Born: July 13, 1986
Died: October 8, 2006 in AL Asad, Iraq
Lance Cpl Jeremy S. Sandvick Monroe of Darby, Montana graduated in 2004 from Chinook High School. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps right out of high school, and boarded a bus towards his future just hours after his graduation commencement. So eager to begin his journey, he even missed the graduation celebration his family held for him. Jeremy enjoyed playing his guitar, boasted a great sense of humor and a keen wit. He made friends easily and all who knew him respected and valued his friendship. Jeremy died at age 20 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq. He leaves his mother, Mellissa Pike and Ken, his father, Monte Monroe and Dana, five siblings Zacharie and Danielle Gard, Logan Monroe and Jordanne and Darryl Southwick.
Marines
Echo Company
2nd Battalion
3rd Marine Regiment
3rd Marine Division
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Burial is at Hillside Cemetery in Dodson, Montana
To be updated…
Birth: Jul. 13, 1986
Death: Oct. 8, 2006 in Al Anbar, Iraq
Lance Cpl Jeremy S. Sandvick Monroe of Darby, Montana was a fun-loving young man who loved to play rock music on his guitar. Being a musician, his guitar was like one of his best buddies. He also loved the mountains and camping. He grew up in Darby and moved to Chinook at the age of 14 to be with his mother, and graduated from Chinook High School in 2004. Enlisting in the Marine Corps right out of high school, he hopped on the bus bound for Butte just hours after his graduation commencement, skipping even his family celebration. He knew he wanted to be a Marine and defend his country. On Monroe’s last trip home in August, he son laid out his burial plans, just in case. But he didn’t want to believe it would happen. Jeremy was known for his witty personality. He could make you smile with the greatest of ease. He loved people, but the most important things were his friends and family, all of whom appreciated and respected him deeply. Jeremy enjoyed playing his guitar and jamming with his friends. Everyone who had the opportunity to meet him loved him. He respected the young and the old. He will be missed by all who knew him. He was the son of Monte Monroe of Darby and Mellissa Pike of Chinook. He was preceded in death by great-grandfathers Ed Peterson, Jim Wasson, John Monroe and Martin Sandvick; great-grandmothers Hazel Sandvick and Blanche Monroe; an aunt, Shantel Sandvick; and a cousin, Martin Sandvick Kuszmul. Jeremy died at age 20 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.
Marines
Echo Company
2nd Battalion
3rd Marine Regiment
3rd Marine Division
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Burial is at Hillside Cemetery in Dodson, Montana
Birth: May 21, 1986
Death: Oct. 4, 2005 in Iraq
Lance Cpl. Andrew D. Bedard of Missoula, Montana was a 2004 graduate of Hellgate High School. He joined the Marines after graduation and finished 12 weeks of basic training earlier this year at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He had been in Iraq for about a month. Bedard is the son of Denny and Michelle Bedard of Missoula. Andrew was a personable guy who missed his friends and family in Montana so much, he used to drive home from San Diego during basic training just to spend one day with them. We’d always say, man, that’s a long way, but he’d always say it was worth it, even if it was just for a day. He was just one of those guys who was pretty much friends with everybody. He was rarely ever down and just a fun kid to be around. It always ended up with me talking about what’s going on around here. That’s really what he cared about, his family and his friends. He is the ninth Montanan killed in Iraq. He was 19.
Marines
3rd Battalion
7th Marine Regiment
1st Marine Division
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Twentynine Palms, California
Burial is at Saint Mary Cemetery in Missoula, Montana
Born: May 22, 1982
Died: September 21, 2005 in Iraq
Sgt. Travis M. Arndt of Bozeman, Montana loved to drive in the mountains in his Jeep. He loved long, hot afternoons diving off the rocks on the Missouri River and hiking and snowshoeing in the Rocky Mountain Front. A 2001 high school graduate, he had been taking classes at Montana State University. He wanted to become a football coach or a police officer. Arndt was an amateur boxer and he lifted weights, especially the parallel squat and power clean. He had planned to come home on leave in October to surprise his girlfriend, Lindsay Logan, on her birthday. Family members believed he planned to ask her to marry him. He is remembered as a selfless man with a great sense of humor who never backed away from a challenge. Arndt was buried with full military honors and an honor guard saluted him with gunshots and a bugler played “Taps.” Survived by his father and his stepbrother. He was 23.
