IN MEMORIAM.......These BRAVE Men and Women died.......FOR US
- Thread starter Silky
- Start date
Army Sgt. Melissa Valles (no picture available)
7-9-2003
Army Sgt. Melissa Valles, 26, Eagle Pass, Texas; assigned to Company B, 64th Forward Support Battalion, Fort Carson, Col.; died of non-combat-related injuries July 9 in Balad, Iraq
Here is a story about Melissa:
Fort Carson servicewoman fatally wounded in Iraq
Associated Press
EAGLE PASS, Texas An Army sergeant from Eagle Pass and based at Fort Carson, Colo., has died from a gunshot wound in Iraq, military officials said Friday. She is the second U.S. servicewoman to die in the war.
Sgt. Melissa Valles, 26, died July 9 from non-combat injuries in Balad, according to the Defense Department. The accident was under investigation and details were not released.
Right now, we dont have that much information, said her sister, Maribel Valles, 24, of San Antonio. All we know is that she passed away. We dont know what happened.
Melissa Valles was with the headquarters detachment of 64th Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Carson officials said.
She is Fort Carsons 12th fatality in Iraq and the bases first female soldier to die there.
We know it is a gunshot wound to the abdomen. We just dont know the circumstances, said Lt. Col. Tom Budzyna, base spokesman.
Family members, mother Marianita Valles, 50, and stepfather Carlos Gomez, were notified about 5 a.m. Wednesday, Maribel Valles said. My mothers pretty upset, Maribel Valles said.
Melissa Valles talked to her mother Sunday but did not indicate when she would be returning from Iraq.
Since the war had ended, we were not expecting this, Maribel Valles said. I saw her as big sister and my best friend.
Melissa Valles graduated from Eagle Pass High School in 1995 with honors and played on the basketball team.
She was in the military six years and had just re-enlisted for an additional two years, Maribel Valles said. She was dedicated to the Army; she did a lot in so little time.
Melissa Valles had been stationed in Iraq for about three months.
Lt. Col. Cynthia Colin, a Pentagon spokeswoman, confirmed that Valles was the second U.S. servicewoman to die in Iraq.
The first was Pfc. Lori Piestewa, 22, of Tuba City, Ariz., who was killed March 23 when the 507th Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Texas, near El Paso, Texas, was ambushed March 23 near the southern Iraq riverfront city of Nasiriyah. Piestewa was with Pfc. Jessica Lynch when their Humvee crashed into another vehicle.
Adam
7-9-2003
Army Sgt. Melissa Valles, 26, Eagle Pass, Texas; assigned to Company B, 64th Forward Support Battalion, Fort Carson, Col.; died of non-combat-related injuries July 9 in Balad, Iraq
Here is a story about Melissa:
Fort Carson servicewoman fatally wounded in Iraq
Associated Press
EAGLE PASS, Texas An Army sergeant from Eagle Pass and based at Fort Carson, Colo., has died from a gunshot wound in Iraq, military officials said Friday. She is the second U.S. servicewoman to die in the war.
Sgt. Melissa Valles, 26, died July 9 from non-combat injuries in Balad, according to the Defense Department. The accident was under investigation and details were not released.
Right now, we dont have that much information, said her sister, Maribel Valles, 24, of San Antonio. All we know is that she passed away. We dont know what happened.
Melissa Valles was with the headquarters detachment of 64th Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Carson officials said.
She is Fort Carsons 12th fatality in Iraq and the bases first female soldier to die there.
We know it is a gunshot wound to the abdomen. We just dont know the circumstances, said Lt. Col. Tom Budzyna, base spokesman.
Family members, mother Marianita Valles, 50, and stepfather Carlos Gomez, were notified about 5 a.m. Wednesday, Maribel Valles said. My mothers pretty upset, Maribel Valles said.
Melissa Valles talked to her mother Sunday but did not indicate when she would be returning from Iraq.
Since the war had ended, we were not expecting this, Maribel Valles said. I saw her as big sister and my best friend.
Melissa Valles graduated from Eagle Pass High School in 1995 with honors and played on the basketball team.
She was in the military six years and had just re-enlisted for an additional two years, Maribel Valles said. She was dedicated to the Army; she did a lot in so little time.
Melissa Valles had been stationed in Iraq for about three months.
