Freedom Remembered

Born: January 23, 1991
Died: April 5, 2011 in Mosul, Iraq

Spc. Gary L. Nelson III of Woodstock, Ga., died at age 20 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. He attended Woodstock High School and entered the service in June of 2008. He leaves his parents, Gary Lee Jr and Dawn Renee Nelson, a sister, Kristina Renee Nelson and his mentor, best friend and Brother in Arms, Sgt. Oliver Dixon among others.

Burial is at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia – Sec 1 Site 2440

To be updated…

Born: May 5, 1987 in East Point, Georgia
Died: March 29, 2011 in Konar, Afghanistan

Pfc. Jeremy P. Faulkner of Griffin, Georgia graduated from Griffin High School. Known by many as, ‘Remy’, he enlisted in the United States Army in January of 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in June of 2009 with plans to make a career of his military service. His awards and decorations include, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, Parachutist Badge and Combat Infantryman Badge. Pfc Faulkner died at at age 23 of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Konar province, Afghanistan. Remy leaves his mother and stepfather, Judy and Tony Berry, his father, Joel Faulkner, and his siblings, Kimberly Faulkner, Rheena Zuchowski, Joe Berry, Eric Berry and Lindsey Payton. He attended Liberty Baptist Tabernacle Church.
Army
2nd Battalion
327th Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Stockbridge, Georgia

To be updated…

Born: September 17, 1986 in Cleveland, Ohio
Died: January 7, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Joseph R. Giese of Winder, Georgia was known best as ‘Ryan’ and joined the United States Marine Corps in July of 2007. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from September 2008 to April 2009. In July of 2010 he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include, the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, according to the Marine Corps. He died at age 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He leaves his wife, Brittany, his mother, Connie Wascovich, his father, Larry Giese, and three sisters, Brandi, Alison and Jennifer.
Marines
2nd Battalion
9th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Burial is at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia – Sec 1 Site 2221

To be updated…

Born: January 11, 1991 in Tarrant County, Texas
Died: November 29, 2010 in Nangarhar, Afghanistan

Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia, Georgia grew up splitting his time between his father in Georgia and his mother in Texas. He attended Weatherford High School before graduating in 2008 from North Hills Private School in Millsap, Texas. Austin was set on joining the United States Army and left for his basic training in early fall of 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in February of 2010. He was deployed to Afghanistan the following autumn where he served as a Fire Support Specialist. His Awards and Decorations include, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal. He leaves his wife, Sheena, his son, Kallen, his father and stepmother, Byram Staggs and Kelly, his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan, two sisters, Emily and Sarah, and two brothers. He died at age 19 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent ambushed his unit with small arms fire. Also killed in the attack were, Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis of Tell City, Ind., Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes of Athens, Ohio, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey of Quartz Hill, Calif., Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen of Beaver Dam, Wis., and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain of Mexico, Maine.
Army
1st Squadron
61st Cavalry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas

To be updated…

Born: October 8, 1988 in Knoxville, Tennessee
Died: November 28, 2010 in Sikeston, Missouri

Senior Airman Tre Porfirio of Saint Marys, Georgia and Knoxville, Tennessee is a 2007 graduate of Camden County High School. He enlisted in the United States Air Force and left in August of 2009 for what was to be a six month deployment in Afghanistan. But just three months later on November 21, 2009 he was wounded when he was shot three times in the back. The attack took place in a very remote area of Afghanistan, where his unit was installing communications lines. His story received national attention when he underwent advanced pancreatic cell transplant surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After several surgeries, doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington determined his damaged pancreas had to be removed. They worked with doctors at the University of Miami to salvage islet cells from his pancreas. Those cells were injected into his liver, allowing that organ to begin producing the insulin normally produced by the pancreas. The procedure had never before been performed on a trauma patient. On Feb. 18, 2010 the self described, ‘combat nerd’ returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He leaves his son, Landon, his father Karl Porfirio, four brothers, Damian, Paul, Adam and TJ. He died at age 22 while visiting friends over the Thanksgiving holiday in Missouri. He received the Purple heart after being wounded in Afghanistan.
Air Force
88th Communications Squadron
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Burial is at Tennessee Veterans Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee – Sec I Site 3790

