Tonight, we have three soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division to honor. All three died in Afghanistan. Since 2001, there have been 1149 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4409 American troops killed in Iraq. Please take a moment to honor their sacrifice.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.
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This tribute for Spc. Plunk and Spc. Thompson was written by Blue Jersey Mom.
On Monday, the Department of Defense announced the loss of two members of the 101st Airborne Division. There have been so many loses in Afghanistan that these servicemen could not be included in Wednesday's diary.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died June 25 at Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit using rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Killed were:
Spc. Blair D. Thompson, 19, of Rome, N.Y.
Spc. Jared C. Plunk, 27, of Stillwater, Okla.
Before he joined the military in 2008, Blair Thompson was a student at the Rome Free Academy High School. His mother, Andrea Young, has left his room just the way he left it when he deployed to Afghanistan in May. Although he was injured by shrapnel early in his tour of duty, Spc. Thompson chose to remains overseas.
Thompson had always planned to join the military. His older brother, Sean Thompson, joined the Army about 6 years ago, and the two boys:
often “played Army” in a field near their house growing up, and Blair Thompson later picked up paintball as a teenager, Young said. ~source
Sean Thompson is currently stationed in fort Detrick, MD, but he was granted leave to spend time with his family after his brother's death.
Thompson's body affived at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday. New York's Governor, David A. Patterson, ordered the state's flags to be flown at half-mast on Wednesday in Thompson's honor. Patterson also released the following announcement:
“On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend our condolences to the friends, family and fellow soldiers of Specialist Thompson,” Governor Paterson said. “We join them in grieving the death of this fine young soldier, but we will never forget his sacrifice for our nation and we will honor his memory and his service.”
Thompson's decorations and awards include:
National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Air Assault Badge and Weapons Qualification: M4 (expert).
Thank you, Spc. Blair Thompson for your selfless service to our country.
Spc. Jared C. Plunk was born in Kansas. He attended school in the panhandle town of Turpin, OK. After graduating from high school, Plunk attended Oklahoma State University. He left the university before graduating and joined the Army. He had intended to make the army his career. His grandmother, Nelmalee Plunk said:
"He just felt like it was the thing to do.” ...
She said family members appreciate the kind comments many of his friends are leaving them since finding out about his death.~source
Plunk's decorations and awards include:
Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Parachutists Badge; and Weapons Qualifications: M4 (expert).
Jared Plunk is survived by his wife,Lindsay, and his sons, Kason Plunk and Noah Fisher. He will be burined next to his father in a cemetery in Liberal, Kansas.
Thank you for your service and your bravery, Spc. Jared Plunk. May your family be surrounded by comfort and love.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk, 25, of Orono, Maine, died June 21 of injuries sustained when the helicopter in which he was travelling made a hard landing. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Staff Sgt. Brandon Silk was laid to rest today in Orono, Maine. An honorary flyover was made by four Black Hawk helicopters. On Wednesday, his body was returned to his hometown. Hundreds turned out to greet the motorcade. Staff Sgt. Silk loved his home state and was called the "Crazy Mainer" by his fellow troops. He was a crew chief for the UH-60, Black Hawk, helicopters with the 101st Airborne. Silk was on his fourth tour of duty when he was killed in Afghanistan. This was his second tour for Afghanistan; also, he served in Iraq and Korea.
“You always hope it doesn’t happen to your children,” said Lynn Silk, who sat next to her husband.
Brandon Silk's mother, Lynn, told the Bangor Daily News. Mark Silk told the newspaper, as soon as they looked out their window and saw two uniformed soldiers, they knew the news was grim.
“Our only hope was that they might have the wrong address,” Mark Silk said Tuesday from that same living room.
Staff Sgt. Brandon Silk was killed when his Black Hawk helicopter made a hard landing. As a child, Silk always wanted to be in the military. His favorite movie was "Top Gun". Right after graduating high school in 2003, Silk enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. His father told the Bangor Daily News:
“He wanted to go out with his boots on,” said Silk, himself a veteran of the 101st and now a detective with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles office of investigations. “I think his hair was on fire his whole life.”
Staff Sgt. Brandon Silk earned the following awards and decorations including: Bronze Star; Air Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Army Good Conduct Medal (2); National Defense Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon; Combat Action Badge; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and Weapons Qualification, M4, expert.
Besides his parents, Silk is survived by his wife, stepson, two brothers, and numerous other relatives.
Rest in Peace, Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silks
We Remember Them
In the rising of the sun and its going down,
We Remember Them.
In the bowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
We Remember Them.
In the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring.
We Remember Them.
In the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer,
We Remember Them.
In the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn.
We Remember Them.
In the beginning of the year and when it ends,
We Remember Them.
When we are weary and in need of strength,
We Remember Them.
When we are lost and sick of heart,
We Remember Them.
When we have joys and special celebrations we yearn to share,
We Remember Them.
So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are part of us.
We Remember Them.
~From the Jewish Book Of Prayer~
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. 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.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, and me, Sandy on Signal.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.