Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz, 21, of Federalsburg, Md.; assigned to 2nd Medical Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 7 in a helicopter crash in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (Petty Officer 1st Class) Gilbert Minjares Jr., Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba and Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina.
HE WAS A TALENTED ARTIST
His mother, Lisa Ruiz, described him as a “very outgoing” man who loved running. He attended Colonel Richardson High School in Federalsburg, joined the Navy three years ago and was just two weeks into his second tour in Iraq, she said.
“I spoke with him last week,” she said. “He was saying how much he loved his job, what he was doing.”
At Ruiz’s former high school, the news of his death was met with an immediate, stricken silence when it was announced over the school intercom the morning of Feb. 8. Many students at the small Eastern Shore school enter the service after they graduate and several others have friends and relatives who are shipping out to Iraq, school officials said.
“He was just a wonderful young man who was excited when he graduated to be going to serve his country,” said Christine Handy-Collins, the school’s principal.
Ruiz, who graduated in 2003, had been back to the school several times in his dress whites on recruiting tours, said Marjorie Scott, his former art teacher.
“The kids really respected him,” she said.
But she remembered the young man they called “Manny” most for his talent as an artist.
“When Manny would pick up a pencil and he would draw, there was so much feeling, so much emotion, so much power in his drawing — he could make a pencil and paper sing,” Scott said.
He planned to continue his studies at the Art Institute of Washington after the service, Scott said. And on a visit last spring, he showed her photos of a mural he was painting on his barracks wall in Iraq.
“So you see, he carried his talent not just through school but in the service,” she said.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Maryland's Sixty-Third Hero
Marine Cpl. Jennifer M. Parcell, 20, of Bel Air, Md.; assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Feb. 7 while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
SHE DIED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE "LIONESS" PROGRAM OF CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
A photograph on Marine Cpl. Jennifer Parcell’s MySpace profile shows the 20-year-old landing support specialist wearing a white sweater, a grin stretched across her face. The Bel Air, Md., native shared random thoughts about her life in Okinawa, Japan, her words captured in a bright pink font. Scrawled across the top of her page next to her photo is the phrase “Going to be chillin’ in Iraq for awhile.”
The last day she logged in was Jan. 29.
Parcell was killed in Iraq’s Anbar province a few weeks shy of her return to Okinawa. The noncommissioned officer, whose MySpace profile noted her love of the TV show “Desperate Housewives,” joined a unit Feb. 1 responsible for searching Iraqi women at military checkpoints.
Six days later, Parcell was killed when an Iraqi woman she was searching detonated an explosive vest.
The day after Parcell’s death, her friend Michelle Wolff said goodbye.
“Even though you can’t read this, I just wanted to say that I love you and I miss you like crazy,” wrote Wolff, 23. “You are my bestest! I always remember the good times we had, and all the stupid stuff we did together. You will always be in my heart and mind. R.I.P. Jen!!”
[And about herself, she wrote:]
"I think that I'm overall a pretty small person. I love to have fun doing nothing at all. Specailly [sic] just chillen with good friends. I love Yoga! But mostly I lay around and watch movies. Yes I am in the Marine Corps, but its a lot of fun sometimes."
SHE DIED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE "LIONESS" PROGRAM OF CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
A photograph on Marine Cpl. Jennifer Parcell’s MySpace profile shows the 20-year-old landing support specialist wearing a white sweater, a grin stretched across her face. The Bel Air, Md., native shared random thoughts about her life in Okinawa, Japan, her words captured in a bright pink font. Scrawled across the top of her page next to her photo is the phrase “Going to be chillin’ in Iraq for awhile.”
The last day she logged in was Jan. 29.
Parcell was killed in Iraq’s Anbar province a few weeks shy of her return to Okinawa. The noncommissioned officer, whose MySpace profile noted her love of the TV show “Desperate Housewives,” joined a unit Feb. 1 responsible for searching Iraqi women at military checkpoints.
Six days later, Parcell was killed when an Iraqi woman she was searching detonated an explosive vest.
The day after Parcell’s death, her friend Michelle Wolff said goodbye.
“Even though you can’t read this, I just wanted to say that I love you and I miss you like crazy,” wrote Wolff, 23. “You are my bestest! I always remember the good times we had, and all the stupid stuff we did together. You will always be in my heart and mind. R.I.P. Jen!!”
[And about herself, she wrote:]
"I think that I'm overall a pretty small person. I love to have fun doing nothing at all. Specailly [sic] just chillen with good friends. I love Yoga! But mostly I lay around and watch movies. Yes I am in the Marine Corps, but its a lot of fun sometimes."
Maryland's Sixty-Second Hero
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Roger W. Haller, 49, of Davidsonville, Md.; assigned to the 70th Regiment, Regional Training Institute — Maryland, Maryland Army National Guard, Reisterstown, Md.; died in Baghdad on Jan. 20 when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Col. Brian D. Allgood, Staff Sgt. Darryl D. Booker, Sgt. 1st Class John G. Brown, Lt. Col. David C. Canegata, Command Sgt. Maj. Marilyn L. Gabbard, Col. Paul M. Kelly, Staff Sgt. Floyd E. Lake, Cpl. Victor M. Langarica, Capt. Sean E. Lyerly, Maj. Michael V. Taylor and 1st Sgt. William T. Warren.
HE WAS ALWAYS FIXING OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS
A high-ranking soldier in the Maryland Army National Guard who taught classes at the guard’s training academy at Camp Fretterd was one of 12 soldiers killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed northeast of Baghdad, family members said Jan. 23.
His family was notified the evening of Jan. 21 that he was killed in the previous day’s crash, said his daughters, Morgan Haller and Kathryn Haller, both of Cambridge.
“He was so excited. He still asked us if it was OK. I said, ‘It’s something you love, I’m not going to tell you no,’” Morgan Haller said. “We knew what the consequences were in him being over there. When you grow up in a military life your whole life, you know those things can happen, and you’re better prepared for it than most people.”
