I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.
I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.
You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.
Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.
~ Song of Myself
By Walt Whitman
Tonight we remember and honor five valiant men, bound together by their love of flight, who died in service to our country.
Chief Warrant Officer Philip E. Windorski, Jr., 35, of Bovey, Minnesota
Chief Warrant Officer Windorski died from wounds he suffered when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
He was affectionately known as "Butchie," and the knock on the door that came on January 26th left his large family -- wife, children, mother, brothers, cousins -- in shock.
Ruth Windorski of Grand Rapids says she learned Monday that her 36-year-old son, Philip Windorski Jr., was among those killed in the single deadliest incident for U.S. troops in four months.
(snip)
His mother says Windorski was a couple of years away from retirement, but planned to re-up. She says he was on his third tour of Iraq.
(snip)
His mother says Windorski "was a great pilot, and he loved the Army more than anything."
Source ~ WCCO TV
Chief Warrant Officer Windorski loved the Army, in which he had served for nearly 18 years.
Windorski graduated from Grand Rapids in 1991. He was the eldest of three boys, a husband, father, and step-father.
(snip)
Windorski joined the service right after high school. His brother said Windorski loved the military, and always wanted to be a pilot.
This was his third tour of Iraq.
Source ~ WDIO
From a discussion board at Minnesota Public Radio:
Butchie was my cousin and he was a beautiful person with a strong love for everyone and everything he did, I have known him since childhood and I couldn't tell you a time that he was ever a bad person. I am so proud to be related to him and I only hope that I can raise my 3 boys to be half the man that he was.
Photo of Philip Windsorski with his wife, Karin, and their children.
Chief Warrant Officer Windorski’s fellow soldiers -- and their families --are in mourning.
Our daughter's fiance served alongside CWO Windorski. As we waited news on Monday we said our prayers for those who lost their lives that day, not knowing if our Joe was one of them. We only knew that there were 4 families who were going to be hurting by the end of the day. While our Joe was spared, the tears cried for those lost have been many. We feel the loss so deep in our hearts, it was as if they were our own.
Guestbook.
Video and Photos.
Flags on state government buildings across New York (were) at half-staff on Tuesday, February 3, in honor of four Fort Drum soldiers who died while conducting combat operations on Monday, January 26, in the vicinity of Kirkuk, Iraq Governor David Paterson ordered.
Empire State News.
Chief Warrant Officer Windorski joined the armed forces in November, 1991. He completed his Warrant Officer training at Fort Rucker in 1998 and started flying the Kiowa Warrior in 1999. After assignments at Fort Polk, where he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for 16 months in 2003 - 2004, and Fort Rucker where he used his combat pilot experience to train other pilots, Windorski was assigned to Fort Drum in October 2007. He deployed with the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2008.
Chief Warrant Officer Windorkski's awards and achievements include 2 Air Medals, 5 Army Commendation Medals, 5 Army Achievement Medals, 2 Presidential Unit Citations, 2 Army Good Conduct Medals, 2 National Defense Service Medals, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Senior Army Aviator Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal.
Chief Warrant Office Windorski is survived by his wife, Karin, their three children, Marinda, Austin and Emma, his mother, Ruth, and two brothers. Funeral arrangements are pending. His service and burial will be in Grand Rapids.
Thank you, Chief Warrant Office Windorski. Godspeed. Your mission is done.
Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Kelley, 30, of Cameron, Missouri
Chief Warrant Officer Kelley died from wounds he suffered when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
"He was born on a Monday and died on a Monday," his mother, Catherine Kelley, said.
Chief Warrant Officer Kelley was the son of a U.S. Army colonel and a teacher. At age 11, following his dad’s retirement, the family settled on a farm southeast of Osborn. A dozen years later, he and DaLana Wallace of Cameron (Missouri) were married. Together they would have two children, now ages 6 and 4.
Officer Kelley flew Kiowa helicopters and previously was an airborne combat infantryman. By every account, he loved God, his country and his family. He dreamed someday of becoming a professional pilot.
