Air Force Staff Sergeant Scott D Sather, 29

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Col. Vincent Savino, 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group commander, was a guest speaker during the Staff Sgt. Scott D. Sather Memorial ceremony. Colonel Savino first met Sergeant Sather when he was assigned to work for him as a young Airman. "He worked for me as a young hard charging Airman…always striving to be the best," said Colonel Savino. The base is named after Sergeant Sather who was killed in action on April 8, 2003. (U.S. Air Force photo / Airman 1st Class Linzi Joseph)

May 25th, 2010

Birth: March 14, 1980 – Swartz Creek, Michigan

Pfc Meyer was assigned to B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, Ft. Stewart, Georgia. He was killed by a U.S. tank round that blasted through a building at what is now known as Baghdad International Airport, ricocheted off a tank and struck him. Jason graduated from Howell High School in 1999 and went on to do construction but he wanted to get his life in order and serve his country. On October 29, 2001, he joined the Army as a result of the September 11 attacks. His unit deployed to Kuwait on January 13, 2003 and then took part in the invasion of Iraq. The last time family members saw Jason was last Halloween. He had just been issued his Army camouflage outfit and was in good spirits. His last letter to his mother-in-law joked that his trip to Iraq was like being on a beach with no water. His family received their last letter from him March 28, 2003. It was dated March 5, 2003. At the time, his unit was about 30 miles from the Iraq-Kuwait border, waiting for the invasion to begin. In his letter, he described what it was like driving an M113 armored personnel carrier – it was like driving a bulldozer without a blade. Jason loved the outdoors, including hunting, and motorcycle trips. He leaves behind his wife, Melissa.

