From the Department of Defense:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died June 28 of wounds sustained when their unit was attacked in Baghdad by insurgents using improvised explosive devices. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Killed were:
Sgt. Shin W. Kim, 23, of Fullerton, Calif.,
Sgt. Michael J. Martinez, 24, of Chula Vista, Calif.,
Sgt. Giann C. Joya Mendoza, 27, of North Hollywood, Calif.,
Spc. Dustin L. Workman II, 19, of Greenwood, Neb.
Pfc. Cory F. Hiltz, 20, of La Verne, Calif.
"He served his country with honor."
The Workman referred to in the bunkmate’s MySpace message was Spc. Dustin L. Workman II, of Greenwood, Nebraska, just 19 years old. He joined the Army in July 2005 and was scheduled to finish his tour in January.
Spc. Workman’s mom, Valerie, released this statement.
"We grieve for the loss of our son, brother and grandson," she said in a brief statement released Friday. "He served his country with honor."
Indeed he did. Spc. Workman worked very hard to graduate high school to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier according to his Ashland-Greenwood High English composition teacher, Bette Starns. From the Omaha World-Herald:
"I'm terribly saddened to hear about (his death) because he managed to (graduate) and start his life, and that isn't the easiest thing for some kids to do. He did a lot of extra work to graduate on time."
Ashland-Greenwood guidance counselor Jon Richards recalled Workman as a strong-willed young man who knew as a freshman or sophomore that he wanted to enlist in the Army.
"He did his best to adapt and get through school so that he could enlist and give himself some time to figure things out," Richards said.
His friend, Nick Stewart recalled for KETV how popular and fun-loving he was:
"I had to walk with Dustin during graduation, and while we're leaving he jumps up into my arms, and I had to carry him out. It was so funny; that's probably my favorite moment," said Stewart.
Stewart and Widger said Workman was a great writer, loved to sing and had so many friends. They say he always wanted to be in the military.
Spc. Workman was very close to his younger brother and sister, Korey and Krysta. With his mission complete, he will be laid to rest on Saturday in Ashland, Nebraska.
"A good student. A good friend. A good solder. A good son."
Those are the words that have been used this week to describe Pf. Cory Hiltz of La Verne, California. He had joined the Army at the beginning of last year at the age of 19. His myspace page, where his bunkmate and many friends have left messages of grief and inconsolability, tells of a young guy so full of life – into heavy metal, horror flicks and just hanging out with his buds.
Deb and I are on our way to Southern California to lay our son to rest.
That’s the devastating, but matter-of-fact message newly recorded on the answering machine at Pfc. Hiltz’ parents house, according to staff writer Mark Petix of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. His father, Wayne Hiltz, recalled for the paper how big his heart was – something he had known about his son since very early on.
His father, a retired Pasadena deputy police chief, said what people will remember most about Cory is his heart.
The elder Hiltz remembers Cory watching a nature show on television when he was a young boy. When a small animal was attacked by a larger one, he began to cry.
"He said `Dad, why is he hurting him? He didn't do anything,"' he said. "We wondered what he would come back (from Iraq) like and he came back with a bigger heart than before. He wasn't jaded by the war."
Pfc. Hiltz had just been home on a 3 week leave granted to him by the Army after his tour was extended until January.
On May 30, his parents picked him up at the airport.
"Deep into the drive home there was a quiet period and I looked over and saw he was smiling," his father said. "I said `What's that for?' And he said `I love living in U.S."'
When he was about to return to Iraq, Cory and his father talked about the war.
"He was not happy about it, but he said `Dad, I made a commitment to my country. I don't want to go back. But I made a commitment and I'm going to fulfill my obligation.' Ten days later he was dead."
Pfc. Hiltz is survived by his father and mother, Debra, his sister Kayla, and many, many friends. Funeral services will be held on July 14 in Pasadena, CA.
The million dollar smile
That huge smile in the military photo above belonged to Spc. Shinwoo Kim, 23, of Fullerton, California. Shinwoo was pronounced "Shinoo" but his friends called him "Doughboy" and "Woo-meister." He was a highly directed Army medic, recipient of the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Combat Medic Badge and Bronze Star.
His sister, Shinae, said he became a medic because he wanted to help people. With just six months left to go on a 15-month deployment, he dreamed of going to USC for pharmacy studies.
