Army Spc. Bernard L. Ceo, 23, of Baltimore; assigned to the 243rd Engineer Company, Maryland Army National Guard, Baltimore; killed Oct. 14 when he was conducting convoy operations and an 18-wheel tractor trailer accidentally struck the rear of his Humvee, starting a fire and causing ammunition to detonate in Taji, Iraq. Also killed were Sgt. Brian R. Conner and Spc. Samuel M. Boswell.
HE LOVED TO HELP PEOPLE
He was a third-generation soldier who had only been in Iraq since July. Cpl. Bernard L. Ceo, 23, of Baltimore, was one of three soldiers from Maryland were killed in an accident in Iraq on Friday.
“He felt it was his duty to go,” said Albert Ceo, Bernard’s uncle, who said a strong family history of soldiers led his nephew to entering the Army National Guard. “He always said somebody has to go in to protect this country.”
Bernard’s grandfather, father and some uncles have served in wars dating back to World War II, Albert Ceo said.
His grandmother, Isolene Ceo, described him as “just a regular fellow,” who loved to help people, especially children. He also served as a mentor for troubled kids at a youth institute, she said.
“He would probably just like to be remembered as someone who loved this country,” said Albert Ceo. “I still can’t believe it.”
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Maryland's Thirtieth Hero
Army Spc. Samuel M. Boswell, 20, of Elkridge, Md.; assigned to the 243rd Engineer Company, Maryland Army National Guard, Baltimore; killed Oct. 14 when he was conducting convoy operations and an 18-wheel tractor trailer accidentally struck the rear of his Humvee, starting a fire and causing ammunition to detonate in Taji, Iraq. Also killed were Sgt. Brian R. Conner and Spc. Bernard L. Ceo.
HIS BROTHER WAS NEARBY
Boswell’s brother, Mike, who was serving as a civilian contractor working security with a military unit in Baghdad, was just six miles away from where the accident occurred.
“I actually heard about the accident that same day, but I didn’t know it was my brother until later,” said Mike Boswell, who just returned to Baltimore on Sunday. “I was stunned.”
Mike Boswell said his brother, who had only been in Iraq for one month, enjoyed music, camping and spending time with their close-knit family.
“He was happy to be there,” he said. “He always liked being able to help people.”
HIS BROTHER WAS NEARBY
Boswell’s brother, Mike, who was serving as a civilian contractor working security with a military unit in Baghdad, was just six miles away from where the accident occurred.
“I actually heard about the accident that same day, but I didn’t know it was my brother until later,” said Mike Boswell, who just returned to Baltimore on Sunday. “I was stunned.”
Mike Boswell said his brother, who had only been in Iraq for one month, enjoyed music, camping and spending time with their close-knit family.
“He was happy to be there,” he said. “He always liked being able to help people.”
Maryland's Twenty-Nineth Hero
Army Sgt. 1st Class James J. Stoddard Jr., 29, of Crofton, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C., killed Sept. 30 when his vehicle accidentally rolled over in Afghanistan.
HE WAS A GOOD, CARING OFFICER
“He was one of the kindest, most loving boys you could ever meet,” his mother, Kathleen Stoddard said Monday night from her home in Crofton.
James Stoddard graduated in 1994 from Arundel High School, where he played varsity football and baseball. He attended Anne Arundel Community College and Salisbury State University before enlisting in the Army when he was 21, his mother said.
“He was detail-oriented and organized,” Kathleen Stoddard said. “The Army was the absolutely perfect place for him."
“He loved leading his men,” she said. “He made sure all the soldiers (in his unit) came home on two weeks tours before he did. He was a good, caring officer. He loved his family and he loved his soldiers.”
HE WAS A GOOD, CARING OFFICER
“He was one of the kindest, most loving boys you could ever meet,” his mother, Kathleen Stoddard said Monday night from her home in Crofton.
James Stoddard graduated in 1994 from Arundel High School, where he played varsity football and baseball. He attended Anne Arundel Community College and Salisbury State University before enlisting in the Army when he was 21, his mother said.
“He was detail-oriented and organized,” Kathleen Stoddard said. “The Army was the absolutely perfect place for him."
