Army Sgt. 1st Class Jesse B. Albrecht had built a house in Alaska with his new wife, hoped to hit the links when he left Iraq and planned to become an Army recruiter.
He had smart, well-laid-out plans, according to his mother, Denise Albrecht, and he’d sit around at night with his fellow soldiers chatting about golf and what courses they’d play when they returned home.
Albrecht, 31, of Hager City, Wis., was killed May 17, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Iskandariyah. He was a 1994 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
He leaves behind his wife, Crystal, whom he married in July 2006, and an 11-year-old daughter, Salena, from his first marriage.
Albrecht was lanky and good-natured and opponents on the wrestling mat in high school found it hard to pin him down.
He also enjoyed snowboarding, fishing, snowmobiling and riding all-terrain vehicles.
Denise Albrecht said that his fellow soldiers told her he was one of the first to participate in platoon outings, including paint ball and ice hockey, and also enjoyed playing cards, even though “he couldn’t bluff a 3-year-old in a poker game.”
Teachers and students remembered Army Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander as a gregarious young man who made friends easily, ran track and was passionate about playing percussion in the band.
“My greatest memory of him is just the sheer number of friends he had at this school,” said Kirk Eledge, principal of his old high school. “When you’re a kind-spirited person, a lot of people are going to connect with you like that.”
Alexander, 21, of Gretna, Neb., was killed May 6, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Baqubah. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
“He was just a real genuine young man,” Eledge said. “When I think of Matt, I kind of think about him always having a smile on his face. He was a very warm individual, very down to earth.”
Alexander got married on Valentine’s Day 2007 to a classmate, Kara, who played flute in the high school band.
“He was always the guy that wanted to get things done,” said Mark Irvin, the band’s director. “He never would say, ‘It’s not my job.’ ”
At a concert, his high school band dedicated the song “Glory,” a military march, to Alexander.
A native of Russia, Army Spec. Alexandre A. Alexeev enjoyed ice hockey, relished small gifts sent from America and loved his adopted country.
“My impression was obviously he believed in the country,” said Rose Ramirez-Latham, who exchanged e-mails with Alexeev through the Soldiers Angel Network, an organization that connects people fighting overseas with concerned people back home. “He was fighting for a cause.”
Alexeev, 23, of Wilmington, Calif., was killed May 28, 2007, by a bomb blast in Abu Sayda. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
“He was a good guy, really smart,” said longtime friend Dan Corbei. “He was a really sharp kid who made the most of everything.”
For fun, the two would go clubbing and listen to music. “He loved online gaming, techno music and working with computers,” Corbei said.
Ramirez-Latham would offer to send him gifts, but Alexeev was shy about accepting them.
“I asked him what he needed. He said he felt awkward asking for things. I e-mailed him back saying, ‘Don’t feel bad. I’m going to send you something.’ ”
Army Sgt. Brian D. Ardron was a specialist in demolition, relishing the chance to deactivate bombs.
“When he got out of the Army, he was going to join the police force and be with the bomb squad,” said his stepmother, Betty Ardron. “That’s how much he loved his job.”
Ardron, 32, of Acworth, Ga., was killed May 21, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska, and was on his third tour.
Nine years ago, Ardron was in his mid-20s with a GED and had run through a series of unsatisfying jobs.
He told his mother during a Thanksgiving 1998 visit to her home in South Carolina: “I made up my mind. I’ve joined the Army.”
Surprised and a little concerned, Deborah Ardron asked her son whether he planned to make a career of the military. There was no war at the time and the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks hadn’t happened yet. He told her he planned to stay in the Army “unless it stops being fun,” she said.
He also is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their son, B.J.
“He told us he would rather be over there fighting them than them over here fighting us,” Betty Ardron said. “And he was doing what he loved. He loved his job.”
Army 1st Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich joined ROTC in college but was taken out because he had asthma. He didn’t let that slow him down.
After graduating from Boston University in 2003 with a degree in communications, Bacevich worked in politics, first as an intern for the late Republican Sen. Strom Thurmond and later as a legislative aide to then-Gov. Mitt Romney.
When the asthma restriction was relaxed by the military, Bacevich attended officer training in 2005.
“He was driven by a desire to serve, first as part of our team and then as a member of the military. His loss is a deep personal loss for me and for all of those who knew him,” Romney said.
Bacevich, 27, of Walpole, Mass., was killed by a roadside bomb May 13, 2007, while on combat patrol in Salah Ad Din province. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
A soccer player and a runner, he ran marathons in Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. During his first Boston Marathon, he ran the race in 3:35 without doing any heavy training.
