Army Cpl. Nicholas R. Roush

Died August 16, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old Nicholas Roush, of Middleville, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Psychological Operations Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Aug. 16 in Herat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Father calls son’s death ‘devastating’

The Associated Press

MIDDLEVILLE, Mich. — The father of a Middleville soldier killed in Afghanistan says dealing with his son’s death has been “devastating.”

The Department of Defense announced Aug. 17 that 22-year-old Cpl. Nicholas R. Roush died Aug 16 in Herat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Roush was a Thornapple-Kellogg High School graduate.

Bob Roush tells The Grand Rapids Press his son “wanted to serve” and “do something significant,” he and believes he “has done that and more.”

He says the family is “counting on seeing Nick in heaven.”

Nicholas Roush was assigned to the 1st Psychological Operations Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Middleville is about 125 miles west-northwest of Detroit.

Flags at half-staff for fallen soldier

The Associated Press

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

Flags should be lowered Aug. 25 for Army Cpl. Nicholas R. Roush of Middleville. The 22-year-old died Aug. 16 from injuries sustained in Herat when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Roush was assigned to the 1st Psychological Operations Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Sgt. Jamal M. Rhett

Died August 15, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

24 year old Jamal Rhett, of Palmyra, N.J.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Aug. 15 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his vehicle with grenades.

Medic remembered as ‘knight in shining armor’

The Associated Press

During Spc. Jamal Rhett’s deployments in Iraq, the care packages from home came frequently and full of Tastykakes and wet wipes.

“The ones with the chocolate icing with vanilla stripes were his favorite,” said his aunt, Sonya Winters. The wipes were to keep clean in the desert.

“He was a very clean person,” Miller said.

Rhett, 24, of Palmyra, N.J., died Aug. 15 in Baqubah, Iraq, when his vehicle came under an insurgent grenade attack. He was a combat medic assigned to Schofield Barracks.

Rhett graduated from the Burlington County Institute of Technology in 2003 and spent a year at Bloomfield College before enlisting in the Army. He had intended to attend medical school.

“He was a good citizen, a positive member of our school community,” said BCIT superintendent Dolores Szymanski. “He participated in freshman basketball and was a very respectful young man with a really positive attitude.”

“He was my knight in shining armor,” said his mother, Michelle Watson. “I not only loved him as a son, but I liked him.”

During their last conversation, Rhett told his mother that he was close to earning a promotion to sergeant.

Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard

Died August 14, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Joshua Bernard, of New Portland, Maine; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay; died Aug. 14 while supporting combat operations in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.

2/3 Marine dies in Afghanistan

Staff report

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — Defense Department officials Aug. 17 identified a Marine killed Aug. 14 in Afghanistan as Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard.

Bernard, 21, a rifleman from New Portland, Maine, died while he was supporting operations in Helmand province, military officials said.

The combat deployment was the second for Bernard, who enlisted in November 2006 and joined Hawaii-based 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, in May 2007 and deployed with the battalion to Iraq in 2008, Marine Corps Base-Hawaii officials said in a news release. The battalion is operating as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Afghanistan.

Bernard had received the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, officials said.

Marine Sgt. William J. Cahir

Died August 13, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

40 year old William Cahir, of Washington D.C.; assigned to 4th Civil Affairs Group, Marine Forces Reserve, Washington D.C.; died Aug. 13 while supporting combat operations in Nawa, Afghanistan.

Former journalist, Pa. congressional candidate dies in Afghanistan

By Dan Robrish

The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Sgt. Bill Cahir, a former news reporter and congressional candidate, has been killed in Afghanistan while serving with the Marines, a family friend said Aug 13. He was 40.

The friend, June Weaver, answered the telephone at a relative’s house and confirmed Cahir’s death to The Associated Press but said the family did not wish to comment.

Cahir was lauded at a newspaper where he used to work.

“This is an American hero as far as I’m concerned,” said Joe Owens, editor of The Express-Times of Easton. “This guy’s the real thing.”

Cahir, a Bellefonte native, was working in the newspaper’s Washington, D.C., bureau before his most recent deployment.

Owens said Cahir enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 2003 in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“He was in his mid-30s, only days away from being ineligible — too old — to sign up for the Marine Corps, and he essentially talked his way in because it was something he had to do,” Owens said.

Cahir did two tours of duty in Iraq before returning to Pennsylvania.

