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.
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; and daughter, Natasha.
Army Pfc. Shawn D. Gajdos‘ 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 sudoku 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 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. And the Gambles have a daughter, Deborah. His wife has decided to name their baby boy after her husband.
Golf coach Steve Randgaard said Army Pfc. Anthony D. Hebert was an excellent golfer, was very coachable and took a keen interest in helping the younger players on the team.
“He had a really good work ethic,” Randgaard said. “When he was determined to do something, he would go to it. He was just a quality, classy kid. It’s a tough loss.”
Hebert, 19, of Lake City, Minn., was killed by a bomb blast June 21, 2007, in Baghdad. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany.
While finishing his senior year, Hebert was excited about the benefits and opportunities he would encounter in the military. He was passionate about becoming a part of the Airborne unit in Iraq.
But, a teammate of Hebert’s remembers his guidance the most.
“I met him when I was in eighth grade,” Spencer Halder said. “He was easy to follow as a leader and was positive about everything.”
Halder played on the golf team that just took fourth place in the state high school golf tournament. Halder also placed ninth as an individual.
“Tony would have been proud of that,” Randgaard said.
He is survived by his parents, Robert and Laurie.
Army Spec. Adam G. Herold was remembered for his sacrifice and called a “peacemaker” in death.
“Oftentimes, when there is war, the soldiers sent to it are called peacemakers. It may seem like a contradiction, but making peace by subduing violence was indeed Adam’s calling,” said the Rev. Michael Gutgsell.
Herold, 23, of Omaha, was killed June 10, 2007, in Karbala by an explosive. He was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
He was fond of playing in camouflage as a boy, leading his friends to call him “Rambo.”
He earned a high school equivalency certificate and joined the Job Corps in Utah to learn a trade.
He thought the Army was the best way to pay for a college education, said his father, Lance Herold.
“If Adam decided to do something, he was just going to do it,” his father said. “He knew he would succeed.”
Dave Ogden, a friend of the family, said he’d known Adam since the young man was born. “Just a wonderful kid, cheerful and it’s just going to be impossible to fill this hole in everybody’s lives,” Ogden said.
He also is survived by his mother, Debbie Herold.
Army Pfc. Charles B. Hester was crying so hard in the delivery room when his daughter Elizabeth was born, he couldn’t see to cut the umbilical cord.
“She had her daddy wrapped around her little finger,” Lt. Col. Chris Cieply said. “He wanted to come home and have more babies and wanted them all to be girls.”
Hester, 23, of Cataldo, Idaho, died May 26, 2007, when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
Cpl. Tim Tate said Hester had become proficient at driving the eight-wheeled, all-wheel drive combat vehicles. “Not everybody can get up into a huge vehicle like that and be good,” he said.
Hester was an avid guitar player and once made the pilgrimage to Jimi Hendrix’s grave, where he buried a guitar pick.
“Hester loved the oldies,” recalled his former squad leader, Staff Sgt. Chess Johnson. “I could never come up with a song that he couldn’t come up with the lyrics, perfectly.”
And when the boys in the back of the Stryker mangled a tune, “he was never shy about correcting us. His voice would come over the squawk box and tell us how to sing the song.”
Hester also is survived by his wife, Roxanne Slate.
Army Sgt. Andrew J. Higgin‘s family remembers his wit and his can-do spirit.
“He’s the reason why I finished chemistry in junior college,” said his wife Rachel, “because he told me, ‘Don’t ever quit, even when it’s hard.’ ”
Higgins, 28, of Hayward, Calif., was killed June 5, 2007, in Baqubah by small-arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash., and was on his second tour.
“He was a good man,” said his mother, Cheryl. “If he gave you his word, he kept it.”
He spent two years in the reserves, then signed up for the regular Army, eventually becoming a paratrooper and joining the elite Ranger corps. He also did a tour in Afghanistan.
“He was one of these perfect kids,” said Arnie Becker, a longtime friend of the family who had known Higgins since birth. “He did everything right except for getting into college, which was what his parents had hoped for.”
He was supposed to be the next in line to carry on the family name. The Higginses say their first ancestor landed in New England in 1693.
“He was the only child of an only child of an only child,” said his father, Jerry Higgins.
Army Pfc. Cory F. Hiltz‘s father remembers Cory watching a nature show on television when he was a young boy. When a small animal was attacked by a larger one, he began to cry.
“He said, ‘Dad, why is he hurting him? He didn’t do anything,’ ” said his father, Wayne. “We wondered what he would come back like and he came back with a bigger heart than before. He wasn’t jaded by the war.”
Hiltz, 20, of La Verne, Calif., was killed June 28, 2007, when a bomb exploded in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Carson and attended Citrus College before joining the Army in February 2006.
On May 30, 2007, his parents picked him up at the airport.