According to the Orange County Register, he missed the simple things in life – an In-N-Out burger, a pink lemonade, oh, and some not so simple things – his prized new Lexus. And his friends and family of course.
[PFC] Kim – whose friends called him "Doughboy" and "Woo-meister" -- had a great, big smile. Even in his official military photograph, Kim couldn't resist flashing a smile that will be cherished by friends and family.
"He had the most awesome smile," said his older sister Shinae Kim, 27. "He has a smile that could brighten up the room. He was caring. He was hilarious. He was loyal. He was adventurous."
In addition to his sister, Pfc. Kim is survived by his parents and older brother Josh. Services are planned for him on Saturday.
Born on the Fourth of July
How fitting that Sgt. Giann C. Joya Mendoza, 27 of North Hollywood, California, should have been born on July 4th. He had been born in Honduras but had become a deeply patriotic American, according to his mother Maria. From the Rocky Mountain News:
"He always liked the military since he was a kid," said his mother, Maria Mendoza, of Los Angeles. "He was always following the rules, and the military has schedules of what he was to do."
Joya Mendoza joined the Army in September 1999 and was deployed to Korea for a couple of years. After finishing his tour, he left the military and worked in accounting at a motel.
"When the war (in Iraq) started, he wanted to go back and find a job in the Army," said his mother. "He went into the Army because he was happy, because he liked to defend the country."
And from the Colorado Springs Gazette:
Of the five killed, only Joya had joined the Army before the Sept. 11 attacks.
[snip]
Maria Mendoza said Sunday night that her son, Joya, never thought tragedy would strike his unit.
"The last thing he said to me is ‘Don’t worry, we’re lucky,’" she said by phone from her Los Angeles home.
A native of Honduras, Joya had become an ardent American patriot who found his niche in the Army.
He was born on the Fourth of July.
"He did it because he loved it," his mother said.
Joya was unmarried and seemed serious and proper to some who didn’t know him long enough
to enjoy his dry humor.
He was involved in his first serious relationship with a woman before he deployed last fall.
Deepest condolences to his mother, his significant other and his friends and unit. His casket is coming home tomorrow, on what would have been Joya’s 28th birthday.
A lifelong desire to help people
Sgt. Michael J. Martinez, 24, of Chula Vista, California, was on his second deployment to Iraq. He joined the Army in October 2003 and earned the Army Achievement Medal. According to the Rocky Mountain News, he dreamed of a career in law enforcement, receiving inspiration from a neighbor.
[Sgt. Martinez] was inspired by his neighbor, a former police officer and current investigator for the San Diego district attorney, to dedicate his life to law enforcement.
"Since he was a kid, he wanted to help people," said his father, Manuel Martinez.
Martinez decided to enlist in the Army in 2003 after taking classes at Southwestern Community College in San Diego. He also had a military role model in his father, who served in Vietnam.
Martinez's family contacted one of his closest friends and former teammates on the Eastlake High School baseball team, San Diego Padres standout first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, to inform him of the news of Martinez's death.
Just five hours before he was killed, Martinez had telephoned his mother. Again from the Rocky Mountain News:
"His mother got the phone call and they said how much they loved each other, how much she loved him," his father said. "He told her that he loved his brothers and his family, and that, hopefully, they would come back safe."
Sgt. Martinez was married with a 14-month-old son, Landon Michael. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and unit.
The base of these five heroes, Fort Carson, has lost 212 soldiers since the war in Iraq began 4 years ago. Their unit, the 2nd Brigade, has suffered more casualties than any other Fort Carson unit.
These men lived together, worked together, fought together and died together. They are so very deserving of our gratitude and tributes.
Please take a moment to honor their memories, as well as too many others who have passed through this world much too quickly in service to their country.
You can do that by viewing the stories and remembrances of these heroes at sites such as Iraq Veterans Memorial, Honor the Fall and Spread the Word: Iraq-Nam
The Department of Defense has confirmed 3,582 deaths and the announcement of 4 more deaths is expected, pending notification of the next of kin, according to Iraq Coalition Casualty Count.
To support our military service members and veterans, please see AnySoldier.com and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
About the IGTNT series:
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 maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, silvercedes, MsWings, greenies, American Daughter, blue jersey mom, chacounne, Worried Dem, twilight falling, Wee Mama, BeninSC and me, greenies.
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