Freedom Remembered

Born on Dec. 24, 1989

Died on May 17, 2010 in Afghanistan

Billy was from Smithville, Tennessee. He enlisted in the Army in June 2009. After Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Basic Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, he reported to Fort Bragg in November. He deployed to Afghanistan in January 2010, assigned to the 508th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed at the age of 20 in Badghis province when insurgents attacked his unit with improvised explosive devices. Billy’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, posthumous; the Purple Heart Medal, posthumous; Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal, posthumous; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a Bronze Service Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Medal; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal, posthumous; Combat Action Badge; posthumous; Parachutist Badge, basic; Weapons Qualifications Badge; and Overseas Service Bar. Billy was survived by his wife Caitlin; their daughter; his mother Marlene Goodwin; a sister and 2 brothers. His father Steve Goodwin preceded him in death.

PFC Billy G. Anderson was buried in Dismal Cemetery in Smithville, TN.

Born on Dec. 31, 1985 in Queens, NY

Died on May 18, 2010 in Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Patrick Xavier Jr. of Pembroke Pines, Florida. Patrick was born in New York, the son of Haitian immigrants and through out his life he carried with him a child’s smile, a very deep love for his family and an honesty that couldn’t be matched. His family moved to Florida when he was nine years of age and he was a 2003 graduate of Miramar High School. Afterwards he worked at a few jobs. Patrick was an ardent reader especially books dealing with philosophy and psychology. He desired a better understanding of the world, and his place in it. He was also a writer and this helped him in thinking things through. In January 2009 Patrick enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and this suited his disciplined self. Patrick’s hope was to serve his country then use his military benefits to study medicine. As a Marine he was fierce, proud, and had no fear. He deployed to Afghanistan in January 2010, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He chronicled his trip to Afghanistan on his personal website, from America, to Germany and his destination. The earthquake in Haiti upset him a great deal, and he wrote he hoped everyone would be generous in the Haitian recovery effort. He arrived on January 14 and wrote, “I seriously didn’t know how good I had it until I got here and considering that I’ve never been outside of the North American continent, I appreciate the experience a lot more. We have people who have grown up in the ‘hood and had it rough but the majority or if not all of these people have grown up in a combat zone. It’s truly an honor to be fighting along side these guys!” February 2 was his last writing. He said, “I just want to get the opportunity to tell everyone that I’m probably not going to be on here for a while because things are about to get hectic if you know what I mean and but I’m going to do the best I can and leave the rest in God’s hands. To all of my family and friends, I love you guys. Patrick was killed at the age of 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

 Burial: South Florida VA National Cemetery, Lake Worth, Florida.

Born: Dec.ember 13, 1971 in Havre, Montana
Died: May 19, 2010 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan

Shane grew up in an Air Force family, his stepfather, whom he considered to be his dad, was stationed around the globe. Shane graduated from high school in Italy and in 1992 he enlisted in the Army, serving with the 82nd Airborne from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Two years later he married his wife Jennifer and they welcomed a daughter in 1995. He decided to leave the military when his term was ended and the family moved to Texas where he enjoyed civilian life. In 2000, his growing family moved to De Smet, South Dakota, and he had a blast enjoying life there. Shane’s family meant the world to him, and while he believed in God, he knew that you didn’t have to attend a church to be a believer. He’d look around at the world and see all the greatness God created and believe. Shane also watched the news and saw lives being lost overseas in the military. He wanted to help save them. On January 4, 2005 at Sioux Falls, Shane enlisted in the Army again. He took basic training in Kentucky, then Advanced Individual Training for Military Occupational Specialty 68W (Health Care Specialist – combat medic) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He reported to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia, June 20, 2005, and was later reassigned to the United States Army Health Clinic at the Pentagon December 8, 2006. Shane asked several times to be deployed and was denied each time. So he took training as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist and in August 2007 he was reclassified to the Military Occupational Specialty 89D and attended training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.  On August 8, 2008, he reported to Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was assigned to the 787th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD). Shane deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from April to September 2009, and deployed to Afghanistan in March 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon his arrival, he posted on his web page “Well arrived in Afcrackastan and they lied to me again! This is not the paradise they promised!” That was Shane’s sense of humor, something that helped him and his family cope with his being away. Shane had a dangerous job and wore an 80-pound suit every time he went out to search and destroy the enemy’s bombs. On May 19 after deactivating an IED, he was killed when he stepped back onto a hidden secondary improvised explosive device. He was 38 years old. Shane leaves behind his wife; three children; his mother Lois Jones; stepfather Robert Jones; a sister and two brothers. His funeral was held at Lake Thompson State Park, for it is there that Shane would go to when he wished to be closer to God.

