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The
Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to the members
of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent
Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review,
been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis
that they meet the highest standards of public accountability,
program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards
include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the
Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in
the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United
States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent,
meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have
been awarded this
Seal.
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 This
Month's Honoree
Army
Sgt. Gregory Owens, Jr. was
from Garland, TX, where he joined the Army in 2007. He
was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th
Field Artillery (Strike), 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light
Infantry), Fort Drum, NY. Sgt. Owens died July 20th
in Maydan Shahr, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained by
an IED detonating near his vehicle followed by an attack
from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled
grenades. Three others were killed in the attack. Sgt.
Owens is survived by his parents, two brothers and one
sister. |
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Remember us
Remember why
we fought
Remember why
we died
Remember us
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2010 Honorees |
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July 2010
Rafael Peralta
Age 25
of San Diego; assigned to
1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base
Hawaii; killed Nov. 15 by enemy action in Anbar
province, Iraq. |
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June 2010
Jeffery L. Hartley
Age 25
of Hempstead, Texas; assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning,
Ga.; died April 8, 2008 in Kharguliah, Iraq, of wounds
sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised
explosive device.
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May 2010
John
P. Pryor
Age 42
of Moorestown, N.J.; assigned to the 1st Medical
Detachment, Forward Surgical Team, Fort Totten, N.Y.;
died Dec. 25 in Mosul of wounds sustained when a mortar
round impacted near his living quarters.
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Apr 2010
Ryan J. Connolly
Age 24
of Vacaville, Calif.; assigned to 173rd Special
Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team,
Bamberg, Germany; died June 24 in Khogyani, Afghanistan,
of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck a suspected
landmine.
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Mar 2010
Katie
M. Soenksen
Age 19
of
Davenport, Iowa was assigned to the 410th Military
Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th
Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas died May 2,
2007 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near her vehicle.
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Feb 2010
Joseph M. Hernandez
Age
24
of Hammond, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th
Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany.; died Jan. 9 in
Jaldak, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
Also killed were Maj. Brian M. Mescall and Spc. Jason R.
Parsons.
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Jan 2010
Anthony C. Garcia
Age 21
of Panama City, Fla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion,
3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditonary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; died Aug.
5 while supporting combat operations in Farah province,
Afghanistan.
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2009 Honorees
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Dec 2009
Edward G. Davis III
Age
31,
of Antioch, Ill.; assigned to the 3rd Assault
Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed
April 28 while conducting combat operations against
enemy forces in the Anbar province, Iraq. |
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Nov 2009
Steven T. Drees
(Posthumously promoted.)
Age
19
of Peshtigo, Wis; assigned to the 2nd Battalion,
12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th
Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died June 28 at
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl,
Germany, of injuries sustained June 24 in Konar
Province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit
using small arms fire and a rocket-propelled-grenade
launcher. |
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Oct 2009
Max A. Galeai
Age 42
of Pago Pago, American Samoa; assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine
Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died June 26
while supporting combat operations in Karmah, Iraq. Also
killed were Capt. Philip J. Dykeman and Cpl. Marcus W.
Preudhomme.
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Sept 2009
Jordan P. P. Thibeault
Age 22
of South
Jordan, Utah; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored
Division, Baumholder, Germany; died Sept. 5 at Forward
Operating Base Hammer, Iraq. Posthumously promoted
to SPC
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Aug 2009
Darrell C.
Lewis
Age 31
Capt Lewis of Washington, D.C.; assigned to the
1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.;
died June 23 in Vashir City, Afghanistan, of wounds
sustained when his unit was attacked by insurgents using
rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small-arms fire. |
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July 2009
Sergio
Abad
Age 21
Private
Abad of Morganfield, Ky.; assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment
(Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza,
Italy; died July 13 of wounds sustained when his outpost
was attacked by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled
grenades from enemy forces in Wanat, Afghanistan. Also
killed were 1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, Sgt. Israel
Garcia, Cpl. Jonathan R. Ayers, Cpl. Jason D. Hovater,
Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, Cpl. Matthew B. Phillips, Cpl.
Pruitt A. Rainey and Cpl. Gunnar W. Zwilling.
posthumously promoted to the rank of Spc
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June 2009
Christopher Wilson
Age
24
Army Spc. Wilson died in Korengal
Outpost in Afghanistan after he was injured in a
rocket-propelled grenade explosion, the Defense Department
said. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, based at Fort Drum.
posthumously promoted to the
rank of Sgt
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May 2009
Elizabeth A. Loncki
Age 23
Air Force Senior Airman
Elizabeth A. Loncki, of New Castle, Del.; assigned
to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hill Air Force
Base,
Utah; killed Jan. 7 by a vehicle-borne improvised
explosive device while performing duties in the
Baghdad area. Also killed were Tech Sgt. Timothy
R. Weiner and Senior Airman Daniel B. Miller Jr.
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Apr 2009
Daniel
Tsue
Age 27
Marine Sgt. Daniel A.
