Currently browsing: rest in peace soldier
River Falls mourns loss of a hero
September 18, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sgt. Gordon’s loved ones:
Army officials say a Stryker Brigade soldier who fell ill in southern Afghanistan has died at a military hospital in Germany.
According to an Army statement, 22-year-old Sgt. Robert David Gordon II of River Falls, Ala., got sick last Friday and died Wednesday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. His illness was not disclosed but is described as not related to combat.
Gordon enlisted in the Army more than four years ago in Montgomery. He was assigned to the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, which was sent to Afghanistan in July.
Pinson mourns loss of a hero
August 21, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to PFC VanOsdol’s loved ones:
VanOsdol was a 2005 graduate of Pinson Valley High School and was assigned to the Army’s 172nd Support Battalion, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Alabama loses another hero
August 14, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Captain Luce’s loved ones:
The soldier was serving as Team Commander in Qole Gersdar, Afghanistan when his vehicle was struck by an Improvised Explosive Device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion 20th SFG in Huntsville, AL.
Two other soldiers were killed in the attack including Sergeant First Class Severin W. Summers 43 of Baton Rouge, LA and Sergeant First Class Alejandro Grenado 42, of Tatum, TX.
Funeral Services were held for Luce at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Chapel on Fort Bragg, NC Thursday.
Baldwin County loses a hero
August 12, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lance Corporal Ferrell’s loved ones:
“Please pray for us, pray for me, pray for my family”
Pam’s son, Lance Corporal Bruce Ferrell, Junior, was killed Monday fighting the war on terror in Afghanistan. The 21-year old Marine machine-gunner known as “Little Bruce” or “Bubba” … was on foot patrol with his unit when an I.E.D. went off. The blast killed him instantly.
“He wanted to serve his country,” says Pam. “He was proud to be a Marine.”
Pam says tragedy seems to follow the Ferrell family. Her 21-year old daughter was recently killed in a car accident.
“To lose two children within two years…I’m just going to need a lot of prayers from everybody.”
Bruce immediately joined the Marines after he graduated from Baldwin County High School in 2006. He had been overseas since May, serving a seven-month tour of duty. Bruce was recently engaged to be married.
Eufaula mourns loss of a hero
August 11, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sgt. Evans’ loved ones:
“They got out (of the vehicle) and then shots were fired,” his father said. The family was informed of the incident Friday evening. More on this story will appear in the midweek edition of The Eufaula Tribune, available Tuesday morning.
Athens mourns loss of a hero
January 20, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Private Turner’s loved ones:
Walker County mourns loss of a hero
January 15, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Private McCune’s loved ones:
Gibson, who still lives in Walker County, said after her son graduated from high school she asked him to wait a year before making a final decision about enlisting. Even though he waited, she said he never wavered from wanting to serve his country.
Since deploying to Iraq, his few e-mails home were short and sweet, his mother said.
“I’m okay, and I love you,” he would write.
“He was fired up. He loved it. There was nothing about the Army that Sean didn’t love,” his mother said. She said her son wanted to become an Army Ranger.
Family members remembered McCune as a loving son and brother, who loved to make people laugh.
“He was mischievous to a fault. Whatever he could do to make somebody laugh, that was Sean,” Gibson said.
McCune loved joking around with his sisters — Amber McCune, 23; Natasha Gibson, 17; and Vicki Gibson, 11.
“He was a best friend. He would be there no matter what you needed, and he would make you laugh until your stomach hurt,” Amber McCune said.
“He was always good to talk to because he would listen to you about anything,” Natasha Gibson said.
Funeral arrangements for McCune have not been announced.
Morgan County mourns a Hero
January 10, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sergeant Rath’s loved ones:
An Army Sergeant from Morgan County has been killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan.
22 year old Josh Rath’s family received the news yesterday. Rath was a graduate of Austin High School, where he still had friends in the front office.
WAAY 31 spoke with one of Rath’s former soccer coaches, Lewis White, who’s now a counselor at the school. “I feel regret.” White told WAAY 31. White says his own military service may have inspired Rath to enter the Army after graduation. “He and his best friend from high school joined the Army together. And the day they joined, I was the first person they came to tell because they had joined the Army the way I had and joined to do the same job I had done in the Army. And they were very proud to of follow in what I had done 20 years earlier.”
White says Rath visited him just a couple of weeks ago during a pre-Christmas leave from the front lines. The two talked about plans after Rath got out of the Army, including what to study in college.
“Josh was a very patriotic young man and did exactly what Josh wanted to do. I think that’s one of the things that’ll leave a long term impression on his family, is that Josh was doing what Josh really wanted to do.”
No funeral plans for Sgt. Rath have been announced.
Alabama loses a hero
November 22, 2008 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Chief Warrant Officer Clark’s loved ones:
CW3 Donald Clark, 37, was killed in action when his OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter went down on Nov. 15 in the eastern part of Mosul, Iraq.
Final arrangements were still being worked out Friday, but family members say preliminary plans have Clark’s body being flown to the cemetery via a Huey helicopter, with a horsedrawn caisson carrying the casket to the graveside. Organizers were also hoping to arrange for a Kiowa flyover.
Clark was born in Boardman, Ohio, but has lived in Newton for several years with his wife, Jamie.
The funeral is set for 3 p.m. The family requests that donations be made to the Donald V. Clark Memorial Fund at Army Aviation Federal Credit Union in lieu of flowers.
Also killed in the accident was Army Chief Warrant Officer Christian P. Humphreys, 28, of Fallon, Nev.
A full obituary can be found inside today’s Dothan Eagle.
Double tragedy
November 20, 2008 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Staff Sgt. Richardson’s loved ones:
Richardson was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.
His sister, Shirley Dukes, said Tuesday that her brother had come home from Afghanistan to attend the funeral of his father, Willie Earl Travis.
“I loved him,” Dukes said of her brother during a telephone interview from a relative’s home, where many family members had gathered. “He was the most wonderful man. He loved his mother, his wife and his four children.”
Dukes said the family was already reeling from Travis’ death, and to lose Richardson was almost too much to bear.
According to the Mobile Press-Register, Travis, a resident of the Nymph community, was buried Monday.
Officers said Richardson was alone in his 2007 Chevrolet.
· 
· 