Freedom Remembered

Born: August 8, 1990 in San Bernardino, California
Died: November 16, 2011 in Khowst, Afghanistan

Spc. Sean M. Walsh of San Jose, California died at age 21 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained after encountering indirect fire. He was assigned to the 185th Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade, Pittsburg, Calif. Seanleaves his mother, Cheryl Walsh and father Kenneth Walsh.

Services were held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga, CA. Graveside services immediately followed at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

To be updated…

Born: September 20, 1982
Died: October 29, 2011 in Kabul, Afghanistan

Sgt. Carlo F. Eugenio, 29, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., died Oct. 29, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 756th Transportation Company, 224th Sustainment Brigade, California Army National Guard, Van Nuys, Calif. Formerly from Fontana, he is a graduate of Etiwanda High School. During his five years of service, he received several commendations and medals. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously.

Burial is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California – Sec 8 Site 220D

To be updated….

Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Dunning, 31, of Milpitas, Calif., died Oct. 27 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. He graduated in 1998 from Milpitas High School. Later that same year he joined the Marines, following his father and an uncle into the service. In 2010, Stephen was featured in a photo in Vanity Fair magazine showing him holding an Xbox controller that guides a remote-control bomb-disposal robot. His job seemed to be the next logical step for the video-game enthusiast with “nimble fingers” and an ability to solve problems.

To be updated…

Born: October 3, 1982 in San Bernardino County, California
Died: October 21, 2011 in Tallil, Iraq

Pfc. Steven F. Shapiro of Hidden Valley Lake, California entered active duty service in March 2010 as an M1 Armor Crewman. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, since July 2010. He deployed in support of Operation New Dawn earlier in 2011. His awards and decorations include an Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon. He died at age 29 in Tallil, Iraq.
Army
3rd Battalion
8th Cavalry Regiment
3rd Advise and Assist Brigade
1st Cavalry Division
Fort Hood, Texas

Burial is at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California – Sec R Site 1338

To be updated…

Born: October 5, 1982
Died: October 22, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer B. Domeij, 29, of San Diego, Calif., assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., died Oct. 22, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Kris is a 2001 Rancho Bernardo High School graduate and enlisted in the United States Army in July 2001. He joined the 75th Ranger Regiment in April, 2002 where he served as a Ranger Joint Terminal Attack Controller. He was serving his 14th combat deployment. Sfc Domeij completed Basic Combat Training and Fire Support Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Okla. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program at Fort Benning. Following graduation from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, He was assigned to Co. C, 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment in 2002 where he served as a Forward Observer. He also served in Headquarters and Headquarters Co. (HHC), as a Reconnaissance Joint Terminal Attack Controller, Co., B as the Fire Support Noncommissioned Officer, and again in HHC as the Battalion Fires Support Noncommissioned Officer. Domeij was also a Joint Terminal Attack Controller – Evaluator and was one of the first Army qualified JTAC’s, training which is usually reserved for members of the Air Force. His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, the Warrior Leader’s Course, the Advanced Leader’s Course, the Senior Leader’s Course, U.S. Army Ranger School, Jumpmaster School, Pathfinder School, Joint Firepower Control Course, and Joint Fires Observer Course. His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, Combat Action Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge. He has also been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal with three loops, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Ribbon with numeral four. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Meritorious Service Medal.

To be updated…

Born: September 23, 1973 in Alameda County, California
Died: October 10, 2011 in Doha, Qatar

Chief Warrant Officer James B. Wilke, 38, of Ione, Calif. died Oct. 10 in Doha, Qatar. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas. He joined the Army in June 1992 and arrived to Fort Bliss in January 2007 where he served as a Patriot Weapons System Technician with the 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

To be updated…

Born: November 2, 1986 in Monterey County, California
Died: October 8, 2011 in Afganistan

Spc. Ricardo Cerros Jr., 24, of Salinas, Calif., died Oct. 8 in Logar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He enlisted in July 2010 and joined the 75th Ranger Regiment in March. The regiment has been continuously deployed to Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion in 2001. He is a graduate of Everett Alarez High School and the University of California, Irvine. Ricardo enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2010 completing One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program at Fort Benning. Following graduation from Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, Cerros was assigned to Company B, 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment in March 2011, where he served as a Ranger rifleman. His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course and Ranger Assessment and Selection Program. His awards and decorations include the Parachutist Badge and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge. Spc Cerros has also been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

Ridgelawn Cemetery in Gary, Indiana

To be updated…

Born: May 11, 1990 in California
Died: September 26, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Spc. Garrett A. Fant, 21, of American Canyon, Calif., died Sept. 26 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. He joined the Army in March 2009 as an indirect fire infantryman. This was his first deployment. Fant’s awards include the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, NATO Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, and the Army Service Ribbon. He leaves his parents, Julie Farrell and John Fant, a sister, Shawna Farrell and a brother, Ricky Farrell.

Burial is at Happy Homestead Cemetery in South Lake Tahoe, California

To be updated…

Born: October 1, 1988 in Orange County, California
Died: September 24, 2011 in Wardak, Afghanistan

Sgt. Tyler N. Holtz of Dana Point, California enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 2007 from San Diego, Calif. Holtz completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course there, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program also at Fort Benning. Holtz graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and was then assigned to Company B, 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment in July 2008, where he served as a rifleman and a Ranger team leader. His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, U.S. Army Ranger Course, and U.S. Army Jumpmaster Course. His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge. Holtz has also been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, and Joint Service Achievement Medal. He died at age 22 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.
Army
2nd Battalion
75th Ranger Regiment
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

Burial is at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California – Sec V Site 1923

To be updated…

Born: January 9, 1992 in California
Died: September 23, 2011 in Wardak, Afghanistan

Pfc. Carlos A. Aparicio, 19, of San Bernadino, Calif., died Sept. 23 in Wardak, province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La. Pfc Aparicio joined the Army in June 2010. After training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he arrived at Fort Polk in January, 2011. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in February 2011. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He leaves his parents, Connie and Hugo Aparicio and his siblings, Miguel Aparicio and Maricela Aparicio.

Burial is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California – Sec 52-A Site 223

To be updated…