Marine Capt. Jesse Melton III, 29, of Randallstown, Md.; assigned to Headquarters Battery, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Sept. 9 in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed was 1st Lt. Nicholas A. Madrazo.
HE WAS A SERVANT LEADER
Capt. Jesse Melton III, 29, was working with a team helping to train members of the Afghan National Army when a roadside bomb exploded, killing him, another Marine officer, a member of the U.S. Navy and an Afghani interpreter, said his mother, Janice Chance.
"He was a man of honor and a servant leader," she said last night as their family's Owings Mills home filled with friends and relatives. "He knew there were missions to do and work to do, and for the greater good, he was a Marine all the way."
After graduating in 1996 from Randallstown High School, where he played lacrosse and baseball, Captain Melton attended Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., where he studied communications.
But after his freshman year, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve and attended boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., his family said.
"It literally changed his life," said his younger sister, Jenine Melton, a captain in the U.S. Army who has served two tours of duty in Iraq and is stationed at Fort Knox, Ky. "He used to be very messy - the way, most of the time, boys' rooms aren't so neat. But when I went to see him in Parris Island, you could bounce a quarter off his bed.
"And he was proud. He felt a sense of duty to his country, duty to his family, and he wanted to do something to make America proud, to give something back to a country that has given us so much."
At the end of basic training, his drill sergeant recommended him for Officer Candidate School, his sister said. Captain Melton completed that training while also finishing his communications degree at Messiah College.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant June 4, 2000, his mother said. He served two tours in Okinawa, Japan, and a tour in Iraq. He was promoted to captain before deploying to Iraq.
When Captain Melton learned he would be going to Afghanistan, his family was far more concerned for his safety than he was.
"Do you want me to get you out of there?" his mother recalled offering. "I'll do anything I can, even calling the commandant if I have to."
Yesterday, she recalled her son's response: "He said, 'Don't you dare. And if anything happens to me, don't you dare blame President Bush. Don't you blame the military. This is my decision. I feel God has led me to stay.'"
In March, he left for Afghanistan. At the time of his death Tuesday, Captain Melton was supporting combat operations in Parwan province. He was assigned to the Headquarters Battery of the 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, according to the Department of Defense.
"Even though he was a communications officer, he did a lot of other things," Mrs. Chance said. "He went on patrols and convoys, he worked the gun. When you're over there, you have to do a lot of things."
Friday, September 12, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Maryland's Eighty-Second Hero
Army Staff Sgt. David L. Paquet, 26, of Rising Sun, Md.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Aug. 20 at Combat Outpost Vegas, Afghanistan, of undetermined causes while conducting a patrol.
HE WAS ONE IN A MILLION
Staff Sgt. David L. Paquet, U.S. Army, age 26, collapsed and died of non-casualty, natural causes, Aug. 20, 2008, while on patrol in Korengal Valley/Vegas, Afghanistan. He was 41 days into his fourth tour in the Middle East. The first two were in Kuwait and the third was in Iraq.
Born in Freehold, NJ., Sgt. Paquet was a son of Fern, Sr. and Dawn Murray Paquet of New Hampshire. He grew up in Rising Sun, MD and graduated from Rising Sun High School.
His beloved wife of six years, Katie Seese Paquet, grew up in the Souderton/Hatfield area. Katie described David as a "Great Man," who was very respected and loved by many people. She wants everyone to know that there will never be another David, he was "One in a Million."
HE WAS ONE IN A MILLION
Staff Sgt. David L. Paquet, U.S. Army, age 26, collapsed and died of non-casualty, natural causes, Aug. 20, 2008, while on patrol in Korengal Valley/Vegas, Afghanistan. He was 41 days into his fourth tour in the Middle East. The first two were in Kuwait and the third was in Iraq.
Born in Freehold, NJ., Sgt. Paquet was a son of Fern, Sr. and Dawn Murray Paquet of New Hampshire. He grew up in Rising Sun, MD and graduated from Rising Sun High School.
His beloved wife of six years, Katie Seese Paquet, grew up in the Souderton/Hatfield area. Katie described David as a "Great Man," who was very respected and loved by many people. She wants everyone to know that there will never be another David, he was "One in a Million."
