Navy Chief Joel Egan Baldwin

Died December 21, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

37 year old Joel Baldwin, of Arlington, Va.; assigned to Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 77, Gulfport, Miss.; killed Dec. 21 when his base dining facility was attacked in Mosul, Iraq.

Gulfport chief killed in Iraq mess hall blast

By Christopher Munsey

Navy Times staff writer

A Navy Seabee chief killed in the suicide bombing of a Mosul, Iraq, mess hall on Dec. 21 was remembered for his skilled teaching, dedicated leadership and civic involvement.

Chief Builder (SCW) Joel E. Baldwin, 37, was one of 14 service members killed in the attack. The explosion, which killed 22 and wounded 69, occurred as service members, civilian contractors and Iraqi guardsmen sat down for lunch at Forward Operating Base Marez.

“At this point, it looks like it was an improvised explosive device worn by an attacker,” Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Dec. 22 at a Pentagon news conference.

Myers did not say whether authorities believe the bomber worked at the base or got into the mess tent some other way. Baldwin was a member of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 out of Gulfport, Miss., which deployed to Guam and Iraq in October. He joined the battalion in April.

“Just a very good human being, an exceptional Navy leader and a great Seabee,” said Capt. Will McKerall, commanding officer of Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport.

McKerall said Baldwin’s most recent civic project was organizing a group that built a playground at his daughter’s elementary school.

Seabees are spread all over Iraq, and McKerall said Baldwin was performing general engineering evaluation work.

Born in Panama, Baldwin joined the Navy in 1988, and his home of record was listed as Arlington, Va.

Before coming to NMCB 7, Baldwin taught quality control to sailors training in Seabee ratings at the Naval Construction Training Center in Gulfport.

“He was recognized for being an exceptional instructor, he was on his way to other things,” McKerall said.

He leaves behind a wife, Claudia, and their 9-year-old daughter, Cali.

Claudia Baldwin, who works as an intern at the local Veterans Affairs hospital, also served as one of the battalion’s ombudsmen, linking families to the command, McKerall said.

A memorial service is being planned at Gulfport, McKerall said.

Baldwin’s death is not the first time Seabees have suffered a combat casualty in Iraq.

Seven Seabees from NMCB 14, a Reserve battalion out of Jacksonville, Fla., died in two separate attacks in Anbar over a three-day period in late April and early May.

Baldwin’s awards include two Navy Achievement Medals, four Good Conduct Medals, an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, two Overseas Service Ribbons, two National Defense Service Medals, two Navy “E” ribbons, the M16 rifle expert marksman device, and Sea Service deployment ribbons.

The Mississippi-based Keesler Federal Credit Union set up a memorial fund in his name, to help his wife and daughter, said spokeswoman Michelle Manley.

Those who want to donate to the Baldwin Memorial Fund, account number 80100.12, can mail donations to: Keesler Federal Credit Union, attention Baldwin Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 7001, Biloxi, MS 39534.

Navy Engineman 3rd Class David M. Mudge

Died November 28, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

22 year old David Mudge, of Sutherlin, Ore.; died Nov. 28, when he was electrocuted while working in a machinery space aboard the guided missile frigate Rentz while on a port call in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates.

Rentz sailor electrocuted aboard ship

Staff report

SAN DIEGO — A sailor assigned to the frigate Rentz died Saturday after being electrocuted while working in a machinery space during a port call in the Persian Gulf, Navy officials said Monday.

Navy officials identified the sailor as Engineman 3rd Class David M. Mudge, 22, who suffered fatal wounds “due to electric shock” while doing repairs in an auxiliary machinery space, Naval Surface Forces officials said in a statement. Mudge, of Sutherlin, Ohio, died despite resuscitation efforts and was pronounced dead at the Jebel Ali International hospital in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates.

Navy officials are investigating the incident.

Mudge joined the Navy in January 2007 and served aboard the frigate McClusky before reporting to Rentz in July 2009, said Lt. Cmdr. Chris Servello, a Naval Surfaces Forces spokesman in Coronado, Calif.

Rentz, a San Diego-based ship, is deployed with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.

Took advantage of the chance to travel the world

The Associated Press

David Mudge liked traveling, and trying new cuisines or “anything that wasn’t what he had at home,” his brother said.

Mudge joined the Navy to see the world after a childhood of listening to his uncles and other relatives share stories about serving in the military. On the USS Rentz, Mudge was able to see the ancient pyramids in Egypt, a sight that left him in awe, his brother said.

“The sheer size of them and the age of them and everything just blew him away,” Curtis Mudge said. “Pictures didn’t do it justice.”

David Mudge, 22, of Sutherlin, Ore., was killed Nov. 28 in an electrical accident aboard the USS Rentz. The ship was at Port Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, when Mudge died.

He grew up in a large, close-knit family, and he graduated from the Phoenix School in Roseburg, Ore. At age 19, he enlisted in the Navy.

“He was looking for something to do with his life that he would be able to be proud of,” said Curtis Mudge. “He always looked up to the fact that our family was military oriented.”

Mudge is survived by his parents, Larry and Judy Mudge; sisters Sarah Washburn, Allison Tomlinson and Angelica Mudge; and brothers Brian, Curtis and Jed.

Navy Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Brian M. Patton

Died November 19, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

37 year old Brian Patton, of Freeport, Ill., a member of the Navy Reserve, died Nov. 19 in Kuwait of injuries suffered in a noncombat-related accident.

Served in AF Reserve between Navy stints

The Associated Press

Brian M. Patton was the kind of man who remembered to wish his wife of nine years a happy anniversary even from overseas.

He called to tell Amy Patton he missed her, and they talked about a trip they were planning to Hawaii. Then he hung up for the final time.

Relatives say the 37-year-old from Freeport, Ill., was killed Nov. 19 in a vehicle crash near a base in Kuwait, where he had volunteered to deploy.

The Gulf War veteran spent time in the Air Force Reserve between stints with the Navy, most recently with a reserve unit based in New York. He had recently worked in Dallas, Pa., as an officer at a correctional facility.

