Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Henry. Petithory Hometown

8 December 2004: Dear Mr. Patterson: First, I would like to thank you for responding. I had not anticipated any response, therfore it was such a surprise for me to receive your kind words. Secondly, It would be honor to have anything of mine associated with the site. You may certainly use anything from my letter to you. I can only offer a humble "Thank You" for such kindness. My brother would be so proud to know that he is resting with our greatest American heroes. He would also chuckle at the thought that he has been treated with such high regard. It would be so unlike him to think of himself as much more than a Massachusetts farm boy. We were taught as children to love this country, all that it represents, and the respect we needed to show to our countries ideals. Darren loved being a soldier as his 22 years of service clearly prove. What Darren also proved was that the principles that this country was founded on were applicable to all people, of all races and cultures. I was told that over 400 Iraqi police officers attended his service in Baghdad.  Darren was loved by so many people, because he gave his love to all people. Darren always looked to the olive branch first, and when there was no other option, he had no problem using his arrows. I have attached a photograph of myself so you can attach a face to me. It was taken the day prior to Darrens service in Massachusetts. Behind me is the monument on Lexington green. I always went to Lexington and Concord on April 19th. I found a great sense of peace and comfort by going to both places that afternoon, the 28th of October. It was a private way of saying thanks to Darren.   Thank you again Mr. Patterson. I truly do appreciate this, and may God bless you and your wife Lynne this hoilday season. Sincerely, Glenn Cunningham    Eulogy For Darren J. Cunningham By: Glenn Edwin Cunningham Good evening, I am Glenn Cunningham, Darren's Brother. Distinguished guests, friends and family. First, my mother has asked me to thank all of you for coming tonight. I also bring a greeting from deep in the heart of Texas, Darren's Texan Military family- HOOAH! I now have a letter I would like to read to you. This letter is addressed to my mother, and sent from a hero, a genuine American hero. So, what do heroes do? They go where there's a job to do. They do not live off the sacrifices made by others. They will not let anyone do something that they themselves will not do. They believe that individuals considered brothers and sisters should not be in harms way without their support. They live with a fierce passion, a determination, to do what is necessary for the advancement of ideals like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They do this with courage, commitment, and the knowledge that one must START STRONG AND FINISH STRONG. How did my brother get his start? I do not believe you can live so close to Concord and Lexington, have your home built on a 200-year-old foundation, and grow up near the birthplace of our country, without it rubbing off somehow. With Darren it never rubbed, it burned. Watching Sunday afternoon war movies with Dad. "12 O’clock High", "Midway", "Sergeant York", "The Sands of Iwo Jima." Immediately following the movies, the reenactments in our backyard. Forty acres of wire, walls, holes, ditches and forest. And when we died, begging to be remembered and buried in Arlington. Well Darren you made Arlington, directly off Sergeant York Drive. Darren, the hero, my brother, our John Wayne. What do heroes say? Well this one said things like: That the work we did on our farm, the games we played, how we played and the intensity, prepared him for the military. “Basic training was a piece of cake compared to growing up.” At the recruiter's table in 1982, “It's what I have to do.” And when he reenlisted the first time, “ This is what I need. The Army is good to me.” How did my brother view contests?  Darren hated to lose therefore he played like it mattered. Being wishy-washy was not an option. When he won he let you know, when he lost he would challenge you again. Losing never ate him up, he learned from it and moved on. Perfection was not what he tried to achieve, but he would not settle for less than his best, and he expected that from you. He called you on it when you came up short, but he also was the first one to give encouragement when you were down. It was all or nothing with Darren, a common theme when being his friend. Those of us that knew him, liked being on his team, and loved being his friend. What did this Hero teach me? That while our bodies change easily as we get older, whom we are should never change. We do not change when we are grounded in: Hard work, the love of parents, family and friends, Faith in God, knowing right and wrong. Accolades should be earned, not sought Empty pats on the back are for the weak of spirit. A shallow “that-a-boy” has the consistency of vapor. I learned sometimes we must give the last full measure in a righteous cause. All people should be given the chance to fulfill their dreams. That all of us could be a little more understanding of others, add some sacrifice to our lives, and do all we can to care for those less fortunate than ourselves. My brother Darren would say we all have the potential to be Heroes Darren loved this town and where we came from, he always mentioned Groton with pride. Darren had enough love to be spread here, Texas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Darren died for a reason, not because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He died doing what he did best which was: Answering a call to arms cried out by the one thing he loved more than himself, our Country. My friend On September 30, 2004, a new star was ignited. I do not believe that when we die we just disappear. A great uncle of ours once told me that when we pass on, we become the fuel that keeps the stars lit at night, and why not? Darren had enough energy in him to light up a very dark corner of the universe somewhere. In Conclusion: When I was seven and Darren was five, I remember looking outside our bedroom window, looking at the late sunset, and the arrival of the stars. I sat on the edge of my brother's bed and we talked quietly for a little while. Slowly Darren drifted off to sleep. As I looked at my little brother, I stroked his hair and said: “Good night Darren, I love you.” And this time my friend, God bless you too. A U.S. Army honor guard, carries the coffin of Army Staff Sergeant Darren Cunningham,  during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Wednesday, October 20, 2004.  Cunningham, the 88th soldier interred in Arlington National Cemetery from the Operation Iraqi Freedom, died September 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, when his unit came under mortar  attack. Cunningham was assigned to the 89th Military Police Brigade, Forth Hood Texas. Army Staff Sergeant Darren Cunningham is laid to rest during a graveside service at  Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia yesterday. Family members seated at right listen  to the Rev. Arnold De Porter lead prayers. Other mourners included, Major General Donald Ryder, Army Provost Marshal General, in uniform right of Rev. De Porter,  and Senator Edward Kennedy, standing fourth from right Kaitlyn, 12, left, and Dean Cunningham, 15, react at the burial of their father at Arlington National Cemetery. Senator Edward Kennedy, left, consoles Kaitlyn Cunningham, second left,  Christine Kaminski, third left, and Dean Cunningham, during a funeral ceremony  for Staff Sergeant Darren Cunningham, at Arlington National Cemetery,  Wednesday, October 20, 2004. Sen. Edward Kennedy, lays flowers beside the coffin of Staff Sergeant Darren  Cunningham, during a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery,  Wednesday, October 20, 2004 CUNNINGHAM, DARREN JAMES SSG   US ARMY VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 09/01/2003 - 09/30/2004   DATE OF BIRTH: 07/21/1964   DATE OF DEATH: 09/30/2004   DATE OF INTERMENT: 10/20/2004   BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 8005   ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY Photo Courtesy of Holly, August 2005 Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson Posted: 5 October 2004  Updated: 18 October 2004 Updated: 21 October 2004 Updated: 23 October 2004  Updated: 3 November 2004 Updated: 4 December 2004  Updated: 8 December 2004 Updated: 27 January 2005 Updated: 21 August 2005 Updated: 13 May 2008

