Army Pfc. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, Md.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.; died July 19 in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
HE WANTED TO IMPROVE HIS LIFE
Pfc. Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, died in Husayniyah, Iraq, of wounds from a makeshift bomb, the Department of Defense said in a news release.
Craig, an infantryman, was posthumously promoted to corporal, said Joe Hitt, a spokesman for Fort Lewis, Wash., where Craig was stationed.
Craig enlisted in the Army in February 2006 and underwent basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. His unit was deployed to Iraq this April for a 15-month tour, Hitt said.
Craig’s parents told WBAL-TV that they last saw him on his 25th birthday, shortly after he was shipped to Iraq. They said he joined the Army because he wanted to improve his station in life. He leaves behind a wife.
“The service made a big difference in Brandon,” said his father, Danny Craig. “It turned him into a true man.”
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Maryland's Seventy-Third Hero
Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert E. Dunham, 36, of Baltimore; assigned to 1st Brigade Transition Team, and attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died May 24 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Russell K. Shoemaker.
HE REALLY LIKED WHAT HE DID
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Dunham, who grew up in the Park Heights community in west Baltimore, was killed in Iraq when the Humvee he was riding was hit by an explosive device near Baghdad, his family said.
Dunham, 36, had been serving in Iraq since January, according to his brother, Charles Dunham of Parkville.
“I believe he really liked what he did,” Charles Dunham told The (Baltimore) Sun. “He loved to serve. He was a giving person, real loving, and the Army was good to his family.”
Sgt. Dunham had been concerned about the danger in Iraq, particularly after a truck in a convoy he was in recently was heavily damaged by an improvised explosive device, his brother said.
Dunham graduated in 1988 from Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, where he studied industrial electronics, his brother said. He was an honors student who loved playing basketball in community leagues.
He joined the Army the same year he graduated and trained at Fort Dix, N.J., to work with communications equipment.
He served in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, in Bosnia and in Somalia and had received Special Forces training before his latest tour in Iraq, his brother said.
HE REALLY LIKED WHAT HE DID
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Dunham, who grew up in the Park Heights community in west Baltimore, was killed in Iraq when the Humvee he was riding was hit by an explosive device near Baghdad, his family said.
Dunham, 36, had been serving in Iraq since January, according to his brother, Charles Dunham of Parkville.
“I believe he really liked what he did,” Charles Dunham told The (Baltimore) Sun. “He loved to serve. He was a giving person, real loving, and the Army was good to his family.”
Sgt. Dunham had been concerned about the danger in Iraq, particularly after a truck in a convoy he was in recently was heavily damaged by an improvised explosive device, his brother said.
Dunham graduated in 1988 from Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, where he studied industrial electronics, his brother said. He was an honors student who loved playing basketball in community leagues.
He joined the Army the same year he graduated and trained at Fort Dix, N.J., to work with communications equipment.
He served in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, in Bosnia and in Somalia and had received Special Forces training before his latest tour in Iraq, his brother said.
Maryland's Seventy-Second Hero
Army Sgt. Casey W. Nash, 22, of Essex; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 18 in Tahrir, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Sgt. Anselmo Martinez III and Spc. Joshua G. Romero.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE ANYMORE
Several weeks ago, Army Spc. Casey W. Nash came home on leave from Iraq to visit his family in Essex and Middle River.
He watched sports with his father, worked on his sister's car and drove his beloved red-and-white Chevrolet S-10 Xtreme pickup truck. A quiet man, the 22-year-old said little about his time in the combat zone, but he did make this point: Six months into his second tour of duty in Iraq, he was ready to leave the Army and return home for good.
That visit was the last time his family saw him.
"He just didn't want to be there anymore," his father, Lewis Nash, said yesterday, tears welling in his eyes.
"They pushed him and pushed him, and he kept telling them no," his father said.
Family connections run deep in the neighborhood. Cousins live across the street, and Nash attended Victory Villa Elementary, Middle River Middle, and Eastern Technical, as his father had done.
While he was in high school, Casey Nash moved with his mother, Sandra Nash, and sister, Sara Nash, to a home in Essex. Yesterday, his pickup and yellow motorcycle were parked in front of that house. A yellow ribbon was tied to the tree.
An uncle, Tony Edge, said that Specialist Nash's mother was too upset to comment. Yesterday was her birthday, he added.
Relatives said that they were surprised when Nash announced that he was joining the military and offered little explanation for his choice.
He sent back photos from Iraq of giant spiders that he had caught in a jar and a tipped Humvee from which he had escaped. He told his father that he once pulled a buddy out a burning Jeep.
During his most recent visit, Specialist Nash stayed in his basement bedroom in his mother's home that he had outfitted with a stereo, refrigerator and video game console.
He played pool with his father and another uncle, Fred Nash, and hung out with his girlfriend, whom he had dated since high school.
While he was visiting, he was shaken when he found out that some buddies in Iraq had been killed.
"He was upset because he felt like he had let them down," his father said.
He had told his father that he was frustrated that his military service had been extended. He had hoped to pursue a career with computers after leaving the Army or join the ironworks company where his father is a supervisor.
Lewis Nash, 46, said that the military has provided little specific information about how his son died, whether the casket could be open or closed for the funeral, or even when his body would arrive.
Specialist Nash had been slated for a promotion to sergeant, but the paperwork had been held up. Yesterday, military representatives told his family that the promotion had been approved, his father said.
Army Specialist Casey W. Nash was killed in action on 5/18/07.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE ANYMORE
Several weeks ago, Army Spc. Casey W. Nash came home on leave from Iraq to visit his family in Essex and Middle River.
He watched sports with his father, worked on his sister's car and drove his beloved red-and-white Chevrolet S-10 Xtreme pickup truck. A quiet man, the 22-year-old said little about his time in the combat zone, but he did make this point: Six months into his second tour of duty in Iraq, he was ready to leave the Army and return home for good.
That visit was the last time his family saw him.
"He just didn't want to be there anymore," his father, Lewis Nash, said yesterday, tears welling in his eyes.
"They pushed him and pushed him, and he kept telling them no," his father said.
Family connections run deep in the neighborhood. Cousins live across the street, and Nash attended Victory Villa Elementary, Middle River Middle, and Eastern Technical, as his father had done.