Colleagues and comrades say they could always depend on Patton, a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, to fill several roles: the jokester, the attention-grabber, the life of the party, the go-to guy.

“He was a natural leader,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer David Kinnaird. “People would follow him. Definitely a wonderful sailor, one of my best sailors.”

Patton also is survived by sons Brian and Nicholas; a stepson, Tyler; and two brothers, Robert and Scott.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donald V. Clark

Died November 15, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

37 year old Donald Clark, of Memphis, Tenn.; assigned to the 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force 49, U.S. Army Alaska, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; died Nov. 15 in Mosul, Iraq, when his OH-58 Kiowa helicopter crashed while on a mission over Mosul. Also killed was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys.

Memphis soldier killed in Iraq helicopter crash

The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two soldiers, including one from Tennessee, were killed when a U.S. military helicopter made a “hard landing” after hitting wires in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

The U.S. military said the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter went down at about 6:10 p.m. Saturday in the eastern part of the city. The military also said that “the incident appears to be combat-unrelated and there was no enemy contact in the area.”

Killed were Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donald V. Clark, 37, of Memphis, Tenn., and Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys, 28, Fallon, Nev.

Both were assigned to the 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force 49, U.S. Army Alaska, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Allen told the Anchorage Daily News that Clark and Humphreys were the only two on board the helicopter and no one else was killed or injured. The Army did not say which of the two pilots was flying when the crash occurred.

Clark joined the Army in February 1992 and was assigned to Fort Wainwright in November 2006. Humphreys joined the Army in June 1998 and was assigned to Fort Wainwright in April. Both deployed to Iraq in July, Allen said.

Including Clark, 89 service members from Tennessee have been killed in Iraq, according to an Associated Press count. Nine service members from Tennessee have been killed in Afghanistan.

Funeral held for soldier killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

DOTHAN, Ala. — Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donald Clark was described Monday as a world class soldier and his wife’s hero during a funeral service for the Newton man who was killed when his helicopter crashed Nov. 15 in Iraq.

Clark, 37, was buried with full military honors after his body was flown to Sunset Memorial Park cemetery in Dothan by helicopter. A military detachment loaded the casket, draped with the American flag, onto a horsedrawn caisson. The caisson carried the body to the funeral site as the family walked behind, according to a report on The Dothan Eagle Web site.

During the ceremony folded American flags were presented to Clark’s 8-year-old son, Bailey, to his wife, Jamie, and to his parents.

CW3 Mike Eckhart’s hand trembled when he presented the flag to Jamie Clark. Eckhart was Clark’s wingman.

“He was absolutely fearless in support of his brothers in combat,” said Eckhart, who delivered the eulogy and told stories of a gregarious, talented, driven soldier who felt truly free in the sky and in the Alaskan wilderness.

His fellow soldiers called him “Genghis Don.” Eckhart referred to Clark as a real man and a world class soldier. He said Clark referred to himself as the “self-proclaimed emperor of Newton.”

Rev. David Willis read a letter Jamie Clark wrote for the service in which she said, “Don and I were the sweetest love story ever told. He was my hero. The sorrow I feel is immeasurable. Don loved his family, his friends, his comrades and his country.”

Willis described Clark as a smart man who could have done anything with his life.

“But he chose to stand together shoulder to shoulder with brave men and women to fight tyranny,” Willis said.

2 Fort Wainwright servicemen remembered

The Associated Press

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — They came from different backgrounds, but shared one passion: flying.

That’s how hundreds from the Fort Wainwright Community remembered two fallen airmen killed Nov. 15 in Mosul, Iraq.

Chief Warrant Officers Donald V. Clark and Christian P. Humphreys were killed instantly when their OH-58 Kiowa helicopter crashed.

Clark, 37, of Tennessee, was remembered for his rough-and-tumble demeanor. He had served as a flight instructor in Korea and Alabama.

Humphreys, 28, of New Mexico, served as a crew chief in the Navy before joining the Army. He was remembered for his love for board games, particularly backgammon.

Army Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos

Died October 28, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

39 year old Joseph Gallegos, of Questa, N.M.; assigned to the 720th Transportation Company, New Mexico Army National Guard, in Las Vegas, N.M.; died Oct. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, in a noncombat-related incident.

Guardsman in Iraq dies of heart attack

The Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico National Guard said a 39-year-old soldier deployed to Iraq has died after a heart attack.

Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos of Questa died Wednesday in Tallil, Iraq. He was a vehicle mechanic with the 720th Transportation Company out of Las Vegas, N.M.

About 130 members of the unit left New Mexico on May 14 for training before deploying to Iraq in July.

Gallegos served in the Navy and Army before recently joining the National Guard after a five-year break in military service.

Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione

Died September 3, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Benjamin Castiglione, of Howell, Mich.; was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Sept. 3 while supporting combat operations in Qal Yeh Now, Afghanistan. Also killed was Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Baltazar Jr.

Corpsman with 2nd LAR killed in Afghanistan

Staff report

A Navy corpsman was killed Sept. 3 while supporting Marines in southern Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department.

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Mich., died after being struck by an improvised explosive in Helmand province, his family told local media. Units from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade have been operating in Helmand and neighboring provinces since the spring. He was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion out of Camp Lejeune.

Castiglione was the subject of a February feature story in the Daily Press & Argus, his hometown newspaper. At the time, his father described the corpsman as a “gung-ho, John Wayne type of guy.”

Just a few months before that article was published, Castiglione had received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for actions in Iraq. His commander, Col. R.E. Smith, singled out the sailor’s quick actions after one Marine in the unit had been stung by a scorpion and, again, in the wake of a car wreck involving Iraqi civilians near Combat Outpost Rio Lobo.

“The military life is not easy,” Castiglione told the newspaper last winter, “but I believe that I am a stronger person for it. The hardships I have dealt with were worth what I have learned and the bonds I have with the Marines in my platoon. When my platoon and I have downtime and talk and mess around with each other, it’s like one big hilarious, dysfunctional family — and it’s a blast. We take care of each other.”

