Tonight, we have seven more to remember. All were killed in Afghanistan. Four soldiers died together in an IED explosion on Saturday in the Qalat, Afghanistan. Since 2001, there have been 1206 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4413 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.
Thanks to Blue Jersey Mom, Wide Awake in Kentucky and Indiemcemopants for their help with this painful tribute.
This tribute is by Blue Jersey Mom.
Maj. James M. Weis, 37, of Toms River, N.J. lost his life in Afghanistan on July 22nd. He and Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo, 41, of Springfield, Ohio, were supporting combat operations in Helmand Province when their helicopter was shot down.
Major Weis, know as Matthew, was born in Eatontown, NJ, but he grew up in Toms River and graduated from Toms River North High School and Rutgers University. He enlisted in the Marines in December 1994 and was commissioned as an officer in March of 1996.
Maj. Weis was a member of a military family. His father, Paul, served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, and his older brother, Maj. William Scott Weis, is a Marine Corps artillery officer. He will accompany his brother's body home to California from Dover AFB.
His mother, Anne Weis, told reporters that:
When he was in college all he wanted to do was fly... I’m purely comfortable with this because my son died a hero for his country. My husband and I couldn’t be prouder. ~source
Joel Van Brunt, a Marine major who served with Weis in California in the same squadron from 2001 to about 2004, described the New Jersey native as "a step ahead of his peer group."
"He was one of those people who treated newcomers with the respect and dignity that really set him aside," said Brunt, who now is in the Marine Reserves and an advisor to Massachusetts congressional candidate Sean Bielat. "He always treated you as a Marine, as a man and as a professional, and made sure you were put in the right direction and gaining the support you needed from the unit." ~source
Weis was on his third deployment to the Middle East at the time of his death. He served in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003 and served a second tour of duty in Iraq in 2005-6.
Major Weis was a heavily decorated Marine. His awards and decorations include:
include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Air Medal (Individual Action), Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Air Medal (Strike/Flight), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and Presidential Unit Citation-Navy. ~source
The governor of California issued the following statement on learning of the deaths of Major Weis and Lt. Col. Carazo:
The deaths of Lieutenant Colonel Mario Carazo and Major James Weis are tragic losses for this country. They devoted themselves to serving our nation with honor and integrity, and their selfless sacrifices will never be forgotten. On behalf of all Californians, Maria and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of these brave Marines.~source
Major Weis leaves behind a wife, Mae, and two young sons who live in Oceanside, CA,
The next two tributes were written by Wide Awake in Kentucky.
Lance Corporal Frederik E. Vazquez, 20, of Melrose Park, Illinois, died July 24 in Helmland province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
His friends and school administrators called him Freddy. His family called him Erik. Everyone who knew him, whatever they called him, knew that he wanted to serve in the military. His fifteen year old cousin, Kimberly Trujillo, told the Chicago Tribune that he not only enjoyed paintball, but that he would hide in the camouflage of bushes on their street and jump out to startle her as she walked past. As Kimberly put it,
""He made people laugh"
After graduating from West Leyden High School, he promptly joined the Marine Corps. Although the decision surprised no one, his mother, Rubelia Vazquez, said
"I was proud of him for being brave and for doing what he wanted, for serving his country, even though deep inside, I didn't want him to go."
Freddy deployed to Afghanistan in March, and was expected to return to Camp Lejeune in October. Not long ago, he told his family that he would be coming home at the beginning of August. WLS-TV reports that his family planned to use the leave period to have a late celebration of his birthday (he turned twenty in April).
Frederik E. Vazquez is survived, remembered, and loved by his parents, Rubelia and Juan, his older brother Juan Carlos, and an extended family of cousins, uncles, and aunts, including two cousins, Edwin and Dennis, who have gotten memorial tattoos of him.
* * * * *
Lieutenant Colonel Mario D. Carazo, 41, of Springfield, Ohio, died July 22 in Helmland province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, stationed in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Family and friends have told the Springfield (OH) News-Sun that
Mario Carazo always wanted to serve in the military. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he became a Marine aviator. Before deploying to Afghanistan this year, he had already served two tours in Iraq.
A true leader, Mario Carazo is being remembered as someone who found the best in others and helped them become better. A retired Marine in his command until January, EMichelle Paul told the Springfield (OH) News-Sun of his support for her as she sought to continue her education:
"He would always ask me if I was in school and I'd always tell him, 'No, because I'm afraid of math,'" Paul said. "He'd take me into his office and help me with algebra then ask me if I got it. ...Now I'm in school and I have a 4.0 GPA. I can't wait to get a copy of my grades and send them to his wife."