Tsue 27, of Honolulu; assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine
Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Pendleton, Calif.; attached to 2nd Force Service Support
Group, II MEF (Forward); killed Nov. 1 by an improvised
explosive device while conducting combat operations near
Ramadi, Iraq.
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Mar 2009
Heathe Craig
Age 28
Army Staff Sgt of Severn, Md.; assigned to 159th
Air Ambulance Medical Company, Wiesbaden, Germany; died
June 21 when his UH-60 helicopter hoist malfunctioned
while attempting to evacuate
Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury
during combat operations in the vicinity of Naray,
Afghanistan. Also killed was
Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury. |
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Feb 2009
Garrett C. Knoll
Age 23
Army PFC of Bad Axe, Mich.; assigned to the 5th Squadron,
73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died April 23 in Sadah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his location. Also
killed were Spc. Michael J. Rodriguez, Spc. Jerry R.
King, Sgt. Michael L. Vau |
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Jan 2009
Dustin Burnett
Age 19
Navy
Hospitalman Dustin Burnett
was assigned to First Marine Division
Detachment, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 20, 2008
while conducting combat operations in Farah Province,
Afghanistan. |
2008 Honorees
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December 2008
Age 38
Nicole Suveges
U.S. Army veteran and current BAE employee serving in Iraq died June 24, 2008 in Sadr
City, Iraq by a IED explosion while attending a meeting
of the district advisory council. |
November 2008
Age 31
Luke Mercardante
Marine
1st Sergeant Luke J. Mercardante,
35, of Athens, Ga.;
assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine
Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, N.C.; died April 15, 2008 in Kandahar Province,
Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations. |
October 2008
Age 31
Harrison Brown
Army Staff Sergeant Harrison Brown, age 31, of
Pritchard, AL; assigned to the
2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.;
died April 3, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq,
when his unit came in contact with
enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and
small-arms fire. Harrison was awarded the Bronze Star
for valor and the Purple Heart, posthumously. |
September 2008
Age 37
William Kerwood
Air Force
Tech.
Sergeant William
Kerwood, age 37, of Houston, MO.; assigned to the 20th
Special Operations Squadron, died November 23, 2003 in a
helicopter crash in Afghanistan. |
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August 2008
Age 30
Bryant
Wayne Mackey
Army Staff Sgt. Bryant Mackey, age 30, of Eureka
Kansas; assigned to
3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment,
Fort Hood, TX; died February 20, 2008 in Mosul,
Iraq, when a rocket propelled grenade struck his
vehicle. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze
Star. |
July 2008
Age 23
Nino D. Livaudais
Army
Staff Sergeant, age 23, of Ogden, Utah; assigned to
3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort
Benning, Georgia died April 3, 2003 in Iraq, from a
suicide car-bomb attack.For
his service in Iraq, Nino earned a Purple Heart and
Bronze Star for valor.
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June 2008
Age 36
Kevin
F. Sheehan
Sergeant Kevin F. Sheehan,
age 36, of Milton, VT.; assigned to 1st Battalion,
86th Field Artillery, Army National Guard,
Williston, Vt., died
May 25, 2004; when his unit came under
mortar attack at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, near
Iskandariyah, Iraq.
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May 2008
Age 27
Nathan
J. Schuldheiss
Special Agent Nathan J.
Schuldheiss, age 27, of Newport, R.I.; assigned to
AFOSI Expeditionary Detachment
2411, Balad, Iraq; died November 01, 2007 of
wounds sustained when his vehicle was struck by an
improvised explosive device. During his service, he was
chosen by his peers to receive the Civilian Special
Agent of the Quarter for July-September 2007.
Special Agent Schuldheiss was
posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Defense of
Freedom Medal.
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April 2008
Age
26
Peter
Burks
Army 2nd Lt. Peter H. Burks,
age 26, of Dallas, TX.; assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd
Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died November 14,
2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an
improvised explosive device.
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March 2008
Age
19
Jesus Fonseca
Army Private First Class, of Marietta,
GA was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd
Infantry Division based at Camp Casey, South Korea. He
died in a car bombing in Ramadi, Iraq.
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February 2008
Age
26
Charles L. Milam
Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class, age 26, of
Littleton, Colo.; assigned to 2nd Marine Special
Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Sept. 25,
2007 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting
combat operations.
