Marine Pfc. Serge Kropov

Died December 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

21 year old Serge Kropov, of Hawley, Pa.; assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.; died Dec. 20 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.

‘He had a million friends’

The Associated Press

Serge Kropov’s friends said the Marine helicopter mechanic was a good-hearted, fun-loving guy who enjoyed basketball and trick bike riding.

“He was just a very kind, giving, friendly, loving person,” said Lindamay Rodnite, who said her sons attended school with Kropov. “He had a million friends.”

Indeed, a Facebook page dedicated to Kropov was filled with dozens of tributes to the fallen Marine.

Kropov, 21, of Hawley, Pa., died Dec. 20 in a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. He attended Wallenpaupack Area High School in Hemlock Farms, Pa. His obituary said he planned to be a career military man.

Kropov was a native of Moscow who later moved to the U.S. with his parents, Igor and Allison Alevtina. He is also survived by a sister, Anna.

Rodnite’s son Jonathan remembered seeing Kropov riding his mountain bike around the neighborhood because he didn’t have a car.

“He was a good friend from day one,” Jonathan Rodnite said. “Very outgoing, very social.”

The Marine wrote on a Web site profile that he also loved snowboarding, working out and the beach, and that he was “always looking and willing to learn and expand my experiences.”

Army Pfc. Juctin P. McDaniel

Died December 17, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

19 year old Juctin McDaniel, of Andover, N.H.; assigned to the 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; died Dec. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident in Taji, Iraq.

Hawaii-based soldier dies of non-combat-related injuries in Iraq

The Associated Press

HONOLULU — The Pentagon says a Hawaii-based soldier has died of non-combat injuries in Iraq.

Pfc. Juctin R. P. McDaniel of Andover, N.H., died Dec. 17 in Baghdad. He sustained the injuries in what the military is calling a non-combat related incident in Taji, Iraq.

The 19-year-old’s work specialty was repairing power generation equipment.

He deployed to Iraq last month.

The Pentagon says the circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

McDaniel was a member of the 524th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, at the 8th Theater Sustainment Command at Fort Shafter.

McDaniel joined the Army in November 2006 and was assigned to Schofield Barracks in April.

Andover soldier dies in Iraq, military cites non-combat incident

The Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. — A 19-year-old soldier from Andover has died in Iraq of non-combat related injuries, the Department of Defense said.

Pfc. Juctin McDaniel died Dec. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat incident in Taji, Iraq, the Pentagon announced in a news release last week. It said the incident was under investigation.

McDaniel was a graduate of Merrimack Valley High School, the Concord Monitor reported. He served in 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, based in Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

McDaniel was a generator mechanic and had deployed to Iraq last month, the Honolulu Advertiser reported. A neighbor told the newspaper that McDaniel joined the Army more than a year ago.

“I didn’t know him well, but I know that he was very, very proud of his military service, and I think that he found a lot of direction having joined the military,” the neighbor, Joy Langtry, said in a phone interview with the Advertiser.

Langtry remembers seeing McDaniel playing basketball with his siblings and helping his stepfather in the garden.

“He was a decent kid and I know that his family felt his going into the Army really, really helped him,” she said.

Army Pfc. George D. Harrison

Died December 2, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old George Harrison, of Knoxville, Tenn.; assigned to the 293rd Military Police Company, 3rd Military Police Battalion (Provisional), 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed Dec. 2 when his Humvee was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Mosul, Iraq.

Fort Stewart honors Knoxville MP killed in Iraq

Associated Press

FORT STEWART, Ga. — Army Spc. George Daniel Harrison helped his fellow military policemen break the tension of constant danger in Iraq with infectious laughter, starting water gun fights and doing his grizzled veteran schtick.

Harrison, 22, of Knoxville, Tenn., was killed Dec. 2 during a firefight in Mosul. But fellow soldiers and family attending a memorial service Wednesday at Fort Stewart remembered the young soldier for his fearless sense of humor.

“He would talk about Vietnam like he was there, back in Nam,” said Spc. Joshua Curl, Harrison’s roommate. “He would buy water guns from the Iraqi kids and come in guns blazing. We acted like a bunch of kids on our downtime, but when it was time for business, everybody was on it.”