Two of Mario Carazo's nephews are Marines as well. One of them, David Parrett, is a Lance Corporal who will deploy later this year to the Horn of Africa. David's brother, Jacob, is home in California on medical leave after being injured in Afghanistan.
Mario is survived, remembered, and loved by his wife and two children, and by an extended family that will soon stretch from California to Ohio to Africa.
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died July 24, at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked their military vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
Killed were:
Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Mora, 24, of San Diego, Calif.
Sgt. Daniel Lim, 23, of Cypress, Calif.
Spc. Joseph A. Bauer, 27, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Pfc. Andrew L. Hand, 25, of Enterprise, Ala.
They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
Staff Sgt. Conrad Mora joined the Army in 2004. He served two deployments in Afghanistan. His brother in law, Christian Leva told the sign on San Diego.com
Military life “was his passion,” said his brother-in-law, Christian Lleva. “His passion was serving.”
From Conrad Mora's Facebook Page he wrote about his employment as as squad leader for the U.S. Army "blowing things up... but currently in Afghanistan clearing the roads of things that blows us up."
Mora was born in the Philippines. When he was 9 his family moved to San Diego, where he graduated from Morse High School. He was a football player and martial arts expert in school.
Conrad Mora loved his family. His wife, Ann, moved to Fort Lewis, Washington to be near him before his deployment. They have a one year old son, Christopher, who was the joy of Mora's life.
During his six-year career, Mora received six Army Achievement Medals and an Army Commendation Medal, said a public affairs officer with Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.
“Clearly, he was recognized by his leaders for something,” the officer said.
Deepest condolences to his wife, son, mother, father, sister and friends. Rest in Peace, SSGT Conrad Mora.
Sgt. Daniel Lim entered the Army in 2006. He served 31 months in Korea before going to Afghanistan. He earned 8 awards and decorations which proves his skill and excellence.
Photo courtesy of Pacifica High School yearbook.
His godfather told the Hesperia Star.com:
His godfather, Han Oh, said that Lim was studious, close with his sister and a devout Catholic.
"He had an abundance of love," Oh said. "He loved his country, his family, his sister and God."
snip
When Lim was home on leave in June, Oh recalled a conversation they shared at lunch, the day before Lim had to return to Afghanistan. Lim told his godfather that he had to return to protect his soldiers.
"Protect, that was his very word," Oh said. "He was a great man."
Lim was born in Cypress, California and graduated from Pacifica High School in 2005. He loved riding motorcycles and having fun. He loved being with family and friends.
Deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Pfc. Andrew Hand looked forward to coming home in October. The 25 year old man was on his third and final tour with the U.S. Army when he was killed by an IED. His widow spoke to the Southeast Sun:
“Andrew wanted to move back around here and be close to his boys,” said Amanda Hand, Andrew’s wife. “He was a very, very good father. He loved those boys.”
His father told the paper:
former Enterprise head football coach Kenneth Hand, Andrew discussed happier future plans. Choking back tears, Kenneth recalled the conversation with his son. “We were just buddies. We would hunt together and fish together. We would talk about when his tour was over in October how we were going to get together and go hunting,” he said.
His father also tearfully recalled his son's return from his first deployment to Iraq, in this Dothan Eagle Video
"After his first tour, he told me what it meant to be a soldier and he wanted to be part of that."
The Superintendent of the Enterprise City Schools told the Dothan Eagle :
“
He was quiet and assuming, but you could see a character behind the quiet front,” said Dr. Jim Reese, superintendent of Enterprise City Schools. “He was the kind of a person you knew would represent our country well. Every time I saw him, he would speak to me and we would carry on a good conversation.”
Family Photo from the Southeast Sun.
Deepest condolences to the Hand family, friends and town of Enterprise, Alabama.
Spc. Joseph Bauer came from a big family of five brothers, two sisters, four half sisters, half brother, step-brother and one step-sister. He graduated high school from Clermont Northeastern High School and attended University of Cincinnati for a brief period. He enlisted in the Army in October of 2007 and was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington. Bauer deployed for Afghanistan in October of 2009. He was suppose to return home in three months.
Joseph and Missy Bauer were married in March of 2008. The couple has no children. The wife has requested privacy for the family at this time.
His brother Eric spoke to the Cincinnati.com:
“He’d go out on a limb for any of his family members,” said his brother Eric Bauer, 36, of Owensville. “And he’d make you laugh in a heartbeat.”
My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Spc. Joseph Bauer.
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.