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 his life, Cristie Schock. Jeremy enlisted in the United States Army after his 1997 graduation in hopes he’d get funding for college. After his initial training was finished, he and Cristie were married in July 1998. They moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and lived there until he was transferred to Baumholder, Germany in January of 2002. Jeremy continued to pay his musical instruments in Army bands and very much enjoyed the military life, deciding to make it his career. He found his place in life, serving his country. He deployed to Iraq assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. In the early part of his tour he served in the commander’s personal security detachment before being chosen as the 1st Platoon’s weapons squad leader. In October, he volunteered to be the Alpha Section Leader and was in charge of a Bradley Fighting vehicle for the first time. On May 21, while his convoy was stopped for a roadside bomb that hit another vehicle, his vehicle was also hit by and IED and he was killed. Jeremy’s uncle described how Jeremy felt about life’s journey, “The journey is more important than the destination… more important than if you get to where you planned to go because if you don’t get there you’ll get somewhere else and maybe that is even a better place.” His uncle says, “I understand the compassion, and the emotion. Though I still do not understand the why of it… but I knew his strong, courageous heart and soul. Jeremy was a selfless and strong person who desired a complete life. Had he held himself back from what he believed he should do, he would not have had as complete a life as he did. We are sad now that his destination did not come here to be with us, but we could not have stopped him from his journey and we should not want to have stopped him. I once asked Jeremy what it was like to jump free fall (from an airplane) He said that you know right? I said that NO. I only fell from a static line… I had never experience a total free fall. He said ‘it is total freedom… the earth stops and you only hear whispers in an eternity’. Does that make sense? I know that Jeremy felt that his life was filled with all that he wanted to have.”

Jeremy was buried in Erie County Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Erie, PA.

Born on May 29, 1979 in Ramsey County, MN

Died on Sep. 11, 2004 near Iskandariayah, Iraq

David A. Cedergren of South St. Paul grew up in Zimmerman and attended school in Elk River. He dropped out of alternative high school but re-enrolled at South St. Paul High after deciding to join the Navy and train to be a medic. David had gone through some tough times, he was a good kid, but needed a bit of direction. With encouragement from his older brother who was serving in the Navy himself, David enlisted in April of 2000. His goal was to help others and the military always had those opportunities. He trained at Great Lakes, Illinois, and then went to work at Cherry Point. David was promoted three times, achieving the rank of hospital corpsman petty officer 3rd class by March 2003. He trained to be a field medic in October 2003 knowing that would increase his chances of being sent to Iraq. The Navy life suited him, he received two letters of commendation from admirals, two letters of appreciation and a good conduct medal. He went from being a good kid to a true man. He was an inspiration to all who met him, passionate about his work, with a memorable smile you never forgot. Kind and gentle, David had a heart of gold and a passion for exercise. He was extremely fit. In the spring of 2004 he deployed to Iraq assigned to the 2nd Marine Division Fleet Marine Forces Atlantic, and worked as a medic corpsman providing medical assistance for Marines in a small-boat unit that patrolled Iraq’s rivers. He stayed with the same group of Marines when it transferred to a more dangerous land patrol. Despite what I dealt with in his duties, he never lost his good humor and sense of purpose never failed. He even joked about the endless sandy beaches in Iraq. He was doing just what he wanted to do, help people. A month before he was to return home, David was taking a shower and collapsed dead. An investigation showed he died as a result of being electrocuted from improperly installed or maintained electrical devices in the outdoor shower facility. He planned on studying to become a nurse when he returned home. David was survived by his father, Bart (Pam); mother, Deb Cedergren; brothers, Barry (Dawn) and Brad (Lynn); and sisters, Jodi (Perry) Jensen and Kristy.

David is buried in Section 9-A, Site 522 of Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.