Harrison deployed in March with his unit, the 293rd Military Police Company, to help train and acclimate Iraqi police forces. It was hazardous duty, soldiers say, with troops under constant ambush from insurgents.

In Harrison’s honor, Fort Stewart officials planted an eastern redbud tree with a granite stone engraved with his name at its root at the Army post’s Warrior’s Walk memorial.

The lane of trees was begun in 2003 as a living memorial to 3rd Infantry Division soldiers killed in Iraq. Harrison’s tree marks him as the division’s 46th casualty since the invasion of Baghdad.

“I always told him, ‘You’re my hero,”’ said Doug Harrison, the soldier’s father, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Kim, and younger son, Joshua. “Even though we knew he was in harm’s way, you never, ever expect it to be your baby that’s taken away.”

Since the 3rd Infantry deployed 19,000 troops to Iraq for a second combat tour last month, it’s already clear the memorial at Fort Stewart will grow.

The Army announced late Tuesday that three soldiers of the division’s 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment died Sunday when their vehicle overturned in a canal near Balad.

They were identified as Spc. Dakotah L. Gooding, 21, of Des Moines, Iowa; Sgt. Rene Knox, Jr., 22, of New Orleans; and Sgt. Chad W. Lake, 26, of Ocala, Fla. Two other division soldiers were killed Feb. 5 when a roadside bomb exploded into their vehicle.

The night he was killed, Harrison was behind the machine gun of a Humvee when his convoy rushed to offer suppressing fire to U.S. troops under attack by insurgents.

Curl, who rode in another vehicle in the firefight, said an Iraqi bullet ricocheted off the front shield of Harrison’s machine gun and struck him in the chest.

For members of his unit, Harrison’s death hit especially hard because another soldier in his platoon, Spc. Andrew L. Tuazon, was killed in a firefight May 10.

Despite losing his older brother, Joshua Harrison, 20, cracked a smile while he told of a recent conversation with a friend. They were talking about his brother’s sacrifice, and the friend started laughing.

“She said, ‘I know what Dan would say in this situation — Ha, ha! I’m famous.”’

Army Pfc. Michael A. Rogers

Died November 27, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Michael Rogers, of White Sulphur Springs, Mont.; assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Nov. 27, at Forward Operating Base Hammer, east of Baghdad of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident.

An adventurous son of Montana

The Associated Press

Michael Rogers and his older brother grew up going to the Missouri River near their Montana home and catching crawdads.

They would bring the critters back to their mom, who would use them to make homemade gumbo.

Rogers, of White Sulphur Springs, Mont., also loved snowball fights and building snow forts, said his brother, James Westcott, a sergeant in the Marines.

Rogers died Nov. 27 in a noncombat-related incident at Forward Operating Base Hammer, east of Baghdad. He was 23 and assigned to Fort Drum, N.Y.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Private First Class Rodgers,” Brig. Gen. John Walsh said. “There are countless others who are sharing in your loss.”

At a service in Townsend, Mont., Westcott spoke of growing up in the country with his younger brother. When Westcott broke down at one point in the service, an aunt took his written words and read them for Rogers’ family and friends.

“My little brother is on a new adventure now,” Westcott wrote.

Walsh presented Rogers’ family with commendation and good conduct medals during the ceremony.

Rogers is survived by his mother and brother.

Army Pfc. Theron V. Hobbs

Died November 6, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Theron Hobbs, of Albany, Ga.; assigned to the 572nd Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; died Nov. 6 in a motor vehicle accident in Kirkuk, Iraq.

Soldier remembered for dedication to family

The Associated Press

Pfc. Theron V. Hobbs’ wife is expecting their first child in February, a son who will be given his father’s name. And she says she will do everything she can to make sure he knows his father in spirit.

“We have a lot videos and I will show them to him. And I know the people who knew Theron will tell him that his father was a good guy,” said Kimberly Hobbs.

Hobbs, 22, of Albany, Ga., died Nov. 6 in a motor vehicle accident in Kirkuk. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood.

