Freedom Remembered

Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, Wash., died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Daniel graduated in 2002 from Ferndale High School. Bartle was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and CH-53 pilot. He was commissioned into the Marine Corps in May 2006, and reported for duty with HMH-363 in July 2011 and promoted to captain the previous year. This was his second to deployment to Afghanistan. His personal awards include two Air Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the NATO ISAF Medal. He was part of the Lucky Red Lions helicopter squadron HMH-363. The unit deployed in August 2011 to southern Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and is set to return home in March 2012. Their mission is to provide assault support, transport Marines and critical supplies, as well as equipment during expeditionary operations.

To be updated…

Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, 22, of Willis, Texas died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He was an aerial observer who joined HMH-363 in May 2011. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 2008. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan. His awards include, an Air Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and NATO ISAF Medal. He was part of the Lucky Red Lions helicopter squadron HMH-363. The unit deployed in August 2011 to southern Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and is set to return home in March 2012. Their mission is to provide assault support, transport Marines and critical supplies, as well as equipment during expeditionary operations.

Visitation with the family is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Willis. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the North Montgomery County Community Center, 600 Gerald St. in Willis.

Memorial donations may be made in Joseph Logan’s honor to the Friends of the Fallen, P.O. Box 2081, Dover Air Force Base, DE 19902.

To be updated…

Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath, 25, Glendale, Ariz.., died Jan. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Philip is a 2005 graduate of Cooper High School. He was supposed to come home from Afghanistan in just two weeks.

To be updated…

Born: August 14, 1984
Died: January 18, 2012 in Paktika, Afghanistan

Spc. Keith D. Benson, 27, of Norwood, Mass., died Jan. 18, in Paktika province, Afghanistan. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany. He is a 2002 graduate of Norwood High School. Serving as a medic, Keith was interested in becoming an EMT after the military.

Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts

To be updated…

Born: July 12, 1991 in Riverside, California
Died: January 15, 2012 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran, 20, of Wilder, Idaho died Jan 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. Ken graduated Parma High School in 2010 where he was well liked and admired by his classmates. Kenny joined the Marine Corps Aug. 30, 2010. He arrived on Okinawa May 27, 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan Nov. 13, 2011 serveing as a water support technician. His awards include, the NATO-International Security Assistance Force Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise, Idaho

To be updated…

Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, 22, of Pahrump, NV., died Jan 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Jon-Luke began serving in the Marine Corps on Feb. 25, 2008. This was his first combat deployment. He also deployed once with a Marine expeditionary unit. His personal awards include, the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and NATO Medal for International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan.

To be updated…

Born: August 30, 1977
Died: January 15, 2012 in Landstuhl, Gemany

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin B. Wise, 34, of Little Rock, Ark., died Jan. 15 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries sustained on Jan. 9 in Balkh province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Ben graduated from West Side Christian High School in 1995 and entered the United States Army in November 2000 as an infantryman. Upon completion of Basic Combat Training, Advanced Individual Training and the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2001, he was assigned to the 520th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base LewisMcChord where he deployed to Iraq as a member of the Battalion Scout Platoon from 2003-2004. In 2005, Wise volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and was selected to continue training as medical sergeant in the Special Forces Qualification Course. After graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2008, Wise was assigned to 3rd Bn, 1st SFG (A). During his time with the unit, he deployed once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. Wise’s military education includes the Warrior Leader’s Course, the Advanced Leader’s Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Course, the Recon and Surveillance Leadership Course and the Basic Airborne Course. Wise’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the NATO Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (3rdAward), the Army Good Conduct Medal (3rd award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, the Afghan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd award), the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 2, the Army Service Ribbon, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge and the Parachutist Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. He was currently serving his fourth deployment in support of Overseas
Contingency Operations.

Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery

To be updated…

Born: May 28, 1990
Died: January 11, 2012 in Logar, Afghanistan

Pfc. Neil I. Turner of Tacoma, Washington died at age 21 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He graduated from High School in 2008.

Burial is at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington – Sec 28A Site 66

To be updated…

Born: October 16, 1981 in Hampton, Virginia
Died: January 10, 2012 in Parwan, Afghanistan

Pfc. Michael W. Pyron of Hopewell, Virginia died at age 30 in Parwan province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 25th Signal Battalion, 160th Signal Brigade, 335th Signal Command Theater, East Point, Ga. He joined in the Army in May of 2010 and had been with the 335th since February 2011 serving as a radio and communications security specialist. He leaves his wife, Monika Stienen Pyron, sons, Mason Pyron and Matthew Stienen, his mother and her husband, Cheryl G. Coluccio and Frank, father and his wife, Herbert Pyron Jr. and Janet, his brothers, Jeremy Griggs, Thomas Coluccio, Christopher Griggs and Matthew Pyron, and his sisters, Samantha Coluccio and Emily Miller.

Burial is at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Chester, Virginia

To be updated…

Born: November 25, 1991 in Frankfurt, Germany
Died: January 8, 2012 in Zabul, Afghanistan

Pfc. Dustin P. Napier of London, Ky., died at age 20 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from enemy small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He attended South Laurel High School graduating in 2010. During his four years in high school he participated in the ROTC program and ranked as top cadet in his senior year. Dustin had been married about three months. He joined the Army in July 2010, arriving at Fort Wainwright in November. He deployed to Afghanistan last April for a one year tour of duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

A.R. Dyche Memorial Park

To be updated…