Our Fallen Heroes
I have run the race, finished the course
and now I have claimed life's Victory!

Navy Lt. Thomas Mullen Adams, 27, of La Mesa, Calif. Killed when two Royal Navy Sea King helicopters collided over international waters March 22. Assigned as an exchange officer with the Royal Navy's 849 Squadron since October 2002.

Spc. Jamaal R. Addison, 22, of Roswell, Ga. Killed when ambushed by enemy forces in Iraq March 23. Assigned to the 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Maj. Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, of Waterville, Maine. Killed in a CH-46E helicopter crash on March 20 in Kuwait. Assigned to the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron --1, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz.

Capt. Ryan Anthony Beaupre, 30, of Bloomington, Ill. Killed in a CH-46E helicopter crash on March 20 in Kuwait. Assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron -- 268, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Sgt. Michael E. Bitz, 31, of Ventura, Calif. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Brian Rory Buesing, 20, of Cedar Key, Fla. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

2nd Lt. Therrel S. Childers, 30, of Harrison County, Miss. Killed in action on March 21 in southern Iraq. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Lance Cpl. David K. Fribley, 26, of Fort Myers, Fla. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Cpl. Jose A. Garibay, 21, of Orange, Calif. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Cpl. Jorge A. Gonzalez, 20, of Los Angeles. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, 22, of Los Angeles. Killed in action on March 21 in Southern Iraq. Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Sgt. Nicolas M. Hodson, 22, of Smithville, Mo. Killed in a vehicle accident in Iraq on March 24. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Cpl. Evan James, 20, La Harpe, Ill. Drowned while trying to cross the Saddam Canal in southeastern Iraq on March 24. Reservist with the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Peoria, Ill.

Pfc. Howard Johnson II, 21, of Mobile, Ala. Killed when ambushed by enemy forces in Iraq March 23. Assigned to the 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Michael Vann Johnson, Jr., 25, of Little Rock, Ark. Killed in action March 25 in Iraq. Assigned to Naval Medical Center, Third Marine Division Detachment, San Diego.

Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan, 42, of Enfield, Conn. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Cpl. Brian Matthew Kennedy, 25, of Houston. Killed in a CH-46E helicopter crash on March 20 in Kuwait. Assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron  268, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Marine Sgt. Brad Korthaus, 29, of Davenport, Iowa. Drowned while trying to cross the Saddam Canal in southeastern Iraq on March 24. Assigned to Engineering Company C, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Peoria, Ill.

Lance Cpl. Eric J. Orlowski, 26, of Buffalo, N.Y. Killed by an accidental discharge of a .50 cal machine gun in Iraq. Assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

2nd Lt. Frederick E. Pokorney Jr., 31, Nye, Nev. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Cpl. Randal Kent Rosacker, 21, San Diego. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Spc. Gregory P. Sanders, 19, of Hobart, Ind. Killed in action March 24 in Iraq. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor, Fort Stewart, Ga.

Army Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert, 27, of Williams Township, Pa. Killed by a grenade while sleeping in a tent at Camp Pennsylvania, Kuwait, on March 22. Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

Air National Guard Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, of Boise, Idaho. Died on March 25 from wounds received by a grenade in a tent at Camp Pennsylvania, Kuwait, on March 22. Assigned to the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, Boise, Idaho.

Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Slocum, 22, of Thornton, Colo. Killed in action March 23 in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Reserve Spc. Brandon S. Tobler, 19, of Portland, Ore. Killed in a non-hostile vehicle accident March 22 in Iraq. Assigned to the 671st Engineer Brigade, Portland, Ore.