“He just said he was going over there to fix other people’s messes, and that’s about it,” Morgan Haller said. “He always went to places to fix other people’s problems.”
HE WAS ALWAYS FIXING OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS
A high-ranking soldier in the Maryland Army National Guard who taught classes at the guard’s training academy at Camp Fretterd was one of 12 soldiers killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed northeast of Baghdad, family members said Jan. 23.
His family was notified the evening of Jan. 21 that he was killed in the previous day’s crash, said his daughters, Morgan Haller and Kathryn Haller, both of Cambridge.
“He was so excited. He still asked us if it was OK. I said, ‘It’s something you love, I’m not going to tell you no,’” Morgan Haller said. “We knew what the consequences were in him being over there. When you grow up in a military life your whole life, you know those things can happen, and you’re better prepared for it than most people.”
“He just said he was going over there to fix other people’s messes, and that’s about it,” Morgan Haller said. “He always went to places to fix other people’s problems.”
Maryland's Sixty-First Hero
Army Spc. Eric T. Caldwell, 22, of Salisbury, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 7 in Iraq of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.
HE BELIEVED IN WHAT HE WAS DOING
As family and friends of a fallen soldier escorted his casket to a nearby hearse Monday, more than 60 men and women gathered on the grounds of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church to wave American flags and pay their respects.
“He died doing what he believed in,” his father, Brian A. Caldwell of Pennsylvania, said earlier this month.
Following the service, Caldwell’s body was taken to Arlington National Cemetery for interment.
As pallbearers carried the casket from the sanctuary, Salisbury resident Chris Lewis saluted the man who served his country for more than two years.
“I came to pay my respects to a person who helped make it possible for me to live my life each day as I know it,” the 33-year-old said Monday. “Being here lets the family know that people are here for them and that we respect what their son did.”
HE BELIEVED IN WHAT HE WAS DOING
As family and friends of a fallen soldier escorted his casket to a nearby hearse Monday, more than 60 men and women gathered on the grounds of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church to wave American flags and pay their respects.
“He died doing what he believed in,” his father, Brian A. Caldwell of Pennsylvania, said earlier this month.
Following the service, Caldwell’s body was taken to Arlington National Cemetery for interment.
As pallbearers carried the casket from the sanctuary, Salisbury resident Chris Lewis saluted the man who served his country for more than two years.
“I came to pay my respects to a person who helped make it possible for me to live my life each day as I know it,” the 33-year-old said Monday. “Being here lets the family know that people are here for them and that we respect what their son did.”
Maryland's Sixtieth Hero
Army Capt. John R. Dennison, 24, of Ijamsville, Md.; assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Nov. 15 as a result of small arms fire in Balad, Iraq.
HE ALWAYS KNEW THE RIGHT THING TO DO
John Ryan Dennison was a shining light in the Class of 2000 at Urbana High School in Frederick County -- an excellent student, a football player, a wrestler. Yesterday, the school's teachers and administrators reeled from the news that he was killed Wednesday in Iraq.
"When you lose a young life, it somehow diminishes all of us," said Principal George M. Seaton.
John Ryan Dennison, 24, was promoted posthumously to Captain. He had been in Iraq since summer.
History teacher Norm Crosby, who wrote a recommendation in support of Dennison's application to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, said he was a natural leader. "He was a young man who always knew the right thing to do, whether that was cracking a joke or calling attention to something. He had a presence about him," he said.
Chemistry teacher Michelle Shearer said Dennison's smiling personality had a magnetic quality. "There isn't anybody who didn't like Ryan Dennison," she said.
HE ALWAYS KNEW THE RIGHT THING TO DO
John Ryan Dennison was a shining light in the Class of 2000 at Urbana High School in Frederick County -- an excellent student, a football player, a wrestler. Yesterday, the school's teachers and administrators reeled from the news that he was killed Wednesday in Iraq.
"When you lose a young life, it somehow diminishes all of us," said Principal George M. Seaton.
John Ryan Dennison, 24, was promoted posthumously to Captain. He had been in Iraq since summer.
History teacher Norm Crosby, who wrote a recommendation in support of Dennison's application to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, said he was a natural leader. "He was a young man who always knew the right thing to do, whether that was cracking a joke or calling attention to something. He had a presence about him," he said.
Chemistry teacher Michelle Shearer said Dennison's smiling personality had a magnetic quality. "There isn't anybody who didn't like Ryan Dennison," she said.
Maryland's Fifty-Ninth Hero
Army Pvt. Michael V. Bailey, 20, of Waldorf, Md.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York; died Oct. 27 from non-combat related injuries in Salerno, Afghanistan. This incident is under investigation.
HE WAS MUCH MORE THAN A SOLDIER
To those who knew Bailey, he was much more than a soldier.
He was a fun-loving child who turned into a good man, said the Rev. Harry Seawright, pastor of the Union Bethel A.M.E. Church in Brandywine, which Bailey had attended. His funeral services were also held there, drawing more than 200 mourners.
"He was a nice-(mannered) young man, and that's what I remember him as," said Seawright, who knew Bailey since he baptized him as a 2-year-old.
Bailey "grew up in the church" but drifted away as "all young men do" over the last five to six years, Seawright said.
But he still vividly remembers him singing in the children's choir.
In Afghanistan, Bailey's voice carried not hymns, but directions.
He worked as a radio and computer operator for the 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team in the command center in Salerno, coordinating the military's artillery barrages, said Lt. Col. Paul Fitpatrick, a spokesman for the Army in Afghanistan.
Following his death, he was posthumously awarded the Army Commendation Medal for "engaging in every mission with accuracy and professionalism," Fitzpatrick said. In particular his commanding sergeant commended him for his assistance in ensuring the success of "bold" raids by the military against insurgents.
Bailey's "quick and professional performance" Aug. 24 helped cover the escape of U.S. forces pinned down by Taliban insurgents, Fitzpatrick said. U.S. forces killed an estimated 25 enemy soldiers in that raid, Fitzpatrick said.
