Freedom Remembered

Born: August 4, 1983 in Norway, Maine
Died: March 13, 2006 in AR Ramadi, Iraq

Sgt. Corey A. Dan of Norway, Maine graduated in 2001 from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School. Later that same summer he enlisted in the United States Army and arrived at Fort Campbell in March of 2002. His first deployment was to Iraq in 2003. He re-enlisted in 2005 and intended to go to college after leaving the military with the goal of becoming a police officer. Corey will be remembered for his quick smile, his great sense of humor and his enthusiasm for life. He had a caring demeanor and an outgoing personality. His awards and decorations include, the Weapons Qualification, M4, expert, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge; Expert Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge. He died without ever seeing his son, Austin, who was born in December of 2005 on the same day he departed for his second tour of duty in Iraq. He leaves his son, Austin, his mother and stepfather, Wanda and Douglas Kilgore, his father Ritchie Dan and companion Georgina Jacobson, a brothers, Ritchie Dan and Tristan Kilgore. Corey was buried with full military honors. He was killed at age 22 when he came under small arms fire and an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations near Ramadi, Iraq. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Marco A. Silva.
Army
1st Battalion
506th Infantry
4th Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at the Dan Family Cemetery in North Norway, Maine

Born: December 23, 1984 at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
Died: June 21, 2010 in Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk of Orono, Maine attended Orono High School where he played varsity football and ran track after he transferred from Calais in 2001. He stood out in football and track, earning him the nickname ‘Silky Smooth’ by his peers. The avid outdoorsman loved to hunt and fish and especially enjoyed the family camp at Green Lake. He was proud of his home state, and didn’t mind being the “Crazy Mainer” by his comrades. Growing up, Brandon already knew he wanted to fly, perhaps influenced by his favorite movie, ‘Top Gun’. He enlisted in the military just after graduation in 2003 and was currently serving as the crew chief of a Black Hawk helicopter in Afghanistan. His Awards and Decorations include, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal (2), National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and Weapons Qualification, M4, expert. He is survived by his wife, Kayce, and step-son, Brayden, and his parents, Lynn M. and Mark A. Silk. He died at age 25 of injuries sustained when the helicopter in which he was travelling in made a hard landing.
Army
5th Battalion
101st Aviation Regiment
101st Combat Aviation Brigade
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Lawndale Cemetery in Old Town, Maine

Born: June 23, 1979 in Massachusetts
Died: June 27, 2010 in Konar, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Eric B. Shaw of Exeter, Maine graduated from Dexter Regional High School in 1998. He entered the Army in October of 2004 and arrived at Fort Campbell in March of 2005. His Awards and Decorations include, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Overseas Service Ribbon, Expert Infantry Badge, Air Assault Badge and Weapons Qualification, M4 (expert). He is survived by his wife, Audrey R. Shaw; and daughters Madison and Victoria, and his mother, Michelle S. Campbell. He was killed in Afghanistan just eleven days after his arrival. He had plans of becoming a history teacher. He was married and the father of three children. He died at age 31 in Konar, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked hi unit with small arms fire.
Army
2nd Battalion
327th Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta, Maine – Sec Q Row 15 Site 21

Born: September 16, 1957 in Waterbury, Connecticut
Died: December 21, 2004 in Iraq

Staff Sgt. Lynn R. Poulin, Sr., of Freedom, Maine was an unusually hardworking, dedicated, and loyal friend. He first joined the Army in 1981 and served in Germany for a year, then returned to Maine and signed on with the Army National Guard. In his civilian capacity, he worked at Bath Iron Works, got married and raised a family. He also worked for Omega Trucking Co. for several years. The son of Bertrand and Therese Poulin was a man with great faith. He was a loving husband, father and son and a devoted friend to many. He had served on active duty for three years in Germany from 1981 to 1984; and 1984 to 1993 with Battalion 262 A Company and joined the 133rd in September 1993. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Belfast. He was killed at age 47 when his base dining facility was attacked in Mosul, Iraq. After his death, Poulin received promotion from sergeant to staff sergeant. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. His military assignments included a job as a metal worker, and among his citations was one for his work upgrading Humvees.
Army
National Guard
133rd Engineer Battalion
Belfast, Maine

Burial information is unknown at this time.

Born: February 25, 1984
Died: December 21, 2004 in Mosul, Iraq

Sgt. Thomas J. Dostie of Sommerville, Maine attended Palermo Elementary School, and Erskine Academy where he participated on the swimming and wrestling teams. Tom didn’t bring attention to himself, rather he did what was asked of him on both the football field and in the classroom. He seem to migrate to the underdog, the student who was left out, or who had trouble fitting in could find Tommy taking them under his wing. Tom was a quiet man who harbored a deep sense of pride in his family, country and school. He could also be a mischievous young man. A good hearted person he was always helping others, often it was other students who struggled in the senior business math class. He followed in his father’s footsteps, serving as a volunteer firefighter and working at the family’s lawnmower repair shop. After joining the military he became a proud soldier. He died in Mosul, Iraq at age 20 when a suicide bomber entered his dining facility and detonated an improvised explosive device.
Army
National Guard
133rd Engineer Battalion
Portland, Maine

