Freedom Remembered

Born: November 4, 1989 in San Bernardino County, California
Died: August 31, 2010 in Logar, Afghanistan

Sgt. Raymond C. Alcaraz of Redlands, California joined the United States Army in the summer of 2007. After completing Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and Airborne School, he was assigned to Charlie Company 173rd BSB. He joined the unit during Operation Enduring Freedom VIII and was attached to Able Company 1-503rd P.I.R. serving as a Platoon Medic. SGT Alcaraz again deployed to Afghanistan with Charlie Company 173rd BSB in November 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom X. While deployed to Logar Province, Afghanistan, he was attached to 1st Platoon (Assassins) of Alpha Company 173rd Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne) as a Platoon Medic where he completed over 49 missions as a Health Care Sergeant in support of Operation Enduring Freedom X. His Awards and Decorations include, the Army Achievement Medal, (with Oak Leaf Cluster) the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Army Good Conduct Medal, (first award) the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, (three) the NATO Medal, a Certificate of Achievement, the Combat Medic Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. He leaves his brother, Lucas, his mother and stepfather, Alma and Paul Murphy, and his father, Raymond Sr. He died at age 20 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
Army
173rd Brigade Support Battalion
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Bamberg, Germany

Hillside Memorial Park in Redlands, California

To be updated…

Born: December 19, 1975 in San Diego, California
Died: August 30, 2010 in Malajat, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Casey J. Grochowiak of San Diego, California 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 in September of 2009 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. He had been in Afghanistan since July of 2010. He also previously served in Iraq. Casey is the son of Edward and Barbara Grochowiak. He died at age 34 in Malajat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Army
1st Battalion
22nd Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado

To be updated…

Born: August 29, 1986 in Placer County, California
Died: January 27, 2007 in Al Anbar, Iraq

Lance Cpl. Anthony C. Melia of Thousand Oaks, California is a 2005 graduate of Thousand Oaks High School, he was a wide receiver and defensive back on the school’s football team and he had a reputation for speed and toughness. He was so moved by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that he told friends and relatives he would one day join the armed forces to defend his country. He felt he had to do something. He knew the risk and was willing to take that risk to defend his family and his friends. He leaves his father, Mike Melia, and his mother, Vicki Melia, among others. He died at age 20 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Army
Battalion Landing Team
2nd Battalion
4th Marine Regiment
15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(Special Operations Capable)
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Pendleton, California

Burial is at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, California

Born: August 29, 1984 in Visalia, California
Died: July 15, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq

Spc. Manuel J. Holguin of Woodlake, California was known best by his middle name, Joaguin. When he was a small boy he, his brother, and friends would play soldiers when he was a small boy, hiking into the hills on adventures. He enjoyed sports and participated in soccer and baseball, first in youth leagues then at Woodlake High School. His smiling eyes and wide grin always melted hearts. No one was able to overcome his charming personality. Joaquin was full of life and wanted to enjoy every minute of it. He wasn’t one to sit around for long because there was too much to do, some place to go, or someone to see. He made friends easily whether it was in school, sports, or just kicking it. When he graduated in 2002, he followed up on a life-long ambition of joining the Army. He was sent to basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Benning, where he was awarded his platoon’s High Marksman Award and received his Infantryman’s blue chord. During his first tour in Iraq, he had at least two opportunities to return to the United States during his two tours of duty in Iraq, but selflessly decided to stay with his unit. He turned down his first chance to go home to allow a married man to return to his family, the second time, he didn’t want to leave his friends in the unit fighting with a man short. He eventually spent 15 months in Iraq during some of the fiercest fighting of the war. When his division was rotated out of Iraq, the Brigades colonel, the driver, and Joaquin, the gunner on the Humvee made sure they were the last of the division to leave Iraq. The colonel broke out cigars and they celebrated at the Kuwait-Iraq border Joaquin doesn’t smoke, but like he said, when the colonel asks, you don’t refuse. Even after he was extended past his original date to exit the Army, he had reservations about having to go back to Iraq, but he said he could not say no, knowing he would be letting down his buddies that were going back. He was a man with honor and convictions that drove him to do the right thing. He had no qualms about why he was in the military and what his job was. He was very proud of what he did. Joaquin was also very much about family. Family always came first to him. Whenever he was on leave, he made sure he tried to make the rounds and see everyone. At family get-togethers he would be in the middle of everything, kidding and joking with everyone. Poking fun and making us laugh. Everyone would say, he’s just like his Grandpa Pancho, feisty but lovable. He loved that comparison to his grandfather. Whenever he called home, he asked how everyone was doing and how he wished he could be there. For some of his girl cousins this sometimes proved embarrassing when their boyfriends would get a brotherly warning about appropriate behavior towards his cousins. He also was the typical big brother, giving advice, lecturing, giving gifts, but mostly giving love to his younger brother Javier. We would not have asked for a better son. He always tried to do the right thing and most of the time he did. Even when he made mistakes, he owned up to them, took his consequences, and tried to learn from them. He leaves his mother, Lydia, his father, Manuel, and a brother Javier. He was 21.
Army
2nd Battalion
6th Infantry Regiment
2nd Brigade
1st Armored Division
Baumholder, Germany

Burial is at Visalia Public Cemetery in Visalia, California

Born: August 29, 1982 in San Bernardino, California
Died: January 7, 2008 at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan

