Tonight, we honor six soldiers. Operation Iraqi Freedom ended over a year ago; however, we still have troops in Iraq for humanitarian reasons, not combat, and they still face danger.The new name for the Iraq war is Operation New Dawn. Tonight, we honor two killed in Iraq and four in Afghanistan.
So far in 2011, 350 American troops have been killed in Afghanistan. Since 2001, there have been 1796 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4477 American troops killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 49 killed in Operation New Dawn. 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.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation New Dawn.
Sgt. Andy C. Morales, 32, of Longwood, Fla., died Sept. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Orlando, Fla.
From the
Orlando- Sentinel
"Last thing he said was he couldn't wait to see his children," his wife, Mariela, said. "Let the world know he died for his children."
Sgt. Andy Caraballo Morales had served four years with the Marines from 2002-2006. He decided to enlist in the Army in October of 2010 in order to support his family. He and his wife have an 11 year old daughter but a new baby was on the way. His newborn daughter turned two months old, the day he was shot and killed in Iraq.
Sgt. Morales grew up in the Brooklyn, New York in a life of poverty. His mother came from Puerto Rico and raised five kids all alone. The family was close knit and they all looked after one another. Mercian Lesser, Morales's sister-in-law, told the Orlando Sentinel, they were all close:
'We were always la familia," she said. "We had to stick together."
Sgt. Morales was the warrior of the clan, always fighting to protect his family and work toward their collective success, his brother and sisters said.
"We were always just skating by," Lesser said. "He always felt the need to fight for us."
Rest in Peace, Sgt. Andy Morales. Thank you for your service.
DoD Announces Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died Sept. 23 in Wardak, province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.
Killed were:
Sgt. Rafael E. Bigai Baez, 28, of San Juan, Puerto Rico and
Pfc. Carlos A. Aparicio, 19, of San Bernadino, Calif.
September 23rd was Sgt. Rafael Bigai Baez's birthday; it was also the day he was killed in Afghanistan. His fiancee, Yasiri Pablo, told the
Port Arthur News she expected a call or text from him, instead she was given the news that the love of her life was gone.
“It’s like half of me died too that day,” she said.
Rafael was due home within a couple of weeks. He was near completion of his second tour of duty with the Army. The two had plans to take a vacation to his home country, the Dominican Republic, and meet the family. Now, her plans are changed and she will be in the Dominican Republic to bury him.
“I had reserved my flight, and had to let the airline know I was not going on vacation,” Pablo said. “I was going somewhere else for a different purpose.”
Sgt. Rafael Bigai Baez was born in the Dominican Republic. His family moved to Puerto Rico when he was a young boy, so he had dual citizenship and was able to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. He joined the Army in 2003, served in Kuwait and Iraq in 2006, and Afghanistan in October of 2010. Yasiri told the Port Arthur News:
“I know he was proud of his Army. He used to say people don’t appreciate what soldiers do out there,” Pablo said. “Since he was a little boy that’s all he wanted to do, to join the army.”
Rafael planned on finishing his last year of college after his tour of duty was completed. The couple planned on purchasing a home and remaining in Port Arthur.
“He always said no matter what type house we had, he wanted it to have a flag pole so he could fly the American flag.”
Rest in Peace, Sgt. Rafael Bigai-Baez.
source
"It was 6 o'clock in the morning, I looked through the door, what went through my mind was, I knew. I thought if I don't open the door it won't happen," but then she opened the door, she said.
She, being Carlos Aparicio's mother, Connie, who told the
ABC affiliate for San Bernardino about the dreadful day she got the news. She told the station her son always had a smile on his face and wanted to serve in the Army. He was only two weeks away from returning home after being in Afghanistan since February.
Carlos Aparicio was an excellent player in high school football and wrestling. Besides his family, Pfc. Aparicio leaves behind his fiancee. Awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Service Defense Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.