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Maryland's Eighty-First Hero
Army Sgt. Ryan P. Baumann, 24, of Great Mills, Md., died Aug. 1, on Route Alaska, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
HE HAD TO BE BEST AT EVERYTHING
When Sgt. Ryan P. Baumann told his family five years ago that he wanted to join the Army, relatives say they knew it was coming.
Sergeant Baumann spent eight years of his childhood in Germany, where he picked up a foreign language and learned the ins and outs of Army life.
"Ryan grew up around the miliary," said his mother, Cindy Lohman, who worked as a civilian nurse on a base in Germany. "It didn't surprise me. His heroes were guys in the 82nd [Airborne Division]. And he was a post 9-11 child, so he felt very committed to doing something to protect this country."
Sergeant Baumann. 24, a motor transport operator with the 101st Airborne Division, died in Afghanistan on Friday from injuries suffered after his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device, according to the Department of Defense. .
Born in Ohio, Sergeant Baumann moved with his mother, stepfather and sister to Neuenburg when he was 5. Sergeant Baumann's stepfather was working toward a doctorate, while his mother began working as a civilian nurse.
Sergeant Baumann attended German schools, but celebrated many Fourth of Julys watching fireworks with soldiers.
"He kept saying he wanted to be part of the 101st, and he got in and did a good job. He really wanted to stay in and have it be a career. His e-mail was Army for Life," Ms. Lohman said.
Sergeant Baumann returned with his family to the United States and settled in Maryland. After graduating from Great Mills High School, he joined the Army in May 2004 and arrived at Fort Campbell, Ky., in September 2004.
When he was a senior in high school, Sergeant Baumann met his future fiancee, Lauren Smith. The two were to have been married Jan. 10, 2009.
Ms. Smith said Sergeant Baumann proposed to her atop a mountain in Tennessee. The two spent countless days hiking and enjoying the outdoors.
"I loved everything about him," Ms. Smith said. "I loved the fact that he had to be the best at everything. He really put his all into everything he did."Sergeant Baumann's base in Kentucky allowed him to be closer to his father, Robert Baumann of Jeffersonville, Ind.
"When he got stationed at Ft. Campbell, I was ecstatic," Mr. Baumann said. "He'd come up every other weekend to spend time together."
Along with his mother and father, Sergeant Baumann is survived by his sister, Christina Baumann of Phoenix.
A memorial service for Sergeant Baumann will be held in Maryland, and he will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
HE HAD TO BE BEST AT EVERYTHING
When Sgt. Ryan P. Baumann told his family five years ago that he wanted to join the Army, relatives say they knew it was coming.
Sergeant Baumann spent eight years of his childhood in Germany, where he picked up a foreign language and learned the ins and outs of Army life.
"Ryan grew up around the miliary," said his mother, Cindy Lohman, who worked as a civilian nurse on a base in Germany. "It didn't surprise me. His heroes were guys in the 82nd [Airborne Division]. And he was a post 9-11 child, so he felt very committed to doing something to protect this country."
Sergeant Baumann. 24, a motor transport operator with the 101st Airborne Division, died in Afghanistan on Friday from injuries suffered after his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device, according to the Department of Defense. .
Born in Ohio, Sergeant Baumann moved with his mother, stepfather and sister to Neuenburg when he was 5. Sergeant Baumann's stepfather was working toward a doctorate, while his mother began working as a civilian nurse.
Sergeant Baumann attended German schools, but celebrated many Fourth of Julys watching fireworks with soldiers.
"He kept saying he wanted to be part of the 101st, and he got in and did a good job. He really wanted to stay in and have it be a career. His e-mail was Army for Life," Ms. Lohman said.
Sergeant Baumann returned with his family to the United States and settled in Maryland. After graduating from Great Mills High School, he joined the Army in May 2004 and arrived at Fort Campbell, Ky., in September 2004.
When he was a senior in high school, Sergeant Baumann met his future fiancee, Lauren Smith. The two were to have been married Jan. 10, 2009.
Ms. Smith said Sergeant Baumann proposed to her atop a mountain in Tennessee. The two spent countless days hiking and enjoying the outdoors.
"I loved everything about him," Ms. Smith said. "I loved the fact that he had to be the best at everything. He really put his all into everything he did."Sergeant Baumann's base in Kentucky allowed him to be closer to his father, Robert Baumann of Jeffersonville, Ind.
"When he got stationed at Ft. Campbell, I was ecstatic," Mr. Baumann said. "He'd come up every other weekend to spend time together."
