Born: April 3, 1983 in Okinawa, Japan
Died July 5, 2011 in Paktia, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Throckmorton of Battle Creek Michigan is a 2001 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School, graduating with honors. After his enlistment in the United States Army, Josh deployed for fifteen months to Iraq and was currently three months into a one year deployment in Afghanistan. He leaves his wife Leslie, three daughters, Kylie, Abigail and Devan, his mother and stepfather, Tina and Paul Green-Buschke, his father and stepmother, Mark and Kathy Throckmorton, and two stepsisters, Meghan and Riley Buschke. He died at age 28 in Paktia province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Spc. Jordan C. Schumann, 24, Port Saint Lucie, Florida and Spc. Preston J. Suter, 22, of Sandy, Utah.
Army
709th Military Police Battalion
18th Military Police Brigade
21st Theater Sustainment Command
Hohenfels, Germany
Burial is at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan – Sec N Site 390
To be updated…
Born: February 14, 1990, in Livonia, Michigan
Died: June 18, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Pfc. Brian J. Backus of Saginaw Township, Michigan joined the United States Army in June of 2010, arriving at Fort Drum the following December. In March of 2011 he deployed to Afghanistan to participate in Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Combat Medical Badge. He died at age 21 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He leaves his son, Jack, his parents, Alan and Anne Backus, and a brother, Paul Backus.
Army
2nd Battalion
87th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
10th Mountain Division
Fort Drum, New York
Burial is at Rock Falls Cemetery in Harbor Beach, Michigan
To be updated…
Born: February 26, 1990 in Hancock, Michigan
Died: June 4, 2011 in Laghman, Afghanistan
Spc. Robert L. Voakes Jr of L’Anse, Michigan died at age 21 of wounds suffered in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 793rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Robert graduated from Baraga High School in 2009. He joined the United States Army in November of 2009 and served at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri before coming arriving in Alaska in April of 2010. Robert was a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the Holy Name of Jesus Church. Pfc Voakes was posthumously promoted to Specialist. He leaves his parents, Robert and Valerie Voakes, brothers Jeremy and Christopher, and sisters Nancy and Miranda.
Pinery Indian Cemetery
To be updated…
Born: November 20, 1987
Died: May 23, 2011 in Kunar, Afghanistan
Pfc Thomas C. Allers of Plainwell, Michigan graduated in 2006 from Plainwell High School. Tom joined the United States Army, and was serving his first deployment to Afghanistan where he had been since April 2011. His awards include, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, an Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat and Special Skills Badge, the Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badge Bar Rifle Expert, and an Overseas Service Bar. For his sacrifice, he was awarded, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Good conduct Medal, NATO Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Bronze Star Medal. He died at age 23 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Also killed were, Staff Sgt. Kristofferson B. Lorenzo, of Chula Vista, Calif., Pfc. William S. Blevins of Sardinia, Ohio and Pvt. Andrew M. Krippner of Garland, Texas.
Army
2nd Battalion
27th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
25th Infantry Division
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Burial is at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan – Sec P2 Site 434
To be updated…
Born: July 27, 2989 in Clare, Michigan
Died: April 29, 2011 in Al Qadisiyah, Iraq
Spc. Robert M. Friese of Harrison, Michigan graduated from Harrison High School in 2007 where he was active in the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps. He joined the United States Army in May 2009 as a M1 armor crewman and was assigned to Troop I, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, since September 2009. He deployed in support of Operation New Dawn in September of 2010. His awards and decorations include, the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon. Robert was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and promoted to the rank of Specialist. He died at age 21 in Al Qadisiyah province, Iraq, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He leaves his parents, Cindy and Doug Friese, a sister, Crystal a brother, Douglas, and his fiancé, Brittany Minterfering.
Army
1st Squadron
3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Fort Hood, Texas
Saint Athanasius Catholic Cemetery in Harrison, Michigan
To be updated…
Born: November 13, 1984 Englewood, Colorado
Died: April 24, 2011 in Badghis, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. David P. Day, 26, of Gaylord, Mich., died April 24 while conducting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C. David graduated in 2003 from Gaylord High School. He enlisted in the military soon after graduation.
Fairview Cemetery
To be updated…
Born: August 4 1991
Died: April 23, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Lance Cpl. Dominic J. Ciaramitaro of South Lyon, Michigan is a 2009 graduate of South Lyon High School where he participated in football. He also worked at the South Lyon Hotel and Whitmore Lake Tavern. He joined the Marine Corps in mid fall of 2009 and was promoted to lance corporal January 1, 2011. In late 2010, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include, the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He died at age 19 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He leaves his mother, Deborah Beaupre, his father John Ciaramitaro, four sisters, Holly Ciaramitaro, Lucy Ciaramitaro, Elizabeth Peters, Grace Ciaramitaro, and a brother Salvatore Ciaramitaro.
Marines
3rd Battalion
9th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Great Lakes National Cemetery at a future date
To be updated…
Born: December 24, 1987 in South Bend, Indiana
Died: April 6, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Hospitalman Benjamin D. Rast of Mishawaka, Indiana enlisted in the United States Navy in April of 2009. He was assigned in November of 2010 to a Marine unit bound for Afghanistan. His awards include, the National Defense Service Medal, the Pistol Markmanship Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Ben is the son of Robert D. Rast and the late Diane Brodbeck. He leaves his father, Robert (Dolores) Rast, his stepfather, Jerome Tibone, a stepsister, Tamara Wise, and a stepbrother, Timothy Barhydt. He died at age 23 while conducting a dismounted patrol northeast of Patrol Base Alcatraz, Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Navy
1st Battalion
23rd Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
Naval Medical Center
Expeditionary Medical Force Detachment
San Diego, California
Burial is at Fairview Cemetery in Mishawaka, Indiana
To be updated…
Born: February 12, 1986 in Saginaw, Michigan
Died: February 27, 2011 in Ghazni, Afghanistan
Sgt. Kristopher J. Gould of Saginaw, Michigan is a 2004 graduate of Valley Lutheran High School. He joined the United States Army in March of 2003 arriving to Fort Knox in October of 2009. He served a total of three deployments, once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. He received several awards and decorations, including, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal for Mobilization and the Army Service Ribbon. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. He died at age 25 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
Army
2nd Battalion
2nd Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
1st Infantry Division
Fort Knox, Kentucky
Burial is at Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery in Carrollton, Michigan
To be updated…
Born: December 9, 1978
Died: November 14, 2010 in Kunar, Afghanistan
Spc. Shane H. Ahmed of Chesterfield, Michigan spent his early years in Wakefield, Rhode Island until his family moved to Bedford, Indiana. The family later relocated to Michigan. Shane was a 1997 graduate of Bedford North Lawrence High School in Indiana where he was a conscientious student, played varsity football and was a member of the varsity wrestling team. He also helped his peers by tutoring them in some of the more advanced Math and English classes. He was offered scholarships from Rose Hulman University and Butler University and received educational grants from the North Lawrence Foundation, Edward Hutton and Wal-Mart. Shane graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and attended Ohio State University. He joined the Army in April 2007, and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. His Awards and Decorations include, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization device. He leaves his wife, Eva, stepdaughter, Evita, stepson, Evan, and his parents, Jamal and Subra Ahmed and a brother, Asif Ahmed. He died at age 31 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.
Army
1st Battalion
327th Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Burial is at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan – Sec 11 Site 468
To be updated…