GROTON, Mass. — A soldier from Groton was killed in Iraq on Sept. 30, a day after he told his family he’d be returning home a month early, according to his family.

Darren Cunningham, 40, of Groton joined the Army at 18 and had served in the military ever since. He was a veteran of the first Gulf War in 1991.

“Darren died doing what he wanted to do,” said his sister, Kelly Sumpter. “This was his choice.”

The circumstances of Cunningham’s death were not immediately clear. He leaves a wife, a 12-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son.

Cunningham was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, before being deployed to Iraq. His sister, Tracy Cunningham-Hammond, told the Lowell Sun that her brother had called home on Wednesday to say he’d be coming home in November, a month earlier than scheduled.

Cunningham-Hammond described her brother as a well-liked “clown” who loved his job with the military.

“He was the family jokester,” she said. “Just a fun-loving kind of guy, but he was always concerned about other people and made sure everyone was OK.”

She said her brother stayed in touch with his old high school friends and even befriended his first wife’s new husband, who was serving with him in Iraq.

Cpl. Brian . Oliveira



Hometown: Raynham, Massachusetts, U.S.

Age: 22 years old

Died: October 25, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Marines, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Incident: Killed by enemy action in Anbar province.

Brian Oliveira was gung-ho on a military career, but kind enough to scrape together what little money he had to buy Easter bunnies for friends. "He was a spitfire with a really good heart," said Jean Ouellette, a friend. "He was very popular. He used to get a lot of those 'most fun to be with' awards in school." Oliveira, 22, of Raynham, Mass., died Oct. 25 during a battle near Fallujah. He was based at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Scott Peterson, a friend, recalled how Oliveira came home on leave with a new sense of confidence. "He'd look you in the eye, shake hands. He had a straight military posture," Peterson said. "You could tell it gave him an inner happiness." Oliveira attended high school for two years and later got a GED. He took some courses for college credit at Bristol Community College so he could join the Marines. The son of a former Army man, Oliveira talked constantly about the military. "I told him it was the best thing for his life," said Heather Bostrom, a friend. "He was a brave kid with a lot of dreams." He is survived by his wife, Phoebe, and son, Nathan.

BOSTON — Cpl. Brian Oliveira was killed in battle during his second deployment to Iraq, the Department of Defense said, leaving behind a 6-week-old baby boy he had met only in pictures.

“Brian was the most dedicated and proud Marine I ever met,” said Heather Bostrom, 20, a former girlfriend who remained a close friend. “It was his life.”

The Pentagon said Oliveira, 22, died Monday from injuries suffered during fighting in Iraq’s Anbar province. No further details were available.

Oliveira was a squad leader assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He left for his second tour of Iraq in May.

He joined the Marine Corps in January 2001 and received several medals, including the Combat Action Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal.

