Army 1st Lt. Robert A. Seidel III, 23, of Emmitsburg, MD.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 18 of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad. Also killed were Lt. Col. Daniel E. Holland, Sgt. Lonnie C. Allen Jr. and Pfc. Nicholas R. Cournoyer.
HE LOVED HIS PLATOON MOST OF ALL
Through the glass front door, Sandy Seidel could see the uniformed Army officer who had come to deliver the news, and she thought for a fleeting moment that maybe, if she didn't answer, the man would go away.
"But I knew what it was," she said, as the memory of that moment brought back tears yesterday. For the mother of a son serving in Iraq, "it's your nightmare."
"You always know it's a possibility, but you hope it won't happen," Mr. Seidel said of the death of his son, who had last spoken with his parents on Mother's Day.
"He said he loved us, and he couldn't let Mother's Day go by without calling," Mrs. Seidel said of the 15-minute call. "He was ready to get back home, but he was upbeat and in good spirits."
"He was a great kid," Mrs. Seidel said. "He loved the Lord. He loved his family. He loved his friends. And he loved his platoon. That was the most important thing for him."
His father added: "He believed in the mission in Iraq."
Stephen Seidel, 20, said he had braced himself for the possibility that his brother could die while serving in the war, but he hadn't imagined how he would feel if that day ever came.
"You work yourself up for this, but you don't expect it to happen," he said. "It rips your heart right out of your chest. I'm never going to see him again, and that's the hardest part of this."
He said his brother was a true-blue friend with an unfailing sense of humor and a knack for lightening serious moments.
"The first minute you met him, he'd have you laughing," the younger brother said. "Way back when we were really young, we'd go up to our grandma's attic and get into my uncle's old military uniforms. We'd go out into the woods and play Army. He loved that."
Friday, July 13, 2007
Maryland's Forty-Third Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Marion Flint Jr., 29, of Baltimore, Md.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Fort Carson, Colo.; killed May 15 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat patrol operations in Baghdad. Also killed was Pfc. Grant A. Dampier.
HIS MOTHER GIVES A WITNESS
"This day has finally arrived. It seems like yesterday that I got the news about you. This is a hard day for me. Bugg, you will always be in my heart. One year ago, who would know that htis would happen? It had to have been God's plan for you, son. He was tired of seeing you troubled, worried from day to day about which way things would play out, so He said,"Come home and be with the Father." I knw you're looking down on us and smiling. You're my hero. I love you, Bugg, and I miss you so much, but everything happens for a reason. I know the Lord has you. Just look for me. We will see each other again some day. I love you, Bugg. My HERO, Marion Flint, Jr."
HIS MOTHER GIVES A WITNESS
"This day has finally arrived. It seems like yesterday that I got the news about you. This is a hard day for me. Bugg, you will always be in my heart. One year ago, who would know that htis would happen? It had to have been God's plan for you, son. He was tired of seeing you troubled, worried from day to day about which way things would play out, so He said,"Come home and be with the Father." I knw you're looking down on us and smiling. You're my hero. I love you, Bugg, and I miss you so much, but everything happens for a reason. I know the Lord has you. Just look for me. We will see each other again some day. I love you, Bugg. My HERO, Marion Flint, Jr."
Maryland's Forty-Second Hero
Army Spc. Armer N. Burkart, 26, of Rockville, Md.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 11of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat patrol operations in Baghdad.
HE THOUGHT THE ODDS WERE ON HIS SIDE
Army Specialist Armer Burkart often told his father that despite the dangers in Iraq, the chances of becoming a casualty seemed low considering how many soldiers are stationed there.
Even so, he thought serving his country far outweighed the risks.
"He knew it was dangerous," said his father, John Burkart.... "He was proud to be there."
His father, John Burkart of Mount Dora, Florida, said Armer wanted to be in the Army since he joined the ROTC program at Magruder High School in Derwood in Montgomery County. While in high school, he played the saxophone with the marching band.
"Both of his grandfathers were in the Navy," Burkart recalled during a phone interview Monday. "He was familiar with service life."
Before serving in Iraq, Armer Burkart served in Afghanistan from August 2003 to April 2004, according to Fort Drum officials, who said he enlisted in July of 2000.
Regardless of the sacrifices, John said his son always loved the Army and was willing to give up everything, including a full ROTC scholarship to Lehigh University, to be in the Army.