That life in Afghanistan bore little resemblance to the one he'd known in Southern Maryland, friends say.
Harold Young, a friend who would solicit Bailey's help tuning up his Ford Mustang, recalled him fondly. He said Bailey liked cars and loved his red Yamaha motorcycle.
He "wasn't really a serious guy," said Young, an operations engineer from Waldorf. "He was just a funny type of guy but knew when it was time to get serious," Young said.
Young said he didn't agree with his friend's decision to join the Army. But he understood what compelled his friend to join.
"He wanted to belong to something," Young said. "Besides being Michael, he had to stand for something," said Young, who said he's known Bailey for more than two years.
"The brother was always looking to help anybody," Young said.
Bailey's mother, Darlene Bailey, of Waldorf, said that she and her husband, Vincent, did not want to talk about the death of their son.
"I just buried my son," she told a caller. "Now is not a good time."
HE WAS MUCH MORE THAN A SOLDIER
To those who knew Bailey, he was much more than a soldier.
He was a fun-loving child who turned into a good man, said the Rev. Harry Seawright, pastor of the Union Bethel A.M.E. Church in Brandywine, which Bailey had attended. His funeral services were also held there, drawing more than 200 mourners.
"He was a nice-(mannered) young man, and that's what I remember him as," said Seawright, who knew Bailey since he baptized him as a 2-year-old.
Bailey "grew up in the church" but drifted away as "all young men do" over the last five to six years, Seawright said.
But he still vividly remembers him singing in the children's choir.
In Afghanistan, Bailey's voice carried not hymns, but directions.
He worked as a radio and computer operator for the 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team in the command center in Salerno, coordinating the military's artillery barrages, said Lt. Col. Paul Fitpatrick, a spokesman for the Army in Afghanistan.
Following his death, he was posthumously awarded the Army Commendation Medal for "engaging in every mission with accuracy and professionalism," Fitzpatrick said. In particular his commanding sergeant commended him for his assistance in ensuring the success of "bold" raids by the military against insurgents.
Bailey's "quick and professional performance" Aug. 24 helped cover the escape of U.S. forces pinned down by Taliban insurgents, Fitzpatrick said. U.S. forces killed an estimated 25 enemy soldiers in that raid, Fitzpatrick said.
That life in Afghanistan bore little resemblance to the one he'd known in Southern Maryland, friends say.
Harold Young, a friend who would solicit Bailey's help tuning up his Ford Mustang, recalled him fondly. He said Bailey liked cars and loved his red Yamaha motorcycle.
He "wasn't really a serious guy," said Young, an operations engineer from Waldorf. "He was just a funny type of guy but knew when it was time to get serious," Young said.
Young said he didn't agree with his friend's decision to join the Army. But he understood what compelled his friend to join.
"He wanted to belong to something," Young said. "Besides being Michael, he had to stand for something," said Young, who said he's known Bailey for more than two years.
"The brother was always looking to help anybody," Young said.
Bailey's mother, Darlene Bailey, of Waldorf, said that she and her husband, Vincent, did not want to talk about the death of their son.
"I just buried my son," she told a caller. "Now is not a good time."
Maryland's Fifty-Eighth Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg, 20, of Severna Park, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
HE WAS A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL MAN, A PATRIOT
When Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg decided to join the Marines while a student at Severna Park High School, his first mission was to ease the concerns of his mother, Gina Barnhurst.
"Gina was anxious to talk him out of it," said Doug Barnhurst, Herzberg's uncle. "She was worried about it. She was worried that he didn't know what he was getting into. But he convinced her it was a calling."
Yesterday, three days after the 20-year-old infantryman died while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province, it was his mother who conveyed the meaning behind that calling.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our wonderful Eric, yet we are so incredibly proud of him. He was proud to be a Marine and to serve his country, which he loved dearly. He was a happy, quiet young man with a deep compassion for others and a deep faith in God. . . . "
The words were written on a piece of yellow paper held by Herzberg's uncle, the color of the ribbon hung outside the family's Severna Park home during his tour.
On his mother's car was a more succinct message in the form of two bumper stickers: "My Son Is A US Marine," and "My Son Defends Our Freedom."
HE WAS A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL MAN, A PATRIOT
When Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg decided to join the Marines while a student at Severna Park High School, his first mission was to ease the concerns of his mother, Gina Barnhurst.
"Gina was anxious to talk him out of it," said Doug Barnhurst, Herzberg's uncle. "She was worried about it. She was worried that he didn't know what he was getting into. But he convinced her it was a calling."
Yesterday, three days after the 20-year-old infantryman died while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province, it was his mother who conveyed the meaning behind that calling.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our wonderful Eric, yet we are so incredibly proud of him. He was proud to be a Marine and to serve his country, which he loved dearly. He was a happy, quiet young man with a deep compassion for others and a deep faith in God. . . . "
The words were written on a piece of yellow paper held by Herzberg's uncle, the color of the ribbon hung outside the family's Severna Park home during his tour.
On his mother's car was a more succinct message in the form of two bumper stickers: "My Son Is A US Marine," and "My Son Defends Our Freedom."
Maryland's Fifty-Seventh Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, 31, of Baltimore, Md.; assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Oct. 4 after being attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire and other weapons in Taji, Iraq. Also killed were: Spc. Timothy R. Burke, Pfc. Dean R. Bright and Spc. George R. Obourn Jr.
HE KEPT THE DETAILS OF HIS MISSIONS TO HIMSELF
Marie Moudry was about to eat dinner on a Sunday afternoon when her son, Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, called from Iraq. He sounded more upbeat than he had in recent conversations, and he shared a piece of news that he had just heard: The Ravens had won.
Four days later, two soldiers arrived at Marie Moudry's Harford County home to tell her that her son had been killed in an attack in Iraq.
He never described details of his missions, his mother said.
"He whitewashed everything for us," she said. "He wouldn't tell us anything. Everything was fine. We were made to think he lived in a little safe world, when everybody else was in trouble."
But her son often sounded tired when he called from Iraq, she said. In their last phone conversation, he said that he looked forward to spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family.