While he was in high school, Casey Nash moved with his mother, Sandra Nash, and sister, Sara Nash, to a home in Essex. Yesterday, his pickup and yellow motorcycle were parked in front of that house. A yellow ribbon was tied to the tree.
An uncle, Tony Edge, said that Specialist Nash's mother was too upset to comment. Yesterday was her birthday, he added.
Relatives said that they were surprised when Nash announced that he was joining the military and offered little explanation for his choice.
He sent back photos from Iraq of giant spiders that he had caught in a jar and a tipped Humvee from which he had escaped. He told his father that he once pulled a buddy out a burning Jeep.
During his most recent visit, Specialist Nash stayed in his basement bedroom in his mother's home that he had outfitted with a stereo, refrigerator and video game console.
He played pool with his father and another uncle, Fred Nash, and hung out with his girlfriend, whom he had dated since high school.
While he was visiting, he was shaken when he found out that some buddies in Iraq had been killed.
"He was upset because he felt like he had let them down," his father said.
He had told his father that he was frustrated that his military service had been extended. He had hoped to pursue a career with computers after leaving the Army or join the ironworks company where his father is a supervisor.
Lewis Nash, 46, said that the military has provided little specific information about how his son died, whether the casket could be open or closed for the funeral, or even when his body would arrive.
Specialist Nash had been slated for a promotion to sergeant, but the paperwork had been held up. Yesterday, military representatives told his family that the promotion had been approved, his father said.
Army Specialist Casey W. Nash was killed in action on 5/18/07.
Maryland's Seventy-First Hero
Army Pfc. Jonathan V. Hamm, 20, of Baltimore; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 17 in Baghdad, of wounds sustained when his forward operating base received indirect enemy fire.
HE WAS TRYING TO CHANGE HIS LIFE
Pfc. Jonathan V. Hamm’s aunt, Eleanor S. Swan, said he left for Kuwait 10 days after the funeral of his mother. Frances S. McCullough, 52, died in February from breast cancer.
His father died in 2000 of liver failure, which Swan said sent the boy into a destructive lifestyle for a time. Another aunt, retired city police officer Leah Hamm, told The (Baltimore) Sun he was caught in a “spiral of not going to class and hanging with the wrong people.”
But she said she had an advice-filled, challenging conversation with him. After that, “he took it upon himself to change his life,” she said. Family members said the young man known as “Hammie” or “Hamm” decided to join the Army. He failed the Army test once, but took it again and passed.
Hamm had been in Iraq for about a month when he died Thursday in Baghdad.
HE WAS TRYING TO CHANGE HIS LIFE
Pfc. Jonathan V. Hamm’s aunt, Eleanor S. Swan, said he left for Kuwait 10 days after the funeral of his mother. Frances S. McCullough, 52, died in February from breast cancer.
His father died in 2000 of liver failure, which Swan said sent the boy into a destructive lifestyle for a time. Another aunt, retired city police officer Leah Hamm, told The (Baltimore) Sun he was caught in a “spiral of not going to class and hanging with the wrong people.”
But she said she had an advice-filled, challenging conversation with him. After that, “he took it upon himself to change his life,” she said. Family members said the young man known as “Hammie” or “Hamm” decided to join the Army. He failed the Army test once, but took it again and passed.
Hamm had been in Iraq for about a month when he died Thursday in Baghdad.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Maryland's Seventieth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Jay E. Martin, 29, of Baltimore, MD. died Apr. 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. Also killed were Army Sgt. Alexander J. Funcheon, 21, of Bel Aire, Kan. and Army Pfc. Brian A. Botello, 19, of Alta, Iowa.
HE WAS A SHINING STAR
The two Army officers, sharp in their uniforms, arrived Sunday afternoon at Dwight Martin's home in a quiet, leafy neighborhood in West Baltimore.
Mr. Martin was blocks away, at a neighbor's house, cutting grass as a favor when his niece called his cell phone. He knew.
"She said there were two and dressed in full uniform," Mr. Martin said. "It was a parent's worst nightmare. They don't come unless there's a death."
Sergeant Martin, 29, was the third alumnus of Forest Park and its Junior ROTC program to die at war. Within two weeks in August 2005, two members of the Class of 2000 died in combat -- Army Spc. Toccara Renee Green in Iraq and Army Staff Sgt. Damion G. Campbell in Afghanistan.
"When the city is just full of so much sadness, he was just a shining star," said one of Sergeant Martin's sisters, Lark Adams, 25, of Reservoir Hill. "He followed the rules. He did what he was supposed to. He was an example to everyone."
Family and friends described him yesterday as a typical kid who loved Star Wars and playing Mortal Kombat on a television in his grandmother's kitchen. When an aunt brought him to Disney World, there wasn't a ride he wouldn't get on. But in other ways, they recalled him as remarkable.
Even as a young boy, he talked military. Playing hide-and-go-seek in his West Baltimore neighborhood in the Dickey Hill Forest Apartments, he created strategies, said a childhood friend, Dwight Taylor-Peay. He commanded the others to serve as "lookouts." He warned of "an ambush."
Later, as the boys grew into young men, Sergeant Martin preached to friends the importance of college, Mr. Taylor-Peay said. Sergeant Martin, who also ran track at Forest Park, attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. He left after a year, realizing he could never be a pilot because he didn't have 20/20 vision.
"Jay was always ... positive, ambitious, militant," said Mr. Taylor-Peay, 28, of York, Pa. "He was always your good conscience. Just fooling around, playing a prank on somebody that went too far, Jay was always the civilized one. He had a good sense of humor, but at the same time he was serious. He was about his business."
Sergeant Martin worked reconnaissance and was often on the go, his family said, able to call or e-mail only a few times since he left for Iraq in October. In an e-mail to Mrs. Martin-Graham, he told his aunt, "I don't stay in one spot too long, we're on top of buildings setting up."
His sister, Lark Adams, recalls him sharing how much violence he saw in Iraq. "He told me that this is the most gunfire I've ever seen in my life. He just kept on saying, 'I've never seen anything like this. I've never seen anything like this.' But he said, 'We're catching the bad guys.'"
Sergeant Martin had been scheduled for a two-week break from Iraq in April, but -- in a move typical of his nature -- his family said he allowed a fellow soldier whose wife just had a baby to take his place.
