Freedom Remembered

1st Lt. Brandon J. Landrum, 26, of Lawton, Okla., died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. After graduating from Cameron University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Branch. He enlisted in the Army on 10 November 2005 and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from December 2008 through August 2009. Upon receiving his commission on May 2011, he graduated the Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course and Airborne School. First Lt Landrum arrived to Fort Bliss, Texas, in January 2012, where he assumed the leadership of a Rifle Platoon in Company A, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment until September 2012. In September 2012, he was selected above his peers to be the Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and in December 2012, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Fort Sill

To be updated…

Born: January 8, 1992
Died: May 2, 2013 in Kuwait

Pfc. Charles P. McClure, 21, of Stratford, Okla., died May 2, in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. McClure joined the Army on Nov. 1, 2011 and deployed to Kuwait in February. He was serving as a cannoneer. This was his first deployment. Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Fort Leonard Wood

To be updated…

Born: January 29, 1987 in Lemoore, California
Died: March 11, 2013 in Jalrez, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Rex L. Schad, 26, of Edmond, Okla. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. He died March 11, in Jalrez District, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when he was attacked by small arms fire. An infantryman, Schad joined the Army in February 2006 and arrived at his unit in March 2011. This was his second deployment. Rex grew up in Edmond, graduating from Edmond Memorial High School in 2005. Fort Sill

To be updated…

Pfc. Jon R. Townsend, 19, Claremore, Okla., assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., died Sept. 16 in Zabul province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered when his position was attacked with small arms fire. He was serving his first deployment. Jon always wanted to be a soldier. He had made up his mind that he was going to go to the service, so he spent a year getting ready. Lone Chapel

To be updated…

Friends may pay their respects at the funeral home
from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening.
The family will receive visitors from 6:00 to 8:00

Funeral Service with military honors will be
10:00 a.m., Friday, September 28, 2012 at
First Baptist Church
107 W. Will Rogers Blvd.
Claremore, Oklahoma

Born: November 22, 1988
Died: May 26, 2012 in Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Hospitalman Eric D. Warren, 23, of Shawnee, Okla., died May 26 of wounds received in action due to an improvised explosive device blast in Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Camp Lejeune, N.C. Growing up, he was active in Cub Scouts, numerous little league sports, and earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Later he was active in his church youth group, football, wrestling, and drama. Eric graduated in 2008 from McLoud High School. Eric enlisted in the U.S. Navy, graduated from corpsman school, completed Fleet Marine Force training as a combat corpsman.

Resthaven Memorial Park

To be updated…

Born: June 8, 1981 in Wesel, Germany
Died: May 20, 2012 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan

2nd Lt. Tobias C. Alexander, 30, of Lawton, Okla., died May 20, in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 168th Brigade Support Battalion, 214th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill, Okla. Toby graduated from Elgin High School in 1999. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree from Cameron University in interdisciplinary studies where he was part of the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps program.

Burial is at Ft. Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, Oklahoma – Sec WL10 Row A Site 8

To be updated…

Spc. James E. Dutton, 25, of Checotah, Okla., died March 31, in Logar province, Afghanistan. Dutton was assigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. James grew up in Weleetka graduating from Weleetka High School in 2006. After joining the military he graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. During the nine weeks of training, Dutton studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values and physical fitness. He received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training. Also, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises. Fort Gibson National Cemetery

A memorial service will be held;
Wednesday, April 18, 2012, at Fort Bliss, Texas

A funeral service will be
10:00 a.m. Monday, April 23, 2012, at;
First Baptist Church of Checotah, Oklahoma

Interment will be at Fort Gibson National Cemetery with full military honors provided by the Fort Sill Honor Guard.

Funeral information courtesy of Bradley Funeral Service of Muskogee.

To be updated…

Died: February 28, 2012 in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Lt. J.G. Thomas J. Cameron of Portland, Oregon graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 2009. He was a 2005 Cleveland High School graduate. While in high school, he was captain of the soccer team and an “A” student. He was a captain of his college soccer team where he played as a Forward. When he scored a goal, he celebrated with leaps and somersaults. LTJGCameron died Feb. 28 when a MH-65C Dolphin helicopter crashed into Mobile Bay during a training mission. He is survived by his parents, Elizabeth and John Cameron and his older brother Alex.

River View Cemetery Portland, Oregon

To be updated…

Born: July 17, 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Died: February 21, 2012 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Sgt. Allen R. McKenna Jr., 28, of Noble, Okla., died Feb. 21 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. Growing up he was known by many as, Robby Bingenheimer. (a combination of his middle name and his stepfathers last name.) Robby graduated from Noble High School and joined the United States Army in September of 2004. He was serving a second deployment to Afghanistan, which began Sept. 6, 2011. His previous deployment was from March 2009 to March 2010. His decorations include, the Army Commendation Medal twice and the Army Achievement Medal. Sgt McKenna was married with three sons, the last one just two months old. Hillside Cemetery in Purcell, Oklahoma

To be updated…

Born: May 26, 1989
Died: January 15, 2012 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, 22, of Pahrump, NV., died Jan 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Jon-Luke began serving in the Marine Corps on Feb. 25, 2008. This was his first combat deployment. He also deployed once with a Marine expeditionary unit. His personal awards include, the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and NATO Medal for International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan.

Burial is at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada – Sec AB Site 899

To be updated…