Burial is at Sand Hill Cemetery in Somerville, Maine

Born on March 22, 1989

Died on May 6, 2010 in Afghanistan

Wade was raised in Waterville, Maine and gave his life in service to his country in Jaghatu, Afghanistan at the age of 21. One of seven children, he grew up with the same values his father, a veterinarian, held and that was that all life, no matter form it comes in, is precious. His sister Meghan confessed that the family secret was that Wade was “pretty much everyone’s favorite.” His sweet, compassionate and unselfish personality drew people towards him. He was easy to talk to and he listened. He did normal boy stuff growing up from Boy Scouts to baseball but also loved the adventures that life brought his way. Like the time when he was 8 and riding in the family van with his older brother, they were going 50mph and crashed. Wade’s brother was shaken and sobbing, but not Wade. He yelled, “That was fun!” He grew into a tall young man, who worked at a restaurant during high school and decided at the age of 14 that he was going to serve as a soldier, protecting the precious lives of the citizens of his country. Wade graduated from high school in 2007 and had already enlisted the fall before. He reported to Fort Leonard Wood for basic training in July 2007. Wade had decided to specialize in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and went through vigorous background checks to be accepted into the program. He completed Initial Entry Training at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.  On September 16, 2008, he reported to Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was assigned to the 707th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD). In the summer of 2009 he deployed to Afghanistan. Wade’s work was nerve-racking, but he never once complained. He wore an 80-pound suit in extreme weather, from cold to hot. His sense of humor was evident when he and a buddy climbed to the top of a mountain during a freezing rainstorm. When they reached the top Wade turned to him and said, “This wasn’t in the brochure.” Wade was the type of soldier who was always in high spirits, and often gave food and other items to others if they needed it. On May 6, Wade defused a bomb and while waiting for transportation away from the area, he was killed when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, NATO medal and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Wade is survived by his father Dr. Alan Slack; stepmother Rose Slack; his beloved mother Mary Slack; six siblings: Jonathan, Meghan, Lauren, Allison, Andrew and Jesse; a stepbrother Ethan Roderick and stepsister Jessica Cook. Wade also is survived by people who though are not blood family, he considered them his “West Coast Parents”, Dan and Mary Morse of Washington state. Wade had posted on his myspace page that he “likes a lot of stuff. But mostly my family, which includes my friends. Because if you’re in the same business that I am then you would understand that your friends are family.” Please read the comments left on this page by Wade’s family and friends and read how his life touched all he met.

Spc. Wade A. Slack’s final resting place is Lewis Cemetery in Oakland, Maine.

Born: January 4, 1984 in Presque Isle, Maine
Death: December 6, 2006 in Al Anbar, Iraq

Cpl. Dustin J. Libby of Presque Isle, Maine graduated from Presque Isle High School’s Adult Education Program, Class of 2003. He was impressed by how a friend had been transformed by his experience in the Marines and seeing that, he knew he wanted that for himself. The day Dustin shipped off for boot camp he was a kid with scruffy long hair. When his family saw him again at boot camp graduation, they saw a man, a Marine. He joined the United States Marine Corps, graduating February 2004 and was almost immediately deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom in the summer. Dustin returned from his first deployment to Iraq in fall 2004, after which he remained stateside until his second overseas deployment to Okinawa, Japan. During this deployment, he traveled to Hawaii, Okinawa, Japan and participated in joint training with Philippine military. He was survived by his mother, Geni Libby, his father, Judson Libby, and his brother, Chris. Dustin was engaged to Jeannine Gonzales. They planned to marry when Dustin returned from this tour in Iraq. He was killed at age 22 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Marines
2nd Battalion
4th Marine Regiment
1st Marine Division
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Pendleton, California

Burial is at Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery, Caribou, Maine – Sec CN Row 10 Site 4

Born on May 24, 1980 in Bangor, MA

Died on Apr. 3, 2008 in Germany

Sergeant Robertson, of Old Town, Maine, grew up in Holden, attended school and graduated from Brewer High School in 1998, where he was active and enjoyed performing with the jazz band. He later attended the University of Maine, graduating from the Honors College and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. He was also presented the Virtue Award, naming him the outstanding philosophy student in his graduating class. Nicholas was accepted to graduate school at Northwestern University, Illinois, and completed two years before enlisting in the United States Army on May 26, 2005. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and advanced individual training as a cryptologist linguist at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. Sgt. Robertson graduated from U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, January 19, 2006. He reported to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Airborne, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on his second tour of duty beginning March 4, 2006, and was assigned to Support Operations Team Alpha, SOTA, as a senior voice interceptor. As a cryptologic linguist, he was responsible for performing and supervising the detection, acquisition of foreign communications. Nicholas played an indispensable role in conducting counter-terrorism operations against Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan. He died at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered April 2 while conducting dismounted combat operations in the Zahn Khan District, Afghanistan. His military training included Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training as a Cryptologic Linguist, Airborne School, and Warrior Leaders Course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and Parachutist Badge. Nicholas is survived by his parents David and Nancy (Davis) Robertson of Dedham and Venice, Florida; two brothers, Douglas Robertson of Bimini, Bahamas, and Todd Robertson of Dedham; several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Woodlawn Cemetery in Brewer, Maine, is his final resting place.

Born: February 19, 1987 in Waterville, Maine
Died: September 20, 2008 aboard the Submarine USS Nebraska

Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael A. Gentile of Bangor,  formerly of New York attended schools in Maine and Watertown, New York. He graduated from Lawrence High school in Fairfield, Maine, as an honor student. He enlisted in the Navy on July 5, 2005. He was also planning to re-enlist next year. He was a machinist mate aboard the USS Nebraska. Michael was killed at age 21 in an accident aboard the submarine USS Nebraska, near Oahu, Hawaii, where he was serving as a machinist’s mate.

Burial is at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta, Maine – Sec A Row 11 Site 30

Birth: January 5, 1965 – Solon, Maine
Death: October 10, 2001 – Qatar

Master Sgt Andrews was assigned to the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Andrews was killed in a forklift accident while building an airstrip. He was the first reported American soldier to die during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia – Section 64, Site 6226