He also told his mother that he was set to start a master gunner training program that would have given him a break from his daily routine.
"He was looking forward to three squares and the chance to use the phone anytime he liked," his mother said.
HE KEPT THE DETAILS OF HIS MISSIONS TO HIMSELF
Marie Moudry was about to eat dinner on a Sunday afternoon when her son, Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, called from Iraq. He sounded more upbeat than he had in recent conversations, and he shared a piece of news that he had just heard: The Ravens had won.
Four days later, two soldiers arrived at Marie Moudry's Harford County home to tell her that her son had been killed in an attack in Iraq.
He never described details of his missions, his mother said.
"He whitewashed everything for us," she said. "He wouldn't tell us anything. Everything was fine. We were made to think he lived in a little safe world, when everybody else was in trouble."
But her son often sounded tired when he called from Iraq, she said. In their last phone conversation, he said that he looked forward to spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family.
He also told his mother that he was set to start a master gunner training program that would have given him a break from his daily routine.
"He was looking forward to three squares and the chance to use the phone anytime he liked," his mother said.
Maryland's Fifty-Sixth Hero
Army Pfc. Eric M. Kavanagh , 20, of Glen Burnie, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died of injuries sustained Sept. 20 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad.
HE BECAME A CONFIDENT MAN IN HE ARMY
He loved music and playing the guitar, but military service is where Eric Matthew Kavanagh found his calling, family and friends said.
“Behind that happy, huggy, gentle guitar player, there was grit and determination,” said the Rev. W. Terry Schoener of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Dr. Schoener recalled how, even before he went to basic training, he had started running and working out, readying himself for boot camp.
Yesterday, friends, family and neighbors mourned the loss of the 20-year-old Army private and Severna Park native who was killed in Baghdad last week.
During a short, somber service yesterday at Woods Memorial, Pvt. Kavanagh’s uncle read a letter written by his father, Kevin Kavanagh, who called his son a “gentle soul.”
He “always had a smile on his face, a smile so strong it beamed with love, enthusiasm and compassion,” the letter said. “My son Eric is a hero, but to each of us, he is so much more. ... He joined the Army an enthusiastic boy and became a confident man.”
HE BECAME A CONFIDENT MAN IN HE ARMY
He loved music and playing the guitar, but military service is where Eric Matthew Kavanagh found his calling, family and friends said.
“Behind that happy, huggy, gentle guitar player, there was grit and determination,” said the Rev. W. Terry Schoener of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Dr. Schoener recalled how, even before he went to basic training, he had started running and working out, readying himself for boot camp.
Yesterday, friends, family and neighbors mourned the loss of the 20-year-old Army private and Severna Park native who was killed in Baghdad last week.
During a short, somber service yesterday at Woods Memorial, Pvt. Kavanagh’s uncle read a letter written by his father, Kevin Kavanagh, who called his son a “gentle soul.”
He “always had a smile on his face, a smile so strong it beamed with love, enthusiasm and compassion,” the letter said. “My son Eric is a hero, but to each of us, he is so much more. ... He joined the Army an enthusiastic boy and became a confident man.”
Maryland's Fifty-Fifth Hero
Army Sgt. David J. Davis, 32, of Mount Airy, Md.; assigned to 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; died Sept. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker Armored Vehicle during combat operations in Sadr City, Iraq.
IF HE WAS SCARED, HE NEVER SHARED IT
Davis, who grew up one of four children in western Howard, had been due back at Fort Wainwright this summer but was still in Iraq after he was redeployed, said his sister, Theresa Hadley.
Hadley said her brother had been serving in Iraq since August 2005. He was last home in Maryland in 2004, for Thanksgiving.
"Being a medic, he felt he was where he needed to be, taking care of all the soldiers," said Hadley, 36, of Hagerstown, Md. He didn't say much about life in Iraq in his frequent e-mails to friends and family, she said.
"He just said he's got to do what he's got to do," Hadley said. "He said, 'Stay there and take care of Mom and Dad and don't worry.' If he was scared, he didn't share it."
Hadley said her brother had three stepchildren with his wife, Roberta, whom he met and married while living in Alaska and serving in the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Her brother, who went by "Joe," graduated from Glenelg High School in 1991 and worked mostly in printing jobs before joining the Army three years ago, she said.
He had served with the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company in Howard since he was 18.
"When he came home on leave, he actually ran calls," Hadley said.
IF HE WAS SCARED, HE NEVER SHARED IT
Davis, who grew up one of four children in western Howard, had been due back at Fort Wainwright this summer but was still in Iraq after he was redeployed, said his sister, Theresa Hadley.
Hadley said her brother had been serving in Iraq since August 2005. He was last home in Maryland in 2004, for Thanksgiving.
"Being a medic, he felt he was where he needed to be, taking care of all the soldiers," said Hadley, 36, of Hagerstown, Md. He didn't say much about life in Iraq in his frequent e-mails to friends and family, she said.
"He just said he's got to do what he's got to do," Hadley said. "He said, 'Stay there and take care of Mom and Dad and don't worry.' If he was scared, he didn't share it."
Hadley said her brother had three stepchildren with his wife, Roberta, whom he met and married while living in Alaska and serving in the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Her brother, who went by "Joe," graduated from Glenelg High School in 1991 and worked mostly in printing jobs before joining the Army three years ago, she said.
He had served with the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company in Howard since he was 18.
"When he came home on leave, he actually ran calls," Hadley said.
Maryland's Fifty-Fourth Hero
Navy Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SW/DV) David S. Roddy, 32, of Aberdeen, Md.; assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two in Norfolk, Va., and served with Multi-National Corps in Iraq; killed Sept. 16 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Hadithah, Iraq.
HE WAS A GREAT FRIEND TO MANY WITH WHOM HE SERVED
[From testamonies posted on the web]
I was David's Senior Chief onboard USS Juneau. He was a true American, Shipmate and Father. He was my friend, I will miss his presence and example. Fair winds and following seas shipmate...
