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Hoby F.
Bradfield, Jr.—August 2005 Shipment Honoree
 Army Spc.,
22, of The Woodlands, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd
Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo.; killed July 9,
2005 while he was conducting a dismounted cordon search in Tal
Afar, Iraq.
Source:
Diana Wallace, [Chicago]
Daily
Herald and
www.dailyherald.com
Soldier's
Fight a Mother's Heartbreak
Hoby Bradfield Jr. watched the World Trade Center fall from
his home in New Jersey and decided that very day he would
enlist in the Army.
"The day the towers fell, he called a recruiter," said his
mother, Dianne Sterling, who now lives in Wheaton. "I said, 'Hoby,
please, just think about it for a few days.' But he had his
mind made up."
From that point on, Bradfield's resolve and loyalty to his
country never wavered.
Not when he was sent to Iraq the following year, and not when
the Army specialist voluntarily signed up for a second tour of
duty "because he wasn't going to let the boys he fought with
go back without him," his mother said.
Bradfield, 22, was killed July 9 in Tal Afar, Iraq. His
stepfather, Kenneth Sterling, said Bradfield was injured
during a house-to-house search for insurgents. Then the
ambulance he was in struck a roadside bomb, killing him and
the ambulance driver.
His family will never know if he might have survived the
initial injury. They choose not to dwell on what-ifs.
"His mom and I choose not to dwell on that potential," Kenneth
Sterling said. "We're mostly angry about the fact that (the
insurgents) bomb children and ambulances."
Bradfield's mother also chose to focus on the positives: "He
had confidence in getting the job done, of bringing peace and
freedom. He was under no illusions. He knew that was his job,
and he knew what he stood for. And he made the ultimate
sacrifice."
Bradfield was raised mainly in New Jersey and Virginia. But
his wife, Crystin, who's due to deliver their first child this
fall, was from Chicago's South Side. His mother and
stepfather, a Chicago native, moved to Wheaton last year, and
had hoped Bradfield and his young family might someday choose
to live in the Chicago area.
"They got married, set plans to have a baby, and then he went
back to Iraq," Kenneth Sterling said. "They didn't really
didn't have a lot of time together. Now she's widowed with an
unborn child.
"This is so tragic," he said. "So much of it was the potential
of what could have been."
Dianne Sterling described her son as generally quiet but with
a dry sense of humor. He loved children, and, while growing
up, often helped out elderly neighbors without being asked.
She has made a point to contact the widow of Eric Woods of
Omaha, the ambulance driver who was killed along with her son
that day. She told his widow how grateful she was that Woods
had tried to help her son.
Bradfield's funeral will take place Monday in Virginia Beach,
Va., where his father, Hoby Bradfield, Sr., and stepmother
live. He'll be buried at Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday.
"I don't want him to be remembered as just another coalition
tragedy," Dianne Sterling said. "I want people to know he was
a kind, loving, caring young man who was fiercely loyal and
patriotic.
"He's not just a casualty," she said. "He was a person. He was
my son."
Twenty-Two, Forever—Specialist
Hoby Frank Bradfield, Jr.
Source:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2005/11/twenty_two_fore.html
“Day by day,
fix your eyes upon the greatness of Athens, until you become
filled with the love of her; and when you are impressed by the
spectacle of her glory, reflect that this empire has been
acquired by men who knew their duty and had the courage to do
it.” - Thucydides, The Funeral Speech for Pericles
Hoby
Bradfield, Jr. graduated from high school in 2001 in Virginia
Beach, VA. Immediately after witnessing the World Trade Center
towers fall from his home in New Jersey, he called a recruiter
and enlisted in the US Army. A member of the warrior caste,
Bradfield's father was a retired Navy veteran, his older
brother an Army Cavalry Scout and his younger brother is now a
Marine.
Hoby left his
home and entered the Army on August 20th, 2002. He trained to
be a Cavalry Scout and was assigned to the Sabre Squadron of
the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Carson, Colorado. In
a few short months, Bradfield went from raw recruit to leader
among his peers.
Not long
after joining the famed regiment, the 3rd ACR was sent to Iraq
for Operation Iraqi Freedom I. There, Hoby Bradfield earned a
reputation for being a fierce Scout. As a Private First Class
he was awarded the ARMCOM with V device for valor in combat
and had been recommended for two Bronze Stars.