“For the most part we are trying to be strong because he was a cheerful person, and he wouldn’t want us to be all depressed. He would want us to celebrate the right way,” said his wife.

When a caravan of police and sheriff cruisers escorted Hobbs body to the funeral home, his wife said: “I know he is grinning from ear to ear if he could see it. I know he is smiling so hard, like is all this is for me.”

She added: “He loved everybody. He made friends with everybody. And he always did what he had to do to take care of his family.”

Army Pfc. Dwane A. Covert Jr.

Died November 3, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

20 year old Dwane Covert, of Tonawanda, N.Y.; assigned to the 104th Transportation Company, 13th Corps Support Sustainment Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Nov. 3 in Al-Sahra, Iraq, from injuries sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

Buffalo-area soldier dies in Iraq

The Associated Press

TONAWANDA, N.Y. — A 20-year-old soldier who was looking forward to the birth of his daughter was killed in a non-combat explosion in Iraq.

Army Pfc. Dwane Covert Jr. of the Town of Tonawanda joined the Army in 2006 and shipped out to Iraq in October of that year. He was assigned to the 104th Transportation Company, 13th Corps, Support Sustainment Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Ga.

Covert died Saturday in Al-Sahra, Iraq when a cylindrical object he picked up while cleaning up around the base exploded, his mother, Teresa Covert, said.

He was the father of a 22-month-old son and was expecting a daughter in December. He had already named the baby Zoe. He and his wife Jeanette were married in March.

“He was held back from going out on another mission, because he was due back home for the birth of his baby,” Teresa Covert said.

She said her son picked up what appeared to be a caulk gun and was hitting it against a building to knock some dirt off when it exploded.

“Dwane loved his wife and baby. He was so excited about having a baby girl,” the mother said.

Army Pfc. Brian R. Bates Jr.

Died October 27, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Brian Bates, of Gretna, La.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Oct. 27 in Loy Kariz, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

2 Louisiana soldiers among 18 honored by Obama

By Janet McConnaughey

The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Two Louisiana soldiers killed in Afghanistan were among 18 fallen service members honored Thursday by President Barack Obama at the Delaware air force base where their bodies were returned home to the U.S.

The bodies of Sgt. Patrick Williamson, 24, of Broussard, and Pfc. Brian Bates, 20, of Gretna in suburban New Orleans, were on the plane met early Thursday by the president at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

“Brian met the president. And that’s all that matters. I know he would like that,” his wife, Enjolie Bates, said in a telephone interview from Lakewood, Wash. She said Bates loved his job and the Army.

“He liked the idea of fighting for his country. He thought that’s worth it. He believed in it,” she said.

He planned to make the Army his career, said his grandmother, Marlene O’Briant Tully of Gretna.

Both Bates and Williamson were in the Army’s 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry division and were killed Tuesday in Afghanistan, relatives said. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.

Bates drove a Stryker light-armored vehicle, “which he told me was the safest job they had. They hit a bomb. That’s all I know. All seven of them were killed,” Tully said.

Williamson’s father, Leon “Buddy” Williamson, said Thursday that his son recently was promoted to sergeant and was among soldiers in the brigade killed this week in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

Williamson said his son was the first member of his family to enlist.

“At the end of the day, he was doing what he wanted,” Williamson said. “He’s wanted to join the Army and be in the infantry since fifth grade.”

He said he didn’t know what had sparked Patrick Williamson’s interest in the Army.

“Patrick lays claim to a badge of honor that very few people can lay claim to: having served his country honorably and well,” he said. “The rest of us can thank him because while the rest of us enjoy the fruits of freedom, he paid the price for it.”

Enjolie Bates said her husband joined the Army to take care of her and their children, Brylie, a 2½-year-old girl, and Braiden, a 1½-year-old boy.

“Braiden, he just started saying ‘Dada,’“ she said.

Tully said her grandson, whom she raised along with his 17-year-old brother, called her weekly. He talked to her Saturday and to his wife on Monday, she said.

She said Jefferson Parish was honoring him by flying flags at half-staff, and she thought it was a “wonderful thing” that an assigned Army escort would be with him until he is buried.