Army
National Guard
163rd Cavalry Troop
116th Brigade Combat Team
42nd Infantry Division
Missoula, Montana
Burial is at Highland Cemetery in Great Falls, Montana
Born: August 2, 1985
Died: August 3, 2005 in Barwanah, Iraq
Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas B. Bloem, 20, of Belgrade, Mont.; assigned to the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Billings, Mont.; attached to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward); killed Aug. 3 when his amphibious assault vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device while he was conducting combat operations south of Hadithah, Iraq. Also killed were Marine Lance Cpl. Timothy M. Bell Jr., Lance Cpl. Eric J. Bernholtz, Sgt. Bradley J. Harper, Sgt. Justin F. Hoffman, Cpl. David Kenneth J. Kreuter and Cpl. David S. Stewart.
Burial is at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington – Sec 6 Site 20
To be updated…
Born: July 12, 1984 in Missoula, Montana
Died: August 13, 2004 in Al Anbar, Iraq
Lance Cpl. Kane M. Funke of Kalispell, Montana was born weighing 2 pounds, 6 ounces with a 10 percent chance of survival. By the age of three, Kane was hyperactive and constantly running on tiptoe. By the age of ten, he had already decided he wanted to be a Marine. He got some old uniforms from his uncle and would hide out after dark wearing camouflage. Kane attended Flathead High School for three years before moving to Vancouver, Washington where he entered a Navy Sea Cadet program. He joined the Marine Corps in 2003 and was sent to Iraq the following winter. He wrestled in high school and enjoyed drawing. Survivors include his mother, Stephanie Funke, and a younger sister. Mother, Stephanie Kalispell, stepfather, Dale Johnston, Vancouver. He was killed at age 20 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
Marines
2nd Battalion
7th Marines
1st Marine Division
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Ground Combat
Twentynine Palms, California
Burial is at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson, Montana
Born: December 6, 1983 in Lewistown, Montana
Died: May 24, 2004 in Iraq
Pfc. Owen D. Witt of Sand Springs, Montana attended Benzine Country School through the eighth grade, and graduated from Garfield County High School in 2001. He was involved in the 4-H, basketball team. He lived with his family on a working ranch in Montana and he loved to be at the ranch spending time with his family. He was an artist, working at painting in oils. Eventually, he wanted to raise a family and paint. He would goof off at times, imitating comic routines and speaking with fake accents, and he once thought he might become a comedian. He was not a studious child. He gave his teachers lots of trouble, but they all loved him. He also loved to paint landscapes, sing and act in school plays and had dreams of playing the guitar and be a big country western singer. Owen was extremely affected by the events of September 11, 2001, and was determined to defend the United States. His mission was to serve his Country, which he chose by enlisting in the United States Army after high school. Owen was a terrific person. He was kind, loving and caring with a great sense of humor and wonderful smile. He liked country and western music and was a very gregarious fella. He is survived by his mother and father, Karen and David; grandparents, Alvin and Patsy Clark; three brothers, Cody, Kelly, and Troy and a special friend, Janina among others. He was 20.
Army
1st Squadron
4th Cavalry
1st Infantry Division
Schweinfurt, Germany
Burial is at Steve Forks Cemetery in Garfield County, Montana
Born: August 20, 1973 in Key West, Florida
Died: October 19, 2001 in Pakistan
Spc. Kristofor T. Stonesifer of Missoula, Montana grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, attending Central Bucks West High School. He was enrolled at the University of Delaware and attended a survival school in Asbury, New Jersey. After moving to Montana, he enrolled in the University of Montana as a philosophy major and joined ROTC program. He enlisted in the United States Army with plans to train as a Ranger. In October 2001 he was deployed to the USS Kitty Hawk as part of the Enduring Freedom campaign. Kris was killed at age 28 when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training mission, on Oct. 19, 2001, in Pakistan during operation Rhino.
Army
3rd Battalion
75th Ranger Regiment
Fort Benning, Georgia
His ashes are scattered at Upper Holland Lake, located atop a mountain near Missoula, Montana. Kristofor also has a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec MH Site 300