"He was a great guy, he was proud to be in the Army," his father recalled. "He volunteered for combat ... he had a nice safe position which he chose to give up."
HE THOUGHT THE ODDS WERE ON HIS SIDE
Army Specialist Armer Burkart often told his father that despite the dangers in Iraq, the chances of becoming a casualty seemed low considering how many soldiers are stationed there.
Even so, he thought serving his country far outweighed the risks.
"He knew it was dangerous," said his father, John Burkart.... "He was proud to be there."
His father, John Burkart of Mount Dora, Florida, said Armer wanted to be in the Army since he joined the ROTC program at Magruder High School in Derwood in Montgomery County. While in high school, he played the saxophone with the marching band.
"Both of his grandfathers were in the Navy," Burkart recalled during a phone interview Monday. "He was familiar with service life."
Before serving in Iraq, Armer Burkart served in Afghanistan from August 2003 to April 2004, according to Fort Drum officials, who said he enlisted in July of 2000.
Regardless of the sacrifices, John said his son always loved the Army and was willing to give up everything, including a full ROTC scholarship to Lehigh University, to be in the Army.
"He was a great guy, he was proud to be in the Army," his father recalled. "He volunteered for combat ... he had a nice safe position which he chose to give up."
Maryland's Forty-First Hero
Marine Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro, 28, of Bethesda, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 10 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, from wounds received May 1 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.
HIS DOCTORS PLANTED A TREE IN HIS MEMORY
Marine Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro of Bethesda, who died Wednesday from injuries received while fighting in Iraq, made a great impression on all who met him and was an extremely honest and dedicated man, his father said Thursday.
“I never saw him so dedicated” after joining the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., Fulvio Carbonaro said of his son.
Sgt. Carbonaro, 28, died of injuries he sustained May 1 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Anbar province of Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. An IED exploded near a Humvee he was driving, Fulvio Carbonaro said Thursday by phone from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where Fulvio and Gilda Carbonaro went to see their son after he was wounded.
Alessandro Carbonaro graduated from Sandy Spring High School in 1997. He enjoyed ice hockey and playing music. He and several friends were in a band that played local shows before he deployed.
He joined the Marines after the 2001 terrorist attacks, his father said.
This was Sgt. Carbonaro’s second tour of duty in Iraq. On his first tour, Alessandro was injured in Fallujah and received a Purple Heart. He returned to Iraq in March.
His family said the Marine was totally committed to serving his country and the war effort. “He only had his job to do and that’s all that really mattered,” his father said.
Fulvio Carbonaro said doctors at the hospital were deeply moved by Alessandro and are planting a tree in a park near the hospital in his memory.
Through tears, Fulvio said, “Regardless of how people feel, everybody is totally dedicated ... to the people in uniform who sacrifice themselves.”
Alessandro Carbonaro is also survived by his wife, Gilda.
HIS DOCTORS PLANTED A TREE IN HIS MEMORY
Marine Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro of Bethesda, who died Wednesday from injuries received while fighting in Iraq, made a great impression on all who met him and was an extremely honest and dedicated man, his father said Thursday.
“I never saw him so dedicated” after joining the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., Fulvio Carbonaro said of his son.
Sgt. Carbonaro, 28, died of injuries he sustained May 1 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Anbar province of Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. An IED exploded near a Humvee he was driving, Fulvio Carbonaro said Thursday by phone from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where Fulvio and Gilda Carbonaro went to see their son after he was wounded.
Alessandro Carbonaro graduated from Sandy Spring High School in 1997. He enjoyed ice hockey and playing music. He and several friends were in a band that played local shows before he deployed.
He joined the Marines after the 2001 terrorist attacks, his father said.
This was Sgt. Carbonaro’s second tour of duty in Iraq. On his first tour, Alessandro was injured in Fallujah and received a Purple Heart. He returned to Iraq in March.
His family said the Marine was totally committed to serving his country and the war effort. “He only had his job to do and that’s all that really mattered,” his father said.
Fulvio Carbonaro said doctors at the hospital were deeply moved by Alessandro and are planting a tree in a park near the hospital in his memory.
Through tears, Fulvio said, “Regardless of how people feel, everybody is totally dedicated ... to the people in uniform who sacrifice themselves.”