About the president’s decision to meet the airplane, Tully said, “He ought to be there for every last one of them.” A bit later, she said, “Obama needs to do something. Our kids are just dying. For what? What kind of war is this? We’re not trying to win.”

Army Pfc. Devin J. Michel

Died October 24, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

19 year old Devin Michel, of Stockton, Ill.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Oct. 24 in Zhari district, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Carson service to remember 2 fallen soldiers

The Associated Press

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Fort Carson is holding a memorial service for two of its soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan in separate attacks.

The service Dec. 9 honors 24-year-old Sgt. Eduviges Guadalupe Wolf and 19-year-old Pfc. Devin J. Michel.

Wolf was assigned to the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Michel was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Division, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Wolf died Oct. 25 after a rocket-propelled grenade hit her vehicle. She is survived by two children and a husband who also was serving in Afghanistan.

Michel died Oct. 24 from wounds he suffered when his unit was attacked with an improvised bomb in Zhari province.

Army Pfc. Daniel J. Rivera

Died October 18, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Daniel Rivera, of Rochester, N.Y.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Oct. 18 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

Daniel had a large extended family and wanted to be a role model for his younger niece and cousins. That”s one reason he decided to enter the military as several of his older relatives had.

Family members say the 22-year-old from Rochester, New York, also was not afraid of anything – even death. “He wanted to serve his county, and he was really proud of what he was doing. … He just wanted to make the most of his life,” said his mother, Myrian Rivera. Daniel, a 2005 graduate of Victor High School, enjoyed playing soccer and baseball.

Army Pfc. Christopher A. McCraw

Died October 14, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

23 year old Christopher McCraw, of Columbia, Miss.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Oct. 14 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when he encountered small arms fire while on dismounted patrol.

Slain soldier known for humor

By Nicklaus Lovelady

The (Jackson) Clarion-Ledger

Avon McCraw clearly remembers the last time he talked with his son, Pfc. Christopher McCraw.

“I was talking with him on the cell phone, and he was laughing when it cut out,” said Avon, of Marion County. “That was the last time I got to hear his voice, his laughter.”

Christopher McCraw, 23, died Tuesday in Baghdad from wounds suffered when he encountered small-arms fire while on patrol, according to the Department of Defense.

At least 67 people from Mississippi or with strong ties to the state have died in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Christopher McCraw is the third soldier from Marion County to be killed in Iraq.

“We all knew the danger was there, but I didn’t expect this to happen,” Avon McCraw said. “I’ll probably never get over it, but I don’t want to because he was my child.”

Christopher McCraw comes from a family of soldiers, with Avon’s brothers, Jerry and Monroe, both having served in the Army. Christopher McCraw’s brother also served in Iraq and came home two years ago with post-traumatic stress disorder, a family member said.

Christopher McCraw was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii and was looking forward to coming home from Iraq and marrying the mother of his young son.

There was no mistaking Christopher’s sweet sense of humor, friends said.

“Chris was just a charmer, an all around, happy-go-lucky kid,” said Wendy Bracey, his Sunday school teacher at Woodlawn Pentecostal Church in Columbia. “He was a prankster with a sweet smile. I remember he would always sneak up behind me, then tap me on my shoulder trying to scare me.”

Christopher McCraw called Columbia home until his parents separated as he entered high school. He moved with his mother to North Carolina, where he eventually graduated.

Jerron Carney, 28, of Columbia said Christopher was always loyal to his friends in Mississippi and would always stop by to say hello when he was in town.

On Oct. 1, Christopher McCraw sent Carney a message on MySpace checking in on Carney and his family.

“He was a favorite of mine. He will be missed by a lot of people, and I know I’m one of them,” he said.

A message Christopher McCraw wrote before his death on his MySpace.com page said: “For man hath no greater love than that he would lay down his own life for his friends.”

Avon McCraw said he supported his son’s decision to join the military.

“He loved his job. He was a true soldier,” he said. “He never mentioned anything about being scared, which is why I say he was a soldier.”

‘Happy-go-lucky’ soldier led by example

The Associated Press

From Pfc. Christopher A. McCraw’s childhood to his adult years, those who knew him couldn’t help but be touched by his jovial personality.

