Pfc. Jalfred D. Vaquerano, 20, of Apopka, Fla., died Dec. 13, in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered from enemy small-arms fire while deployed in Logar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He attended Forest Lake Academy. Pvt Vaquerano was an Infantryman (MOS 11B) who entered the Army from Tampa, in January 2011. He was previously stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. His awards and decorations include, the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9827
To be updated…
Born: January 20, 2989 in St. Augustine, Florida
Died: November 16, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Pfc. Matthew C. Colin of Navarre, Florida died at age 22 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Matthew grew up in Navarre, graduating in 2007 from Navarre High School. He joined the Army in February 2010, completing basic training at Fort Benning and arrived at Fort Wainwright in September 2010.
Burial is at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida – Sec 51 Site 58
To be updated…
Born: January 15, 1986 in Orlando, Florida
Died: November 11, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Pfc. Theodore B. Rushing of Longwood, Florida died at age 25 in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment; 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, N.Y. Teddy joined the Army in March 2011. After training at Fort Benning, GA, he was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division and arrived at Fort Drum in July 2011. He deployed with his unit in August 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards and decorations include, The Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and the Army Combat Action Badge.
Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9858
To be updated…
Spc. Jeremiah T. Sancho, 23, of Palm Bay, Fla., died Oct. 13 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Jerry joined the Army in January, 2010, and after completing training at Fort Benning, Georgia, came to Fort Drum in May 2010. He deployed with his unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in March. Sancho’s awards and decorations include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal,and the Combat Action Badge.
To be updated…
Born: October 26, 1983 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Died: September 28, 2011 in Ghazni, Afghanistan
1st Lt. Ivan D. Lechowich, 27, of Valrico, Fla., Sep 28, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He attended King High School and the University of Florida. Ivan had become a first-time father just a week ago. His daughter was born a week early and the first lieutenant was able to see her via Skype from Afghanistan. Originally enlisting in the Army in July of 2009, Lechowich entered officer candidate school and was commissioned about half a year later at Fort Benning, Ga., in January 2010 and subsequently went through the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Leonard Wood; he then became the company executive officer for the 554th Engineer Battalion Sapper Leader Course, also at Fort Leonard Wood. By December he was assigned to the battalion staff of the 5th Engineer Battalion, also at Fort Leonard Wood, but after a short time became a platoon leader in the 515th Sapper Company and deployed to Afghanistan in April of 2011. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge. In addition, he earned the Sapper Tab, which is the engineer equivalent to the Ranger Tab.
Serenity Meadows Memorial Park
To be updated…
Born: November 2, 1978 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Died: September 22, 2011 in Baghdad, Iraq
Sgt. Andy C. Morales, 32, of Longwood, Fla., died Sept. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Orlando, Fla. He leaves his wife, Mariela, his daughter, Nyobi Gonzalez, his daughter, Naira V. Caraballo-Morales, his brother, Robert Caraballo-Morales and three sisters, Glorian Caraballo-Morales, Mercian Lesser, and Jeannie Harris.
Burial is at Oaklawn Park Cemetery in Sanford, Florida
To be updated…
Born: April 28, 1982 in Danvers, Massachusetts
Died: September 18, 2011 Takhar, Afghanistan
Spc. Ryan J. Cook, 29, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Sept. 18 in Takhar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach, Florida
To be updated…
Born: January 25, 1971 in Strasbourg, France
Died: September 4, 2011 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany
Spc. Christophe J. Marquis of Tampa, Florida died at age 40 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany,of injuries sustained Aug. 27 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He joined the Army in April 2010 and graduated from Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Ga. He arrived in Alaska in February 2011. His unit deployed to Afghanistan in April 2011 for a one-year tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Burial is at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida – Sec 321 Site 114
To be updated…
Born: March 15, 1990
Died: August 31, 2011 in Wardak, Afganistan
Spc. Dennis James Jr of Deltona, Florida died at age 21 from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La. He joined the Army in June 2008. After training he arrived at Fort Polk, Louisiana in November 2009. James deployed with his unit in October 2010 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge. He attended Pine Ridge High School.
Burial is at Southern Nevada Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada – Sec AB Site 836
To be updated…
Born: August 17, 1985
Died: August 28, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Pfc. Alberto L. Obod Jr of Orlando, Florida died at age 26 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Bamberg, Germany. In April 2011, Alberto officially became an American citizen.
Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9750
To be updated…