HE WAS A SHINING STAR
The two Army officers, sharp in their uniforms, arrived Sunday afternoon at Dwight Martin's home in a quiet, leafy neighborhood in West Baltimore.
Mr. Martin was blocks away, at a neighbor's house, cutting grass as a favor when his niece called his cell phone. He knew.
"She said there were two and dressed in full uniform," Mr. Martin said. "It was a parent's worst nightmare. They don't come unless there's a death."
Sergeant Martin, 29, was the third alumnus of Forest Park and its Junior ROTC program to die at war. Within two weeks in August 2005, two members of the Class of 2000 died in combat -- Army Spc. Toccara Renee Green in Iraq and Army Staff Sgt. Damion G. Campbell in Afghanistan.
"When the city is just full of so much sadness, he was just a shining star," said one of Sergeant Martin's sisters, Lark Adams, 25, of Reservoir Hill. "He followed the rules. He did what he was supposed to. He was an example to everyone."
Family and friends described him yesterday as a typical kid who loved Star Wars and playing Mortal Kombat on a television in his grandmother's kitchen. When an aunt brought him to Disney World, there wasn't a ride he wouldn't get on. But in other ways, they recalled him as remarkable.
Even as a young boy, he talked military. Playing hide-and-go-seek in his West Baltimore neighborhood in the Dickey Hill Forest Apartments, he created strategies, said a childhood friend, Dwight Taylor-Peay. He commanded the others to serve as "lookouts." He warned of "an ambush."
Later, as the boys grew into young men, Sergeant Martin preached to friends the importance of college, Mr. Taylor-Peay said. Sergeant Martin, who also ran track at Forest Park, attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. He left after a year, realizing he could never be a pilot because he didn't have 20/20 vision.
"Jay was always ... positive, ambitious, militant," said Mr. Taylor-Peay, 28, of York, Pa. "He was always your good conscience. Just fooling around, playing a prank on somebody that went too far, Jay was always the civilized one. He had a good sense of humor, but at the same time he was serious. He was about his business."
Sergeant Martin worked reconnaissance and was often on the go, his family said, able to call or e-mail only a few times since he left for Iraq in October. In an e-mail to Mrs. Martin-Graham, he told his aunt, "I don't stay in one spot too long, we're on top of buildings setting up."
His sister, Lark Adams, recalls him sharing how much violence he saw in Iraq. "He told me that this is the most gunfire I've ever seen in my life. He just kept on saying, 'I've never seen anything like this. I've never seen anything like this.' But he said, 'We're catching the bad guys.'"
Sergeant Martin had been scheduled for a two-week break from Iraq in April, but -- in a move typical of his nature -- his family said he allowed a fellow soldier whose wife just had a baby to take his place.
Maryland's Sixty-Ninth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Marlon B. Harper, 34, of Baltimore; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died April 21 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when he came in contact with enemy forces using a rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire during combat operations.
HE WAS A GREAT, GREAT PERSON
Harper’s military awards include the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Harper was the father of three, his wife, Stacy, told The Washington Post on April 23. Harper was originally scheduled to return home in October, but then his tour was extended until January 2008, she said.
“He was a great, great person,” Stacy Harper said. “He died doing what he loved.” She and the couple’s children — son Dominic, 12, and twin daughters Jessica and Jennifer, 10 — live in Florida near her parents while Harper was in Iraq. He kept in touch with letters, e-mails and, when possible, telephone calls.
HE WAS A GREAT, GREAT PERSON
Harper’s military awards include the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Harper was the father of three, his wife, Stacy, told The Washington Post on April 23. Harper was originally scheduled to return home in October, but then his tour was extended until January 2008, she said.
“He was a great, great person,” Stacy Harper said. “He died doing what he loved.” She and the couple’s children — son Dominic, 12, and twin daughters Jessica and Jennifer, 10 — live in Florida near her parents while Harper was in Iraq. He kept in touch with letters, e-mails and, when possible, telephone calls.
Maryland's Sixty-Eighth Hero
Army 1st Lt. Gwilym J. Newman, 24, of Waldorf, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died April 12 in Tarmiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire while on dismounted patrol.
HE WAS A PROUD FATHER, EAGER SOLDIER
His son was born on his birthday, and 1st Lt. Gwilym J. Newman could not have been more proud. The baby, who will turn 2 on April 27, was given his father's name -- which is Welsh for William -- and looked a lot like him.
This April, the family is in mourning: The proud father and Army officer who spent his high school years in Waldorf was killed Thursday after he came under small-arms fire while on patrol in Tarmiyah, Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Newman would have turned 25.
"He had a very, very good sense of humor, and family was the most important thing to him," said his sister, Brittany Newman.
"He was ready to go," she said. "He wanted to go with his guys and make sure they were okay and be there with them."
In December, Newman was quoted in an Army news story about his unit's work in Tarmiyah -- catching insurgents who set up roadside bombs in the darkness. It was work that he and other soldiers thought would help save troops.
"He was very big on holidays because it was all about family," his sister said, also recalling him as "a goofy guy. He could make anyone smile when they were upset. He could just cheer you up."
Now, his young son, Gwilym Alexander, "is looking more and more like him," she said.
HE WAS A PROUD FATHER, EAGER SOLDIER
His son was born on his birthday, and 1st Lt. Gwilym J. Newman could not have been more proud. The baby, who will turn 2 on April 27, was given his father's name -- which is Welsh for William -- and looked a lot like him.
This April, the family is in mourning: The proud father and Army officer who spent his high school years in Waldorf was killed Thursday after he came under small-arms fire while on patrol in Tarmiyah, Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Newman would have turned 25.
"He had a very, very good sense of humor, and family was the most important thing to him," said his sister, Brittany Newman.
"He was ready to go," she said. "He wanted to go with his guys and make sure they were okay and be there with them."
In December, Newman was quoted in an Army news story about his unit's work in Tarmiyah -- catching insurgents who set up roadside bombs in the darkness. It was work that he and other soldiers thought would help save troops.
"He was very big on holidays because it was all about family," his sister said, also recalling him as "a goofy guy. He could make anyone smile when they were upset. He could just cheer you up."