“Chris was just a charm an all around happy-go-lucky kid,” said Wendy Bracey, his Sunday school teacher. “He was a prankster with a sweet smile. I remember he would always sneak up behind me then tap me on my shoulder trying to scare me.”

McCraw, 23, of Columbia, Miss., died Oct. 14 of injuries from small-arms fire in Nasar Wa Salam. He was assigned to Schofield Barracks.

“In his unit, he was very respected,” Brig. Gen. Genaro Dellarocco said. “He never accepted defeat. Never left a comrade behind. He set the example for many others in his platoon.”

The Rev. Jerron Carney characterized McCraw as a food aficionado — his favorite dishes being shepherd’s pie, banana pudding and Swiss cake rolls — and a prankster. “If he wasn’t telling a joke, he was pulling a joke.”

He is survived by his 15-month-old son, Issac, and fiancee Brianna Bell.

“He was always a happy kid, a bursting-with-energy-type kid, I guess what you would call a perfect soldier,” said uncle Jerry McCraw.

Army Pfc. William L. Meredith

Died September 21, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

26 year old William Meredith, of Virginia Beach, Va.; assigned to the 569th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Sept. 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Soldier’s enlistment surprised father

The Associated Press

Master Sgt. Lloyd Lee Meredith was a bit surprised when his son, William “Lee” Meredith, called to say he had joined the military.

“Lee is the kindest, gentlest soul I have ever met in my life,” the elder Meredith said. “He never had a hard word for anybody. Would never fight anybody. He was not a fighter. He was very passive.”

It was even more surprising that Lee had chosen a combat specialty. Sandy Mahoney, the mother of Lee Meredith’s best friend Chris, said the timid boy had blossomed after the Army.

“I never saw him stand so tall and proud as in his uniform,” Mahoney said.

Meredith, 26, of Virginia Beach, Va., was killed Sept. 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after enemy forces attacked the vehicle in which he was riding. He was assigned to Fort Carson, Colo.

Mahoney fondly remembered all the times her son spent with Meredith, including the time Meredith lived with her and her son. Chris Mahoney had a bunk bed, and the two would argue over who would get the top bunk.

Now, Meredith was a guy who loved music and playing video games, and had hoped to propose soon to his longtime girlfriend.

“He took life day by day just trying to get by,” Chris Mahoney said of his friend.

Army Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe

Died September 17, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

31 year old Jeremiah Monroe, of Niskayuna, N.Y.; assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Sept. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

‘We were together as one,’ brother says

The Associated Press

Jeremiah Monroe liked to build and fix things, and his brother said he was a master tradesman.

“You name a blue-collar trade, he could do it,” Robert Monroe said of his older brother. Robert Monroe said he had a strong relationship with Jeremiah, forged through the family’s hard times.

“We haven’t had the easiest life. There wasn’t any little brother, big brother,” said Robert Monroe, who also is in the military. “We were together as one.”

Jeremiah Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, N.Y., was killed Sept. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when the vehicle in which he was riding hit a roadside bomb. He was a combat engineer assigned to Fort Drum, N.Y. He joined the Army in March 2008 and was on his first deployment to Afghanistan, Army officials said.

Monroe enjoyed drawing motorcycles and cars, and served as a mentor in the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program, his family said in his obituary.

Monroe’s great-aunt, Netty Manning, said he was well-liked and was happy to use his skills in the military.

“It made him grow up a little bit more,” she said. “He was happy to be there and protecting us and doing what he could protecting his country.”

Monroe is also survived by his daughter, mother and grandmother.

Army Pfc. Matthew M. Martinek

Died September 11, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Matthew Martinek, of DeKalb, Ill.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died Sept. 11 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds sustained in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 4 when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised-explosive device followed by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire.

‘One of those clowns’

The Associated Press

Friends and family say Matthew M. Martinek had a sparkle in his eyes, maybe the seed of the smile he drew out of others.

“If you were in a bad mood, he always did something to cheer you up y’know, one of those clowns,” said Ryne Jones, who worked with him at a car care center in Martinek’s hometown of DeKalb, Ill.