After
returning from OIF, Hoby met a girl, Crystin, fell in love and
got married. He also trained to be a Combat Life Saver.
Crystin became pregnant and Hoby was thrilled.
"...not even
subzero temperatures at downrange Fort Carson can keep the
smile from a man’s face when he tells his best friends he’s
going to be a father,” said 1st Lt. Brian Oman, Bradfield's
Troop platoon leader.
He knew the
day would come when the regiment would go back to Iraq. Even
though Crystin was pregnant, Bradfield volunteered to go back
to Iraq.
On July 9th,
2005, Grim Troop of the 2nd Squadron moved into a neighborhood
in Tal Afar to destroy a terrorist bombing cell. During the
cordon and search, one of Bradfield's team was hit and, as one
of the Combat Life Savers, he raced to perform first aid.
Then, Specialist Bradfield was shot. Medics were called to the
battle. They stabilized Hoby, put him on the ambulance, and
raced to the hospital. Terrorists were watching. They
detonated an IED and destroyed the ambulance instantly killing
Hoby and the medic that was saving his life, PFC Eric Woods.
"There are
troopers in the regiment who most definitely owe their lives
to him," LTC Christopher Hickey, Commander, 2nd Squadron, 3rd
ACR said about Hoby in the memorial service held in Iraq where
over 200 Cav Troopers attended.
On July 26th,
2005, Specialist Hoby Frank Bradfield Jr. was laid to rest at
Arlington National Cemetery. Eric Woods’ family attended the
memorial in Virginia and the burial at Arlington.
On September
3rd, Crystin Bradfield gave birth to Kloe Adell Bradfield who
is the spittin' image of her dad.
My thoughts
and prayers are with Hoby's family. Today would have been
Hoby's twenty-third birthday.
Posted by Blackfive | November 07, 2005
in
Fallen But Never Forgotten
July 2006 Update:
SPC Bradfield
Awarded Second Bronze Star with Valor:
The following recognition of Spc. Hoby F.
Bradfield’s courage and selflessness were sent to his wife
with the awarding of the Bronze Star Medal with Valor:
Hoby was a true hero in every sense of the word. Since his
passing, many of our soldiers have done great justice to his
memory by attempting to replicate the professionalism,
enthusiasm, and bravery that Hoby displayed on a daily basis
over here. Many times we fall short of his example, but his
legacy in this squadron is truly a lasting one.
Enclosed is a Bronze Star Medal with Valor, which Hoby was
awarded for actions two weeks prior to his passing. On June 25
2005 his squad was on a dismounted patrol in Tal'Afar, Iraq
when they came under enemy fire. One of the soldiers in the
squad was shot and lay separated from the rest of the team by
enemy fire. Hoby, with no regard to his own safety exposed
himself to the continuous enemy fire in order to reach his
wounded friend, drag him to safety and provide first aid.
After giving assistance to the wounded Soldier, Hoby again
exposed himself to enemy fire as he went for a stretcher, then
again as he helped to evacuate the soldier. His Valor and
Heroism were supremely evident that day, as well as every time
he was on a mission. Hoby's action on June 25 2005 saved the
life of Sergeant Jeremy Wolfsteller. Hoby always put the
well-being of his fellow Soldiers above his own, and he
exemplified all the values expected of such a dedicated and
professional Soldier.
Jennifer writes:
For August's shipment I would like to
honor Army SPC Hoby Frank Bradfield, Jr of The Woodlands,
Texas. He was killed on July 9, 2005 in Tal Afar, Iraq due to
enemy fire while conducting a dismounted cordon search. He
was 22 years of age. I learned of this young man due to
another yahoo group that I am a part of, Operation Baby
Blanket. His wife, Crystin, is currently pregnant with their
first child and is due in September. This link goes to his
memorial video that I encourage you all to watch. It
definitely brought tears to my eyes. With Jason (my
husband) being his age, due with our first child in October,
and Jason leaving to Iraq in Dec or Jan this definitely
touched home.
View Obituary and Video Tribute
Excerpt from The Mounted Rifleman - July 2005
Wounded Soldier's Story About Hoby
9-03-05 Kloe was born at
2:01am Sat. weighting in at 7lbs 3oz and 19" long. Crystin
says she looks just like Hoby's baby photo except she has
brown curly hair. She and Crystin are doing fine. She was
born at Evans Army Hospital on post at
Colorado Springs, CO.
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