Freedom Remembered

Born: November 30 1984 in Brownsville, Texas
Died: September 25, 2011 in Wardak, Afghanistan

1st. Lt. Andres Zermeño, 26, of San Antonio, Texas, died Sep. 25 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort. Polk, La. He joined the Army in November 2009. He arrived at Fort Polk in February 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with his unit in October 2010. His awards and decorations include, two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. He completed the Transportation Officer Basic course. He leaves his wife, Rachel, a son, Steven Andres, a daughter, Madeline Alicia, his father, Juan, his mother, Dolores, a sister, Isabel, and three brothers, Juan, Joaquin and Adrian.

Burial is at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas – Sec 41 Site 780

To be updated…

Born: July 14, 1981 in Hildago County, Texas
Died: September 18, 2011 in Tikrit, Iraq

Staff Sgt. Estevan Altamirano of Edcouch, Texas died at age 30 in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He entered active-duty service in January 2001 as an armor crewman. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2004 through February 2005, October 2006 through January 2008, January 2009 through December 2009 and May 2011 through September 2011. His awards and decorations include, the Meritorious Service Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award, three Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with four campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons and a Combat Action Badge.

Burial is at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, Texas – Sec 34 Row H Site 204

To be updated…

Born: February 20, 1985 in Weslaco, Texas
Died: September 14, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Sgt. Rodolfo Rodriguez Jr of Pharr, Texas joined the Army in March 2006. Rudy graduated from Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Ga. and served for three years with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry at Fort Bragg, N.C. He arrived in Alaska in March 2010. Sgt Rodriguez also served two previous combat tours of duty in Iraq, from November 2006 to October 2007 and from December 2008 to November 2009. He died Sat age 26 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Marines
3rd Battalion
21st Infantry Regiment
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team
25th Infantry Division
Fort Wainwright, Alaska

Burial is at Rio Grande Valley State Veteran’s cemetery in Mission, Texas – Sec 34 Row H Site 205

To be updated…

Born: July 29, 1986 in Travis County, Texas
Died: September 9, 2011 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Petty Officer Brian K. Lundy, 25, of Austin, Texas, died while conducting a dismounted patrol in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 9. Lundy was assigned as a hospital corpsman to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Burial is at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas – Sec 3 Row I Site 155

To be updated…

Born: November 24, 1987
Died: August 27, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Spc. Michael C. Roberts of Watauga, Texas joined the United States Army in November 2007, arriving at Fort Campbell in February 2011. His awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and Driver and Mechanic Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, NATO Medal and Combat Action Badge. He died at age 23 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
Army
561st Military Police Company
716th Military Police Battalion
101st Sustainment Brigade
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas – Sec 86 Site 858

To be updated…

Born: October 21, 1990 in Tarrant County, Texas
Died: August 25, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Spc. Jesse W. Dietrich of Venus, Texas joined the Army in March 2009, and after completing training came to Fort Drum in July 2010. He deployed with his unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in March 2011. His awards and decorations include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He died at age 20 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.
Army
2nd Battalion
87th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
10th Mountain Division
Fort Drum, New York

Burial is at Diamond J Youth Ranch in Gustine, Texas

To be updated…

Born: April 4, 1971 in Milam County, Texas
Died: August 12, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Master Sgt. Charles L. Price III of Cameron, Texas was serving his sixth deployment since entering the United States Army in 1989. He also served in Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Balkans and Saudi Arabia. His decorations including the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, five Army Commendation Medals and nine Army Achievement Medals. He died at age 40 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He leaves his wife, Helen Marie Clark-Price, three sons, Donavon and Michael Clark, and Ra’shawn Price, four daughters, Lakrishia Price, Joshlyn Reynolds, and Sha’meka and Sha’niya Clark, two grandsons, Dominick and Darrick Reynolds, his mother, Grace H. Price, two brothers, Eric Jerome and Marvin Charles Williams, two sisters, Iperia Flatt and Roshunda Price.
Army
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
2nd Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado

Burial is at Cameron Rest Cemetery in Cameron, Texas

To be updated…

Born: October 25, 1975
Died: August 6, 2011 in Wardak, Afghanistan

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas died Aug. 6 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed. He was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit.  Matt enlisted in the United States Navy in January, 1997. After graduating Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Illinois in March, 1997, he reported to his initial service school training at Dam Neck, VA. He completed his service school training in June, 1997 and reported aboard USS KINKAID (DD 965) where he served until June, 2000. In June, 2000 he began Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training at Coronado, California. Upon graduating from BUD/S in March, 2001, he reported to a West Coast based SEAL Team until March, 2005. He then reported to his East Coast based SEAL Team in March, 2005. His awards include, the Bronze Star Medal with ‘V’ device for valor (2), Joint Service Commendation Medal with ‘V’ device for valor, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4) one with ‘V’ device for valor, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation , Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with ‘O’ device, Good Conduct Medal (4), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (3), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (7), Rifle Marksmanship Medal, and Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9933

To be updated…

Born: February 7, 1975 in Albany, New York
Died: July 21, 2011 in Paktika, Afghanistan

Master Sgt. Benjamin A. Stevenson of Canyon Lake, Texas graduated in 1993 from Smithson Valley High School before enlisting in the Army the following June. He first served with the 325th Infantry Battalion at Fort Bragg as a gunner firing anti-tank missiles and a squad leader. MSgt Stevenson then went on to become an aircraft power plant repairman with the 601st Aviation Support Battalion at Katterbach, Germany. He completed Special Forces training in January 2000 and was assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served as a weapons and intelligence sergeant. He deployed with the unit three times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. In May 2006, Stevenson was assigned as a special operations team member with Special Operations Command, where he deployed to Iraq four more times and twice more to Afghanistan. His awards include the Bronze Star; Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor; Army Commendation Medal with Valor; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Presidential Unit citation; Joint Meritorious Unit award; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three campaign stars; Iraq Campaign Medal with six campaign stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with Bronze Arrowhead; and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He died at age 36 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.
Army
Special Operations Command
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Burial is at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake, North Carolina – Sec 1A Site 62

To be updated…

Born: March 28, 1984
Died: July 19, 2011 in Kunar, Afghanistan

Sgt. Jacob Molina, 27, of Houston, Texas enlisted in the United States Army February 15, 2007 as an Infantryman. He was currently serving his second overseas deployment, having previously served one tour in Iraq. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal (posthumous), Purple Heart (posthumous), Combat Infantryman Badge (posthumous), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Army Service Ribbon. He died at age 27 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
Army
2nd Battalion
27th Infantry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
25th Infantry Division
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

Burial is at Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Texas – Sec S2 Site 18A

To be updated…