(snip)
"He really just wanted to fly," said his father, Col. Stephen Kelley, who is retired from the Army. He made the decision to fly Kiowa helicopters because he’d get more flying time, Mr. Kelley said. Matthew had wanted to fly since he was 9, his father said.
(snip)
Matthew Kelley enlisted in 2003, joining the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper. He already had completed a tour in Iraq, earning an Army Commendation Medal. Mr. Kelley also got a chance to earn Australian Jump Wings while assigned to the 82nd.
He earned the Combat Infantry Badge and always wore it above his pilot wings. When other helicopter pilots would razz him about the badge, he’d just tell them they were jealous, his brother (Chris) said with a laugh.
(snip)
Mrs. Kelley, the soldier’s mother, is a teacher, and home-schooled her two sons.
He loved history, and both boys learned to memorize a lot of Scripture, Mrs. Kelley said. He read books about World War II with a voracious appetite, especially if they were about planes, his father said.
He married DaLana Wallace, from Cameron, Mo., in 2001, and they have two children. She was the only girl he ever dated, his brother said.
And their first kiss was when they got married, because he stood for what he believed in, Mrs. Kelley said.
Source ~ St. Joe News
Photos.
Last weekend, the St. Joe News ran an editorial about the loss of Chief Warrant Officer Kelley.
Officer Kelley did not choose Monday as his day to die. And yet, his life ended that day in the aftermath of an early morning crash of two U.S. helicopters in northern Iraq. Three other American troops also were killed.
(snip)
Maybe there were no shots or missiles fired, but these are Americans killed in action just the same while pressing the cause of freedom in a faraway land.
(snip)
We should all hope, and pray, that timetables and decisions on pulling troops out of Iraq do not dishonor the memories of the thousands of American men and women who have given their lives there.
(snip)
Officer Kelley’s youngsters, Megan and Tyler, deserve better than that.
(snip)
"He died serving his country, protecting us and our way of life, the freedoms we all enjoy, and doing what he truly loved, flying."
Source ~ St. Joe News
Chief Warrant Officer Kelley joined the armed forces is March 2003. He completed his Warrant Officer training in 2005 and came to Fort Drum to fly the Kiowa Warrior in October 2007. His previous deployments include an 8 month tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003-2004. He deployed again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2008.
Chief Warrant Officer Kelley's awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Aviation Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Parachutist Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal.
Chief Warrant Officer Kelley is survived by his wife, DeLana, their two children, Megan, 6, and Tyler, 4, his parents, Stephen and Catherine Kelley, and his brother, Chris Kelley.
Chris Kelley said his brother was a hero, but "he’d lost a best friend."
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Thank you, Chief Warrant Officer Kelley. Godspeed. Your mission is done.
Chief Warrant Officer Joshua M. Tillery, 31, of Beaverton, Oregon
Chief Warrant Officer Tillery died from wounds he suffered when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter is fast and light, and as Josh Tillery would explain it, his job as an Army pilot was to go in quickly, do his mission and get out in a hurry.
Tillery left Oregon for basic training in August 1995, just a few weeks after graduating from Banks High School. (This) week, his body will be returned for burial at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.
(snip)
"I just have to remember that we're not the only family grieving," said Tillery's mother, Paula Trueax of Irrigon. "There's three other families at this very minute going through the same thing."
Tillery, 31, grew up in a tiny house on 20 acres near Banks, his mother said. The latest in a line of military men, he made forts as a boy. Later Tillery and his family moved into town, across from the lumber mill on the main drag. Kids would knock on the door to ask whether Josh would fix their bikes.
(snip)
Banks High School Principal Jim Foster remembers Tillery as a happy-go-lucky kid who had a lot of friends. (Last) Thursday, some teachers spoke with students about his death. Even though he'd long since left, memories are hard to shake in a city of 1,500.
(snip)
Tillery was part of an elite scout group before becoming a pilot in 2002, said Roger Trueax, his stepfather.