Staff Sgt. Kendall Damon Watersbey, 29, of Baltimore. Killed in a CH-46E helicopter crash on March 20 in Kuwait. Assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Menusa, 33, San Jose, Calif., 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division San Jose, California Killed in action on March 27, 2003, Iraq

Major Kevin G. Nave, 36, Union Lake, Mich., 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division Union Lake, Michigan Killed in a non-hostile vehicle accident in Iraq on March 26, 2003

Lance Cpl. William W. White, 24, Brooklyn, NY, 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 1st Marine Division Brooklyn, New York Killed in a vehicle accident in March 29th, 2003, Iraq

Lance Cpl. Michael J. Williams, 31, Yuma, Ariz., 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment Arizona Initially listed as missing in action after operations near Nasiriya on March 23, 2003; his remains were recovered on March 28, 2003

Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Blair, 24, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group-28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Oklahoma Initially listed as missing in action after operations near Nasiriya on March 24, 2003; his remains were recovered on March 28, 2003

Pfc. Diego Fernando Rincon, 19, 2-7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army Conyers, Georgia Killed in car bomb attack in Iraq on March 29, 2003

Lance Cpl. Jesus A. Suarez Del Solar, 20, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Escondido, California, Killed in action on March 27, 2003

Sgt. Roderic A. Solomon, 32, 2-7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Killed when a Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled off a cliff on March 28, 2003

Pfc. Michael Russell Creighton Weldon, 20, 2-7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Conyers, Georgia, Killed in car bomb attack in Iraq on March 29, 2003

Spc. Michael Edward Curtin, 23, 2-7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army, South Plains, New Jersey, Killed in car bomb attack in Iraq on March 29, 2003

Sgt. Eugene Willams, 24, 2-7th infantry, 3rd infantry division U.S Army, Highland, NY, Killed in car bomb attack in Iraq, March 29, 2003

Staff Sgt. James W. Cawley 41 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, Marine Reservist Division Roy, Utah Killed when he was accidentally struck by a Humvee on March 29, 2003

Capt. Aaron J. Contreras 31, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39 Sherwood, Oregon Killed March 30, 2003, in a helicopter crash in southern Iraq.

Cpl. Robert M. Rodriguez, 21 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division Queens, New York Killed in action March 27, 2003, along the Euphrates River near Nasiriya

Army Sgt. Jacob Butler, 24, of Wellsville, Kan. Killed in action in Assamawah, Iraq, when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his vehicle. Assigned to Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, Fort Riley.

Spc. William A. Jeffries, 39. Evacuated from Kuwait and died as a result of a sudden illness in Rota, Spain. Assigned to D Company, 1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard.

Army Spc. Brandon Rowe, 20, of Roscoe, Ill. Killed in combat.

Marine Lance Cpl. Brian E. Anderson, 26, of Durham, N.C. Killed in a non-hostile accident west of An Nasiriyah, Iraq, when his vehicle apparently snagged low-hanging power lines. Assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Pfc. Christian Daniel Gurtner, 19, of Ohio City, Ohio. Killed in southern Iraq by an accidental discharge of a personal weapon, unclear whether his own or someone else's. Assigned to the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Maglione 22, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Killed April 1, 2003, by a noncombat weapon discharge at Camp Coyote, Kuwait

Pfc. Lori Piestewa, 22, 507th Maintenance Company, Tuba City, Arizona , Iraqi ambush at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

Sgt. Donald Walters, 33, 507th Maintenance Company, Kansas City, Kansas, Iraqi ambush at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

Master Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy, 38, 507th Maintenance Company, Cleveland, Ohio, Iraqi ambush at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, 507th Maintenance Company, El Paso, Texas, Iraqi ambush at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

Sgt. George Edward Buggs 31, 3rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division Barnell, South Carolina, Killed after his convoy was ambushed in Iraq on March 23, 2003.

Spc. James M. Kiehl, 22, 507th Maintenance Company, Des Moines, Iowa Killed when his convoy was ambushed near Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, 507th Maintenance Company El Paso, Texas. Killed when his convoy was ambushed at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003.

Pfc. Brandon Sloan, 19, 507th Maintenance Company, Bedford, Ohio Killed when his convoy was ambushed at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003.

Master Sgt. George A. Fernandez 36, Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC. He was from El Paso, Texas. Killed on April 2, 2003, after being shot in northern Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Nino D. Livaudais 23, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Utah, Died from severe injuries on April 3, 2003, in Iraq.

Spc. Ryan P. Long 21, A Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Seaford, Delaware. Died from severe injuries on April 3, 2003, in Iraq.

Sgt. Brian D. McGinnis 23, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA)-169, Marine Aircraft Group-39 St. George, Delaware . Killed March 30, 2003, in a UH-1N Huey helicopter crash in southern Iraq.

