone to become best friends with Anaya,” said Pfc. Daniel Hicks. “He was always laughing and making everyone around have a great time.”

Lt. Col. Raul E. Gonzalez said, “His courage, compassion and character have left an indelible mark on the men of this battalion.”

Anaya loved fishing, cooking on the grill and fighting for his country.

“He had a switch where he could go from Anaya to Anayalator,” said Sgt. Daniel Demuth. “When he got in that uniform and he flipped that switch into soldier mode, he was a force to be reckoned with.”

He is survived by his parents, Carmelo Sr. and Cheryl.

Army Spc. Joseph T. Caron

Died April 11, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Joseph Caron, of Tacoma, Wash.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died April 11 in Char Bagh, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

Washington flags lowered for slain soldier

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire has directed agencies to lower flags at state buildings to half staff April 15 in memory of a Washington soldier killed April 11 by an improvised bomb in Afghanistan.

Joseph T. Caron was a 21-year-old native of Roy who graduated in 2007 from Washington High School in Parkland. He was a member of a combat team from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Air Force Senior Airman Jacob I. Ramsey

Died April 10, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Jacob Ramsey, of Hesperia, Calif.; assigned to the 712th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, Texas; died April 10 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

* * * * *

Work ethic made Ramsey stand out

The Associated Press

Jacob I. Ramsey’s above-average work ethic got noticed.

Often, his buddies would jokingly criticize him for his extra efforts because he out-shined them. Ramsey practically refused to take time away from work, showing up for extra duty even when on leave following his first deployment to Afghanistan.

“He showed up everybody,” Senior Airman Thomas Rentschler said.

Ramsey, 20, of Hesperia, Calif., died April 10 of wounds suffered from a noncombat-related incident in Kabul. He was a 2005 high school graduate — graduating early, of course — and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. He was on his second tour.

“He had a great personality. Happy go lucky, easygoing,” said Luke Chappell, who taught Ramsey printing and graphics for two semesters in 2005. “He did some very extraordinary work in the classroom.”

“Jacob was a very diligent student, a simply nice guy, respectful and considerate,” said Hesperia High English teacher Connie Moore, who taught Ramsey during his junior year.

“It would take more than a few words to express the amount of love he shared with all of us,” Senior Airman Joseph Whitmarsh said.

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. James B. Lackey

Died April 9, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

45 year old James Lackey, of Green Clove Springs, Fla.; assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; died April 9 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a crash of a CV-22 Osprey.

4 dead in AFSOC Osprey crash

Staff and wire reports

An Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 Osprey crashed late Thursday in Afghanistan, killing three service members and a civilian contractor, NATO officials said.

As of Friday, the names of the dead had not been released. The aircraft was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

The CV-22 went down after dark about seven miles from Qalat, the capital of Zabul province in eastern Afghanistan, NATO said. The cause of the crash was under investigation.

The Osprey takes off and lands much like a helicopter, but its engines roll forward in flight, allowing it to fly at about 250 mph, faster than a helicopter.

The crash is the first fatal mishap involving a CV-22 since the special operations aircraft became operational in 2006, according to the Air Force. By the end of fiscal 2009, CV-22s had logged more than 8,060 flight hours.

The loss is also the first fatal crash of an Air Force plane in Afghanistan since the July 18 loss of an F-15E Strike Eagle.

The CV-22 is much like the Marine Corps version of the Osprey. However, the Air Force edition flies with a third cockpit crew member — a flight engineer — and has sophisticated navigation gear for night and low-level operations. A second flight engineer is stationed in the cargo area.

Overall, the plane can carry up to 32 troops or 10,000 pounds of supplies.

2 airmen killed in Osprey crash identified

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department says two airmen assigned to Hurlburt Field, Fla., were among those killed when their aircraft crashed in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department says 43-year-old Maj. Randell D. Voas of Lakeville, Minn., and 45-year-old Senior Master Sgt. James B. Lackey of Green Clove Springs, Fla., died Friday when an Air Force Osprey crashed near Kandahar. Both airmen were assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt.

The military said Friday that three service members and one civilian contractor had died in the first crash of the costly tilt-rotor aircraft in a combat zone. The other two people aboard the aircraft have not yet been identified.