(snip)
"He loved his job," Roger Trueax said. "He loved being a helicopter pilot."
Tillery also loved photography, snowboarding and dirt biking. His mother said he stood about 6 feet tall and had big brown eyes, a strong jaw and an irresistible smile.
Tillery met his wife-to-be, Stephanie, while they were stationed together at Fort Lewis in Washington. They married a few months after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Stephanie received an honorable discharge after she had twins, Alec and Colin, who are now 6. A third son, Hayden, is 2.
Paula Trueax put together a scrapbook for Tillery last year. He got to flip through it this summer before leaving for his second tour in Iraq. Trueax said she wants her grandchildren to keep the photos. She hopes the images help them remember.
Tillery's wife is expecting a fourth son in May.
Source ~ AM 1360 KUIK Radio
"He loved what he was doing and he believed in what he was doing," said his step-father, Roger Trueax, of Irrigon, Ore. "He was a career soldier."
Trueax described Joshua Tillery as an excellent father and someone who loved to help people. Trueax said Tillery loved to fly, and graduated from flight school in 2003.
"He basically had his head on straight on his shoulders," Trueax said. "He knew where he was going, he knew where he had been."
Recently, Tillery had been working toward becoming a flight safety officer.
(snip)
Tillery’s friends told his family that he was a happy, friendly person who made them smile and helped out whenever he could.
Joshua Tillery’s father, Steve, flew out to New York from his home in Idaho to be with Stephanie and her children after the family was told about Joshua Tillery’s death on Jan. 26.
Source ~ Beaverton Valley Times
Chief Warrant Officer Tillery’s mother-in-law, Cathy Hanna, "thought of him as a son."
Hanna said her daughter and Tillery met when they both were stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash.
The couple were married 7½ years and have twin boys, ages 6½, and a 1½-year-old boy.
(snip)
Tillery, who joined the Army in 1995, was the consummate family man who doted on his wife and children, Hanna said.
"He loved to motocross and even bought bikes for the twins. And, he loved to take the kids on picnics. He was very much a father."
(snip)
His last visit to Elgin was in July, Hanna said.
"He knew then he was going back. He already had his orders. He loved the Army. He thought it was the right thing to do."
Source ~ The State
Thank you for your kind words. My husband was a hero to me, our children, and everyone who knew him. These words and prayers for him and our family bring us strength and peace in the darkest time of our lives.
Stephanie Tillery
Guestbook.
Chief Warrant Officer Tillery was born in San Diego in 1977. He would have celebrated his 32nd birthday on Saturday.
Chief Warrant Officer Tillery joined the armed forces in August, 1995. He completed his Warrant Officer training in 2003 and came to Fort Drum to fly the Kiowa Warrior in June 2004. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for 11 months with the 10th Mountain Division in 2005-2006, and again in October 2008.
Chief Warrant Officer Tillery's awards and decorations include the Air Medal, 2 Army Commendation Medals, 6 Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal for Combat Service, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, The Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Air Assault Badge, the Army Aviator Badge, the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutist Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal.
Thank you, Chief Warrant Officer Tillery. Godspeed. Your mission is done.
Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin H. Todd, 29, of Colville, Washington
Chief Warrant Officer Todd died from wounds he suffered when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Chief Warrant Officer Todd "found his first inspiration in helicopter flight school, his first love with his wife, and his greatest love with his family at the birth of his daughter Ashlyn. He was a young man defined by his loyalty to God, family and country."
(Chief Warant Officer Todd) enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 22, 1999 and was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia serving two tours in Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment. He was then selected to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama. There he began his helicopter pilot training. Upon graduation Ben was stationed at Fort Drum, New York where he flew the OH-58 Kiowa helicopter with Bravo Troop "Pale Riders", 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, of the 10th Mountain Division. Ben was deployed to serve overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom on October 20, 2008.
(snip)
(Chief Warrant Officer Todd completed his education in Colville in 1997.)