Martinek, 20, died Sept. 11 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds suffered earlier in a roadside ambush in Paktika province.

“He tried not to talk too much about what he was doing, but he said he liked helping people,” said his brother, Travis Wright.

The Bartlett High School football player graduated in 2007 and joined the Army the next year, following a family tradition that included his grandfather, uncle and two older brothers.

His stepmother, Char DeGand, said he loved the outdoors snowboarding, camping, all-terrain vehicles and had an impressive tan for someone stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

She said he was an organ donor, helping to save other soldiers even after his death.

Martinek also is survived by his father, Michael; mother, Cheryl Brandes Ferguson; and brothers Frank and Michael Jr.

Army Pfc. Patrick W. May

Died September 2, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22 year old Patrick May, of Jamestown, N.Y.; assigned to the Division Special Troops Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Sept. 2 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

Private ‘could make anyone smile’

The Associated Press

Patrick W. May’s smile kept coming up when friends remembered him.

“Patrick could make anyone smile,” wrote Silver Cunningham in tribute. “It was so amazing, that no matter how bad of a day you were having, he would make it better. I miss when he would give me a high five in the morning, and always reminded me to smile.’

May, 22, of Jamestown, N.Y., died Sept. 2 in Baghdad of injuries from a noncombat incident. He was assigned to Fort Drum.

May, a Cassadaga Job Corps Academy student, joined the military in June 2006, attending his basic training at Fort Jackson. Upon graduation, he went to Fort Huachuca, where he received advanced training. He is survived by his parents, Rieca and Gary Littrell, and George II and Olga May.

“On behalf of the citizens of New York I wish to extend our condolences to the family of Private First Class May, and to his fellow soldiers from the Army’s 10th Mountain Division serving at home and overseas,” said Gov. David A. Paterson. “Private First Class May’s service to our nation will never be forgotten.”

Army Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu

Died August 31, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

20 year old Jordan Brochu, of Cumberland, Maine; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Spc. Jonathan D. Welch and Spc. Tyler R. Walshe.

Flags lowered in memory of Brochu

The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Maine — Flags in Maine are flying at half-staff Sept. 10 in honor of a soldier from the state who was killed in combat in Afghanistan. Pfc. Jordan Brochu is also being honored with a memorial service in celebration of his life.

Brochu died Aug. 31 from wounds suffered in an improvised explosive device attack. Brochu moved to Maine while he was in high school, and his parents live in Oakland, outside of Waterville.

A memorial service will be held at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Waterville. A service with military honors for family and close friends will follow at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Augusta.

Gov. John Baldacci has ordered U.S. and Maine flags flown at half staff from sunrise to sunset.

Brochu was serving with an infantry battalion out of Fort Lewis, Wash.

Pfc. excelled putting shot, in the kitchen

The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Maine — A soldier from Maine who was killed in Afghanistan was remembered as an outgoing high school student who excelled as an athlete and who loved to cook.

Pfc. Jordan Brochu was killed Aug. 31 in Afghanistan, according to Gov. John Baldacci’s office.

Brochu’s family moved to Maine for his senior year in high school. His coaches at Lake Region High School, where he graduated in 2008, told the Morning Sentinel of Waterville that Brochu played football and qualified for the state track meet as a discus thrower. He also was involved in culinary arts with a fondness for baking cookies.

In one season, Brochu went from not knowing how to throw a discus to having the best form of anyone that Lake Region track coach Chip Morton had coached.

“He was very dedicated and determined to succeed,” Morton said. “It’s hard to look at so short of a life as a success, but he lived life with a passion and he was loved by those who knew him.”

Brochu had been through some tough times in his life, but he was involved in school and fit in well, principal Roger Lowell said.

“To have a kid who goes through that and gets back into school and back on track and has a good senior year isn’t all that common,” Lowell said.

Brochu, 20, was serving with Company C, 1-17th Infantry Battalion of Fort Lewis, Wash. Additional details about his death were not available.

His parents live in Oakland, but they weren’t at their rural farmhouse Tuesday afternoon.