Castiglione joined the Navy in 2006. He aspired to be a physician’s assistant.

Flags lowered in memory of Michigan sailor

The Associated Press

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

Granholm says flags should be lowered Sept. 21 for Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione, 21. He served as a hospitalman, the Navy equivalent of an Army medic.

Castiglione died Sept. 3 from injuries sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Battalion.

Corpsman joined Navy out of high school

The Associated Press

Benjamin P. Castiglione was unfazed even by a scorpion. He helped civilians and comrades in the Afghan and Iraqi war zones as a medic in the Navy, once treating an unconscious Marine having breathing and heart problems after being stung by the desert-dwelling creature.

“Those Marines meant the world to him,” said his mother, Carrie Castiglione. “I talked to him before he went to Iraq about preparing himself for losing one if he had to. He said, ‘Mom, I’m bringing all those guys home.’ ”

Instead, they lost him in Afghanistan.

Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Mich., was killed Sept. 3 by an improvised explosive in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

He graduated from Howell High School in 2006 and joined the Navy that November. He served in Iraq for eight months last year and deployed to Afghanistan in June.

He wanted to continue medical work and planned to become a physician’s assistant. He also was looking forward to going to Germany or Hawaii when his deployment ended in November, his parents said.

He died one day after talking about those plans with his family.

Castiglione is also survived by three stepbrothers.

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.

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.

Navy Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Andrew Scott Charpentier

Died July 23, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Flags fly at half-staff for Great Falls sailor

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

Navy Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Darren Ethan Tate

Died July 8, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Darren Tate, of Canyon, Texas; assigned to the USS Iwo Jima, and deployed as an Individual Augmentee to Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan; died of pneumonia July 8 at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

Navy says pneumonia claimed IA sailor

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department said July 9 that a Navy man from the Texas Panhandle has died of non-hostile causes in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon statement says that that 21-year-old Aviation Ordnance Airman Darren Ethan Tate of Canyon died July 8 at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

The statement did not give the cause of death. Navy spokesman Paul Taylor told The Associated Press that Tate died of pneumonia.

The Navy says Tate had enlisted in August 2006 and was assigned to the USS Iwo Jima, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. Taylor says Tate became ill while deployed ashore to augment the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.

Ordnanceman volunteered for trip to Afghanistan

The Associated Press

Darren Ethan Tate was a bodybuilder, a cook and an aspiring pilot rolled into one friendly guy.

“We clowned around a lot,” said his uncle, Wayne Tate. “Just had a great time. He was one terrific young man.”

He said his nephew had wanted to go to Afghanistan in place of another man who’d recently become a father.

“It broke my heart, but I was proud that he was man enough to take on the responsibility he volunteered for,” Wayne Tate said. “He was willing to take on the danger himself.”

Darren Tate, 21, of Canyon, Texas, died of pneumonia July 8 at Bagram Air Base. He had joined the Navy in 2006 after graduating from Canyon High School and was assigned to the USS Iwo Jima.

“You can tell by the size of this crowd that he was loved,” said another uncle, John Stratton, who officiated at Tate’s funeral in Texas.

He was born in California, and that was his nickname when he worked at the Skate Plex in Amarillo, where he also worked and trained at a tae kwon do institute.

He is survived by his parents, Larry and Barbara; a brother, Keith; and a sister, Sarah.

Navy Command Master Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey J. Garber

Died June 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Navy Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class (SEAL) Brian J. Ouellette

Died May 29, 2004 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

37 year old Brian Ouellette, of Needham, Mass.; assigned to Navy Special Warfare Group Two, Little Creek, Va.; killed May 29 while on mounted patrol near Jahak and Seleh, Afghanistan.

SEAL among those killed in explosion

Associated Press

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Navy SEAL based in Virginia Beach was one of four U.S. special forces members killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, Navy officials said.

Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Ouellette and three other service members traveling in a Humvee were killed in Zabul province, about 240 miles southwest of Kabul, the nation’s capital. The four were members of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan.

Ouellette, 37, was a member of Navy Special Warfare Group Two at Little Creek Amphibious Base and is the fifth SEAL from Virginia Beach to die in Afghanistan.

Naval Special Warfare spokesman Chief Petty Officer Tom Jones said that Ouelette was on a mounted patrol near the cities of Jahak and Seleh.

A native of Needham, Mass., Ouellette enlisted in the Navy in 1990 and became a SEAL in 1991, the Navy said.

Ouellette grew up in Waltham, Mass., and graduated from Waltham High School, but his mother now lives in Maynard, Mass..

He was remembered at Memorial Day ceremonies in both communities.

“It’s devastating,” the Rev. Kenneth Quinn said at a small ceremony at St. Bridget’s cemetery in Maynard. “This brings home what’s going on.”

In Waltham, Ouellette was remembered as a dedicated member of the SEALs, an elite fighting force that undergoes some of the toughest military training in the world.

“Once he got in there and got a taste of it, he wouldn’t be denied,” Jim Stanley, a friend and former roommate told WBZ-TV. “That’s really what he wanted to do.”

Ouellette was one of eight children and the family remained in seclusion over the weekend. His mother, Peg, said she was too distraught to talk when contacted by The Associated Press on Sunday and would only say “I loved him dearly.”

The other Special Forces soldiers who died in the incident, according to the Pentagon, were Army Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, 28, of Cape Coral, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Mogensen, 26, of Leesville, La.; and Pfc. Joseph A. Jeffries, 21, of Beaverton, Ore.

At least 89 American service personnel have died in and around Afghanistan since the start of the U.S. war on terrorism following the Sept. 11 attacks, including 55 killed in action.

Navy SEAL from Massachusetts killed in Afghanistan

WALTHAM, Mass. — Memorial Day services in two Massachusetts communities were made even more somber on Monday with news that a Navy SEAL with ties to those towns had died fighting the war of terror in Afghanistan.