Born on July 3, 1986 in Leesburg, VA

Died on Dec. 1, 2005 near Fallujah, Iraq

Lance Cpl. Adam W. Kaiser of Naperville, Illinois, was one of 10 Marines killed who were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. They were inside an abandoned flour factory being used as a patrol base when an IED detonated. Adam was one of three children born to Wade and Christine Kaiser. They had a daughter, Sarah, who wished for a little brother or sister. She got both with the birth of twin siblings, Adam and his twin Amanda. Adam set high goals for himself growing up and worked tirelessly to accomplish them. He studied military aircraft and liked World War II documentaries and Discovery Channel features on military technology. Adam was quiet and serious most of the time, but behind his cool as a cucumber appearance, was a practical joker. He was shy, but people were attracted to him because he was so genuine and nice. He claimed to dislike school, but he was dedicated to his studies. Adam had earned his black belt in tae kwon do in a year and a half. He challenged his limits in everything he did and nothing scared him. His dream was to be a Marine; he wanted to go away and fight for his country. Adam enlisted in the Marines in 2004 after graduating from Naperville Central High School and afterwards he ran every other night and lifted weights so that he could ace the physical test. He even reported to basic training with his hair shaved shorter than what was required. The enemy he was fighting killed Adam, but his sacrifice for his country inspired others who knew him to never give up. They said that although Adam was shy, what he didn’t say in words, he spoke in actions. They said his spirit lives on in how others who knew him live their lives. Lance Cpl. Kaiser is survived by his parents, Wade and Christine (nee Bergner) Kaiser, sisters Sarah and Amanda Kaiser; paternal grandparents, Marlow and Patricia Kaiser; and maternal grandparents, Jackie and Audrey Bergner.

Adam was buried in section 1, Site 629 in Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois.

Born on Dec. 17, 1981 in Natrona Heights, PA
Died on Sep. 19, 2004 in Washington, D.C.

(From injuries he received in Iraq)

Sgt. Brandon E. Adams was one of three children born to David and Carol Adams. Brandon moved to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, as a young teen and lived the typical life of a teenage boy. Camping, fishing and playing on computers. He enlisted in the Army in 2000 after graduating from high school and served for over two years at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, before transferring to Fort Drum, New York. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Brandon deployed to Iraq in October 2003. Stubborn, and never wrong, he was one of the most loved and well-respected members of his unit. Often pulling in extra shifts to help other soldiers out, Brandon was a great friend and the perfect example of what a soldier, and man should be. His guys said he was the compass of their team. Brandon knew a little about a lot of things and was frequently reading and studying to learn more. He also realized that there was a lighter side to life and humor could be a great relief even in combat. It sometimes kept his guys going. On February 16, 2004, Brandon was severely injured in Fallujah Iraq when a grenade exploded in a house he was helping to clear. Treated at a hospital in Baghdad, the doctors there removed six pieces of shrapnel from his head and part of his skull. They were unable to removed three pieces of shrapnel. Transported to Germany, he was treated there and then brought back to the states for treatment. Several hospitals worked with Brandon and he slowly improved over the months. He was able to speak a few words to his family. Brandon’s battle ended on September 19 at Walter Reed Medical Center where he had gone to have metal plates placed in his head. He was 22 years old. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Born on July 4, 1986 in New York, NY