His father, BU professor Andrew J. Bacevich, has been a persistent critic of the Iraq war.
“They loved each other very much,” said a sister, Jennifer Bacevich.
He also is survived by his mother, Nancy.
When he became a volunteer firefighter six years ago, Army Pvt. William L. Bailey III wanted to make sure of one thing: That it would be OK to bring his kids by the station to see the firetrucks.
“He just loved his family and worked hard for them,” said Paul Prewitt, a member of the Fire Department. “He had a lot of integrity and was a real stand-up guy. He would go out of his way for his friends. He will be missed.”
Bailey, 29, of Bellevue, Neb., died May 26, 2007, in Taji of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb. He was assigned to O’Neill, Neb.
The firefighters recalled times during training when Bailey would take James Adams’ sunglasses and the two would swap seats to confuse the teacher, who thought they looked similar.
And they smiled every time someone mentioned Bailey’s two hobbies: hunting and motorcycle riding.
Pete Lenagh enjoyed every minute he and Bailey were together, maybe because of Bailey’s daily approach to life. “He was always there for you,” Lenagh said. “It was his calling to come out and help everybody, and that is why he went to Iraq.”
Bailey is survived by his wife, Deanna, and five children.
Army Pfc. Matthew E. Bay lis‘ older brother, Marc, said his family tried to talk Matthew out of joining the Army three years ago, knowing that he would be sent to Iraq.
“My reaction was: Why? What are you doing?” Marc Baylis said. “But Matthew was the type of kid that, once he made up his mind, he has to do it.”
Baylis, 20, of Oakdale, N.Y., was killed May 31, 2007, by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Carson.
He watched the Military Channel and the History Channel. He was fascinated by swords.
On the website Facebook, he described himself, with apparent pride, as a “grunt.”
“Even when he was a little boy, he always played Army,” said his mother, Laurie Baylis. “We couldn’t convince him to do anything else.”
His girlfriend, Lisa Laura, shared a birthday with the man she had been dating for more than three years. Baylis had sent her a ring for their birthday May 21, 2007. “It was a promise ring,” she said.
“He was not only gorgeous, he was a heartthrob with the girls,” said his aunt, Wendy Farrell Mele.
He also is survived by his father, Richard Baylis.
Army Pfc. Matthew A. Bean loved the outdoors and a multitude of sports.
Snowboarding, wakeboarding, judo, soccer and football still left him time to play the guitar.
“He was a pretty funny guy; he’d always crack jokes, lighten the mood,” said his brother, Timothy. “I was looking forward to him coming home and being able to spend time just hanging out and getting back to normal.”
Bean, 22, of Pembroke, Mass., died May 31, 2007, at the National Naval Medical Center of wounds suffered May 19 in Lutifiyah when he was hit by a sniper. He was assigned to Fort Drum, N.Y.
He spent a semester in college studying agriculture and worked in landscaping. He got his first job when he was a sophomore in high school to save money for a pickup. He worked for the Pembroke landscaper Down to Earth.
He graduated high school in 2003, and principal Richard Kelley said Bean had a “real gift” for horticulture, attaining straight A’s in the subject.
“He was a great student and an outstanding human being,” Kelley said. “A really thoughtful person.”
He is survived by his parents, Mary and Shawn Brennan, and Dana and Cheryl Bean.
Army Spec. David W. Behrle was president of the Class of 2005 and gave the speech at his high school graduation three years ago.
“Everyone was wondering how he’d come up with a speech, but he did. He made everyone’s jaw drop with the speech. He just did a great job,” said Nick Yerington, a classmate.
Behrle, 20, of Tipton, Iowa, was killed May 19, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
“He had the best personality; he was laid back and had such a big heart,” said Jeremy Gaunt, a friend. “He’d drop everything and do what he could for his friends and family.”
Behrle was an offensive lineman and a defensive end on the high school football team. He’d also helped coach Mike Wade with his eighth grade American history class, working on the computer and assisting with classroom projects.
“David was a kid who worked hard all the time. It was just, ‘There is a job to do, and here I am,’ ” Wade said.
He is survived by his parents, Dixie Pelzer and John Behrle.
“He always had this mischievous smile, like he was about to do something that he shouldn’t do, but he never did,” school Superintendent Richard Grimoskas said.
Army Spec. Clinton C. Blodgett wanted to enlist but needed his GED first.
He took the practice exam and passed, impressing his coach.
“He was a very sincere young man, very motivated and intelligent,” said Carol Holsapple, a high school director of alternative programs.
