Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. ~From a headstone in Ireland
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Estell L. Turner, 43, of Sioux Falls, S.D., died July 2 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds suffered on June 28 in Malikheyl, Afghanistan, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY.
Today we remember Army Spc. Estell "Lee" Turner:
Spc. Estell "Lee" Turner
"He was the love of my life," Leah Turner told the Argus Leader about her husband, Estell "Lee" Turner, who died July 2 of injuries sustained after his vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 28. According to the Argus Leader, Turner was a motor transport operator as was the gunner for a crew of three hauling water and fuel to another site when the explosion occurred.
Continuing in his family’s tradition of serving their country, Turner had "a go get it" attitude according to his mother, Gloria Turner of Jackson, KY. She told the Star Tribune he loved being in the military and "was always looking out for the next guy." Turner’s late father, Clarence Turner, served 18 years in the Navy and his late grandfather, also named Estell Turner, served in the Army during World War II. Turner’s younger brother, Johnny, is in the Army stationed at Fort Bragg, NC and his wife, Leah, is an Army reservist.
According to the Argus Leader story, Turner spent six years in the Army after high school and re-entered at age 42 when the age limit was raised. "It was something he wanted to do," Leah Turner said. He knew it was his last chance to get back into the Army.
Upon completion of his first Army stint in 1989, Turner worked as a mechanic in Fayetteville, NC. His sister-in-law, Mary Turner, told the Argus Leader that he enjoyed working on and racing cars with his brother. In fact, it was at the dirt track that he first met his wife, Leah. They would have celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary on August 5.
Turner also liked playing the guitar. "That’s how I remember him," Mary Turner said. "He and his friends would get around and play guitar."
Turner looked forward to being deployed to Afghanistan, according to his wife. He left in March for his first tour to the war zone. He was aware of the dangers of his convoy missions, but "never seemed to be worried about it," according to Leah. "This was something he believed in. He thought it was right."
KSFY News in South Dakota listed Turner’s military awards: Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Ribbon and the Purple Heart Medal.
South Dakota governor Mike Rounds said, "During this Independence Day Weekend, we ask all South Dakotans to keep Specialist Turner and his family in your thoughts and prayers."
In addition to his wife and mother, Turner is survived by his daughter Lyda; sister, Gloria "Gucci" Turner and brother, John.
You will be well-remembered, Spc. Lee Turner. Rest in peace.
About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT) I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one.
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