Petty Officer 1st Class Brian J. Ouellette, 37, a 15-year Navy veteran, was one of four servicemen who died when the Humvee he was in ran over a mine.

Ouellette grew up in Waltham and graduated from Waltham High School, but his mother now lives in Maynard.

He was remembered at ceremonies in both communities.

“It’s devastating,” the Rev. Kenneth Quinn said at a small ceremony at St. Bridget’s cemetery in Maynard. “This brings home what’s going on.”

In Waltham, Ouellette was remembered as a dedicated member of the SEALs, an elite fighting force that undergoes some of the toughest military training in the world.

“Once he got in there and got a taste of it, he wouldn’t be denied,” Jim Stanley, a friend and former roommate told WBZ-TV. “That’s really what he wanted to do.”

Steve Duffy, head lacrosse coach and assistant football coach at Waltham High, played football with Ouellette in the mid-1980s.

“He was a great teammate, a year older, and always good to the younger guys,” Duffy told The MetroWest Daily News of Framingham. “He was just a tough, no-nonsense type of guy who would smack you in the mouth between the whistles. A tough guy.”

Ouellette was assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Group Two based in Little Creek, Va., according to the Navy, which announced the death on Monday.

The Special Forces soldiers who died in the incident, according to the Pentagon, were Army Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, 28, whose home town was listed as Cape Coral, Fla., but who was originally from New Hampshire; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Mogensen, 26, of Leesville, La.; and Pfc. Joseph A. Jeffries, 21, of Beaverton, Ore.

At least 89 American service personnel have died in and around Afghanistan since the start of the U.S. war on terrorism following the Sept. 11 attacks, including 55 killed in action.

Ouellette is the third Massachusetts resident to die in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Petithory, 32, of Cheshire, was killed on Dec. 5, 2001 along with two other soldiers when a U.S. bomb landed about 100 yards from their position. Pfc. Evan W. O’Neill, 19, of Haverhill died Sept. 29.

Navy Cmdr. Duane G. Wolfe

Died May 25, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

54 year old Duane Wolfe, of Port Hueneme, Calif.; assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division, Baghdad; died May 25 southeast of Taqaddum, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.

IA commander killed by bomb in Fallujah

By Andrew Scutro

Staff writer

A Navy Reserve officer serving in Iraq as an individual augmentee died Monday after his convoy was hit by a roadside bomb outside Fallujah, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.

Cmdr. Duane G. Wolfe was 54. According to a spokeswoman at Naval Base Ventura County, Wolfe worked in civilian life at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., as the civilian deputy commander at the 30th Space Wing Mission Support Group. In Iraq, he was attached to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Two others were killed and two were wounded in the attack, although they were not identified in the news release.

Wolfe was the officer-in-charge of the Anbar area office, overseeing $300 million worth of construction projects in the formerly volatile province. Most projects were for local Iraqis, including “the first ever waste treatment facility for Fallujah,” according to the news release.

A former Seabee chief who signed up in 1972, Wolfe was commissioned in 1990 and was assigned to several California-based units in his career, as well as Naval Engineering Force, Korea.

Wolfe joins six other Navy personnel who have been killed in the war zone on IA tours. Other recent IA deaths:

* On May 11, Cmdr. Charles Springle, 52, was shot and killed with four other service members at stress control clinic on Camp Liberty in Iraq, allegedly gunned down, by a U.S. soldier who is now in custody.

* On March 27, Lt. Florence Choe and Lt. j.g. Francis Toner were shot and killed in Afghanistan, reportedly by an insurgent posing as a soldier. They were assigned to Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan at Camp Shaheen, Mazar-E-Sharif.

Jovial nature made Wolfe stand out

The Associated Press

Duane G. Wolfe was described as having an incredible sense of humor, despite being very soft-spoken in many situations.

“He was a real jovial, fun-loving kind of guy. He loved to laugh and even play jokes on people. He was just a person the kids were really drawn to because of his personality,” the Rev. Brent Willey said.

Wolfe, 54, of Port Hueneme, Calif., died May 25 after his convoy hit an improvised explosive device southeast of Fallujah, Iraq.

Wolfe worked as a civilian at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., for 24 years. He was in the reserve for 31 years after five years of active duty.

He was working at Vandenberg as the civilian Deputy Commander of the 30th Space Wing Mission Support Group.

Wolfe and his staff were responsible for overseeing nearly $300 million in construction projects that included a wastewater treatment facility for Fallujah.

“Duane’s death will leave a hole in the Mission Support Group that can never be filled,” said Col. Rick Wright. “He was a great team member and an even greater friend.”

He is survived by his wife, Cindi, and three children — daughters Carrie and Katie, and son Evan.

Navy Cmdr. Charles K. Springle

Died May 11, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

52 year old Charles Springle, of Wilmington, N.C.; assigned as an Individual Augmentee to the Army’s 55th Medical Company; died May 11 from injuries sustained in a shooting by a U.S. soldier at Camp Liberty, Iraq. Also killed were Army Spc. Jacob D. Barton, Army Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, Army Maj. Matthew P. Houseal and Army Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr.

Army IDs soldiers shot at Camp Liberty

By Michelle Tan

Staff writer

The Defense Department has identified the four soldiers killed Monday when a fellow soldier fired into a combat stress clinic on Camp Liberty, Iraq.

They are Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas; Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J.; Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Mo.; and Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md.

Houseal was assigned to the 55th Medical Company of Indianapolis, Ind.

Bueno-Galdos and Yates were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of Grafenwoehr, Germany. Barton belonged to the 277th Engineer Company, 420th Engineer Brigade of Waco, Texas. Bueno-Galdos was posthumously promoted Wednesday to staff sergeant.

The fifth service member killed Monday was identified Tuesday. He was Navy Cmdr. Charles K. Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C. He also was assigned to the 55th Medical Company.

As part of the medical company, Springle and Houseal both worked at the Liberty Combat Stress Control Center.

A sergeant from the Bamberg, Germany-based 370th Engineer Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, has been charged in the shootings.