He ran in a three-way Democratic primary last year to replace longtime Republican Rep. John Peterson, who retired. Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken won the primary and was in turn defeated by Republican Glenn Thompson in the overwhelmingly Republican district, which covers a large area of north-central Pennsylvania.

The Express-Times reported that after losing the primary, Cahir said, “My journalism career is over. I’ll talk to the Marine Corps and see what they want me to do and talk to my wife and see what she wants me to do.”

Owens called the former newspaperman “a great American.”

“He was committed to serving this country,” Owens said. “He was on a career path before this that could have led anywhere for him, and he chose this because it was what he needed to do.”

Cahir laid to rest at Arlington

By Ann Sanner

The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. — Marine Sgt. William J. Cahir, a former news reporter and congressional candidate, was laid to rest with full military honors Aug. 31 at Arlington National Cemetery.

Cahir, 40, died Aug. 13 of an enemy gunshot wound while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

More than 200 people gathered at the cemetery for his burial services. A horse-drawn cart carried Cahir’s flag-draped casket to the grave site. A squad of Marines fired several shots into the air. Many in the crowd placed their hands over their hearts and bowed their heads as a bugler played taps.

In response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Cahir enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in November 2003. He was assigned to 4th Civil Affairs Group, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Washington, D.C.

He had done two tours of duty in Iraq before returning to Pennsylvania last year to run in a three-way Democratic primary to replace longtime Republican Rep. John Peterson, who retired. Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken won the primary and was in turn defeated by Republican Glenn Thompson.

Cahir is survived by his wife, Rene E. Browne of Alexandria, who is pregnant with their twins.

In a written statement, Browne described Cahir as “a loved and cherished husband, son, brother and excited father-to-be, as well as a friend and colleague who touched the lives of so many.”

“Bill was a hero to me, and to his family and friends, long before he gave his life for his country,” Browne said.

Cahir, a Bellefonte, Pa., native, previously worked as a Washington correspondent for Newhouse News Service, writing for several newspapers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He quit in early 2008 to run for Congress.

Cahir was deployed to Afghanistan last spring. His military awards include three Navy and Marine Corps achievement medals and two combat action ribbons.

Survivors include his parents, John and Mary Anne Cahir of State College, Pa.; and two sisters and a brother.

A memorial fund has been set up for his children.

Army Sgt. Christopher N. Karch

Died August 11, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

23 year old Christopher Karch, of Indianapolis, Ind.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Aug. 11 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire.

Dad recalls soldier son killed in Afghanistan

By Richard Gootee

Indianapolis Star

The father of the 2005 Lawrence Central High School graduate killed this week in Afghanistan said he guided his son into the Army to get “a good start in life.”

“He loved it, he was gung-ho over there,” said Patrick Karch, who served in the Army himself for three years.

Sgt. Christopher Karch, 23, who joined the Army about two months after his high school graduation, was about a month away from coming home from his second tour from Afghanistan. He was killed Wednesday in a firefight in the Arghandab Valley when insurgents attacked Karch’s unit with small-arms fire, according to the Department of Defense website. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, which is based in Fort Bragg, N.C.

He was only 20 days from coming back home.

Patrick Karch was in Dover, Del, to receive his son’s body today at 2 p.m. He said he planned to bring the body back to Indianapolis for the funeral, but didn’t think his son’s body would be released until sometime next week.

He could hardly talk about his son, saying he called a good kid and said always had a smile on his face.

“I really thought he was just going to come back and nothing (would happen),” he said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Bruce E. Ferrell

Died August 10, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Bruce Ferrell, of Perdido, Ala.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Aug. 10 while supporting combat operations in Garmsir, Afghanistan.

Alabama Marine on 1st deployment dies in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

MOBILE — A 21-year-old Marine from Perdido in north Baldwin County was killed in Afghanistan when a roadside bomb exploded during a routine foot patrol near Kandahar, family members said.

Lance Cpl. Bruce “Bubba” Ferrell Jr. was reported killed Sunday after stepping on an explosive.

Bruce Ferrell Sr. told the Press-Register that his son had recently become a Marine and began his first deployment in May.

He said the family last heard from him Saturday.

“We got to talk to him for 10 or 15 minutes, and we feel very lucky about that, because it happened the next evening,” Bruce Ferrell Sr. said.

Bubba Ferrell’s older sister, Danielle Denise Whatley, died in a car accident in 2006.