Alessandro Carbonaro is also survived by his wife, Gilda.
Maryland's Fortieth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Robert Hernandez, 47, of Silver Spring, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 318th Regiment, 1st Brigade, 80th Division (Institutional Training), Army Reserve, Fort Meade, Md.; killed March 28 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Taquaddum, Iraq.
HE WAS A RESPECTED AND BELOVED POLICE OFFICER
A Prince George’s County police officer was killed by an explosive device Tuesday in Iraq, authorities said.
Cpl. Robert Hernandez, a 10-year veteran of the police department, was traveling in a convoy at the time of the blast, police said. He had been stationed in Iraq since summer as a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves.
Further details of his death were not immediately available.
“I’m heartbroken by this loss,” County Executive Jack Johnson said in a statement Wednesday. “It is a tragic loss for our county and the nation.”
Chief Melvin High said the department was hit hard.
“As a police chief, this is an emotional time for me,” High said. “We are a close-knit family.”
Hernandez, 48, who previously worked as an officer in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Puerto Rico, was remembered as a hardworking man who won the respect of his fellow officers.
Hernandez joined Prince George’s County police partly because he thought the department needed more Spanish-speaking officers, said Assistant Police Chief Roberto Hylton, who helped recruit him.
He spent his first six years on the force working in the Hyattsville area, which has the county’s highest concentration of Spanish-speaking residents. He also mentored children at an elementary school, said Sgt. Robert Connell Sr., who supervised him for two years.
In 2000, his squad won a citation for organizing care packages for victims of hunger in Mozambique.
Hernandez also was praised for his work as a field training officer, in which he helped new officers graduating from the police academy.
“Those officers have since gone on to become productive members of this department and valued members of this community, and that was a direct result of the lessons they learned from Cpl. Hernandez,” said Maj. Michael Blow.
Officer Kevin Sparks, who was trained by Hernandez, said the 24-year military veteran wanted to go to Iraq and was frustrated that he was not deployed sooner. If anyone could handle himself there, Sparks said, it was Hernandez.
“He always emphasized safety,” Sparks said. “He always said, ‘I want to make sure everyone goes home.”’
Hernandez is survived by his fiancee and three children, ages 8, 18 and 21. One of his sons is also in the Army Reserve, police said. His parents and other relatives live in Puerto Rico.
HE WAS A RESPECTED AND BELOVED POLICE OFFICER
A Prince George’s County police officer was killed by an explosive device Tuesday in Iraq, authorities said.
Cpl. Robert Hernandez, a 10-year veteran of the police department, was traveling in a convoy at the time of the blast, police said. He had been stationed in Iraq since summer as a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves.
Further details of his death were not immediately available.
“I’m heartbroken by this loss,” County Executive Jack Johnson said in a statement Wednesday. “It is a tragic loss for our county and the nation.”
Chief Melvin High said the department was hit hard.
“As a police chief, this is an emotional time for me,” High said. “We are a close-knit family.”
Hernandez, 48, who previously worked as an officer in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Puerto Rico, was remembered as a hardworking man who won the respect of his fellow officers.
Hernandez joined Prince George’s County police partly because he thought the department needed more Spanish-speaking officers, said Assistant Police Chief Roberto Hylton, who helped recruit him.
He spent his first six years on the force working in the Hyattsville area, which has the county’s highest concentration of Spanish-speaking residents. He also mentored children at an elementary school, said Sgt. Robert Connell Sr., who supervised him for two years.
In 2000, his squad won a citation for organizing care packages for victims of hunger in Mozambique.
Hernandez also was praised for his work as a field training officer, in which he helped new officers graduating from the police academy.
“Those officers have since gone on to become productive members of this department and valued members of this community, and that was a direct result of the lessons they learned from Cpl. Hernandez,” said Maj. Michael Blow.
Officer Kevin Sparks, who was trained by Hernandez, said the 24-year military veteran wanted to go to Iraq and was frustrated that he was not deployed sooner. If anyone could handle himself there, Sparks said, it was Hernandez.
“He always emphasized safety,” Sparks said. “He always said, ‘I want to make sure everyone goes home.”’
Hernandez is survived by his fiancee and three children, ages 8, 18 and 21. One of his sons is also in the Army Reserve, police said. His parents and other relatives live in Puerto Rico.