‘He was loved by everyone in every capacity’

The Associated Press

James Lackey was a man of integrity who was dedicated to his family — exemplified by the way he helped his sister fight through her health problems, friends and family said.

“In every role that he had as a husband, father, son, young brother, he was loved by everyone in every capacity,” said the Rev. Roger Peadro of First Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., where Lackey was a member.

The 45-year-old airman from Green Cove Springs was killed April 9 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, when the aircraft he was in crashed. He was assigned to Hurlburt Field.

He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1983 and enlisted in the Air Force in 1986. He began his career as a maintenance crew chief before becoming a helicopter pilot.

“Flying was their priority, and nothing ever got in the way of that. They instructed with the intangible experience that only flight time could bestow, but more significantly, we lost men who inspired others, men of integrity who set the standards,” Lt. Col. Matt Glover said, according to an Air Force press release.

He was referring to Lackey and Maj. Randell Voas, who also was killed in the crash.

Lackey is survived by his wife, Cassie, and sons, Brandon, Alex and Nick.

Marine Lance Cpl. Blaise A. Oleski

Died April 8, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Blaise Oleski, of Holland Patent, N.Y.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 8 while supporting combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan.

Served as supportive figure in friends’ lives

The Associated Press

From the mountains of Afghanistan, Blaise A. Oleski wondered what he would do when his enlistment period was up in a year. He talked of becoming a firefighter or perhaps a rock-climbing instructor. He wanted to hike the Adirondack Trail.

In one of his last calls, Blaise told his mom of all of his plans. “He said Mom, I’d need five lifetimes to do all the things I want to do,’ ” Theresa Oleski said.

Oleski, 22, of Holland Patent, N.Y., died April 8 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Those who knew Oleski described him as a kind and compassionate man who joined the military out of principle. A wristband he wore at the time of his death read “fighting for freedom.”

They also spoke of how easily he made friends and the emotional support he so often provided to those around him.

“You’re not allowed to have a breakdown,” he told friend Amanda Santamour once during his deployment. “I need you to be resilient. But if you really need me, I’m on my way. I just need to find a camel.”

He also is survived by his father, Paul.

Army 1st Lt. Robert W. Collins

Died April 7, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

24 year old Robert Collins, of Tyrone, Ga.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died April 7 in Mosul, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Snow didn’t deter him from West Point dream

The Associated Press

Robert Collins was more accustomed to the balmy weather of his hometown of Tyrone, Ga., where snow is rare. That didn’t stop him from attending the U.S. Military Academy, though, even after he visited on a snowy April day.

He decided he wanted to go after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. And a little snow didn’t stop him, said his mother, Sharon Collins.

“He seemed to really be having a neat experience, working with the local populace. He was thriving as a leader of men,” Sharon Collins told the Fayette Daily News of Georgia.

Collins, 24, was killed April 7 in Mosul, Iraq, when the vehicle he and another soldier were in hit a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Stewart, Ga.

Back in high school, the soldier could always make his classmates laugh. He always wore a sweatband, all day long, earning him the nickname “Sweaty.” He also played fullback on the Sandy Creek High School football team for four years.

Football coach Chip Walker said Collins worked hard and encouraged his teammates to do the same.

“If my two boys can turn out like Robert, I will be satisfied,” Walker told the Daily News.

Collins also is survived by his father, Deacon, and girlfriend of eight years, Nicole Williams.

Army Spc. Adam M. Kuligowski

Died April 6, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Adam Kuligowski, of Arlington, Va.; assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Apr. 6 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

Soldier was interested in exploring the world

The Associated Press

DERRY, N.H. — A soldier from Derry, N.H., who died in Afghanistan is being remembered by his teachers as an intelligent student who was interested in exploring the world.

Twenty-one-year-old Adam Kuligowski died Monday in Bagram in a non-combat incident. The case remains under investigation.

Kuligowski was a signals intelligence analyst assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. He entered the Army in October 2006 and arrived at Fort Campbell in August 2007.

In New Hampshire he attended Pinkerton Academy, where the flag was flown at half-staff Wednesday. The New Hampshire Union Leader reports he was involved with a student-run TV station and went to China as a member of the school’s first exchange program.

Among his family members is an older brother, Stefan, who is also in the Army, stationed in Thailand.

