Freedom Remembered

Born on Feb. 14, 1986

Died on June 4, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Joseph was from the Sag Harbor/Shelter Island area of New York. He grew up listening to the stories his grandfather told about surviving the attack on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor and other tales of WWII. Joseph grew up with a strong sense of patriotism; he was focused on achieving his goal of serving his country. His father was a firefighter for the city of New York, and at the age of 15 Joe watched the 9-11 terrorist attacks, knowing that many of his father’s friends were killed. On his 18th birthday he signed up for military service. He set his sights on attending West Point and was twice nominated for entry. But instead chose to attend college so he could be commissioned into the Army faster. He graduated from New York State University-Albany with a degree in history in 2008 and had also been in the ROTC program through Siena College. His summers were spent visiting WWII battlefields and cemeteries, which held the remains of the dead from WWII. One trip in particular was to Normandy, France. At the American Cemetery and Memorial, Joseph stopped at every grave to pay his respect. In his college photo album he wrote, “There is nothing glorious about war, but I will go to it to keep the people I love away from it. 9-11- never forget.” Commissioned as an Army officer in May 2008, he volunteered for a program in the National Guard that would have him serve three years active duty. People would stop him in the street to thank him for serving his country and Joseph would get a strange look on his face. He didn’t understand why. Assigned to 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), from Fort Drum, N.Y. He lived his dream when he put on the Stetson hat, cowboy boots and spurs associated with the division. Before his late spring 2010 deployment to Afghanistan he said he was going to keep the terrorists off American soil. It wasn’t about politics; it was to prevent what happened in New York City from happening again. To keep the fight on foreign soil. When asked if he was nervous about going to Afghanistan, he looked them right in the eye and said he was born for this. On June 4 he was leading his platoon of 20 men when they came under fire. An IED was found and Joseph had his men step back while he disabled it. When finished he found another and it detonated before he was able to disarm it. Joseph’s remains took one last ride through Sag Harbor and over the Jordan Haerter Bridge on the way to the island. Jordan was a Marine from Sag Harbor killed in Iraq in 2008. Joseph’s family stated he would have wanted to go across that bridge. It just seemed right. While some seemed angry about Joe’s death, his family was proud he led the life he dreamed. A quote by George Orwell was read by his eldest brother at Joseph’s funeral, “We sleep peaceably in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf.” That was Joe.

Burial was in Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery in Dering Harbor, New York, located on Shelter Island.

Born on Feb. 3, 1985 in Mission Hills, CA

Died on Nov. 12, 2004 in Al Anbar province, Iraq

Nicholas moved to Nevada when he was a youngster, first living in Laughlin, then Las Vegas. His parents were divorced, and Nick also spent time with his father in California. Nick was a member of the Naval Sea Cadets during his junior high school years. He attended Chaparral High School for one year where he participated in the Naval R.O.T.C. program and played football. He then attended Bonanza High School and was a member of the U.S. Army J.R.O.T.C program, varsity football team and the lacrosse team. He was also on the wrestling team where he won the silver medal for his school in the Nevada High Schools Olympics Newcomers Competition. He graduated in 2003, and then joined the U.S. Marine Corps. His mother had tried to talk him out of enlisting in the Marines, suggesting the Air Force might get him a chance to be stationed at Ellis AFB, but Nick insisted he wanted to be the best there is. A Marine. Stationed at Camp Pendleton, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force and was known for volunteering for the most dangerous missions while deployed. He died as a result of a vehicle accident while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province. The enemy tried to ram his vehicle and Nick was thrown from it. The rest of his unit came under attack shortly afterwards. There were 54 Marines in his unit, and they made sure it was stated at Nick’s funeral that they were all with him when he passed and that they loved him very much. Nick was survived by his mother Eleanor Dachtler and stepfather George Dachtler; his father Albert Anderson and stepmother Lisa Anderson; his fiancée Amanda Barnicoat, serving with the United States Air Force, and a brother Jackson. Jackson was 10 years old at the time of his brother’s death. A few weeks earlier he had dressed up in fatigues in honor of his big brother for Halloween trick-or-treating. Jackson wore the same outfit to his brother’s funeral.