“Deep into the drive home there was a quiet period and I looked over and saw he was smiling,” his father said. “I said ‘What’s that for?’ And he said, ‘I love living in U.S.’ ”
When he was about to return to Iraq, Cory and his father talked about the war.
“He was not happy about it, but he said ‘Dad, I made a commitment to my country. I don’t want to go back. But I made a commitment and I’m going to fulfill my obligation.’ Ten days later he was dead.”
Hiltz also is survived by his mother, Debra.
Friends of Army Spec. Josiah W. Hollopeter remembered him as a rebel with a willingness to mix it up — but not about friendships.
“Joe was a very loyal person,” said Chad Coleman. “When you make friends with him, you’d be a friend no matter what.”
Hollopeter, 27, of San Diego, was killed June 14, 2007, by small-arms fire in Muqdadiyah. He was raised in Valentine, Neb., graduated from high school in 1998 and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
Before enlisting, he worked construction jobs in Omaha and San Diego. He also spent many summers working for a canoe outfitter along the Niobrara River.
“I’ve had friends besides Joe,” said Gabe Olson, “but I never met anybody like him. He was intense. Always did stuff to the extreme. Kind of like every day was his last day.”
He was rejected twice from the Army because of extensive tattoos. But with the help of a determined recruiter, Hollopeter was accepted.
“His goal through high school was to be the toughest kid in town,” Ken Hollopeter said of his son, “but he was still the softest-hearted kid you’d want to be around.”
He is survived by his wife, Heather.
Army Sgt. Bruce E. Horner‘s family said he was known more for his musical talents than anything, appearing in a school play and singing in various school groups.
“He loved to sing. He loved to laugh, and he loved to get together to tell stories,” said Douglas Horner, his brother. “That’s the type of person he was.”
Horner, 43, of Newport News, Va., was killed June 1, 2007, in Baghdad by a sniper. He was a 1982 high school graduate and was assigned to Fliegerhorst, Germany.
Horner’s two favorite places were the church and the gym.
He and his wife, Erin, were fond of biking and running and attended church together.
“He had this almost glow about him,” said his mother-in-law, Sandra McDaniel. He “loved people, and he loved helping people.”
Once, he delivered Christmas presents to an immigrant couple and then launched into a chorus of “Feliz Navidad.” The couple had arrived from Korea and scarcely knew English, let alone Spanish.
But Horner’s intent was clear.
One Christmas, when Horner and his wife were low on cash, they gave friends certificates redeemable for babysitting hours.
Army Sgt. Joel A. House‘s humor was on display when he was home in March 2007.
He wore a gray long-sleeved T-shirt that bore a cartoon drawing of a soldier in camouflage standing next to a Humvee. The yellow lettering read, “Who’s your Baghdaddy?”
House, 22, of Lee, Maine, was killed June 23, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Taji. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. He was on his second tour.
House grew up hunting and fishing in the woods around his home.
He played soccer, baseball and basketball in high school and was known among his friends for his guitar playing.
After his military service, Joel hoped go to school to become a game warden, said Deanna House, his mother. He also is survived by his father, Paul House.
House suffered shrapnel wounds to his head and chest when a suicide attacker exploded a bomb at his barracks in March 2007 that left his best friend dead.
He was hospitalized for several days and then returned to duty.
“He was humble and modest,” Deanna House said. “He didn’t like to make a hoo-ha about anything he did. We had to pull it out of him,” she said.
The last time Gary Hubbell said goodbye to his son, Army Staff Sgt. Darren P. Hubbell, he warned him about the danger he was taking by going back to a war zone again.
“I told him, ‘Look, counting the first few, this will be your fourth deployment. The odds are going to run out. I play the odds, the odds are not in your favor.’ And he said, ‘Dad, it’s my job,’ ” the elder Hubbell said.
Hubbell, 38, of Tifton, Ga., was killed by a roadside bomb June 20, 2007, in Baghdad. He was a 1986 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Stewart, Ga.
A 14-year Army veteran and a senior line medic, he had also served tours in Panama and Afghanistan.
He loved to play computer games, was a history buff and enjoyed spending time outside at his fire pit.
Hubbell’s grandfather Clifford Hubbell was a World War II veteran.
“When Darren first went into the Army, my husband wrote to him all the time and always encouraged him,” said his grandmother Marion Hubbell. “And when my husband died, Darren took off his medal and put it in his casket.”
He also is survived by his wife, Dana; a son, Darren P. Hubbell; a daughter, Marina; and stepsons Franklin and Nash Rigdon.
Army Pvt. William C. Johnson always saw himself serving his country in some way, said his father.
“He always talked about going into the military,” Billy Johnson said. “To him, it just felt like something he needed to do.”
Johnson, 22, of Oxford, N.C., was killed June 12, 2007, in Baghdad by an explosive. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.
