DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Sept. 5 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.
Killed were:
Cpl. William T. Warford III, 24, of Temple, Texas. He was assigned to the 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Pfc. Dane R. Balcon, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Pfc. Dane R. Balcon: He was just a person that brought a smile to your face
When he was only three years old, Dane Balcon told his mother, Carla Sizer, that he wanted to be a soldier when he grew up. With both parents in the military – his mother is a captain in the Air Force and his father, John Balcon, served in the Army – Dane learned all he could about various
branches of the service.
Dane grew up in San Antonio, Texas, where he attended Warren High School. He was in the ROTC and was a member of the Silver Guards Drill Team.
When his mother moved from Texas to Colorado Springs, Dane – then a sophomore - enrolled in the ROTC program at Sand Creek High School. After graduation he enlisted in the Army, and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. His mother told the Rocky Mountain News that he was eager to go to Iraq and was disappointed when his original deployment date was delayed.
"He was devastated," Sizer said. "He said, I’m not going to get to serve my country."
Sizer responded by telling him he should feel fortunate because there are thousands of soldiers in Iraq who would like to be home with their families.
"That’s exactly why I want to go," Sizer said her son told her. "Because every day I stay at Fort Hood, someone is away from their family."
In July, Dane finally arrived in Iraq. During their last conversation just a few days ago, Dane was suffering, says his mother. He found it difficult to live with the intense heat, the lack of sanitation and bathing facilities, and he was homesick.
"He told me that he had already seen too much," Sizer said. "That was his struggle."
Only days later, when Sizer returned home and saw soldiers in military service dress in her driveway, she knew why they were there.
"I was so devastated, and I still am," she said. "I don’t think I’ll ever be the same."
Now family and friends are remembering the funny, enthusiastic teenager who will be missed terribly.
The father of one of Dane's Silver Guard teammate’s during his San Antonio days remembers him on his blog as a "very tiny kid" with such an engaging personality "it was impossible not to like him." (There is a photo of a younger Dane posted, too.)
A San Antonio ROTC "mom" who knew Dane left this heart-breaking remembrance at the blog:
Being an ROTC mom I am really having a hard time with this loss. He is as I call him "one of my babies". He would call me "mom" and would tell me he was going to marry my daughter. I was always welcomed with a "hi mom" and a tight hug. Then it was "guess what I learned and what I am doing now," with so much excitement I would have to tell him stand still and talk, son, you’re all over the place.
I will miss his smile and how he could take over the room by just walking in.
I called Dane's mom and she said he will be at Arlington National Cemetery. It is a fitting place for a hero like him. I love him and will miss him dearly.
Be with God and the Angels my darlin Dane, and we will continue your mission here on Earth.
In Colorado Springs, too, high school students and members of the community are remembering Dane as a very special person who will be missed terribly.
Local station KTTV covered his passing here, where you can see photographs from high school and Dane's time in the service. And here are some comments at local station KKTV’s website:
Dane was my friend, and I pray that I will be able to say goodbye to him. He was the epitome of patriotism and I am a better person for knowing him. God bless him and make sure no one forgets him!!
Dane was a wonderful guy, someone very close to many hearts and lives. He will be missed intensely. God Bless him and his family and friends.
Assistant principal David Morgan described Dane as "outstanding," and remembers him as someone who was completely focused on serving his country.
While at Sand Creek, Dane joined the school’s drumline. His friend and fellow drumliner, Jamar Harrison, told the The Gazette:
"We knew we wanted him on the drumline because we knew how positive he was and how enthusiastic he was. He didn’t make anyone seem like an outsider. He liked to crack jokes, and if anyone was in a bad mood, he’d crack more jokes. He was just a person that brought a smile to your face."
Just days ago, Dane left a message on his MySpace page saying he would be back in "the world" soon, says Harrison, who replied to tell him that he loved him and was praying for him. But the 17-year-old doesn’t know if his friend ever saw his reply. "The biggest thing I want to know is if he read it."
Students at Sand Creek’s media class are working on a video tribute to Dane. "It’s been very hard for the staff and students who knew him," Morgan told The Gazette. "He was so well-liked."
Rest in peace, Dane Balcon. We will not forget your service.
Cpl. William T. Warford III: I share your grief
On September 8, this message was left at the legacy.com page commemorating William T. Warford III.
I am so sorry for your loss...as I share in your grief. My son was PFC Dane Balcon--he was with your son the day they were killed. Carla Sizer (Colorado Springs, CO)
Regretfully, other than the message from Dane Balcon’s mother, we have no additional information to share regarding William Warford III. Attempts to contact media relations at Fort Hood were unsuccessful. If anyone has further information, please post it in the comments or email me and I will update the diary.
Rest in peace, William Warford III. We will not forget your service.
Rodney J. Johnson: He was a soldier first, but he was a family man
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Rodney J. Johnson, 20, of Houston, died Sept. 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
The son of a Houston police officer, Rodney J. Johnson joined the Army two years ago, in September, 2005, and this was his first deployment to Iraq. Sadly, he leaves behind an infant daughter and his wife is expecting their second child.
Rodney’s aunt, Yolanda Baker, spoke to Houston television station KHOU:
"He was a soldier first, but he was a family man....We know what he did he did for his country and we love him for that."
But his grandmother, Pearle Boone, expressed her doubts about the war:
"I know that everybody’s saying that he died for his country, but it was actually for nothing. What did he do? What did he prove? I mean, what is the outcome of this?"
There is a photograph of Rodney Johnson in uniform here: He is the 64th Houston resident to die in Iraq.
Rest in peace, Rodney Johnson. We will not forget your service.
The Iraq Coalition Casualty Count reports that total number of US casualties confirmed by the Department of Defense is now 3751, with 9 additional deaths pending notification of relatives. The DoD news releases can be found here. Other sites have stories, video, pictures and remembrances, including: Honor the Fallenand Spread the Word: Iraq-Nam, which is maintained by Kossack spread the word IRAQ NAM.
All these service people had friends and loved ones. Please visit the Iraq Veterans Memorial for a moving look at how a few of their survivors remember them. It will break your heart. If you'd like to help our soldiers, consider sponsoring a soldier at TroopCarePackage.com or anysoldier.com. Operation Helmet and Fisher Houseare also wonderful organizations that offer additional opportunity to help out American soldiers.
Finally, if you would like to assist the animal companions of our deployed military, information is available here. Animal companions can provide such solace and comfort.
About the IGTNT series:
IGTNT stands for "I Got the News Today." The phrase most likely refers to the Beatles song, and it is meant to symbolize that terrible knock on the door that any number of families got today, bringing with it the news that a loved one has died. IGTNT is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, silvercedes, MsWings, noweasels, blue jersey mom, chacounne, twilight falling, Wee Mama, greenies, labwitchy, roses, joyful, sistwo and me, moneysmith.
If you would like to help out with IGTNT -- even once a month -- please get in touch with silvercedes, Sandy on Signal, noweasels or monkeybiz.
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.