Nicholas was buried in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, California.

Born Oct. 30, 1988

Died on June 2, 2010  in Baghdad, Iraq

Pvt. Francisco J. Guardado-Ramirez,  of Sunland Park, New Mexico, was called Frank by those who knew and loved him. A graduate of Santa Teresa High School in Santa Teresa, N.M., Frank enlisted in the Army in June of 2008 and arrived at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in November 2008. He was assigned to the 1stBattalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Stewart, Georgia. His unit’s duty there was to conduct humanitarian missions, delivering bags of grain, drinking water and pre-packaged meals. He was serving as a convoy gunner inside a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that struck an overpass. He was ejected after the vehicle’s turret struck the structure and transported to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where he died.

Born on May 3, 1984 in Woodbridge, Virginia

Died on Dec. 21, 2004 in Mosul, Iraq

David was his mother’s only child, a bright light who held deep compassion for all living things. David thought of himself as a protector, a gentle young man who knew the difference between right and wrong. Once a friend, he was always your friend. A friend of his moved to the country when he was younger and David came for the weekend for a visit. He freaked out about all the cows that were living so close to the family and he spent the weekend “freeing” the turtles on the farm and taking them down to the lake. His friend wasn’t happy about living in the country and David showed him why he should appreciate it so much. A simple life there, he let his friend learn that was very important. David was very close to his family, especially his mother and grandmother, Anna. From first grade through graduation he was in the gifted student program, and joined the ROTC Program during high school. He earned the rank of Lieutenant by the age of 17 and enlisted in the Army National Guard in October 2001. He graduated from high school in June of 2002 and the following fall received training at Fort Leonard Wood. He was assigned to the 229th Engineer Battalion in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and took additional training as an emergency medical technician. He hoped to some day work for the sheriff’s department. David volunteered for a deployment to Iraq in December 2003, assigned to the Army National Guard’s 276th Engineer Battalion from West Point, Virginia. David was calm and quiet there, he understood people and always found the good in them. His fellow soldiers called him “Rerun” and said he was the best .50-caliber machine gunner in his battalion. He was very well respected. As long as he was up there they knew they would be ok, because he would take care of them. He never hesitated to help someone out, or to do a job that no one else wanted. On December 21, 2004, he was one of 13 soldiers who were killed when the enemy attacked the dining hall they were in. His military awards include posthumous awards of the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, and the Purple Heart. He was promoted to Sergeant from specialist. His mother Sonja and several other relatives survive him. His beloved grandmother Anna passed away in June of 2000.

David was buried in Quantico National Cemetery in section 5, site 4. His military headstone bears a sentence from his mom, “My Golden Boy”

Born on Oct. 7, 1957 in Panama

Died on Dec. 21, 2004 in Mosul, Iraq

Julian was buried in Fir Lane Memorial Park in Spanaway, Washington.

