If you should die, think only this of me
In that still quietness where is space for thought,
Where parting, loss and bloodshed shall not be,
And men may rest themselves and dream of nought:
That in some place a mystic mile away
One whom you loved has drained the bitter cup
Till there is nought to drink; has faced the day
Once more, and now, has raised the standard up.
And think, my son, with eyes grown clear and dry
She lives as though for ever in your sight,
Loving the things you loved, with heart aglow
For country, honour, truth, traditions high,
--Proud that you paid their price. (And if some night
Her heart should break--well, lad, you will not know.)
~ May Herschel-Clarke
The Mother
Tonight we stand vigil for the families, friends, communities and fellow soldiers of five more brave young men who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this week.
Sgt. Christopher R. Kruse, 23, of Emporia, Kansas
Sgt. Kruse died Nov. 13 in Mukhisa, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Sgt. Kruse was promoted to Sergeant posthumously.
Sergeant Christopher Kruse of Emporia, Kansas joined the Army in 2004 and was assigned to Fort Lewis in April 2005. He completed Initial Entry Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, before reporting to Fort Lewis on April 15, 2005, where he was assigned to 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Kruse was assigned to the brigade's 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment on Jan. 6, 2007. His civilian and military education includes a high school diploma (2002), the Basic Infantry Qualification Course (2005), the Javelin Training Devices Course (2005), and the FBCB2 (Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade and Below) Leader OPNET (Operator, New Equipment Training) Certification Course (2006). His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Expert Infantryman Badge.
Source ~ Find A Grave Memorial
A funeral service for Sgt. Kruse is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church in Dodge City, Kansas. Sgt. Kruse will be buried in Ford, Kansas.
His body will be escorted by the Patriot Guard.
Thank you, Sgt. Kruse. Your mission is done.
Cpl. Peter W. Schmidt, 30, of Eureka, California
Cpl. Schmidt died Nov. 13 in Mukhisa, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Cpl. Schmidt used his MySpace page to give people a look at day-to-day life in a war zone.
Friends of the Arcata High School graduate killed in Iraq this week remembered him Thursday as a creative and kind man who got along well with others and signed up to go to war because he wanted to make a difference.
Cpl. Peter William Schmidt, 30, died with another soldier Tuesday when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off while they were on foot patrol.
(snip)
(Their) brigade (had been) sent to Iraq in April.
Several friends kept in contact with Schmidt, receiving calls and e-mails from him in Iraq on a regular basis.
Shiri Gradek, whose husband was a childhood friend of Schmidt's, said the letters showed he was moved by some of the Iraqis he met, and marveled at their determination to live normal lives in a war zone.
"All the letters told of day-to-day experiences going into villages, meeting local Iraqis, giving candy and other highly valued items to children," she wrote in an e-mail.
"His letters showed frustration toward war life, as should be expected, but they also showed determination because he wanted to make a difference," Gradek wrote.
(snip)
"He had the ability to effectively communicate with people from all walks of life," (another friend, Justin) Buffington said. "He knew how to have a good time, and those around him felt that presence about him. Pete had strong convictions, and that became no more apparent when he dropped everything to enlist in the service."
At Arcata High School, Schmidt ran cross country for two years and worked on the yearbook staff. He graduated in 1995, and yearbooks describe him as a "well-known stud."
(snip)
Friends left message after message on the Times-Standard Web site responding to Thursday's story about his death, and on Schmidt's MySpace page. His postings there help give a glimpse into the man who enlisted in 2004. His last entry was on Sunday.
Schmidt used his MySpace page to give people a look at day-to-day life in a war zone. Pictures of tanks, helicopters and Schmidt interacting with the Iraqi people are just some of the images he provides in the photo portion of his page.
According to the caption under the picture of a rubble-strewn Iraqi street, Schmidt had experienced IEDs before.
"This is where we got blown up the first time," the caption reads. "I hate IEDs."
(snip)
Peter Schmidt's 'About me' on his MySpace page:
Just a regular guy doing a regular job. Regular people join the Army, right? Well, I did and now I am in Iraq. Baghdad to be specific with no idea how long I will be here. It's not all that bad. At least it's not cold over here. I don't even mind the 110 degrees, but the 130 degrees is just ridiculous. I look forward to being back home again and enjoying some of the small parts of civilized life I took for granted before. Things like supermarkets with well stocked shelves, ATMs that let you access your money more than once a month, people not shooting at you every time you are outside, no mortar rounds being shot at you, and wearing whatever clothes I want. Until then, I guess I will just continue to sweat my ass off and try to convince myself that there is a good reason to be fighting this war over here.
Source ~ Times-Standard
Governor Schwarzenegger has ordered Capitol flags flown at half-staff in honor of Cpl. Schmidt.