Lt. Col. Cynthia Colin, a Pentagon spokeswoman, confirmed that Valles was the second U.S. servicewoman to die in Iraq.
The first was Pfc. Lori Piestewa, 22, of Tuba City, Ariz., who was killed March 23 when the 507th Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Texas, near El Paso, Texas, was ambushed March 23 near the southern Iraq riverfront city of Nasiriyah. Piestewa was with Pfc. Jessica Lynch when their Humvee crashed into another vehicle.
Adam
Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault (no picture available)
7-9-2003
Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault, 20, of Moreno Valley, Calif.; assigned to 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed in a vehicle accident in Kuwait July 9.
A former high school football player, Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault had planned to join the football team at the Marine base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and to study computer programming in college. But his mother said he hadnt been looking too far into the future.
Jason was the type of person that didnt make long-term plans, said Mary Carriere of Moreno Valley, Calif. His theory was: You never know what life is going to throw at you.
Tetrault, 20, died July 9 in a car accident in Kuwait.
Seeking new challenges, Tetrault decided he would join the Marines the summer before his senior year in high school, his mother said. She and her husband, Raymond, come from military families and supported his decision to enlist.
Weve always left that up to the kids, but weve also let them know that, as an American, you should serve your country if youre able to.
Tetrault had been looking forward to coming home on leave and was already planning out his month of leave back in Moreno Valley. He wanted to go bungee jumping and skydiving and couldnt wait to see the Pacific Ocean again, his mother said. He didnt like having to sit; he liked to go, liked to play, Carriere said. He was just always on the move.
Adam
7-9-2003
Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault, 20, of Moreno Valley, Calif.; assigned to 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed in a vehicle accident in Kuwait July 9.
A former high school football player, Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault had planned to join the football team at the Marine base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and to study computer programming in college. But his mother said he hadnt been looking too far into the future.
Jason was the type of person that didnt make long-term plans, said Mary Carriere of Moreno Valley, Calif. His theory was: You never know what life is going to throw at you.
Tetrault, 20, died July 9 in a car accident in Kuwait.
Seeking new challenges, Tetrault decided he would join the Marines the summer before his senior year in high school, his mother said. She and her husband, Raymond, come from military families and supported his decision to enlist.
Weve always left that up to the kids, but weve also let them know that, as an American, you should serve your country if youre able to.
Tetrault had been looking forward to coming home on leave and was already planning out his month of leave back in Moreno Valley. He wanted to go bungee jumping and skydiving and couldnt wait to see the Pacific Ocean again, his mother said. He didnt like having to sit; he liked to go, liked to play, Carriere said. He was just always on the move.
Adam
7-9-2003
Army Sgt. Roger D. Rowe, 54, of Bon Aqua, Tenn.; assigned to the 1174th Troop Command, in Columbia, Tenn.; killed in an enemy sniper attack July 9 in Iraq.
Here is a story about Roger:
Service for Tennessee Guardsman killed in Iraq slated for July 18
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Sgt. Roger Rowe, a Tennessee National Guardsman killed by a sniper in Iraq earlier this month, will be memorialized Friday.
Rowe, 54, of Bon Aqua, died July 9 during an ambush of a convoy in which he was driving a fuel tanker truck.
Rowe, who served two years in Vietnam and volunteered for the Gulf War but wasnt called up, was a member of Detachment 1, 771st Maintenance Company in Hohenwald. However, he was serving in Iraq with the 1174th Transportation Company from Dresden and Newbern because of his experience driving a truck.
Rowe had served in an Army medical unit during Vietnam and spent 17 years in the National Guard.
Visitation was scheduled from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday and again Friday morning at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens, with the funeral set for 1 p.m. CDT Friday at Harpeth Hills Memory Chapel.
Losing a Tennessee soldier is like losing a family member. Lets join together and honor a hero who died to keep us safe, the family said in a written statement Thursday.
Sergeant Rowe will receive posthumously the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
Adam
7-9-2003
Army Sgt. 1st Class Dan H. Gabrielson, 39, of Spooner, Wis.; assigned to the 652nd Engineer Company, Army Reserve, Ellsworth, Wis.; killed by hostile fire July 9 in Ba Qubah, Iraq, while traveling in a convoy.