Born on Aug 14, 1983 in Kermit, TX

 Died on Sep. 24, 2004 in Al Anbar province, Iraq

The word warrior in the dictionary is said to describe a person who shows great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness. Warrior was a word used often in describing Timothy, or Shane as he was known to most by. After his death, his unit gathered for a memorial service and his commanding officer said, “We come here to seek closure and try and understand why a friend, a fellow human being has been lost. We try to understand and respect the fact that he was dedicated to his duties, executed them as a Marine flawlessly and paid the ultimate sacrifice because he understood his call to duty.” Shane’s path in life was not an easy one. He had some struggles growing up, but he was a great kid with a good spirit. Whatever he had in life, he earned; nothing was handed to him. Sonora, Texas is where he was from; a town of about 3,000 people, and Shane was a popular football player there. He graduated from high school and on October 27, 2003, enlisted in the Marine Corps. Shane never complained, never fell out and never quit. His work ethic pushed him to keep improving himself. His sense of humor helped not only keep him, but his platoon going. Shane did not want to let anyone down and protecting his fellow Marines was important to him. He deployed to Iraq with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, California and three weeks after arriving he was killed by small-arms fire while advancing and engaging with enemy forces. His squad leader said Shane was a true warrior his last moments, never giving up. He saved the lives of other men in his squad. Shane’s father talked about Shane’s desire to serve and protect his country, dying a warrior during a battle with the enemy, serving a purpose for the good of his country. A warrior. Shane is survived by his father and stepmother, Wendell and Ann Folmar; mother, Callie Smith Folmar; one brother, Brandon Folmar; one stepsister, Mrs. Raven Brown; and one stepbrother, Jacob Spivey.

PFC Folmar is buried in the Sonora Cemetery. 

Born on Oct. 28, 1984 in Harrisburg, IL

Died on Nov. 10, 2004, near Fallujah, Iraq

Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Pickering was a student at Marion Illinois High School until his junior year, when he transferred to Harrisburg. Aaron excelled at golf, he was all-conference his freshman and sophomore years, finishing 2nd his freshman year. He also loved to hunt and fish and won 1st place in the 58th Illinois State Championship Junior Goose Calling contest and he won a Senior Goose Calling contest in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated in 2002 and the following year enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. This was his dream; he was a fighter would not give up on his dream. He was not afraid of anything and loved the Marine life. Aaron was initially trained at Camp Pendleton then transferred to the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii. Aaron left for Iraq in August 2004, assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Two weeks after turning 20 years old, Aaron’s life was taken as a result of enemy action. The following day, Veteran’s Day, his family was notified of his death. Aaron’s only other sibling was his sister Carrie Brooke Pickering who was killed in an automobile accident in 1999 when she was 17. Aaron is survived by his mother and stepfather, Lisa and Sam Short; father and stepmother, Carl and Theresa Pickering; stepbrothers Travis Short, Dustin Short and Dylan Short; stepsister, Christine Harmon; and several other relatives.

He was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion, Illinois.

Born on May 15, 1979 in Columbia, Missouri

Died on May 26, 2004 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq

Cpl. Matthew C. Henderson of Lincoln, Nebraska, grew up with a huge appetite for anything outdoors. From hunting, fishing and 4-wheeling, he loved it. When he was 12, his family welcomed a new Golden Retriever puppy named Rocket into their lives. Rocket was to be an outside dog, but Matthew had other plans for his beloved “Rocky.” Known for his soft-heart, soon the puppy was seen sleeping right along side Matthew and the two became inseparable. Rocky enjoyed all the same outdoor activities as his master, even “playing center field.” Matthew was a 1998 graduate of Palmyra High School, and went on to attend and play football for Nebraska Wesleyan University before joining the Marine Corps in September of 2000. Living in California, when he phoned home, one of the first things he’d always ask is how Rocky was doing. Matthew’s superiors instantly knew he was a natural-born leader and dependable. They pushed him because they saw his potential. While Matthew sometimes would curse them out, in the end, they were right and Matthew was soon a leader of his own squad. He was part of the initial forces sent to Iraq and while he was gone, Rocky was diagnosed with cancer. Rocket died on April 8, 2003, and Matt learned of Rocket’s death upon returning home. He was shaken and saddened by the loss and one of the first things he did upon returning home was to visit Rocket’s grave. Despite his being a tough Marine, his soft heart was broken by Rocket’s death. Matthew cared about the soldiers he served with, and when fellow Nebraskan Kyle W. Codner joined the squadron in January, Matthew helped the 19-year-old adjust. The two became inseparable. Matthew felt responsible for Kyle and took him under his wing. They deployed to Iraq in February 2004, both part of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Pendleton, California. On May 26, 2004, Matthew and Kyle were both killed as a result of enemy action. His wife, Jaimie; father, Owen Henderson; mother, Becky Henderson; sister, Kellie Henderson; and several other family members survive Corporal Henderson.