Along with his mother and father, Sergeant Baumann is survived by his sister, Christina Baumann of Phoenix.
A memorial service for Sergeant Baumann will be held in Maryland, and he will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Maryland's Eightieth Hero
Army Lt. Col. James J. Walton, 41, of Rockville, Md.; assigned to a Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died June 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed were Spc. Anthony L. Mangano, Sgt. Nelson D. Ramirez Rodriguez and Sgt. Andrew Seabrooks.
HE WAS A WONDERFUL MAN....NEVER COMPLAINED
A Rockville soldier was one of four killed in Afghanistan when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb, Pentagon officials said.
Forty-one-year-old Lt. Col. James J. Walton was assigned to a Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division based in Fort Riley, Kan. He died Saturday when a roadside bomb hit a coalition convoy in Kandahar, the Defense Department said.
Walton joined the Army in 1989, and this was his second deployment in the war on global terror, a Fort Riley spokeswoman said.
Joseph Moschler of Midlothian, Va., said Walton was married to his daughter, Sarah Walton of Arlington, Va. He said the couple last saw each other in December 2007 before Walton’s deployment.
“We’re still trying to deal with it,” Moschler said in a phone interview.
“He was a wonderful man, a real professional soldier and he was doing what he wanted to do,” Moschler said. “He was a graduate of West Point, he had 20 years of service, and he felt a real call to serve his government and his country — and he did it and never complained.”
HE WAS A WONDERFUL MAN....NEVER COMPLAINED
A Rockville soldier was one of four killed in Afghanistan when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb, Pentagon officials said.
Forty-one-year-old Lt. Col. James J. Walton was assigned to a Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division based in Fort Riley, Kan. He died Saturday when a roadside bomb hit a coalition convoy in Kandahar, the Defense Department said.
Walton joined the Army in 1989, and this was his second deployment in the war on global terror, a Fort Riley spokeswoman said.
Joseph Moschler of Midlothian, Va., said Walton was married to his daughter, Sarah Walton of Arlington, Va. He said the couple last saw each other in December 2007 before Walton’s deployment.
“We’re still trying to deal with it,” Moschler said in a phone interview.
“He was a wonderful man, a real professional soldier and he was doing what he wanted to do,” Moschler said. “He was a graduate of West Point, he had 20 years of service, and he felt a real call to serve his government and his country — and he did it and never complained.”
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Maryland's Seventy-Nineth Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Collin J. Bowen, 38, of Millersville, Md., died March 14 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered Jan. 2 in Khowst Province, Afghanistan, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment, Maryland Army National Guard, Towson, Md.
HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY
Staff Sergeant Collin Bowen was severely injured in early January. He died Friday at a Texas military hospital. Pictures on his website show what's most important to Staff Sergeant Bowen - his country and his family.
"Staff Sgt. Bowen was really the type of soldier who went above and beyond his call of duty," said Major Kristine Henry, a spokesman for the Maryland National Guard.
It was during the final weeks of his year-long tour in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device, or IED, hit his convoy. Three of his comrades were killed, but Sergeant Bowen has been fighting for his life ever since the January 2nd attack. The Department of Defense says the Perry Hall resident died March 14, 2008, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. His wife and three children were by his side.
"Staff Sgt. Bowen's family really was with him throughout this whole thing, as he's been fighting for his life they've been with him down in Texas," said Major Henry.
Staff Sergeant Bowen was based at the Maryland National Guard in Towson, but support has come from across the country. A family member created the website collinbowen.com. There are over 900 postings, thanking the staff sergeant for his sacrifice, remembering how great a guy he was, and the "amazing fight that was an inspiration to us all."
"He gave his life for his country, and that's how he should be remembered," said Major Henry.
HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY
Staff Sergeant Collin Bowen was severely injured in early January. He died Friday at a Texas military hospital. Pictures on his website show what's most important to Staff Sergeant Bowen - his country and his family.
"Staff Sgt. Bowen was really the type of soldier who went above and beyond his call of duty," said Major Kristine Henry, a spokesman for the Maryland National Guard.
It was during the final weeks of his year-long tour in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device, or IED, hit his convoy. Three of his comrades were killed, but Sergeant Bowen has been fighting for his life ever since the January 2nd attack. The Department of Defense says the Perry Hall resident died March 14, 2008, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. His wife and three children were by his side.
