Freedom Remembered

Born: August 8, 1982 in Niskayuna, New York
Died: June 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii

Spc Joseph R. Scorza of New York graduated from Shaker High School in 2000. He worked for BBL Construction prior to enlisting in the United States Army. Joe served more than three years in the service – fifteen months of which were spent in a Designated Imminent Danger Zone in Iraq. He was awarded multiple Purple Hearts, Army Commendations and an Army Achievement medal, among many others. After being honorably discharged, he attended Keiser University in Florida. Joe was an all-around athlete. He enjoyed and excelled in all sports, including surfing and snorkeling. He was a baseball All-Star in Little League, Babe Ruth, and the Continental Baseball leagues. Joe was also voted “Best Dressed” at Oneida Junior High. Along with a charismatic smile, Joe had a great sense of humor. He was health conscious and had a style all his own. Along with his parents, Linda Jones-Scorza Tuller and loved stepson of Thomas Tuller, Joe is survived by his sister, Maria (Scorza) Cook; brother-in-law Jason Cook; nephew Justin Cook; niece Alana Cook; stepbrother Triston Tuller; grandparents Evelyn (Mama) Jones, Robert (Papa) Jones, Sr. and Charlotte Scorza; Uncle Robert (Mary) Jones, Jr. of TX; Godmother Margaret Jones, and many cousins, aunts, and uncles. Joe died suddenly at age 28.

Saint Agnes Cemetery in Menands, New York

The above is from Joe’s obituary

Born: July 23, 1988
Died: July 10, 2011 in Paktika, Afghanistan

Spc. Rafael A. Nieves Jr of Albany, New York is a graduate of Guilderland High School. He joined the Army in August 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in December 2009. His awards and decorations include, Army Commendation Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star; North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and Army Service Ribbon. He died at age 22 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. He leaves his wife, Sarah A. McKinney Nieves, his children, Rafael A. Nieves III “Tres”, and Emma Grace Nieves, his father, Rafael A. Nieves Sr., his mother and stepfather, Tina Roman and Thomas Priolo, his siblings, Matthew Nieves, Angel Santiago, Ashleymarie Santiago, and Life Nieves, and a stepbrother, Ky Bowen.
Army
1st Battalion
506th Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

To be updated…

Born: January 8, 1988 in Syracuse, New York
Died: June 30, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Cpl. Kyle R. Schneider of Phoenix, New York died at age 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Kyle is a graduate of Baldwinsville High School. He joined the Marine Corps in March 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in January. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATO Medal – ISAF Afghanistan. He leaves his parents, Richard and Lorie Schneider, a brother, Kevin Schneider, and his fiancee Theresa L. Dodge.

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9720

To be updated…

Born: July 7, 1985
Died: June 16, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Sgt. Mark A. Bradley, of Clayton, North Carolina, formerly of Cuba, New York joined the Marine Corps in January of 2004 and was promoted to sergeant on January 2008. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2005 to September 2005 with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and again with 2nd Battalion 8th Marine Regiment in July 2006 to February 2007. He also deployed with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from May 2009 until December 2009, to Haiti with 3/2 from January 2010 to March 2010 and most recently in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in March 2011. His awards include, three Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a Humanitarian Service Medal. He died at age 25 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Marines
3rd Battalion
2nd Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Burial is at Bay Pines National Cemetery in Bay Pines, Florida

To be updated…

Born: August 7, 1990 in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Died: June 4, 2011 in Laghman, Afghanistan

Sgt. Devin A. Snyder, 20, of Cohocton, N.Y.; died of wounds suffered June 4, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked her unit with an improvised explosive device. Devin graduated from Wayland-Cohocton High School in 2008. She was assigned to the 793rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. She joined the United States Army in August of 2008 and served at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri before arriving in Alaska in February of 2009. She deployed to Afghanistan in March 2011 and was due to come home on leave in July of 2011. She was posthumously promoted from Specialist to Sergeant.