Jason Michael Meyer Private First Class, United States Army

No. 227-03  IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 9, 2003  DOD IDENTIFIES ARMY CASUALTIES The Department of Defense announced today that Staff Sergeant Robert A. Stever, 36, of Pendleton, Oregon, was killed in action by enemy fire on April 8, 2003, in Iraq. Stever was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. The Department of Defense also announced today that Private First Class Jason M. Meyer, 23, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, was killed in action on April 8, 2003, in Iraq. Meyer as assigned to B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia. The incident remains under investigation. Sunday, December 19, 2004 By Ken Palmer Courtesy of the Flint Journal Some 20 months after his death, Melissa Meyer can finally talk about her husband, Army Private First Class Jason Meyer, without crying. Now she has to worry about his stepbrother, Jonathon Meyer, a military police officer who will go to Iraq about this time next year. "I was doing good with (Jon) being in the Army until we knew he was going to Iraq," said Meyer of Clayton Township. "I'm hoping that in a year's time, things will calm down a little over there." Army Pfc. Jason Meyer, a 1999 graduate of Howell High School, was killed April 7, 2003, in Baghdad. Then just 19, Melissa Meyer became a widow. She moved from Hinesville, Ga., back to the home of her parents - John E. and Connie Arnould - in the Swartz Creek area. Jason lived in Swartz Creek for a time before enlisting in the Army in August 2001. Melissa now works as a secretary for a pilot school at Bishop Airport and is halfway through her sophomore year at the University of Michigan-Flint, where she is majoring in secondary education. All in all, she's doing well, she said. "I'm not angry," she said. "It's not useful to be angry. It doesn't help you any. When Jason left, he knew it was what he wanted to do. He could have gotten out of it. There's nothing to be angry about there." Jason had an injury that could have kept him home, but he chose to go to Iraq, anyway. Melissa Meyer said she hasn't been back to Arlington National Cemetery since her husband's burial last year, but she plans to be there in February for the opening of a new soldiers' exhibit. Jason's father and stepmother, Loren and Deborah Meyer, built a memorial to Jason in their yard in South Bend, Ind. The display includes a sign and a picture of him, Loren Meyer said. "We have pictures of him all over our house," he said. "I want to see him every day." Jonathon Meyer joined the Army National Guard in Indiana and recently completed basic training. His military police unit, based in Fort Carson, Colorado, has been activated to Iraq. "We're very proud of the fact Jonathon has chosen to follow in Jason's footsteps," Deborah Meyer said. "It was kind of hard to see the word 'Meyer' on a uniform. But there's a lot of pride there. And we see the pride Jon is showing and feeling. And that had to be what Jason was feeling." The Meyers said they support the military campaign in Iraq and don't harbor any anger. Courtesy of The Washington Post: Young Soldier, Husband, Son Laid to Rest Private Killed by Friendly Fire Had Just Celebrated His First Wedding Anniversary By Leef Smith Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, April 22, 2003 Army Private First Class Jason M. Meyer, 23, and his wife, Melissa, 20, marked their first wedding anniversary long distance March 30, 2003. He was in Iraq, she was in Georgia. A week later, he was killed by U.S. friendly fire on the outskirts of Baghdad. Yesterday, the couple's family and friends gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the young husband, son and soldier. "Since the Civil War . . . this cemetery has been a place to say goodbye to the nation's heroes," Army chaplain Douglas Fenton told the weeping mourners. "Jason is someone who liked to help people. That is what he was doing near the end. . . . Today we're here to say goodbye to another American hero." Clutching tissues, Melissa Meyer was presented with her husband's Purple Heart and Bronze Star awards. The couple met through a Masonic youth group in Michigan and moved to Fort Stewart, Georgia, where Jason Meyer was based with the Army's 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. The young widow was the first of several family members to approach the casket after the service. She touched her fingers to her lips and then brushed the polished wood. Jason Meyer's mother, Kathleen Worthington, held tight to the U.S. flag presented to her by Army General Robert Griffin and sobbed uncontrollably at the sight of her son's coffin. Worthington had worried that her family would not be able to attend the burial because they couldn't afford the trip to Washington. But last week, according to media reports in Michigan, she was presented with donations totaling more than $2,300 and an offer by U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) to pay for hotel accommodations for the family. In an interview last week with the Associated Press, Worthington said her son's letters and calls from the Middle East were always positive. The last time she heard from him was Valentine's Day, when he telephoned from Kuwait City. He constantly sought to calm her fears, she recalled, adding: "He was always upbeat and happy. He was always a great kid." Meyer graduated from Howell High School in 1999 and worked construction jobs before joining the Army in 2001. He drove an M113 armored personnel carrier. A Pentagon source told The Washington Post that Meyer was killed April 8 by a U.S. tank round that blasted through a building at what is now known as Baghdad International Airport, ricocheted off a tank and struck him. Yesterday, the young soldier was honored with the firing of a rifle salute and the sounding of taps, which brought more tears as its strains echoed across the cemetery under overcast skies. Meyer's stepmother, Deb, knelt beside his casket and draped her arms across it in an emotional, final embrace. 21 April 2003: Members of the Old Guard carry the coffin of Army Pfc. Jason M. Meyer of  Howell, Michigan, at Arlington National Cemetery, Monday April 21, 2003 The parents of Army Private First Class Jason M. Meyer react near the casket  of their son at during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery  on  Monday, April 21, 2003. Meyer was killed April 7 in Iraq Family members of Army Pfc. Jason M. Meyer pause at his casket during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery 17 April 2003: A memorial was held Thursday in Michigan for a Fort Stewart soldier who was killed in Iraq. Army Private First Class Jason M. Meyer died April seventh in Baghdad when the armored personnel carrier he was standing near was hit by mortar fire. Hundreds of people attended a service today for 23-year-old Meyer at a funeral home in Genesee County's Grand Blanc Township, near Flint, Michigan. Meyer's 19-year-old wife, Melissa, says the reality of her husband's death probably won't set in until she sees his body Saturday in Arlington, Virginia. Family members say Jason Meyer will be awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart during a Monday burial ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery. Meyer was assigned to Bravo Company, Eleventh Engineers, Third Infantry Division. 16 April 2003: On Tuesday, Newscenter 16 told the story of a local family who wanted to honor their fallen son, who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The family however, was not only emotionally drained by the loss, but was feeling the drain financially.  So they, and Newscenter 16, ask Michiana to help pay some of the costs associated with their son’s funeral.  What the community is doing to meet this need is truly overwhelming. The Meyer family lost their son, Private Jason Meyers, as he was serving his country overseas. His one request was that he be buried with fellow military men in Arlington National Cemetery. His family is honoring his request, but found out that the government does not help pay for parents travel to the funeral.  So the family made a request to Newscenter 16, and WNDU made a request to the community: help the Meyers with the high cost of traveling to the ceremony on Monday. The news spread quickly across the community, and the community responded just as quickly. Michiana residents responded and answered the call for this family in need. Kevin Redding, of WOAR, said, “[Tuesday] night we saw the Meyer story on the news and just started talking about it [Wednesday] morning and before we knew it people just started calling incessantly just wanting to know how they can donate money…how they can help this family.” There was the same response at the Red Cross, where Jeanette Simon had the good news that the Red Cross was “more than willing and able to take care of their needs immediately to get them there….We would go ahead and make the reservations for the hotel room, two night stay, we would go ahead and purchase the airline tickets and  we would write travel vouchers for food or incidentals while they were out there.” There was also a strong response from the general community. One individual offered to buy the plane tickets, and another offered to get the hotel reservations.  