I Got the News Today: Feb. 7, 2008
Spc. Christopher J. West, 26, of Arlington, Texas
Spc. Christopher J. West was due home for a visit to Arlington, Texas this weekend. Instead, his family is set to bury him at Arlington National Cemetery, where so many of his comrades in arms now rest.
His sister, Lauren West, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that "C.J." died while he was on his last mission before he came home. On Tuesday, the Department of Defense announced that West had died in Balad, Iraq "of wounds suffered on Feb. 3 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. Ed. Note: He was on foot patrol at the time. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C." He served as a combat medic.
"He loved what he was doing," his sister, Lauren West, told the Star-Telegram. "He said he felt like he had found his calling. He thought that it was very possible that he could make the Army a lifelong career."
Maybe that wasn’t a surprise, given the West family’s three-generation military service (West himself was the fourth); Lauren and Christopher’s father, John West was a veteran of the war in Vietnam, having served both as a Ranger and as a Green Beret. Lauren West also told the newspaper that her brother had made the decision to join the Army long ago – when he was only 4 years old.
The Bowie High School alumnus (class of 2000) and self-described history buff went on to Texas A&M University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2004, says the Star-Telegram. He thought about law school but "something kept pulling him toward the Army," Lauren West said. "He felt like he had to do it."
His father told a local NBC affiliate that he considered his son a "man's man" who loved his family and his country. "I love my son," he said. "I'm going to miss him. I've got a hole in my heart, but he did the right thing."
The West family is clearly heartbroken. "It will be empty, but I know he's holding my heart right now, so I'm full," his mother, Hattie, said. "My cup runneth over." And in his sister’s words: "You can't describe it... It's just like, your best friend's dead. Your baby brother's dead."
They left the family Christmas tree up so that when C.J. came home, they could celebrate together. I feel for this family that will miss their son and brother for so many holidays to come.
They will remember his service, which began in January 2007 when he joined the Army. According to the News & Observer, he "completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, Ga., in March and Healthcare Specialist Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in July. He completed the Basic Airborne Course in Fort Benning, Ga., and was assigned to his unit a month later." He was deployed to Iraq four months ago.
"Spc. West brought an upbeat attitude to the platoon that spread to everyone he met," 1st Lt. Rich Demarais, West's platoon leader, said in a press release. "He loved being a combat medic and a paratrooper. It was an honor to be his platoon leader."
His uncle, Jerry West, remembers his nephew as "an awesome guy. So very smart and always happy. I am proud of him and keep him in my heart never to let go! He was the little boy that always had a smile on his face and just tried his absolute best in all things. He was and is a winner to the end." His awards included the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
He is survived by his parents, John and Hattie West, of Arlington, Texas, as well as by his sister, Lauren West, and another sister, Cameron, who had this to say about her brother:
"He died with strength and honor, and he was brave. And he served our country well, and he served our family well."
The Patriot Guard will escort West’s casket from the funeral home to Arlington National Cemetery. He will be buried with full military honors.
Godspeed, Spc. Christopher J. West.
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Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch, 29, of State College, Pa.
Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch, born on a Nebraska Air Force base and reared on bases all over the U.S., had service in his blood. As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, his father, Donald Koch, is a retired 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran, recently returned from a job in Iraq; his mother, Jean Ann Burkholder, is serving in Afghanistan as an accountant for a U.S. contractor; and his brother, Matthew Koch, had a six-year Navy career and is currently working in Iraq.
Central Pennsylvania’s wooded mountains and small towns are a far cry from the world’s troubled hot spots. Yet that’s where Michael Koch ended up – serving as a Navy SEAL, one of the Navy’s most elite special warfare operators, in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, where he died with fellow SEAL Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy of wounds from small-arms fire, says the Department of Defense.
The Koch family has said little to the media about their son and his death. We do know that for a year and a half, Michael Koch studied engineering at Penn State, as his father told the Centre Daily Times. On July 9, 1998, the younger Koch joined the Navy and spent his summer in boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. The next spring and summer were spent in Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado (Class 224). His aunt, Dee Brown, of Williamsport, Pa., says that during that time his father "camped out in the woods, trying to put himself through some of the same experiences his son was having," as the Virginian-Pilot put it.
Michael Koch would go on to serve his entire career with East Coast-based SEAL Teams, says the Navy’s press release. (As the Daily Press notes, "For security reasons, the Navy does not release what specific SEAL team the sailors were assigned to.")
Nor did Koch discuss what he did. "He was humble," his aunt told the Virginian-Pilot. "He would prefer that we didn’t talk about it. He would just say, 'It’s my job.’"
Likewise, he didn’t mention his achievements. "He never talked about all these decorations I'm reading about," his grandmother, 74-year-old Dolores Koch, of Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, Pa., told the Post-Gazette.
According to the Navy, Koch’s awards and decorations included the Bronze Star, one of the highest awards for heroism and meritorious service, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, an Iraq Campaign Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, five Sea Service deployment awards, the NATO Medal, the Expert Rifle Medal and the Expert Pistol Medal.