Burial is at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Cohocton, New York

To be updated…

Spc. Brian D. Riley Jr., 24, of Longwood, Fla., died May 15, in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He lived in Binghamton, New York, attending Binghamton High School before he moved to Florida in 2004. In Altamonte Springs, Florida, he attended Lake Brantley High School. He joined the army in 2008 as an Infantryman. His awards and decorations include, the Army Commendation Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

Glenwood Cemetery

To be updated…

Born: May 20, 1988 in Westfield, New York
Died: May 2, 2011 in Kunar, Afghanistan

Sgt. Kevin W. White of Westfield, New York graduated from Westfield Academy in 2006 and joined the United States Army soon after. He served a 15 month tour in Iraq and had deployed to Afghanistan in early April of 2011. His training and awards include, the Air Assault training in 2010 and the Warrior Leader Course for Military Education in 2011 where he made Commandant’s list. Sgt. White was Awarded The Bronze Star Medal, Posthumous, The Purple Heart, Posthumous, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (twice), the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/Bronze Service Star, the Iraq Campaign Medal w/Bronze Service Star, (twice), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon,(twice), the NATO Medal, Posthumous, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Combat and Special Skill Badge, Basic Marksmanship Qualifying Badge Bar, Weapon: Rifle-Expert. He died at age 22 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
Army
2nd Battalion
35th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
25th Infantry Division
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

Burial is at Westfield Cemetery in Westfield, New York

To be updated…

Born: January 4, 1985
Died: April 4, 2011 in Faryab, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Michael S. Lammerts of Tonawanda, New York graduated from North Tonawanda after briefly attending Niagara Falls High School. While in school he participated in football. As an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan, Mike did all he could to show his support for the team that included purchasing several Jerseys. After the events of September 11th, he felt compelled to do his part by enlisting in the military. Mike had been in Afghanistan for less than a month, having previously served two tours of duty in Iraq. He died at age 26 of wounds suffered from small arms fire in Faryab province, Afghanistan. He leaves his wife, Melissa, two children, Savannah and Michael, his mother, Kendra Speck, a brother, Christopher and a sister, Heather. Lammerts was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant.
Army
1st Battalion
84th Field Artillery Regiment
170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
Baumholder, Germany

Burial is at Elmlawn Cemetery in Kenmore, New York

To be updated…

Born: August 10, 1989 in Jamestown, New York
Died: February 7, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Aaron M. Swanson, 21, of Jamestown, N.Y., joined the Marine Corps on May 18, 2009. His awards and decorations include, the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the NATO Medal – International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan. He died Feb. 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He leaves his parents, Gene and Julie Abers Swanson, his birth mother, Michelle Buckley Ford, his siblings, Luke Swanson, Torianna, Kiersten Bekoscke, Benjamin Swanson, and Nathan and Andrew Ford.
Marine
Forces Reserve
3rd Battalion
25th Marine Regiment
4th Marine Division
Buffalo, New York

Lake View Cemetery

To be updated…

Born: October 28, 1980
Died: January 28, 2011 in Parwan, Afghanistan

Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Venetz Jr of Wading River, New York enlisted in the United States Army in February of 2001, out of Prince William, Virginia as an infantryman, and attended Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. His first assignment was with the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment out of Fort Hood, Texas, where he was assigned to a scout platoon. During this time he deployed to Cuba and twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2007, Venetz volunteered to become a Special Forces Soldier. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in March, 2009, and was assigned to A Co, 2nd Bn., 7th SFG (A). His military education includes, the Warrior Leaders Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Combat Lifesaver Course, Basic Airborne Course, Army Sniper Course, and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course. His awards and decorations include, two Bronze Star Medals, one with valor, two Purple Heart Awards, four Army Commendation Medals, with two for valor, Army Good Conduct Medal , National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award, Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge. He leaves his wife and two children among others. SFC Venetz died at age 30 in Parwan province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident. Tony leaves his wife Deb, two children, Alexa and Jace, his parents, Anthony Sr and Marion, and two sisters, Erika and Andrea.
Army
Company A
2nd Battalion
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9509

To be updated…