Governor Jerry Brown offered his condolences to the family. He ordered flags to be at half-staff in memory of Pfc. Carlos Aparicio.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Spc. James A. Butz, 21, of Porter, Ind., died Sept. 28 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Spc. James Butz joined the Army in order to become a medic. He wanted to help others in any way he could. So his family was not surprised to hear, he died trying to save two Marines. From the
Chicago Tribune:
"They told us two Marines had been hurt, and he ran forward — without his helmet or his gun — to help them," Wascher said Saturday. Butz, of Porter, was fatally injured Wednesday when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device, according to the Department of Defense.
"I think he was just trying to respond, that's the way he was," Wascher said of her nephew,...
John Butz, father of Spc. James Butz, recalled to the Chicago Sun Times how his son's courage was what defined the young man:
“I was told my son went out there without hesitation. He didn’t have a rifle or a helmet. Being a medic he went out to rescue those men, to do what he could do,” Butz said.
John Butz expressed his gratitude to everyone who has offered support for the family during this difficult time. His son was following his dream to be in the military and even though his father expressed concern about his son going into the Army, his son convinced him it was what he wanted.
“After I got used to the idea, I was 100 percent supportive,” Butz said, adding he is proud of his son and the choice he made.
John Butz last spoke to his son, two weeks ago. His son told him he would not be available to talk for awhile because he was going out on a mission. He told him he was happy in the Army, enjoyed being a medic and planned to re-enlist.
“After he enlisted, he said, ‘Don’t feel sorry for me. I made my choice. If it happens it happens.’ ”
John Butz concluded by telling the Sun Times:
“He was a good kid, we’re very proud of him. He had a short life but it was a wonderful life,” his father said.
Funeral arrangements are pending. Spc. James Butz is survived by his parents, John, and Mary Jane; and two brothers, John and William.
Rest in peace, Spc. James Butz.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Spc. Adrian G. Mills, 23, of Newnan, Ga., died Sept. 29 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using indirect fire. He was assigned to the 272nd Military Police Company, 519th Military Police Battalion, Fort Polk, La.
Spc. Adrian Mills enlisted in the Army after graduation in 2007. During high school, he was in the ROTC and volunteered for many special projects. From the Newnan Times Herald:
In 2005 -- as part of a JROTC project -- Mills helped transport 15,000 pounds of non-perishable items from Northgate High to Hattiesburg, Miss., following Hurricane Katrina.
In 2009, Mills was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, with the 529th Military Police Company, and worked as a military policeman. During that time, he was one of more than 1,000 service members from posts and bases throughout Europe and the United States who took part in 65th anniversary ceremonies in Normandy -- recalling the bravery of U.S. troops at St. Mere Eglise, the Omaha and Utah Beaches and small villages in the area in 1944.
In addition to Spc Mills, four other 272nd Military Police Company were injured and are in a hospital in Germany. From the Facebook page Fighting Deuce:
Please keep SPC Cajes, SPC Rosekrans, SPC Schultz, and SPC Shearin and their families in your thoughts and prayers as they begin the recovery process.
Deuce 6
Spc. Adrian Mills shown in the middle.
Thank you for your service. Rest in peace, Spc. Adrian Mills.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
1st. Lt. Andres Zermeno, 26, of San Antonio, Texas, died Sep. 25 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort. Polk, La.
Terresa Smith described her son in law, Lt. Andres Zermeno, to the
My San Antonio:
“He was a consummate professional, a good leader of his men,” she said. “He didn't expect his soldiers to do anything that he wouldn't do himself.”
“He would get up in the middle of the night to change the baby's diaper,” Smith said. “We loved him like he was our own son. He lived for his children, and he made us all laugh.”
1st Lt. Andres Zermeno, also known as "Andy" by his friends and family, grew up in South Texas. He graduated from Saint Mary's University with a degree of science in psychology in 2008. He served in the ROTC and the Texas Air National Guard.
In high school, he attended Science Academy of the South, a magnet school.
Zermeno met his wife, Rachel, while studying at Saint Mary's. They married in December of 2007. They have a three year old son and a ten month old daughter.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Rest in peace, 1st Lt. Andres Zermeno.
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, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, Kestrel 9000, TheFatLadySings, Ekaterina, 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.