“He loved leading his men,” she said. “He made sure all the soldiers (in his unit) came home on two weeks tours before he did. He was a good, caring officer. He loved his family and he loved his soldiers.”
Maryland's Twenty-Eighth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Damion G. Campbell, 23, of Baltimore; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, Vicenza, Italy; killed Aug. 26 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during a combat patrol in Khayr Kot, Afghanistan.
HE WAS THE SECOND NATIVE BORN JAMAICAN FROM BALTIMORE TO DIE
He was born in Jamaica, his mother, Donna Robinson said. He was in the Boy Scouts and later joined JROTC in high school.
“The Army was his passion. It was all he wanted to do,” she said. “He was outgoing, fun-loving and joyful person.”
She said her last time communicating with her son was by e-mail the day before his death. His 11-year-old brother, Nicholas, wanted a video game console, and Damion sent him $100 to get the popular hand held video game system.
“I have no bad feelings about the army,” said his mother. “He was happy, very energetic and just enjoyed life. My child loved the Army.”
HE WAS THE SECOND NATIVE BORN JAMAICAN FROM BALTIMORE TO DIE
He was born in Jamaica, his mother, Donna Robinson said. He was in the Boy Scouts and later joined JROTC in high school.
“The Army was his passion. It was all he wanted to do,” she said. “He was outgoing, fun-loving and joyful person.”
She said her last time communicating with her son was by e-mail the day before his death. His 11-year-old brother, Nicholas, wanted a video game console, and Damion sent him $100 to get the popular hand held video game system.
“I have no bad feelings about the army,” said his mother. “He was happy, very energetic and just enjoyed life. My child loved the Army.”
Maryland's Twenty-Seventh Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy W. Doyle, 24, of Chestertown, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed on August 18 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee following a mine-assessment mission in Samarra, Iraq.
HE WAS MY EVERYTHING
Jeremy W. Doyle met a nice girl named Leah when they were teens.
“He told me when I was 13 that we were going to get married one day. He just told me, and I followed along,” she said.
I have no idea what I’m going to do. He was my whole life. He was my everything,” Leah Doyle said.
He served in Kosovo and Germany. Though injured in January while trying to disarm a land mine, he went back to work the next day with shrapnel still in his body.
“He was adamant to return to his men,” said his mother, Debbie Grove.
Later he would joke that he would set off any metal detector anywhere.
HE WAS MY EVERYTHING
Jeremy W. Doyle met a nice girl named Leah when they were teens.
“He told me when I was 13 that we were going to get married one day. He just told me, and I followed along,” she said.
I have no idea what I’m going to do. He was my whole life. He was my everything,” Leah Doyle said.
He served in Kosovo and Germany. Though injured in January while trying to disarm a land mine, he went back to work the next day with shrapnel still in his body.
“He was adamant to return to his men,” said his mother, Debbie Grove.
Later he would joke that he would set off any metal detector anywhere.
Maryland's Twenty-Sixth Hero
Army Spc. Toccara R. Green, 23, of Rosedale, Md.; assigned to the 57th Transportation Company, 548th Corps Support Battalion, Fort Drum, N.Y.; killed Aug. 14 when multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near her unit during convoy operations in Asad, Iraq.
SHE WAS DEVOTED TO THIS COUNTRY
Toccara Green’s desire to be in the military was evident early: for four years in high school she got up early and stayed late to participate in her campus ROTC.
Family and friends say her devotion to her country is what inspired her.
“The only thing that puts my mind at ease is that she died for what she believed in,” said Garry Green Jr., her brother. “She said her ideal situation: go out fighting for our country.”
SHE WAS DEVOTED TO THIS COUNTRY
Toccara Green’s desire to be in the military was evident early: for four years in high school she got up early and stayed late to participate in her campus ROTC.
Family and friends say her devotion to her country is what inspired her.
“The only thing that puts my mind at ease is that she died for what she believed in,” said Garry Green Jr., her brother. “She said her ideal situation: go out fighting for our country.”
Maryland's Twenty-Fifth Hero
Army Sgt. 1st Class Neil A. Prince, 35, of Baltimore; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; killed June 11 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Taqaddum, Iraq. Also killed was Spc. Casey Byers.
