Freedom Remembered

Born April 12, 1987 in Bellingham, Washington

Died Nov. 5, 2009 in Jelewar, Afghanistan

Spc. Aaron S. Aamot was from Custer, Washington and the fifth of eight children born to Mark and Julie Aamot. Aaron was very involved in 4-H and the FAA growing up, raising everything from quails, chickens and pheasants to raspberries. A skilled pie maker, he raised and grew his own raspberry field for his baking needs. He was very close to his family and was adored by his nieces and nephews. While he was very nurturing, he also had a tougher side, participating in Civil War re-enactments. Aaron didn’t have a lot of material possessions growing up, but what he did have was manners, a huge appreciation for family and friends, and a smile that put everyone in a happy mood. The way Aaron treated other people was reciprocated. He graduated from Ferndale High School in 2006 and enlisted in the Army shortly afterwards. Aaron thought some military background would be a good step towards an eventual career in law enforcement. After basic training at Fort Benning Georgia, he reported to Fort Lewis Washington in December of 2006. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, he deployed to Afghanistan with his unit in July of 2009; his first deployment. Aaron was home on leave in October. He and another soldier from his unit were killed on November 5 in Jelewar, Afghanistan when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. His awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Expert Infantryman Badge and posthumous awards of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Aaron’s funeral was held on November 14 and was well attended by Civil War re-enactors, dressed in full garb from the north and the south. The Washington State Civil War Association (WCWA)  fired the first volley of the three-volley salute, followed by two from the Fort Lewis Honors Team, and a Civil War re-enactor played Taps. Aaron was laid to rest in Haynie Cemetery in Haynie, Washington. His parents; six brothers and one sister survive him.

The Spc. Aaron Seth Aamot by Freedom Remembered, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.