One individual reportedly even said, “Just tell me how much it costs. I’ll write a check.”  A number of other individuals gave what they could to help the family. A memorial fund set up for Jason generated over $2300 in less than 24 hours. Also, a few families are trying to find a dress blue uniform for the soldier's younger brother, who's in the Marine Junior R-O-T-C Program. He wants to give Jason a fitting farewell with the other soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday. The response has his family overjoyed, and very grateful.  His stepmother, Deb Meyer, responded from a memorial mass in Michigan for the fallen soldier, saying, “It’s so wonderful. We're so pleased. We can go out there. We don't have to worry about how we're going to get there or how we're going to make up for what we had to pay to get out there.” The Meyers will travel with the help of the Red Cross and the donations.  They say they'll use the extra donations to set up a scholarship in their son's name.  15 April 2003: Military family asks for help to say goodbye to son Jason, seen in military fatigues, died doing what he wanted to do in life After recently losing their son in the war with Iraq, a South Bend couple is planning to attend his memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.  Like many Americans in their position, financially times are tough and emotionally they are drained. One week ago, Private Jason Meyer died from shrapnel wounds from a mortar tank during crossfire in Baghdad. His family plans to travel to the Arlington National Cemetery for his funeral on Monday but they say financially, times are tough. The Meyers say it's important for their family to see Jason's final resting place. They are asking others in our community to reach out and help them in their time of need. It will help cover their traveling expenses and efforts to set up a memorial in his name. Jason's stepbrother is in the junior ROTC program at Riley High School in South Bend. If the Meyers can find the money, they'll give the teenager a dress blue uniform so he can join the other soldiers for a final, fitting tribute to his brother at Arlington National Cemetery. Deb Meyer, Jason's stepmother, is asking the community to only give whatever is in their hearts. A memorial fund for the Meyer family is set up at the: Teacher's Credit Union in South Bend 110 South Main Street P.O. Box 1395 South Bend, IN 46624 From a press report: 11 April 2003: SOUTH BEND, INDIANA -- The American flag flies at half-staff outside the Greenwood Drive home of Loren and Deb Meyer. It's a subtle symbol of the pain felt inside the home. The couple was notified at 6 a.m. Wednesday that Loren's son and Deb's stepson, Army Private First Class Jason Meyer, was killed Monday, 7 April 2003, in Baghdad. Jason's mother and stepfather, Kathleen and Chris Worthington, live in Howell, Mich. The circumstances of how Meyer, 23, died were still unclear Wednesday afternoon, said Deb Meyer. He apparently was driving an armored personnel carrier when it was struck by a grenade, either fired by Iraqis or possibly from another American vehicle, she said. He is believed to have died of injuries caused by shrapnel from the exploding grenade. "Jason had literally hundreds of friends and relatives this has affected," Deb Meyer said. Loren and Deb Meyer, who have for weeks watched network war coverage, found themselves opening their home to local reporters and television cameras Wednesday. "I had so hoped to catch a glimpse of him," Loren Meyer said of the hours he spent channel surfing the news channels before his son's death. Jason Meyer, who turned 23 on March 14, 2003,joined the Army on October 29, 2001, less than two months after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Deb Meyer said that "9/11 was what finally pushed him over the top and finally made him decide to join. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak." Jason Meyer had been involved in construction for a time after his 1999 graduation from Howell High School but wanted to "get his life in order" and serve his country, she said. "He knew when he enlisted there was a good chance there would be a war and that he'd be involved," Deb Meyer said. "But he wanted to do his part for America; he wanted to be there." He was a member of the 11th Engineering Battalion of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. His unit deployed to Kuwait on January 13, 2003, and then took part in the invasion of Iraq.  Jason Meyer was married March 30, 2002. His widow, the former Melissa Arnould, 20, lives near Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia. Deb Meyer said the last time family members here saw Jason was last Halloween in Howell. He had just been issued his Army camouflage outfit and was in good spirits, she said. She said family members talked to Jason's mother Sunday and were told that he was fine and was temporarily bivouacked at the former Saddam International Airport, which had just been captured by Army units. They received their last letter from him March 28, 2003. It was dated March 5, 2003. At the time, his unit was about 30 miles from the Iraq-Kuwait border, waiting for the invasion to begin. In his last letter home, Jason described what it was like driving an armored personnel carrier. His father is a former heavy-equipment operator. "He said it was like driving a bulldozer without a blade," Deb Meyer recalled. "He kind of grew up around heavy construction equipment." The family grew up in Howell, Michigan, midway between Detroit and Lansing. Loren and Deb and Jason's stepbrothers, Jon and Chris, moved to Michiana three years ago. Loren and Deb worked for Chateau Communities, running the Twin Pines Mobile Home Park in Goshen, for two years. They moved to South Bend's southeast side last May. Jason Meyer loved the outdoors, including hunting, and enjoyed motorcycle trips, his widow said. Mrs. Meyer said family members will honor Jason's wish to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. That will be done after services in Howell. Loren Meyer said he works with an Iraqi-American at Robert Weed Plywood in Bristol and the man recently told him how happy he was that the U.S. was apparently bringing down Saddam Hussein's regime. "He was so happy to be able to go back home." Loren Meyer said. "He felt if he had gone back before this he would have been killed by Saddam for abandoning his country." That conversation between co-workers seems to now bring some peace to a grieving father. "The only thing I want to get across to people is to support the troops and support President Bush," Loren Meyer said. "These young men and women are putting their lives on the line and we need to support them." 9 April 2003: A South Bend man is among the latest to lose a son to the fighting in Iraq. Loren Meyer lost his 23-year-old son, Army Private Jason Meyer, yesterday in a friendly fire incident. While Jason is a native of Howell, Michigan, Meyer's father and stepmother both live in South Bend. Loren and Deb Meyer are natives of Michigan as well but have lived in Michiana for the past three years, first in Goshen and now in South Bend. Strange feeling Last October, just before he left for the Middle East, Jason Meyer made a special trip to visit his family. Loren Meyer says he had a strange feeling about the last time he saw his son. "I always had a gut feeling when we saw him it would be the last. That's been really hard." The personnel carrier driver enlisted in the Army knowing full well he was doing so at a very dangerous time. "He joined October 29th of 2001 just shortly after the 9-11 attack. He was just very proud to be serving his country, " said step mom Deb. "We got word Sunday that his unit was at the airport and the had taken some fire but Jason was okay. Then just 30-hours later, he was gone." Last month, while fighting in the Middle East Jason marked his 24th birthday and his first wedding anniversary. "We know Jason died doing what he wanted to be doing serving his country and we know that he did that proudly. Wore that uniform proudly." Before being sent to the Middle East he was stationed at Fort Stewart Georgia with his 20-year old wife Melissa. Army Private First Class Jason Meyer stands next to a military  vehicle in this recent photo. His name is painted on its side.  Meyer was killed Monday in Baghdad. His father and stepmother,  Loren and Deb Meyer of South Bend, said he died doing what he  loved, serving as a U.S. soldier. (Family Photo) MEYER, JASON MICHAEL PFC   US ARMY VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 07/01/2001 - 04/08/2003 DATE OF BIRTH: 03/14/1980 DATE OF DEATH: 04/08/2003 DATE OF INTERMENT: 04/21/2003 BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 7868 ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY  Courtesy of Barbara McGlynn, Valentines's Day February 2006 Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson Posted: 11 April 2003 Updated: 16 April 2003 Updated: 17 April 2003  Updated: 21 April 2003 Updated: 22 April 2003  Updated: 3 May 2003 Updated: 8 May 2004 Updated: 19 December 2004  Updated: 28 August 2005 Updated: 11 February 2006 Updated: 14 May 2008