Maryland's Thirty-Nineth Hero
Army Pfc. Amy A. Duerksen, 19, of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; assigned to the 4th Combat Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died March 11 from a non-combat-related injury in Baghdad.
SHE JOINED IN THE HOPES OF ATTENDING COLLEGE
Pfc. Amy Duerksen grew up an Army brat, the third generation of a military family. But she never really expressed an interest in joining the military herself, until she started looking into financial aid for college.
“She didn’t know where she wanted to go or what she wanted to major in,” her father, Maj. Douglas W. Duerksen, an Army chaplain at Aberdeen Proving Ground, said Wednesday.
A funeral for Amy Duerksen was held March 17. About 200 people attended the service at a church in Temple, Texas. Although her Army family moved around a lot, they lived mostly in Texas and Germany, Maj. Duerksen said.
“The two themes of freedom and justice were colossal for her,” the Rev. Shannon Soard said at the funeral.
Soard said Duerksen “had a kindness and gentleness for people that caused you to warm to her quickly. Warm smiles, encouraging words and affectionate hugs were the order of the day with Amy. She loved people, and they knew it.”
The Department of Defense has not released details of the incident that led to Amy Duerksen’s death, and her father said the Army has not given the family any more information.
“It doesn’t matter much at this point,” Douglas Duerksen said. “We’re focusing on the future rather than what happened in the past. We’re just thankful we know where she is.”
SHE JOINED IN THE HOPES OF ATTENDING COLLEGE
Pfc. Amy Duerksen grew up an Army brat, the third generation of a military family. But she never really expressed an interest in joining the military herself, until she started looking into financial aid for college.
“She didn’t know where she wanted to go or what she wanted to major in,” her father, Maj. Douglas W. Duerksen, an Army chaplain at Aberdeen Proving Ground, said Wednesday.
A funeral for Amy Duerksen was held March 17. About 200 people attended the service at a church in Temple, Texas. Although her Army family moved around a lot, they lived mostly in Texas and Germany, Maj. Duerksen said.
“The two themes of freedom and justice were colossal for her,” the Rev. Shannon Soard said at the funeral.
Soard said Duerksen “had a kindness and gentleness for people that caused you to warm to her quickly. Warm smiles, encouraging words and affectionate hugs were the order of the day with Amy. She loved people, and they knew it.”
The Department of Defense has not released details of the incident that led to Amy Duerksen’s death, and her father said the Army has not given the family any more information.
“It doesn’t matter much at this point,” Douglas Duerksen said. “We’re focusing on the future rather than what happened in the past. We’re just thankful we know where she is.”
Maryland's Thirty-Eighth Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, 20, of Finksburg, Md.; assigned to Combat Service Support Group 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died March 3 from a non-combat-related vehicle accident in Anbar province, Iraq.
HE HAD AN UNWAVERING SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
Julie Snyder, Matthew’s mother, was too saddened to talk, but she allowed her sister, Cathy Menefee, to speak for the family. She [spoke of] of his keen sense of humor and an unwavering sense of responsibility, which culminated in his decision to join the military.
“It’s sounds so cliche, but he died doing what he wanted to do,” Menefee said. “He always wanted to be a Marine.”
He was the middle of three children, with sisters Sarah Snyder, 22, of Hanover, Pa., and Tracie Snyder, 18, who lives with their father in York, Pa.
Reached by telephone at his home Monday night, Albert Snyder wept.
“I just want it to be over,” the father told the newspaper. “And I want answers. They said he was the gunnery on top of the Humvee and the Humvee rolled. When is this senseless war going to end?”
HE HAD AN UNWAVERING SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
Julie Snyder, Matthew’s mother, was too saddened to talk, but she allowed her sister, Cathy Menefee, to speak for the family. She [spoke of] of his keen sense of humor and an unwavering sense of responsibility, which culminated in his decision to join the military.
“It’s sounds so cliche, but he died doing what he wanted to do,” Menefee said. “He always wanted to be a Marine.”
He was the middle of three children, with sisters Sarah Snyder, 22, of Hanover, Pa., and Tracie Snyder, 18, who lives with their father in York, Pa.
Reached by telephone at his home Monday night, Albert Snyder wept.
“I just want it to be over,” the father told the newspaper. “And I want answers. They said he was the gunnery on top of the Humvee and the Humvee rolled. When is this senseless war going to end?”