(snip)
While home on leave in 2004, (Chief Warrant Officer Todd) met Shelly Gordon at a New Year’s Eve Party. (They were married) on April 29, 2005 at the V.F.W. Legion Hall in Colville followed by a honeymoon in Disney World.
(snip)
(The couple) enjoyed time with their dogs and sharing Friday "date nights" with dinner and a movie. Their love blessed them with a daughter Ashlyn Joy in April of 2008.
Source ~ Denekas Funeral Chapel
Washington Governor Christine Gregoire ordered flags at state buildings to be flown at half-staff yesterday, in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Todd.
Source ~ Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Chief Warrant Officer Todd joined the armed forces in October, 2000. He completed his Warrant Officer training in 2005 and came to Fort Drum to fly the Kiowa Warrior in November, 2007. He deployed is support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2008.
Chief Warrant Officer Todd's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Parachutist Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal.
Chief Warrant Officer Todd is survived by his wife, Shelly, and their daughter, Ashlyn; by his mother, Marti Todd and father, Alan Wiley; by his brother, Nick, his wife Betty and their son, Noah; by his brother, Daniel Todd; by his grandmother, Joyce Todd-McPhee; by his uncles, Bob Todd, Tom Todd and wife Patti, Jim Todd and wife Linda; by his step-aunt, Heather Ruskievicz and her husband Steve; by his parents-in-law John and June Gordon; by his siblings-in-law Shannon Gordon, Lance Gordon and his wife Laurie, Kelly Gordon and his wife, Rebecca, Sharon Schneider and her husband, Michael; by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins; and by his trusted dog, Cheyenne.
Guestbook.
The funeral for Chief Warrant Officer Todd will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Colville Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A graveside service will follow at Mountain View Park Cemetery, Colville.
Thank you, Chief Warrant Officer Todd. Godspeed. Your mission is done.
Statement From the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade Commander, 10th Mountain Division:
"The entire 10th Combat Aviation Brigade team is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of four outstanding Soldiers. CW3 Phil Windorski, CW2 Josh Tillery, CW2 Ben Todd, and CW2 Matt Kelly were skilled, courageous professionals. They were trusted and relied upon not only by fellow members of Task Force Falcon, but by coalition ground maneuver units across Northern Iraq. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers are with their families."
Colonel Erik Peterson
Commander, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade
Contingency Operating Base Speicher
Tikrit, Iraq
Source ~ Fort Drum
From the blog of a member of their unit:
When the Medevac Flies Directly Overhead...it means it's bad. It means there's no need to rush survivors to the hospital pad.
It means the worst has happened.
(Last week), the medevacs flew directly overhead, sometime around midnight, or later -- all I knew then was that it was dark, and it was the worst. I didn't find out how bad it was until I went to work.
(snip)
We lost four friends -- and Phil Windorski was a brand-new WO1 scout pilot in our little Aviation unit on our SFOR deployment to Bosnia back in 2001.
(snip)
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam for Chief Warrant Officer Philip Windorski, Jr., Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer Joshua M. Tillery, and Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin H. Todd, Kiowa Warrior pilots of Bravo Troop, 6-6 Cavalry, who died doing what they loved and believed in.
Source ~ Argghh! The Home of Two of Jonah’s Military Guys
Army Air Crews
Chief Warrant Officer Milton E. Suggs, 51, of Lockport, Louisiana
Chief Warrant Officer Suggs died Jan. 30 at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 38th Operational Support Airlift Detachment, Hammond, La.
Chief Warrant Officer Suggs -- who was known as "Bobo" -- was an "exceptional aviator" who had married his sweetheart in the living room of their restored 19th century Cajun home.
Circumstances surrounding the death of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Milton Eric Suggs, a member of the Louisiana National Guard, have not been released, though officials confirmed it was not combat related.
(snip)
Suggs, an avid aviator who owned his own Piper aircraft, was assigned to the 38th Operational Support Airlift Detachment in Hammond and was part of a team that deployed overseas in November.