“He had a burning desire to be successful. He had traveled down enough roads that he had hit some hard places, but he knew how to deal with them,” she said. “He told me, ‘Mrs. Holsapple, you have helped me to achieve my desire of going into the service.’ ”
Blodgett, 19, of Pekin, Ind., was killed May 26, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany.
His father, Don Blodgett, described his son as “real independent” and sometimes “rowdy,” someone who liked school less than hunting, fishing and driving four-wheelers.
He always stepped up to the plate whenever anybody needed help.
And he wasn’t scared of anything, said Charles “D.J” Blodgett, the soldier’s brother.
He also is survived by his mother, Tesa Jerrell.
Holsapple remembered something else: “He had a smile that was out of this world.”
Gordon Bolar got a call from his son the day of the mass shootings at Virginia Tech.
Having only heard that there was a shooting at a campus in the United States, Army Spec. Matthew T. Bolar called him at his WMUK-FM office on the Western Michigan University campus to make sure he was OK.
“He was always concerned about someone else even though he was in the midst of bloodshed and chaos,” Gordon Bolar said.
Bolar, 24, of Montgomery, Ala., was killed by an explosion May 3, 2007, in Baghdad. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
He had volunteered for a second tour.
“We knew it would be a more dangerous mission,” said his father. “He said, ‘Dad, if I don’t go, someone else with a wife and child, they’re going to have to go.’ That’s what he did, that’s the kind of character he displayed, and I’m very proud of his service to his country.”
Bolar and his dad often spent time together fishing and camping.
Matthew, an avid outdoorsman, almost always came away from those trips with the biggest fish.
He also is survived by his mother, Anne Adkins, and stepfather, Vernon Adkins.
Army Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw was a big fan of martial arts star Chuck Norris. On his MySpace page, when asked to identify his fears and weaknesses, he wrote: “Unlike Chuck Norris, I have none.”
“He was a true friend; he never has let me down. All his intentions throughout his life were good,” said Felipe Ochoa, a friend.
Bradshaw, 21, of San Antonio, was killed by a roadside bomb May 6, 2007, in Baqubah. He earned a GED and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
“He loved ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ ” said his sister, Anna Bradshaw. “The only time he got one wrong was when he forgot to say. ‘What is . . .’ ”
Tony prided himself on being sure he was right.
“He wasn’t a person you wanted to argue with,” said his twin brother, Sgt. Samuel Bradshaw. “Chances are you were wrong.”
The twins had thought about enlisting since childhood, when a grandfather, a retired chief warrant officer, took them to a Fort Bliss, Texas, museum and showed them the Army’s tanks and howitzers.
“He had this aura about him that drew everybody to him,” Staff Sgt. William Rose said.
He is survived by his mother, Ingrid Lee, and father, Jimmy Bradshaw.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Scott J. Brown took it upon himself to create his own outreach project in Iraq, with family members sending him stuffed animals, toys and games that he could hand out to Iraqi youngsters.
“Scott would do anything for anybody, especially when it had to do with kids,” his family said in a statement. “His heart was as big as his dedication to his country.”
Brown, 33, of Windsor, was killed May 18, 2007, by an explosive and small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.
“He lived every day like it was his last day here,” Brown’s former girlfriend Kristen Leedom said. “He lived his life to the fullest.”
Brown was on his third tour of duty in Iraq and had done tours in Afghanistan, Kuwait and Kosovo.
“Scott loved the Army,” said his wife, Delilah. “He was just unbelievable.”
“He was just so humble about it all,” said Debbi Hood, his sister. “We’d ask him about his medals, and he’d just say, ‘Yeah, I got this and that,’ and that would be about it.”
Brown, who had been in the Army since 1998, also is survived by a son, Taylor, and stepdaughters, Vicki and Cassie.
Family members described Army Staff Sgt. Steve Butcher Jr. as a loyal, loving and caring man who led by example.
“My son often told me about his concern for his men,” said his father, Steve Butcher Sr. “He told me he’d do anything to keep them safe — that he’d bend the rules to protect them.”
Butcher, 27, of Penfield, N.Y., was killed May 23, 2007, in Ramadi. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Stewart, Ga.
He was on his third tour.
Fellow soldiers described him as the “go-to guy” to settle debates, diffuse arguments and repair just about any broken item.
Liza Voos said her big brother took her to his senior ball instead of his girlfriend. As a child, she often sneaked into her brother’s room and begged him to read her a bedtime story, and he’d always make one up especially for her.
“Steve was more than my brother; he was my best friend,” said Angela Butcher, another sister. “He wasn’t perfect, but he tried harder than any man I know.”
He also is survived by his mother, Dianna.