"Maria and I join all Californians in mourning the loss of Corporal Peter Schmidt. Peter joins a proud legacy of heroes who fought for their country and gave their lives to protect their fellow Americans. Our prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time."
Source ~ Governor Schwarzenegger
Cpl. Peter W. Schmidt of Eureka, California, graduated from from Arcata High School in 1995 and entered service in 2004 as well and was assigned to Fort Lewis in May 2005. He completed Initial Entry Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and reported to Fort Lewis on May 19, 2005 and was assigned to 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He was assigned to the brigade's 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment on Jan. 8, 2007. His civilian and military education includes a high school diploma (1995), and the Armor Crewman Qualification Course (2005). His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. He was posthumously promoted to Corporal from his previously-held rank of Specialist. He was killed by an explosive device during combat operations at age 30.
Source ~ Find A Grave Memorial
Cpl. Schmidt would have turned 31 on November 27th.
Schmidt graduated from high school in 1995, said Fort Lewis spokesperson Joe Hitt.
He joined the Army on July 29, 2004, in Portland, Ore.
He completed his Initial Entry Training at Fort Knox, Ky., and arrived at Fort Lewis in May 2005, when he was assigned to the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
Schmidt also completed the Armor Crewman Qualification Course in 2005.
(snip)
Schmidt received the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon during his service.
(snip)
A Fort Lewis spokesperson said the unit in Iraq will hold a memorial for the two soldiers, although a date has not been determined.
Eureka Reporter
Thank you, Cpl. Schmidt. Your mission is done.
Sgt. Kruse and Cpl. Schmidt died together.
Kruse joined the Army in 2004 in Kansas City, Kan., and was assigned to Fort Lewis in April 2005. Schmidt entered service in 2004 as well, and was assigned to Fort Lewis in May 2005.
Kruse and Schmidt are the first Fort Lewis soldiers to be killed in the past 59 days.
The 4th Stryker Brigade has lost 29 members since it arrived in Iraq in May. Of that number, 12 have been from the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.
Source ~ News Tribune
Pfc. Casey P. Mason, 22, of Lake, Michigan
Pfc. Casey P. Mason, 22, of Lake, Mich., died Nov.13 in Mosul, Iraq of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Pfc. Mason was a military police officer on his first deployment.
Mason was a military police officer assigned to the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command.
He joined the Army in October 2006 and was assigned to Schofield Barracks in April of 2007. Mason's 552nd Military Police Company deployed to Iraq in September.
"The 8th TSC treasures the life of every soldier and mourns the loss of Pfc. Mason," the command said in a release.
Officials said Mason's family was requesting privacy. A memorial service will be held next week at Schofield Barracks.
Source ~ Honolulu Advertiser
Mason grew up in Lake and graduated from Farwell High School in 2003. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 2006.
(snip)
Mason . . . deployed to Iraq in September.
Sgt. 1st Class David Gillespie said his place of residence is listed as Lake. After enlisting in the military, Mason’s parents moved to Cadillac, Gillespie said.
Mason’s unit plans to hold a memorial service next week at the barracks. His family and friends remain foremost in the thoughts and prayers of the command, Gillespie said.
Source ~ Cadillac News
Private memorial services will be held next week at the Schofield Barracks main chapel for a 22-year-old military policeman who was killed Tuesday in Iraq.
(snip)
He will be remembered by his unit, fellow soldiers and friends at a private memorial service at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Mason was assigned to the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, at Schofield Barracks. He was the 74th soldier with Hawaii ties to die in Iraq since the United States invaded the country in March 2003.
(snip)
In September the 120-member military police company was sent to Mosul on a 15-month deployment.
Source ~ Star Bulletin
Thank you, Pfc. Mason. Your mission is done.
Capt. David A. Boris, 30, of Pennsylvania.
Capt. Boris died Nov. 12 in Bermel, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when the vehicle he was in was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Schweinfurt, Germany.
This is what Capt. Boris‘s mother-in-law said: "If we could have handpicked a husband for our daughter, he would have been it."
Whether it was sports, academics or his military career, Capt. David Boris went above and beyond what was necessary, his family, former teachers and coaches at Pottsville Area High School said Wednesday.
"He was very bright, but he was also one of the guys. You always remember those who were special," Ned Hampford, Boris’ high school swimming coach, said.
(snip)
On Sunday, Veterans Day, Boris called his sister, Jennifer Possinger, Stroudsburg. She wasn’t home and her husband, Rich, took the call instead.
Hours later, Boris was killed.
"Whenever he was deployed, he tried hard to minimize our concerns," Jennifer said. "He was my rock. I could turn to him for anything. Until you have someone in your immediate family serving in active combat, you don’t really understand how concerned you are. Even knowing his fate, he would not have chosen anything else."