(MR ~ Kenosha, WI)
I served with ET2 David Roddy onboard the USS Juneau. He was a happy go lucky guy and he was a blast to hang out with. I looked up to him and he taught me a lot. He was a superb sailor but most of all, he was a superb mentor and friend to everyone in OE Division. My deep condolences to his wife and 3 kids.
(JAT ~ Honolulu, HI)
Dave was a great friend, we were in A school together and to my surprise we was also station on the same ship, the USS Juneau, for 3 years, no matter what happens he always has that smile on him. And his laughter was contagious. I will always treasure those time.
(PP ~ Houston, TX)
David Roddy was an excellent man and friend. I will miss him. I am proud to have served with such and outstanding man on board the USS Juneau, Sasebo Japan, 00-01.
(DS ~ Chicago, IL)
Dave is one of the most amazing people I have ever met... no matter what happened, I never saw him without a smile on that face. Dave invited me into his family for my first Thanksgiving in Japan and in the following years taught me a lot about my job and even more about life... Dave will always have a dear place in my memories.
(CW ~ Owings, MD)
[The tributes are legion......]
HE WAS A GREAT FRIEND TO MANY WITH WHOM HE SERVED
[From testamonies posted on the web]
I was David's Senior Chief onboard USS Juneau. He was a true American, Shipmate and Father. He was my friend, I will miss his presence and example. Fair winds and following seas shipmate...
(MR ~ Kenosha, WI)
I served with ET2 David Roddy onboard the USS Juneau. He was a happy go lucky guy and he was a blast to hang out with. I looked up to him and he taught me a lot. He was a superb sailor but most of all, he was a superb mentor and friend to everyone in OE Division. My deep condolences to his wife and 3 kids.
(JAT ~ Honolulu, HI)
Dave was a great friend, we were in A school together and to my surprise we was also station on the same ship, the USS Juneau, for 3 years, no matter what happens he always has that smile on him. And his laughter was contagious. I will always treasure those time.
(PP ~ Houston, TX)
David Roddy was an excellent man and friend. I will miss him. I am proud to have served with such and outstanding man on board the USS Juneau, Sasebo Japan, 00-01.
(DS ~ Chicago, IL)
Dave is one of the most amazing people I have ever met... no matter what happened, I never saw him without a smile on that face. Dave invited me into his family for my first Thanksgiving in Japan and in the following years taught me a lot about my job and even more about life... Dave will always have a dear place in my memories.
(CW ~ Owings, MD)
[The tributes are legion......]
Maryland's Fifty-Third Hero
Marine Staff Sgt. Dwayne E. Williams, 28, of Baltimore; assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; killed Aug. 24 while conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
HE WAS DEDICATED TO HIS FAMILY, HIS UNIT, HIS GOD
Malachi E. Williams, 4, cried at the start of the service for his father, Staff Sergeaqnt Dwayne E. Williams, in the chapel at the March Funeral Home in Northwest Baltimore, where 30 pews were filled by mourners for the Marine killed two weeks ago while trying to dismantle a bomb.
The Sergeant's mother, Florence Brenda Williams Randall, also sobbed as she was presented with his Purple Heart - the medal awarded to those wounded or killed in action.
And some of the two dozen uniformed Marines who stood so stoically as they saluted his casket emerged from the chapel with downcast stares, some with watery eyes.
"Dwayne had a mild-mannered personality with a quiet strength," said his cousin, Shirley Richards, reading from a printed obituary during the service. "He always had a positive word or smile to offer. Dwayne was known to joke or find the humor in every situation."
He was eulogized as a man dedicated equally to his family and his military service, using his relationship with God to soldier through three tours in Iraq - under some of the most strenuous circumstances.
Just a few weeks before his death, he suffered three concussions when bombs detonated near him.
HE WAS DEDICATED TO HIS FAMILY, HIS UNIT, HIS GOD
Malachi E. Williams, 4, cried at the start of the service for his father, Staff Sergeaqnt Dwayne E. Williams, in the chapel at the March Funeral Home in Northwest Baltimore, where 30 pews were filled by mourners for the Marine killed two weeks ago while trying to dismantle a bomb.
The Sergeant's mother, Florence Brenda Williams Randall, also sobbed as she was presented with his Purple Heart - the medal awarded to those wounded or killed in action.
And some of the two dozen uniformed Marines who stood so stoically as they saluted his casket emerged from the chapel with downcast stares, some with watery eyes.
"Dwayne had a mild-mannered personality with a quiet strength," said his cousin, Shirley Richards, reading from a printed obituary during the service. "He always had a positive word or smile to offer. Dwayne was known to joke or find the humor in every situation."
He was eulogized as a man dedicated equally to his family and his military service, using his relationship with God to soldier through three tours in Iraq - under some of the most strenuous circumstances.
Just a few weeks before his death, he suffered three concussions when bombs detonated near him.
Maryland's Fifty-Second Hero
Army Spc. Thomas J. Barbieri, 24, of Gaithersburg, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; killed Aug. 23 when his patrol encountered enemy forces small-arms fire during combat operations south of Baghdad.
HE WAS A HERO, A BRAVE SOLDIER
"He always talked about being a hero and he was,” said his mother. "That’s how he died, a hero.”
"He was a great kid,” said his father, Thomas Barbieri, "‘a good soldier, a brave soldier.”
T.J., as he was called, was the second oldest of four brothers.
"He was a great person, a great brother, a thoughtful brother,” said his mother, Carolann Barbieri. "The brothers had a closeness that was unusual.”
Growing up, there was always a lot of noise and rough-housing, she said.
"We were all super tight,” said his brother David, 27. "We all got into trouble together.”
"‘He was tough as nails,” said his brother Stephen, 22. "But he had a heart. He had a big heart.”
The family last spoke to Barbieri at around 3 a.m. on Sunday morning, his father said.
"We always told him that whenever he was by a phone, to call us 24 hours a day,” he said.
He sounded good on the phone, the family said.