Hundreds remember fallen Marine

The Associated Press

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A Marine who was killed in Afghanistan is being remembered in south Alabama.

A funeral was set for Monday for Marine Lance Cpl. Bruce Earnest “Bubba” Ferrell Jr. of Perdido. The 21-year-old Marine was killed by an improvised explosive while on patrol in Afghanistan on Aug. 10.

On Aug. 16, crowds of people with American flags and signs turned out in Bay Minette to remember Ferrell as a hearse carrying his body rolled through town.

Ferrell graduated from Baldwin County High School in 2006 and joined the Marines the next year. He had been in Afghanistan since May.

Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick W. Schimmel

Died August 9, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Patrick Schimmel, of Winfield, Mo.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Aug. 9 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed were Lance Cpl. Dennis J. Burrow and Lance Cpl. Javier Olvera.

Was lean, wiry kid in high school

The Associated Press

Patrick W. Schimmel was a collector of knives and swords, a Boy Scout who had a thing for weapons, so it’s perhaps no surprise he joined the Marine Corps in 2006 and became a rifleman.

“The first time he shot a .50-caliber machine gun, he was ecstatic,” said his father, Wayne.

Patrick Schimmel, 21, of Winfield, Mo., died Aug. 9 from injuries suffered in combat operations in Helmand province.

His family said the 2006 Winfield High School graduate and cross country runner was a shy guy with a frame so lean and wiry that military recruiters had him bulk up by eating fast food so he’d meet weight standards. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., and also had been deployed to Iraq from October 2007 to May 2008.

His older brother, Matthew, said Schimmel drove combat vehicles and translated Arabic.

The person he became as a Marine was a contrast to his high school persona as a spike-haired kid who typically wore baggy, black jeans and T-shirts, his family said.

“Everyone says he was a man, a warrior, but I still picture him as my little boy,” said his mother, Mary Jean Schimmel.

Marine Capt. Matthew C. Freeman

Died August 7, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

29 year old Matthew Freeman, of Richmond Hill, Ga.; assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Aug. 7 while supporting combat operations in the Shpee Valley, Afghanistan.

Matthew Freeman packed more into his 29 years than most people do in a lifetime. As a young boy, he was a “river-rat,” guiding his flat-bottomed, Jon-boat through the winding marshlands of the Ogeechee River in his Richmond Hill, Georgia home. Matthew was killed in action on August 7th 2009, his life was filled with strong and outstanding character including his top strengths of curiosity, bravery, humility and humor.

As a Boy Scout he took upon himself to fix the town’s centerpiece gazebo when it fell into disrepair, earning him Eagle Scout honors.

He was a true renaissance man. An avid reader he’d read all of Shakespeare’s works. He was a two-time tennis champion for his high school team, a saxophonist in the marching band and Matthew sang at his high school graduation. He was a 2002 graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

He was an active member of his Methodist church youth group. His Biblical questions kept the youth leaders researching before Matthew returned each week.

One high school classmate wrote this about him: “I think what really set Matt apart was his complete enthusiasm for life. He put his heart into everything he did, whether it was academics, drama, chorus, band, tennis, friendships, or his career. He sincerely wanted to be good at everything, and his combination of talent and hard work eventually turned him into the Renaissance man he would joke about being in high school. Throughout it all, he retained his great sense of subtly self-deprecating humor, and spending time with him was always, well, fun.” Matthew’s true passion though, was flying. As a young boy he fell in love with flying and went on to become a Marine pilot – the third generation of Freemans to wear Navy wings.

In 2009, he married his childhood sweetheart, Theresa Hess. Three weeks later, he opted out of the relative safety of the cockpit and volunteered for ground action when he heard the Marines needed more ground forces – in Afghanistan.

The memorial on the Freeman Barracks in Afghanistan reads:

“Capt. Matthew Freeman was a C-130 Hercules pilot. He volunteered for an individual augmented position with 4th Marines embedded training team and deployed to Afghanistan on 23 July. On 7 August, Captain Freeman was conducting operations with 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 201st Corps, and Afghan National Army. Captain Freeman was engaged in Operation Brest Thunder in one of the most dangerous regions within the 201st Corps area of operations when his team came under heavy enemy fire. He led his men to a building where they could locate a better firing position and was the first to reach the roof, killing a Taliban insurgent attempting to shoot a rocket propelled grenade at his team. While continuing to engage insurgents, Capt. Freeman was mortally wounded in the ensuing exchange of fire. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Combat “V” posthumously for his actions. He graduate in 2002 from the United States Naval Academy and is laid to rest in the United States Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium.”