After high school, Boris graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1999.
He was on a 15-month deployment to Afghanistan and previously served a tour in Iraq in 2004.
Boris’ wife, Jaime, was notified Monday at Schweinfurt Military Community, Germany. According to family, she had stayed by Boris’ side throughout his military service. Jaime graduated from Pottsville Area High School in 1994, a year before David.
According to Linda Pavao, David’s mother-in-law, David was planning to pursue a teaching career at West Point after returning home.
(snip)
In high school, Boris was the senior co-captain of both the swim and soccer teams. He was a member of the National Honor Society and president of the Spanish club his senior year. He also worked on Tide Lines, the high school newspaper, and Expression through Creativity Literary magazine.
More importantly, he set an example for his peers, school staff said.
"It didn’t surprise me that he was going into the military," Joe Reichert, Boris’ high school Spanish teacher, said. "He was just a natural-born leader. He would have been nothing but the best in whatever he chose."
(snip)
Diane Beausang taught Boris and Jaime ninth grade science.
"He was shooting for the stars," Beausang said. "The men in his company, you know they were lucky to have him. He was everything the military could have hoped for. This is a huge loss."
Thomas A. Palamar, Pottsville City administrator, said Boris was a hometown hero — someone the city should be proud of.
"You’re talking about the creme de la creme here," Palamar said. "They (members of the military) do this for us. Pottsville is a tight-knit community and this is a fine young man that we’ve lost."
Pavao and Possinger said it was too early to begin planning services.
Boris’ parents declined to comment Wednesday.
Source ~ Republican & Herald
"He was a great guy. I don’t know how else to describe him," Linda Pavao, Boris’ mother-in-law, told the Republican-Herald. "If we could have handpicked a husband for our daughter, he would have been it."
Source ~ Stars & Stripes
Capt. David A. Boris, 30, of Pennsylvania. died Nov. 12 in Bermel, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when the vehicle he was in, was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Schweinfurt, Germany. He was survived by his wife, Jamie, of eight years, and his parents.
Source ~ Capt. David A. Boris’s West Point webpage
On the West Point eulogies page, a friend left this message:
David was a great guy. We graduated high school together and went to West Point together. Unfortunately, we were in different regiments and didn't get to see each other much at school and never got to run into each other during active duty. I wish I would have reached out more, it must have been at least three years since I last spoke to him. I received word from my Aunt on the day after Veteran's Day that something bad happened and I spent the next day checking every possible web site to find out if it was true. I still find it hard to believe he is gone.
One picture I will always remember of Dave was our return from the Academy Plebe year. We stopped in at a restaurant outside of West Point and pigged out on some ice cream. I believe it was our first taste of freedom that year, and every time I think of Dave I think of us sitting there all rigid in our dress greys, not quite knowing how to relax again. A very far cry from our high school days only months before. It's amazing how much we grew from that point.
I know Dave was a great son and a great husband. And though I didn't get to follow his career, I also know that he must have been a great leader who cared for his soldiers first and inspired them to do great things. Pottsville and West Point have had a lot of great men pass through, and Dave made them both extremely proud. I am so grateful I was able to get to know him and call him a friend. I will miss him dearly. Deepest condolences to his parents and Jaime, you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Source ~ Eulogy Page
West Point Eulogies Page
Thank you, Capt. Boris. Your mission is done.
Sgt. Adrian E. Hike, 26, of Callender, Iowa.
Sgt. Hike died Nov. 12 in Bermel, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when the vehicle he was in was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Photo Source KTIV
Sgt. Hike’s mother said: "All of a sudden it just hits you that you'll never see that child again, never get to hug him, hold him, give him kisses. I'm just overwhelmed."
For Martin Bird, learning that his oldest brother, Sgt. Adrian Hike, was killed in Afghanistan was hard to believe.
‘‘He’s my older brother. He’s invincible,’’ Bird said.
(snip)
Bird, 21, remembered when it took him and his three younger brothers to take on their oldest sibling when they were younger.
In 2005, Hike was injured in a suicide bomb attack while serving in Iraq. He returned to Iowa for about a month before returning to duty in Germany. When he was sent to Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Paratroopers this year, Bird remembers he wasn’t as worried about his big brother as much as he did during his deployment in Iraq. Bird had hoped his brother had weathered the worst after recovering from his injuries.
(snip)
While Hike was in Afghanistan, he didn’t say much about his missions.
‘‘He was not allowed to talk about his job,’’ Bird said.
He was deployed on a mission when the explosive struck the vehicle.
(snip)
When Army officials notified Hike’s father, Robert Bird Sr., in Sac City of his son’s death, they said they hadn’t been able to recover Hike’s remains because of darkness. However, Hike’s body is at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Bird said, to be officially identified and returned home. Plans for a service in Carroll are still pending.