“My son frequently referred to me as being his hero,” said his father. “But the truth is known by the whole country — he is the hero.”
Described as a “wild and crazy” teenager, Army Pfc. Daniel P. Cagle became mischievous in high school, attending several schools before finishing in Mexico, in a tough program for teens with behavioral issues.
“He was very, very intelligent. He always was a little bit of a challenge for the teachers,” said his mother, Gail Johnson-Roth.
So she was surprised when the freewheeling teen decided to join the Army.
Soon, he decided he wanted to make it his life. “He found his rhythm in the military,” his mother said. “He loved the Army.”
Cagle, 22, of Carson, Calif., died May 23, 2007, in a helicopter over Balad on his way to a hospital after a roadside bomb blast in Ramadi. He was assigned to Fort Stewart, Ga.
He liked surfing at 26th Street in Manhattan Beach; music by Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, Sublime and “anything with good guitar licks”; the movies “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Anchorman”; the works of historian Stephen Ambrose; and “The Simpsons.”
“He was so proud to be a soldier,” said friend Alex Avila.
“He found something that he could do. He did it well. If I was in Iraq, I would love to be under his command.”
Army Spec. Mark R.C. Caguioa‘s fiancee, Megan McComms, said she never saw herself dating an enlisted man.
But Caguioa was different: He gave her the gift of sunsets.
“He taught me how to appreciate the sunset at my family’s Texas home,” she said. “I took it for granted before, since I grew up seeing it every day. But he showed me how romantic it actually is. I’ll never look at the Texas sunset the same way again.”
Caguioa, 21, of Stockton, Calif., died May 24, 2007, at the National Naval Medical Center of wounds suffered May 4 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
He graduated from high school in 2002 and joined the Army in 2005 while at San Joaquin Delta College. He worked as a sushi chef at Shomi before enlisting.
President Bush met with Caguioa’s grieving family at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., over Memorial Day weekend 2007.
Caguioa’s parents were immigrants from the Philippines. He collected comic books, liked cars and mastered the video game “Mortal Kombat.”
He is survived by his mother, Maria “Lulay” Climaco, and stepfather, Roger Rodrigo.
Army Cpl. Ryan D. Collins was supposed to have come home on leave earlier but gave up his time so a fellow soldier could come home to see his new baby. Jay Hanley, minister of the church where Ryan and his family attended, said that was the kind of person he was.
“Ryan loved the Army and planned to make a career of it,” Hanley said. He remembered when Ryan joined up, he didn’t tell his parents what he was doing until he had already enlisted. “When he decided to do something, he went full steam ahead,” Hanley said.
Collins, 20, of Vernon, Texas, died May 19, 2007, in Hamiyah after being wounded the day before by small-arms fire. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
Jameson Hanley said Ryan always put others before himself and always made others feel good about being around him. He recalled the time when Ryan was home on leave while stationed in Alaska.
“It was my birthday, and he took time to spend with me and take me out to Wal-Mart and get me a gift card,” he said.
The former basketball and football player is survived by his parents, Danita and David Logsdon, and Lynn Collins.
Army Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr., known as “Tiger,” had done something special with each of his three children while he was on leave, including taking his teenage daughter, Courtney, to get a pedicure — and even getting one himself.
“That’s some kind of man,” said the Rev. Tom Byrge. “Tiger taught his children, all around him, by example.”
Connell, 40, of Lake City, Tenn., was killed May 12, 2007, in Taqa while on patrol. He was a 1984 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Drum, N.Y.
Since joining the Army 18 years ago, Connell visited 42 states and 13 different countries.
“I am more proud of him than anyone could know,” said his mother, Wendy Thomp son.
In addition to the pedicure, he took his oldest son, Nick, horseback riding in the Smokies. He took Bryan, to Knoxville Center and to a movie.
Before he left on his second tour, Connell was an assistant coach for the Watertown Red and Black, a semi-pro football team.
He was nicknamed “Tiger” by his grandfather because of the growling noises he made as a baby.
He also is survived by a stepdaughter, Ashley Meyer.
Army Sgt. Maj. Bradly D. Conner was a career soldier who was gung-ho about serving yet modest about his many awards.
“I think he considered himself a warrior,” said his wife, Cynthia. “And so did the rest of us. We thought he was invincible.”
Conner, 41, of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, was killed May 9, 2007, by a roadside bomb near Hillah. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash., and was on his fourth deployment to Iraq.
“He’s one of those guys where I could say I was his best friend, but everybody would probably say he’s their best friend,” David Roberts said.
Conner participated in ROTC in high school, where he graduated in 1984. He briefly attended the University of Idaho, then transferred to North Idaho College.