Army Spc. Richard A. Goward served on active duty with the Army from 1990 to 1996, then joined the Michigan National Guard after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "He told me, `If I can't protect my family, then who can?,'" said Goward's wife, Karen. Goward was killed April 14 in Iraq when his truck entered a dust cloud and collided with another truck. Goward's survivors also include two daughters, ages 8 and 5. "Ric was a wonderful husband and father," his wife said. "He enjoyed jujitsu (a form of martial arts) and outdoor activities."

Michigan Guard loses one of its own

Spc. Richard A. Goward, 32, of Midland, Mich., was killed April 14 in Iraq when his truck entered a dust cloud and collided with the truck in front of him. He was assigned

to the 1460th Transportation Company, Midland. “We are deeply saddened with the loss of one of our own,”
said Maj. Gen. Tom Cutler, adjutant general, Michigan National Guard. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family and with the soldiers he served with.” Goward was married and had two daughters, ages 8 and 5. Goward began his military career on February 9, 1990 enlisting with the United States Army Reserve in Oklahoma

where he served until transferring to the Michigan Army National Guard in 1993. He was honorably discharged in1996, but returned to the Michigan Guard after the September

11 terrorist attacks. “He told me, ‘if I can’t protect my family, then who can,’” said his

wife Karen. “Ric was a wonderful husband and father,” she added. “He enjoyed Ju-Jitsu (a form of martial arts) and outdoor activities.”

Sgt. Sean C. Reynolds, 25, of East Lansing, Mich., enlisted in the Army at age 17, right after graduating from East Lansing High School. He served in the Army Rangers, one of the military's elite units, and saw his work as a way to help people in need, said his older brother, Kevin. Reynolds died of a gunshot wound May 3 when he fell off a ladder and his rifle went off, shooting him in the head. "He wanted to fight for people's justices, no matter who they were," Kevin Reynolds said. "He said, "You may not agree with me politically, but give me a chance.'"

