Freedom Remembered

Born: December 10, 2024
Died: May, 19, 2011 in Fort Bliss, Texas

Spc. Matthew J. Hodges of Georgia attended Evans High School. He also served in the United States Army for three years, and served a tour of duty in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Matt was the 5th generation of his family to serve in combat. He leaves his wife, Rebecca, his father, William Hodges, his mother, Theressa Padgett, and four brothers, William Michael, Robert Wayne, Christopher Michael and Charles Andrew Hodges. He was 26.

Burial is at Bellevue Memorial Park in Grovetown, Georgia

Born: January 26, 2024 in Helena, Montana
Died: May 4, 2024 in Colorado

Sgt 1st Class Richard D. Greene of Townsend, Montana graduated in 1999 from Broadwater High School. Known by most as ‘Shorty’, he briefly worked in construction prior to embarking on a career with the United States Army. His duty stations were Fort Hood, Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, and Fort Carson. At the time of his death Richard was with HHC 1st Squad, 10th Calvary 2nd HBCT Fort Carson, Colorado with a rank of Sgt. First Class. Richard’s service record was exceptional. He served two deployments to Iraq and was set to deploy to Afghanistan June 3rd 2011. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal w/combat Distinguishing Device “V”, 2 Bronze Star Medals, Army Commendation w/combat Distinguishing Device “V”, 4 Army Commendation Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, 3 Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, 2 Iraq Campaign Medal w/Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, 2 Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, 2 Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badge, Bar, Driver-W (for wheeled vehicles), Combat and Special Skill Badge Basic Marksmanship Qual Badge, Bar, Weapon: Rifle (Inscription: Rifle), Right Side Award, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Ranger Tab and 4 Overseas Service Bar. He married Audrey Stevens on August 2, 2024 and to their marriage, their daughter was born in Fort Hood, Texas in December of 2003. They later divorced. Richard was a sports fan, loved the Grizzly’s, enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, basketball, snowboarding and wakeboarding. He died at age 31 as a result of a motor vehicle accident in Colorado. He leaves his daughter, Hope, his parents, Donna and Richard Greene, two brothers, Nikia and Jason and two sisters, Tammy Allen and Heidi Brown.
Army
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
1st Squadron
10th Calvary
2nd Brigade Combat Team
Fort Carson, Colorado

Burial is on the family ranch in Townsend, Montana

Born: in Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Died: April 22, 2024 in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Sgt. 1st Class Scott E. Strohmeier of Carteret, New Jersey graduated in 1995 from Carteret High School. He joined the United States Army in 1995. He deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 2003 to February 2004 and again in January 2007 to March 2008. He also deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response from January to March 2010. SFC Strohmeier served the 82nd Airborne Division with distinction during a long career at Fort Bragg. He delivered his most significant contributions through his leadership to young Falcon Brigade paratroopers. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Army the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Parachutist Badge. Scott leaves his daughters, Samantha and Brianna, his parents, Eugene and Victoria Strohmeier and a sister, Tami Papaleo. He died of natural causes at age 34.
Army
Company F, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
82nd Airborne Division
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Burial is at Woodbridge Memorial Gardens in Woodbridge, New Jersey

Born: May 30, 2024 in DeRidder, Louisiana
Died: January 22, 2024 in Homestead, Florida

Sgt Amanda O Downing of San Antonio, Texas attended James Madison High School where she was a member of Reserve Officer’s Training Corps. Upon graduation at age eighteen, she enlisted in the United States Army and had served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq during a 15 month tour. After returning stateside in 2009, she began experiencing health issues that prompted her to seek medical advice. Doctors struggled to diagnose her illness for months. By the time the diagnosis of adrenal cancer was made, she was at stage four, the most advanced stage. She was married in October of 2009. She leaves her husband, Andrew, her mother and best friend, Karen Martin, her father, Wayne Older, a brother, Michael Older, her stepfather, Richard Martin, and her step mother, Faye Older. Amanda was 24 years old.
Army
Charlie Company
319th Military Intelligence Battalion
525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade

Burial is at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas

To be updated…

Born: August 17, 2024 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina
Died: December 9, 2024 in Iraq