It is comforting to know there are so many people we have never met before who care and are grateful for the sacrifices of women and men like my father, so we can live in a country where we can proclaim liberty and justice for all, Vanessa Gabrielson, the oldest daughter of Sgt. Dan Gabrielson, said at his funeral.
Sgt. Gabrielson was killed July 9 when his convoy came under attack north of Baghdad.
Gabrielson, a sergeant in the Army Reserves, was a member of the 652nd Engineer Co., which specializes in building bridges. Garbrielson repaired construction equipment and was riding in the last vehicle in the convoy during the attack.
Adam
Army Spc. Christian C. Schulz (no picture available)
7-11-2003
Army Spc. Christian C. Schulz, 20, of Colleyville, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Troop, 67th Armor Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; died July 11 as a result of non-combat injuries in Baqubah, Iraq.
Adam
7-11-2003
Army Spc. Christian C. Schulz, 20, of Colleyville, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Troop, 67th Armor Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; died July 11 as a result of non-combat injuries in Baqubah, Iraq.
Adam
Army Spc. Joshua M. Neusche (no photo available)
7-12-2003
Army Spc. Joshua M. Neusche, 20, of Montreal, Mo.; assigned to the 203rd Engineer Battalion, in Joplin, Mo.; died from a non-combat related cause in Homburg Hospital, Germany, on July 12.
For Spc. Joshua M. Neusches family, there was at least some comfort in being able to see him just before he died.
Neusche, 20, of Montreal, Mo., died July 12 at a hospital in Germany from what was diagnosed as pneumonia contracted earlier in Iraq. He was an Army Reservist based in Joplin, Mo.
Monique Willcut, Neusches cousin, said Neusches parents arrived in Germany a few days before his death, as doctors were trying stabilize him so he could be flown to a hospital in the United States.
He never made it [to the United States], Willcut said. But at least my aunt, uncle and cousin Jacob made it in time and were able to be with him before he died.
Some 650 soldiers in Neusches unit each gave $10 to pay for the familys airfare and expenses in Germany. It was so nice of them to do that, Willcut said. If they hadnt, my cousin would have died all alone.
Adam
7-12-2003
Army Spc. Joshua M. Neusche, 20, of Montreal, Mo.; assigned to the 203rd Engineer Battalion, in Joplin, Mo.; died from a non-combat related cause in Homburg Hospital, Germany, on July 12.
For Spc. Joshua M. Neusches family, there was at least some comfort in being able to see him just before he died.
Neusche, 20, of Montreal, Mo., died July 12 at a hospital in Germany from what was diagnosed as pneumonia contracted earlier in Iraq. He was an Army Reservist based in Joplin, Mo.
Monique Willcut, Neusches cousin, said Neusches parents arrived in Germany a few days before his death, as doctors were trying stabilize him so he could be flown to a hospital in the United States.
He never made it [to the United States], Willcut said. But at least my aunt, uncle and cousin Jacob made it in time and were able to be with him before he died.
Some 650 soldiers in Neusches unit each gave $10 to pay for the familys airfare and expenses in Germany. It was so nice of them to do that, Willcut said. If they hadnt, my cousin would have died all alone.
Adam
7-13-2003
Army Capt. Paul J. Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg, Mich.; assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Wis.; died July 13 as a result of non-combat injuries at Camp Babylon, Iraq.
Paul J. Cassidy had made a life out of helping people in troubled regions. His mission to Iraq with the Army Reserves was similar to previous duties in Kosovo, Bosnia and Kuwait, where he distributed food and blankets and helped reconstruct power grids, improve phone lines, re-establish farms, provide water and repair houses.
He was basically in there to help people, doing humanitarian deeds, the nice things, said Meridian Township, Mich., clerk Mary Helmbrecht.
Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg, Mich., died July 13 as a result of non-combat injuries in Iraq.
Helmbrecht said Cassidys involvement with the humanitarian aspects of war and his dedication to his work reflected his personality.
He had an outstanding dry wit, she said. He was just an incredibly dedicated, detail-oriented, phenomenal employee.
Adam
7-13-2003
Army Sgt. Jaror C. Puello-Coronado, 36, of Pocono Summit, Pa.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 310th Military Police Battalion, in Uniondale, N.Y.; killed in a traffic accident July 13 at Camp Edson, Iraq. Puello-Coronado was manning a traffic point when the operator of a dump truck lost control of the vehicle and struck him.