Maryland's Thirty-Seventh Hero
Marine Cpl. Justin J. Watts, 20, of Crownsville, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; attached to the 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 14 of an apparently non-hostile gunshot wound in Haditha, Iraq.
HE DIED ONE OF THREE WAYS: MURDER, SUICIDE, OR FRIENDLY FIRE
[Watts] joined the Marine Corps on Sept. 15, 2003, and had earned several honors, including the Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
[He] died in Iraq during the weekend of "apparent non-hostile gunshot wounds," according to statements from his family, the Pentagon and the U.S. Central Command.
Cpl. Justin J. Watts, 20, was found dead Saturday at Forward Operating Base Haditha Dam in Iraq. It was his second tour there, according to his family. The military declined to release any further details about the circumstances of his death.
At the Watts home in Crownsville, a small American flag was stuck in a potted plant by the doorway, adorned with a yellow ribbon. Five trucks crowded the driveway -- many had yellow "support our troops" magnets stuck to the bumpers.
In a written statement handed out by a woman who answered the door, the family said that their son was "serving his country proudly in Iraq at the time of his death."
The statement goes on to say that the family is "extremely proud of Justin and will miss him dearly."
Watts was responsible and well-liked by other kids and adults, said Old Mill High School special education teacher Steve Spence, who coached Watts on the lacrosse team when he was a sophomore.
"Justin was a real respectful young man," Spence said. "He worked real hard and was a real physically fit kid, too."
Even after Watts stopped playing lacrosse, Spence said Watts would always come up and say hello to him at games and in school.
Watts became close with his high school weight training teacher, Jim Grim, who taught him for two years. Grim said Watts was a dedicated person who was always happy.
Grim fondly recalled helping Watts train for a school program called Power Club, in which a student must lift 900 total pounds in three different types of lifts.
"Justin was a very strong kid. Not very many people could lift that much," Grim said.
Laura Zlatos, whose son John played lacrosse with Watts at Old Mill High School, said her son joined about 18 of Watts' high school friends who gathered to console one another Saturday night after they learned Watts had died. The group was "devastated," she said.
Zlatos noted that Watts had been home over Christmas and had reconnected with his school buddies then.
"It's really ... it is really just difficult for the kids," Zlatos said. "They saw someone so recently, and suddenly [he's] just gone.
"They just don't understand how things like this happen. ... The whole world just collapsed a little bit on them," Zlatos said.
John Pike, director of globalsecurity.org, said the military's preliminary description of Watts' death indicates he died in one of three ways: murder, suicide or friendly fire.
"It would be the same as any criminal investigation," Pike said.
HE DIED ONE OF THREE WAYS: MURDER, SUICIDE, OR FRIENDLY FIRE
[Watts] joined the Marine Corps on Sept. 15, 2003, and had earned several honors, including the Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
[He] died in Iraq during the weekend of "apparent non-hostile gunshot wounds," according to statements from his family, the Pentagon and the U.S. Central Command.
Cpl. Justin J. Watts, 20, was found dead Saturday at Forward Operating Base Haditha Dam in Iraq. It was his second tour there, according to his family. The military declined to release any further details about the circumstances of his death.
At the Watts home in Crownsville, a small American flag was stuck in a potted plant by the doorway, adorned with a yellow ribbon. Five trucks crowded the driveway -- many had yellow "support our troops" magnets stuck to the bumpers.
In a written statement handed out by a woman who answered the door, the family said that their son was "serving his country proudly in Iraq at the time of his death."
The statement goes on to say that the family is "extremely proud of Justin and will miss him dearly."
Watts was responsible and well-liked by other kids and adults, said Old Mill High School special education teacher Steve Spence, who coached Watts on the lacrosse team when he was a sophomore.
"Justin was a real respectful young man," Spence said. "He worked real hard and was a real physically fit kid, too."
Even after Watts stopped playing lacrosse, Spence said Watts would always come up and say hello to him at games and in school.
Watts became close with his high school weight training teacher, Jim Grim, who taught him for two years. Grim said Watts was a dedicated person who was always happy.
Grim fondly recalled helping Watts train for a school program called Power Club, in which a student must lift 900 total pounds in three different types of lifts.
"Justin was a very strong kid. Not very many people could lift that much," Grim said.
