The Department of Defense recently announced the death of two soldiers and a Marine who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom:
Spc. Stanley John Sokolowski, III, 26, of Ocean, N.J.
Pfc. Jason David Fingar, 24, of Columbia, Missouri.
Lance Cpl. Philip Paul Clark, 19, of Gainesville, Florida
Please take a few minutes to join us in remembering the life and honoring the service of these three fine men who lost their lives while serving our country.
Their mission is ended and they have earned their rest.
sources: nj.com, Asbury Park Press/APP.com 1, Asbury Park Press/APP.com 2, NorthJersey.com, Freedom Remembered
A HUMANITARIAN WHO FOUGHT FOR JUSTICE
Even as a small boy Stanley John Sokolowski III was full of life, said Ocean Township School Superintendent Thomas Pagano, who was principal of Wayside Elementary when Sokolowski attended. "He was a nice little boy, mischievous on occasion, as all elementary boys will be," Pagano said. "I see he was 26-years-old,. It seems like a week ago he was just a little kindergartener. I’m hopeful he had a happy life as brief as it may be."
While other teen boys his age were focused on sports, Stanley was getting rides from his parents to and from the local fire company where he volunteered as a junior firefighter.
"Firefighting was his passion," said his mother, Christie. "He was always studying, researching and brushing up on (fire prevention)," his mother said.
"He was a very quiet kid who was loyal to the firehouse," said Steve Pejakovich, captain of the Atlantic Engine and Truck Company No. 2 in Long Branch, one place where Sokolowski volunteered. "He was one of the most reliable drivers we had." Solomon Hicks, an assistant captain at Atlantic Engine and Truck Company No. 2 , described Sokolowski as someone who "loved his music" and also took a certain amount of ribbing for being a vegan. "He was a good fireman and a good friend," Hicks said.
The first thing he did after receiving his driver's license was to become a first responder, family members said. Stanley volunteered for fire and first aid squads in Long Branch, West Long Branch and Oakhurst, and worked as a lifeguard in several area pools and briefly at the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital. Once when he was 16 years old, while working as a volunteer for a local first aid company, he went on a call for an elderly woman and was saddened to find she had passed away. "He cut her obituary out of the paper and carried it in his shirt pocket for months," recalled his mother, Christie Sokolowski. "That was the kind of kid he was."
Sokolowski loved reading books on Teddy Roosevelt and took up archery as a hobby. He also enjoyed family paint-ball fights. "He would do anything for his family and friends," said niece Natalia, who also shared his enthusiasm for rock guitarist and singer Joan Jett. "He got to meet her once," she said.
The fourth of five children, Sokolowski graduated from Ocean Township High School in 2002. In 2006, he worked in Iraq as a civilian contractor for Wackenhut Services Incorporated, which provides security, emergency response and fire protection for the military. He joined the Army in August, 2007, to better his chances of becoming a full-time firefighter upon completion of his duties. "I remember the day he told me signed up for the Army and I couldn’t believe it," Pejakovich added. "But he wanted to be a paid firefighter and from what I heard he was doing good." "As a veteran, he thought would give him a better shot of being hired as a firefighter," his mother said. "He always informed us that what he was doing was not dangerous. I have e-mails saying ‘Don’t worry, this is very safe." According to family members, Sokolowski worked in Army intelligence, and was scheduled to come back from his current tour in November. Stanley Sokolowski II said his son had hoped to attend college, possibly Rutgers University, to study civil engineering, though his ultimate goal was to become a firefighter.
Stanley Sokolowski III died of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident in Kirkuk, Iraq on May 20, 2010. The Pentagon, Fort Bliss and Fort Dix provided no further information regarding the nature of the incident that led to Sokolowski’s death. His mother also declined to comment on the cause of death, but said there would be an investigation.
Family members mourning at his parents' home said Sokolowski "was a hero who always worked to do the right thing." In a notebook on her kitchen counter, Christie Sokolowski wrote words and phrases to describe her son: "He was fun-loving, smart, sensitive and witty" and "He was a humanitarian and someone who always fought for justice" and "someone you could always count on." "He trusted everybody," Sokolowski said. "He took everybody at their word."
Stanley is survived by his wife, Nadia, and their sons, Dillon and Jacob; his parents, Christie Sokolowski and Stanley Sokolowski II; his brother, Todd Gregory; his sister, Shannon Saenz and her children, Natalya and Dominic; his sister, Katie Sokolowski; brother, Kyle Sokolowski; maternal grandparents, Warren and Elizabeth Stickney; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
"This comes as a great sadness to all of us," said Superintendent Pagano. "Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go out to the family," Pagano said. "This is certainly most difficult for them to bear."
Pagano also noted that Sokolowski is the second student from Ocean Township High School to die in Iraq. The first was Marine Sgt. Alan Sherman, a Marine killed by a roadside bomb in June 2004. Sherman's name is inscribed on a fallen soldiers memorial in front of the high school, and Pagano said that Sokolowski would be similarly honored soon. "We have one name on it now," Pagano said. "It looks like we’ll have another."