Sgt. Jaror C. Puello-Coronado died a hero, his widow said.
The military policeman was hit July 13 by a speeding, out-of-control dump truck after he pushed another soldier out of its path, Sandra Puello said. He saved someone elses life, she said.
Puello-Coronado, 36, of Pocono Summit, Pa., was sent to Iraq in April. The couple and their three children moved to the Poconos from Jersey City, N.J., following the Sept. 11 attacks.
We saw the World Trade Center burning from our bedroom window, Sandra Puello said. We decided it was time to get out of there.
Puello-Coronado, who worked as a security officer for TSA, a private security company, was born in the Dominican Republic and moved with his family to Brooklyn, N.Y., as a young boy. He served in the Army, either on active duty or in the reserves, for more than half his life.
He loved being a soldier, said Ana Puello, his older sister. The only consolation we have is that he died doing something he loved, something he enjoyed.
Adam
7-14-2003
Army Sgt. Michael T. Crockett, 27, of Soperton, Ga.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed July 14 in Baghdad when his patrol came under attack by rocket-propelled grenade.
Here is a story about Michael:
Middle Georgian killed in Iraq ambush
Associated Press
SOPERTON, Ga A middle Georgia soldier was killed during an ambush while he was on night patrol at the Baghdad airport in Iraq, the Department of Defense said Tuesday.
Army Sgt. Michael Tyrone Crockett, 27, of Soperton, was returning from an overnight patrol Monday when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades. Ten other soldiers in the convoy were wounded, three seriously.
Crockett was in a 2½-ton truck that was hit by a grenade, said his wife, Tracey Crockett, who had talked to Army officials. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division based out of Fort Stewart.
She found out her husband had been killed when soldiers knocked on her door in Soperton on Monday, just hours after she had received a dozen red roses sent overseas from her husband.
He always sent me red roses, she said Tuesday. He loved to spoil me, and after his son was born, he spoiled him, too.
The 3½-year-old boy, Michael Tyrone Crockett Jr., helped comfort Tracey Crockett while they spent time with her parents in Tomball, Texas, she said.
Crockett was the 36th soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) to be killed in Iraq. Hes the 32nd American soldier killed in hostile action since President Bush declared an end to major fighting.
The 3rd Infantry Division sent 16,500 soldiers to Iraq from Georgia bases, and it has lost more troops than any other American military unit.
Hes believed to be the first person from middle Georgia to die in the war in Iraq.
His mother, Maxine Crockett, sent her son off to war in December with a hug and a kiss.
He told me he was too old for that, but he kissed me, she said. I told him we werent going to say goodbye, were going to say, See you later.
So he said, See you later.
Adam
Marine Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin (no photo available)
7-15-2003
Marine Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin, 18, of Santee, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died in an accident July 15 in Babylon, Iraq. Geurin was standing post on a palace roof when he fell approximately 60 feet.
Ever since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Cory Ryan Geurin wanted to be a Marine.
He said, Mom, theyre messin with my country and I wont let it happen, said his mother, Darlene Geurin of Santee, Calif.
He signed his enlistment papers two months after the terrorist attacks and before he even finished high school, where he was captain and most valuable player of the wrestling team during his senior year.
Geurin died July 15 when he fell about 60 feet from the roof of a palace in Babylon, Iraq, where he had been standing guard.
He had called home the morning of his death to say he planned to stay in the Marines after his tour in Iraq. He was so proud of himself, his mother said. He believed in what he was doing. He was a leader.
Adam
7-15-2003
Marine Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin, 18, of Santee, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died in an accident July 15 in Babylon, Iraq. Geurin was standing post on a palace roof when he fell approximately 60 feet.
Ever since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Cory Ryan Geurin wanted to be a Marine.
He said, Mom, theyre messin with my country and I wont let it happen, said his mother, Darlene Geurin of Santee, Calif.
He signed his enlistment papers two months after the terrorist attacks and before he even finished high school, where he was captain and most valuable player of the wrestling team during his senior year.
Geurin died July 15 when he fell about 60 feet from the roof of a palace in Babylon, Iraq, where he had been standing guard.
He had called home the morning of his death to say he planned to stay in the Marines after his tour in Iraq. He was so proud of himself, his mother said. He believed in what he was doing. He was a leader.