Sgt. John M. Russell, 44, first joined the Army National Guard in 1988; he went into the active Army in 1994. He is charged with five counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.

Russell, who was on his third Iraq deployment, remains in custody in Iraq.

Special agents from Army Criminal Investigation Command continue to investigate the shootings.

The Army also has initiated an AR 15-6 investigation to determine if there are adequate mental health facilities in Iraq, said Lt. Col. David Patterson, a spokesman for Multi-National Corps-Iraq.

The suspect was referred to counseling the week before the shootings and his commander determined that it was best for him not to have a weapon, said Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a spokesman for Multi-National Force-Iraq.

According to an Army official who spoke on condition of anonymity, preliminary reports show the suspected shooter was unarmed when he was escorted to the combat stress clinic at Camp Liberty, a sprawling U.S. base near Baghdad’s international airport. Once inside, he got into a verbal altercation with the staff and was asked to leave. The soldier and his escort got back into their vehicle and began to drive away, according to the Army official.

At some point during the drive, the soldier got control of his escort’s weapon and ordered the escort out of the vehicle, the Army official said. The soldier then drove back to the clinic, walked in and began shooting, the official said.

Soldiers from the 55th Medical Company provided immediate counseling for those who witnessed the shooting and were at the center at the time of the incident, Perkins said.

“Anytime we lose one of our own, it affects us all,” MNC-I spokesman Col. John Robinson said. “Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the service members involved in this terrible tragedy.”

According to Army records, Russell, of Sherman, Texas, first deployed to Iraq in April 2003. He returned for a second tour in May 2005. Before that, he deployed for six months in 1996 to Serbia and for seven months in 1998 to Bosnia.

During a press briefing Monday afternoon at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed his “horror and deep regret” over the shooting, adding that officials are still in the process of gathering information on exactly what happened.

“Such a tragic loss of life at the hands of our own forces is a cause of great and urgent concern,” he said.

When asked if the suspected gunman had been deployed multiple times, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday he did not have that information. However, he said, the tragedy occurred while service members were seeking help at the clinic.

“It does speak to me for the need for us to redouble our efforts in terms of dealing with the stress [of combat],” Mullen said. “It also speaks to the issues of multiple deployments [and] increasing dwell time.”

The death toll from the Monday shooting was the highest for U.S. personnel in a single attack since April 10, when a suicide truck driver killed five American soldiers with a blast near a police headquarters in Mosul, in northern Iraq.

Liberty shooting victims united by circumstance

By Allen G. Breed

The Associated Press

The paths that brought six men together in a Baghdad military clinic traced across the globe, from South America to rural Missouri, from the islands of Alaska to deepest Antarctica, before intersecting in a tragic shooting spree.

Authorities say Sgt. John M. Russell, who was nearing the end of his third tour in Iraq, was deeply angry at the military when he walked into the combat stress clinic at Camp Liberty on Monday and opened fire.

Two of the men who died devoted their careers to helping men like Russell: soldiers suffering from the stress of combat and repeated deployments to dangerous overseas war zones.

Keith Springle, a Navy commander who grew up swimming and fishing off the North Carolina coast, was in Iraq because it was his duty as a military psychologist. Dr. Matthew Houseal, a psychiatrist and major in the Army Reserve, was there because he felt he needed to be.

The three other victims were Russell’s comrades. Soldiers like the Maryland rebel who liked tinkering with guns and despised “pencil pushers.” A Peru native who, whether walking the streets of New Jersey or the dirt roads of Iraq, was a magnet for candy-seeking kids. And the shy video gamer from Missouri whose refusal to back down probably cost him his life.

Killed were Springle, 52, from Beaufort, N.C.; Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas; Army Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J.; Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Mo.; and Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md., who had met Russell shortly before the shootings.

The remains of Houseal, Yates and Bueno-Galdos were brought to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday night with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, attending. The three transfer containers were lowered down on a lift from a 747 commercial airplane, and six military personnel carried them onto a white truck. The families chose not to give interviews.

Family and teachers said Jacob Barton was a quiet student who loved graphic novels and science fiction. Growing up with his grandmother in the house, he sometimes had trouble relating to kids his own age.

“His grandmother was foremost on his mind at all times,” said Rod Waldrip, Barton’s high school English teacher at Rolla High School, where Barton graduated last year. “He sometimes wouldn’t do after-school activities because he had to see if she was OK.”

Barton’s older sister had been in the Army, and by graduation he’d already made up his mind to follow her. The grandmother he rushed home to see, Rose Coleman, said he was adjusting to life in the Army and that he “seemed to like it.”

Although he was reserved, he wasn’t afraid. Waldrip remembers seeing Barton come to the rescue of somebody who was getting bullied.

“He wouldn’t say much unless there was some injustice being done, and then he would speak up.”

Coleman said the Army told the family that Barton died trying to shield another man from the shooting.

“And he tried to talk the guy with the gun to put his gun down,” she said.

Springle, whose first assignment with the Navy was in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, wanted to be make sure mental health issues faced by soldiers and their families were treated properly, said Staff Sgt. Robert Mullis from the 1451st Transportation Company of the N.C. National Guard, who was part of a civilian outreach program with Springle.

“He saw it as preventive maintenance,” Mullis said. “They’ve just been through some tough experiences. He was reaching out trying to try and stop a big beast before it got started.”

Springle grew up in the little fishing village of Lewiston, N.C., just east of Beaufort. Cousin Alton Dudley said the pair were a kind of saltwater Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.

“It was a carefree life,” said Dudley, a fishing boat captain who was nine years older than Springle. “I am sure that he joined the Navy so that he could be at sea or close to it.”

All who knew him talked about Springle’s sense of humor and upbeat attitude. But Springle — whose son and son-in-law have each done a tour in Iraq — took the issue of combat stress very seriously. His work on the homefront with the Citizen-Soldier Support Program was a labor of love.

“This was volunteer work,” said Bob Goodale, director of behavioral mental health for the program. “He was doing this because it was the right thing to do — training civilian providers so they were better equipped to serve the families and the service members.”