Now, his young son, Gwilym Alexander, "is looking more and more like him," she said.
Maryland's Sixty-Seventh Hero
Army Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, 23, of Hyattsville, Md.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died April 11 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, while on combat patrol. The incident is under investigation.
HE WAS A DECORATED SOLDIER WHO WAS NOT ALLOWED TO COME HOME
Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, 23, of Hyattsville, Md., was on a foot patrol last Wednesday near Babyal Village when he lost his footing and fell into a deep section of the river. Other members of his unit immediately began a search to locate Hernandez. His body was recovered Thursday morning at some distance downstream, according to a release from Fort Drum.
Military officials announced Hernandez’s death last week, but provided no details.
In Lanham, the family of Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, of Hyattsville, grieves.
A Hyattsville native, Hernandez joined the Army in April 2003, after completing boot camp at Fort Benning, Ga. That October he was assigned to Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division.
He deployed to Iraq with his battalion, the "Chosin Battalion," in December 2003 and served there until the following September.
During that deployment, he earned a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal, among other awards.
In February, Hernandez completed another year's combat service in Afghanistan and a four-year commitment to the Army, but he was not allowed to go home.
His unit was ordered by the Pentagon in late January to stay in the combat zone another 120 days.
HE WAS A DECORATED SOLDIER WHO WAS NOT ALLOWED TO COME HOME
Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, 23, of Hyattsville, Md., was on a foot patrol last Wednesday near Babyal Village when he lost his footing and fell into a deep section of the river. Other members of his unit immediately began a search to locate Hernandez. His body was recovered Thursday morning at some distance downstream, according to a release from Fort Drum.
Military officials announced Hernandez’s death last week, but provided no details.
In Lanham, the family of Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, of Hyattsville, grieves.
A Hyattsville native, Hernandez joined the Army in April 2003, after completing boot camp at Fort Benning, Ga. That October he was assigned to Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division.
He deployed to Iraq with his battalion, the "Chosin Battalion," in December 2003 and served there until the following September.
During that deployment, he earned a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal, among other awards.
In February, Hernandez completed another year's combat service in Afghanistan and a four-year commitment to the Army, but he was not allowed to go home.
His unit was ordered by the Pentagon in late January to stay in the combat zone another 120 days.
Maryland's Sixty-Sixth Hero
Army Sgt. Thomas L. Latham, 23, of Delmar, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died March 11 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee.
HE SERVED IN BOTH AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ
Thomas Lee "Tommy Lee" Latham of Delmar died Sunday, March 11, 2007, in Iraq. He was 23.
He was born in Prince Georges County, the son of Thomas James and Barbara Ellen Collins Latham.
He married Rachel Leanne Guy-Latham April 16, 2005, at Salisbury.
Tommy Lee was a 2002 graduate of Wicomico High School.
He joined the U.S. Army in May 2002 and had recently been promoted to the rank of sergeant.
He had served in Afghanistan and was currently in Iraq with company C of the 10th Mountain Division Brigade Combat Team.
He attended Emmanuel Wesleyan Church, where he had been involved with the youth group.
He loved hunting, fishing, just being outdoors and spending time with his wife and children.
HE SERVED IN BOTH AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ
Thomas Lee "Tommy Lee" Latham of Delmar died Sunday, March 11, 2007, in Iraq. He was 23.
He was born in Prince Georges County, the son of Thomas James and Barbara Ellen Collins Latham.
He married Rachel Leanne Guy-Latham April 16, 2005, at Salisbury.
Tommy Lee was a 2002 graduate of Wicomico High School.
He joined the U.S. Army in May 2002 and had recently been promoted to the rank of sergeant.
He had served in Afghanistan and was currently in Iraq with company C of the 10th Mountain Division Brigade Combat Team.
He attended Emmanuel Wesleyan Church, where he had been involved with the youth group.
He loved hunting, fishing, just being outdoors and spending time with his wife and children.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Maryland's Sixty-Fifth Hero
Army Spc. Jonathan D. Cadavero, 24, of Takoma Park, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Feb. 27 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Cpl. Lorne E. Henry Jr. and Sgt. Richard A. Soukenka
HE HAD A CARING HEART
"My son did not die in vain." — Nadia Cadavero
Army Spc. Jonathan D. Cadavero called his sister from Baghdad a week before he was killed while proudly serving his country in Iraq.
"I have no regrets. I would do it all over again, and I love being an American soldier." Kristia Cavere recalls her brother's words clearly.
On February. 27, 2007 Jonathan, was killed in a roadside bombing while attending to his job as a medic. He was only twenty-four years old. He was a true and faithful servant to his country.
Jonathan was a born-again Christian who shared his faith by living his life before others. He loved people, and within him was a caregiving spirit.
The job of a medic requires a special breed of person. Jonathan [had] a huge, loving heart to share with suffering humanity.
He was a wonderful husband, son, brother, and friend to countless others. He adored his beautiful wife, Michelle, who he married this past Thanksgiving. They planned to have a big church wedding upon returning from Iraq. At age nineteen, Michelle Cadavero is a military policewoman with the 10th Mountain Division in Baghdad. She is currently home on leave with her family in the States.
Jonathan's father explained that his son "had his life all mapped out with his wife. He planned to attend graduate school when he returned home."
HE HAD A CARING HEART
"My son did not die in vain." — Nadia Cadavero
Army Spc. Jonathan D. Cadavero called his sister from Baghdad a week before he was killed while proudly serving his country in Iraq.
"I have no regrets. I would do it all over again, and I love being an American soldier." Kristia Cavere recalls her brother's words clearly.
On February. 27, 2007 Jonathan, was killed in a roadside bombing while attending to his job as a medic. He was only twenty-four years old. He was a true and faithful servant to his country.
Jonathan was a born-again Christian who shared his faith by living his life before others. He loved people, and within him was a caregiving spirit.
The job of a medic requires a special breed of person. Jonathan [had] a huge, loving heart to share with suffering humanity.
He was a wonderful husband, son, brother, and friend to countless others. He adored his beautiful wife, Michelle, who he married this past Thanksgiving. They planned to have a big church wedding upon returning from Iraq. At age nineteen, Michelle Cadavero is a military policewoman with the 10th Mountain Division in Baghdad. She is currently home on leave with her family in the States.