Laura Zlatos, whose son John played lacrosse with Watts at Old Mill High School, said her son joined about 18 of Watts' high school friends who gathered to console one another Saturday night after they learned Watts had died. The group was "devastated," she said.
Zlatos noted that Watts had been home over Christmas and had reconnected with his school buddies then.
"It's really ... it is really just difficult for the kids," Zlatos said. "They saw someone so recently, and suddenly [he's] just gone.
"They just don't understand how things like this happen. ... The whole world just collapsed a little bit on them," Zlatos said.
John Pike, director of globalsecurity.org, said the military's preliminary description of Watts' death indicates he died in one of three ways: murder, suicide or friendly fire.
"It would be the same as any criminal investigation," Pike said.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Maryland's Thirty-Sixth Hero
Army Sgt. Michael J. McMullen, 25, of Salisbury, Md.; assigned to the 243rd Engineer Company, Maryland Army National Guard, Baltimore; died Jan. 10 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., of injuries sustained Dec. 24 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his position in Ramadi, Iraq.
HE TOUCHED SO MANY PEOPLE
Several hundred mourners, including a soldier who Sgt. Michael J. McMullen helped rescue in Iraq, paid their respects Thursday to the soldier and firefighter who died of wounds suffered in combat.
McMullen, 25, who worked as a paramedic in Salisbury for the fire department, was wounded Christmas Eve while caring for Sgt. Randal Divel, who had been injured in an earlier attack. McMullen died Jan. 10 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington from injuries suffered near Ramadi when a homemade explosive device went off near his unit, the Baltimore-based 243rd Engineering Company.
James Gladwell, captain at the Salisbury Fire Department and McMullen’s friend, said his loss leaves a void.
“He touched so many people in such a short time. He may have been struck down, but he was doing what he did best,” Gladwell said. “The world was a better place with him in it.”
HE TOUCHED SO MANY PEOPLE
Several hundred mourners, including a soldier who Sgt. Michael J. McMullen helped rescue in Iraq, paid their respects Thursday to the soldier and firefighter who died of wounds suffered in combat.
McMullen, 25, who worked as a paramedic in Salisbury for the fire department, was wounded Christmas Eve while caring for Sgt. Randal Divel, who had been injured in an earlier attack. McMullen died Jan. 10 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington from injuries suffered near Ramadi when a homemade explosive device went off near his unit, the Baltimore-based 243rd Engineering Company.
James Gladwell, captain at the Salisbury Fire Department and McMullen’s friend, said his loss leaves a void.
“He touched so many people in such a short time. He may have been struck down, but he was doing what he did best,” Gladwell said. “The world was a better place with him in it.”
Maryland's Thirty-Fifth Hero
Marine Cpl. Joshua D. Snyder, 20, of Hampstead, Md.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Nov. 30 of wounds sustained from small-arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Fallujah, Iraq.
HE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP
A 2002 graduate of Hereford High School in northern Baltimore County, Snyder was the second alumnus of the school to die in Iraq in five weeks, said Steve Turnbaugh, the football coach at Hereford.
Snyder, who played football, was a teammate of Marine Lance Cpl. Norman Anderson III, of Parkton, who died Oct. 19 from a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Karabilah, Iraq. The men had been roommates at boot camp.
“It’s been very tough on the guys that he graduated with. We have a very close-knit football family, and it’s been hard on the football players, both past and present,” Turnbaugh said.
Turnbaugh recalled that Snyder had been injured for most of his senior year on the team and took on the role of a student coach.
“He was always willing to help anybody do anything,” Turnbaugh said.
HE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP
A 2002 graduate of Hereford High School in northern Baltimore County, Snyder was the second alumnus of the school to die in Iraq in five weeks, said Steve Turnbaugh, the football coach at Hereford.
Snyder, who played football, was a teammate of Marine Lance Cpl. Norman Anderson III, of Parkton, who died Oct. 19 from a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Karabilah, Iraq. The men had been roommates at boot camp.
“It’s been very tough on the guys that he graduated with. We have a very close-knit football family, and it’s been hard on the football players, both past and present,” Turnbaugh said.
Turnbaugh recalled that Snyder had been injured for most of his senior year on the team and took on the role of a student coach.
“He was always willing to help anybody do anything,” Turnbaugh said.