"Staff Sgt. Bowen's family really was with him throughout this whole thing, as he's been fighting for his life they've been with him down in Texas," said Major Henry.
Staff Sergeant Bowen was based at the Maryland National Guard in Towson, but support has come from across the country. A family member created the website collinbowen.com. There are over 900 postings, thanking the staff sergeant for his sacrifice, remembering how great a guy he was, and the "amazing fight that was an inspiration to us all."
"He gave his life for his country, and that's how he should be remembered," said Major Henry.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Maryland's Seventy-Eighth Hero
Army Spc. Micheal B. Matlock, Jr., 21, of Glen Burnie, Md. died Feb. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Baghdad on Feb. 19. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed along with Spc. Matlock were: Sgt. Conrad Alvarez, 22, of Big Spring, Texas, and Cpl. Albert Bitton, 20, of Chicago.
HE WAS A HAPPY AND RESPONSIBLE MAN
A Glen Burnie soldier was one of three men killed in Iraq this week after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb, the Pentagon said Friday.
Spc. Micheal B. Matlock Jr., 21, an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division, died Wednesday from wounds suffered when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Baghdad, where the soldiers were responsible for security.
Matlock was raised by his mother, Sheena Douglas, and his stepfather, Ronald Douglas, in Glen Burnie. His biological father, Micheal Matlock Sr., lives in North Carolina.
A year ago, Matlock married Breon Summers, his high-school sweetheart. The couple have one child, Byron, 1. Family members reached Friday night declined to comment.
Neighbors in the Cohansey Court townhouse community where Matlock grew up described him as a happy and responsible child, who often helped his stepfather with landscaping jobs he did on the side for elderly neighbors. Matlock also loved to play basketball.
"My heart goes out to Ron," said Kelly Gross, who is close to Matlock's stepfather. "He loved that boy, he loved him. Words cannot say the devastation, the devastation."
Gross last saw Matlock about two weeks ago, when he came home for a visit. Matlock, he said, was in good spirits, and planning for his future: he even bought a gray Ford Explorer.
"It's not fair, it's really not fair," Gross said. "I'll be so glad when this war in Iraq is over."
HE WAS A HAPPY AND RESPONSIBLE MAN
A Glen Burnie soldier was one of three men killed in Iraq this week after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb, the Pentagon said Friday.
Spc. Micheal B. Matlock Jr., 21, an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division, died Wednesday from wounds suffered when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Baghdad, where the soldiers were responsible for security.
Matlock was raised by his mother, Sheena Douglas, and his stepfather, Ronald Douglas, in Glen Burnie. His biological father, Micheal Matlock Sr., lives in North Carolina.
A year ago, Matlock married Breon Summers, his high-school sweetheart. The couple have one child, Byron, 1. Family members reached Friday night declined to comment.
Neighbors in the Cohansey Court townhouse community where Matlock grew up described him as a happy and responsible child, who often helped his stepfather with landscaping jobs he did on the side for elderly neighbors. Matlock also loved to play basketball.
"My heart goes out to Ron," said Kelly Gross, who is close to Matlock's stepfather. "He loved that boy, he loved him. Words cannot say the devastation, the devastation."
Gross last saw Matlock about two weeks ago, when he came home for a visit. Matlock, he said, was in good spirits, and planning for his future: he even bought a gray Ford Explorer.
"It's not fair, it's really not fair," Gross said. "I'll be so glad when this war in Iraq is over."
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Maryland's Seventy-Seventh Hero
Army Staff Sgt. Robin L. Towns Sr., 52, of Upper Marlboro, Md., died Oct 24 in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 275th Military Police Company, 372nd Military Police Battalion, Washington, D.C. National Guard.
HE LOVED GOD, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS FRIENDS
Besides his wife, Sheila, and their blended family of six children, there were few things that Staff Sgt. Robin L. Towns Sr. of Upper Marlboro loved more than entertaining, watching football and barbecuing.
He was known for his cookouts. During games between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles, Towns, 52, delighted in donning his Eagles jersey and serving guests his signature barbecued chicken and ribs. Family members and friends said they couldn't stand it when he rooted for the Eagles, but they loved his barbecue so much they never complained.
On Wednesday, Towns was killed in Iraq, nine days after he was deployed there as a member of the D.C. National Guard's 275th Military Police Company.