Jonathan's father explained that his son "had his life all mapped out with his wife. He planned to attend graduate school when he returned home."
Maryland's Sixty-Fourth Hero
Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz, 21, of Federalsburg, Md.; assigned to 2nd Medical Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 7 in a helicopter crash in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (Petty Officer 1st Class) Gilbert Minjares Jr., Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba and Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina.
HE WAS A TALENTED ARTIST
His mother, Lisa Ruiz, described him as a “very outgoing” man who loved running. He attended Colonel Richardson High School in Federalsburg, joined the Navy three years ago and was just two weeks into his second tour in Iraq, she said.
“I spoke with him last week,” she said. “He was saying how much he loved his job, what he was doing.”
At Ruiz’s former high school, the news of his death was met with an immediate, stricken silence when it was announced over the school intercom the morning of Feb. 8. Many students at the small Eastern Shore school enter the service after they graduate and several others have friends and relatives who are shipping out to Iraq, school officials said.
“He was just a wonderful young man who was excited when he graduated to be going to serve his country,” said Christine Handy-Collins, the school’s principal.
Ruiz, who graduated in 2003, had been back to the school several times in his dress whites on recruiting tours, said Marjorie Scott, his former art teacher.
“The kids really respected him,” she said.
But she remembered the young man they called “Manny” most for his talent as an artist.
“When Manny would pick up a pencil and he would draw, there was so much feeling, so much emotion, so much power in his drawing — he could make a pencil and paper sing,” Scott said.
He planned to continue his studies at the Art Institute of Washington after the service, Scott said. And on a visit last spring, he showed her photos of a mural he was painting on his barracks wall in Iraq.
“So you see, he carried his talent not just through school but in the service,” she said.
HE WAS A TALENTED ARTIST
His mother, Lisa Ruiz, described him as a “very outgoing” man who loved running. He attended Colonel Richardson High School in Federalsburg, joined the Navy three years ago and was just two weeks into his second tour in Iraq, she said.
“I spoke with him last week,” she said. “He was saying how much he loved his job, what he was doing.”
At Ruiz’s former high school, the news of his death was met with an immediate, stricken silence when it was announced over the school intercom the morning of Feb. 8. Many students at the small Eastern Shore school enter the service after they graduate and several others have friends and relatives who are shipping out to Iraq, school officials said.
“He was just a wonderful young man who was excited when he graduated to be going to serve his country,” said Christine Handy-Collins, the school’s principal.
Ruiz, who graduated in 2003, had been back to the school several times in his dress whites on recruiting tours, said Marjorie Scott, his former art teacher.
“The kids really respected him,” she said.
But she remembered the young man they called “Manny” most for his talent as an artist.
“When Manny would pick up a pencil and he would draw, there was so much feeling, so much emotion, so much power in his drawing — he could make a pencil and paper sing,” Scott said.
He planned to continue his studies at the Art Institute of Washington after the service, Scott said. And on a visit last spring, he showed her photos of a mural he was painting on his barracks wall in Iraq.
“So you see, he carried his talent not just through school but in the service,” she said.
Maryland's Sixty-Third Hero
Marine Cpl. Jennifer M. Parcell, 20, of Bel Air, Md.; assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Feb. 7 while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
SHE DIED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE "LIONESS" PROGRAM OF CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
A photograph on Marine Cpl. Jennifer Parcell’s MySpace profile shows the 20-year-old landing support specialist wearing a white sweater, a grin stretched across her face. The Bel Air, Md., native shared random thoughts about her life in Okinawa, Japan, her words captured in a bright pink font. Scrawled across the top of her page next to her photo is the phrase “Going to be chillin’ in Iraq for awhile.”
The last day she logged in was Jan. 29.
Parcell was killed in Iraq’s Anbar province a few weeks shy of her return to Okinawa. The noncommissioned officer, whose MySpace profile noted her love of the TV show “Desperate Housewives,” joined a unit Feb. 1 responsible for searching Iraqi women at military checkpoints.
Six days later, Parcell was killed when an Iraqi woman she was searching detonated an explosive vest.
The day after Parcell’s death, her friend Michelle Wolff said goodbye.
“Even though you can’t read this, I just wanted to say that I love you and I miss you like crazy,” wrote Wolff, 23. “You are my bestest! I always remember the good times we had, and all the stupid stuff we did together. You will always be in my heart and mind. R.I.P. Jen!!”
[And about herself, she wrote:]
"I think that I'm overall a pretty small person. I love to have fun doing nothing at all. Specailly [sic] just chillen with good friends. I love Yoga! But mostly I lay around and watch movies. Yes I am in the Marine Corps, but its a lot of fun sometimes."
SHE DIED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE "LIONESS" PROGRAM OF CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
A photograph on Marine Cpl. Jennifer Parcell’s MySpace profile shows the 20-year-old landing support specialist wearing a white sweater, a grin stretched across her face. The Bel Air, Md., native shared random thoughts about her life in Okinawa, Japan, her words captured in a bright pink font. Scrawled across the top of her page next to her photo is the phrase “Going to be chillin’ in Iraq for awhile.”
The last day she logged in was Jan. 29.
Parcell was killed in Iraq’s Anbar province a few weeks shy of her return to Okinawa. The noncommissioned officer, whose MySpace profile noted her love of the TV show “Desperate Housewives,” joined a unit Feb. 1 responsible for searching Iraqi women at military checkpoints.
Six days later, Parcell was killed when an Iraqi woman she was searching detonated an explosive vest.
The day after Parcell’s death, her friend Michelle Wolff said goodbye.
“Even though you can’t read this, I just wanted to say that I love you and I miss you like crazy,” wrote Wolff, 23. “You are my bestest! I always remember the good times we had, and all the stupid stuff we did together. You will always be in my heart and mind. R.I.P. Jen!!”
[And about herself, she wrote:]
"I think that I'm overall a pretty small person. I love to have fun doing nothing at all. Specailly [sic] just chillen with good friends. I love Yoga! But mostly I lay around and watch movies. Yes I am in the Marine Corps, but its a lot of fun sometimes."
