I Got the News Today: January 13, 2008
Spc. Todd E. Davis, 22, of Raymore, Mo.
Ed. Note: This tribute was written by twilight falling.
Todd Davis was a happy, optimistic, positive person who always saw the best in others and in life.
"He was always laughing, he was always smiling," said his stepmother, Kathy Shewmaker-Davis. "Every time you looked at him, he had a smile on his face."
Sue Davis, his aunt, said she marveled at how Davis was clean-cut, even-tempered, funny, polite — and able to run five miles without getting winded.
If you built a person by taking every good thing from every friend you ever knew, you would have her nephew, Sue Davis said. He seemed to be "on this planet to make people happy, and to be happy."
-- The Kansas City Star
"He thought that he just had everything to look forward to," his aunt (Sue Davis) says. "And that's the way he approached life."
That personality is reflected on his facebook.com page, filled with friends, and pictures, where he wrote that he lived, "each day as if it was my last."
"He was one of those people that you could just instantly like," (his girlfriend, Shannon) Bolton says, "because of his personality. He was funny, hilarious. He would get you to laugh at any moment."
He's remembered for that sense of humor, his smile, his lust for physical activity, and the way he saw the best in others.
-- NBC Action News
Todd’s zeal for life was obvious in everything he did, and he approached everything with a determination to succeed—and he usually did. In high school, he was a noted athlete, enjoying soccer, football, wrestling, and karate, in which he earned a second-degree brown belt. His achievements were recognized with a scholarship to Meramac College in St. Louis, and he excelled there, becoming an academic All American and an All American junior college wrestler. Todd did so well that he enrolled in the University of Oklahoma to study architecture, packed his car... and enlisted in the Army instead, to honor the memory of his father, Edward, who died of a brain tumor. Edward Davis had himself been a Marine who served his country honorably in Vietnam. And Todd never looked back.
The soldier's girlfriend, Shannon Bolton, says Davis died doing what he believed in.
"He just loved his job," Bolton says. "He loved everything he did with his job. And never had a moment of doubt that was he wanting to do."
-- NBC Action News
Todd never stopped being the good-hearted person that his family describes. The family of Todd’s close friend, Chris, remembered how kind Todd was to Chris in Stryker Brigade News:
You were a true soldier--honorable in every way!!! Thank you so much for taking Chris under your wing and looking out for him. You told me that I didn't have to worry about him -- that you would take care of him and keep him safe. You kept your promise to me Todd! You kept him safe, and we will honor your name always!!! Thank you so much! God Bless You!!!
I’ll let his grieving family tell you the rest:
CPL Todd Edward Davis was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 7, 1985. He is the son of the late Edward E. Davis, the brother of Jeremy Daniel Davis, and the nephew of Dorothy and Ralph Ochsner and Sue Davis, all of Kansas City, Missouri. He is survived also by his stepmother, Katherine Shewmaker Davis and her two sons, Stephen and James. Todd attended Lee's Summit North High School, where as a junior, he was state qualifier in wrestling. During high school, he earned his second brown belt degree in Karate. At Meramac College in St. Louis, he was an academic All American and an All American junior college wrestler. In the summer of 2001, he participated in the Deutsch Open Wrestling series sponsored by the People to People Sports Ambassador Program. He volunteered for the Army in 2005. His tour in Iraq ended January 9, 2008, when he and five other soldiers were killed during an explosion of a booby- trapped house in an offensive against insurgents in Diyala Province, Iraq. Funeral services are pending and under the direction of Mt. Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road; burial will be alongside his father in the Veteran's Section of Mt. Moriah Cemetery.
-- Kansas City.com
You can see a picture of Todd here.
Rest in peace, Todd Davis. May your beautiful, joyful and loving spirit soar free and be at peace forever, and may your memory continue to bring smiles to all those who love you.
Godspeed, Spc. Todd E. Davis.
***
Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, of Rutherford, Tenn.
Ed. Note: This tribute was written by twilight falling and monkeybiz.
From the time he was a small child, Jonathan Dozier knew he wanted to serve his country in the Army. Just like his father, Carl, who served for 28 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel, and other relatives extending all the way back to the Civil War.
As his father told WVEC.com, "He believed in something bigger than himself is what he said, 'I believe in something bigger than myself," and, you know I couldn't ask for a son to understand life better than that."