Conner studied math and engineering and thought about becoming a teacher. But when his money ran out, he enlisted in the Army in June 1987.
His father, William Conner, said his son had been working to restore a 1969 Firebird, which was almost completed.
“All but the back seat, inside and out,” he said. “It’s an amazing thing.”
He also is survived by three children: Aaron, Katherine and Rachel.
Whenever people came to Army Spec. Michael W. Davis with a problem, he’d say, “How are we going to handle this?”
“He could figure anything out if he just wanted to, if he just tried,” said Matt Sustaita, a longtime friend, whether it was a math problem or auto repair. “He had a way of explaining things to people that made it seem so easy, even the most complicated things.”
Davis, 22, of San Marcos, Texas, was killed by a roadside bomb May 21, 2007, in Baghdad. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
“He was one of the most incredible people I ever got the chance to know,” said Sustaita. “He was the kind of guy people looked up to.”
Davis wasn’t the best trombone player in his high school marching band, but his personality was such that his mere presence “made the whole section considered cool,” said longtime friend Ben Stout.
“He went over to the war like he goes everywhere, to bring a little bit of peace and love and serenity to the area around him,” Stout said. “He never went over to Iraq to kill people. He chose to go over there and he knew the risks.”
He is survived by his wife, Taryn.
When he was 18, and right after he committed to serving in the military, Army Pfc. Robert H. Dembowski gave a speech at a ceremony to honor men who served in World War II. He spoke about service, courage and commitment to an affected audience.
“He was absolutely amazing,” said Bernadette Heenan, a school board member who saw the speech. “He touched so many of those World War II veterans.”
Dembowski, 20, of Ivyland, Pa., was killed May 24, 2007, by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.
In a statement, Dembow ski’s family said he “always wanted to serve his country and help people since he was 5 or 6 years old. He loved the stories his Army veteran grandfather told him.”
Dembowski loved the outdoors and used his imagination to build things. One of his goals was to build a log cabin when he returned from the service.
“He loved telling stories and making people laugh. Bobbie loved the Iraqi children and asked that people send candy for him to hand out,” his family said.
He is survived by his parents, Robert Sr. and Frances.
Army Spec. Robert J. Dixon grew up in foster care. Ilene Dixon said she and her husband, Daniel, were charmed by the shy, soft-spoken boy who seemed to have such a big heart.
“He was very good at home, but would act out at school. He was acting out because he had been abandoned so many times in his life,” said Ilene Dixon, who adopted him. “I think he became so dedicated, so loving to his family because of that.”
Dixon, 27, of Gladwin, Minn., was killed by a roadside bomb May 6, 2007, in Baghdad. He was a 1998 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.
He excelled in sports — playing football as a running back and setting the school track record for the 100-meter dash.
Dixon’s wife, Rusty Rose-Dixon, said his troops “loved him and they hated him, because he was so confident and so cocky, but he got the job done.”
He also is survived by sons Logan and Michael, both from a previous marriage.
Rose-Dixon said the last word she got from him was a text message he sent before he went out on patrol. He told her that her hair — which she was getting done — would look great. “I love you. I have to go to work now,” he wrote.
In 2002, Army Sgt. Allen J. Dunckley enlisted in the Marines, motivated by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
He was sent to Iraq during the opening months of the war. After completing his four-year contract, he signed up with the Army, upset he had left his comrades.
“Most people view love as a word or emotion, I view love as an act of commitment,” he wrote on his blog. “My act of love is my service in the military protecting and preserving all the things I believe in most, so that my children, family, and friends can enjoy true freedom.”
Dunckley, 25, of Yardley, Pa., was killed May 14, 2007, in Salman Pak, near Baghdad, by small-arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Stewart, Ga., and was on his second tour.
He was athletic, earning a black belt in karate, studying fencing and dabbling in kickboxing.
He is survived by his children Joshua and Hannah, and wife, Jennifer.
For their first date, Dunckley chartered a private plane to fly over New York City, which she had never visited.
“He was my renaissance man,” said his wife. “That’s what I called him all the time because everything he did, he did well.”
Nineteen years of service was enough for Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert E. Dunham, and he was thinking of retiring from the Army to spend more time with his family.
“He said in today’s fast-paced society, people are so busy that they risk neglecting their family, and he wanted to make sure he didn’t do that,” said his brother, Charles Dunham. “He gave it his all. He was proud of that.”
Dunham, 36, of Baltimore, was killed May 24, 2007, by an explosion in Baghdad. He was a 1988 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.