Adam
7-16-2003
Army Spc. Ramon Reyes Torres, 29, Caguas, Puerto Rico; assigned to the 432nd Transportation Company, Cieba, Puerto Rico; killed July 16 in Baghdad as he sought cover from a passing truck that contained a command-detonated device.
Spc. Ramon Reyes Torres was the pride of his grandfather, who was a soldier for 24 years and died in June.
His military career was very important to him, said Ramons brother, Carlos Reyes. He was the only military grandson that Carmelo Reyes had.
Reyes, 29, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, died July 16 in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq. He was buried in the family tomb, next to his grandfather.
Carlos Reyes described his brother as a tremendous person, a humble man, hardworking, very dedicated to his work.
Reyes, who enlisted when he was 18 and was based at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico, is survived by a wife and three children.
Adam
Army Sgt. Mason Douglas Whetstone (no picture available)
7-17-2003
Army Sgt. Mason Douglas Whetstone, 30, of Ogden, Utah; assigned to the 3d Battalion, 58th Aviation (Forward), Hanau, Germany; killed as a result of non-combat injuries on July 17 in Baghdad.
Mason Douglas Whetstone was born at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and graduated in 1990 from Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska, where his mother lives.
He served in the Army from 1990 to 1994 and re-enlisted in August 1999.
Adam
7-17-2003
Army Sgt. Mason Douglas Whetstone, 30, of Ogden, Utah; assigned to the 3d Battalion, 58th Aviation (Forward), Hanau, Germany; killed as a result of non-combat injuries on July 17 in Baghdad.
Mason Douglas Whetstone was born at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and graduated in 1990 from Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska, where his mother lives.
He served in the Army from 1990 to 1994 and re-enlisted in August 1999.
Adam
7-17-2003
Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class David J. Moreno, 26, of Gering, Neb.; assigned to the Naval Medical Center San Diego, 4th Marine Division Detachment; killed by a non-hostile gunshot wound July 17 in Hamishiyah, Iraq.
Here is a story about David:
Moreno eulogized as a rich man for his good works
Associated Press
GERING, Neb. The Rev. Gerald Harr told the family of David J. Moreno that they should take comfort in knowing the Navy hospital corpsmans accomplishments will endure forever.
Moreno was buried just a few feet from his grandparents graves as a large group of family and friends gathered to remember the petty officer third class.
Moreno, 26, died July 17 in Iraq of an accidental gunshot wound. As weapons were being unloaded after a mission, one of the weapons discharged, instantly killing him.
During Morenos funeral at Christ the King Catholic Church, Harr drew a parallel between Moreno and Gen. George Patton, who often talked about how much he loved war.
Harr said there is something in the human spirit that longs for greatness, and war seems to be a vehicle to draw greatness from an individual.
He was a rich young man, Harr said. D.J.s joy came as a Navy medic, and when he delivered a baby it was part of a holy presence.
Harr said there is no greater love than to give ones life for his friends, and the priest asked the family members to hold strong with their faith.
Naval and Marine Reserve units presented military honors, including a color guard and rifle squad from Cheyenne, Wyo.
Moreno, who was assigned to the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, lived in Gering for a brief time after graduating from Lincoln Southeast High School before enlisting in the Navy.
Morenos commander, chief hospital corpsman Paul Jones, presented a folded flag to Morenos mother, Yolanda, who was surrounded by her family.
Moreno will be memorialized at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, where a new pediatric wing will be named in his honor, family members said after the service.
Nebraska Lt. Gov. David Heineman and Maj. Gen. Roger Lempke, adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard, offered words of comfort to the Moreno family. Gov. Mike Johanns visited with the family Saturday while in town for another occasion.
Moreno was the third Nebraskan killed in the war in Iraq.
Adam
My heart breaks more and more with each post. Joel (below) left behind a 10 month old son.
Army Spc. Joel. L. Bertoldie
7-18-2003
Army Spc. Joel. L. Bertoldie, 20, of Independence, Mo.; assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 4-64 Armor Battalion, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died when an explosive device detonated beneath the vehicle he was driving, throwing him from it, July 18 in Fallujah, Iraq.
Joel L. Bertoldie sent an e-mail to his family from Iraq, talking about how much he looked forward to coming home. He missed his family, said his mother, Debi.