Maryland's Sixty-Second Hero
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Roger W. Haller, 49, of Davidsonville, Md.; assigned to the 70th Regiment, Regional Training Institute — Maryland, Maryland Army National Guard, Reisterstown, Md.; died in Baghdad on Jan. 20 when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Col. Brian D. Allgood, Staff Sgt. Darryl D. Booker, Sgt. 1st Class John G. Brown, Lt. Col. David C. Canegata, Command Sgt. Maj. Marilyn L. Gabbard, Col. Paul M. Kelly, Staff Sgt. Floyd E. Lake, Cpl. Victor M. Langarica, Capt. Sean E. Lyerly, Maj. Michael V. Taylor and 1st Sgt. William T. Warren.
HE WAS ALWAYS FIXING OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS
A high-ranking soldier in the Maryland Army National Guard who taught classes at the guard’s training academy at Camp Fretterd was one of 12 soldiers killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed northeast of Baghdad, family members said Jan. 23.
His family was notified the evening of Jan. 21 that he was killed in the previous day’s crash, said his daughters, Morgan Haller and Kathryn Haller, both of Cambridge.
“He was so excited. He still asked us if it was OK. I said, ‘It’s something you love, I’m not going to tell you no,’” Morgan Haller said. “We knew what the consequences were in him being over there. When you grow up in a military life your whole life, you know those things can happen, and you’re better prepared for it than most people.”
“He just said he was going over there to fix other people’s messes, and that’s about it,” Morgan Haller said. “He always went to places to fix other people’s problems.”
HE WAS ALWAYS FIXING OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS
A high-ranking soldier in the Maryland Army National Guard who taught classes at the guard’s training academy at Camp Fretterd was one of 12 soldiers killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed northeast of Baghdad, family members said Jan. 23.
His family was notified the evening of Jan. 21 that he was killed in the previous day’s crash, said his daughters, Morgan Haller and Kathryn Haller, both of Cambridge.
“He was so excited. He still asked us if it was OK. I said, ‘It’s something you love, I’m not going to tell you no,’” Morgan Haller said. “We knew what the consequences were in him being over there. When you grow up in a military life your whole life, you know those things can happen, and you’re better prepared for it than most people.”
“He just said he was going over there to fix other people’s messes, and that’s about it,” Morgan Haller said. “He always went to places to fix other people’s problems.”
Maryland's Sixty-First Hero
Army Spc. Eric T. Caldwell, 22, of Salisbury, Md.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 7 in Iraq of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.
HE BELIEVED IN WHAT HE WAS DOING
As family and friends of a fallen soldier escorted his casket to a nearby hearse Monday, more than 60 men and women gathered on the grounds of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church to wave American flags and pay their respects.
“He died doing what he believed in,” his father, Brian A. Caldwell of Pennsylvania, said earlier this month.
Following the service, Caldwell’s body was taken to Arlington National Cemetery for interment.
As pallbearers carried the casket from the sanctuary, Salisbury resident Chris Lewis saluted the man who served his country for more than two years.
“I came to pay my respects to a person who helped make it possible for me to live my life each day as I know it,” the 33-year-old said Monday. “Being here lets the family know that people are here for them and that we respect what their son did.”
HE BELIEVED IN WHAT HE WAS DOING
As family and friends of a fallen soldier escorted his casket to a nearby hearse Monday, more than 60 men and women gathered on the grounds of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church to wave American flags and pay their respects.
“He died doing what he believed in,” his father, Brian A. Caldwell of Pennsylvania, said earlier this month.
Following the service, Caldwell’s body was taken to Arlington National Cemetery for interment.
As pallbearers carried the casket from the sanctuary, Salisbury resident Chris Lewis saluted the man who served his country for more than two years.
“I came to pay my respects to a person who helped make it possible for me to live my life each day as I know it,” the 33-year-old said Monday. “Being here lets the family know that people are here for them and that we respect what their son did.”
Maryland's Sixtieth Hero
Army Capt. John R. Dennison, 24, of Ijamsville, Md.; assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Nov. 15 as a result of small arms fire in Balad, Iraq.
HE ALWAYS KNEW THE RIGHT THING TO DO
John Ryan Dennison was a shining light in the Class of 2000 at Urbana High School in Frederick County -- an excellent student, a football player, a wrestler. Yesterday, the school's teachers and administrators reeled from the news that he was killed Wednesday in Iraq.
"When you lose a young life, it somehow diminishes all of us," said Principal George M. Seaton.
John Ryan Dennison, 24, was promoted posthumously to Captain. He had been in Iraq since summer.
History teacher Norm Crosby, who wrote a recommendation in support of Dennison's application to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, said he was a natural leader. "He was a young man who always knew the right thing to do, whether that was cracking a joke or calling attention to something. He had a presence about him," he said.
Chemistry teacher Michelle Shearer said Dennison's smiling personality had a magnetic quality. "There isn't anybody who didn't like Ryan Dennison," she said.
HE ALWAYS KNEW THE RIGHT THING TO DO
John Ryan Dennison was a shining light in the Class of 2000 at Urbana High School in Frederick County -- an excellent student, a football player, a wrestler. Yesterday, the school's teachers and administrators reeled from the news that he was killed Wednesday in Iraq.
"When you lose a young life, it somehow diminishes all of us," said Principal George M. Seaton.
John Ryan Dennison, 24, was promoted posthumously to Captain. He had been in Iraq since summer.
History teacher Norm Crosby, who wrote a recommendation in support of Dennison's application to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, said he was a natural leader. "He was a young man who always knew the right thing to do, whether that was cracking a joke or calling attention to something. He had a presence about him," he said.
Chemistry teacher Michelle Shearer said Dennison's smiling personality had a magnetic quality. "There isn't anybody who didn't like Ryan Dennison," she said.
Maryland's Fifty-Ninth Hero
Army Pvt. Michael V. Bailey, 20, of Waldorf, Md.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York; died Oct. 27 from non-combat related injuries in Salerno, Afghanistan. This incident is under investigation.
HE WAS MUCH MORE THAN A SOLDIER
To those who knew Bailey, he was much more than a soldier.
He was a fun-loving child who turned into a good man, said the Rev. Harry Seawright, pastor of the Union Bethel A.M.E. Church in Brandywine, which Bailey had attended. His funeral services were also held there, drawing more than 200 mourners.