He was an honors student who loved playing basketball in community leagues. He studied industrial electronics and was stationed in Germany, Kansas and Arkansas before his family settled in Georgia.
He served in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, in Bosnia and in Somalia and had received Special Forces training before his latest tour in Iraq.
He also served as a minister of music for churches wherever he was stationed. He was a skilled piano and organ player and directed his church choir.
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and five sons.
Army Sgt. Clayton G. Dunn II was runner — a track star in high school and a cross-country competitor in college. His friend Buddy Rogers said Dunn energized him.
“He inspired me to keep running. I wanted to quit so many times,” said Rogers, who holds the 800-meter Citrus Belt League record. “If it weren’t for him, I never would have run that race.”
Dunn, 22, of Moreno Valley, Calif., was killed May 26, 2007, by an explosion in Salahuddin province. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.
During his senior year at Rialto High School in 2003, he set the Division I Citrus Belt League record in the 1,600-meter race.
Dunn, described as a quiet, polite student, was on the cross-country team while attending San Bernardino Valley College.
“The other kids respected him,” Albert said. “He motivated his teammates to work hard in practice, and they were friends outside of practice. He was an all-around good person, and he will be deeply missed.”
He is survived by his wife, Haidy, and daughter, Grace.
Army Pfc. William A. Farrar Jr. took every opportunity he could to get outside the wire.
“The minute someone came up sick or tired before a mission he would be there knocking on a sergeant’s door asking if he could fill their place. That was just Farrar,” said Sgt. Jesse Hernandez.
Farrar, 20, of Redlands, Calif., was killed by a roadside bomb May 11, 2007, in Iskandariyah. He was assigned to Darm stadt, Germany.
Farrar, the youngest soldier in his platoon, joined the Army soon after graduating high school in 2005.
“He even liked the military food,” said his father, Tony Farrar Sr.
Hernandez called Farrar a hero, but said his former soldier never believed he was one. “He would shake his head and say, ‘I was only doing my job.’ ”
His stepmother, Cathy Farrar, said he would play games with his twin sisters and draw cartoons for them even though he was much older. He also enjoyed computer games and paintball.
“He never complained about anything,” Tony Farrar Sr. said. “He just wasn’t that type of kid.”
He also is survived by his mother, Sally Bors.
In Afghanistan Air Force Lt. Col. Glade L. Felix helped treat sick and injured detainees. In Qatar, he was helping care for American casualties.
“They called him ‘the old man”‘ because he was so much older than the rest of them, said Jan Felix, his older brother.
Felix, 52, of Lake Park, Ga., died June 11, 2007, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, of heart complications. He was assigned to Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University at Provo and a master’s in physical therapy from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia. He entered the United States Air Force in 1976 and served 31 years in both active and reserve duty.
He spent many years working as a physical therapist in Valdosta, where he was also a community soccer coach, a scoutmaster, and taught Sunday school. He also was an avid golfer.
He also is survived by his wife, Cathie, and children: Chris, Leo, Chelsea, Jim, Katie and Sean.
Chris Felix said he was more than his father.
“When I was able to come home, we’d hang out together,” he said. “He wasn’t just my father. He was also my friend.”
Army Cpl. Llythaniele Fender , was nicknamed “Sporto” and would give Pop-Tarts to Iraqi children, buying several cases of the pastries when they ran out.
“Sporto could only be described as a young man with heart,” said Pastor Arley Ellingson.
Fender, 21, of Onawa, Wash., was killed June 10, 2007, in Karbala by an explosive. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
Jeremy Brayden was the young soldier’s government teacher.
“Llythaniele was a quiet kid, very well-mannered. He was very well put together in the way he carried himself,” he said.
Shannon Paseka, who graduated with Fender, said he would offer encouragement to fellow students in art class, and was always willing to lend a hand when it was time to clean up.
“He was never a negative person,” Paseka said.
Spec. Matthew Weyant left this remembrance on Fender’s MySpace page: “You were more than a fellow soldier to me, and more than a friend, you were my brother. I was always thinking about you since the last time I saw you in Kuwait. Now I will think of you for the rest of my life.”
He is survived by his parents, Ellen and Tom Fender.
Ken Kuper said he’s still in shock with the loss of his friend and cousin-in-law, Army Pfc. John D. Flores, who would never hesitate to assist anyone in need.
“There will be no nicer person than John Flores,” Kuper said. “He was the most respectful, the most generous, appreciative person that I personally have ever known.”
Flores, 21, of Barrigada, Guam, was killed May 3, 2007, by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany.