Born: May 10, 1985 in Thomasville, Georgia
Died: November 11, 2010 in Kunar, Afghanistan

Spc. Shannon Chihuahua of Thomasville, Georgia graduated in 2004 from Thomas County Central High School before attending Valdosta State University from 2004-2005. ‘Chanen’ or ‘Chi’ as many knew him as, joined the Army in July of 2008 arriving at Fort Campbell in July of 2009. His awards and decorations include, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, and Combat Medic Badge. He was deployed to Afghanistan in May of 2010 just prior to the birth of his second child a few weeks later. He was last home in late June when she was 2 weeks old. He leaves his wife, Kristen, two daughters, Sophia and Annabelle, his mother, Dennice Dinkins and his father, Sebastian Chihuahua, two sisters, Christina and Jessica, and two brothers, Alejandro and Eric. Chanen and his wife celebrated their 4th anniversary in early November 2010. He died at age 25 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. He was attending to injured fellow soldiers when he was killed. Chanen was a member of the Thomas County Central Chorus and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Army
1st Battalion
327th Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Bethany Methodist Church Cemetery in Pelham, Georgia

To be updated…

Born: August 29, 1988 in Columbus, Georgia
Died: October 13, 2010 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Raymon L. A. Johnson of Midland, Georgia graduated from Shaw High School in Columbus, Georgia in 2006. He had been in the Marines for three years. He leaves his mother, Gwendolyn Johnson and his father, Greg Johnson, his sister, LaQuita Carter, four brothers, Ramon Johnson, Christopher Rogers, Marcus and Gregory Box. He died at age 22 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Marines
1st Battalion
8th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

To be updated…

Born: February 12, 1989 in Bartow, Florida
Died: October 6, 2010 in Frankfurt, Germany

Cpl. Stephen Coty Sockalosky of Cordele, Georgia graduated from Crisp County High School in 2007 where he was a member of the Junior Reserves Officer’s Training Corp. After enlisting in the United States Marine Corp, he completed basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina and was named the Marine Of The Quarter. He leaves his wife, Brittany, his mother, Carolyn and Mark Adsit of Cordele, his father, William Stephen and Traci Sockalosky, two brothers, Zachary and Trace, three sisters, Kimberlee, Caitlin and Samantha. He died at age 21 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Coty was of the Baptist faith.
Marines
2nd Battalion
9th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Burial is at Tremont Cemetery in Cordele, Georgia

To be updated…

Born: November 29, 1979 in Thomasville, Georgia
Died: September 21, 2010 in Zabul, Afghanistan

Senior Chief Petty Officer David B. McLendon of Thomasville, Georgia is a 1998 graduate of Thomas County Central High School. Known best by his middle name, Blake, entered the Navy in July of 1998, and was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Support Activity in Norfolk, Virginia. He was also a graduate of Excelsior College. He was a Navy cryptologic technician who was trained at Pensacola Florida and Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. His awards include, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Battle “E” Ribbon, two awards, Navy Good Conduct Medal, three awards, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. During his 12 year Navy career, he served at various Navy commands in Norfolk, Pearl Harbor, and Brunswick, Maine. He died in a helicopter crash at age 30 during combat operations in the Zabul province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Navy SEAL
East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit

Sunset Memorial Gardens
To be updated…

Born: July 28, 1987 in Tifton, Georgia
Died: September 21, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Senior Airman Michael J. Buras of Fitzgerald, Georgia is a 2005 graduate of Fitzgerald High School where he was active in the DLS sports programs. During his four years he was an avid Purple Cane soccer team member, and was named to the Who’s Who of Georgia Soccer. He leaves his wife, Emily, a daughter, Maddison, his father, John E. Buras, his mother, Joy Buras, two sisters, Michelle and Samantha and a brother, Stanley. He died at age 23 of wounds suffered as the result of an improvised explosive device detonation in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He is the recipient of the Purple Heart from a prior deployment. He received a Purple Heart medal in 2009 for injuries from an IED that exploded near his armored vehicle during the second of his three deployments. He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star with “V” for valor, another Purple Heart, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Air Force
Headquarters Air Combat Command
99th Air Base Wing
99th Civil Engineer Squadron
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

Burial is at Andersonville National Cemetery in Andersonville, Georgia – Sec J Site 551

To be updated…