(snip)
Suggs and his wife, Kim Bernard Suggs, were married in 1994 in the living room of their Lockport home.
(snip)
Milton Suggs was known locally for his love of flying. Other aviators called him more than able and said that part of his mission in Djibouti was flying a plane described as a "VIP transport," intended for dignitaries such as members of Congress and high-ranking officers.
"He was an exceptional aviator," said Keith "Doc" Dockery, base manager at Air Logistics in Galliano, where Suggs worked and a friend for more than 20 years.
"He was very knowledgeable and very skillful, probably the best," Dockery said. "He was dedicated to anything he undertook. If he told you he was going to do something, he would take it to the bank. If he gave you his word, it was."
Source ~ Houma Today
This is the charming Cajun house in which Milton and Kim Suggs were married.
There is nothing creepy about this house in Lockport, according to owner, Kim Bernard Suggs. When Kim was six years old, she and her family moved from this Creole cottage, which her grandfather, a railroad worker, had built in the 1890's. She loved her home, and said that she would one day come back to live in it. Years later, she did come back. Restoration began in 1993, and she married Milton Suggs in the dining room of this home. It is no longer an empty house, but a home filled with antiques, family mementos, and pleasant memories, old and not-so-old.
Source ~ Cajun Homes
May her home and its tender memories bring Kim Bernard Suggs comfort.
Chief Warrant Office Suggs is survived by his wife, Kim Bernard Suggs; by his parents, Bill and Hazel Suggs; by one daughter, Sophia Suggs; by one brother, Bailey Suggs; and by one grandchild, Erica Hurst. Another son, Eric Suggs, preceded him in death.
The funeral for Chief Warrant Officer Suggs was scheduled to take place this morning at the Holy Savior Catholic Church in Lockport. He was to be buried in the church cemetery at noon, with full military honors.
Thank you, Chief Warrant Officer Suggs. Godspeed. Your mission is done.
___________________________________________________________________
Remember them. Honor their sacrifice.
To date, 4237 members of the United States military have lost their lives in Iraq. The death toll thus far in 2009 is already 16. More than 30,000 members of the military have been wounded, many grievously. The Department of Defense Press Releases, from which the information at the start of each entry in this diary was drawn, can be seen here. The death toll among Iraqis is unknown, but is at least 200,000 and quite probably many times that number.
To date, 645 members of the United States military have lost their lives in Afghanistan. The death toll thus far for 2009 is 15. 422 members of the military from other countries have also lost their lives.
Slide Show ~ The Final Salute
Other sites have stories, video, pictures and remembrances, including: Honor the Fallen. A group of runners is crossing the United States, dedicating a mile to each fallen soldier, sailor, Marine, Airman and National Guardsman. You can read about ~ and see photos and video of ~ Run for the Fallen here.
Assisting our military: Supporting our troops is the RIGHT THING to do.
You can send a care package. Please consider sending a care package for Valentine‘s Day.
You can write letters.
You can find other ways to give at anysoldier.com or Fisher House. If you have frequent flyer miles you would like to donate to hospitalized veterans or their families, please see Fisher House’s Hero Miles program.
You can help the left-behind animal companions of our troops. See how here.
And don’t forget them when they get home! Read welcomebackveterans.org to learn what you can do. Visit VoteVets and IAVA.
(Our beautiful logo was created by kossack Timroff. Thank you, Timroff.)
The purpose of the I Got the News Today series is to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, greenies, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, and me, noweasels.
If you would like to contribute to the series, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, or me, noweasels.
As you read this diary, please consider that the families and friends of those profiled here also may read it and that many members of our community have served in Iraq or Afghanistan or have loved ones currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the very proud daughter of a Navy pilot, and the granddaughter of a Marine pilot and a submariner ~ all of whom rest beneath our nation‘s flag ~ I hope that the comments tonight will demonstrate our respect for the sacrifices of our fallen military and our compassion for their families. Please reserve your political comments for appropriate diaries; this is not one of them.