Sgt. James K. Healy of Hesperia, California is a 2000 graduate of Hesperia High School where he played trumpet in the school band. He then took classes for two years at a community college before enlisting in the United States Army in 2003. He married his high school sweetheart soon after basic training. Even in his leisure, James was still doing something constructive; the talented artist always kept a sketchbook nearby and was always drawing something. He created cartoon characters and comic strips of his friends and family. He was also an avid Star Wars enthusiast. His unit was deployed to Afghanistan in August of 2007 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit had previously been deployed in Iraq. Using his natural talent, James designed a t-shirt for the 703rd and the company’s coin. He was the unofficial artist for the unit while it was fighting in Afghanistan. He designed a logo for his company and made signs that some of the soldiers hung on their doors. He leaves his wife, Shannon, son Wyatt, his parents, Timothy and Linda, and a brother, Ian. He died at age 25 at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Maj. Michael L. Green.
Army
703rd Explosive Ordnance Detachment
Fort Knox, Kentucky

Burial is at Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, California

Died: August 28, 2010 in Babur, Afghanistan

Spc. Andrew J. Castro of Westlake Village, California is the oldest of three boys, and attended Westlake High School where he played linebacker on the football team, wearing football jersey #45. Known best by his initials, A.J., entered the Army in June 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell in February 2009. His Awards and Decorations include, Meritorious Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Weapons Qualification, M249 machine gun (expert). A.J. had been in Afghanistan less than a month. He leaves his father, Hector Castro, his mother, Carmen Roman, and his brothers, Ryan and Steven. He died at age 20 in Babur, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Army
2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
2nd Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

To be updated…

Born: August 29, 1986 in Panorama City, California
Died: June 29, 2006 in San Antonio, Texas

Cpl. Ryan. J. Clark of Lancaster, California was a 2004 graduate from Antelope Valley High School. He followed his brother Sean into the Army, and was serving with the 40th Engineers when his unit was called into Iraq from Kuwait. He loved his family, baseball and hanging out at Chilis Restaurant at Ramstein. He was funny and spontaneous and when a new soldier came in to the squad, Ryan went up and introduced himself: He said, “I don’t know you, but I really like you, because now I don’t have to carry the SAW anymore,” referring to the squad automatic weapon, much heavier than an M-4 carbine. He leaves his parents, Pennie and Keith J. Clark, his brothers, Sean and Justin, stepfather Steve O’Brien. He also leaves a stepsister, Hollie and his stepmother Melissa Clark. He died June 29 at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio of injuries sustained June 17 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. He was receiving treatment for third-degree burns that covered at least 75% of his body.
Army
40th Engineer Battalion
1st Brigade Combat Team
Baumholder, Germany

Burial is at Joshua Memorial Park in Lancaster, California

Born: August 27, 1981 in San Bernardino, California
Died: October 15, 2005 in AR Ramadi, Iraq

Spc. Timothy D. Watkins of San Bernardino, California is a 1999 graduate of Calvary Baptist High School. Tim grew up heavily involved in his church; he sang with a worship group and worked with children at a Christian camp. With the heart of a servant, he was very much a help at church. Pretty much, his whole life centered around his faith. Another of his passions was learning to fly, prompting him to decide to join the military. He wanted to fly helicopters. Timothy was a proud man who believed strongly in the military mission in Iraq. He was known and respected by soldiers in Iraq, a mentor to some, a friend to many. While in Iraq, he’d round up anybody that wasn’t on a mission on Sunday mornings, and take them to church with him. In August of 2005, Tim spent two weeks at his parents’ home after serving for seven months in Iraq. He was killed at age 24 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincent E. Summers, Spc. Thomas H. Byrd, Spc. Jeffrey W. Corban, and Spc. Richard A. Hardy.
Army
2nd Battalion
69th Armor Regiment
3rd Brigade
3rd Infantry Division
Fort Benning, Georgia

Burial is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California – Sec 46 Site 2577

Died: August 27, 2010 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Petty Officer 3rd Class James M. Swink of Yucca Valley, California is the son of Jim and Laura Swink. He enlisted in the Navy in July of 2007, completing Naval Hospital Corpsman School at Great Lakes, Ill., and spent two years assigned to Naval Hospital Okinawa in Japan. In March of 2010 he reported to Field Medical Service School at Camp Lejeune and joined 2nd Marine Division in May 2010 for assignment. His military Awards and Decorations include, the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Navy-Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon. He died at age 20 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Navy
hospital corpsman
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Forces
Arlington National Cemetery
To be updated…

Born: Aug. 27, 1985 in San Jose, California
Died: October 17, 2007 in Balad, Iraq

Spc. Vincent A. Madero of Port Hueneme, California attended Frontier High school and graduated from Oxnard High in 2003 before joining the Army. As a 130 Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems Specialist, Vincent attended basic training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma in November of 2003. He then volunteered to be stationed at Fort Wainwright in January 2004, where he met his future wife, Ellen, of North Pole. They were married March 30, 2007, in Fairbanks right after Vincent returned from a 16-month tour in Iraq. He had many hobbies but mostly he enjoyed mechanics, camping, photography, art work, and he couldn’t survive without his music. He had every CD you could ever think of. Vince would go out of his way to help anybody and devoted his time to staying on top of things. Vince was a responsible leader. He used to say to his family: “When you feel alone, look at the spaces between your fingers, remember that in those spaces you can see my fingers.” His Awards and Decorations include, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Combat Action Badge. He leaves his parents, Blas and Sybil Madero, his wife, Ellen Madero, his brother Daniel Hazelton, and his sister Cassey Penn. He died at age 22 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV.
Army
2nd Battalion
82nd Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
1st Cavalry Division
Fort Hood, Texas

Burial is at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas – Sec 26 Site 3118