Born: May 30, 1964
Died: July 18, 2011 in Ghazni, Afghanistan
Sgt. Edward W. Koehler of Ringgold, Georgia and Lebanon, Pennsylvania was a 1982 graduate of Lebanon High School. After serving with the Marine Corps from 1982 to 1988, he took a 10-year break from service. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1997 as a motor transport operator, serving his entire Guard career in the 131st Transportation Company. Serving also with them in Kuwait and Iraq from 2003 to 2004. His awards include, the Combat Action Badge, three Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Driver and Mechanic Badge, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Governor’s Unit Citation. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. He died at age 47 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his convoy with an improvised explosive device. He leaves his wife, Cheryl, three daughters, Shelbi, Toby and Kayla Koehler, his mother, Ruthie Koehler, and two sisters, Elaine Dietz and Nicole McCabe.
Army
National Guard
131st Transportation Company
213th Area Support Group
Williamstown, Pennsylvania
Burial is at Anderson Memorial Gardens in Ringgold, Georgia
To be updated…
Born: September 21, 1983 in Canton, Ohio
Died: June 6, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Sgt. Joseph M. Garrison of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is a 2001 graduate of Redbank Valley High School. Joey joined the Marine Corps in August 2002 and was promoted to sergeant Oct. 1, 2007. He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom four times from November 2004 to June 2005, from January to May 2006, from May to August 2009, and in January 2011. His awards include two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, a Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, three Afghanistan Campaign Medals, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a NATO Medal – ISAF Afghanistan. He died at age 27 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He leaves his mother, Natalie L. Schoonover, his father, Joseph David Garrison, two sisters, Judy Rupp and Kimberly Garrison Knoll, a brother, Jacob “Jake” Garrison, and his fiancee, Brittney Nicole Stephens.
Marines
2nd Battalion
8th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Burial is at Oakland Cemetery in Distant, Pennsylvania
To be updated…
Born: October 7, 1981 in New Castle, Pennsylvania
Died: May 26, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Edward D. Mills Jr of New Castle, Pennsylvania joined the United States Army in January 2005 and arrived at Fort Campbell in November 2005. His awards and decorations include: Air Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Arrowhead Device; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global war on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal; Air Assault Badge; Parachutist Badge; Pathfinder Badge and Combat Infantryman Badge. He died at age 29 of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.
Army
4th Battalion
101st Aviation Regiment
159th Combat Aviation Brigade
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Parkside Cemetery and Mausoleum
To be updated…
Born: April 10, 1985
Died: May 10, 2011 in Khost, Afghanistan
1st Lt. Demetrius M. Frison of Lancaster, Pennsylvania began his military service in April of 2009 arriving at Fort Knox in October 2010. His awards and decorations include, the Parachutist Badge, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. He was posthumously awarded the NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. He died at age 26 in Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
Army
1st Battalion
26th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
1st Infantry Division
Fort Knox, Kentucky
Burial is at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pennsylvania – Sec 6 Site 2825
To be updated…
Master Sgt Benjamin F. Bitner, 37, of Greencastle, Pa., died April 23 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. Ben graduated from Greencastle-Antrim High School in 1991. He was serving his sixth tour of duty. He had also been a member of the Rescue Hose Company in Greencastle. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991 and attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection in 1999. Later that year he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course as an engineer sergeant. He joined Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2003. He deployed in support of various operations across the globe, including but not limited to: Operation Flintlock, Africa, 2001; Operation Nectar Bend, Africa, 2004; Task Force Falcon in support of operations in Kosovo, 2001–2002; Operation Desert Spring, Kuwait, 2002; Operation Iraqi Freedom and four deployments to Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) with Company C. His military education includes: Track Vehicle Repairers Course, Single Channel Ground Airborne Radio Systems Operator Course, Basic Infantry Course, Basic Airborne Course, Long Range Surveillance Leader’s Course, Warriors Leader Course, Special Forces Engineer Sergeant’s Course, Basic Non-commissioned Officer’s Course, Advanced Non-commissioned Officer’s Course, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Special Forces Sniper Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation Technique’s Course, Special Forces Master Breacher’s Course, Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant’s Course, Military Free-Fall Course, both Summer and Winter Basic Mountain Warfare Courses and the United States Army Special Operations Command Mountaineering Master Trainer’s Course. Bitner’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (6); Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal (2); Army Commendation Medal (3) with “V” device; Army Achievement Medal (3); Army Good Conduct Medal (4); Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (3); National Defense Service Medal (2); Kosovo Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three campaign stars; Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terror Service Medal; Non-commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (3); Army Service Ribbon; NATO Medal (4); Special Forces Tab; Combat Infantryman’s Badge; Parachutists Badge; Military Free-Fall Badge; Bandenkampfabzeichen Badge and Ram’s Head Device.
To be updated…
Pfc. John F. Kihm, 19, of Philadelphia, Pa., died April 19 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. He joined the Army in March of 2010. After completing training at Fort Benning, Georgia he arrived at Fort Drum in August 2010. Pfc Kihm deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in March of 2011. His awards and decorations include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
To be updated…
Born: February 19, 1975
Died: April 4, 2011 in Baghdad, Iraq
Maj. Wesley J. Hinkley of Carlisle, Pennsylvania graduated in 1993 from Boiling Springs High School before joining the United States Army. Upon his discharge he attended Shippensburg University where he actively participated in the Reserve Officers Training Corps. Upon graduation in 2001 he reenlisted as an Officer. He died at age 36 in Baghdad, Iraq, as a result of a non-combat related incident. He leaves his wife, Melissa, a son, and his mother, among others.
Army
3rd Special Troops Battalion
3rd Sustainment Brigade
Fort Stewart, Georgia
Burial is at Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Texas – Sec C-12 Row D Site 114
To be updated…
Born: October 29, 1981
Died: February 21, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Sgt. Robert C. Sisson Jr of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania joined the United States Army in September of 2004 and deployed to Afghanistan in July of 2010. He had also served in Iraq from March 2008 through March 2009. His awards and decorations include, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Valorous Unit Award, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal – w/ Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantry Badge. He died at age 29 in Kandahar district, Afghanistan, in a non-combat related incident.
Army
1st Battalion
22nd Infantry Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado
Burial is at National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania – Sec 1 Site 122
To be updated…
Born: November 6, 1990 in Millington, Tennessee
Died: January 12, 2011 in Ghazni, Afghanistan
Cpl. Jarrid L. King of Erie, Pa., died at age 20 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Jarrid joined the United States Army in March of 2009 and after completing training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, came to Fort Drum, N.Y., in August of 2009. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the NATO Medal. He leaves his parents, Donald L. and Laura Elizabeth Weaver King, and two brothers, Jason and Johnathon King, among others.
Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery in Erie, Pennsylvania
To be updated…
Born: March 18, 1985 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Died: December 18, 2010 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Cpl. Eric M. Torbert Jr of Lancaster, Pennsylvania graduated in 2003 from Penn Manor High School. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 5, 2007 and was serving his first combat deployment. His awards include, the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. He died at age 25 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He leaves his parents, Eric M. Sr. and Denise M. Groff Torbert, his wife, Marcelle, and two siblings, Lynn and Dennis Torbert.
Marines
1st Combat Engineer Battalion
1st Marine Division
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Pendleton, California
Burial is at Conestoga Methodist Cemetery in Conestoga, Pennsylvania
To be updated…