The Pilot Online talked with his mother, Martha D. Cabe, who said: ""I am not a soldier, and I do not understand all the ins and outs of wars. I only know that my son, Jon, was where he wanted to be and became the soldier that he always wanted to be -- a great soldier, one who loved his country and believed in serving his country."
Dozier, who enlisted in the Army in 1997, started his deployment to Iraq in August of last year. According to his father, he was the leader of a sniper team, and understood the risks he ran while searching houses for weapons and insurgents. But he wanted to be the tip of the spear. He had dreams for what he wanted after his deployment; he planned to stay in the Army, having recently re-upped, and wanted to study Farsi, his father said. He wanted to train for Special Forces. They probably discussed these things in the many email exchanges and phone calls they made during the younger Dozier’s deployment.
Those contacts came to an end with Wednesday morning’s news, when uniformed men pulled up at the elder Dozier’s door. "How bad is it?" he asked them."As soon as they started saying 'the Secretary of the Army regrets to inform you,' I knew how bad it was."
Dozier is survived by his wife, Amy; his 1-year-old daughter, Emma, to whom he often wrote letters to tell her how much he loved her; his father, Carl Dozier; his mother, Martha Cabe; and a sister. You can see his picture here, along with a short video interview with his father. It will break your heart. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, "buried where the warriors are buried," as his father said.
Rest in peace, Jonathan Dozier. May your loyal, devoted spirit soar free and be at peace forever, and may your life and memory be an inspiration and a blessing to all those who love and remember you.
Godspeed, Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier.
***
Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul, 29, of Reno, Nev.
Ed. Note: This tribute was written by twilight falling.
Although little personal information is available about Sean Gaul as of this writing, Sean’s family issued the following statement through the Air National Guard:
While not a member of the Nevada National Guard, the wife, mother and family members of Staff Sgt. Sean Gaul want all northern Nevadans to know we all lost a good man Jan. 9. Sean was into his fifth deployment serving in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Gaul enlisted in the Army in late 1999. He initially served with B Co., 1/505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. and was first deployed to Afghanistan soon after the 9/11 attack against our nation.
Continuing on with the 82nd Gaul was then deployed to Fallujah in Iraq.
In Sept. 2003 he redeployed to Afghanistan with a coalition security forces team, guaranteeing free elections for a new democracy. He then transferred to a Stryker brigade at Fort Lewis, Wash.
Shortly after the move to Washington he deployed to Ramadi and Mosul, Iraq. After graduating from Ranger school Sean returned to his unit, which had transferred to Vilseck, Germany during his time at school.
An infantryman, Gaul then successfully completed the U.S. Army's sniper school before deploying one last time. Sean was killed while on patrol in the Diyala Province.
"Sean loved his job, knowing the risks he reenlisted during his fifth deployment," said his wife Jessica Gaul. "It seemed Sean was a lifer for sure. He did not waiver from his responsibility. He always trained hard as he led the way by example. He was focused and determined as he sought out more special forces training."
"Sean was a very good man, loving husband, father and true friend," Gaul said.
He was an athlete who was devoted to martial arts, loved Scuba diving, was a triathlete and liked to fly fish. He attended Reed High School where he was a member of the J.R.O.T.C and earned a G.E.D. in 1997.
Gaul leaves behind his wife, daughter, mother, father and four sisters, as well as his loving extended family and many friends.
The families of Sean and his wife extend warm and burdened hearts to the Drakulich family* as we shared this fateful day of fallen loved ones who called northern Nevada home.
-- Reported by KTVN.com
* Army specialist David Drakulich, also from Reno, was killed in Afghanistan on January 9, 2008. You can read about him in noweasels' beautiful diary.
Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons issued this statement:
Dawn and I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Staff Sergeant Gaul. Staff Sgt. Gaul was an extraordinary and dedicated soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while serving his fifth tour of duty in support of the Global War on Terror. It is with profound gratitude that we honor his devotion and his service to our nation.
Gov. Gibbons has ordered the flags at the State Capitol to be flown at half-staff on Monday, January 14, in honor of Sean.
You can see a picture of Sean here.