Those who wish to make a donation in lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Oakhurst or Long Branch volunteer fire company.
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sources: Columbia Missourian 1, Columbia Missourian 2, Freedom Remembered
IN HIS BRIEF LIFE HE MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Jason Fingar loved music and loved sharing his musical gift with others while living with his family in Columbia, Missouri. He played the guitar, the piano, some brass instruments, and often expressed an interest in learning to play additional instruments someday. Remembering his pre-military days, neighbor Danette Knedler said Jason and his father David both enjoyed playing guitar together at the Salvation Army. Jason Poff, a Salvation Army pastor in Joplin, MO and friend of ten years, said Mr. Fingar had a way of finding joy in any situation and making people laugh. "He genuinely cared about people and he genuinely put other people first," Poff said. "He just loved life. And he loved everything that he did."
Jason graduated from high school and joined the US Army in the fall of 2008. Fingar trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and then was assigned to A Company, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Spc. Aaron Estabrook shared a barrack with Fingar during their initial training in Fort Knox, they continued serving together after both men went to Fort Lewis.
While serving in Washington, Jason played with a Salvation Army Church band. Raven Gillies of the Puyallup Valley Corps, remembers Fingar's way with children. "I could sense that he had a great compassion for kids," Gillies said. "He was always a lot of fun to be with." Shannon Forney, a close friend of Fingar for several years, said Jason’s close relationship with his family, as well as his goofy personality, made him good with kids. According to Forney, he was very "mischievous and sarcastic" with his two brothers, and added that "they [teased each other] out of love. They were brothers, but they were friends."
Fingar was deployed to Afghanistan in July 2009. Shannon Forney said that by the time Fingar was deployed, the two would talk on the phone two or three times a week. "He always had something sarcastic and silly to say," Forney said. Fingar had one or two close calls with roadside bombings, Forney* said, to which she warned him to "please be careful." His friendship with Estabrook also continued while they were deployed together. Estabrook remembered Fingar’s "contagious smile" and said that Fingar was positive and passionate, even while in Afghanistan. Raven Gilles said she was amazed how Fingar dealt with the dangerous Afghan environment.
Fingar received multiple awards and decorations for his service in the Army including the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NATO Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Driver and Mechanic Badge, Weapons Qualification Badge and the Overseas Service Bar.
Spc. Corey Phan, a friend in Fingar's platoon, remembered Fingar frequently played music by a band called Skillet, whose song "Hero" was his favorite. Phan also mentioned that Fingar was always talking about guitars with other soldiers in the platoon. Phan added that Fingar "was really excited that this deployment was almost over and that he’d get to come home."
Friends describe Fingar as a devoted Christian who loved to read the Bible. Jason Poff said he and his wife talked with Fingar about why he joined the Army. "He said to us very plainly that he was determined to prove to us and to everybody that you could be a man of God and still fight for your country," Poff said. "And that’s what he wanted to do, and he did it proudly." Phan said Fingar had a gift for sharing God’s word with his fellow soldiers. "Any time anybody was in despair, he always had a way to motivate them and tell them how God overcomes everything," Phan said.
Pfc. Jason D. Fingar was in a caravan of armored vehicles in Durai, Afghanistan on May 22 when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. Three other soldiers made it out alive, but Jason Fingar became the first soldier from Columbia, MO to be killed in combat since August 2008.
Fingar’s death hit members of his platoon hard. Spc. Phan said they had never suffered a loss like this. Phan also mentioned that Fingar would have received a specialist rank on the first of June. Fingar’s determination made him an exceptional soldier, according to Aaron Estabrook: "I will always remember Jason Fingar as a young man of remarkable integrity and endless courage," Estabrook said. "Even in his brief life he made the world a better place, and those that encountered his smile will never forget him."
Mr. Fingar is survived by his parents, David and Rhonda Fingar of Columbia; sister, Chrissey Dodd of Naplate, Illinois; brothers Jeremy Fingar of Chicago, and U.S. Army Sgt. Donald Fingar of Ft. Riley, Kansas. Jason is the youngest of his parents' four children. He is also survived by his grandmother, Peggy Dietz of Calhoun, Missouri; and two nieces and one nephew.
His mother met with a group of supporters who gathered on the tarmac while waiting for the arrival of her son's coffin. The Patriot Guard Riders then escorted Fingar's body from Columbia Regional Airport into town, as mourners lined the procession route along Highway 63.
Governor Nixon has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags at state buildings in all 114 counties and in St. Louis be flown at half-staff for one full day on Memorial Day, the day funeral services for Jason Fingar will take place. Jason Poff, who will preside at Fingar’s funeral service, said he has tried to find answers for why Fingar died, but chooses to focus on his life. "I’d rather look at how he lived," Poff said. "He lived every day as an adventure and so the challenge for anybody that knew him is to honor him by the way we live. Don’t take any moment for granted." Poff also said Fingar was like a big brother to his four young children, who have been "crushed" by his death.