"He was a nice-(mannered) young man, and that's what I remember him as," said Seawright, who knew Bailey since he baptized him as a 2-year-old.
Bailey "grew up in the church" but drifted away as "all young men do" over the last five to six years, Seawright said.
But he still vividly remembers him singing in the children's choir.
In Afghanistan, Bailey's voice carried not hymns, but directions.
He worked as a radio and computer operator for the 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team in the command center in Salerno, coordinating the military's artillery barrages, said Lt. Col. Paul Fitpatrick, a spokesman for the Army in Afghanistan.
Following his death, he was posthumously awarded the Army Commendation Medal for "engaging in every mission with accuracy and professionalism," Fitzpatrick said. In particular his commanding sergeant commended him for his assistance in ensuring the success of "bold" raids by the military against insurgents.
Bailey's "quick and professional performance" Aug. 24 helped cover the escape of U.S. forces pinned down by Taliban insurgents, Fitzpatrick said. U.S. forces killed an estimated 25 enemy soldiers in that raid, Fitzpatrick said.
That life in Afghanistan bore little resemblance to the one he'd known in Southern Maryland, friends say.
Harold Young, a friend who would solicit Bailey's help tuning up his Ford Mustang, recalled him fondly. He said Bailey liked cars and loved his red Yamaha motorcycle.
He "wasn't really a serious guy," said Young, an operations engineer from Waldorf. "He was just a funny type of guy but knew when it was time to get serious," Young said.
Young said he didn't agree with his friend's decision to join the Army. But he understood what compelled his friend to join.
"He wanted to belong to something," Young said. "Besides being Michael, he had to stand for something," said Young, who said he's known Bailey for more than two years.
"The brother was always looking to help anybody," Young said.
Bailey's mother, Darlene Bailey, of Waldorf, said that she and her husband, Vincent, did not want to talk about the death of their son.
"I just buried my son," she told a caller. "Now is not a good time."
HE WAS MUCH MORE THAN A SOLDIER
To those who knew Bailey, he was much more than a soldier.
He was a fun-loving child who turned into a good man, said the Rev. Harry Seawright, pastor of the Union Bethel A.M.E. Church in Brandywine, which Bailey had attended. His funeral services were also held there, drawing more than 200 mourners.
"He was a nice-(mannered) young man, and that's what I remember him as," said Seawright, who knew Bailey since he baptized him as a 2-year-old.
Bailey "grew up in the church" but drifted away as "all young men do" over the last five to six years, Seawright said.
But he still vividly remembers him singing in the children's choir.
In Afghanistan, Bailey's voice carried not hymns, but directions.
He worked as a radio and computer operator for the 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team in the command center in Salerno, coordinating the military's artillery barrages, said Lt. Col. Paul Fitpatrick, a spokesman for the Army in Afghanistan.
Following his death, he was posthumously awarded the Army Commendation Medal for "engaging in every mission with accuracy and professionalism," Fitzpatrick said. In particular his commanding sergeant commended him for his assistance in ensuring the success of "bold" raids by the military against insurgents.
Bailey's "quick and professional performance" Aug. 24 helped cover the escape of U.S. forces pinned down by Taliban insurgents, Fitzpatrick said. U.S. forces killed an estimated 25 enemy soldiers in that raid, Fitzpatrick said.
That life in Afghanistan bore little resemblance to the one he'd known in Southern Maryland, friends say.
Harold Young, a friend who would solicit Bailey's help tuning up his Ford Mustang, recalled him fondly. He said Bailey liked cars and loved his red Yamaha motorcycle.
He "wasn't really a serious guy," said Young, an operations engineer from Waldorf. "He was just a funny type of guy but knew when it was time to get serious," Young said.
Young said he didn't agree with his friend's decision to join the Army. But he understood what compelled his friend to join.
"He wanted to belong to something," Young said. "Besides being Michael, he had to stand for something," said Young, who said he's known Bailey for more than two years.
"The brother was always looking to help anybody," Young said.
Bailey's mother, Darlene Bailey, of Waldorf, said that she and her husband, Vincent, did not want to talk about the death of their son.
"I just buried my son," she told a caller. "Now is not a good time."
Maryland's Fifty-Eighth Hero
Marine Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg, 20, of Severna Park, Md.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
HE WAS A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL MAN, A PATRIOT
When Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg decided to join the Marines while a student at Severna Park High School, his first mission was to ease the concerns of his mother, Gina Barnhurst.
"Gina was anxious to talk him out of it," said Doug Barnhurst, Herzberg's uncle. "She was worried about it. She was worried that he didn't know what he was getting into. But he convinced her it was a calling."
Yesterday, three days after the 20-year-old infantryman died while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province, it was his mother who conveyed the meaning behind that calling.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our wonderful Eric, yet we are so incredibly proud of him. He was proud to be a Marine and to serve his country, which he loved dearly. He was a happy, quiet young man with a deep compassion for others and a deep faith in God. . . . "
The words were written on a piece of yellow paper held by Herzberg's uncle, the color of the ribbon hung outside the family's Severna Park home during his tour.
On his mother's car was a more succinct message in the form of two bumper stickers: "My Son Is A US Marine," and "My Son Defends Our Freedom."
HE WAS A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL MAN, A PATRIOT
When Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg decided to join the Marines while a student at Severna Park High School, his first mission was to ease the concerns of his mother, Gina Barnhurst.
"Gina was anxious to talk him out of it," said Doug Barnhurst, Herzberg's uncle. "She was worried about it. She was worried that he didn't know what he was getting into. But he convinced her it was a calling."
Yesterday, three days after the 20-year-old infantryman died while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province, it was his mother who conveyed the meaning behind that calling.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our wonderful Eric, yet we are so incredibly proud of him. He was proud to be a Marine and to serve his country, which he loved dearly. He was a happy, quiet young man with a deep compassion for others and a deep faith in God. . . . "
The words were written on a piece of yellow paper held by Herzberg's uncle, the color of the ribbon hung outside the family's Severna Park home during his tour.
On his mother's car was a more succinct message in the form of two bumper stickers: "My Son Is A US Marine," and "My Son Defends Our Freedom."
Maryland's Fifty-Seventh Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, 31, of Baltimore, Md.; assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Oct. 4 after being attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire and other weapons in Taji, Iraq. Also killed were: Spc. Timothy R. Burke, Pfc. Dean R. Bright and Spc. George R. Obourn Jr.
