Tonight, we honor five soldiers who lost their lives in our two wars. Three of the five were fathers, one never had the chance to meet his newborn daughter.
Since 2001, there have been 1461 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4435 American troops killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 17 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.
Spc. Jose A. Torre, Jr., 21, of Garden Grove, Calif., died Jan.15 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with a rocket-propelled grenade. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Unfortunately, at this time there is still little personal information available about Spc. Torre. His parents were unavailable for comment because they were at Dover Air Force Base. As information becomes available, I will update information about Spc. Jose A. Torre. Funeral arrangements are final. Patriot Guard Riders have confirmed they will escort the family.
Patriot Guard Riders said everyone is encouraged to join them to pay respects to Spc. Torre. You do not have to be a Veteran or a motorcycle rider to participate in the ride. You can ride in your car to be part of this. Please all Kossacks, who live in Orange County, California, show up to give the family comfort and support.
From the Patriot Guard.org
Part one Itinerary:
On Tuesday 25 January 2011 the PGR will gather at the Katella Deli-Restaurant 4470 Katella Ave Los Alamitos, CA 90720. Following the mission briefing the PGR will move to the arrival site, there the PGR will form a flag line as SPC Torre is brought home to his family. Following his arrival the PGR will escort him 8 miles to Dimond & Shannon Mortuary 10630 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92840. At the Mortuary the PGR will form a flag line as SPC Torre is taken from the coach.
Timetable:
0930 Gather at the Katella Deli-Restaurant 4470 Katella Ave Los Alamitos, CA 90720
0945 Mission briefing
1000 KSU
Part Two is TBA.
This mission involves an aircraft arrival. Arrival times can change at the last minute so please check this thread for any last minute changes.
Please feel free to attend any portion of this mission you can.
You do not have to be a Veteran or a motorcycle rider to attend this mission. Everyone is welcome. We encourage those who do not ride to attend in your car. If this will be your first mission go to the staging area and Ride Captain brief you. Dress for motorcycle riding or dress casually if you are driving a cage (car).
You may monitor this thread by checking the “Email me when someone replies to this thread “ bug and you will receive an email if there are any updates. Please ride/drive safely.
Craig H Donor
So Cal State Captain
909 208 7703
pgrgunny-001@yahoo.com
DoD Announces Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn.
They died Jan. 15 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an Iraqi soldier from the unit with which they were training shot them with small arms fire. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed were:
Sgt. Michael P. Bartley, 23, of Barnhill, Ill.
Spc. Martin J. Lamar, 43, of Sacramento, Calif.
Spc. Lamar and Sgt. Bartley were killed on Saturday, January 15, 2010 while in a training exercise with Iraqi soldiers. One Iraqi soldier or insurgent dressed as an Iraqi Security Force member had smuggled real bullets into the training center and used them on the group. He shot three people, two were fatal. The Iraqi shooter was killed on the spot by American forces.
Michael Bartley grew up in a small town in southern Illinois. He graduated in 2007 from Fairfield Community High School. Shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the Army. Former high school principal, Diane Zurliene, remembered him for the KFVS- Heartland News.
"'(He told me) 'Ms. Z, I'm going to go into the military' and I said, 'Michael, that's a good ambition for you.' And he worked towards that," Zurliene said. "He played sports and he stayed in shape and everything 'cause he said 'When I join I've got to be able to do the PT and everything like that.' So that was always his goal that he was going to join the military and make a future of it."
"He was always the young man who looked at the glass as always half full. He never looked at the bad side of things, there was always a brighter side," said Superintendent Zurliene.
Sgt. Bartley was proud to serve his country and he recently re-enlisted.
Bartley's mother, Rebecca Isles, was flown to Delaware to meet his body when he arrived home. This is her only child. She told the Courier Press:
"I talked to him on Friday," Isles said. "He told me he was doing fine and was in the middle of a big training exercise, getting ready for a general's visit."
Spc. Martin "Mick" Lamar was scheduled to leave on January 15th and be home for his wedding anniversary, but his departure was changed to January 30th. Now, he returns back home in a flag draped coffin. He leaves behind a grieving wife, five children and one grandchild. His youngest daughter was just born and he never had a chance to meet her.
Spc. Lamar hated the name Martin, so his friends all called him "Mick". Mick was a true patriot, who served his country during the first Gulf War as a Marine. His love for the military began when he was a young boy playing Army with his friends. In 2007, he gave up civilian life and became a soldier. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed during training exercises.
Patriot Guard Riders have confirmed they will be escorts for the funeral. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Pfc. Zachary S. Salmon, 21, of Harrison, Ohio, died Jan. 12 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Pfc. Zachary Salmon lived in Ohio until he was 14, then he moved with his mother to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and graduated high school from there in 2008. His aunt, Christine Craig, spoke to the Knox News:
"He was just trying to do something to serve his country and to be a good influence," said Salmon's aunt, Christine Craig. "He wanted to give his son something to be proud of."
In March of 2010, Salmon joined the Army. He left for Afghanistan in September, where he became a gunner. His aunt told the Knox News:
"He was on patrol with one of his buddies," the aunt said. "It was just a typical patrol. Zack was the gunner. They came under small-arms fire, and Zack was killed."
Pfc. Zachary Salmon was laid to rest in Lawrenceberg, Ohio. His funeral was at the Sta. Lawrence Catholic Church. Patriot Guard Riders escorted the family. Survivors include his three year old son, Noah, mother, father, step-father, a brother and two sisters.
Rest in Peace, Private First Class Zachary Salmon.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Maj. Evan J. Mooldyk, 47, of Ranch Murieto, Calif., died Jan. 12 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 19th Sustainment Command, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, Belle Chasse, La.
Major Evan Mooldyk had been in Afghanistan one year and was due home in two weeks, when he suffered a fatal heart attack. Maj. Mooldyk had worked in investment relations with Charles Schwab and Ernest Packaging Solutions. In the last few years, he re-upped with the military. His mother told the Sacramento Bee:
As a mother, June Mooldyk said she fretted when her son sent her a photo of him in the field among a crowd of Iraqis during a tour of duty in Iraq. When she asked whether his job required him to take such risks, he replied, "If I send my men out there, I'm going too."
Mooldyk was devoted to his wife, Leslie, and three children. His mother told the paper, he was a "softy" when it came to them.
Funeral arrangements are pending. Rest in peace, Major Evan Mooldyk.
In Flanders Fields
by Lt. Col. John McRae, MD, (1872-1918)
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
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, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, Kestrel 9000, racheltracks, csas, 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.