Sgt. Sean C. Reynolds, age 25, of Detroit, died May 3, 2003 while on a mission in Kirkuk, Iraq. Funeral service 11 a.m. Monday, Renaissance Unity, Warren, MI. Visitation 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Gramer Funeral Home, Clawson, MI. 248-435-9010. Full obituary in Sundays paper. In lieu of flowers donations to your local chapter of the YMCA Children's Membership Scholarship Fund. Condolences may be sent to www.gramerfuneralhome.com.

May 3, 2003: Army Sgt. Sean C. Reynolds

Soldier wanted to do right

By LAURA POTTS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Originally published May 12, 2003

As a little boy, Sgt. Sean Reynolds would shoo bugs out of the house rather than squash them.

The child of social activists who met at an antiwar rally, he took to heart the struggles of those who could not defend themselves, even ceasing to eat meat once he learned where it came from.

So it seemed logical that Reynolds' talk of joining the military was just a teenage phase he would grow out of, his mother, Dr. Maureen Street, reasoned.

But in joining the elite Army Rangers, Reynolds "felt that he could use that power and those resources to make things right in the world," she said Sunday.

"He had an incredible, kind heart," Street said.

Sgt. Sean Reynolds, 25, died May 3, near Kirkuk, Iraq, when his rifle accidentally discharged, the Pentagon said. Assigned to the 74th long-range surveillance detachment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, he was climbing a ladder when he fell, causing his M4 rifle to fire.

Reynolds' funeral is today in Warren, and he will be buried in Berkley, next to his father.

It had been a couple of months since Street had received word from her son, who she last knew was stationed in Italy. He couldn't send letters and when she called, the phone just rang.

Wherever he was, Street said she knew her son could handle adversity and adapt to his surroundings.

Money had been tight when Reynolds and his older brother, Kevin, were young, as Street worked to finish her undergraduate degree at Wayne State University. The family lived in Detroit, near Hamtramck, and "functioned as a well-run unit," she said.

"The kids had to be self-sufficient," she said. "Sean would always be the one you could depend on. You could count on his word, 100 percent."

The boys' father, Randy Reynolds, was killed in a car accident in 1988, as he worked on a campaign for Jesse Jackson. Sean was 10.

Eventually, the family moved to East Lansing, where Street pursued her medical degree from Michigan State University. Living in the internationally rich student apartments, the children thrived amongst their African, Mexican and Swedish neighbors, Kevin Reynolds, 27, said.

[Page 2 of 2]

As the boys grew older, their individuality and personalities blossomed: Kevin Reynolds said he embraced their parents' liberal, peacenik upbringing, while Sean Reynolds applied his social conscience to "righting the wrongs that were out there" by pursuing military service.

Street said she threw up and cried for days when Sean Reynolds, a 17-year-old high school graduate, asked her to sign papers to enable him to enlist. The Reynolds brothers researched their Irish heritage and each got a tattoo of a Celtic symbol of brotherhood.

Meanwhile, their sister, Kathleen Street, 19, waited for her brother to return, to tease and watch over her.

Bobbie Rosencrans, a family friend, said Sean Reynolds "was a happy-go-lucky, easygoing, smiling kid with a lot of friends."

"He had real strong convictions," she said. "He was a good kid who believed deeply that he should be trying to make a difference in the world."

But he was also just a kid who loved movies, "The Simpsons" and his mom's cooking, his family said. After his enlistment was up, he wanted to join the Air Force reserves and go to college, Street said. But most of all, she said Sean Reynolds wanted to get married and have a house full of kids.

"He told me, 'I'm going to give you your first grandkid,"' said Street, who now runs a health clinic for poor people in Grand Rapids. "I was really proud of the young man he had become."

Street says she still believes "that the solution to any problem is not killing," though she fully supports the American troops.

In recent days, Kevin Reynolds said he has learned of the respect and love his brother's fellow troops had for him. Sean Reynolds "led by example instead of screaming in their faces," Kevin said, and taught his siblings to have fun and take pride in whatever they did.

And despite his father's and brother's deaths, Kevin Reynolds said he has learned to "take what they gave me and utilize that in my life."

"Death shouldn't always be a negative thing," he said. "We are going to celebrate his life." Reynolds is also survived by his stepfather, Bill Street.

Staff writer Tamara Audi contributed to this report.

Staff Sgt. Brett J. Petriken



Hometown: Flint, Michigan, U.S.