HE KEPT THE DETAILS OF HIS MISSIONS TO HIMSELF
Marie Moudry was about to eat dinner on a Sunday afternoon when her son, Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, called from Iraq. He sounded more upbeat than he had in recent conversations, and he shared a piece of news that he had just heard: The Ravens had won.
Four days later, two soldiers arrived at Marie Moudry's Harford County home to tell her that her son had been killed in an attack in Iraq.
He never described details of his missions, his mother said.
"He whitewashed everything for us," she said. "He wouldn't tell us anything. Everything was fine. We were made to think he lived in a little safe world, when everybody else was in trouble."
But her son often sounded tired when he called from Iraq, she said. In their last phone conversation, he said that he looked forward to spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family.
He also told his mother that he was set to start a master gunner training program that would have given him a break from his daily routine.
"He was looking forward to three squares and the chance to use the phone anytime he liked," his mother said.
HE KEPT THE DETAILS OF HIS MISSIONS TO HIMSELF
Marie Moudry was about to eat dinner on a Sunday afternoon when her son, Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, called from Iraq. He sounded more upbeat than he had in recent conversations, and he shared a piece of news that he had just heard: The Ravens had won.
Four days later, two soldiers arrived at Marie Moudry's Harford County home to tell her that her son had been killed in an attack in Iraq.
He never described details of his missions, his mother said.
"He whitewashed everything for us," she said. "He wouldn't tell us anything. Everything was fine. We were made to think he lived in a little safe world, when everybody else was in trouble."
But her son often sounded tired when he called from Iraq, she said. In their last phone conversation, he said that he looked forward to spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family.
He also told his mother that he was set to start a master gunner training program that would have given him a break from his daily routine.
"He was looking forward to three squares and the chance to use the phone anytime he liked," his mother said.
Maryland's Fifty-Sixth Hero
Army Pfc. Eric M. Kavanagh , 20, of Glen Burnie, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died of injuries sustained Sept. 20 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad.
HE BECAME A CONFIDENT MAN IN HE ARMY
He loved music and playing the guitar, but military service is where Eric Matthew Kavanagh found his calling, family and friends said.
“Behind that happy, huggy, gentle guitar player, there was grit and determination,” said the Rev. W. Terry Schoener of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Dr. Schoener recalled how, even before he went to basic training, he had started running and working out, readying himself for boot camp.
Yesterday, friends, family and neighbors mourned the loss of the 20-year-old Army private and Severna Park native who was killed in Baghdad last week.
During a short, somber service yesterday at Woods Memorial, Pvt. Kavanagh’s uncle read a letter written by his father, Kevin Kavanagh, who called his son a “gentle soul.”
He “always had a smile on his face, a smile so strong it beamed with love, enthusiasm and compassion,” the letter said. “My son Eric is a hero, but to each of us, he is so much more. ... He joined the Army an enthusiastic boy and became a confident man.”
HE BECAME A CONFIDENT MAN IN HE ARMY
He loved music and playing the guitar, but military service is where Eric Matthew Kavanagh found his calling, family and friends said.
“Behind that happy, huggy, gentle guitar player, there was grit and determination,” said the Rev. W. Terry Schoener of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Dr. Schoener recalled how, even before he went to basic training, he had started running and working out, readying himself for boot camp.
Yesterday, friends, family and neighbors mourned the loss of the 20-year-old Army private and Severna Park native who was killed in Baghdad last week.
During a short, somber service yesterday at Woods Memorial, Pvt. Kavanagh’s uncle read a letter written by his father, Kevin Kavanagh, who called his son a “gentle soul.”
He “always had a smile on his face, a smile so strong it beamed with love, enthusiasm and compassion,” the letter said. “My son Eric is a hero, but to each of us, he is so much more. ... He joined the Army an enthusiastic boy and became a confident man.”
Maryland's Fifty-Fifth Hero
Army Sgt. David J. Davis, 32, of Mount Airy, Md.; assigned to 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; died Sept. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker Armored Vehicle during combat operations in Sadr City, Iraq.
IF HE WAS SCARED, HE NEVER SHARED IT
Davis, who grew up one of four children in western Howard, had been due back at Fort Wainwright this summer but was still in Iraq after he was redeployed, said his sister, Theresa Hadley.
Hadley said her brother had been serving in Iraq since August 2005. He was last home in Maryland in 2004, for Thanksgiving.
"Being a medic, he felt he was where he needed to be, taking care of all the soldiers," said Hadley, 36, of Hagerstown, Md. He didn't say much about life in Iraq in his frequent e-mails to friends and family, she said.
"He just said he's got to do what he's got to do," Hadley said. "He said, 'Stay there and take care of Mom and Dad and don't worry.' If he was scared, he didn't share it."
Hadley said her brother had three stepchildren with his wife, Roberta, whom he met and married while living in Alaska and serving in the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Her brother, who went by "Joe," graduated from Glenelg High School in 1991 and worked mostly in printing jobs before joining the Army three years ago, she said.
He had served with the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company in Howard since he was 18.
"When he came home on leave, he actually ran calls," Hadley said.
IF HE WAS SCARED, HE NEVER SHARED IT
Davis, who grew up one of four children in western Howard, had been due back at Fort Wainwright this summer but was still in Iraq after he was redeployed, said his sister, Theresa Hadley.
Hadley said her brother had been serving in Iraq since August 2005. He was last home in Maryland in 2004, for Thanksgiving.
"Being a medic, he felt he was where he needed to be, taking care of all the soldiers," said Hadley, 36, of Hagerstown, Md. He didn't say much about life in Iraq in his frequent e-mails to friends and family, she said.
"He just said he's got to do what he's got to do," Hadley said. "He said, 'Stay there and take care of Mom and Dad and don't worry.' If he was scared, he didn't share it."
Hadley said her brother had three stepchildren with his wife, Roberta, whom he met and married while living in Alaska and serving in the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Her brother, who went by "Joe," graduated from Glenelg High School in 1991 and worked mostly in printing jobs before joining the Army three years ago, she said.
He had served with the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company in Howard since he was 18.
"When he came home on leave, he actually ran calls," Hadley said.
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