Houseal was under no obligation to go to Iraq, but he was already something of an adventurer.

In 1991, the University of Michigan graduate was a physician at the Amundsen-Scott Station near the South Pole in a climate research project, said Mike O’Neill, the group’s electronics technician.

“He came in at the last minute not knowing anybody,” O’Neill said. “That’s one of the reasons I really respected him.”

Houseal was inquisitive, always checking on people at the station, even if it meant braving temperatures that dropped to minus-107 degrees that year.

The Amarillo man had worked for a dozen years at the Texas Panhandle Mental Health and Mental Retardation clinic, said executive director Bud Schertler. He left Texas for Iraq in late January and was assigned to the 55th Medical Company in Indianapolis, which ran the clinic where the shootings occurred.

Bueno-Galdos couldn’t wait to serve his adopted country and did so exceptionally, earning three Army Commendation Medals.

He was 7 when his family emigrated from Mollendo, Peru. The youngest of four children, he became a U.S. citizen in high school and joined the Army as soon as he graduated.

Back home in Paterson, he never made a trip to the corner bodega without a group of neighborhood children tailing him, knowing he would buy them candy or soda, his family recalled. It was the same in Iraq, where he was on his second tour.

On Mother’s Day, Eugenia Gardos made a small shrine to her recently deceased mother, placing her photograph on a small glass table surrounded by silk roses, a rosary necklace, votives and a prayer card of Senor de los Milagros — patron saint of Peru. The next day, she added a photo of her son Christian to the memorial.

“We want people to know we’re proud of our son’s Army, but if my son had died in war we would be able to handle that,” said his father, Carlos Bueno. “But not to die in this manner.”

Yates displayed zeal for serving in the Army, but perhaps not his locale, as evidenced by his MySpace page.

His profile lists his location as “[expletive], Iraq.” For his education, he listed his major as “KILLING F…ERS” and his minor as “SHOOTING THEM IN THE FACE.” Under clubs, he declared himself a member of “THE US ARMY THE BEST ORGINIZATION.”

Yates’ mother, Shawna Machlinski, said her son joined the Army not out of a sense of duty, but because he didn’t see many other options. Besides, his stepfather and two stepbrothers were military men.

“Michael was a hands-on person who didn’t like book work,” she said. “He liked putting guns together … He just wanted to do something that he thought he would be good at, and he always liked guns and that kind of stuff.”

So two years ago, he got his GED and signed up.

Alexis Mister, 18, of Seaford, Del., and the mother of Michael Yates’ son Kamren, said he was an extremely caring father. “He was always was concerned with Kamren so much,” she said. “He loved him.”

Mister said Yates came home in April for the boy’s first birthday party and doted on his son by buying him a four-wheeler. “It’s absolutely devastating,” Mister said, choking up during a telephone interview discussing Yates’ death. “My son doesn’t have a father anymore.”

Yates’ mother said that April trip left him anxious. He wasn’t home long enough, but he’d still been away from “my military family” too long. Once back in Iraq, his mother said he began to think about things he wished he’d done while visiting Maryland.

When the strong emotions began surfacing, she said, he was transferred to headquarters company “so he could stay out of combat.”

“He didn’t like headquarters at all,” said Machlinski. “He said they’re stupid pencil pushers.”

Despite the stigma, Yates volunteered to go to the stress clinic.

“I need help dealing with this,” he told his mom.

Yates had been at the clinic nearly a week when he told his mother he bumped into Russell. Yates told her Russell seemed like a nice enough guy. But after three tours, he clearly hated the Army.

“Man, this guy’s got issues,” she remembers him telling her.

Russell, 44, who just shy of finishing his third tour, told his family that the clinic was hurting more than helping. Now, he is facing charges of murder and aggravated assault.

As angry as Machlinski is at Russell for taking her boy, she’s angrier at the military.

“My heart goes out to him, too,” she said of Russell. “Someone should have helped this sergeant way before he got this bad. I would rather have my son doing his job in combat, I would rather him have been blown up by a bomb … than be shot by friendly fire.”

———

Breed reported from Raleigh, N.C. Contributing to this report were Associated Press Writers Maria Sudekum Fisher in Kansas City, Mo.; Samantha Henry in Paterson, N.J.; Kevin Maurer in Wilmington, N.C.; Brian Witte in Seaford, Del.; Betsy Blaney in Lubbock, Texas; and Linda Franklin and Regina L. Burns in Dallas.

Water-loving kid turned into mental health advocate

The Associated Press

Charles K. Springle wanted to be make sure mental health issues faced by soldiers and their families were treated properly.

“He saw it as preventive maintenance,” Army Staff Sgt. Robert Mullis said. “He was reaching out trying to try and stop a big beast before it got started.”

Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C., was one of five killed May 11 by an Army sergeant at a mental health clinic at Camp Liberty. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Springle grew up in the little fishing village of Lewiston, N.C., just east of Beaufort. Cousin Alton Dudley said the pair were a kind of saltwater Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.

“It was a carefree life,” said Dudley, a fishing boat captain who was nine years older than Springle. “I am sure that he joined the Navy so that he could be at sea or close to it.”

He received his Ph.D. in social work from the University of Alabama.

All who knew him talked about Springle’s sense of humor and upbeat attitude. But Springle took the issue of combat stress very seriously. His work on the homefront with the Citizen-Soldier Support Program was a labor of love.

He is survived by his wife, Susan, and two children.

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.

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.”

Navy Lt. Miroslav S. Zilberman

Died April 2, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

31 year old Miroslav Zilberman, of Columbus, Ohio; assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, based at Naval Base Norfolk, Va.; died after his E-2C Hawkeye crashed into the Arabian Gulf on March 31, 2010. The recovery effort was abandoned on April 2, 2010 and his body was not recovered.

Navy ends search for missing Hawkeye pilot

The Associated Press

MANAMA, Bahrain — The Navy says it has called off search and rescue efforts for a pilot who went missing after his plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region, and the Department of Defense has declared him deceased.