HE LOVED HIS SON
Neil Armstrong Prince — his parents named him after the first astronaut to walk on the moon — was born in Jamaica and moved with his family to Baltimore when he was 10,
Prince enlisted right after graduating from City College. He met his wife, Suzette, while she was working as an Army medic.
Suzette Prince, 31, a nurse at Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, said she met her husband as an Army medic. She spoke of him as a man who adored their son, Jordan.
“Number one, he loved his son,” she said after the service in Aberdeen. “He wanted everything for his son.”
“He loved being a soldier,” Mrs. Prince [said]. “I tried to get him to leave, but he always said that’s his job.”
Mrs. Prince and the couple’s 4-year-old son, Jordan, live with the sergeant’s parents.
Prince will be awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously
HE LOVED HIS SON
Neil Armstrong Prince — his parents named him after the first astronaut to walk on the moon — was born in Jamaica and moved with his family to Baltimore when he was 10,
Prince enlisted right after graduating from City College. He met his wife, Suzette, while she was working as an Army medic.
Suzette Prince, 31, a nurse at Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, said she met her husband as an Army medic. She spoke of him as a man who adored their son, Jordan.
“Number one, he loved his son,” she said after the service in Aberdeen. “He wanted everything for his son.”
“He loved being a soldier,” Mrs. Prince [said]. “I tried to get him to leave, but he always said that’s his job.”
Mrs. Prince and the couple’s 4-year-old son, Jordan, live with the sergeant’s parents.
Prince will be awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously
Maryland's Twenty-Fourth Hero
Marine Pfc. Robert A. Guy, 26, of Willards, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 21 as a result of a non-hostile incident near Karmah, Iraq.
'HE WANTED TO BE THERE'
“He wanted to be there,” Ann Guy said of her son’s deployment to Iraq. “He wanted to be there, and he was so proud to be a Marine.”
Over the weekend, Guy’s family and friends remembered Guy as a goodhearted man who loved jokes and who worked for more than a year to become a Marine. “I never saw him work at anything so hard his whole life,” Ann Guy said. “He really wanted this.”
Deborah Cox, Guy’s aunt, said she remembered her nephew’s sense of humor, a side of Guy that Perdue spoke about as well. “He was very outgoing,” Perdue said. “He was in trouble quite a lot, but it was just mischief trouble. It wasn’t any kind of big trouble.”
Friends and family said Guy was a dedicated Marine. Ann Guy remembered a conversation she had with her son about joining the Marines.
“He said ‘Mom, are you going to be OK with this?”’ Ann Guy said. “And I said, ‘Bobby, I’m going to tell you right now, there isn’t a mother alive that wants to see her son going off to war.”’
But Ann Guy said she supported him entirely when he decided to join: “He died doing what he wanted to do.”
'HE WANTED TO BE THERE'
“He wanted to be there,” Ann Guy said of her son’s deployment to Iraq. “He wanted to be there, and he was so proud to be a Marine.”
Over the weekend, Guy’s family and friends remembered Guy as a goodhearted man who loved jokes and who worked for more than a year to become a Marine. “I never saw him work at anything so hard his whole life,” Ann Guy said. “He really wanted this.”
Deborah Cox, Guy’s aunt, said she remembered her nephew’s sense of humor, a side of Guy that Perdue spoke about as well. “He was very outgoing,” Perdue said. “He was in trouble quite a lot, but it was just mischief trouble. It wasn’t any kind of big trouble.”
Friends and family said Guy was a dedicated Marine. Ann Guy remembered a conversation she had with her son about joining the Marines.
“He said ‘Mom, are you going to be OK with this?”’ Ann Guy said. “And I said, ‘Bobby, I’m going to tell you right now, there isn’t a mother alive that wants to see her son going off to war.”’
But Ann Guy said she supported him entirely when he decided to join: “He died doing what he wanted to do.”
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Maryland's Twenty-Third Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. Michael L. Starr Jr., 21, of Baltimore; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; killed Jan. 26 when the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq. Twenty-nine Marines and one sailor also were killed.
HE LOVED WHAT HE WAS DOING
“He loved what he was doing, making a difference,” Starr’s father, Michael Starr Sr., told The (Baltimore) Sun.
Starr joined the Marine Corps in May 2001, shortly after graduating from Perry Hall High School. He attended infantry school in September of that year, training to become a rifleman, officials said.