His grandmother last saw him at Christmas when he was home for a visit. "I was so thankful that we had that time together," she told the Post-Gazette. "The last thing I said to him was, 'Be careful.' He said, 'I am, Gram.' "
Koch is survived by his fiancée, Kathy Howell, of Virginia Beach, Va.; his mother, Jean Ann Burkholder of Corinth, Texas; his father, Donald Koch of Coudersport, Potter County, Pa.; his brother, Matthew Koch, who will accompany his brother’s body home; and his sister, Tiffany Barnard.
Godspeed, Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch.
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Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy, 29, of Durham, N.H.
It wasn’t the wedgies, writes Matty Renner in the Union Leader’s comment section. It wasn’t the soccer games, the Natural Lights or the girls they chased together. It was brotherhood. It was Nate Hardy’s smile:
I loved antagonizing you because at the end of the day...you'd give us, you'd give me, that smile, that infectious laugh... and I would do ANYTHING to get you riled up enough to give us a second..the moment we could all share in laughing so hard we could barely breath...it was, and is about brotherhood. It's that I love you as brother.
And it's that love that allows us to look after your wife and child, as if we were her family. And to teach Parker all about you...and ultimately, to have the chance, to rile him, as I did you so many times...so I can see you laugh once again.
I miss you Nate, we all do...
Love, Matty
So many people already miss Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy, if the comments section of this article is anything to go by. The writers talk about his courage, integrity and bravery; his smarts, humor and drive; his firm friendship and his willingness to help others. And, of course, his smile.
Meg Cuddihee, who knew him as a teenager, remembers:
...the 'get-ready-for this' smile that crossed his face just before he challenged a buddy to a wrestling match.
the 'it-was-nothing' smile just after he and his friends managed to get a large refridgerator down a very narrow hallway.
a very special 'can-you-believe-it's mine' smile when he came to the house to show us his new truck.
I have some idea of the happiness that he brought my son Amos. I can only imagine the particular happiness that he must have brought each of you. He was a beautiful person. His light shines still. Thankyou for sharing him with us.
Please take the time to read through the comments, many of which are just heartbreaking. Nate Hardy was loved.
I’m sorry that the only picture of him that I can give you is so serious – but, then, seriousness of purpose was one of his traits, too. (Update: The second picture was added on 2/10, when a reader sent me a link to it. It's a courtesy photo, and ran here.)
By the sixth grade, Hardy already knew that he wanted to become a Navy SEAL when he grew up, according to WAVY-TV. It was that ambition that helped him cope with the loss of an older brother, Josh, two years later:
"He held onto that dream and Nate's oldest brother died of brain cancer when Nate was in the 8th grade. The dream he had to be a Navy SEAL helped us get through that horrible time in our lives," said Steve Hardy.
The Hardy family has a tradition of service, and both of Hardy’s grandfathers served in the Second World War. One grandfather was rescued from the sea by his shipmate on the PT-109, then-future president John F. Kennedy. "Nate was very proud of his Navy heritage. If I had one wish in my life, it would have been that his two grandfathers could have seen him graduate from BUDS (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL)," said Nathan's father.
He grew up in Durham, N.H., where his parents work for the University of New Hampshire, and was a graduate of Oyster River High School, where he played lacrosse and soccer. ORHS teacher and soccer coach Martin Brewer recalled Hardy’s dedication, saying "He played the game the right way which is with 100 percent commitment... If he tackled any endeavor, you had better believe it was with every fiber of his being — Nate attacked life with vigor."
Ginny Tagliaferro, his former math teacher at the high school, also remembered Hardy: "Nate was honest, committed and kind to those around him. He was a caring individual who supported his friends, his teachers and his community... The fact that he was willing to sacrifice himself for his country and his men speaks to his courage and his goodness. His loss is a profound one for us all."
A press release from the Navy notes that Hardy "enlisted in the U.S. Navy Nov. 4, 1997, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., in January 1998. The same month, Hardy entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., Class 221. Following graduation from BUD/S in May 1998, Hardy served his entire career with East Coast-based SEAL teams other than attending various schools."
He was serving his fourth deployment in Iraq when he died of wounds caused by small arms fire during combat operations, says the Department of Defense.
In addition to being the recipient of the Bronze Star – given for "heroic or meritorious achievement or service" – Hardy earned two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Medals, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, three Sea Service deployment awards, the NATO Medal, the Expert Rifle Medal and the Sharpshooter Pistol Medal.
In addition to his parents, Hardy leaves behind his wife, Mindy; his 7-month-old son, Parker; and a brother, Benjamin Hardy of Middlebury, Vt.
Godspeed, Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy.
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May the memories of all 3,952 of our fallen continue to shine brightly for all those they leave behind.
We also remember those coalition service members who have given their lives, as well as the many Iraqi citizens who have lost theirs.
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What You Can Do
More than 30,000 service members have been wounded and soldier suicides are at a record level. Those currently serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would also be grateful for support, even if it's only a letter or a small care package.
Go visit:
* Anysoldier.com and Ninepatch’s diary on sending care packages
* Operation Helmet
* Fisher House
* Greenies’ diary, "Random Acts of Remembrance and Other Ways to Support the Troops"
* Noweasels’ diary, "Top Comments: In Honor of Major Edition"
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About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT)
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; 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.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, MsWings, greenies, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, moneysmith, labwitchy, joyful, roses, SisTwo and SpamNunn.
If you would like to comment on this tribute, but don't have an account at Daily Kos, contact monkeybiz here (address at top of page).
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.