Towns was the second member of the D.C. National Guard killed in Iraq. D.C. National Guard spokeswoman 1st Lt. Loneshia Reed was in shock Friday after learning of Towns' death. Towns was her squad leader.
"He was wonderful man, a wonderful leader, and a wonderful friend," Reed said.
At a gathering yesterday at Sanctuary at Kingdom Square in Capitol Heights, family and friends remembered Towns, who had worked as a corrections officer from December to May, when he left for training. He also worked as a security guard and armored car driver for Dunbar Armored.
Jeff Logan, assistant chief of the Prince George's Department of Corrections, said that though he had been at the department for a short time, "he was on his way to be an asset to the department."
His sister-in-law Joyce Wise said, "He was passionate about everything that he did."
The Rev. Anthony Maclin, pastor of Sanctuary at Kingdom Square, said Towns "loved to serve God, and he had a passion for his brothers and sisters, especially those who serve in the military."
As a guardsman, Towns worked several natural disasters, including hurricanes Katrina and Isabel. He received the Maryland State Active Duty Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.) called Towns's death "a senseless tragedy."
"It reaffirms that it is time to bring our troops home," he said. "While President Bush says that the violence is decreasing, for this family the violence is very real."
HE LOVED GOD, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS FRIENDS
Besides his wife, Sheila, and their blended family of six children, there were few things that Staff Sgt. Robin L. Towns Sr. of Upper Marlboro loved more than entertaining, watching football and barbecuing.
He was known for his cookouts. During games between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles, Towns, 52, delighted in donning his Eagles jersey and serving guests his signature barbecued chicken and ribs. Family members and friends said they couldn't stand it when he rooted for the Eagles, but they loved his barbecue so much they never complained.
On Wednesday, Towns was killed in Iraq, nine days after he was deployed there as a member of the D.C. National Guard's 275th Military Police Company.
Towns was the second member of the D.C. National Guard killed in Iraq. D.C. National Guard spokeswoman 1st Lt. Loneshia Reed was in shock Friday after learning of Towns' death. Towns was her squad leader.
"He was wonderful man, a wonderful leader, and a wonderful friend," Reed said.
At a gathering yesterday at Sanctuary at Kingdom Square in Capitol Heights, family and friends remembered Towns, who had worked as a corrections officer from December to May, when he left for training. He also worked as a security guard and armored car driver for Dunbar Armored.
Jeff Logan, assistant chief of the Prince George's Department of Corrections, said that though he had been at the department for a short time, "he was on his way to be an asset to the department."
His sister-in-law Joyce Wise said, "He was passionate about everything that he did."
The Rev. Anthony Maclin, pastor of Sanctuary at Kingdom Square, said Towns "loved to serve God, and he had a passion for his brothers and sisters, especially those who serve in the military."
As a guardsman, Towns worked several natural disasters, including hurricanes Katrina and Isabel. He received the Maryland State Active Duty Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.) called Towns's death "a senseless tragedy."
"It reaffirms that it is time to bring our troops home," he said. "While President Bush says that the violence is decreasing, for this family the violence is very real."
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Maryland's Seventy-Sixth Hero
The Department of Defense announced the death of Army Spc. Ari D. Brown-Weeks, 23, of Abingdon, Md. who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He died Sept. 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related vehicle rollover. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
HE WAS A FAITHFUL FRIEND WHO EXCELLED ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY
Spc. Ari Brown-Weeks, 23, a military radio operator from Abingdon, Md., was killed in the Sept. 10 accident in western Baghdad. The seven soldiers were members of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade, based at Fort Bragg, N.C..
He joined the 82nd Airborne Division in December and was deployed to Iraq in the first wave of the surge of troops into the country in January, a month after getting married. His father, Jon Weeks of Leyden, Mass., said he was scheduled to return home in November.
Brown-Weeks was the only child of Weeks and Karyn Brown. His parents told The Republican in Springfield, Mass., that their son was good at sports and academics and liked to write poetry.
“He loved his family above all and was loyal to the end with his friends. He loved being around people and always needed to be where the action was,” Weeks said.
His decision to enlist was influenced by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, his father said.
“He believed they were fighting terrorists there so they won’t come here,” Weeks told The Recorder in Greenfield, Mass. “He did believe that. But he also could see firsthand that a lot of what was going on wasn’t working.”