Maryland's Thirty-Fourth Hero
Army Spc. Kendall K. Frederick, 21, of Randallstown, Md.; assigned to the Army Reserve's 983rd Engineer Battalion, Monclova, Ohio; killed Oct. 19 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during convoy operations Tikrit, Iraq.
HE ALMOST MADE IT
He had come home from wrenching experiences in Iraq, including killing someone for the first time and enduring the death of comrades. Although he was scared, family members and a former mentor said, he decided to return to Iraq because he loved the Army and believed in doing his duty.
While he was home on leave three weeks ago, Specialist Frederick spent time with old friends and visited cadets at Randallstown's Junior Navy ROTC program, where had been a platoon commander.
Stephan J. Strzemienski, a retired Navy commander who led the program, said he spoke to Frederick at length about the soldier's time in Iraq.
"He was telling me about his experiences over there and that it had been hard for him," Mr. Strzemienski said. "He never really knew from day to day what was going to happen, how you have to be really careful over there and that you never know one minute to the next with these car bombs. He had seen several of his friends get killed, and he had to shoot someone, and he was upset about that."
Mr. Strzemienski said Specialist Frederick was a quiet and disciplined student who looked forward to joining the Army after graduating. But after 10 months in Iraq, he had lost some of his excitement.
"He wasn't that excited about going back, but we just basically agreed that it was his duty and that it had to be done," Mr. Strzemienski said. "There was no fun in it for him. He wanted to come home. He almost made it, I guess."
HE ALMOST MADE IT
He had come home from wrenching experiences in Iraq, including killing someone for the first time and enduring the death of comrades. Although he was scared, family members and a former mentor said, he decided to return to Iraq because he loved the Army and believed in doing his duty.
While he was home on leave three weeks ago, Specialist Frederick spent time with old friends and visited cadets at Randallstown's Junior Navy ROTC program, where had been a platoon commander.
Stephan J. Strzemienski, a retired Navy commander who led the program, said he spoke to Frederick at length about the soldier's time in Iraq.
"He was telling me about his experiences over there and that it had been hard for him," Mr. Strzemienski said. "He never really knew from day to day what was going to happen, how you have to be really careful over there and that you never know one minute to the next with these car bombs. He had seen several of his friends get killed, and he had to shoot someone, and he was upset about that."
Mr. Strzemienski said Specialist Frederick was a quiet and disciplined student who looked forward to joining the Army after graduating. But after 10 months in Iraq, he had lost some of his excitement.
"He wasn't that excited about going back, but we just basically agreed that it was his duty and that it had to be done," Mr. Strzemienski said. "There was no fun in it for him. He wanted to come home. He almost made it, I guess."
Maryland's Thirty-Third Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. Norman W. Anderson III, 21, of Parkton, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Oct. 19 by a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Karabilah, Iraq.
HE WAS A TREASURED FRIEND
“Lance Corporal Anderson?”
Three times, Staff Sgt. John Knight made the call.
“Lance Corporal Anderson? Lance Corporal Anderson?”
Lance Cpl. Norman W. Anderson would not answer. As his platoon mates stood at attention, a small pedestal adorned with an upturned rifle, empty boots, helmet and dog tags marked his absence. Five days before, on Oct. 19, the blast of a suicide car bomb had taken the life of the 21-year-old newlywed from Parkton, Md.
Fifty or so of his fellow Marines had gathered in the bright sunlight and dust of Battle Position Iwo Jima — nearly within sight of the spot where he lost his life — to remember him, in a scene played out hundreds of times over the last two and a half years as the U.S. military toll in Iraq has climbed past 2,000.
“He was just a great man,” Lance Cpl. Jed Maki told his platoon mates during the service.
Maki, from the small town of Ewen in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, had roomed with Anderson before his comrade’s marriage earlier this year.
“What would he want us to do? Stay here inside the wire and be scared? He’d want us to do our jobs,” Maki said.
And so his colleagues in Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines did so on the afternoon of Anderson’s death. Immediately after the car bomb that killed Anderson and wounded several other Marines, platoon and company leaders gathered their troops and marched them back outside their outpost for a patrol.
“I told them, ‘This will be a turning point for each of you — you can go out there, cutting off ears, looking for revenge, or you can be professionals and do your job,’ ” said Gunnery Sgt. Bill Bodette, the company gunny.