“He was always smiling, always had a kind word to say, always helpful,” said Cynthia Currin, a family friend. “This is just a tragic loss.”
Billy Johnson said his son — referred to as Chris or Christopher, his middle name — was a kindhearted individual who went out of his way to help others. “He’d do anything for you — if he liked you,” Billy Johnson said.
He was an Antioch volunteer firefighter.
“Anyone that from the age of 15 decides to come down to the local fire department and join, and then after that continue service and fight for the country, I’d call them a hero every day,” said Antioch Fire Capt. Clifton Peace.
He also is survived by his wife, Megan, who was expecting their first child when he died; and a daughter, Christina.
Teacher Jason Foster said Army Sgt. Tyler J. Kritz was shy but friendly.
“He was well-liked. When he did talk, he had a sense of humor,” Foster said. “I think his favorite subject was to be done with high school. He was motivated to be done.”
Kritz, 21, of Eagle River, Wis., was killed June 3, 2007, by an explosive in Thania. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
Foster said Kritz, who was on his second tour, looked forward to leaving Eagle River.
“He wanted to be away at something different. He tried this life and now he wanted to go see what else there was to see.”
Kritz wrote about a love for music and adventure on his MySpace page. “I’m always listening to music; I play bass guitar, or at least try to. I like to try new stuff because consistency is boring. I love to travel and explore even if it’s just walking around town,” he wrote.
He is survived by parents, Joe and Doreen Kritz.
“Tyler was a smart individual. He was quiet but he always had a smile on his face when you’d see him in the hallways,” said Pat Sullivan, his former principal. “He was just a quiet, friendly kid.”
When Ed Bendekgey, a Spanish teacher, needed to lighten the mood in the classroom, he could count on Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics.
Bendekgey would kick Kuglics a straight line and he knew he could count on an answer.
“Even in Spanish,” he said.
Kuglics, 25, of North Canton, Ohio, was killed by a roadside bomb June 5, 2007, in Kirkuk. He was a 2000 high school graduate and was assigned to Lackland Air Force Base, Texs.
He last called his family to say he had received their birthday gifts — a Spider-Man Xbox 360 video game, a bottle of dill pickles and a pepperoni sausage.
“He was a perfect son, and the perfect big brother,” said his mother, Donna.
Kuglics, on his second tour, played soccer in high school and continued to play in the Air Force. He had worked in satellite communications and served in Kuwait and South Korea before Iraq.
He also is survived by his father, Les.
His sister, Emily, said she will not forget her brother’s laugh.
“He could walk into a room and the whole room would be glowing and you just knew he was there,” she said. “Even now, I still hear him laughing.”
Army Spec. Damon G. Le Grand‘s unit arrived in Baqubah in late 2006 to train the Iraqi police force in one of the country’s most troubled provinces.
“I hope we instill in them and their children what it is to fight for freedom, for the ability to have a good life and not have someone dictate everything to you,” LeGrand told an Army journalist.
LeGrand, 27, of Lakeside, Calif., was killed June 12, 2007, during an ambush in Baghdad. He was a 1995 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
“He was looked upon by his fellow soldiers as a mentor, a leader and a brother,” his family said in a statement.
From 2000 to 2002, LeGrand served with the Utah Ogden Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He enlisted in the Army in April 2005 and trained as a military police officer.
He is survived by his wife, Ashley; and daughters, Moira, 2, and Kelsie, a toddler whom he never had the chance to meet.
On his MySpace page, LeGrand described himself as being 6-feet-1 and athletic.
He also wrote that he was a “proud parent” — reflected in images that show him romping with Moira.
Darryl Linder last talked to Army Spec. Darryl W. Linder, his only child, on Father’s Day 2007.
“He said he loved me and he was looking forward to coming home,” said Darryl Linder. “I encouraged him to mail me some pictures and he said, ‘I’ll be home in a few weeks, Dad.’ ”
Linder, 23, of Hickory, N.C., was killed June 19, 2007, in Baqubah by an explosive. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, and was on his second tour.
Linder, who stood 6-feet-4, attracted people with his happy outlook and friendliness, said his grandfather Wardlaw Linder, for whom he was named. He adored baseball, hunting and fishing.
Linder was a stellar athlete, excelling in football and baseball in high school, said his lifelong friend Jeff Fulbright.
He served four years with the Marines, including a tour in Afghanistan, then worked for his father for a year and signed up with the Army, serving in the infantry, as he had in the Marines.
From Iraq, Ward Linder told his parents that the country was “extremely hot,” Darryl Linder said.
“His comment to me was ‘I don’t believe I’m going to be digging footings for a house here.’ ”
He also is survived by a son, Kyle.
Perhaps because he missed his children, Army Staff Sgt. Brian M. Long took a special interest in helping Iraqi children.