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January 2008
Age 23
Nicholas
Gummersall
Army Sergeant, age 23, of Chubbuck, Idaho; assigned to
1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd
Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort
Lewis, Wash.; died Aug. 6, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq, of
wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
Also killed were Staff Sgt. Jacob M. Thompson, Cpl. Juan
M. Alcantara and Cpl. Kareem R. Khan.
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2007 Honorees |
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December 2007
Age
40
Maria
I. Ortiz
Army Captain, age 40, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; assigned
to Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic, Aberdeen Proving
Ground, Md.; died July 10, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds
sustained from enemy indirect fire.
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November 2007
Age
22
Grant B. Fraser
Marine Lance Cpl., age 22, of Anchorage, Alaska;
assigned to the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine
Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Elmendorf Air Force
Base, Alaska; attached to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd
Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
(Forward); killed Aug. 3, 2005 when his amphibious
assault vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive
device during combat operations south of Haditha, Iraq.
Also killed were Marine Lance Cpls. Michael J. Cifuentes,
Aaron H. Reed, Edward A. Schroeder II, Kevin G. Waruinge
and William B. Wightman. |
October 2007
Age
23
Tamara
Long Archuleta
Air
Force 1Lt., age 23, Los Lunas, N.M.; assigned to the
41st Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.; killed
in a HH-60G Pave Hawk crash on March 23, 2003, in
Afghanistan. Also killed were: Staff Sgt. Jason Hicks,
flight engineer; Master Sgt. Michael Maltz,
para-rescueman; Senior Airman Jason Plite, para-rescueman;
Lt. Col. John Stein, aircraft commander; Staff Sgt. John
Teal, flight engineer.
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September 2007
Age
25
Matthew
R. Soper
Army
Pfc., age
25,
of Kalamazoo, Mich., died June 6, 2007 in Bayji, Iraq,
of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.
He was assigned to the 1461st Transportation Company
(Combat Heavy Equipment), Michigan Army National Guard,
Jackson, Michigan.
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August 2007
Age 34
Patrick
Marc M. Rapicault
Marine
Capt., age 34, of St. Augustine, Fla.; assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp
Pendleton, Calif.; killed Nov. 15, 2004 by enemy action
in Anbar province, Iraq.
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July 2007
Age 24
Justin
T. Paton
Army
Pfc., age 24, of Alanson, Mich.; assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 17, 2007
in Taramia, Iraq, when his unit came in contact with
enemy forces using small arms fire.
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June 2007
Age 24
Nathan
B. Bruckenthal
Coast
Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class, age 24, of Smithtown,
N.Y.; assigned to Tactical Law Enforcement Team South
Detachment 403, aboard the patrol coastal Firebolt,
forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain, in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom; killed April 24, 2004 in a
waterborne attack in the northern Persian Gulf.
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May 2007
Age 52
Merideth
L. Howard
Army
Sgt. 1st Class, 52, of Alameda, Calif.;
assigned to the 405th Civil Affairs Battalion, Army
Reserve, Fort Bragg, N.C.; killed Sept. 8, 2006 when a
vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near
her Humvee in Kabul, Afghanistan. Also killed was Staff
Sgt. Robert J. Paul. |
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April 2007
Ross McGinnis
Age 19
Army
Pfc., 19, of Knox, Pa.; assigned to the 1st Battalion,
26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died Dec. 4,
2006 of injuries sustained when a grenade was thrown
into his vehicle in Baghdad.
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March 2007
Paul J. Darga
Age 34
Navy
Chief Petty Officer, 34, of Lansing, Mich.; assigned to
the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two, serving
with the 1st Marine Logistics Group; killed Aug. 22,
2006 when his Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team was
struck by an improvised explosive device while
responding to a previous strike. His unit was conducting
combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar
province, Iraq.
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February 2007
Randy L. Newman
Age 21
Marine
Lance Cpl., 21, of Bend, Oregon.; assigned to the 3rd
Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine
Palms, Calif.; killed Aug. 20, 2006 while conducting
combat operations in Anbar, Iraq. Also killed was Cpl.
Adam A. Galvez.
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January 2007
Michael T. Robertson
Age 25
Robertson
died Oct.
25, 2005 at
Brooke
Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of
injuries sustained Oct. 17
when an improvised
explosive device
detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle in Samarra,
Iraq.
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We
should not only mourn these woman and men.
We should thank God that such people lived.