‘Jordan lived a lifetime in 20 years’

The Associated Press

Jordan Brochu got a rough start in life. He was abused and neglected until age 3, said his adoptive mother, Suzanne Brochu.

Overcoming his early childhood horrors was hard, with many setbacks, she said.

As he got older, he poured himself into a variety of activities — fishing, video games, sports, cooking, reading J.R.R. Tolkien books, even poetry writing.

“It was very real,” his former high school guidance counselor, Nancy McClean, said of his writings. “He was very, very good and expressing life, expressing hope.”

Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, Maine, died Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered after his Army unit was attacked with an explosive device. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.

Brochu wrote on his MySpace page that “my life has been hell and no one thought or cared if i would make it.” But he added, “for once my head is held high.”

Brochu, a 2008 graduate of Lake Region Vocational Center, was popular student and athlete. He joined the Army as a way to do some good, McClean said.

His mother and his father, Daniel Brochu, believe he succeeded.

“Jordan lived a lifetime in 20 years,” Suzanne Brochu said. “He started with us broken but he has finished complete. A hero.”

Army Pfc. Eric W. Hario

Died August 29, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

19 year old Eric Hario, of Monroe, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.; died Aug. 29 in Sharana, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when he was shot by enemy forces Aug. 28 while conducting combat operations.

Flags lowered in memory of Hario

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 from Monroe who was killed in Afghanistan.

Granholm’s office says flags should be lowered Sept. 9 for 19-year-old Army Pfc. Eric W. Hario. He died Aug. 28 from injuries sustained from small arms fire in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

Hario was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

Army Pfc. Matthew E. Wildes

Died August 27, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

18 year old Matthew Wildes, of Hammond, La.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Aug. 27 in Maywand, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Soldier’s body returns to U.S.

The Associated Press

HAMMOND, La. — The body of an 18-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan has been returned to his family.

On Sept. 1, Pfc. Matthew Wildes’ flag-draped casket arrived at Top Gun Aviation at the Hammond Airport as a large turnout of friends and family stood by to receive him. Troops carried the coffin to a hearse, which took the body to an area funeral home.

Wildes was killed Aug. 27 when a roadside bomb struck a convoy in Afghanistan. The Pentagon says Wildes was with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, part of Fort Carson’s 4th Infantry Division. The brigade went to Afghanistan in May to patrol a four-province area along the Pakistan border.

On Sept. 3, a graveside service with full military honors will be held at Westchurch Church of Christ in Hammond.

Remembered by colleagues for humorous ticks

The Associated Press

Matthew E. Wildes was known for his sense of humor and carefree attitude.

“Wildes always tried to make everyone laugh with his corny raps and his famous ‘Blue Steel’ look he had mastered,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Nares, referring to the pose struck by Ben Stiller as a model caricature in “Zoolander.”

“You were a great soldier, but an even better friend.”

Wildes, 18, of Hammond, La., was killed Aug. 27 by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.

The teen’s parents tried to talk him out of joining, but he was determined. Wildes earned his GED to join up as soon as possible, in April 2008, said his mother, Mary.

Halfway through basic training, he was sent home with stress fractures — and couldn’t wait to get back with his fellow soldiers.

“He was a sweet kid,” she said. “He didn’t like me saying that, but he was a kid. I treated him like a baby. But he was my baby.”

Mary Wildes talked to him on MySpace the day before he died and told him she loved him — but let him go so he didn’t spend all his allotted 30 minutes on the computer talking to her.

He is survived by his mother; his father, Clint; a brother, also named Clint; and a sister, Jamie Ackan.

Marine Pfc. Donald W. Vincent

Died July 25, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Marine ‘touched a lot of hearts,’ dad says

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Army Pfc. Justin A. Casillas

Died July 4, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Calif. soldier killed by bomb in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

Army Pfc. Jacob A. Dennis

Died July 3, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Fallen private remembered for positive attitude

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Survivors include his parents, a brother and a sister.

Army Pfc. Peter K. Cross

Died June 26, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

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

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

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

Army Pfc. Richard A. Dewater

Died April 15, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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

Soldier lived in Ore., Kan.

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flags in Oregon to be lowered for fallen soldier

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

Had lifelong dream of joining military

The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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