‘Spirit of adventure’ guided Kuligowski

The Associated Press

In high school, Adam M. Kuligowski made his mark on a 2004 trip to China when he climbed on a camel’s back and was photographed wearing his signature cowboy hat.

“Adam was a unique individual,” said John Barry, one of his former teachers. “He wasn’t one for formality or going by the rules. He had a spirit of adventure, for sure. He was the only kid who dared to get up on the camel in China.”

Kuligowski, 21, of Arlington, Va., died April 6 in Bagram of injuries from a noncombat incident. He was assigned to Fort Campbell.

The son of a foreign service officer, he grew up living in U.S. embassies in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

He was born weighing nearly 11 pounds and was a curious child who didn’t speak until after his first birthday, but then always spoke in complete sentences.

At his funeral, Kalia Kuligowski read excerpts from an essay her brother wrote. “Adam always saw things deeper than just face value,” she said. “Adam wrote, ‘I may not be a grade-A student or a star athlete, but I always thought I understood the big picture better than most.”

He also is survived by his parents, Michael and Tracie.

Army Spc. Israel Candelaria Mejias

Died April 5, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

28 year old Israel Mejias, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Grafenwoehr, Germany; died April 5 in Balad Ruz, Iraq, of wounds sustained when a mine detonated near him during combat operations.

Dignified transfer ceremony opened

By Randall Chase

The Associated Press

DOVER, Del. — On a cold April night, under a bright moon, the body of Army Specialist Israel Candelaria Mejias arrived at Dover Air Force Base in a flag-draped aluminum case.

Mejias, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, was killed by an improvised explosive device Sunday while serving in Iraq.

His return Tuesday marked the second time this week members of the media were allowed to witness a U.S. combat casualty being brought back from overseas, ending the Pentagon’s 18-year ban on such coverage.

Mejias’ body arrived shortly before 8:30 p.m. aboard a C-17 military cargo jet from Ramstein, Germany.

A little more than hour later, an eight-member team from the Army’s Old Guard in Washington, D.C., slowly walked up the rear ramp of the C-17 and into the cargo hold, where an advance team from the military mortuary at Dover stood quiet sentinel over the fallen soldier’s body.

Following the white-gloved carry team were Col. Robert Edmondson, commander of the mortuary affairs operations, chaplain Maj. Klavens Noel, and Brig. Gen. Walter Davis, director of Army aviation.

Davis and Edmondson bowed their heads as Noel recited a brief prayer. The carry team then gently picked up the case bearing the soldier’s body and carried it to a waiting vehicle for transport to the mortuary, where it will be processed and returned to the family.

Tuesday’s event took only about 12 minutes, roughly half the time needed for the dignified transfer of the body of Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers, which arrived late Sunday aboard a contract Boeing 747 and had to be lowered about 20 feet to the tarmac. Myers, 30, of Hopewell, Va., was killed by an IED in Afghanistan.

While both families consented to media coverage of the return of their loved ones, neither consented to be photographed or interviewed.

The media ban was put in place by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, during the Persian Gulf War. From the start, it was cast as a way to shield grieving families.

But critics argued the government was trying to hide the human cost of war. President Barack Obama asked for a review, resulting in a policy under which families of fallen service members will decide whether to allow media coverage of their return. If several bodies arrive on the same flight, news coverage will be allowed only for those whose families have given permission.

Mejias was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment in Task Force 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

‘Always had a smile on his face’

The Associated Press

Sgt. Erick Dybvig remembered Israel Candelaria Mejias’ love of martial arts.

“I don’t think there is a guy in third platoon that hasn’t been kicked by him at some point,” his friend wrote in a letter.

Candelaria, 28, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, died April 5 after a mine detonated during combat operations near Baghdad. He was assigned to Grafenwoehr, Germany.

“If there was anyone you could count on to lift your spirits, it was him. He always had a smile on his face and a joke at hand,” Dybvig said.

Capt. Daniel Godbey, who served as Candelaria’s company commander for 14 months, remembered him for the same reason.

“It didn’t matter what was going on, he always had a smile on his face, whether he was goofing around or intently focused on the task at hand.”

He is survived by his wife, Angela. Dybvig recalled that Candelaria would do anything for his wife.

“If you ever got the chance to see the two of them together, you would know how much they loved each other,” Dybvig said. “He spared no expense to make her happy and to better the lives of his family.”