“Specialist Brown-Weeks, was a true American hero,” said Capt. Patrick Koucheravy, a spokesman with the 82nd Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, N.C. “He will be sorely missed by everyone who had the honor to serve with him.”
HE WAS A FAITHFUL FRIEND WHO EXCELLED ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY
Spc. Ari Brown-Weeks, 23, a military radio operator from Abingdon, Md., was killed in the Sept. 10 accident in western Baghdad. The seven soldiers were members of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade, based at Fort Bragg, N.C..
He joined the 82nd Airborne Division in December and was deployed to Iraq in the first wave of the surge of troops into the country in January, a month after getting married. His father, Jon Weeks of Leyden, Mass., said he was scheduled to return home in November.
Brown-Weeks was the only child of Weeks and Karyn Brown. His parents told The Republican in Springfield, Mass., that their son was good at sports and academics and liked to write poetry.
“He loved his family above all and was loyal to the end with his friends. He loved being around people and always needed to be where the action was,” Weeks said.
His decision to enlist was influenced by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, his father said.
“He believed they were fighting terrorists there so they won’t come here,” Weeks told The Recorder in Greenfield, Mass. “He did believe that. But he also could see firsthand that a lot of what was going on wasn’t working.”
“Specialist Brown-Weeks, was a true American hero,” said Capt. Patrick Koucheravy, a spokesman with the 82nd Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, N.C. “He will be sorely missed by everyone who had the honor to serve with him.”
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Maryland's Seventy-Fifth Hero
Army Sgt. Princess C. Samuels, 22, of Mitchellville, Md.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Aug. 15 in Taji, Iraq, when the enemy attacked using indirect fire.
SHE LIVED UP TO HER NAME
Samuels, who had served in the U.S. Army since 2004, was a graduate of Charles Flowers High School in Springdale, where she served in the ROTC.
‘‘She was very unique,” said Victor Jones, Samuels’ husband of one year. ‘‘She was a great person with a big heart who everybody loved.”
The couple, who met in high school, married in April 2006.
Nicknamed ‘‘Noodle” because of her thin frame, Samuels joined the Army in 2004, following in Jones’ footsteps. She had been assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division based in Fort Hood, Texas, where she worked with the U.S. Border Patrol before being stationed in Iraq, her husband said. She later became an imagery specialist in military intelligence.
Off-duty, Samuels lived up to her first name. Friends and family said the 22-year-old sported a wardrobe full of pink clothing and had a pet poodle in Texas whose ears she dyed pink.
A Department of Defense statement reported that Samuels was killed by ‘‘indirect” enemy fire. Officials would not elaborate.
Former friends joined together online this week, where a group was formed on the social networking Web site Facebook.com to honor her memory.
‘‘What’s a prince, with no Princess Samuels?” was the title Jones chose for the group. He said friends have come together to support each other.
‘‘I know I miss her, but I am never going to forget about her,” Jones said this week. ‘‘I’ve lost her. But I have her at the same time, because she’ll always be with me.”
SHE LIVED UP TO HER NAME
Samuels, who had served in the U.S. Army since 2004, was a graduate of Charles Flowers High School in Springdale, where she served in the ROTC.
‘‘She was very unique,” said Victor Jones, Samuels’ husband of one year. ‘‘She was a great person with a big heart who everybody loved.”
The couple, who met in high school, married in April 2006.
Nicknamed ‘‘Noodle” because of her thin frame, Samuels joined the Army in 2004, following in Jones’ footsteps. She had been assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division based in Fort Hood, Texas, where she worked with the U.S. Border Patrol before being stationed in Iraq, her husband said. She later became an imagery specialist in military intelligence.
Off-duty, Samuels lived up to her first name. Friends and family said the 22-year-old sported a wardrobe full of pink clothing and had a pet poodle in Texas whose ears she dyed pink.
A Department of Defense statement reported that Samuels was killed by ‘‘indirect” enemy fire. Officials would not elaborate.
Former friends joined together online this week, where a group was formed on the social networking Web site Facebook.com to honor her memory.
‘‘What’s a prince, with no Princess Samuels?” was the title Jones chose for the group. He said friends have come together to support each other.
‘‘I know I miss her, but I am never going to forget about her,” Jones said this week. ‘‘I’ve lost her. But I have her at the same time, because she’ll always be with me.”
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Maryland's Seventy-Fourth Hero
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.”
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.”
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.
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