Age: 30 years old

Died: May 26, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army, 501st Military Police Company, Wiesbaden, Germany

Incident: Killed when a heavy equipment transporter crossed the median and struck his Humvee.

Sgt. Brett Petriken, 30, of Flint, Mich., joined the Army in 1991. He was killed May 26 -- a day before his 31st birthday -- in a vehicle accident involving his Humvee, which was leading a convoy. Petriken leaves behind his wife Christina and his daughter Rhiannon.

PETRIKEN, Staff Sergeant Brett J. - Of Flint, age 30, died Monday, May 26, 2003 in Iraq. A memorial service will be held at 3PM Sunday, June 1, 2003 at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Road. A graveside service at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date. Those desiring may make contributions to the family, to form a scholarship fund for his daughter, Rhiannon. The family will receive friends from 1PM until the time of the service on Sunday at the funeral home.

Brett J. Petriken Staff Sergeant, United States Army

NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense No. 376-03 (703)697-5131(media) IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2003 (703)428-0711(public/industry) DOD IDENTIFIES ARMY CASUALTIES Staff Sergeant Brett J. Petriken, 30, of Michigan, and Private Kenneth A. Nalley, 19, of Hamburg, Iowa, were killed on May 26, in As Samawah, Iraq.  The soldiers were escorting a convoy in a HMMWV when a heavy equipment transporter crossed the median and struck their vehicle.  Both soldiers were assigned to the 501st Military Police Company, Wiesbaden, Germany.  The incident is under investigation. Family, friends razz, remember their hero Courtesy of: THE FLINT JOURNAL Monday, June 2, 2003 Mundy Township, Michigan - Staff Sergeant Brett Petriken's friends razzed him about being colorblind. They invented drinking games based on his inability to distinguish colors. He usually lost. The burly football player once wore pink jeans to school - a blissfully-unaware victim of a laundry mishap with a red sweatshirt. The colorblindness also squelched a childhood dream of becoming a police officer in civilian life. But Petriken, 30, who was killed on Memorial Day in Iraq, persevered and deflected the jokes with an infectious smile and giggle, friends said during a memorial service attended by about 350 people Sunday at Swartz Funeral Home. "He was a guy who knew how to get the most of out of life," friend Craig Center, 31, eulogized. "He died as he lived: honorably and with dignity." Petriken of Flint died in a traffic accident in As Samawah, Iraq, weeks after his 501st Military Police Unit of the 1st Armored Division arrived in the country. His Humvee was escorting a convoy when it was struck by a heavy-equipment transporter that crossed a median. Private Kenneth A. Nalley, 19, of Hamburg, Iowa, also died in the crash. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery. Sunday's memorial was equal parts heroic tribute, rock concert and solemn remembrance as loved ones recounted Petriken's military pride, questioned why God took him away from his wife, Christina, and daughter, Rhiannon, and played his favorite tune, Tesla's "Love Song." The sound of guitars and drums also filled the room as mourners listened to the Foo Fighters song "My Hero,"and the lyrics, "There goes my hero, watch him as he goes..." Keri Garcia, 30, said Petriken was a reliable childhood friend who offered a shoulder to cry on and rides in his old Chevette. "Brett was the older, protective brother I never had and sometimes didn't want," she said. "He knew all the right things to say." Petriken's family lined a front row at the funeral home, facing posters filled with family photos, a giant picture of Petriken in his Flint Southwestern High School football jersey, and a folded American flag. Mourners also watched a videotape chronicling Petriken's life, including baby photos and wedding snapshots, set to the tune of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain." "I loved him dearly," friend Tim Melaragni, 30, said. "I'm going to miss him very much." Petriken's colorblindness was an initial setback, but he joined the Army in 1991 and became a military policeman. He later focused on a second life goal: starting a family, which he did three years later. "He was complete," Center said, removing his eyeglasses to dab at tears. Despite a nomadic career that included stops in Cuba, Panama and Germany, Petriken made time for friends, with whom he liked to reminisce, drink beer and watch sports. Petriken's death has taught his friend Center a lesson. "Live each day to the fullest and, more than anything, love each other every day of your life," he said. "Rest well, Brett. You've earned it. You are a hero." "Taps" played softly as mourners filed out of the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to a scholarship fund for Brett Petriken's daughter, Rhiannon, through the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 W. Hill Road, Flint, MI 48507. PETRIKEN, BRETT J SSG   US ARMY PERSIAN GULF, IRAQ DATE OF DEATH: 05/26/2003 BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 7880  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY  Courtesy of Barbara McGlynn, Valentines's Day February 2006

Capt. Paul J. Cassidy had made a life out of helping people in troubled regions. His mission to Iraq with the Army Reserves was similar to previous duties in Kosovo, Bosnia and Kuwait, where he distributed food and blankets, and helped reconstruct power grids, improve phone lines, re-establish farms, provide water and repair houses. "He was basically in there to help people, doing humanitarian deeds, the nice things," Meridian Township clerk Mary Helmbrecht said. Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg, Mich., died July 13 as a result of non-combat injuries in Iraq. Helmbrecht said Cassidy's involvement with the humanitarian aspects of war and his dedication to his work reflected his personality. "He had an outstanding dry wit," she said. "He was just an incredibly dedicated, detail-oriented, phenomenal employee."