Rest in peace, Sean Gaul. May your loyal, determined, loving spirit soar free and be at peace forever, and may your life and memory be an inspiration and a blessing to all those who love and remember you.
"He did not waiver from his responsibility."
Godspeed, Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul.
***
Sgt. Zachary W. McBride, 20, of Bend, Ore.
Ed. Note: This tribute was written by SisTwo.
The Oregonian newspaper's website, OregonLive, states:
BEND -- A Bend man was killed Wednesday in Iraq, one of nine U.S. soldiers dead in recent days.
Army Spc. Zachary McBride, 20, died while fighting in Diyala province, said Roger Austin, a spokesman for his family. Austin said the Army is investigating the circumstances of his death, which occurred with five comrades, but the cause may have been a suicide bomb or a booby-trapped house.
McBride's death brings to 115 the number of military casualties with connections to Oregon and Southwest Washington.
An article in the Bend Weekly refers to a statement relayed by the McBride family to Oregon National Guard:
Zachary wanted to do something meaningful and to gain life experience. He enjoyed the Infantry’s hands-on approach versus the purely analytical, and enjoyed target shooting, reading, socializing with friends and missions for his church, they said.
McBride is survived by his father, Marshall, a Pastor of Music & Worship at Eastmont Church; his mother, Laura; and sister, Sarah; all of Bend.
This was the first incident involving multiple deaths of U.S Soldier in Iraq since September 10, when seven Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldiers died and 11 were injured in a vehicle accident in western Baghdad.
The Oregon Public Broadcasting station has a story about how the pastor of the Baptist church in Bend, Oregon remembers "Zach":
Senior Pastor John Lodwick remembers McBride as a quiet teenager who liked to hang out with younger kids.
John Lodwick: "Zach was a great kid. There is one family in our church, particularly, that has four small children. He really enjoyed them and they enjoyed him. They are going to miss him."
..."This is the kinda loss I don't think you ever really fully recover from. There'll always be a hole there, that's left."
And from OregonLive.com:
Lodwick said church members have rallied around the McBrides. "There will always be a hole there that won't be filled this side of heaven," he said.
The article also mentioned that Zach wrote to his parents that he was heading into a "more dangerous area."
According to Salem News.com:
Four additional soldiers were wounded in the attack and evacuated to coalition forces hospital.
Zachary McBride was born in New York, New York and was 20 years old. He entered the Army in June 2005 directly following graduation from Mountain View High School stating he wanted to do something meaningful and to gain life experience.
A spokesman for the family says Zachary enjoyed the infantry's hands on approach versus the purely analytical. Zachary enjoyed target shooting, reading, socializing with friends and missions for his church.
Specialist Zachary McBride is survived by his parents, Marshall and Laura McBride and sister, Sarah McBride, all of Bend, Oregon.
Godspeed, Sgt. Zachary W. McBride.
***
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk, 30, of Superior, Wis.
Ed. Note: This tribute was written by roses.
You can also see him here.
Wisconsin native Matthew Pionk, one of the six soldiers killed Wednesday in Iraq, is remembered by those who knew him as a great soldier, family man, and humanitarian and "an all-round very good guy."
The 30-year-old joined the army soon after graduating from Superior High School in Wisconsin in 1998. He had served in the army for nine years and started his second tour of Iraq five months ago. His father, Duane Pionk, recalled that his son had earned a Bronze Star for helping an injured comrade during his first Iraq tour in 2004-2005. Father-in-law David Sovil told the Mesabi Daily News that Pionk's unselfishness was evident at the time, as he risked his own life to bring his fellow soldier to safety.
In his high school auto mechanics program, Pionk discovered he had a gift for mechanical work, competing in skills competitions and even overhauling a '70s Chevy pickup. As his teacher and friend Jim Bianchi told KBJR-TV, "Matt was probably one of my best students I've ever had. I've taught 21 years." Bianchi said that after Pionk joined the military, he stayed in touch with his friends: "He'd come over and we'd talk about the artillery that he was riding and driving for the military and he really enjoyed playing with the military equipment." Pionk also enjoyed snowmobiling, fishing, and hunting, Bianch said.