Marine Sgt. Jay M. Hoskins

Died August 6, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

24 year old Jay Hoskins, of Paris, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; died Aug. 6 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.

Hometown to remember fallen Marine

The Associated Press

PARIS, Texas — Officials in an East Texas town plan to line the streets with American flags to honor a Marine who died in Afghanistan.

A hearse carrying the body of 24-year-old Marine Sgt. Jay Hoskins is expected to make the six-mile journey Aug. 13 from a local airstrip to a funeral home in Paris, about 90 miles northeast of Dallas.

Hoskins died Aug. 6 with two fellow Marines when a roadside bomb exploded in Farah province.

The city’s Kiwanis Club is distributing 500 large flags on 10-foot poles, and the football coach at the local high school told The Paris News that he expects hundreds of students to line the route.

The funeral procession is expected to include all local law enforcement agencies and Patriot Guard motorcycle riders.

Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Anthony C. Garcia

Died August 5, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Anthony Garcia, of Panama City, Fla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditonary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; died Aug. 5 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Anthony C. Garcia, who until January was assigned to the Pax River Naval Health Clinic, was remembered in a memorial service last Friday at St. Nicholas Chapel.
Garcia was killed in action Aug. 5 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Farah province, Afghanistan, while assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rdMarine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He deployed to Afghanistan in May, supporting Marines in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pax River Health Clinic Commanding Officer Capt. Linda Ireland came to the clinic after Garcia’s departure, but told the over 100 people present, ‘‘You do not need to meet someone to know the character of that person. Indeed, you can discern their character from their actions, from the esteem or regard expressed for them by their friends and co-workers. Such is the case today with HM3 Garcia.”

She continued, ‘‘I have learned that this was a young man with a warm, infectious smile who was highly regarded by his military and civilian shipmates. I have learned that he embodied our core values of honor, courage and commitment, and armed with courage and commitment he willingly went into harm’s way in the service of his country.”

The loss of Garcia ‘‘has torn the fabric of the Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River community,” Ireland said, ‘‘so we are here to begin to mend this tear, to begin the journey to healing by comforting each other. We will do that through shared tears, stories and memories of a fine young man who, though we will never see again or talk with again, will remain forever in the heart of this community.”

Her remarks were followed by memorial reflections by Garcia’s friends and shipmates, a slide show, poetry reading, a pastoral reflection, the Hospital Corpsman Prayer, Roll Call, the playing of Taps and a closing hymn sung by HA Brittany Bounds and HM3 Melanie Davis.

Anthony Garcia grew up in a military family, the son of Carol and Anthony Garcia. He graduated in 2006 from Haney Technical High School in Panama City, Fla., and joined the Navy immediately after graduation.

After completing training, he was assigned to the Pax River Naval Health Clinic. During this initial assignment, he deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

While at Pax River, he met Jewell Verdejo, who became his wife April 24 in Hawaii. She still serves with the clinic at Pax River.

Garcia’s awards include the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Army Spc. Jonathan D. Menke

Died August 4, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Jonathan Menke, of Madison, Ind.; assigned to the 38th Military Police Company, 38th Infantry Division, Indiana Army National Guard, Danville, Ind.; died Aug. 4 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when debris from an improvised explosive device that was detonated on an overpass fell onto his vehicle. Also killed was Sgt. Gary M. Henry.

3 Hoosier guardsmen die, 1 hurt in Iraq

By Will Higgins

Indianapolis Star

Three Indiana National Guard soldiers were killed and a fourth was seriously injured in Iraq in the past week, making this the bloodiest stretch for Hoosiers in three years.

On Saturday, Sgt. Brian K. Miller, 37, Pendleton, died from injuries in a vehicle rollover during combat operations in Abd Allah, a town south of Baghdad. He was a member of the Guard’s 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which deployed to Iraq in March.

On Monday, two Hoosier guardsmen died when a roadside bomb detonated under the Humvee they were riding in near Baghdad. The dead, Sgt. Gary Henry, 34, Indianapolis, and Spc. Jonathan Menke, 22, Madison, were members of the Danville-based 38th Military Police Company, which arrived in Iraq in May to train Iraqi police officers.