Capt. Russell B. Rippetoe 27, A Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Colorado. Died from severe injuries on April 3, 2003, in Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Patrick R. Nixon 21, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment St. Louis, Missouri, killed in action on March 23, 2003, on the outskirts of Nasiriya, Iraq

Spc. Donald S. Oaks Jr., 20, was assigned to C Battery, 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery Regiment (Multiple Launch Rocket System), Fort Sill, Okla. Oaks was from Erie, Pa., Iraq

Sgt. 1st Class Randall S. Rehn, 36, was assigned to C Battery, 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery Regiment (Multiple Launch Rocket System), Fort Sill, Okla. April 3, 2003, Longmont, Colo., Iraq

Marine Capt. Travis Ford, 30, Oceanside, Calif. Killed in action when his AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter crashed during combat operations near Ali-Ariziyal, Iraq. No other details were immediately available April 3

Pfc. Chad E. Bales 20, 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group Coahoma, Texas. Killed on April 3 in a non-hostile vehicle accident during convoy operations east of Ash Shahin, Iraq.

Cpl. Mark A. Evnin  21.  3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division Burlington, Vermont.  Killed in action on April 3 during a firefight in central Iraq.

Marine Cpl. Erik H. Silva, 22, Chula Vista, Calif. Killed in combat in Iraq. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Army Spc. Mathew Boule, 22, of Dracut, Mass. Killed in helicopter crash.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric A. Smith, 42, of Rochester, N.Y. Killed in helicopter crash.

Capt. Benjamin W. Sammis  29, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Rehobeth,Massachusetts . Killed in action on April 4 when his AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter crashed during combat operations near Ali Aziziyal, Iraq.

Capt. James F. Adamouski  29, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment Springfield, Virginia. Killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq on April 2, 2003.

Pfc. Wilfred D. Bellard 20, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, Lake Charles, Louisiana Killed when his vehicle fell into a ravine in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Capt. Tristan N. Aitken 31, 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division State College, Pennsylvania. Killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Spc. Daniel Francis J. Cunningham 33, 41st Field Artillery Regiment Lewiston, Maine. Killed when his vehicle fell into a ravine in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Staff Sgt. Wilbert Davis 40,  3rd Battalion, 69th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division Alaska. Killed when his vehicle ran off the road into a canal in Iraq on April 3, 2003

Chief Warrant Officer Erik A. Halvorsen 40, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment Bennington, Vermont. Killed when his UH-6 0 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq on April 2, 2003

Chief Warrant Officer Scott Jamar 32, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment Granbury, Texas. Killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq on April 2, 2003

Pvt. Devon D. Jones 19, 41st Field Artillery Regiment San Diego, California Killed when his vehicle fell into a ravine in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Capt. Edward J. Korn 31, 64th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Savannah, Georgia Killed as he investigated the wreckage of an Iraqi T-72 tank destroyed by his unit in central Iraq on April 3, 2003

Sgt. Michael F. Pedersen 26, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment Flint, Michigan Killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq on April 2, 2003

Chief Warrant Officer Eric A. Smith 41, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment California. Killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq on April 2, 2003

Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith 33, 11th Engineer Battalion Tampa, Florida Killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Staff Sgt. Stevon A. Booker 34 A Company, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment Apollo, Pennsylvania Killed by enemy fire during a raid into Baghdad on April 5, 2003, in Iraq

Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles 18 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion, 4th Marine Division Palm Beach, Florida Killed on April 7, 2003, in central Iraq when an enemy artillery round struck his amphibious assault vehicle

Army Spc. Larry K. Brown 22 C Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment Jackson, Mississippi Killed in action on April 5, 2003, in Iraq

Cpl. Bernard G. Gooden 22 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division Mt. Vernon, New York Killed during a firefight in Central Iraq, on April 4, 2003

Staff Sgt. Lincoln D. Hollinsaid 27 B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion Malden, Illinois Killed by enemy fire on April 7, 2003, in Iraq

2nd Lt. Jeffrey J. Kaylor 24 C Battery, 39th Field Artillery Battalion Clifton, Virginia Killed in action in Iraq on April 7, 2003