“He was basically in there to help people, doing humanitarian deeds, the nice things,” said Meridian Township, Mich., clerk Mary Helmbrecht.

Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg, Mich., died July 13 as a result of non-combat injuries in Iraq.

Helmbrecht said Cassidy’s involvement with the humanitarian aspects of war and his dedication to his work reflected his personality.

“He had an outstanding dry wit,” she said. “He was just an incredibly dedicated, detail-oriented, phenomenal employee.”

— Associated Press

A July 18 memorial service for a Michigan soldier who died in Iraq promised to bring his unit — 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion — closer together.

According to the Department of Defense, Capt. Paul J. Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg, Mich. died July 13 from non-combat injuries in Camp Babylon, Iraq. His death is still being investigated, said Ben Abel, public affairs liaison for the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

“Our unit is running the gamut of emotions. Shock, mostly a lot of sadness,” Maj. Jeff Ponkratz of Green Bay wrote in an e-mail to the Green Bay Press-Gazette on Wednesday. “It’s safe to say this has made us appreciate each other and has pulled us together.”

Ponkratz said members of the unit scattered across Southern Iraq will attend Friday’s service. The 432nd is made up of reservists from around the Great Lakes region.

Cassidy, a graduate of Ripon College, joined the 432nd in October 1985 and served as the unit’s Dislocated Civilians Control Officer until Feb. 1992. Although he later transferred to the 415th battalion of Kalamazoo, Mich., Cassidy was deployed with the 432nd on several occasions.

He once again volunteered to serve with the 432nd in Operation Iraqi Freedom on Feb. 28.

Cassidy is the 12th Michigan soldier to die in Iraq. He is survived by his wife Susan and their 10-month-old son Colin.

“He was working very hard on restoring the sewer and water systems in Al Hillah when he grew increasingly tired,” Ponkratz wrote. “We want Colin to know how hard his dad worked and how many lives Paul has helped over his lifetime during these deployments.”

— Thomas Rozwadowski, Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette / Gannett News Service

Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg



Hometown: Canton, Michigan, U.S.

Age: 22 years old

Died: September 14, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Incident: Killed while on patrol in Baghdad when his vehilcle was hit with makeshift bombs.

Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg always gave 100 percent in everything he did, whether it was playing football or hitting the books or serving his country. "He never complained if you gave him an extra task," said Gary Brokas, his high school marketing teacher. "He would never, ever say `It's somebody else's job,' or `I'm busy.'" Blumberg, 22, of Canton, Ohio, was killed Sept. 14 by a roadside bomb in Fallujah, Iraq. He was a paratrooper stationed at Fort Bragg. Blumberg was small for an offensive lineman on his high school football team, standing about 5 feet 7 inches and weighing about 165 pounds. Still, he worked harder than anyone else on the team, said Bob Cummings, the team's offensive coordinator. "He pushed other players on the field to do their best," Cummings said. Blumberg was so well thought of by his fellow soldiers that his death broke their morale, said Staff Sgt. Kyle Foster. "He always smiled, always carried on," Foster said.

N.C.-based paratrooper killed in Iraq

Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — An 82nd Airborne paratrooper was killed and three others were wounded when a roadside bomb hit a convoy and destroyed their Humvee in the city of Fallujah, Iraq.

The victim was identified Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg, 22, of Canton, Mich., said Master Sgt. Pamela Smith.

The soldiers killed and injured Sunday were with the 1st Battalion of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. They had flown into Iraq just three days earlier.

Staff Sgt. Kyle Foster, 34, was commanding the vehicle from the right front seat. The Humvee was on the western edge of Fallujah, turning around in a gap in the four-lane highway’s guardrails, when the bomb exploded about 8 a.m. Sunday. It blew off the right rear quarter of the Humvee and tossed it into the air at a 45-degree angle.

“All I can tell you was that it was real loud and it hurt like hell,” Foster said later.

Fallujah has been boiling with anti-American sentiment since another unit — also fresh from Bragg — was in a firefight Friday in which eight Iraqi policemen were killed. The Jordanian hospital where that incident occurred is little more than a mile from where the convoy was attacked Sunday.

