Hero Stories for July 2009

Spc. Raymundo P. Morales, 34, of Dalton, Georgia, died July 21, 2009, in Methar Lam, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. Spc. Morales was assigned to the 148th Brigade Support Battalion, Cedartown, Georgia. </d

Sgt. 1st Class Hershel L. Mayfield, a native of Tallassee, Ala., has been serving in the Army for 39 years; thirty-seven of which were with the 158th Maintenance Company, part of the Alabama Army National Gua

Spc. Andrew J. Roughton, 21, of Houston, Texas, died July 20, 2009, in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle followed by an attack from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. Spc. Roughton was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (STRIKE), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

Pfc. Dennis J. Pratt, 34, of Duncan, Oklahoma, died July 20, 2009, in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle followed by an attack from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. Pfc. Pratt was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (STRIKE), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

Sgt. Gregory Owens, Jr., 24, of Garland, Texas, died July 20, 2009, in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle followed by an attack from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. Sgt. Owens was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (STRIKE), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

Spc. Anthony M. Lightfoot, 20, of Riverdale, Georgia, died July 20, 2009, in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle followed by an attack from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. Spc. Lightfoot was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (STRIKE), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

When most Soldiers tell others why they joined the Army, many stories are similar. Many join right out of high school, some do it for the benefits and others do it to improve or change their liv

Lance Cpl. Brandon T. Lara, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, died July 19, 2009, while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Lance Cpl. Lara was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. </d

Cpl. Benjamin S. Kopp, 21, of Rosemount, Minnesota, died July 18, 2009, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington of wounds suffered July 10 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. Cpl. Kopp was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. </d

Capt. Mark R. McDowell, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died July 17, 2009, in a F-15E crash near Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Capt. McDowell was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. </d