“We had to go out and show force,” Maki said later. “We had to go right back out there and show we’re not going to tolerate that sort of thing.”
Maki lost not only a friend, but a key co-worker whom he called “a natural leader,” quiet but intense, willing to make sure fellow Marines were doing their jobs.
Younger, less experienced troops — who, unlike Anderson, had not served in the battalion’s deployment to Afghanistan — would have to step up.
But for good and ill, Maki said, the memorial focused the Marines’ minds on the loss of a treasured friend.
“He’s a loving, caring man,” Maki said, still speaking at times in the present tense. “Just the way he handled himself ... a total professional.”
HE WAS A TREASURED FRIEND
“Lance Corporal Anderson?”
Three times, Staff Sgt. John Knight made the call.
“Lance Corporal Anderson? Lance Corporal Anderson?”
Lance Cpl. Norman W. Anderson would not answer. As his platoon mates stood at attention, a small pedestal adorned with an upturned rifle, empty boots, helmet and dog tags marked his absence. Five days before, on Oct. 19, the blast of a suicide car bomb had taken the life of the 21-year-old newlywed from Parkton, Md.
Fifty or so of his fellow Marines had gathered in the bright sunlight and dust of Battle Position Iwo Jima — nearly within sight of the spot where he lost his life — to remember him, in a scene played out hundreds of times over the last two and a half years as the U.S. military toll in Iraq has climbed past 2,000.
“He was just a great man,” Lance Cpl. Jed Maki told his platoon mates during the service.
Maki, from the small town of Ewen in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, had roomed with Anderson before his comrade’s marriage earlier this year.
“What would he want us to do? Stay here inside the wire and be scared? He’d want us to do our jobs,” Maki said.
And so his colleagues in Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines did so on the afternoon of Anderson’s death. Immediately after the car bomb that killed Anderson and wounded several other Marines, platoon and company leaders gathered their troops and marched them back outside their outpost for a patrol.
“I told them, ‘This will be a turning point for each of you — you can go out there, cutting off ears, looking for revenge, or you can be professionals and do your job,’ ” said Gunnery Sgt. Bill Bodette, the company gunny.
“We had to go out and show force,” Maki said later. “We had to go right back out there and show we’re not going to tolerate that sort of thing.”
Maki lost not only a friend, but a key co-worker whom he called “a natural leader,” quiet but intense, willing to make sure fellow Marines were doing their jobs.
Younger, less experienced troops — who, unlike Anderson, had not served in the battalion’s deployment to Afghanistan — would have to step up.
But for good and ill, Maki said, the memorial focused the Marines’ minds on the loss of a treasured friend.
“He’s a loving, caring man,” Maki said, still speaking at times in the present tense. “Just the way he handled himself ... a total professional.”
Maryland's Thirty-Second Hero
Army Sgt. Brian R. Conner, 36, 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 Spc. Samuel M. Boswell and Spc. Bernard L. Ceo.
'HE WAS A COOL GUY'
Conner joined the Baltimore Fire Department in 1993 and was a lieutenant, department spokesman Kevin Cartwright said.
Through Cartwright, Conner’s sister, who did not want to speak publicly or give her name, said Conner was born and raised in Baltimore, where he attended city schools and later got a GED. She said he enlisted in the Army in September 1986 and was on his second tour in Iraq.
He is survived by three daughters ages 10, 15 and 21, and a 3-month-old grandson.
“He was a cool guy, an upbeat person and outgoing,” Cartwright said. “He liked to kid and joke but when it came to being serious about his job, he got down to business.”
Conner had been a Guard member for more than 16 years and had served in Bosnia.
'HE WAS A COOL GUY'
Conner joined the Baltimore Fire Department in 1993 and was a lieutenant, department spokesman Kevin Cartwright said.
Through Cartwright, Conner’s sister, who did not want to speak publicly or give her name, said Conner was born and raised in Baltimore, where he attended city schools and later got a GED. She said he enlisted in the Army in September 1986 and was on his second tour in Iraq.
He is survived by three daughters ages 10, 15 and 21, and a 3-month-old grandson.
“He was a cool guy, an upbeat person and outgoing,” Cartwright said. “He liked to kid and joke but when it came to being serious about his job, he got down to business.”
Conner had been a Guard member for more than 16 years and had served in Bosnia.
Maryland's Thirty-First Hero
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.”
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.”
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
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