(snip)
Natalie Flynn, who knew Hike from when he was in high school, had kept in touch with Hike via the Internet. The two would chat and exchange messages on MySpace or instant messaging.
(snip)
The same tools that Hike stay in touch with his friends helped them support each other in their loss. By Thursday his friends were on the Internet to memorialize Hike. His MySpace profile filled with comments and memories. Another friend established a Facebook group Thursday afternoon that had dozens of members by the evening.
Family and friends converged on Ralston in Carroll County where his mother Kim Bird lives.
Flynn said she plans to visit his family later this week to offer her support and share memories. She described Bird as an uplifting person who was a good friend.
(snip)
Those who knew him in high school said Hike had changed and grown since he decided to join the Army. A graduate of Sac City High School in 2000, Hike also worked at Casey’s General Store before joining the army.
"You could tell he grew up," said Darwin Otto, store manager. "He’s a fine and upstanding young man. He didn’t deserve what happened."
Source ~ Messenger News
This was Hike's second tour of duty.
His first was in Iraq in 2005. According to his mom, he received a Purple Heart for his service.
Before joining the military, he worked as an assistant manager at the Casey's General Store in Sac City.
Darwin Otto, Casey's Manager, says "He was a good worker, I would have asked him back if I had the opportunity."
(snip)
Otto says, "His goal was always to strive for the best. That's why he ended up what he is, because that's what he wanted to be. He wanted to do something with his life."
(snip)
The person who knew Sergeant Hike best was his mother, Kim Bird. Bird says her son was a "very giving person" and that he loved being in the Army. She says he believed in what they were doing.
Just days before his death, she talked to her son by webcam. She said he waved at everyone... and told them he loved them. "All of a sudden it just hits you that you'll never see that child again, never get to hug him, hold him, give him kisses," said Bird. "I'm just overwhelmed."
Source KTIV
Video and photo KTIV
Family members say a Sac City soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. In 2005, during an earlier tour of duty, he was injured in Iraq.
Army Sgt. Adrian Hike, 26, was killed Monday while on patrol, said his mother, Kim Bird of Ralston.
(snip)
Bird said Hike was serving as a paratrooper in Afghanistan.
He had received a Purple Heart for his service after suffering injuries in Iraq in 2005.
(snip)
Bird said her son had recently talked of enlisting again after completing his time in Afghanistan.
(snip)
Patricia Stout, Hike's grandmother, said the family was informed of the death when military officials went to the Sac City home of Robert Bird Sr., Hike's father.
Stout said all family members and friends of Hike are trying to cope with his death.
"Right now, we're just going hour by hour and day by day," Stout said. "You're kind of in a limbo; you can't make any decisions."
(snip)
"I want everyone to remember his smiles, his laughs, to remember the happy times with him," Bird said.
(snip)
Hike is the 63rd person with Iowa ties to die in Afghanistan or Iraq since March 2003.
Source ~ Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Sgt. Adrian Hike is survived by his parents and his four brothers. Funeral services are pending.
Thank you, Sgt. Hike. Your mission is done.
To date, 3867 members of the United States military have lost their lives in Iraq. Of these, 100 have been women. The death toll thus far for November is 23. More than 30,000 men and women have been wounded, and 130 have taken their own lives while on active duty. All of the fatalities can be seen here. 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 in the tens of thousands.
To date, 468 members of the United States military have lost their lives in Afghanistan. The death toll thus far for 2007 is 111. 264 members of the military from other countries have also lost their lives.
Other sites have stories, video, pictures and remembrances, including: Honor the Fallen.
If you want to do something to assist our military and their families, please visit 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. Finally, if you would like to assist the animal companions of our deployed military, information is available here.
Sending a holiday care package to a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan is easy. Read how in this great series by Ninepatch. Too busy to shop, pack and ship? You can also send donations to Troop Care, organized by Blogging for Michigan. Every dime raised through November 25th will be used for holiday packages for our troops. (h/t ScottyUrb.)
And don’t forget them when they get home! Read welcomebackveterans.org to learn what you can do.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, silvercedes, MsWings, greenies, American Daughter, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, Wee Mama, twilight falling, labwitchy, moneysmith, joyful, roses, SisTwo and me, noweasels. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but, we believe, an important service to those Americans who have died, and to our community’s respect for and remembrance of them. If you would like to volunteer, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, silvercedes or me, noweasels.
As you read this diary, please consider that the families and friends of those profiled here also may read it. As the very proud daughter of a Navy pilot, and the granddaughter of a Marine pilot and a submariner, I hope that the comments tonight will demonstrate our respect for the sacrifices of our fallen military and their families, whatever our feelings about the war and occupation.