Hours after sending that note, Bertoldie died killed July 18 when a bomb detonated beneath his vehicle. The 20-year-old from Independence, Mo., was stationed at Fort Stewart.
Bertoldie had made good grades in high school and wanted to become a marine biologist, said his grandmother, Judy Hampshire. She remembers him as a bright, outgoing kid who loved riding self-propelled skis and teasing his grandparents over why his favorite team the Dallas Cowboys was so much better than the Kansas City Chiefs.
He was just pretty happy-go-lucky. If he wanted to do something, he did it. He didnt hold back. said Debi Bertoldie.
He is survived by a 10-month-old son, Jesse.
7-18-2003
Army Spc. Joel. L. Bertoldie, 20, of Independence, Mo.; assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 4-64 Armor Battalion, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died when an explosive device detonated beneath the vehicle he was driving, throwing him from it, July 18 in Fallujah, Iraq.
Joel L. Bertoldie sent an e-mail to his family from Iraq, talking about how much he looked forward to coming home. He missed his family, said his mother, Debi.
Hours after sending that note, Bertoldie died killed July 18 when a bomb detonated beneath his vehicle. The 20-year-old from Independence, Mo., was stationed at Fort Stewart.
Bertoldie had made good grades in high school and wanted to become a marine biologist, said his grandmother, Judy Hampshire. She remembers him as a bright, outgoing kid who loved riding self-propelled skis and teasing his grandparents over why his favorite team the Dallas Cowboys was so much better than the Kansas City Chiefs.
He was just pretty happy-go-lucky. If he wanted to do something, he did it. He didnt hold back. said Debi Bertoldie.
He is survived by a 10-month-old son, Jesse.
Army Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier (no picture available)
7-19-2003
Army Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier, 25, Katy, Texas; assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, of the 1st Armored Division, deployed from Fort Riley, Kan.; killed while providing security at a bank when his unit came under attack July 19 in Baghdad.
Here is a story about Jonathan:
Friends, comrades at funeral celebrate Roziers life
Associated Press
KATY, Texas Family members and friends of the fifth Houston-area serviceman to die in Iraq have remembered his heroism on the battlefield and his leadership as a family man and Texas A&M University graduate.
As relatives of Army Lt. Jonathan Rozier recalled the soldiers life, several hundred mourners at his funeral wiped away their tears and replaced them with smiles on July 30. In attendance were Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels and Katy Mayor Doyle Callender.
Three days after Roziers 25th birthday, he died in Baghdad when his unit was attacked by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire outside a municipal building, according to the Defense Department. The soldier was with B Company, 270th Armor Battalion, 1st Armored Division from Fort Riley, Kan.
During services at First Baptist Church in Katy, mourners were led in a rendition of The Spirit of Aggieland. Rozier, a recipient of the Bronze Star for valor, graduated from Texas A&M in 2001.
Members of A&Ms Corps of Cadets paid tribute to Rozier by crouching and yelling Whoop! A standing ovation followed when the Rev. Tommy Alford, in the eulogy, encouraged everyone to stand and applaud Roziers life.
Rozier was remembered as a home-schooled straight arrow who married the first girl he ever dated. Family also recalled how enjoyed taking things apart.
David Rozier said his son as the kind of boy who actually read the manuals for VCRs and once suffered a bad cut while in trying to find out how a food processor works.
Roziers mother, Barbara Rozier, said her relationship with Jesus Christ has helped her deal the unbearable pain of losing her son.
Jonathan is dancing in heaven, she said. Hes gone on ahead, so for now were going to say goodbye.
Rozier is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their 9-month-old son, Justin.
Jessica Rozier read from the citation that awarded her husband a Bronze Star, which he received for his actions during a March 31 battle at Al Hillah. Roziers platoon of tanks came under enemy fire and he put his tanks between the foot soldiers and the enemy, destroying the attackers with textbook tactics, the citation said.
Rozier also received a Bronze Star for meritorious service and the Purple Heart for his wounds.
Jessica Rozier laid a red rose on his flag-draped casket before leaving the church.
He was buried at Houston National Cemetery, where an honor guard from Fort Sam Houston lifted the flag and held it aloft as a salute was fired and Taps was played.
Two Apache helicopters from a National Guard unit at Ellington Field roared overhead.