“He had a lot of friends, a lot of friends, and he recruited a lot of friends into the Marines,” his mother, Robin Starr, told WBAL-TV.
“The Marines were so important to him, really motivated him, and he was an honor student in his senior year because he was so pumped up about being a Marine,” his mother told The Sun.
In an e-mail to his mother, Starr wrote about being hit by some metal in the chin and lip, about a friend who was killed and about another who lost an arm and a leg in battle: “I remain focus(ed) knowing where I still am. I love you and want you to know I am fine and content knowing I fought house to house like the Marines in Hue City in Vietnam. ... And I’m a huge part of American history now.”
HE LOVED WHAT HE WAS DOING
“He loved what he was doing, making a difference,” Starr’s father, Michael Starr Sr., told The (Baltimore) Sun.
Starr joined the Marine Corps in May 2001, shortly after graduating from Perry Hall High School. He attended infantry school in September of that year, training to become a rifleman, officials said.
“He had a lot of friends, a lot of friends, and he recruited a lot of friends into the Marines,” his mother, Robin Starr, told WBAL-TV.
“The Marines were so important to him, really motivated him, and he was an honor student in his senior year because he was so pumped up about being a Marine,” his mother told The Sun.
In an e-mail to his mother, Starr wrote about being hit by some metal in the chin and lip, about a friend who was killed and about another who lost an arm and a leg in battle: “I remain focus(ed) knowing where I still am. I love you and want you to know I am fine and content knowing I fought house to house like the Marines in Hue City in Vietnam. ... And I’m a huge part of American history now.”
Maryland's Twenty-Second Hero
Army Spc. Erik W. Hayes, 24, of Cascade, Md.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Vilseck, Germany; killed Nov. 29 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Al Miqdadiyah, Iraq.
HE COULD DO ANYTHING
Hayes was born in Gettysburg, Pa., and grew up in Thurmont and Harney, where his father, Douglas Hayes, still lives. He graduated in 1998 from the Living Word Academy in Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.
After high school Erik had jobs that ranged from electrical work to working on a dairy farm, Douglas Hayes said.
“Erik could do anything,” Hayes said. “He was artistic. He could draw like you couldn’t believe. He was a good son.”
He joined the Army in 2001 to get a college education and had been stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., as well as in Germany, Bosnia and Kosovo before he was deployed to Iraq.
Hayes’ younger son, Bradley, 20, was injured in a car accident two years ago and is cared for at a Hagerstown medical facility. Erik was devastated by his brother’s injury, his father said.
“Erik loved him with all his heart,” Douglas Hayes said.
HE COULD DO ANYTHING
Hayes was born in Gettysburg, Pa., and grew up in Thurmont and Harney, where his father, Douglas Hayes, still lives. He graduated in 1998 from the Living Word Academy in Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.
After high school Erik had jobs that ranged from electrical work to working on a dairy farm, Douglas Hayes said.
“Erik could do anything,” Hayes said. “He was artistic. He could draw like you couldn’t believe. He was a good son.”
He joined the Army in 2001 to get a college education and had been stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., as well as in Germany, Bosnia and Kosovo before he was deployed to Iraq.
Hayes’ younger son, Bradley, 20, was injured in a car accident two years ago and is cared for at a Hagerstown medical facility. Erik was devastated by his brother’s injury, his father said.
“Erik loved him with all his heart,” Douglas Hayes said.
Maryland's Twenty-First Hero
Marine Cpl. Nicholas L. Ziolkowski, 22, of Towson, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Nov. 14 by enemy action in Fallujah, Iraq.
HIS LAST LETTER HOME
[Nick wrote this undated letter to his mother prior to dying in Iraq -- the original appeared in Newsweek magazine]
"Dearest Mother,
"Look Babe, I have no time to write but got your letter and started to cry almost. I have fun here but am so sad of how you love me and I don't show much in return. I love you more than words, you are a special person. Mom you are gifted and should know it.
"p.s. Write EVERYDAY and tell Pete to also. Send my love to everyone. Tell Nana I got her letter and am going to write back a.s.a.p. Please -- send cough drops & pictures. -- Tell Hugo to write me. I don't have his adress [sic]."