“He loved Spam and rice,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew W. Colleary. “When everyone else was in the mess hall, he’d be in the motor pool cooking Spam and rice. For him there was no better meal.”
He is survived by his wife, Charlene and their daughter Chloe.
Flores had joined the Army to eventually relocate his young family and purchase a home in the States, his mother-in-law, Cindy Kazuo, said.
“It’s so overwhelming for her right now, but she’s trying really hard to cope,” Kazuo said. “He was such a fine man; very attentive to his wife and his family.
“I’m very proud to say that he was very respectful to myself and my family. You don’t really find that a lot in a son-in-law,” she said. “He will be very, very missed.”
At 36, Army Spec. Michael K. Frank was inevitably called “Grandpa” by his younger fellow soldiers — but he also was valued for his advice.
“If anyone ever had personal problems, Frank was always the guy to sit down and talk things over with,” said Spec. Andrew Baker, his former roommate.
Frank, of Great Falls, Mont., was killed by a roadside bomb May 10, 2007, in Baghdad. He was a 1998 graduate of the University of Cincinnati and was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.
In high school, he ran the 400 and 800 meters for the track team. He also represented his school in the yearly South Dakota Knowledge Bowl twice.
After a four-year Army stint, he worked for a large private investigations company and then ran an Italian restaurant. But when the Iraq war started, he began to get restless, and decided that his place was back in the Army.
“I’ve got this training, and I’ve got to do my part,” he told his father, Timothy. So he enlisted again.
Frank was a master of trivia games and enjoyed playing sports, particularly pickup games of basketball and football.
He also is survived by his mother, Diane.
Army Pfc. Victor M. Fontanilla was deployed to Iraq in October and regularly communicated online with his wife, Noel Mokuahi.
“Hey baby, just got off shift,” Fontanilla wrote to Mokuahi on the family’s My Space. “Really tired, but I just wanted to say hi and I love you!”
Fontanilla, 23, of Stockton, Calif., was killed May 17, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Iskandariya. He was a 2001 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
Family members were surprised when Fontanilla announced almost two years ago that he had decided to enlist. Then again, the move by the strong-willed, independent father and husband seemed to fit his personality.
“He was a self-supporting kid,” said his aunt Lysia Espinosa, who raised Fontanilla at her Stockton home. “He wouldn’t ask for anything.”
Fontanilla’s brother, Lee Castro, described his brother as a multitalented man who could play several musical instruments by ear and easily assemble electronics. He taught Castro to play piano and also enjoyed drawing anime-style cartoons.
He also is survived by a son, Mykal-Christian Kila.
You could tell when Army Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin was home — you could hear it.
“Greg loves to set off firecrackers every time he comes home,” said his father, Ernesto in the northern Illocos Sur province of the Philippines.
Gagarin, 38, of Los Angeles, was killed June 3, 2007, by an explosive in Thania. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
“He was more than a great artilleryman. He disciplined his men and worked with them,” said Brig. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas. “His soldiers believed in him and we all cared deeply for him.”
A 19-year Army veteran, Gagarin served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and was on his third tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed.
“He loved the action,” said Gagarin’s eldest brother, Gary.
“My brother was a good person. He had a kind heart. He loved his family. He never said anything bad about anyone,” said his sister, Aileen Gagarin.
He also is survived by his wife, Elma; son, Troy, 7; and daughter, Natasha, 4.
Army Pfc. Shawn D. Gajdos ‘s desire to assist others less fortunate always shone through. His favorite movie was “Pay it Forward.”
He had a morning ritual of sharing a glass of milk with a cat. He’d take a drink and then give a drink to the feline.
In Iraq, he and another soldier briefly adopted a camel spider, giving it food and shade.
“He’d do anything for anyone,” said Kay Shepard, whose home was like a second one for Gajdos.
Gajdos, 25, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was killed June 6, 2007, in a roadside bombing and artillery attack in Baghdad. He was a 2000 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.
His interests included biking, swimming and climbing mountains.
He recently became addicted to Soduku puzzles but held a long fascination with video and role-playing games.
In Iraq, Gajdos yearned for Andes mints and Trident strawberry-kiwi gum. He was taking online courses from Central Texas College.
“He told us that he never regretted going into the service,” said Shepard. “He told us it was the best decision he ever made.”
He also is survived by his mother, Brenda Richards, and father, Anthony Gajdos.
Army Spec. Carter A. Gamble Jr. had been asked by his wife to choose a name for the baby she was carrying.
“I’d sent him the ultrasounds,” said Peggy Boling Gamble. “He was so excited when he found out we were having a little boy.”
Gamble, 24, of Seymour, Ind., was killed June 24, 2007, in Duraiya from small-arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga., and was on his second tour.
