Today we honor and celebrate six people:
Lance Cpl. Dennis J. Burrow, 23, of Naples, Fla.
Lance Cpl. Patrick W. Schimmel, 21, of Winfield, Mo.
Lance Cpl. Javier Olvera, 20, of Palmdale, Calif.
Sgt. Jerry R. Evans Jr., 23, of Eufaula, Ala.
Spc. Matthew K.S. Swanson, 20, of Lake Forest, Calif.
Staff Sgt. Tara J. Smith, 33, of Nashville, N.C.
Please join us as we learn about their lives that meant so much.
Lance Cpl. Dennis J. Burrow died Aug. 7, 2009 supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was an assaultman assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Burrow joined the Marine Corps in June 2006, and was promoted to lance corporal in September 2007. He served in Iraq from November 2007 through May 2008, and then deployed to Afghanistan in May 2009.
Dennis grew up in Maryland, but moved to Naples, Florida for a change of scenery. Jack Hagan, a friend of Burrow's since elementary school, said that Dennis worked as a bartender and waiter for a while, and then decided to join the Marine Corps. Hagan told reporters:
It’s like losing a brother. He was the closest thing you could have to a brother without actually being family...He couldn’t have been more of an honest person, and he would drop anything he was doing to help you, for anything that you needed.
Burrow went home to Maryland for a week before he shipped to Afghanistan. He and Hagan went out to the bar and relaxed. Hagan described Burrow as a goofball who loved computers and math. Naples News
Burrow's awards include the Iraqi Campaign Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medals.
Go in peace, Lance Cpl. Dennis J. Burrow. Thank you for your service.
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Lance Cpl. Patrick W. Schimmel died Aug. 9, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Schimmel joined the Marine Corps in November 2006 and was promoted to lance corporal in January, 2008. He was a rifleman assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He served in Iraq from October 2007 to May 2008 and then deployed to Afghanistan in May 2009.
Patrick Schimmel was from a small Missouri town, and he leaves behind a tightly knit community that will miss and remember him. The flags in Winfield fly at half staff in his honor, and among the many supportive signs that went up in the middle of town, the local diner replaced its daily specials with a heartfelt prayer wish for the Schimmel family.
The townspeople remembered him as a friendly person who marched to the beat of his own drum. He was athletic, and was on the cross country team at Winfield High School, where he graduated in 2006. Service was important to him, though, and he joined the Marine Corps right after high school. One of this teachers, Susan Elston, remembered:
He always wanted to serve his country.
Fox2Now
He leaves behind his parents, a brother, aunt, uncle, and cousin, as well as his girlfriend. His brother is also in the Marine Corps. ~source
His awards include the Iraqi Campaign Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medals.
Go in peace, Lance Cpl. Patrick W. Schimmel. Thank you for your service.
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Lance Cpl. Javier Olvera died Aug. 8, 2009 supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was a rifleman assigned to Company G, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
He joined the Marine Corps in November 2006, and was promoted to lance corporal in August 2007. He served in Iraq from November 2007 through May 2008, and deployed to Afgthanistan in May 2009.
Olvera's myspace page says that he'd lived in both Lancaster and Palmdale, Ca, but he identifed his home as Reseda. He graduated from Reseda High School and he leaves many friends behind.
Javier was passionate about music, particularly modern versions of ska, a Jamaican genre predating reggae. Ska combined Caribbean mento and calypso with jazz-based rhythm and blues. His myspace page says that he played trumpet and keyboards.
It's time for us to go our ways, our memories will always be in my heart. Miss you, love you.
--message on Olvera's myspace page.
Lance Cpl. Olvera's awards include the Iraqi Campaign Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medals.
Go in peace, Lance Cpl. Javier Olvera. Thank you for your service.
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Sgt. Jerry R. Evans Jr., 23 died Aug. 7 in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
He joined the Army in June 2005 and came to Fort Drum in December 2005. But Evans always wanted to be of service to his community, and was a volunteer firefighter with the While Oak volunteer Fire Department before he could even drive a car. And he wanted to be the guy at the end of the hose that extinguished the blaze.
And Evans kept answering the call of duty when he served his country. He was wounded three times on his first tour, and was still eager to return. He was home on leave for Father's Day this year. His father said that his son was concerned about his fellow soldiers in Afghanistan, and would often call to check on them. Mr. Evans told reporters:
They were tight...He was ready to go back.
Eufaula Tribune
He is survived by his parents and sister.
Sgt. Evans' awards include two Purple Hearts, Army Commendation Medal w/distinguishing device for Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge
Go in peace, Sgt. Jerry R. Evans, Jr. Thank you for your service.
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Spc. Matthew K.S. Swanson died Aug. 8 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over July 19 in Logar Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. He served as a combat engineer.
Swanson joined the Army in October 2007 and came to Fort Drum in May 2008.
Matt Swanson loved to camp, hike, run, and hang out with his friends and family. He leaves behind many who loved him, and who hoped and prayed for him as he fought for his life in the hospital in Bethesda. His sister kept a heartfelt journal of his last days that just cannot be overshadowed by any memorial. Please see Matt's story and his sister's journal.
He is survived by his parents and sister.
Spc. Swanson's awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and Combat Action Badge.
Go in peace, Spc. Matthew KS Swanson. Thank you for your service.
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Staff Sgt. Tara J. Smith died Aug. 8 in Bagram, Afghanistan, from non-combat related incident that occurred Aug. 4 at Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan. She was assigned to the 50th Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C. The circumstances surrounding her death are under investigation.
Smith was assigned to the 50th Signal Battalion based at Fort Bragg. She deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009.
Tara enlisted in February 1997. She also served in Kuwait, South Korea, and in Fort Huachucha, Arizona. Her military schooling included the Warrior Leader, Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense, Combat Lifesavers, Basic NCO and Advanced NCO courses. Her battalion commander Lt. Col. Brian Foley said:
Tara Smith, in addition to being an outstanding noncommissioned officer and leader in the unit, was a bright and charming young woman who will be missed by all.
A memorial service was conducted in theater. Smith is survived by her husband and two children, aged 8 and 6.
Staff Sgt. Smith's awards include the Army Commendation, Army Achievement, Korea Defense Service, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Global War on Terror Service medals. Rocky Mount Telegram
Go in peace, Staff Sgt. Tara J. Smith. Thank you for your service.
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