Love
Nick
HIS LAST LETTER HOME
[Nick wrote this undated letter to his mother prior to dying in Iraq -- the original appeared in Newsweek magazine]
"Dearest Mother,
"Look Babe, I have no time to write but got your letter and started to cry almost. I have fun here but am so sad of how you love me and I don't show much in return. I love you more than words, you are a special person. Mom you are gifted and should know it.
"p.s. Write EVERYDAY and tell Pete to also. Send my love to everyone. Tell Nana I got her letter and am going to write back a.s.a.p. Please -- send cough drops & pictures. -- Tell Hugo to write me. I don't have his adress [sic]."
Love
Nick
Maryland's Twentieth Hero
Marine Cpl. Dale A. Burger Jr., 21, of Port Deposit, Md.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Nov. 14 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
HE WAS EAGER TO JOIN THE MARINES
Burger was the only boy in a family of eight and, as a child who looked up to his father, wanted to follow in his footsteps and be a Marine, said sister Lynn Frost of Florida.
The family was proud of its military ties and flew the Marine Corps flag outside its home. As a teenager, Burger was so eager to join the Marines that he left Bel Air High School early and got a General Educational Development diploma.
When asked "Did Dale like sports?" his mother, Martina Burger replied, "He loved baseball. He dreamed of being Cal Ripken. He always played shortstop, from T-ball on. But my husband was disabled in 1993; he had a coma and suffered brain damage, and Dale Jr. lost his dad. His dad could not do dad things, could not play with him like he used to, and that turned Dale off from baseball."
HE WAS EAGER TO JOIN THE MARINES
Burger was the only boy in a family of eight and, as a child who looked up to his father, wanted to follow in his footsteps and be a Marine, said sister Lynn Frost of Florida.
The family was proud of its military ties and flew the Marine Corps flag outside its home. As a teenager, Burger was so eager to join the Marines that he left Bel Air High School early and got a General Educational Development diploma.
When asked "Did Dale like sports?" his mother, Martina Burger replied, "He loved baseball. He dreamed of being Cal Ripken. He always played shortstop, from T-ball on. But my husband was disabled in 1993; he had a coma and suffered brain damage, and Dale Jr. lost his dad. His dad could not do dad things, could not play with him like he used to, and that turned Dale off from baseball."
Maryland's Nineteenth Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. David M. Branning, 21, of Cockesville, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; killed Nov. 12 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
HE WAS A TALENTED ARTISTS AND A QUICK STUDY
While in high school, David M. Branning took part in a work-study program at the upscale Oregon Grille restaurant. Though he began with lowly tasks, that didn't last. "David started out washing dishes when he was 16, and by the time he left he was a key member of the line staff," said Jason Openhym, the restaurant's sous chef. "He could pick up anything very quickly." Branning, 21, of Cockeysville, Md., died Nov. 12 in Fallujah. He was stationed at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii. He graduated high school in 2001 with a reputation as a talented artist. "I always enjoyed getting David's notes and looking at the back of some of his tests because he would have sketches," said Kerry Williams, his 11th-grade English teacher. Branning joined the Marines in 2002. "I think David wanted to get beyond Cockeysville, to travel," Openhym said. "He talked about heading for Europe with another cook and talked about learning French. But he realized they didn't have the financial means. He figured the military would be a way to do that."
HE WAS A TALENTED ARTISTS AND A QUICK STUDY
While in high school, David M. Branning took part in a work-study program at the upscale Oregon Grille restaurant. Though he began with lowly tasks, that didn't last. "David started out washing dishes when he was 16, and by the time he left he was a key member of the line staff," said Jason Openhym, the restaurant's sous chef. "He could pick up anything very quickly." Branning, 21, of Cockeysville, Md., died Nov. 12 in Fallujah. He was stationed at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii. He graduated high school in 2001 with a reputation as a talented artist. "I always enjoyed getting David's notes and looking at the back of some of his tests because he would have sketches," said Kerry Williams, his 11th-grade English teacher. Branning joined the Marines in 2002. "I think David wanted to get beyond Cockeysville, to travel," Openhym said. "He talked about heading for Europe with another cook and talked about learning French. But he realized they didn't have the financial means. He figured the military would be a way to do that."