In 1998, the same year that Pionk enlisted, he and his wife, Melanie, got married. The couple have three children -- Dillon, 8; Ashley, 6; and Brandon, 3 -- and last summer the family moved to the small town of Eveleth, Minnesota, where they bought a home. Pionk's father-in-law told the Mesabi Daily News that while Pionk was away from his family, he did all he could to be a part of their lives, including being on a Webcam for his daughter's birthday last October. Pionk had only had gotten to spend two weeks with his family in their new home before returning to his army duties. "This is where he was going to come home to," his wife told the Duluth News Tribune.]
Duane Pionk told the Mesabi Daily News that his won "was always there for the downtrodden: "The people in life that always had problems — he was there to help them." For example, when Pionk was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, he would take in poor soldiers and help them out "just to be a friend to them."
Minnesota Public Radio quoted his dad as saying: "We're very proud of him. He was a wonderful father. He was a wonderful son. And he was a wonderful soldier." His wife told the Duluth News Tribune: "His whole life was the military.... He was a great dad and a great soldier. That's about all I can tell you."
Pionk is also survived by three siblings -- Jeremy, Joshua, and Katie -- and his maternal grandparents, Paul and Joyce Nece. His wife told KBJR-TV, "All he ever wanted was to make it through this last deployment to watch his kids grow up and be with his family. He'll be dearly missed, dearly missed."
May he rest in peace.
Godspeed, Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk.
***
Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders, 22, of Roswell, N.M.
Ed. Note: This tribute was written by monkeybiz.
Just a few days before he was killed in an explosion along with five other members of his unit, Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders talked with his mother, Marie Sanders. According to the Albuquerque Journal, she was worried about the high number of casualties in Iraq. "Mom, somebody has to do it," he replied.
She describes him as a patriot. But see for yourself on his myspace page: He was a guy who regretted not joining the Army sooner, although even at the age of 9, he told his mother that he wanted to enroll at the New Mexico Military Institute (he would graduate from NMMI in 2003). He loved guns ("more than I probably should"), movies about war, combat and fighting zombies, and claimed a weakness for "Situps and .50 cal bullets"; his interests included "The basics, I guess: guns, trucks, motorcycles, and shooting. Shooting is my favorite though."
How did he want to die? "Bullet to the nugget or explosion. Something quick. And heroic too."
Although he wanted to join the military since childhood, Sanders was confirmed in his mission by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, said his mother. According to the Journal, Sanders leaped at the opportunity to join up as soon as possible, and he enlisted in the Army in Feb. 2004. He spent his first deployment in Iraq, coming home in Oct. of 2005; his second deployment to Iraq started in August 2007. His goals for this year, he wrote: "Get my EIB, not die, and not piss off my wife too much."
He leaves behind people who loved him a lot. His mother recalls him as "a beautiful baby and a wonderful person...He was a very active child, always getting into something, always on the move." She also said that her son "would want to be remembered as a patriot who proudly served the country he loved and who believed the American involvement in Iraq is a noble mission," as the the Journal put it.
He married his high school sweetheart, Dara, and you can see a picture of them on her myspace page. In her own words:
My husband, Chris, is a big hero of mine, he stayed over in Iraq to defend for our country and now is over there again. He is a major hero because I dont understand how he can make it this long without his kids. ... I live in Germany and just had a beautiful baby girl, Jacquelyn Marie, who is now a playmate with her brother, Alec. My husband is one of my best friends and I cant think of a life without him.
The messages of support left for her there are so sad.
Over at Stryker Brigade News, several people have offered their condolences and memories of Sgt. Sanders, including Paul (Sgt. Farmer):
I served with Chris on his first tour in Iraq.1st platoon Alpha Co. 1-24. He was a motivated soldier who had a strong will to fight for his country and fellow infantryman. I miss talking with him about weapons. He had a love for firearms. I loved him for it. Our country lost a good soldier. Chris loved being an infantryman. I will be praying for his family.
My heartfelt condolences go out to his mother and father, his widow, Dara, and especially his children, 3-year-old Alec and 1-year-old Jacquelyn.
Somebody has to do it. And he did, giving the last full measure.
Godspeed, Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders.
***
May the memories of all 3,923 of our fallen continue to shine brightly for all those they leave behind.
***
About "I Got the News Today"
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. 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.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, MsWings, greenies, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, moneysmith, labwitchy, joyful, roses, SisTwo and SpamNunn.
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.