Cpl. Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin 21 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division Fort Worth, Texas Killed on April 7 in central Iraq when an enemy artillery round struck his amphibious assault vehicle

Pfc. Anthony S. Miller 19 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade San Antonio, Texas Killed by enemy indirect fire April 7, 2003, in Iraq

1st Sgt. Edward Smith 38 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division Chicago, Illinois Died April 5, 2003, in Doha, Qatar, died after he was wounded in action

Army Pfc. Gregory P. Huxley Jr., 19, of Forestport, N.Y. Killed in combat. Assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 17th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga.

Sgt. Duane R. Rios 25 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division Hammond, Indiana Killed during a firefight in Central Iraq, on April 4, 2003

Sgt. Brendon C. Reiss 23 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Natrona, Wyoming Killed in action after his unit was engaged in combat operations March 23, 2003, near Nasiriya.

Pfc. Tamario D. Burkett, 21, of Buffalo, N.Y., 1st. Ballalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based in Camp Lejeune, NC, killed March 23, 2003 engaged in operations on the outskirts of Nasiryah.

Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline, Jr., 21, of Sparks, Nev., 1st. Ballalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based in Camp Lejeune, NC, killed March 23, 2003 engaged in operations on the outskirts of Nasiryah.

Pvt. Nolen R. Hutchings, 19, of Boiling Springs, S.C., 1st. Ballalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based in Camp Lejeune, NC, killed March 23, 2003 engaged in operations on the outskirts of Nasiryah.

Gunnery Sgt. Jeffrey E. Bohr, Jr., 39, of Ossian, Iowa, who was killed on April 10 in northern Baghdad while engaging enemy forces. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Cpl. Jesus A. Gonzalez, 22, of Indio, Calif., who was killed on April 12 while manning a checkpoint in Baghdad. He was assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Riayan A. Tejeda, 26, of New York, N.Y., who was killed on April 11 during combat operations against enemy forces in northeast Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Spc. Gil Mercado, 25, of Paterson, N.J., was killed yesterday by a non-combat weapon discharge in Iraq. Mercado was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment,based at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Marine Pvt.Jonathan L. Gifford, 20, of Macon, Ill., was killed in action during operations on the outskirts of An Nasiriyah, Iraq, on March 23. Gifford was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Pvt. Nolen R. Hutchings 19, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment Boiling Springs, South Carolina, Killed in operations on the outskirts of Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

Pfc. John E. Brown 21 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment Troy, Alabama Killed April 14, 2003, in Iraq by a grenade explosion

Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawong 22 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment Waterford, Connecticut Killed in action during operations on the outskirts of Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

The Weeping Widows

I hear the cry of the weeping Widows,
Some are very young others are older.
But the haunting cry is the same,
Whether young or old.

These women did not know when they gave,
Their Soldier his last kiss and I love you,
That their husband, best friend and lover,
Would never come back home to his family.

Yes, they all knew it was a possibility,
But they shut out the thought and,
Took up courage and strength as their bedfellows.

Each night, the pillows were soaked with her tears,
Each morning, she prayed he wouldn´t encounter harm.
The letters were sparse, there was little time for himself.
The wives waited, they prayed, and the tears fell like rain.

They longed to see the face of the loved one they cherished.
Their Soldier was thousands of miles away in a strange land.
The weeping Widows tried hard to keep a positive attitude,
Yet, in the darkness there was the fear of a knock on the door.

For far too many, the knock came… bad news… a sad ending.
The children ask, “Where is Daddy, when is he coming home,
Tell me Mommy, when is he coming home?
The widow´s eyes fill with tears, and the children know why.

Darlings, the angels came and took Daddy to Heaven.
But why, they ask, …too many questions, no real answers for them.
The Widows weep, the children cry, and the grandparent mourn.
Their gallant Soldier fought and died in Iraq, to defend all of us.

Tara Hart © 2003

Click Here for Our Fallen Heroes Photos

 

 

Page One - The Cry of War
Page Two - God is Always Present
Page Three - Let Freedom Ring

Rockets Red Glare courtesy Dennis Johnson