Maryland's Eighteenth Hero
Army Spc. Thomas K. Doerflinger, 20, of Silver Spring, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.; killed Nov. 11 when his unit came under small-arms fire while conducting combat operations in Mosul, Iraq.
HE WANTED TO BE HELPFUL
Doerflinger joined the military shortly after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “He said, ‘I just want to be helpful,”’ said Anna Doerflinger, 23.
Thomas’ parents, Richard and Lee Doerflinger, tried to dissuade him, his sister said, because U.S. military action appeared to be imminent. “But he said he’d rather join then than in a time of peace,” Anna said.
Her younger brother, Anna said, was not “your typical play-video-games kind of guy.” He was quiet but very funny, and wrote poetry and short stories, she said.
Thomas also liked the music of Johnny Cash, and in his last message to his family, asked to be sent music CDs.
Doerfling never talked about the danger he faced because he was trying to protect his family from worrying about him, Anna said.
Richard and Lee Doerflinger issued this statement Friday night: “Our son Thomas was a smart, dedicated, wonderful young man who volunteered for the Army to serve his country and protect innocent people.
“He understood the risks of his chosen path, and gave his life doing what he had committed himself to doing — standing against those who have no respect for human life. Even as we grieve for our loss, we honor the ideals he stood for and ask others to do the same.”
HE WANTED TO BE HELPFUL
Doerflinger joined the military shortly after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “He said, ‘I just want to be helpful,”’ said Anna Doerflinger, 23.
Thomas’ parents, Richard and Lee Doerflinger, tried to dissuade him, his sister said, because U.S. military action appeared to be imminent. “But he said he’d rather join then than in a time of peace,” Anna said.
Her younger brother, Anna said, was not “your typical play-video-games kind of guy.” He was quiet but very funny, and wrote poetry and short stories, she said.
Thomas also liked the music of Johnny Cash, and in his last message to his family, asked to be sent music CDs.
Doerfling never talked about the danger he faced because he was trying to protect his family from worrying about him, Anna said.
Richard and Lee Doerflinger issued this statement Friday night: “Our son Thomas was a smart, dedicated, wonderful young man who volunteered for the Army to serve his country and protect innocent people.
“He understood the risks of his chosen path, and gave his life doing what he had committed himself to doing — standing against those who have no respect for human life. Even as we grieve for our loss, we honor the ideals he stood for and ask others to do the same.”
Maryland's Seventeenth Hero
Army Sgt. Maurice Keith Fortune, 25, of Forestville, Md.; assigned to the Army’s 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, from Camp Hovey, Korea; killed Oct. 29 when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq.
A FAMILY WITH A MILITARY TRADITION
Maurice Keith Fortune came from a family with a military tradition dating to World War I. "All the boys were in the military," said his uncle, Maurice P. Fortune. "My grandfather was in the first world war, and we had three uncles in the second world war."
"He was just a young man from a poor family reaching out to (improve) his condition and he chose the way that he wanted to do it by entering the service," said his father, Littleton Fortune, who made a career of the Air Force and then retired to live in the Philippines. Fortune is survived by his wife and an infant daughter.
A FAMILY WITH A MILITARY TRADITION
Maurice Keith Fortune came from a family with a military tradition dating to World War I. "All the boys were in the military," said his uncle, Maurice P. Fortune. "My grandfather was in the first world war, and we had three uncles in the second world war."
"He was just a young man from a poor family reaching out to (improve) his condition and he chose the way that he wanted to do it by entering the service," said his father, Littleton Fortune, who made a career of the Air Force and then retired to live in the Philippines. Fortune is survived by his wife and an infant daughter.
Maryland's Sixteenth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. James L. Pettaway Jr., 37, of Baltimore; assigned to the 223rd Transportation Company, Army Reserve, Norristown, Pa.; died Oct. 3 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, of injuries sustained Aug. 27 when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident in Fallujah, Iraq.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALWAYS CAME FIRST
When Staff Sgt. James L. Pettaway Jr. was called up for his second tour of duty in Iraq, his friend Carroll Washington said he had a bad feeling that Pettaway was tempting fate.
“But when duty calls, you have to go,” Washington said.
