Freedom Remembered

Born: April 18, 1984 in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Died: August 13, 2011 in Laghman, Afghanistan

2nd Lt. Joe L. Cunningham of Kingston, Okla., died at age 27 at Laghman province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Stillwater, Okla. Joe graduated from Kingston High School in 2003. Prior to rejoining military service, he worked at the Marshall County Sheriff’s office. He hoped to join the Oklahoma Highway Patrol someday. His awards include, the Iraq Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.

Burial is at Kingston Cemetery in Kingston, Oklahoma

To be updated…

Born: February 12, 1988
Died: August 11, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Spc. Jordan M. Morris, 23, of Stillwater, Okla., died Aug. 11 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Spc Morris joined the Army in January 2011 serving as an Infantryman. He completed training at Fort Benning, Georgia, arriving at Fort Drum in March 2011. He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in June 2011. His awards and decorations include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Burial is at Fairlawn Cemetery in Stillwater, Oklahoma

To be updated…

Born: December 8, 1986
Died: August 4, 2011 in Paktia, Afghanistan

Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson of Chelsea, Oklahoma died at age 24 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Okla.

Burial is at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma – Sec 21 Site 17

To be updated…

Born: August 16, 1973
Died: August 2, 2011 in Paktia, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Kirk A. Owen of Sapulpa, Oklahoma died at age 37 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard. SSgt Owen was a full time employee with the Oklahoma Army National Guard and was previously deployed to Iraq in 2007. He leaves his wife, Tiffany and daughters, Kylie and Kayci.

Burial is at Green Hill Memorial Gardens in Sapulpa, Oklahoma

To be updated…

Born: April 27, 1989 in Indiana
Died: July 29, 2011 in Paktia, Afghanistan

Spc. Augustus J. Vicari of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma is a 2008 graduate of Lowell High School. Augy joined the Oklahoma National Guard completing his basic training in 2009. His awards include, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ Bronze Service Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Expert Marksmanship Qual Badge in Rifle. He was posthumously the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the NATO Medal and the Combat Action Badge. He died at age 22 at Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He leaves his wife, Holly, his parents, Michael and Evelyn and his siblings, Joseph, Michael, Emily and Mollie.
Army
1st Battalion
279th Infantry Regiment
45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
Oklahoma Army National Guard
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Burial is at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery in Cedar Lake, Indiana

To be updated…

Born: June 9 1978
Died: July 29, 2011 in Paktia, Afghanistan

2nd Lt. Jered W. Ewy of Edmond, Oklahoma died at age 33 at Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Tulsa, Okla. He enlisted in the Army Rangers in 1998 and was one of the first troops on the ground in Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001. He served three tours of duty and joined the Army National Guard immediately after leaving the Rangers. He earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice from the University of Central Oklahoma and graduated from Officer Candidate School with the rank of second lieutenant in January. He leaves his wife, Megan, a daughter Kyla, his mother, Martha Nelson, his father John and Ann Ewy, and stepfather Dave Nelson, one brother and three sisters.

Burial is at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

To be updated…

Born: November 7, 1990
Died: June 26, 2011 in Diyala, Iraq

Spc. Dylan J. Johnson of Tulsa, Oklahoma died at age 20 in Diyala province, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Russell J. Proctor. Dylan is a graduate of Jenks High School. He joined the Army in August 2009. His awards and decorations include an Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with combat service star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and an Overseas Service Ribbon. He had been in Iraq for three weeks. Dylan was posthumously promoted to Specialist and received the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and the Army Commendation Medal.

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9736

To be updated…

Born: November 26, 1979 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Died: March 16, 2011 in Logar province, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Travis M. Tompkins of Lawton, Oklahoma is a 1999 graduate of MacArthur High School. He joined the United States Army in January of 2000. His previous duty stations included Fort Sill at Lawton, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Fort Carson, Colorado and the Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum, the Netherlands. He was previously deployed to Saudi Arabia from September of 2001 until March of 2002. He arrived at Fort Polk in June of 2009 and deployed with his unit in October. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the NATO Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (4), three Army Good Conduct Medal (3), the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Action Badge, the Driver and Mechanic Badge and the Basic Marksman Qualification Badge. He died at age 31 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained on March 15, when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He leaves his wife, Candice and two children, Madison and Gianna, his parents Leland and Vickie Tompkins, and a sister Jenny Meek, among others.
Army
Brigade Special Troops Battalion
4th Brigade Combat Team
10th Mountain Division
Fort Polk, Louisiana

Burial is at Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Oklahoma – Sec 3 Site 1083

To be updated…

Born: September 12, 1984 in Stockton, California
Died: November 4, 2010 in Mohammad Agha, Afghanistan

Sgt. Jason J. McCluskey of McAlester, Oklahoma is a 2004 graduate of McAlester High School where he enjoyed wrestling and football. As a wrestler on the wrestling team, he went to State multiple times while in high school. Known best as ‘Mick’ he enlisted in the United States Army in April of 2006 and though his family missed him back home, he insisted that this is what he wanted to do. He loved his job and had expressed to others that he was going to re-enlist, possibly making a career of the military. He was last home in mid summer of 2010, and was expected back stateside by the end of the year. He leaves his son, Landen, his mother, Delores Olivares and her husband Ray, his father, Jimmy McCluskey, a brother, Joshua Stambaugh, and his stepfather, Charlie Stambaugh. He died at age 26 at Zarghun Shahr, Mohammad Agha district, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal.
Army
27th Engineer Battalion
20th Engineer Brigade
XVIII Airborne Corps
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Burial is at Tannehill Cemetery in McAlester, Oklahoma

To be updated…

Born: August 21, 1985
Died: September 06, 2007 in Albu Hyatt, Iraq

Cpl. Bryan J. Scripsick of Wayne, Oklahoma is a 2004 graduate of Pauls Valley High School where he played safety and wide receiver on the football team. He also participated in wrestling. He hoped to someday play college ball. But he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps instead just after his nineteenth birthday in 2004. He deployed to Iraq in March 2007. He leaves his parents, John and Jan Scripsick, a brother, Brett Scripsick. He was posthumously awarded, the Purple Heart and a Certificate of Honorable Service from the secretary of the Navy. He died at age 22 while conducting combat operations in Albu Hyatt, Iraq. He was just three weeks away from coming home from Iraq. Also killed were Cpl. Christopher L. Poole Jr., Staff Sgt. John C. Stock and Sgt. Michael J. Yarbrough
Marines
3rd Assault amphibian Battalion
1st Marine Division
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Pendleton, California

Burial is at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma