Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuañes, 38, of Las Cruces, N.M., died May 12, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained during an enemy attack with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 741st Ordnance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas, part of the 84th Ordnance Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group.
To be updated…
Born: July 27, 1978 in New Mexico
Died: December 31 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Spc. Pernell J. Herrera of Espanola, New Mexico died at age 33 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a non-combat incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, Santa Fe, New Mexico. He attended Española Valley High School joined the New Mexico State Guard in May 2006. He was a part of a crew that makes sure all the communication equipment was working properly.
Burial is at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico – Section 20 Site 396
To be updated…
Born: September 4, 1984 in El Paso County, Texas
Died: September 28 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Sgt. Christopher Diaz, 27, of Albuquerque, N.M., died Sept. 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif. Chris attended La Cueva High School and was part of the ROTC. His awards include, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Certificate of Commendation (Individual Award), and Letter of Appreciation. He is the son of Sandra Lee Delgadillo and Salvador Diaz. Ft. Bliss National
To be updated…
Born: July 3, 1985 in Roswell, New Mexico
Died: April 22, 2011 in Numaniyah, Iraq
Pfc. Antonio G. Stiggins of Rio Rancho, New Mexico joined the military in January 2010 as a cavalry scout was assigned to Troop F, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. He arrived at Fort Hood May 2010 and deployed in support of Operation New Dawn the following September. His awards and decorations include, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbons and Combat Action Badge. He died at age 25 of wounds suffered in Numaniyah, Iraq when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Army
2nd Squadron
3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Fort Hood, Texas
Burial is at South Park Cemetery in Roswell, New Mexico
To be updated…
Born: September 27, 1965 in Show Low, Arizona
Died: December 2, 2010 in Khowst, Afghanistan
Sfc Jim E. Thode of Kirtland, New Mexico graduated from Catalina Magnet High School before attending the University of Arizona. Jim was currently serving his third tour of duty with the Army National Guard. As a civilian he was a Farmington, New Mexico police officer, having joined the department in July of 1996 and working as a field training officer and a member of the SWAT team. His guard unit was deployed to Afghanistan in June of 2010. Jim had previously served a deployment in June of 2003 in Iraq and returned to the police department as a patrol officer in 2006 after he was promoted to corporal and later sergeant. He was expected to return home on leave in February of 2011, and after his tour was complete he was to return to the police department the following summer. He also served in 1991 during Desert Storm though he didn’t see combat. He leaves his wife, Carlotta, daughter, Ashley, son, Thomas, his mother and stepfather, Eve and Ron Taylor, his father, Ernest Thode, and a sister, Mary. He died at age 45 at Sabari District, Khowst Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
Army
National Guard
1457th Engineer Battalion
204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
Salt Lake City, Utah
Memory Gardens Cemetery in Farmington, New Mexico
To be updated…
Born: August 27, 1965 in San Miguel, New Mexico
Died: September 4, 2006, Kuwait
Lt. Col. Marshall A. Gutierrez of New Mexico is a descendant of the original farmers who received Spanish land grants to settle the las Vegas, New Mexico area. He graduated in 1983 from West Las Vegas High School and was a 1987 graduate of New Mexico Highlands University. He worked his way through college on a scholarship from the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and became a commissioned officer in 1987. He and his growing family led the life of a military family, bouncing from Newport News, Va., to Colorado Springs, Colorado to Saudi Arabia after the 1991 Persian Gulf War. In Panama, he led the 1097th Transportation Company, which moved thousands of tons of materiel and in 1994 won a prestigious Army award. He was born to the late Bobby Ray Gutierrez and Mary E. Abeyta and was united in marriage to Brenda Atencio on January 7, 1984 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He was a Third Generation Military Serviceman. His father, Bobby Ray served during the Korean War and grandfathers: Nicolas Abeyta in WWII in Europe, and Cipriano Maes in WWII in Asia. His Army record was spotless, and he developed a reputation as a bit of a straight arrow. He leaves his wife, Brenda, son, Nicholas, a daughter: Stephanie, his mother: Mary E. “Bella’ Gutierrez, a sister, Sharon Gonzales and a brother, Patrick Gutierrez. He died at age 41 from non-combat related injuries in Camp Virginia, Kuwait.
Army
Area Support Group
Arijan, Kuwait
Burial is at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico – Sec 5 Site 267B
Born: May 19, 1989 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Died: August 17, 2010 in Kunar, Afghanistan
Pvt. Charles M. High, IV of Albuquerque, New Mexico was known best as Charlie. He attended Eldorado High School where he participated in the orchestra, the track team and Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps. He also attended the New Mexico Military Institute. Growing up, he enjoyed camping, and being in the Boy Scouts, each year he greatly anticipated the Pinewood Derby with the scouts. It was during his formative years that Charlie realized that he wanted to serve his country. He entered the Army in June of 2007 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October of 2007. He leaves his mother, Kimberlea Johnston, and his father and stepmother, Charles and Sherri High, his siblings, Eddie, Amber, Cierra and Karlie Johnston and Jonathan, and his fiancee, Maggie Jo. An accomplished viola player, he was a member of the Albuquerque Youth Orchestra. Charlie also played guitar by ear. He died at age 21 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device caused a military vehicle roll-over.
Army
1st Battalion
327th Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Santa Fe National Cemetery in Sante Fe, New Mexico – Sec U Site 128
To be updated…
Born Oct. 30, 1988
Died on June 2, 2010 in Baghdad, Iraq
Pvt. Francisco J. Guardado-Ramirez, of Sunland Park, New Mexico, was called Frank by those who knew and loved him. A graduate of Santa Teresa High School in Santa Teresa, N.M., Frank enlisted in the Army in June of 2008 and arrived at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in November 2008. He was assigned to the 1stBattalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Stewart, Georgia. His unit’s duty there was to conduct humanitarian missions, delivering bags of grain, drinking water and pre-packaged meals. He was serving as a convoy gunner inside a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that struck an overpass. He was ejected after the vehicle’s turret struck the structure and transported to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where he died.
Born Aug. 20, 1989 in Indiana
Died Feb. 2, 2010 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan
Pfc. Zachary G. Lovejoy of Albuquerque, N.M. Zach spent the first three years of his life in Indiana then moved to New Mexico with his family. A fun, adventurous kid growing up, living in New Mexico provided him with ample opportunities to have fun outside. He camped, water-skied, went four wheeling and snow skied. A member of the ROTC in high school, Zach fulfilled his wish to serve his country when he enlisted in the Army in August of 2008. He attended One Station Unit Training and Basic Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He then reported to Fort Bragg. While there he met the love of his life, Kaitlin, whom he said was the best thing that ever happened to him. They both shared a passion for life. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, from Fort Bragg, he deployed to Afghanistan in August 2009 for what was to be a yearlong assignment. Zach was killed in action on February 2 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. His awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Basic Parachutist’s Badge. His parents, Terry and Mike; his sister Ashley, and his fiancé Kaitlin survived Zachary. He and Kaitlin were supposed to get married in 2011.
Burial: Santa Fe National Cemetery in New Mexico
Born: June 20, 1970 in Taos, New Mexico
Died: October 28, 2009 in Tallil, Iraq
Spc Joseph L. Gallegos of Questa, New Mexico graduated from Questa High School.
served in the United States Navy and the Army before joining the National Guard after a five year break in military service. As a civilian Joey was a member of the Questa Volunteer Fire Department and a first responder for the department. He worked as a wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service. In 2007 he was awarded one of their highest awards, the Chief’s Honor Award, for saving a man’s life. As a member of the Guard he worked as a light weight vehicle mechanic. He leaves his parents, Adonario and Petronila Gallegos, five sisters, Rosie Cisneros, Donna Trujillo, Sherry Gallegos, Louise Padilla and Connie Manzanares, and two brothers, Donald and Ronald Gallegos. He died at age 39 in Tallil, Iraq, in a noncombat related incident, reportedly a heart attack.
Army
National Guard
720th Transportation Company
Las Vegas, New Mexico
Burial is at El Pueblito Cemetery in Questa, New Mexico