The Navy said in a statement Saturday that Lt. Steven Zilberman’s plane went down in the North Arabian Sea on March 31 after it “experienced mechanical malfunctions.”

Zilberman’s plane, from Norfolk, Va.-based Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121, was returning to the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower following a mission supporting operations in Afghanistan.

Three other crew members survived the crash without significant injuries, but Zilberman couldn’t be found.

Zilberman, 31, was flying an E-2C Hawkeye, which is primarily used to detect incoming aircraft with its 24-foot diameter radar. Born in the Ukraine, Zilberman was from Columbus, Ohio, and had served in the Navy for eight years.

Ordered crew mates to eject before crash

The Associated Press

Miroslav Zilberman moved with his parents from Ukraine to a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, in the early 1990s. They wanted to get him away from the possibility of forced military service to a place that promised a better life.

But Zilberman, who went by Steven, always admired the service of his grandfather, Gregory Sokolov, who was a major in the Soviet Army in World War II. After graduating from Bexley High School in 1997, Zilberman decided he wanted to defend his adopted country and became a Navy pilot.

Zilberman, 31, was returning from a mission in Afghanistan on March 31 when his E-2C Hawkeye began having mechanical problems. He ordered his three crewmen to bail. The plane crashed into the Arabian Gulf.

Zilberman’s body was never recovered, and he was declared dead. His crew mates all survived.

“Lieutenant Zilberman was an exceptional Naval Officer and pilot who embodied the best of what America represents,” said Capt. Roy Kelley.

Zilberman was based at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. While in the Navy, he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.

He is survived by his wife, Katrina, and children, Daniel, 4, and Sarah, 2.

Navy Lt. Florence B. Choe

Died March 27, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

35 year old Florence Choe, of El Cajon, Calif.; died March 27 when an Afghan National Army soldier opened fire on personnel assigned to Combined Security Transition Command — Afghanistan at Camp Shaheen, Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan. Also killed was Navy Lt. j.g. Francis L. Toner IV.

Afghan soldier’s slaying of 2 officers stuns base

By Andrew Tilghman

Staff writer

Lt. j.g. Francis “Frankie” Toner and Lt. Florence Bacong Choe were taking a Friday afternoon jog along a well-worn path on the outskirts of Forward Operating Base Shaheen in Afghanistan.

Then an Afghan Army soldier raised his military-issued weapon and fatally shot the two officers. A third Navy officer was also wounded in the shootings, said Air Force Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, a spokeswoman for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.

The Afghan soldier fatally shot himself moments after the killings, Mathias said.

The shooting stunned the sailors and soldiers living on the base, who are there to “mentor” the Afghan troops.

“I really hope that this incident doesn’t just pass as two more service members killed in Afghanistan. I want everyone to know how they died and why,” said Lt. Michael Lucrezio, a medical service corps officer assigned to the base.

“The simple fact is that they were murdered in cold blood. The guy who shot them wasn’t some random bad guy who snuck on base wearing a stolen uniform; he was an army soldier who had been vetted through the [Afghan National Army] recruiting process and trained to their basic standards,” Lucrezio said in an e-mail to Navy Times after the shooting.

Afghan officials expressed condolences for the deaths. Afghan Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak said he was “saddened and deeply regretful this tragedy occurred,” and that the incident was under investigation, according to a military press release.

Meanwhile, back at home, a Navy chaplain and senior chief knocked on the door at the Toner’s family home in Rhode Island to relay news of the 26-year-old Seabee’s death.

“The irony is that he loved those people,” Sharon Toner, the officer’s stepmother, said of Toner in an interview. “His heart just went out to the children over there because they weren’t in school and they didn’t have shoes. The poverty over there really hit him hard.”

Toner’s family had expected him home for leave the following week, his stepmother said.

Toner was assigned to Naval Facility Hawaii at Pearl Harbor, where he lived with his wife, Brooke. He was on a one-year deployment to Afghanistan to help oversee reconstruction projects in an area north of the capital.

Choe, 35, was a medical service corps officer assigned to Naval Medical Center in San Diego, where she lived with her husband, Lt. Cmdr. Chong “Jay” Choe, a urology resident at the hospital, and their 3-year-old daughter, according to a statement from the hospital.

She was born at the same hospital while her father was a career sailor, said Sonja Hanson, a spokeswoman for the hospital.

Choe contacted a Navy recruiter just days after Sept. 11, 2001, Hanson said. She also was on a one-year deployment in Afghanistan, where she helped run the medical station that served U.S. troops as well as Afghan troops and civilians, Mathias said.

Choe’s family declined requests for an interview, Hanson said.

The Toner family is planning a memorial service at the Merchant Marine Academy on Long Island, N.Y., where Toner earned his bachelor’s degree in 2006, his stepmother said.

Toner was voted prom king at his high school and played football in college, his family said. He sought a Navy career immediately after his graduation.

“He was going to do a full 20 years. His long-term goal was to someday work at the Pentagon. He loved, loved the Navy, loved the Seabees and he never had any thoughts about doing anything else,” his stepmother said.

Sharon Toner said her stepson’s death was a “freak event.”

“I don’t see that as a reflection on the Afghan people. In America we have people right here — you read it in the newspaper every day, people murdering other people and doing things like that. That doesn’t reflect on the society as a whole,” she said.

Officer ‘always had a smile on her face’

The Associated Press

Lt. Florence B. Choe was serving as a medical administration and logistics mentor to the Afghan National Army.

“She was a professional naval officer who was extremely smart and extremely pleasant,” said Sonja Hanson, a hospital spokeswoman who knew Lt. Choe.

Choe, 35, of El Cajon, Calif., was killed March 27 when an insurgent posing as an Afghan National Army soldier opened fire.

She was based at the Naval Medical Center San Diego, where she was born.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California at San Diego in 1997, and a master’s degree in public health and health care administration in 2001 from San Diego State University. She was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps member in the Navy on Feb. 21, 2002.

