This page is dedicated to the friends and colleauges I have lost while serving in the U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I knew each one of these soldiers personally and will miss them all.
Cottrell, Eric D., SSG
US Army
Combat Medic
Died: 13 August 2007, Qayarrah, Iraq from IED
Alabama man killed in IED attack
The Associated Press
FORT BLISS, Texas – Three Fort Bliss soldiers, including an Alabama man, died this week in Iraq after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense said Thursday.
Killed were Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell, 39, of Pittsview, Ala.; Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio; and Cpl. Paulomarko U. Pacificador, 24, of Shirley, N.Y.
The men died Monday in Qayyarah, according to a release from the DoD. They were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Bliss.
Cottrell, who joined the Army in October 2004, was a health care specialist. He is survived by his wife and four children, Fort Bliss said in a release.
Lopez and Pacificador were both field artillery automated tactical data system specialists. Lopez joined the Army in February 2006 while Pacificador joined in January 2006.
The three were posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Allen, John E., SGT
US Army
Combat Medic
Died: 17 March 2007, Baghdad, Iraq from IED
25, of Palmdale, Calif.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; died March 17 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Army Sgt. Ed Santini, Army Pfc. William N. Davis and Army Pfc. John F. Landry Jr.
Boyd, Joshua M., SGT
US Army
Combat Medic
Died: 14 March 2007, Samarra, Iraq from IED
A soldier based at Fort Bragg died Wednesday in Houston, more than a week after he was wounded in an explosion while in combat in Iraq.
Sgt. Joshua M. Boyd, 30, of Abilene, Texas, was injured in Samarra, about 60 miles northwest of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
His death brings to seven the number of soldiers killed in the March 5 explosion, which accounts for the largest single-day loss of life for the 82nd Airborne in the Iraq war. The others were Spc. Ryan M. Bell, 21, of Colville, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Justin M. Estes, 26, of Sims, Ark.; Pfc. Cory C. Kosters, 19, of Woodlands, Texas; Spc. Justin A. Rollins, 22, of Newport, N.H.; Sgt. Andrew Perkins, 27, of Northglenn, Colo.; and Staff Sgt. Robert M. Stanley, 27, of Spotsylvania, Va.
Boyd joined the army in September 1997 as an infantryman and was honorably discharged when he completed his term of service.
He rejoined in April 2002.
He was reclassified as a combat medic in 2005 and completed medical training at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. He completed the Basic Airborne Course last February at Fort Benning, Ga. He reported to the 82nd Airborne in March 2006 as an ambulance driver and was designated as a trauma specialist six months later.
After he was injured in the explosion, he was brought back to the Brooke Army Medical Center in Houston for treatment. In a statement, Boyd’s family thanked the hospital staff for the care he was provided.
“Doc Boyd never complained, and his good spirits always motivated the rest of us when we were down,” said Spc. Lee Wolf of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. “His maturity and life experiences were a huge asset to all the guys in C Company.”
He is survived by his parents, Robin and Tonya Boyd of Abilene. A memorial service will be held for him by his unit in Iraq.
Costello, Jeremiah, CPL
US Army
Field Artillery
Died: 2 June 2007, Qayarrah, Iraq from IED
Family, teachers recall soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
When Elayne Willis first saw Army Spc. Jeremiah D. Costello walk into her high school classroom, his hair almost threw her off.
“He was my first student to have colored hair. It was either green or blue all the time,” the English teacher recalled. “I thought, ‘Oh, my!’ ” But she quickly understood the kind heart that lay beneath the seemingly outlandish appearance. “He was the nicest boy, and he always had a smile,” she said.
Costello, 22, of Carlinville, Ill., was killed June 2 near Qayyarah, Iraq, when his vehicle struck an explosive. He was assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas.
Willis described Costello as a “special boy” who was always polite in class. “He was just a good friend to everybody. He had a smile for everybody,” she said.
“His father passed away the year before I met him. He was so dedicated to his father and his memory. He was very close to his family. He would just always talk about his dad, and do things for his dad and mom.”
He is survived by a 4-year-old daughter, Lillian. “He loved his daughter more than anything. She was the light of his life,” said Costello’s mother, Debra.
Nepsa, Keith V., CPL
US Army
Field Artillery
Died: 2 June 2007, Qayarrah, Iraq from IED
Friends remember soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press
Army Spc. Keith V. Nepsa was known for changing his hair on a whim — at one point dying it blue and another time putting braids in it.
Close friends said it represented the kind of person Nepsa was: fun to be around and outgoing.
“The one thing I’m going to miss about him is his laugh,” Casey Webber said. “He could be in a crowd of 1,000 people, and you could tell him apart by his laugh.”
Nepsa, 21, of New Philadelphia, Ohio, was killed by a roadside bomb June 2 near Qayyarah, Iraq. He was a 2003 high school graduate, on his second tour and was assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas.
Barry Zehnder, a science teacher, said one thing set Nepsa apart from other students: He didn’t allow himself to be boxed into social groups and enjoyed being friends with all students.
“With social boundaries of groups in school, there didn’t seem to be a boundary for him,” he said. “He moved in all social circles.”
Keith loved to play paintball and work on old cars, especially his 1985 Camaro. His friends said they will finish restoring it.
“Hopefully, he’ll be there to help us,” said Curtis Haught.
He is survived by his mother, Michele Nepsa, and father, Brian Nepsa.
Lopez, Juan M., CPL
US Army
Field Artillery
Died: 13 August 2007, Qayarrah, Iraq from IED
Soldier laid to rest in hometown of Florence
The Associated Press
FLORENCE, S.C. – Juan M. Lopez Sr. was there when his son and namesake was born. He said he shut the casket the night before his son was laid to rest.
Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr. was buried Aug. 20 with full military honors at Florence National Cemetery. He was killed Aug. 13 along with two other soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
Lopez, 23, enlisted in the Army more than a year ago and had been in Iraq since September, his family said.
Lopez’s father, who served in the Air Force, said at the funeral service that his son was a hero since he was born and would have been a well-decorated career soldier.
“I miss him a lot. This morning I went to the funeral parlor and saw him resting,” Lopez Sr. said. “He’s one of God’s soldiers now, but just the same I told him we would fish again.”
Lopez Jr. was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He attended South Florence High School and graduated from Poynor Adult/Community Education Center in 2005, relatives said.
Lopez Jr. was eulogized at Greater Gethsemane Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ by his uncle, Bishop Otis L. Terrell.
“Juan is in his second home,” Terrell said. “God is good, and he’s able to do what he says he’s going to do. Juan was a very honest and polite young man.”
Pacificador, Paulomarko U., CPL
US Army
Field Artillery
Died: 13 August 2007, Qayarrah, Iraq from IED
Three Fort Bliss soldiers killed in IED attack
The Associated Press
FORT BLISS, Texas – Three Fort Bliss soldiers, including a San Antonio man, died this week in Iraq after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense said Thursday.
Killed were Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell, 39, of Pittsview, Ala., Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio and Pfc. Paulomarko U. Pacificador, 24, of Shirley, N.Y.
The men died Monday in Qayyarah, according to a release from the DoD. They were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Bliss.
Cottrell, who joined the Army in October 2004, was a health care specialist. He is survived by his wife and four children, Fort Bliss said in a release.
Lopez and Pacificador were both field artillery automated tactical data system specialists. Lopez joined the Army in February 2006 while Pacificador joined in January 2006.
The three were posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
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