Pettaway always kept in touch with friends, so Washington, who worked with Pettaway at the Herman L. Toulson Correctional Boot Camp in Jessup, knew something was wrong when he didn’t hear from Pettaway for a month.
Pettaway died Sunday at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, according to the Department of Defense. He was injured in a motor vehicle crash on Aug. 27 in Fallujah, a release said.
Washington said he can’t help wondering whether he and his friends could have helped Pettaway hold on and recover had they known he was hospitalized.
Pettaway spent much of his free time visiting family, including his 11-year-old son Brandon, in Long Island. He believed family and friends always came first.
“Even in Iraq, he was still calling me, telling me ‘Keep your head up’ when I should be telling him that,” Washington said. “That tells you what type of person he was.”
“I tell my friends that we knew it was a war, but we never knew how serious it was until someone close to us died,” Washington said. “It finally hit home.”
FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALWAYS CAME FIRST
When Staff Sgt. James L. Pettaway Jr. was called up for his second tour of duty in Iraq, his friend Carroll Washington said he had a bad feeling that Pettaway was tempting fate.
“But when duty calls, you have to go,” Washington said.
Pettaway always kept in touch with friends, so Washington, who worked with Pettaway at the Herman L. Toulson Correctional Boot Camp in Jessup, knew something was wrong when he didn’t hear from Pettaway for a month.
Pettaway died Sunday at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, according to the Department of Defense. He was injured in a motor vehicle crash on Aug. 27 in Fallujah, a release said.
Washington said he can’t help wondering whether he and his friends could have helped Pettaway hold on and recover had they known he was hospitalized.
Pettaway spent much of his free time visiting family, including his 11-year-old son Brandon, in Long Island. He believed family and friends always came first.
“Even in Iraq, he was still calling me, telling me ‘Keep your head up’ when I should be telling him that,” Washington said. “That tells you what type of person he was.”
“I tell my friends that we knew it was a war, but we never knew how serious it was until someone close to us died,” Washington said. “It finally hit home.”
Maryland's Fifteenth Hero
Army Pfc. Raymond J. Faulstich Jr., 24, of Leonardtown, Md.; assigned to the 89th Transportation Company, 6th Transportation Battalion, 7th Transportation Group, Fort Eustis, Va.; killed Aug. 5 when his convoy was attacked by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Najaf, Iraq.
HE TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND
Raymond J. Faulstich Jr. dropped out of high school a month before graduation, trying to find himself while working low-wage jobs and eventually developing a drug habit. But he turned things around and joined the Army after deciding he wanted a life "with the girlfriend he loved," said his father, Raymond Sr. Faulstich, of Leonardtown, Md., died from wounds he received Aug. 5 when he was struck by a grenade during an ambush in Najaf, Iraq. Faulstich continued to drive under enemy fire, trying to get his comrades to safety, his father said. Faulstich, 24, married his girlfriend, Crystal Wathen, less than a year ago. He was based at Fort Eustis, Va. "I remember how happy and proud he was when he was able to stand on his own two feet. It seemed liked he grew up," Raymond Sr. said. The soldier last spoke to his parents at 4 a.m. on Aug. 2. "He apologized for calling so late," Raymond Sr. said. "We said it was OK, we'd rather be awakened than not hear from him."
HE TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND
Raymond J. Faulstich Jr. dropped out of high school a month before graduation, trying to find himself while working low-wage jobs and eventually developing a drug habit. But he turned things around and joined the Army after deciding he wanted a life "with the girlfriend he loved," said his father, Raymond Sr. Faulstich, of Leonardtown, Md., died from wounds he received Aug. 5 when he was struck by a grenade during an ambush in Najaf, Iraq. Faulstich continued to drive under enemy fire, trying to get his comrades to safety, his father said. Faulstich, 24, married his girlfriend, Crystal Wathen, less than a year ago. He was based at Fort Eustis, Va. "I remember how happy and proud he was when he was able to stand on his own two feet. It seemed liked he grew up," Raymond Sr. said. The soldier last spoke to his parents at 4 a.m. on Aug. 2. "He apologized for calling so late," Raymond Sr. said. "We said it was OK, we'd rather be awakened than not hear from him."