“She always had a smile on her face, and everyone admired her. All of us at the Naval Medical Center are proud of her, and we are grieving for her,” said Hanson.

She is survived by her husband, Lt. Cmdr. Chong “Jay” Choe, a urology resident at the medical center, and her daughter, Kristin, 3.

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief (SEAL) Adam L. Brown

Died March 18, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

36 year old Adam Brown, of Hot Springs, Ark.; assigned to an East Coast -based SEAL Team; died March 18 in Afghanistan.

Navy: SEAL killed in Afghanistan

Staff and wire reports

A SEAL assigned to an East Coast SEAL team was killed Thursday in a battle with militants in Afghanistan.

Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Lee Brown, 36, died from injuries sustained during combat operations, according to a Navy statement released Friday.

Lt. Arlo Abrahamson, spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group 2, said only that Brown was assigned to a Virginia Beach, Va.-area SEAL team that was part of a special operations task force operating in various parts of Afghanistan.

Brown, a native of Hot Springs, Ark., enlisted in the Navy in 1998 and joined the SEALs in 2001. He earned a Bronze Star with combat “V.”

He is survived by his wife, two children and his parents.

Friends say Brown fought for the common man

The Associated Press

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — A Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan has been remembered as an honorable, hard-working man who died a warrior’s death.

Family and friends gathered March 24 at Hot Springs Baptist Church for the funeral of 36-year-old Chief Petty Officer Adam Brown.

The Defense Department didn’t release details of Brown’s death on March 18. He was assigned to a Virginia Beach, Va.-based SEAL team.

Family friend Darlene Hull described Brown as diligent, respectful and proud to be an American. Others said he fought for the little guy.

After the funeral, people waving American flags lined streets leading to the cemetery.

Brown is survived by his wife, two children and his parents.

Navy Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Nicholas Wilson

Died February 12, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

25 year old Nicholas Wilson, of Newark Valley, N.Y.; assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, based in San Diego; killed Feb. 12 by an improvised explosive device in Anbar province, Iraq.

Newark Valley sailor killed in Iraq

NEWARK VALLEY, N.Y. — A 25-year-old sailor from the Southern Tier has been killed in Iraq, the Department of Defense reported Tuesday.

Navy Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Nicholas Wilson of Newark Valley died Sunday from an improvised explosive device in Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three, based in San Diego, Calif.

Wilson is a 1998 graduate of Newark Valley High School.

— Associated Press

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy

Died February 4, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

29 year old Nathan Hardy, of Durham, N.H.; assigned to East Coast-based SEAL team; died Feb. 4, from wounds sustained from small-arms fire during combat operations in Balad, Iraq. Also killed was Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch.

Navy son of UNH professor dies in Iraq

The Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy son of a University of New Hampshire professor and administrative assistant has been killed in action in Iraq.

Navy SEAL Nathan Hardy and fellow SEAL Michael Koch of State College, Pa., died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire, the Defense Department said. Both men were stationed in Norfolk, Va.

It was Hardy’s fourth deployment in Iraq, according to his father, Stephen Hardy, a professor of kinesiology. His mother, Donna Hardy, is an administrative assistant in UNH’s psychology department.

Nathan Hardy grew up in Durham and was a 1997 graduate of Oyster River High School. He joined the Navy after graduation.

Other family members include his wife, Mindy, and their 7-month-old son, Parker; and a brother, Ben, of Middlebury, Vt.

Another brother, Josh, died in 1993 while a senior at Oyster River High School.

“Our hearts go out to Steve and Donna Hardy, and their son, Ben, at this incredibly difficult time,” UNH President Mark Huddleston said in a statement. “We know it was Nate’s dream to become a U.S. Navy SEAL when he graduated from high school, and he pursued that dream and excelled at it. His death has stunned all who knew him, and all who know his parents, who both are so much a part of the UNH community.”

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Family, friends remember sailor’s dedication, kindness

The Associated Press

Math teacher Ginny Tagliaferro said Nathan H. Hardy was defined by his kindness.

“As a student, classmate and teammate, Nate was honest, committed and kind to those around him. He was a caring individual who supported his friends, his teachers and his community.”

Hardy, 29, of Durham, N.H., died Feb. 4 from wounds suffered from small-arms fire. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Virginia Beach, Va.

It was Hardy’s fourth deployment in Iraq, according to his father, Stephen Hardy, a professor at the University of New Hampshire. His mother, Donna Hardy, is an administrative assistant at UNH.

Martin Brewer, his former English teacher and soccer coach, said: “Nate was a great player who relished physical challenges. Whether defending like a lion in the heart of our defense or being part of my backup plan to attack the opposing goal, he always came through.”

Brewer added: “If he tackled any endeavor, you had better believe it was with every fiber of his being — Nate attacked life with vigor.”

He is survived by his wife, Mindy, and their 7-month-old son, Parker.

Navy SEAL remembered in N.H. hometown

The Associated Press

DURHAM, N.H. — Nearly 1,000 people packed into a University of New Hampshire gym to remember a Navy SEAL who died in Iraq.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan Hardy, who grew up in Durham, died February 4 at age 29. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery later that month but his family did not have a local memorial service for him until Saturday.

Members of Hardy’s SEAL team who just returned from Iraq two weeks ago were among the mourners, as was Gov. John Lynch.

“We owe his family a debut we can never repay,” Lynch said.

Friends said Hardy’s short life must be measured not in years but accomplishments. He was married to the love of his life, had a beautiful baby son, loved his job and was the “elite of the elite” in his profession, said Amos Goss, Hardy’s childhood friend.

“Never has a life so short been so complete,” he said.

Others recalled Hardy’s passion for his job, his commitment to serving his country, his immense love for his family and his penchant for practical jokes.

Hardy enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1997. He was deployed to the Persian Gulf and Kosovo and was killed in Iraq during his fourth deployment.

His brother, Ben, said his Hardy’s last moments were spent trying to drag a fellow SEAL to safety.

“Nate’s death was a good death. It was an honorable death. It was a warrior’s death,” he said.