Oliveira and his wife, who had made their home in San Diego, welcomed their son, Nathan, on Sept. 11. Oliveira originally was from Raynham

Oliveira’s parents, David Horseman and Lillian Oliveira, and a sister, Carolyn Horseman, all live in Fall River.

Jeff Kerns has been a missionary in countries around the world and is in charge of a two-week trip in November to San Jose Del Cabo. I hope that I will be part of the team of about twenty youth and adults from my church that will be going with him. I was a member of the previous team that took part in the missionary work down there in August. That trip was and still is working out to be a major stepping-stone in my life, but my journey down this path did not begin there.

It was two days before the trip and I had still not given the permission slip to my mom. I felt confident that I had worked my way out of going. However, that motherly instinct always kept her two steps ahead of me. Somehow, she had heard of the trip to L.A. and had signed me up for it without my knowledge. I argued and protested with all I had but still she stood unwavering in her decision. My attempts at faking sickness and my arguments of reason continued even as our car pulled up to the school with my packed bags. I loaded those bags onto the bus with reluctance and quietly found a seat in the back of the bus while trying to hide the fact that I was simply doing what my mom was forcing on me. The others in the bus were happy about where they were. Why would they sacrifice three days of freedom from school in order to go down to L.A. with your teachers and talk to strangers? At least I wasn’t like that. I was here only because I had to be and nothing good would come of it. Or would it?

I do not know when it happened, but there was a definite change in me from when I left on that bus to L.A. to when I came back home on that bus. Maybe it was helping prepare sandwiches in a rescue mission or maybe it was encouraging a man to continue to stay away from alcohol and drugs so that his wife would let him talk to his kids again and they could be a family. Maybe it was giving hope and peace to those that had none. But, maybe it was that God touched my life through all of those things. I saw the kids that started out wanting to go to L.A. to do awesome things and I came home wanting to be more like them. So when my mom asked me if I wanted to go on a similar trip to Mexico, I did not argue and I did not pretend to be sick. I just said, “Sure.”

The trip to Mexico was very different from the trip to L.A., but still it had the same goals and purpose. I am a person that fits into many different circles, but I never fit into those circles quickly. In Mexico however, I was involved in friendly conversations by dinnertime and singing songs on the beach the first night. In ten days, my new friends on the team were closer friends than those that I have known throughout high school. Even a language barrier did not hinder friendly relationships. Many people that we met and talked with in Mexico stayed with us all the way. There was laughing and hugging and holding back tears all the way up to security at the airport. Two girls that changed their lives and became Christians on their second day in Mexico were with us from studying the Bible in the early morning until we sang songs on the beach at late night every day of our trip.

Now I know what John means in the Bible when he says that there is not enough space in all the earth for a written record of the things that Jesus has done. He is still doing things even now. I was able to see his work in Mexico. I could see skills develop in me in front of my eyes. Even I was doing things that I could not have done by my own ability. People were stepping up to jobs that they were not prepared for and doing a good job of it. In L.A. I saw the work of the Lord through others and in San Jose Del Cabo, I saw the Lord through me.

God created a heart for missionary work in me and I do not have to wait for the ringing of a telephone to tell me when God is going to use me again. God can use me in day-to-day life and he can use you, too. 

Phoebe Oliveira, wife of Marine Cpl. Brian Oliveira, is presented an American flag and her husband's medals. To her left is David Horseman, Brian Oliveira's father.

Lance Cpl. Travis R. Desiato



Hometown: Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.

Age: 19 years old

Died: November 15, 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Marines, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Incident: Killed during the U.S. assault on Fallujah.

Travis R. Desiato was a Marine and a standout athlete, but he also had a gentle side, working with kids in a nursery school program and summer camp. He chose Iraq over safer assignments "because he felt he was most needed and could best serve by going to Iraq," said family friend Sam Mendales. Desiato, 19, of Bedford, Mass., died Nov. 15 in fighting against insurgents in Fallujah. He was based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He leaves behind his new wife, Tracey, whom he married in June, just before he deployed to Iraq. Desiato joined the Marines soon after graduating from high school, where he was a standout baseball and football player. An aspiring firefighter, Desiato took comfort in participating in efforts larger than himself, whether as a football player, a cook, or as a Marine. "He came from a small town, but he had a big heart and loved his family," Mendales said.

Of Bedford, November 15. Beloved husband of Tracey N. Desiato. Dear son of Joseph Desiato and his wife Laurie of Bedford and B.J. Coopes and her husband Paul Williams of Anchorage, Alaska. Also survived by his siblings Raleigh Desiato of CA, Alexandra and Vanessa Desiato, both of Bedford, Jesse and Sean Williams of Anchorage, Alaska, Terry Leidel of MI and Scot Williams of WI, his father-in-law, George Bynoe of Holden, brother-in-law, Christopher Bynoe of Bedford, grandmother, Patricia McNiff of Lowell and many aunts, cousins and friends. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Michael's Church, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 3 PM.