A military roll call went out, and several soldiers in the crowd answered.
The roll call moved on to “Sgt. Stiles!”
There was no answer. It was repeated.
“Sgt. Jon Stiles!”
Still, no answer. All that could be heard was the weeping of Stiles’ loved ones, who had come to honor the fallen soldier.
More than 100 family members, friends and military comrades gathered at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver Friday to offer their final salute to Stiles, who was killed serving with the National Guard in Afghanistan.
“It’s a difficult time,” said Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General of the Colorado National Guard. “Sgt. Stiles is truly an American hero.”
Stiles, 38, of Highlands Ranch, died in Jalalabad on Nov. 13 when a bomb exploded near his vehicle.
In a similar attack in October, Stiles injured his vocal cords and lungs but managed to help rescue three others who were more severely injured.
During his recovery, he was granted 30 days off but returned to duty early. He had about 100 days left in his current tour of duty.
Today, his wife, Launa, and his father, Lynn Stiles, together held the reins of a horse-drawn wagon that carried Stiles’ flag-draped coffin.
At the beginning of the service, uniformed soldiers stood at attention and saluted as the casket was lifted from the wagon. A bagpiper played “Amazing Grace.”
Prayer was offered, and the roll call ceremony was performed. Seven soldiers fired three volleys into the air to honor Stiles, and smoke and the smell of gun powder wafted through the brisk morning air. A bugler played taps.
Members of the honor guard folded the flag that had covered Stiles casket, and a soldier presented it to his widow. The soldier offered quiet words of gratitude and honor. Flags also were presented to Stiles’ father and his mother, Linda Barnett.
Stiles had a long record of service. He joined the Marine Corps at age 19 and later the Army, serving three years at Fort Carson.
On his latest tour, Stiles was assigned to the Louisiana Army National Guard and served in the 927th Engineer Company in the 769th Engineer Battalion. He was deployed to Afghanistan in March.
Kyle Murphy met Stiles at Metropolitan State College of Denver, where they both were students, and they became friends.
“He was the guy who always said: ‘It’s all good. It’s all good,’ ” Murphy recalled, shaking his head.
Murphy said Stiles liked organizing study groups that would meet at Stiles’ home to pore over textbooks while munching popcorn.
Ryan Vergara-Mangan, a member of the Air National Guard, was among the Metro students who studied with Stiles.
“He was just a great friend,” Vergara-Mangan said. “He died doing what he loved.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