In lieu of flowers, his family has requested that memorials be sent in memory of Jason Fingar to the Salvation Army Music Scholarship Fund, 1108 West Ash, Columbia, MO 65203.
Fingar had been scheduled to come home on June 30th, 2010.
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sources: The Gainesville Sun, Freedom Remembered, Gainesville.com, News4Jax
"HE COULD LIGHT UP A ROOM"
Philip Clark liked to dress up in military clothing as a young boy, in apparent imitation of his paternal grandfather, Dr. Larry Clark, an Air Force Colonel, and two uncles who also served in the Air Force. It was clear from a young age that he wanted to continue the distinguished military tradition that had been established by other men in his family.
While attending Buchholz High School, Clark was active in the Air Force JROTC and some expected he would enlist in the Air Force because of his admiration for his grandfather and uncles. Then in his senior year he decided to to join the Marines because, in his words, "They are the best of the best." "He'd be the smallest guy on the football field and would never back down and that's why he chose the Marines," said his father, Mike Clark. "They are the first ones into the fight. They lead the way and go right up the middle and that is what he wanted ... to be the best and the first."
While attending school, Philip often had classes with his stepbrother Tyler, who is only five days older. Tyler remembered him as the class clown with a gift for making people laugh: "The teachers would hate him and love him at the same time because he was always respectful but he also joked around," Tyler said. "Sometimes it would be real quiet in class and then Philip would make a bird sound. It would make everyone laugh." His stepmother Tammy Clark also remembered Philip for his sense of humor: "He had the ability to make people laugh in tense situations," Tammy Clark said. "He would just know the right things to say to get everyone to loosen up." His father also spoke of the way his son could cheer others with a simple smile: "He could light up a room," Mike Clark said. "He could turn somebody's bad day upside down."
Philip Clark was 5'7" tall and weighed 160 pounds, but he did not let his stature interfere with anything he wanted to accomplish. Philip was so determined to become a member of the Marine Corps that he dropped out of football during his senior year to focus on preparing for boot camp at Parris Island. He lifted weights until his chest, shoulders and arms were quite large. "He would put weights in his backpack and then go out for a run," Mike Clark said. "He trained like that because he did not want to be the one lagging behind during basic training."
After graduating from Buchholz High School in 2008, Philip Clark enlisted in the Marines that June. While in basic training, Philip Clark qualified as a sharpshooter, relying on weaponry skills he learned as a Boy Scout and practiced while hunting with his maternal grandfather during school breaks and summer vacations in Mississippi. He continued his humorous ways in basic training, and could manage to get laughter out of his drill sergeants even in situations that were not intended to be funny. He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal the following March.
It is appropriate that such a patriotic man would begin corresponding with his future wife Ashton on July 4, 2009, after being introduced by a mutual acquaintance. Mike and Tammy Clark were initially concerned about the whirlwind courtship and surprised by how quickly the two married, since they were both only 19 years old and had only known each other about three months before their wedding. But "When we met her, we got it - she was perfect for him," said Mike. Ashton and Philip were married in a Texas courthouse on October 12, 2009. But reality was also a part of their newlywed conservation: "Philip always talked about (his death) as a possibility," Ashton said.
His stepmother recalled that Philip was eager to be deployed. "He couldn't wait to get to Afghanistan and there were several delays for his unit, but once [President] Obama announced the troop surge, he knew he would be going and he wanted to be there," Tammy Clark said. He deployed to Afghanistan in December 2009. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and NATO International Security Assistance Force Medal.
Philip Clark lost his life on May 18 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, under circumstances that remain under investigation by military officials. Relatives said he was hit in the legs by shrapnel while on patrol in Marjah: "Somehow an explosive was tripped," Clark's father, Mike, told WCJB-TV. "They don't know if it was a landmine, an IED. They called it "horizontal shrapnel." Philip Clark was pronounced dead a short time later at a trauma center.
Hundreds gathered yesterday morning to pay their last respects to the Gainesville Marine at Queen of Peace Roman Catholic Church, where his grandfather (the retired Air Force colonel) is a longtime member. The Rev. Jeffrey McGowan said even as a child, Philip Clark had the gifts of charisma and charm. "If you happened to be in the path of one of Philip's smiles, and he seemed to smile all the time, you couldn't help but think he meant it for you." McGowan also said that, even at his young age, Philip Clark had shown himself to have strong character. He was "a real man, not a caricature of a man, but the real deal," McGowan said.
Fighting back tears, his widow Ashton Clark recalled how she met Philip after a death in her family and how much his love meant at a time when she felt lost. Ashton and Philip had planned to have a big anniversary celebration when Philip completed his tour of duty in July of 2010.
Behind a group of Marines, students from the Buchholz High School JROTC program joined the procession following Clark's body out of the church at the end of the service. A bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" as the casket was taken to the waiting hearse.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remember. 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 by the DoD, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
Click the IGTNT tag to see other entries in the series, which was begun by i dunno, and 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, WideAwakeinKentucky and CalNM.
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