Hero Stories for Operation Iraqi Freedom

Born on Oct. 7, 1956 in the USA Died on Dec. 21, 2004 in Iraq     Staff Sgt. Julian S. Melo was killed in Iraq while serving with the 1st Brigade Stryker Combat Team. He served 12 years in the U.S. Army. He was a devoted husband, loving father and brother. He was a born leader, a [.

Cpl. Matthew C. Henderson of Nebraska, was assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division from Camp Pendleton, California. He was a graduate of Palmyra High School, attended and played football for Nebraska Wesleyan University before joining the Marine Corps in 2000. He was 25 when he was killed on May 26, 2004. [.

Birth: November 11, 1989 Died: February 10, 2010 – Baghdad, Iraq PFC Alvarez was assigned to the 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. She was found dead of a gunshot wound – under investigation. Adriana always had dreams of becoming a police officer so after she graduated in 2008 from [.

Born: May 25, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York Died: June 24, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq Maj. Dwayne M. Kelley of South Orange, New Jersey graduated from John F. Kennedy High School and went on to earn his Bachelors’ Degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he participated in the ROTC program, earning a [.

Died: May 20, 2010 in Kirkuk, Iraq Spc. Stanley J. Sokolowski, III of Ocean, New Jersey died at age 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. Special Troops Battalion 1st Brigade 1st Armored Division Fort Bliss, Texas To be updated&#8230; <

Born: August 31, 1984 in Beaver, Pennsylvania Died: April 16, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq Spc. Aaron M. Genevie of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania attended Hopewell High School and was a 2003 graduate of McConnellsburg High School that included a close-knit 66 students graduating that year. He worked in the shipping department of TB Wood&#8217;s Inc., a Chambersburg transmission [.

Born: November 4, 1982 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Died: August 31, 2007 in Landstuhl, Germany Sgt. Kevin A. Gilbertson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa was a graduate of Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School and was known as an upbeat, rabble-rousing, ball of fire nicknamed Gilmoe. He joined the Army right out of high school in hopes of [.

Born on June 16, 1979 in Erie, PA Died on May 21, 2004 in Al Iskandariyah, Iraq Jeremy R. Horton was passionate about everything, nothing half way. There was never a gray area with him. While a student at Strong Vincent High School, he played both the saxophone and drums. And he met the love of [.

Born: October 30, 1953 in Penuelas, Puerto Rico Died: October 26, 2005 in Rustamiyah, Iraq Sgt. 1st Class Ramon A. AcevedoAponte of Watertown, New York was the eighth one of ten sons. He was a father who was loved his children. He was a champion of chess and had studied engineering in the University Enclosure of [.

Died: May 3, 2010 in Mosul, Iraq Staff Sgt Esau S. Gonzales of Panhandle, Texas graduated from Panhandle High School in 1998 where he was voted Most Talented, Class Favorite, and Most Friendly. Esau was currently serving his third tour of duty in Iraq, two tours with the Army, and one tour with the Navy. [.