Good evening, dear ones. Will you please join me and the IGTNT team as we honor a young soldier who died on foreign soil:
Specialist Diego A. Solorzano-Valdovinos* died October 29 in a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit on October 27 with small arms fire in the Yahya Khel district in Afghanistan.
*The official Department of Defense release quotes the soldier's last name as Solorzanovaldovinos. However, I also saw it on google with the name hyphenated, and I believe that to be the correct spelling. I have corrected all quotes used in this memorial to reflect the hyphenated name.
Will you dear Kossacks kindly take a moment to send a warm thought or prayer to the hundreds of thousands of forgotten or unnoticed souls who have suffered, and continue to suffer, from the insanity of war? This is not their diary but still, we all feel and grieve the pain of a broken human spirit.
Blessings and Light to all who share our world.
Specialist Diego A. Solorzano-Valdovinos
24-year-old Diego Solorzano-Valdovinos enlisted in February 2006 and he arrived in Fort Campbell, Kentucky that June.
Spc. Solorzano-Valdovinos was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He is a native of Huntington Beach, California.
Loving memories of this young man were posted to the Los Angeles Times "War Desk" forum:
"Diego you will always be remembered as a very brave soldier. Rest in Peace."
"Dude, I can't believe you're gone. I've known you for 12 years and I still can't believe you're gone; even as I write this. I know you went down in an epic battle and took care of your men. You died a hero and that's what you will always be remembered as. A hero. Watch over me once I become a cop. Then, we'll trade war stories between us dude. I miss you and I love you bro. See you on the other side."
Comments were also left at CBS Local.com:
"Rest in peace Diego...I have fond memories of you from high school. You defended our country and we will be eternally grateful to you."
"R.I.P COUSIN WE MISS U SO MUCH GOD BLESS U FOR DYING DA WAY U WANTED TO SAVING UR COUNTRY...LOVE U..."
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement regarding the death of this Huntington Park (CA) soldier:
"Specialist Diego Solorzano-Valdovinos made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Maria and I are grateful for his service and deeply saddened by the loss of his life. As they remember and mourn the passing of this courageous soldier, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Diego’s family, friends and fellow service members."
The magnificent Patriot Guard Riders have Spc. Solorzano-Valdovinos on their Watch List, where the Riders are leaving notes of love and support for the family.
Our hearts are with all who knew and loved Diego Solorzano-Valdovinos. Please know that we stand beside you at this terrible time of loss.
As you read this diary, please remember that friends and loved ones of the soldier honored here may read your comments. Please, whatever our personal feelings about the war may be, may our comments only reflect compassion for their grief and loss. Thank you.
Our lovely forget-me-nots were a gift to the IGTNT team from dear llbear.
I can't think of a better way to honor the fallen than to contribute to the well-being of their fellow soldiers still on active duty.
The following fine organizations could sure use your support and your donations: AnySoldier.com, Books for Soldiers, Fisher House, the Military Pets Foster Project, Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pets, Operation Baghdad Pups, Operation Enduring Christmas, an organization that sends holiday presents to the children of our fallen troops, and Helping Udders, an organization that sends cooling vests to the Military Working Dogs stationed with their handlers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Click here to see other IGTNT diaries, a series which was begun by i dunno and which is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, noweasels, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, JaxDem, and racheltracks.
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. Fallen soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and National Guard whose names have been released by the Department of Defense will usually be diaried two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each fallen service member more fully, but still in a timely manner.
Our IGTNT candle was a gift to the IGTNT team from Kossack Timroff.
PEACE AND BLESSINGS