During funerals for the slain policemen Saturday, angry protesters of the Friendly Fire deaths fired weapons and called for violence against the U.S. occupation.

Many Fallujah residents are Sunni Muslims allied with Saddam Hussein. They have chafed at the occupation from the beginning.

U.S. forces were attacked there almost daily for two months after soldiers from another 82nd Airborne division unit in late April opened fire on protesters, killing 18 and injuring 78. The Americans said they were fired on first.

On Sunday, 2nd Lt. Eric Brown, 24, was 100 yards from Foster in another Humvee. He said Foster’s vehicle disappeared in a cloud of dust and smoke 20 feet high, then slammed back to earth.

Foster jumped out and began pulling injured soldiers from the burning truck, and noticed bullets kicking up dirt near him, apparently fired by the guerrillas who had planted the bomb.

He was going back for the dead man when ammunition in the truck began exploding and he had to back away. He pulled the dead soldier out later.

“He was well-liked in the company and in the platoon,” Foster said. “He always smiled, always carried on.

“I hate to put it this way, but there are soldiers that you can kill and it wouldn’t affect the company. This time they picked the best one to kill to break morale.”

Blumberg graduated in 1999 from Plymouth Salem High School, where he played on the varsity football team and managed the school store. He often went out of his way to help people, said Byron Richardson, his high school marketing teacher.

When a woman at the store bought too much merchandise to carry, “Trevor was right there to help — he carried the stuff to her car, then held the woman’s car door open for her,” Richardson told The Detroit News for a Tuesday story. “The perfect gentleman.”

The woman came back later to tell Richardson how well Blumberg had treated her, he said.

“That’s what kind of kid he was,” he said. “He made it a joy to go to work every day.”

— Associated Press

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Common Interest - Beliefs & Causes

Description:

Terry and Jan Blumberg are building Blum's Landing in loving memory of their son Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg known to his fellow soldiers as "Blum". Trevor was killed Sept. 14, 2003 in Fallujah, Iraq. He also served in Korea and Afghanistan prior to deploying to Iraq with the 82nd. Airborne Division.

Trevor asked his parents to do two things if he should not return from his mission in Iraq. The first was to care for his dog, Scrappy. As you can see in the photos, Scrappy is doing fine.

The second was to take care of his guys, which has proven more difficult. After many prayers and meditation, the concept for Blum's Landing was born.

Trevor loved the outdoors; especially the woods, lakes,and rivers of northern Michigan. He often spoke about bringing his fellow soldiers to Michigan for fishing and camping trips. This love for nature and his dedication and loyalty to his friends inspired the idea for Blum's Landing.

Blum's Landing will be a place for military personnel who have endured physical and/or mental wounds from serving our great Country. The Landing will be a bed and breakfast for military personnel and their families to relax, to recoup, and to re-energize from the stress of their current rehab and duties.

The Blumberg's have purchased 12 acres of land on Orchard Lake near Roger City, Michigan. Only minutes from the picturesque beaches of Lake Huron, this area abounds with various inland lakes and trout streams. The area also has several excellent golf courses. Black Mountain recreation area is only 3 miles from Orchard Lake, offering year round activities for guests. One of the biggest attractions within close traveling distance is the world famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

Currently, the land has been cleared and work has begun on the interior of the main house. The goal is to finish the main house and add two cabins for families by late 2009.

Jan and Terry have invested over $300,000.00 and countless hours of labor to reach this point. They plan to sell their home and move there as soon as the main house is ready. This will allow them to monitor progress more closely.

Many service personnel have sacrificed much to ensure our comfort and safety, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Help us provide them with a place that will show our appreciation for sacrifices.
The success of Blum's Landing depends on the generosity and the kindness of people like you that understand the great sacrifice all our military personnel and their families have made on our behalf.

The Blumberg's have formed a non-profit foundation (EIN 26-2363640) to ensure that Blum's Landing is completed and maintained for many years to come. Blum's Landing has filed for 501-C-3 status; so your donation will be tax deductible. Your donation will allow us to give back to those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Donations can be received in the form of materials, cash, or helping hands with our gracious thanks.

You may donate online or by mail : Blum's Landing

Your name will be carved on a cedar obelisk that will be placed in front of the main house. (read less)

Terry and Jan Blumberg are building Blum's Landing in loving memory of their son Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg known to his fellow soldiers as "Blum". Trevor was killed Sept. 14, 2003 in Fallujah, Iraq. He also served in Korea and Afghanistan prior to deploying to Iraq with the 82nd. Airborne Division.

Trevor asked his parents to do two things if he should not return from his mission in Iraq. The first was to care for his dog, Scrappy. As you can see in the photos, Scrappy is doing fine.