"He was upbeat,” his mother said. "He sounded strong, but he didn’t like the heat. He told us he loved us and we told him we loved him.”
HE WAS A HERO, A BRAVE SOLDIER
"He always talked about being a hero and he was,” said his mother. "That’s how he died, a hero.”
"He was a great kid,” said his father, Thomas Barbieri, "‘a good soldier, a brave soldier.”
T.J., as he was called, was the second oldest of four brothers.
"He was a great person, a great brother, a thoughtful brother,” said his mother, Carolann Barbieri. "The brothers had a closeness that was unusual.”
Growing up, there was always a lot of noise and rough-housing, she said.
"We were all super tight,” said his brother David, 27. "We all got into trouble together.”
"‘He was tough as nails,” said his brother Stephen, 22. "But he had a heart. He had a big heart.”
The family last spoke to Barbieri at around 3 a.m. on Sunday morning, his father said.
"We always told him that whenever he was by a phone, to call us 24 hours a day,” he said.
He sounded good on the phone, the family said.
"He was upbeat,” his mother said. "He sounded strong, but he didn’t like the heat. He told us he loved us and we told him we loved him.”
Maryland's Fifty-First Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins, 22, of Frederick, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 27 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq.
HE LOVED HISTORY
Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins Jr. was fascinated by the past. His favorite musician was Frank Sinatra; his favorite comedians, Abbott and Costello; his favorite books, histories -- particularly anything about World War II.
His mother, Deborah Higgins, said he died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
His younger brother, Joseph, 20, was hardly able to speak in anything but a whisper. He held his brother's big, black Casio G-Shock watch, still set eight hours ahead to Iraqi time.
"He thought it was an honor to be part of the military," his mother said. "He had his worries, obviously, but he kept saying it'd be all right."
As he neared the end of his tour, he became eager to come home. He sent home a photo of him standing next to a Humvee. His eyes are shadowed, his face harder than in the pictures of him smiling before the war; perhaps because of the bright desert sun, but the symbolism was not lost on his mother.
When she asked about it, he told her: "This place changes people."
Her last conversation with him was July 23. "When he called me Sunday, he told me it was getting really bad," she said. "The danger had escalated so much."
"Be safe," she remembered telling him.
"Always," he said.
HE LOVED HISTORY
Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins Jr. was fascinated by the past. His favorite musician was Frank Sinatra; his favorite comedians, Abbott and Costello; his favorite books, histories -- particularly anything about World War II.
His mother, Deborah Higgins, said he died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
His younger brother, Joseph, 20, was hardly able to speak in anything but a whisper. He held his brother's big, black Casio G-Shock watch, still set eight hours ahead to Iraqi time.
"He thought it was an honor to be part of the military," his mother said. "He had his worries, obviously, but he kept saying it'd be all right."
As he neared the end of his tour, he became eager to come home. He sent home a photo of him standing next to a Humvee. His eyes are shadowed, his face harder than in the pictures of him smiling before the war; perhaps because of the bright desert sun, but the symbolism was not lost on his mother.
When she asked about it, he told her: "This place changes people."
Her last conversation with him was July 23. "When he called me Sunday, he told me it was getting really bad," she said. "The danger had escalated so much."
"Be safe," she remembered telling him.
"Always," he said.
Maryland's Fiftieth Hero
Navy Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Edward A. Koth, 30, of Towson, Md.; assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eight, serving with Multinational Corps Iraq in Baghdad; died July 26 after ordnance exploded during a disposal operation in Baghdad.
HE LIVED EVERYDAY TO THE FULLEST
Earlier this week, I attended the memorial service for Edward Austin Koth, Electrician’s Mate Second Class, EOD. He was from Baltimore County, MD, and died last week while handling explosives near where I sleep at night.
Death is real. It isn’t some abstract “you might die in a car wreck” sort of concept. It isn’t that you worry about wasting away 60 years from now. It is real, and it could happen. In a strange sort of way, it is liberating because you come to grips with the idea that you must live every day to its fullest. In Austin’s case he did just that – EOD, Parachutist, College graduate. Good looking kid, in shape, and never a picture in his slideshow without a smile. Every one of the team talked about his sense of humor.
HE LIVED EVERYDAY TO THE FULLEST
Earlier this week, I attended the memorial service for Edward Austin Koth, Electrician’s Mate Second Class, EOD. He was from Baltimore County, MD, and died last week while handling explosives near where I sleep at night.
Death is real. It isn’t some abstract “you might die in a car wreck” sort of concept. It isn’t that you worry about wasting away 60 years from now. It is real, and it could happen. In a strange sort of way, it is liberating because you come to grips with the idea that you must live every day to its fullest. In Austin’s case he did just that – EOD, Parachutist, College graduate. Good looking kid, in shape, and never a picture in his slideshow without a smile. Every one of the team talked about his sense of humor.
Maryland's Forty-Ninth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Swanson, 25, of Rose Haven, Md.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany; died July 22 of injuries sustained when his patrol encountered enemy forces small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq.
HE CHOSE A NOBLE CAREER
"This is tough, man, tough," Gary Swanson, his father, said yesterday sitting next to the sergeant's mother, Kelly, in their Rose Haven home. "But he was doing what he wanted to do. He loved his country ... He could have done anything he wanted, and he chose a noble career."
HE CHOSE A NOBLE CAREER
"This is tough, man, tough," Gary Swanson, his father, said yesterday sitting next to the sergeant's mother, Kelly, in their Rose Haven home. "But he was doing what he wanted to do. He loved his country ... He could have done anything he wanted, and he chose a noble career."
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Maryland's Forty-Eighth Hero
Army Cpl. Matthew P. Wallace, 22, of Lexington Park, Md.; assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died July 21 in the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained July 16 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad.
HE FELT THAT HE WAS WERE GOD WANTED HIM TO BE
As a child growing up in St. Mary's County, Wallace played with empty toilet paper rolls and clothes hangers, pretending they were toy guns. Family members said he went through a "self-discovery phase" and dropped out of Great Mills High School after his sophomore year. In 2001, he earned a General Educational Development diploma, and he joined the Army in 2004.