“After being out awhile and growing up some more, he figured out that it was for him,” said his aunt, Angie Lahrman. “He was making plans for a military career.”
Gamble’s first tour of duty was a rough time in part because his mother had just died and a fire destroyed his unit’s tents and uniforms in Iraq.
Still, he went back.
“Oh, he had butterflies,” his wife said. “But he wasn’t really afraid of getting hurt. He was more excited about making money and plans for our future. We’d even talked about taking the kids to Walt Disney World during his R & R.”
His wife has twin sons from a previous relationship — Skyler and Dallas, 7. And the Gambles have a daughter, 2-year-old Deborah.
She has decided to name their baby boy after her husband.
Though their military schedules and assignments conflicted, brothers Sean and Army Spec. Joseph A. Gilmore tried to talk once a month.
“He was ready to come home and see his family. It was rough out there,” said Sean Gilmore, an Alabama National Guard member, recalling the last chat with his brother.
Joseph Gilmore, 26, of Webster, Fla., was killed May 19,2007, when a bomb exploded near his vehicle in western Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
“He’s a hero, and I hope to someday be the man he was,” his younger brother said. “Everything he did was for somebody else.”
One of seven boys, Joseph Gilmore was born and reared in Hartford, Ala., but relocated after high school to Bushnell, Fla., where he lived with his grandmother, Bonnie Clinton.
Sean Gilmore, an Alabama Guard member, said his brother enlisted to make a better life for his family, which included two children.
“That was his No. 1 concern,” he said. “He loved his kids.”
He also is survived by his wife, Eve.
Remembered by his boss as “the best NCO I’ve ever met,” Army Sgt. Felix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta was an expert on Humvees and Bradley vehicles, having memorized schematic details.
Gonzalez-Iraheta, 25, of Sun Valley, Calif., was killed May 3, 2007, by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was on his second deployment and was assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany.
Gonzalez-Iraheta’s sister-in-law told Lt. Col. Robert Whittle, rear detachment commander in Schweinfurt, that his family knew he was a hero long before he entered the Army, having saved his younger brother from drowning while on a childhood camping trip.
Born in El Salvador, Gonzalez-Iraheta had acquired U.S. citizenship while with his unit, becoming naturalized in April 2006. He also previously served in Vilseck, Germany, during his nine-plus years as a soldier.
He is survived by his wife, Janet, daughters Celina and Annabel, mother Christine Wertz and mother-in-law Cindy Kazuo.
“Felix will be remembered for his selfless patriotism in the face of ultimate danger. Maria and I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fellow soldiers,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
Army Spec. Zachary A. Grass was a guard for his high school basketball team, and was known for doing whatever he could to help the close-knit team win.
“He was a great personality,” basketball coach Matt Kramer recalled. “Sometimes, younger kids have a hard time relating to their elder coaches, but Zach was personable. He always had a smile and a joke at the right time. He was a great kid to have in the locker room.”
Grass, 22, of Beach City, Ohio, was killed June 16, 2007, when his vehicle hit by bomb in Rashidiyah. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
“This is a kid who was a natural-born leader among his peers,” said Larry Chambliss, his former principal.
He also pitched and played third base for the baseball team.
“He was a kid always willing to do whatever it took to help the team, a pretty selfless kid,” said Kramer.
He is survived by his parents, Frank and Patti.
Grass called them “Madre and Padre” since studying Spanish in school.
Before he left for Iraq, he assured his mother that everything would be fine.
“He said, ‘Madre, it’s just my job I have to do and it will be OK. I’ll be fine.”‘
On his MySpace page, Army Spec. Kelly B. Grothe discussed his dreams of someday traveling to Germany and of his desire to go to college.
The posting also includes answers to such questions as his favorite type of pizza (pineapple), his fears (heights) and the type of shoes he puts on each morning (desert combat boots).
Grothe, 21, of Spokane, Wash., was killed May 3, 2007, by an explosive in Ramadi. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Hayden Lake, Idaho.
“He was fun, loving, caring, full of life and had a huge heart.
We are all deeply saddened by losing such a fine young man, son, brother and friend but know he is now in a better place,” wrote his family.
“Kelly was an awesome young man, son, brother, friend and soldier, a true American hero,” Al and Frankie Taylor Fisher, family friends, wrote on an online memorial.
Among the many questions on his Web page, Grothe posted an answer to the question of how he would want to die. “Well, I don’t really want to,” he wrote, “but I guess if I have to, I want to go really, really quick.”
He is survived by his parents, Brian and Jan.
