Tonight we honor three men whose deaths were announced Tuesday by the Department of Defense. Two were soldiers who died on January 29th in the Wardak province of Afghanistan. The other was a marine who was killed in the Helmand province of Afghanistan on February 1st.
Their hometowns were hundreds of miles apart. Two represented another generation from that of the third man. Despite these abritrary differences, the three listed below are part of our military family and we are all poorer for losing them:
- Captain David J. Thompson
- Private First Class Marc Paul Decoteau
- Lance Corporal Michael L. Freeman Jr.
Army Captain David J. Thompson
David J. Thompson lived in Pinehurst, North Carolina with his wife and two young daughters. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Captain Thompson commanded Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 3334, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). He had held that position since January 2009.
It was the Special Forces officer's second deployment to Afghanistan. He also served in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti as well as multiple humanitarian assistance deployments with the North Carolina National Guard.
Captain David J. Thompson died January 29th of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations in Wardak province, Afghanistan. He was 39 years of age.
The deaths of the Captain and a fellow soldier have been linked in several news stories, the most eloquent appears to be at the Unknown Soldiers blogsite:
Spc. Marc Decoteau had not been born when Capt. David Thompson joined the military in 1989. Tragically, the two soldiers died together on Friday in a Wardak Province, Afghanistan, attack that is still being investigated.
According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, NATO officials said an Afghan interpreter opened fire on American troops in an apparent dispute over his pay and other issues. The U.S. military has not confirmed that account.
Spc. Decoteau, 19, and Capt. Thompson, 39, represent different generations of service in a struggle for freedom that will impact many generations to come. Decoteau graduated from his New Hampshire high school in 2008, while Thompson and his wife have two daughters in school in North Carolina. Despite their different backgrounds, they served together in support of the same cause.
The military awards and decorations earned by Captain Thompson include the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, Army Commendation Medal (four), Army Achievement Medal (three), Army Good Conduct Medal (three), National Defense Service Medal (two), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge (Basic), and Ranger Tab.
Thompson is survived by his wife, Emily, their two daughters, Isabelle and Abigail, parents Charles and Freida Thompson of Hinton, Oklahoma, and his sister Alisha Mueller.
While funeral plans have not been announced, it is expected that Captain Thompson will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. The Patriot Guard Riders will be providing an escort.
************************
Army Private First Class Marc Paul Decoteau
A tiny resort town in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is mourning the death of its son, Marc Decoteau. In Waterville Valley, with a population of 305, the young soldier's father works as town manager, and his mother is the town administration in nearby Warren, New Hampshire.
Marc played lacrosse and football while in high school. He helped his team win two championships before graduating from Plymouth Regional High School in 2008.
After graduation, Decoteau joined the army, following the footsteps of his father, who graduated from West Point. He was assigned to the 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne), 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
On January 29, Specialist Marc Paul Decoteau died of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations in Wardak province, Afghanistan. Flags were at half-staff all around Waterville, while the residents remembered the 19 year old fondly. The following are quotes taken from an article at the New England Cable News site:
"Just an outstanding young man. Driven. Compassionate. Great sense of humor. Always shined a ray light on everybody when ever he was around," said Waterville Valley Fire Chief Chris Hodges.
"Loss for everybody in the community. And people have rallied around the family offering their loves and support, and the Decoteau family wanted to know how much the appreciated the outpouring of sympathy and support that have received," said Waterville Valley selectmen Joan Sweeney.
"It was a very personal thing for everybody when he was deployed, when he left. I think everybody was watching, cheering him on and this had to happen," said Hodges.
A Memorial Service for PFC Marc Decoteau will be held at the Plymouth Regional High School in Plymouth, New Hampshire. The Patriot Guard Riders will be assisting to honor Private Decoteau when he is laid to rest.
*************************
Marine Lance Corporal Michael L. Freeman Jr.
Michael Freeman, Jr. was from Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. The 2008 graduate of Chambersburg Area High School and his wife, Stephanie, were married in early October.
Freeman had joined the Marine Corps in August 2008, and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on October 1, 2009. Freeman was a machine gunner assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He had his first deployment later in October when he was sent to Afghanistan. He was expected to return in April.
Freeman's 18-year-old wife is quoted on the Herald-Mail site:
Freeman was an outdoorsman who enjoyed target shooting, fishing and visiting Caledonia State Park. He and his wife met at a graduation party in 2007, and he proposed five months into their relationship.
"I said ‘yes’ immediately," Stephanie said.
Freeman developed his commitment to the Marines at an early age.
"He wanted to serve his country," Stephanie said. "He grew up in a military family."
Lance Corporal Michael L. Freeman Jr. died February 1st in the Helmand province of Afghanistan from injuries suffered in the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED). He was killed during what military authorities called a "hostile incident". He was 21 years old when he lost his life.
His awards included a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. Survivors of the Lance Corporal include his wife, his parents, Michael Sr. and Chris, and his sister, Dawn.
Funeral plans have not been announced but services are expected to be held at the Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home in Chambersburg. Flags throughout Pennsylvania have been lowered to half-staff in honor of Lance Corporal Freeman, including those in his hometown, as well as all across Franklin County and in Harrisburg. The flags will remain at half-staff until Freeman is brought home and buried, according to a spokesman at Governor Ed Rendell's office.
******************************************************************
Helping our troops:
If you wish to assist our military and their families, consider Operation Helmet, or Fisher House. Sponsoring a deployed service member at TroopCarePackage.com can provide letters or care packages that make a real difference in a military person's life. To assist the animal companions of our deployed military, information is available here. Also, you could visit:
When our veterans come back home, they need jobs. Look at the programs of Hire Heroes USA and Welcome Back Veterans to see if you can help out. The new KINship Project has also been of help to our veterans and other Kossacks In Need.
About the IGTNT series:
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, TrueBlueMajority, JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma, Ministry of Truth, and CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for them.
Fallen service members whose names have been released by the US 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 person more fully, but still in a timely manner
|
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.