Matthew was buried in Lincoln Memorial Park in Lincoln, Nebraska. An image of Rocket is on his headstone.

Born on Mar. 2, 1985 in Grand Island, Neb.

Died on May 26, 2004 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq

Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Codner was the only son of Wain and Dixie Codner. Kyle grew up on a farm east of Shelton, Nebraska, a town of under 1,200 people. He gave of himself to his community by being involved in sports, speech, drama in school and was active in his church’s youth group. Very unselfish, he could always make people laugh and was rarely seen in a bad mood. A leader in his school’s government, Kyle stood a lanky 6’2″ tall and was a guard on the school’s basketball team, earning an all-conference status. His desire to give to his community spilled over into his desire to give to his country and on June 16, 2003, he enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating with honors from high school. Based at Camp Pendleton, California, Kyle’s physique quickly filled out, and his squad leader, Cpl. Matthew C. Henderson, also from Nebraska, took Kyle under his wing. Both Matthew and Kyle were only sons and they took on the roles of big and little brother. Set to deploy to Iraq in early 2004, Kyle’s mother and his fiancée Megan Kirkover came out to California to visit him before he left. Kyle insisted on splurging on these two women who meant the world to him, putting them up in an expensive hotel and treating them to fancy dinners. Assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Pendleton, Kyle deployed in February for a seven-month tour in Iraq. His duty was a combat engineer, looking for land mines and IED’s. He called and emailed home once a week but didn’t let his family know how dangerous his role was. He didn’t want to worry them. He did remind them that freedom isn’t free and that people seem to forget that. On May 26, Kyle and Matthew were killed in action by enemy forces. Besides his parents and fiancée, Kyle is survived by his sister Melissa. His funeral was held at the high school because the entire town closed down that day and the entire town attended his funeral. His fiancée Megan read a poem there, which contained the line, “Loving a Marine isn’t always what they say, and loving him comes with a high price to pay.”

Kyle was buried in Shelton Cemetery and on the top of his headstone are three words etched over his name, “Freedom Isn’t Free.”

Born on April 28, 1966 in Louisiana

Died on May 24, 2010 in Numaniyah, Iraq

Maj. Culver was known by his middle name, Wayne. One of two sons born to Ronald and Betty Culver, he played baseball, was member in his church’s youth group, and was an active member in the Boy Scouts where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Wayne graduated from Northwood High School in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1984 and joined the military in 1988 and graduated from Louisiana State University-Shreveport in 1989 with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting. Major Culver served a majority of his 22-year career with 1-156th Armor Battalion and 2-108th Cavalry Squadron in Fort Humbug in Shreveport. He served one tour during Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991 and two tours in Iraq, the first from 2004-05 and again in 2010. Wayne also responded numerous times for State emergencies to include Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. Wayne was promoted to Major on August 28th, 2006. Wayne deployed to Iraq in January 2010, as an executive officer with the 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, from Shreveport. He never asked his troops to do anything he would not do himself and was considered a soldier’s soldier. His unit’s duty was to conduct force protection and convoy security throughout the multi-national coalition during the responsible draw down of U.S. Forces in Iraq. He died May 24 in Numaniyah, Iraq, when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Major Culver received numerous military honors and awards during his 22 years in the Guard, including the Combat Action Badge, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with campaign star, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, numeral three and bronze hourglass, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Louisiana War Cross with two fleur-de-lis, the Louisiana Cross of Merit, the Louisiana Commendation Medal, the Louisiana Emergency Service Medal with one fleur-de-lis, and the Louisiana Longevity Ribbon with three fleur-de-lis. Major Culver also was a member of the Order of Saint George and recipient of the Order of Saint George Medallion, which is the top award given to the most deserving of members of the Army’s mounted force by the United States Armor Association and the United States Army.