Lance Cpl. Joshua T. Twigg, 21, of Clymer, Pa., died Sept. 2 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
To be updated…
2nd Lt. Mark A. Noziska, 24, of Papillon, Neb., died Aug. 30 in Malajat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. Mark is a 2004 graduate of Papillion La Vista High School and went on to attend Creighton University before completing a criminal justice degree in 2008 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The youngest of three children, he wanted to join the Army following the events of September 11th while he was still a sophomore in high school. He ultimately joined the National Guard after high school and signed up for active duty with the Army after college. While in the National Guard, he was named the 2005 Soldier of the Year. He had planned to make a career with the Army. Mark is the son of Dee and Phil Noziska.
To be updated…
Staff Sgt. Casey J. Grochowiak, 34, of San Diego, Calif., died Aug. 30 in Malajat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. He graduated from Horizon Christian Fellowship Academy in Clairemont where played football. He also enjoyed surfing, baseball and snowboarding. He was inspired to enlist by the large military presence in San Diego and by the fact that his father was a retired Navy officer. Casey joined the Army and was selected for infantry school, serving seven years in the 82nd Airborne before volunteering for Ranger school. He was a member of the Reptile Team, and participated in the Ranger Open House at Camp Rudder in 2007. Casey is the son of Edward and Barbara Grochowiak.
To be updated…
Lance Cpl. Christopher B. Rodgers, 20, of Griffin, Ga., died Sept. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Chris is a graduate of Spalding High School and was a member of the school’s junior ROTC for four years.
To be updated…
Lance Cpl. Cody A. Roberts, 22, of Boise, Idaho, died Aug. 31 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. He was a 2006 graduate of Centennial High School. He joined the Marines and was serving his first deployment to Afghanistan. He joined the Marine Corps in August 2006 and was promoted to lance corporal Dec. 1, 2009. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. He leaves his wife and a child among others.
To be updated…
Born: January 24, 1986
Died: August 31, 2010 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Sgt. Joseph A. Bovia of Kenner, Louisiana is the son of Herbert and Teresa Bovia. He is a 2004 graduate of Bonnabel High School where he was a decorated ROTC cadet. His family is no stranger to serving in the military; his grandfather, granduncle and an uncle have all done their part. And Joseph was so eager to jumps start his own military career that he asked his parents to sign for him in his senior year of high school. He did his training at Parris Island, South Carolina, before shipping out to Japan. He was currently serving in Afghanistan and had previously served two deployments to Iraq. Joseph leaves his parents, Teresa Moorhead Bovia and Herbert Joseph Bovia, Jr., and a brother, Matthew Bovia. He died at age 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Army
3rd Combat Assault Battalion
3rd Marine Division
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Okinawa, Japan
To be updated…
Died: August 30, 2010 in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan
Chaplain Dale A Goetz of White, South Dakota completed his Master of Divinity degree at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minneapolis in 2000. Dale once served as pastor of First Baptist Church in his hometown of White, and he and his family had recently joined High Country Baptist Church in Colorado Springs where he was stationed. He joined the Army in January of 2000 and had been in Afghanistan since July of 2010. He was previously in Iraq. The outdoorsman and a sportsman would take the boys into the woods and show them the trails, and they would go fishing. He died at age 43 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He leaves his wife and three sons.
Army
1st Battalion
66th Armor Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado
To be updated…
Died: August 30, 2010 in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Kevin J. Kessler of Canton, Ohio is a 1996 graduate of East Canton High School where he was vice president of his senior class at East Canton. He entered the Army in June of 2004 and had been in Afghanistan since May of 2010. He had previously served two tours in Iraq. He joined the unit in November. The once Denver Broncos fan in his youth, became an avid supporter of the Cleveland Browns later. He also loved Pink Floyd and traveling, had an adventurous spirit who once climbed Pikes Peak in Colorado. He enjoyed spending time in Cumberland, Kentucky where his family would water ski and party on a houseboat during the summer. Kevin leaves his wife, Adrian, his mother and stepfather, Kristine and Rod Williams, his father and stepmother, Larry and Sue Kessler, his sisters, Emily and Laura, his brother, Daniel, and his unborn child. He died at age 32 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Army
4th Brigade Support Battalion
1st Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado
To be updated…
Pfc. Chad D. Clements, 26, of Huntington, Ind. He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Chad is a 2002 graduate of Huntington North High School. He joined the Army in February of 2009 and had been in Afghanistan since July 2010. He joined the unit in July of 2009. This was his first deployment and he had only been in Afghanistan for three weeks.
To be updated…
Staff Sgt. Jesse Infante, 30, of Cypress, Texas. He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Jesse is a 1999 graduate of Sam Houston High School. He entered the Army in January of 2000 and had been in Afghanistan since late July 2010. He was previously in Iraq from December 2005 through December 2006. He was trained as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist.
To be updated…