Maryland's Fourteenth Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick R. Adle, 21, of Baltimore; assigned to the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Marine Corps Reserve, Folsom, Pa.; killed June 29 when a roadside bomb exploded next to his Humvee as he and four other Marines were traveling southeast of Baghdad.
HE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE
Lance Cpl. Patrick Adle, 21, of Bel Air, was one of five Marines traveling to Baghdad in a Humvee on Tuesday when the roadside bomb blew up, said Joshua Tackett, Adle’s cousin.
When Adle enlisted three years ago, he joined others in his family who were Marines.
“I think he wanted the pride of being called a Marine,” said Tackett, who also is a Marine reservist. “It’s a feeling that can’t be taken away.”
“The guy always had a smile on his face,” he said. “You can’t put in words how great a person he was.”
“We’re going to miss everything about him,” Tackett said. “He died as a hero. The whole family is proud of him.”
HE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE
Lance Cpl. Patrick Adle, 21, of Bel Air, was one of five Marines traveling to Baghdad in a Humvee on Tuesday when the roadside bomb blew up, said Joshua Tackett, Adle’s cousin.
When Adle enlisted three years ago, he joined others in his family who were Marines.
“I think he wanted the pride of being called a Marine,” said Tackett, who also is a Marine reservist. “It’s a feeling that can’t be taken away.”
“The guy always had a smile on his face,” he said. “You can’t put in words how great a person he was.”
“We’re going to miss everything about him,” Tackett said. “He died as a hero. The whole family is proud of him.”
Maryland's Thirteenth Hero
Army Chief Warrant Officer Bruce E. Price, 37, of Maryland; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; killed May 15 when his unit was ambushed with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Kajaki, Afghanistan.
HE WAS A HIGHLY DECORATED GREEN BERET
A Green Beret from Fort Bragg, N.C., was killed when his unit was ambushed while on combat patrol in southern Afghanistan .... Chief Warrant Officer Bruce E. Price, 37, died Saturday ....
He died in Kajaki, Afghanistan, “when individuals using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire ambushed his unit,” the Defense Department statement said. Afghan authorities have said they arrested two Taliban suspects in the attack.
He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1992 as a Special Forces weapons sergeant and had been a warrant officer since 1998.
The Green Beret also was an Army jumpmaster and an Army Ranger. Price’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, among others.
HE WAS A HIGHLY DECORATED GREEN BERET
A Green Beret from Fort Bragg, N.C., was killed when his unit was ambushed while on combat patrol in southern Afghanistan .... Chief Warrant Officer Bruce E. Price, 37, died Saturday ....
He died in Kajaki, Afghanistan, “when individuals using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire ambushed his unit,” the Defense Department statement said. Afghan authorities have said they arrested two Taliban suspects in the attack.
He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1992 as a Special Forces weapons sergeant and had been a warrant officer since 1998.
The Green Beret also was an Army jumpmaster and an Army Ranger. Price’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, among others.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Maryland's Twelfth Hero
Army Pvt. Brandon L. Davis, 20, of Cumberland, Md.; assigned to the 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed March 31 when an improvised explosive device hit his armored personnel carrier in Habbaniyah, Iraq.
'HE WAS MY BABY'
“It’s terrible,” [Jackie Weatherholt] said. “He was my baby. I have three kids, and he was my baby.”
Weatherholt said she last spoke with Davis March 20 by telephone. They discussed the dangers of the high-risk areas into which he was always being sent, she said. “I said, ‘Watch your back, Brandon.”’
She said Davis enjoyed carpentry and fishing. A graduate of Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, he had joined the Army in hopes of learning a trade, she said.
“He was just your average, everyday teenager, basically,” she said. “He was just one of those all-American kids, the guys who help old women across the street.”
'HE WAS MY BABY'
“It’s terrible,” [Jackie Weatherholt] said. “He was my baby. I have three kids, and he was my baby.”
Weatherholt said she last spoke with Davis March 20 by telephone. They discussed the dangers of the high-risk areas into which he was always being sent, she said. “I said, ‘Watch your back, Brandon.”’
She said Davis enjoyed carpentry and fishing. A graduate of Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, he had joined the Army in hopes of learning a trade, she said.
“He was just your average, everyday teenager, basically,” she said. “He was just one of those all-American kids, the guys who help old women across the street.”
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