Wallace was 5 feet 10 inches tall and 135 pounds of "pure muscle," his sister Abigail said. He played soccer and dabbled in karate. In Iraq, he trained on every weapons system possible, becoming a highly skilled soldier, she said.
Wallace's mother, Mary, said he sounded weary the last time they spoke on the phone. "They were just working and working with little relief," she said. But that was where he wanted to be, she added, her voice perking up. "He felt like he was doing what God thought he should do."
HE FELT THAT HE WAS WERE GOD WANTED HIM TO BE
As a child growing up in St. Mary's County, Wallace played with empty toilet paper rolls and clothes hangers, pretending they were toy guns. Family members said he went through a "self-discovery phase" and dropped out of Great Mills High School after his sophomore year. In 2001, he earned a General Educational Development diploma, and he joined the Army in 2004.
Wallace was 5 feet 10 inches tall and 135 pounds of "pure muscle," his sister Abigail said. He played soccer and dabbled in karate. In Iraq, he trained on every weapons system possible, becoming a highly skilled soldier, she said.
Wallace's mother, Mary, said he sounded weary the last time they spoke on the phone. "They were just working and working with little relief," she said. But that was where he wanted to be, she added, her voice perking up. "He felt like he was doing what God thought he should do."
Maryland's Forty-Seventh Hero
Army Spc. Michael J. Potocki, 21, of Baltimore; assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany; died June 26 of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy force's small-arms fire during combat operations in Asad, Iraq.
HE HATED BEING IN THE ARMY, BUT HE WAS FAITHFUL TO HIS DUTY
In a eulogy delivered by one of the soldier's many uncles, Specialist Potocki was remembered as a friendly person who always had a big smile on his face and as a friend to fellow soldiers - "someone to count on when things went bad," Stanley Potocki said.
After attending Father Kolbe School in Canton, then playing lacrosse and graduating in 2003 from Patterson High School, "Mikey took a big step in life," Stanley Potocki said of his nephew's decision to join the military. "When he made it through his first tour, we breathed a sigh of relief."
"This tour would be a lot harder," the uncle said, adding that Specialist Potocki and his fellow soldiers "were being shot at all the time."
Included in the funeral program was an excerpt from what Specialist Potocki had written about his time in the Army. Military service, he wrote, had introduced him not only to "extremely crazy weather conditions" and "interesting people from all over America," but also to the experience of "risking my life every day for a cause I'm not real sure is the real one."
"But all these things have turned me into a better man and a better person," he continued. "I've begun to not take things for granted because I know for a fact how bad things can really get."
Specialist Potocki continued: "I hate being in the Army," but he added that he was glad that he had joined because of the ways his service had changed him and would continue to do so until he left the Army.
"So for all the downsides to being here," he wrote, "all I have to do is look into the future and look at all the great things I have accomplished and how much of a better human being it has made me, and I'm happy again."
HE HATED BEING IN THE ARMY, BUT HE WAS FAITHFUL TO HIS DUTY
In a eulogy delivered by one of the soldier's many uncles, Specialist Potocki was remembered as a friendly person who always had a big smile on his face and as a friend to fellow soldiers - "someone to count on when things went bad," Stanley Potocki said.
After attending Father Kolbe School in Canton, then playing lacrosse and graduating in 2003 from Patterson High School, "Mikey took a big step in life," Stanley Potocki said of his nephew's decision to join the military. "When he made it through his first tour, we breathed a sigh of relief."
"This tour would be a lot harder," the uncle said, adding that Specialist Potocki and his fellow soldiers "were being shot at all the time."
Included in the funeral program was an excerpt from what Specialist Potocki had written about his time in the Army. Military service, he wrote, had introduced him not only to "extremely crazy weather conditions" and "interesting people from all over America," but also to the experience of "risking my life every day for a cause I'm not real sure is the real one."
"But all these things have turned me into a better man and a better person," he continued. "I've begun to not take things for granted because I know for a fact how bad things can really get."
Specialist Potocki continued: "I hate being in the Army," but he added that he was glad that he had joined because of the ways his service had changed him and would continue to do so until he left the Army.
"So for all the downsides to being here," he wrote, "all I have to do is look into the future and look at all the great things I have accomplished and how much of a better human being it has made me, and I'm happy again."
Maryland's Forty-Sixth Hero
Army Pfc. Justin R. Davis, 19, of Gaithersburg, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died June 25 when he came in contact with indirect fire while on patrol during combat operations in Korengal, Afghanistan.
HE LOVED THE MILITARY
His mother, Paula Davis, [said] that Davis "was passionate" about joining the service.
"He would always say, 'This is my dream. I am going to follow it,'" Paula Davis told the newspaper. "He died doing what he loved."
"It was a calling," she said. "It was a life that fit him."
"This would be a dream come true for him," Paula Davis of Gaithersburg said after she watched her big, brash 19-year-old son buried [at Arlington national Cementary] yesterday. "That's what he wanted to be: a hero."
She has the hard evidence of her son's heroism even if she does not have answers about his death June 25, which the Defense Department is investigating as a possible friendly fire incident. In addition to the Purple Heart for being wounded in battle, her son was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star for his service with the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan, where he had been deployed since March.
The Defense Department said he was killed by indirect fire, which often refers to mortar attacks, while on patrol in eastern Kunar province. Military officials gave the medals to his mother and his father, Dennis Johnson, in a ceremony before the burial. The citations did not describe the incidents in which he earned them.
Davis said she had been told that he was in a "hostile environment" but did not know what happened.
"Either way, it doesn't make any difference to me," she said after the ceremony. "It's not going to bring my boy back. If it was friendly, it wasn't intentional."
HE LOVED THE MILITARY
His mother, Paula Davis, [said] that Davis "was passionate" about joining the service.
"He would always say, 'This is my dream. I am going to follow it,'" Paula Davis told the newspaper. "He died doing what he loved."
"It was a calling," she said. "It was a life that fit him."