Died on May 12, 2010 in Helmand province, Afghanistan

Sgt. Donald J. Lamar II of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was serving his third tour of duty for the Global War on Terror when he was killed by hostile fire at the age of 23. Born in New York, he moved to Stafford, Virginia when he was a toddler. From an early age, Donald was always testing life. If his mother told him to not touch the frying pan, he’d stick his whole hand in it. As he grew, Donald had a few compassions in his life, competition, his family and his friends. He was an outstanding wrestler and football player and his sense of family was evident in how he related to being on the teams. He understood being on a team was like being part of a family, and so he did everything 150%. After his 2004 Stafford High School graduation, he attended Longwood College. When he came home for Christmas in 2005, he announced that he was enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. His roommate in college was Ben. Both sets of their parents wondered how good an idea that was as if they did not find trouble they would make it. When it came time to clean out their dorm room, it was a mess. It took Donald, Ben and Ben’s parents to get it into shape so they’d get their deposit back! Based at Camp Lejeune, he took time to go to his high school and work with the wresters there when he was home. He also reconnected with a former girlfriend, Stephanie. The got engaged on Memorial Day 2008, just before he left on his second tour in Iraq. He came home on February 17, 2009, and they married the next day. In March 2010, Donald was promoted to Sergeant and left for Afghanistan, assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Lejeune. He was serving as a sniper, and communication home was rare because of his duties. A letter home told of how busy he was, how proud he was of his unit and job and how much he missed his family. And that he loved them and would be home soon. He is survived by his wife; daughter; parents Donald and Coleen and two brothers. Before he left for Afghanistan, he had stopped by to visit Ben’s parents. He told them, “Don’t worry about Ben, I’ll look after him.” He was that way not only with family, but friends, and now they are holding him to that.

Donald was buried in section 21, site 54A in Quantico National Cemetery, Virginia.

Born: on May 20, 1986 in Massachusetts
Died: on May 12, 2010 in Helmand province, Afghanistan

Joshua was the only son of David and Arlene Desforges. A native of Ludlow, Massachusetts, he approached life full force, touching every person he came in contact with. So much so that many, many people called him their best friend. An athletic kid, he participated in just about every sport offered, from kite boarding, rock climbing or surfing, he loved to be outdoors. At the tender age of 11 he decided he wanted to be a Marine and two years later joined the Westover Young Marine Program and excelled. Josh had a mischievous streak to him and he got into trouble a few times, but his smile and charm would get him back in good graces. He enlisted in the Marines after his 2004 high school graduation and served in Afghanistan from March to September 2008, having been promoted to sergeant on January 1, 2008. When he came home, he treasured being with his family and friends, even if it was just sitting around talking and enjoying a good cigar. At home he was just Josh, not Sergeant Desforges, and he liked that. He left for a second tour in December 2009, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward. He died at the age of 23 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Joshua received the Combat Action Ribbon with one Gold Star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corp Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one Bronze Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan and ultimately earning the Purple Heart Medal for sacrificing his life while serving his country. Besides his parents his sister and grandparents survive Joshua.

Born on Jan. 22, 1984 in Oak Lawn, IL

Died Feb. 19, 2005 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq

Cpl. Kevin M. Clarke who was better known as “Superman” to his friends. The fourth of five children born to Phil and Cathy Clarke, there was never a dull moment in their household when Kevin was there. He held his own with three sisters in the house, and grew up with manners and respect for all. He was sweet and kind to everyone, more concerned about his or her well being than his own. He shied away from the cliques in his school. If you needed a friend, Kevin was the one you’d go to. Kevin was always playing the hero growing up; from Zorro, to police officers, to Navy SEALS, if it was a hero, he imitated them. A powerful athlete, he excelled at several sports, especially running hurdles. Kevin looked like he was actually flying when he flew over them. Plain old running didn’t suit him; he said anyone could run with nothing in the way. But hurdles were a challenge, and that’s what he wanted in life, challenges. And so he earned his nickname, Superman. From an early age he told his parents he wanted to be a United States Marine. 9-11 frustrated him, he wanted to enlist, but he still had a year of school to finish. Six colleges tried recruiting him with track scholarships, but Kevin just let the letters sit there, he wanted to be a Marine, nothing else. He graduated in 2002 from Tinley Park Illinois High School and went off to boot camp. Kevin served a tour of duty in Iraq and came home. He spent time visiting old friends, even visiting a friend in the hospital who nobody else stopped by to see. In late summer 2004 he left for a second tour, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force from Twentynine Palms, California. Frequent communication home was all about his friends and family back home. He didn’t talk about his own well-being; he was there on a mission he believed in, fighting a good cause for the Iraqi people. He just wanted to hear about his loved ones back home, and not worry them over what his life was like. On February 19, a month before his tour was to end, Kevin was killed in action from small arms fire. Kevin was a gift to every single person who knew him. Him sacrificing his life was a gift to the country he died serving.

Kevin was buried in Tinley Park Memorial Cemetery in Tinley Park, Illinois. His headstone reads “Our Son, Our Brother, Our Hero.”