Long’s final letter to his mother, Lynn Curtiss, contained a photograph of him handing a teddy bear through a fence to a small girl. A note with the photo said, “See, Mom, I’m trying to help out as much as I can.”
Long, 32, of Burns, Wyo., was killed June 10, 2007, in Baghdad by an explosive. He was a 1993 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Texas. He was on his second tour.
He served four years in the Navy and later joined the Army, where he intended to make a career. He wrestled, rode bulls and liked to ride his motorcycle.
While in the Army, Long revealed his compassionate side. When a friend committed suicide, he spent several days offering help and comfort to the man’s family.
When his mother became too ill to work, Long helped cover the cost of her medication.
“That’s just how he was,” Curtiss said. “I don’t think there was anything that kid wouldn’t do for anybody.”
He is survived by his wife, Brenda Long; daughters, Sydney and Shelby; and son, Sage.
Army Sgt. Jimy M. Malone was very close to his grandmother Ramona Malone.
“Jimy was always bubbly; he was just a live wire. He played GI Joe, and had to have two flashlights at his side when he went up to bed. He was always a peacemaker.”
Malone, 23, of Wills Point, Texas, was killed June 23, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Taji. He was a 2002 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. He was on his second tour.
Malone was the reason his brother Marcus joined the Army.
“I love my country and I love what I do. He loved it so much, it spilled into me. I love my country and my family very much, and my brother taught me to be the best I could be,” he said.
He also is survived by his wife, Leslie, and daughter, Reagan.
When Malone found out Leslie had given birth, he kicked in doors at the base where he served and screamed his announcement, “It’s a girl, and it’s a girl!”
His former assistant principal, Jim Lamb, remembered him fondly.
“When he would be on leave, he’d come in and see us. Jimy’s just one of those kids you loved to be around,” he said. “A great young man, with a great personality. Everybody liked him.”
Ordering flowers for his wife’s birthday was one of Army Cpl. Jonathan A. Markham‘s last acts of love.
“He always ordered flowers early,” Stacey Markham said. “He was frugal. Anything to save money.”
Markham, 22, of Bedford, Texas, was killed May 29, 2007, in Abu Sayda when his vehicle struck an explosive. The 2003 high school graduate was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, and was on his second tour.
Markham, who had served on a burial detail at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, had “an internal drive to be the best, and his competitive spirit was unmatched,” said Capt. Mike A. Punaro.
He loved being a soldier, said his wife, and felt a bond with other soldiers that she could never share.
“They have such a brotherhood,” she said. “They have seen things that we will never understand.”
Before he left for his second tour, he re-enlisted in the Army so he could continue putting his wife through college.
He also saw the birth of his son, Daniel.
“When he got out of the Army, his dream was to be a stay-at-home daddy for a while,” Stacey Markham said. “He spent so much time at work that he really just wanted to be at home with us.”
Army Pvt. Scott A. Miller was a burly country boy who liked hunting and good-natured pranks.
He had a smile that lit up the room and “a heart just as big as Wyoming,” said Janet Dawson, Miller’s senior year English teacher.
“He had great big brown eyes and clear from the back of the room, when his eyes really started sparkling or twinkling, I knew he had thought of something that had to do with good-humored mischief,” said Dawson.
Miller, 20, of Casper, was killed June 9, 2007, in Baqubah by small-arms fire. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.
Miller was a big teddy bear, said his grandmother Mary Harris.
He loved to go on dinner dates with her. When he came home for a visit in March 2007, they went to a Red Lobster.
His smile made an impression on Melissa Henry, who taught Miller’s speech class.
“He always had that little curled up grin, that little mischievous corner of your mouth.”
He also is survived by his parents, Bob and Suzi.
Mitch Hill remembered his friend as a cowboy at heart, who wore Cinch jeans and boots to school everyday. “He pulled off the perfect cowboy,” Hill said.
When Army Pfc. Joshua S. Modgling joined the Army in 2005, his father “was very honored my son grew up, found direction and became a man,” Keith Modgling said. “He went in a pug-nosed little kid and came out a man.”
Modgling, 22, of Las Vegas, was killed June 19, 2007, by a roadside bomb in Muhammad al Ali. He was assigned to Fort Stewart, Ga.
His desire to be a combat engineer was fitting, said his mother, Julie Montano, because since childhood he had a fascination for blowing things up.
He would use baking soda and small explosives to blow tennis balls out of cans.
While in Iraq, Modgling wrote often to his family, asking for goodie bags, particularly his favorite, flaming hot Cheetos with lime.
His grandmother Karen Nelson said he “was an awesome kid” who participated in soccer, basketball, swimming and Little League baseball.
“Josh was very competitive and always hated to lose,” she said. “He put everything into whatever he played.” “I will miss his e-mails and his calls and the way he used to beat me when we played Texas Hold’em. I think I still owe him $5,” Nelson said.
