Freedom Remembered

Birth: February 7, 1988 – Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Died: February 21, 2010 – Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan

Burial: Fairview Cemetery, Fairview, New Jersey

Born: July 28, 1972
Died: May 30, 2010 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas

Pfc. Alvaro R. Regalado Sessarego of Virginia Beach, Virginia, formerly of Peru, had served in his country’s military as a Peruvian sailor. He moved to America and began doing construction work in the Virginia Beach area. But Alvaro missed his former military life, so he enlisted in the United States Army. He took his oath to become an American Citizen in the late fall of 2009 and later that year he shipped out to Iraq. On April 18, 2010, he suffered severe burns in a mess-hall fire in Dahuk, Iraq. He died at age 37 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, of injuries he sustained from a non-combat related incident at Dahuk, Iraq. In addition to his wife, Teresa, he also leaves behind three stepsons, Andrew, Derrick and Richard and a daughter who still lives in Peru.
Army
1st Battalion
36th Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
1st Armored Division
Fort Bliss, Texas

Burial took place in Peru

Born: August 11, 1979 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died: May 29, 2010 in Georgia

Staff Sgt. Pedro Brandao Lacerda, a native of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, enlisted in the United States Army in November of 2005 from Knoxville, Tennessee. He completed One Station Unit Training, Basic Airborne Training, the Ranger Indoctrination Program at Fort Benning. There he served as an assistant machine gunner, machine gunner, squad automatic weapon gunner, gun team leader and team leader. In October of 2008, Pedro moved to RSTB to serve as an instructor for new Rangers to the 75th Ranger Regiment. He deployed three times in support of the Global War on Terror, twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. He was part of the first U.S. Army team to compete in the Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championships in Irvine, Calif., where he won his first-round match. Prior to joining the Army, Pedro competed in the games and won the gold in 1998, 1999 and 2002. He also captured the welterweight title at the 2009 All-Army Combatives Championship on Fort Benning and was instrumental to the development of the 75th Ranger Regiment and Army combatives programs. His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Indoctrination Training, the U.S. Army Ranger Course, Warrior Leader Course and Combatives—Levels 1, 2 and 3. His Awards and Decorations include the Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Parachutist’s Badge. He has also been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan campaign Medal with combat star, Iraq Campaign Medal with combat star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. He was leading a squad size element of RASP students through physical training when he collapsed and was taken immediately to Martin Army Community Hospital, placed on life support and transferred to Columbus Regional Medical Center, where he later died. He was posthumously awarded with the Army Meritorious Service Medal. Pedro is survived by his wife Marina B. Lacerda, his children Yasmin and Pepe, his father Pedro Lacerda, his brother Marcelo Lacerda and his sister Tatina Lacerda.

Burial information is unknown at this time

Born: September 30, 1983
Died: May 1, 2010 in Afghanistan

Spc. Eric M. Finniginam of Colonia, Federated States of Micronesia graduated in 2002 from Yap High School. He joined the Summer Youth Program and afterwards became a voluntary worker at FSM Telecommunication Corporation, Yap as a technician until his enlistment in the United States Armed Forces in 2008. He was an outstanding soccer player and made it to the national soccer team when he was 15, making him one of the youngest players ever to make the Yap team. He joined the Army in July of 2008. He was serving his first deployment in Afghanistan. On 16 July 2009, Eric earned the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for valorous actions while his fighting position was attacked with enemy RPG rounds. After being thrown from the blast, Eric assisted his fellow Soldier to safety and effectively suppressed enemy fighting positions to result in two enemy KIAs. He is survived by his wife, Annie Tilig and their daughter, and his parents, Lily and Robert Finniginam, two brothers and four sisters. He died at age 26 at Forward Operating Base Blessing, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire.
Army
Alpha Company
2nd Battalion
12th Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado

Burial is at Amraw Cemetery in Federated States of Micronesia

Birth: December 30, 1982 – Philippines
Died: February 21, 2010 – Senjaray, Afghanistan

PFC Salvacion was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado as an infantryman. He was on foot patrol when his unit was attacked by insurgents with an improvised explosive device.

Burial: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii – Section R, Site 512

Birth: July 7, 1972 – Taiwan
Died: April 4, 2004 – Baghdad, Iraq

Sgt Chen was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He was killed when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Black-garbed Shiite militiamen fired from rooftops and from behind buildings, killing the troops. Chen was an infantryman on a Bradley fighting vehicle. Eddie graduated from Marianas High School and graduated salutatorian from the 13th Police Academy Cycle in Saipan in 1996. For five years, he worked as a police officer on Saipan before joining the Army in January 2000. He planned on leaving the military in January 2004 and heading for law school, however, his enlistment was extended.

Burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia – Section 60, Site 7973

Birth: July 9, 1973 in Philippines
Death: December 10, 2005 in Baghdad, Iraq

Sgt. Kenith Casica of Virginia Beach, Virginia married his girlfriend, who lived down the street, when she was 16 and he was 19. He had her name tattooed on his arm and gave both his daughters the same middle name: his wife’s name, Renee. He was a man that when he smiled, he lit up a room. Casica was born in the Philippines, and his family lived in Hawaii and California before moving to Virginia Beach in 1985. He graduated from high school in 1994 and joined the Army two years later. As a teenager, he worked at a McDonald’s, delivered The Virginian-Pilot newspaper and poured concrete. In death, he got something he had long hoped for: United States citizenship. He wanted it more than anything, because this is his country. He is survived his wife and by two daughters and a son. He died in Baghdad, Iraq, as a result of enemy small arms fire at age 32. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Travis L. Nelson.
Army
1st Battalion
502nd Infantry Regiment
2nd Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, Kentucky – Sec 13 Site 805

Born: September 25, 1980 in Morocco
Died: June 14, 2007 in Kirkuk, Iraq

Spc. Farid Elazzouzi, of Paterson, New Jersey came to the United States in March of 2005 after winning a visa. He quickly took up residence in South Paterson and lived with roommates from Morocco. He briefly worked at a restaurant, but almost immediately joined the Army after arriving. He hoped the military could provide more money, aid his English, and capitalize on his physical strength. He enlisted in the Army Reserves in 2005, completing his basic training at Fort Jackson and he deployed to Iraq in July of 2006. Four months prior, he applied to become a naturalized citizen. On July 4, immigration officials were set to hand Army Spec. Farid Elazzouzi a certificate of citizenship with his photograph attached. Farid was killed in Iraq weeks before the scheduled ceremony. He died at age 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Sgt. Derek T. Roberts and Spc. Val J. Borm. Immigration officials awarded Farid posthumous citizenship, a naturalization process open to immigrants killed during military duty.
Army
2nd Battalion
35th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Infantry Combat Team
25th Infantry Division
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

Buried in Moracco

Birth: June 18, 1983 in Philippines
Death: December 31, 2006 in the Arabian Sea

Damage Controlman Sandra S. Grant of Linwood, North Carolina was raised a Navy brat, her father is a retired second class boatswain’s mate. She was born in the Naval Hospital in Subic Bay while her father was serving as a guard at the Navy brig. She had been in the Navy since Jan. 5, 2004 and reported onboard the Eisenhower on Oct. 24, three weeks after the ship left Norfolk, Va. During her two years in the Navy, she had also served onboard the carrier George Washington and the destroyer Oscar Austin at sea and twice at the Transient Personnel Unit in Norfolk. Before reporting onboard the Eisenhower, she had been stationed at the Navy Legal Office, Mid Atlantic in Norfolk. She was promoted to seaman Oct. 16, 2004 and was designated as a damage controlman fireman in June 2006. She is survived by her parents Charles T. and Salvacion Belmonte Grant of Lexington, N.C.; her husband, John Wolfgang Fry; and an 8-month-old son, Alexander. She died of cardiac arrest at age 23. USS Eisenhower

Burial is at Forest Hill Memorial Park in Lexington, North Carolina

Birth: June 19, 1974
Death: August 16, 2006 in AR Ramadi, Iraq

Staff Sgt Jeffrey Sifoa Loa of Waianae, Hawaii was the oldest of three brothers, all of whom had enlisted in the Army. Jason was in Egypt after being in Iraq earlier, and brother Monty had been on deployment to Iraq. His stepbrother, Lloyd Mageo, is stationed at Schofield Barracks. The younger ones wanted to follow each other into the Army. Jeffrey had been in the Army about nine years, but there was a gap in between when he had got out and then rejoined.  He was the son of Mr Duke Loa and the late Vaisa’a Ofoia and was married to Mary. He was 32.
American Samoa Cemetery in Pago Pago

Army
1st Battalion
35th Armored Regiment
2nd Brigade
1st Armored Division
Baumholder, Germany

Burial is at American Samoa Cemetery in Pago Pago