"This would be a dream come true for him," Paula Davis of Gaithersburg said after she watched her big, brash 19-year-old son buried [at Arlington national Cementary] yesterday. "That's what he wanted to be: a hero."
She has the hard evidence of her son's heroism even if she does not have answers about his death June 25, which the Defense Department is investigating as a possible friendly fire incident. In addition to the Purple Heart for being wounded in battle, her son was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star for his service with the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan, where he had been deployed since March.
The Defense Department said he was killed by indirect fire, which often refers to mortar attacks, while on patrol in eastern Kunar province. Military officials gave the medals to his mother and his father, Dennis Johnson, in a ceremony before the burial. The citations did not describe the incidents in which he earned them.
Davis said she had been told that he was in a "hostile environment" but did not know what happened.
"Either way, it doesn't make any difference to me," she said after the ceremony. "It's not going to bring my boy back. If it was friendly, it wasn't intentional."
Maryland's Forty-Fifth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig, 28, of Severn, Md.; assigned to 159th Air Ambulance Medical Company, Wiesbaden, Germany; died June 21 when his UH-60 helicopter hoist malfunctioned while attempting to evacuate Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury during combat operations in the vicinity of Naray, Afghanistan. Also killed was Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury.
HE DIED ATTEMPTING TO SAVE ANOTHER
As a combat medic, Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig understood that, sometimes, saving people means risking your own life.
Sometimes, the risk doesn’t pay off.
Craig, a member of the 159th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) based in Wiesbaden, Germany, and another soldier died the night of June 21 during a rescue mission near Naray, Afghanistan.
The night started off peacefully enough.
Craig had just gotten done chatting with his wife and playing peek-a-boo with his 1-year-old daughter, Leona, over a Web camera when the call came. Three 10th Mountain Division soldiers were critically wounded in a firefight near Naray.
“He always had missions that came up,” Craig’s wife, Judy Craig, said. “And that’s what happened. A mission came up, and he was ready.” The couple also have a 4-year-old son, Jonas.
Craig’s dustoff crew had been called to rescue the wounded. By the time Craig and his air ambulance arrived at the pickup point, one of the soldiers already was dead.
It was past dark at takeoff, and the terrain where they were headed made it impossible for the Black Hawk rescue helicopter to land.
That meant Craig would have to be lowered into the combat zone by a hoist. It was one of his least favorite things to do, said Capt. Angela Wagner, the rear detachment commander for the 159th Medical Company.
The battlefield still wasn’t secure, but Craig plunged in anyway. He secured the first soldier and got him safely into the hovering ambulance. That troop would make it out of Afghanistan alive.
But as Craig and the second patient were being lifted in the helicopter, the hoist malfunctioned.
“On the second try, I lost him,” Sgt. James Ramey, the helicopter’s crew chief, said in a letter that was read at Craig’s memorial ceremony Thursday.
Craig and the soldier he was rescuing, Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury, both died. Craig grew up in Virginia. Bradbury was from Saint Joseph, Mo.
“He gave his life saving another,” Wagner said.
Sgt. Krendra Jackson, one of Craig’s close friends, couldn’t keep herself from crying as she talked about her fallen comrade during the memorial service at Wiesbaden Army Airfield’s chapel.
She told how Craig, even after back surgery, would work tirelessly, laboring beyond his body’s limits, afraid that he might come off as a slacker. Jackson remembers telling him to take it easy. “He would look at me with those blue eyes and say, ‘My name’s not worthless.’”
Few in attendance could hold back their tears as Jackson recounted her friendship with Craig. “Judy, you once told us we acted like brother and sister. He was my brother,” she said. “He was our brother.”
HE DIED ATTEMPTING TO SAVE ANOTHER
As a combat medic, Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig understood that, sometimes, saving people means risking your own life.
Sometimes, the risk doesn’t pay off.
Craig, a member of the 159th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) based in Wiesbaden, Germany, and another soldier died the night of June 21 during a rescue mission near Naray, Afghanistan.
The night started off peacefully enough.
Craig had just gotten done chatting with his wife and playing peek-a-boo with his 1-year-old daughter, Leona, over a Web camera when the call came. Three 10th Mountain Division soldiers were critically wounded in a firefight near Naray.
“He always had missions that came up,” Craig’s wife, Judy Craig, said. “And that’s what happened. A mission came up, and he was ready.” The couple also have a 4-year-old son, Jonas.
Craig’s dustoff crew had been called to rescue the wounded. By the time Craig and his air ambulance arrived at the pickup point, one of the soldiers already was dead.
It was past dark at takeoff, and the terrain where they were headed made it impossible for the Black Hawk rescue helicopter to land.
That meant Craig would have to be lowered into the combat zone by a hoist. It was one of his least favorite things to do, said Capt. Angela Wagner, the rear detachment commander for the 159th Medical Company.
The battlefield still wasn’t secure, but Craig plunged in anyway. He secured the first soldier and got him safely into the hovering ambulance. That troop would make it out of Afghanistan alive.
But as Craig and the second patient were being lifted in the helicopter, the hoist malfunctioned.
“On the second try, I lost him,” Sgt. James Ramey, the helicopter’s crew chief, said in a letter that was read at Craig’s memorial ceremony Thursday.
Craig and the soldier he was rescuing, Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury, both died. Craig grew up in Virginia. Bradbury was from Saint Joseph, Mo.
“He gave his life saving another,” Wagner said.
Sgt. Krendra Jackson, one of Craig’s close friends, couldn’t keep herself from crying as she talked about her fallen comrade during the memorial service at Wiesbaden Army Airfield’s chapel.
She told how Craig, even after back surgery, would work tirelessly, laboring beyond his body’s limits, afraid that he might come off as a slacker. Jackson remembers telling him to take it easy. “He would look at me with those blue eyes and say, ‘My name’s not worthless.’”
Few in attendance could hold back their tears as Jackson recounted her friendship with Craig. “Judy, you once told us we acted like brother and sister. He was my brother,” she said. “He was our brother.”
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