Spc. John Blickenstaff, 25, Twelve Mile, also a member of the 38th, was riding in the vehicle and was seriously injured.

All four soldiers were serving their first tours in Iraq. Miller was scheduled to return home late this year. The others were scheduled to return home early next year.

Since post-9/11 fighting began, only once have Indiana soldiers suffered more casualties over such a short period. In March 2005, four Indiana Guard soldiers patrolling in Afghanistan were killed when a roadside bomb obliterated their vehicle.

Miller — a member of the 76th’s Company D, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Huntington — was a 19-year veteran of the Guard, according to Staff Sgt. Jeff Lowry, a Guard spokesman. Most recently, Miller was a mechanic and metal worker.

Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Wilkey, who served with Miller for 18 months in a Seymour-based maintenance company, described him as a go-getter who always was willing to help out a fellow soldier.

“He always looked out for the younger soldiers — that is very unique anymore,” Wilkey said. “He was never afraid to take on a task. People looked up to him.”

Miller was the second member of the 76th to die in Iraq. His vehicle, a wrecker, swerved to avoid an object in the road and rolled, Lowry said. The other member of the 76th to die, Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, was killed in a similar accident in May when his armored security vehicle rolled.

Henry, a 12-year veteran of the Indianapolis Fire Department, joined the Guard in 1991 while still in high school. He had retired from the Guard about 12 years ago but joined again last fall.

“Gary said that since 9/11, he had this drive in him,” said his sister Jenny Clark.

He leaves a wife and three children, ages 8 to 14.

Menke joined the Guard in 2004.

He graduated in 2005 from Madison Consolidated High School, where teachers said he joined the Guard in his junior year. They praised his athletic and musical theater ability and called him a leader who attracted other students to the school stage.

“He was what everyone would think of as the perfect high school jock,” said teacher Aaron Kelsey. “But then I think he injured his hand one year in football, so then he decided to try out theater. … He really made it cool.”

The injured Blickenstaff joined the Guard in 2004. His wife, Misty, 23, who is expecting their third child, said she has talked to him on the phone. “I was worried and scared, but it helped hearing his voice.”

Toy drive honors slain Indiana soldier’s wish

The Associated Press

MADISON, Ind. — Friends of an Indiana soldier killed in Iraq this month are helping fulfill his wish of bringing toys to impoverished children in Iraq.

While serving in Iraq, 22-year-old Spc. Jonathan Menke asked his family send him Beanie Babies and Matchbox cars so he could hand them out to Iraqi children as gifts.

The Indiana National Guard soldier from Madison died Aug. 4 in a roadside bombing near Baghdad.

Over the weekend volunteers collected toys at the front gates of the Ribberfest festival in downtown Madison to send to Iraq.

Barbara Walburn, who works with Menke’s sister, came up with the idea of collecting the toys. She says she was impressed by his wishes and wants to continue that in his memory.

Army Spc. Ronald A. Schmidt

Died August 3, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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

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

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

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

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

Army Sgt. 1st Class Severin W. Summers III

Died August 2, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Summers loved the outdoors

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Sgt. Jonathan M. Walls

Died August 1, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

‘His kids were his life’

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Spc. Alexander J. Miller

Died July 31, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan F. Stroud

Died July 30, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Navy Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jarod Newlove

Died July 28, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Body of 2nd sailor recovered in Afghanistan

By Amir Shah and Deb Riechmann

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Candlelight vigil held in sailor’s memory

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flags at half-staff for slain sailor

The Associated Press

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

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

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

Army Spc. John O. Tollefson

Died July 27, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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

Fond du Lac soldier killed in Iraq

Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parents of fallen soldier ask for prayers for troops

Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Sgt. William R. Howdeshell

Died July 26, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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

From arlingtoncemetery.net:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army officials have filled in some blanks.

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

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

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

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

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

Army Sgt. Joshua J. Rimer

Died July 22, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Received Purple Heart in Iraq tour

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Sgt. Raymundo P. Morales

Died July 21, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Believed in protecting his country

The Associated Press

Everyone knew Raymundo P. Morales’ smile.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Sgt. Gregory Owens Jr.

Died July 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Followed dad’s footsteps by joining military

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick

Died July 17, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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

Minnesota mourns guardsmen killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flags lowered to remember fallen soldiers

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

‘Wild child’ came from long line of service members

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV

Died July 16, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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