Tonight, we remember a highly decorated Green Beret soldier killed on base by enemy fire. He was a husband and father to three sons.
Since 2001, there have been 2276 American troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom. Since 2010, there have been 66 casualties in Operation New Dawn.
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.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Patrick H. Quinn, 26, of Quarryville, Pa., died Oct. 13, in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the enemy attacked his base with small arms fire.
He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort Carson, Colo.
Staff Sgt. Patrick H. Quinn
Staff Sgt. Patrick Quinn graduated in 2005 from Solanco High School. He was athletic, smart and class vice president during his junior year.
In 2006, he enlisted in the Army and served two tours of duty. One in Iraq in 2008-2009 and now in 2013, Afghanistan .
Assistant Principal at Solanco High School, Stephanie Lininger, spoke with Lancaster Online about Quinn.
"He could always make people smile," Lininger said. "He wanted to make people enjoy the time they spent together. He was a great guy."
and
"His peers really looked up to him and liked him," said Stephanie Lininger, the assistant principal at Solanco High School.
Always ready with a joke and a smile, according to Lininger, Quinn was an athlete in the school's cross-country and track programs.
The family was not available for comment. Staff Sgt. Patrick Quinn was a husband and father to three sons.
Staff Sgt. Patrick Quinn earned the following awards and decorations: four Army Commendation Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 Campaign Stars), the Global War on Terror Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Campaign Star) and the NATO Medal
Sources: ABC 27, Lancaster Online
In Flanders Fields
by Lt. Col. John McRae, MD, (1872-1918)
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. 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.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by i dunno, Monkeybiz, Noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, The Fat Lady Sings, Ekaterina, Joy of Fishes, and me, Sandy on Signal.
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.