WHOOP! to you Jonathan
Adam
7-19-2003
Army Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier, 25, Katy, Texas; assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, of the 1st Armored Division, deployed from Fort Riley, Kan.; killed while providing security at a bank when his unit came under attack July 19 in Baghdad.
Here is a story about Jonathan:
Friends, comrades at funeral celebrate Roziers life
Associated Press
KATY, Texas Family members and friends of the fifth Houston-area serviceman to die in Iraq have remembered his heroism on the battlefield and his leadership as a family man and Texas A&M University graduate.
As relatives of Army Lt. Jonathan Rozier recalled the soldiers life, several hundred mourners at his funeral wiped away their tears and replaced them with smiles on July 30. In attendance were Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels and Katy Mayor Doyle Callender.
Three days after Roziers 25th birthday, he died in Baghdad when his unit was attacked by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire outside a municipal building, according to the Defense Department. The soldier was with B Company, 270th Armor Battalion, 1st Armored Division from Fort Riley, Kan.
During services at First Baptist Church in Katy, mourners were led in a rendition of The Spirit of Aggieland. Rozier, a recipient of the Bronze Star for valor, graduated from Texas A&M in 2001.
Members of A&Ms Corps of Cadets paid tribute to Rozier by crouching and yelling Whoop! A standing ovation followed when the Rev. Tommy Alford, in the eulogy, encouraged everyone to stand and applaud Roziers life.
Rozier was remembered as a home-schooled straight arrow who married the first girl he ever dated. Family also recalled how enjoyed taking things apart.
David Rozier said his son as the kind of boy who actually read the manuals for VCRs and once suffered a bad cut while in trying to find out how a food processor works.
Roziers mother, Barbara Rozier, said her relationship with Jesus Christ has helped her deal the unbearable pain of losing her son.
Jonathan is dancing in heaven, she said. Hes gone on ahead, so for now were going to say goodbye.
Rozier is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their 9-month-old son, Justin.
Jessica Rozier read from the citation that awarded her husband a Bronze Star, which he received for his actions during a March 31 battle at Al Hillah. Roziers platoon of tanks came under enemy fire and he put his tanks between the foot soldiers and the enemy, destroying the attackers with textbook tactics, the citation said.
Rozier also received a Bronze Star for meritorious service and the Purple Heart for his wounds.
Jessica Rozier laid a red rose on his flag-draped casket before leaving the church.
He was buried at Houston National Cemetery, where an honor guard from Fort Sam Houston lifted the flag and held it aloft as a salute was fired and Taps was played.
Two Apache helicopters from a National Guard unit at Ellington Field roared overhead.
WHOOP! to you Jonathan
Adam
Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Willoughby (no picture available)
7-20-2003
Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Willoughby, 29, of Phenix City, Ala.; assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Gillem, Ga.; died on July 20 while riding in a vehicle that rolled over in Baghdad.
Before being called to active duty with the National Guard, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Willoughby was preparing for a bright future as an accountant.
He graduated from Auburn University in 2002 with an accounting degree, and one of his professors said he excelled in her rigorous class on advanced accounting topics. He was a quiet student, but a favorite with classmates.
The students all liked him. They loved working with him on group projects, professor Arlette Wilson said. He was just a good guy.
Willoughby, 29, of Phenix City, Ala., died July 20 when the vehicle he was traveling in overturned in Baghdad. He was with a military intelligence battalion in the Army National Guard.
Its a shame, Wilson said. Were losing our best and our brightest.
Adam
7-20-2003
Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Willoughby, 29, of Phenix City, Ala.; assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Gillem, Ga.; died on July 20 while riding in a vehicle that rolled over in Baghdad.
Before being called to active duty with the National Guard, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Willoughby was preparing for a bright future as an accountant.
He graduated from Auburn University in 2002 with an accounting degree, and one of his professors said he excelled in her rigorous class on advanced accounting topics. He was a quiet student, but a favorite with classmates.
The students all liked him. They loved working with him on group projects, professor Arlette Wilson said. He was just a good guy.
Willoughby, 29, of Phenix City, Ala., died July 20 when the vehicle he was traveling in overturned in Baghdad. He was with a military intelligence battalion in the Army National Guard.
Its a shame, Wilson said. Were losing our best and our brightest.
Adam
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