2006 Honorees
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December 2006
Michael A.Monsoor
Age 25
Monsoor
was killed
Sept. 29, 2006 while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in
Ramadi, Iraq. |
November 2006
Marine
1st Lt. Frederick E. Pokorney, 31, of
Tonopah, Nev.; assigned to the Headquarters Battery, 1st
Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed in
action near Nasiriyah, Iraq on March 23, 2003. |
October 2006
Pfc.
Sam W. Huff, 18, of Tucson, Arizona, died April 18,
2005, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained on April
17, 2005, in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near her HMMWV.
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September 2006
Pfc.
Benjamin T. Zieske
Age 20
Pfc. Benjamin T. Zieske,
20,
died of injuries sustained May 3, 2006 when an
improvised explosive device detonated during a
dismounted combat patrol in Kirkuk, Iraq.
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August 2006
Douglas A. DiCenzo
Age 30
DiCenzo
was killed in
Baghdad, Iraq, on
May
25, 2006 when an improvised
explosive device detonated near
his HMMWV during combat
operations.
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July
2006
Christopher
W. Thompson
Age 25
Thompson was killed in action from an IED
explosion while conducting combat operation against
enemy forces in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
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June 2006
Anissa
A. Shero
Age 31
Shero died in the crash of a U.S Air Force MC-130H
Combat Talon II aircraft in the Paktika province
of Afghanistan.
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May 2006
Robert
Hernandez
Age 47
Hernandez was killed March 28, 2006 when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his
Humvee during combat operations in Taquaddum,
Iraq.
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April 2006
Laura
Walker
Age 24
Walker was killed in action on 18 August
2005 in Delak, Afghanistan.
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March 2006
Peter
Wagler
Age 18
Wagler died in Baghdad, Iraq on
January 23, 2006 of wounds sustained that day when
an improvised explosive device detonated near his
M1A2 Abrams tank during patrol operations.
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Feb 2006
Jonathan
Pfender
Age 22
Pfender died in Bayji, Iraq, on December 30,
2005 when an improvised explosive device detonated
near his HMMWV during patrol operations.
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Jan 2006
Toccara
Green
Age 23
Green died on August 14, 2005, in Al Asad,
Iraq, when multiple improvised explosive devices
detonated near her unit during convoy operations.
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Jan 2006
David
Day
Age 25
Day died
February 21, 2005 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an
improvised explosive device detonated as he was
exiting his military
vehicle after it
had
rolled
over.
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2005
Honorees
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Dec 2005
Age 24
Derga died May 8, 2005 as the result of enemy
small arms fire while conducting combat operations
in Ubaydi, Iraq.
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Nov 2005
Nicholas
Wilt
Age 23
Wilt died September 3, 2004 due to enemy action
in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
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Oct 2005
DeForest
Talbert
Age 24
Talbert died July 27, 2004 in Baladruc, Iraq,
when an improvised explosive device detonated near
his vehicle.
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Sept 2005
Eric
Woods
Age 22
Woods died on July 9, 2005 in Tal Afar, Iraq,
when his HMMWV struck an improvised explosive
device that caused the vehicle to overturn. Woods
was in the area to evacuate another soldier who
had been wounded. |
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August 2005
Hoby
Bradfield
Age 22
Bradfield died July 9, 2005 in Tal Afar, Iraq
while he was conducting a dismounted cordon
search.
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July 2005
Nathan
Clemons
Age 20
Clemons died June 14, 2005 from wounds
sustained when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle while conducting combat
operations against enemy forces near Ar Rutbah,
Iraq. |
June 2005
LeRoy
Alexander
Age 27
Alexander was killed on June 3, 2005 at Forward
Operating Base Orgun-E in Afghanistan when his
convoy vehicle was struck by an improvised
explosive device. |
June 2005
Charles
Robinson
Age 29
Robinson was killed on June 3, 2005 at Forward
Operating Base Orgun-E in Afghanistan when his
convoy vehicle was struck by an improvised
explosive device.
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April 2005
Justin
Carter
Age 21
Carter died February 16, 2005 in Forward
Operating Base McKenzie, Iraq, from non-combat
related injuries.
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Mar 2005
Andrew
Chris
Age 25
Chris was fatally wounded in combat operations
in hostile enemy territory on June 25, 2003.
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Feb 2005
Kyle
Eggers
Age 27
Eggers died December 5, 2004
in Habbaniyah, Iraq, when his vehicle was struck
by an improvised explosive
device.
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Jan 2005
Daniel
Callebero
Age 21
Callebero lost his life in the attack on the Pentagon on Sept 11, 2001. Daniel was
Active Duty Navy, Electronics Tech 3rd Class.
Daniel Martin Caballero.
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