1st Lt. Andrew C. Shields of Campobello, South Carolina and his twin brother, Philip, both graduated from Wofford College in 2001. The brothers were standout members of the Southern Guards Battalion and the ROTC program. In July 2001, Andrew, a senior majoring in chemistry at the time, was presented with the Distinguished Military Student Citation. The citation is awarded to cadets in the top third of their senior military science class. Both brothers earned bachelor’s degrees in chemistry. The boys were very close, attending labs together and always working hard. Both were excellent students, though they could be difficult to tell apart, and were really highly respected young men. Andrew and Philip were both commissioned as second lieutenants in May of 2001. Both became pilots. Andrew went on to serve in the South Carolina National Guard for five years. He was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and the AWT. He was also a consultant with Water Conditioning, Inc. Andrew never thought of himself as any kind of hero, and he shunned praise when it came his way. Before leaving for Iraq, he visited a group of second-graders and became the class’s pen pal, but he struggled to understand why the children thought so highly of him. Andrew was killed at age 25 in an Apache helicopter accident in Mosul, Iraq. Also killed was Army Chief Warrant Officer Patrick D. Leach. He is the son of Donald and Emily Burnett Shields. In addition to his parents, he leaves, two brothers, his twin, Philip and Donald, and a sister, Julie. Andrew was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. A portion of Spartanburg County’s Scenic Highway 11, between Interstate 26 and State 9, is dedicated as the 1st Lt. Andrew Carl Shields Memorial Highway.
Army
Platoon leader
1st Battalion
151st Aviation Regiment
National Guard
Columbia, South Carolina

Burial is at New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery in New Prospect, South Carolina

Born: August 6, 2024 in York, Pennsylvania
Died: July 18, 2024 in Adhamiyah, Iraq

Spc. Zachary R Clouser of Dover, Pennsylvania graduated from Dover Area High School in 2005 and enlisted in the Army the following September. The hesitant ninth grader wasn’t very excited about high school. But with the steady encouragement of his mother he gradually found himself and began setting and meeting goals. He wanted to graduate from high school and did. He returned to the school during the 2007 Easter holiday and visited some of his former teachers and the students. He grew up playing football, basketball and baseball as well as bowling and precision archery. The avid outdoorsman enjoyed hunting and fishing too. He was also a member of several local car clubs. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 2. He was Posthumously awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Zach deployed August 6, 2024 to Iraq and participated in numerous combat patrols in Northeast Baghdad and Adhamiyah in support of Operation Together Forward II and the Baghdad Security Plan where he served as both his platoon Sergeant’s M1151 Up-Armor HMMWV Machine Gunner and M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunner. He was a integral part of 1st Platoon “Death Dealers”. Zachary was always dedicated to mission accomplishment and displayed unwavering courage and commitment to his fellow Soldiers, Leaders, and the United States Army. He leaves his father and stepmother, Kevin Clouser and Ginger Asper-Clouser, his mother and stepfather, Debra Etheridge and Ronald Etheridge, his siblings, Megan Williams, Ronald Etheridge Jr, Matthew Asper, Shaleana Etheridge, Sean Etheridge and Zachary Asper. He died at age 19 in Adhamiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked by enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Luis E. Gutierrez-Rosales, Spc. Richard Gilmore III and Spc. Daniel E. Gomez. Zach had been serving in Iraq nearly 13 months.
Army
1st Battalion
26th Infantry
2nd Brigade Combat Team
1st Infantry Division
Schweinfurt, Germany

Burial information is unknown at this time.

Born: August 5, 2024 in Danville, Indiana
Died: February 23, 2024 in Balad, Iraq

Cpl. Zachary R. Nordmeyer of Indianapolis, Indiana was a graduate of Ben Davis High School where he participated in the Reserves Officer’s Training Corps. Zach could hardly wait to join the military and in the summer of 2007 he joined the United States Army. He deployed to Iraq in September of 2008 for a year long assignment. He died at age 21 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. Also killed were Cpl. Michael L. Mayne and Cpl. Micheal B. Alleman. Zach leaves his father, Michael, two brothers, Josh and David, three stepsisters, Rachel Klop, Kendra Gregg, and Karen Piehl, a stepbrother, Kristopher Bereman, and a fiancée, Chrissy. He was preceded by his mother, Kimberly Kaye Fair Bereman in 2002. Zachary’s name was added to a wall of honor at Ben Davis High School for its graduates that have died in the line of duty. He became the 18th former student who made the ultimate sacrifice. His awards and decorations include, the Army Service Ribbon, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Global War on Terrorism and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
Army
5th Squadron
1st Cavalry Regiment
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team
25th Infantry Division
Fort Wainwright, Alaska

Burial is at Floral Park Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana

Born: September 26, 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina
Died: July 28, 2024 in Cykla Village, Iraq

Lance Cpl. Christopher P. Lyons of Shelby, Ohio was born the son of Paul R. and Phyllis R. Humphreys Lyons, and was a 1999 graduate of Shelby High School. He also attended Pioneer Career and Technological Center where he was involved with the Tech Prep Program. Chris was previously a sales representive in the advertising department for the Mansfield News Journal and was a member of the Heartland Christian Center in Wooster, Ohio. He enjoyed literature and loved to play scrabble and started a scrabble club in Mansfield. Chris was married in September of 2003 to Bethany Bull. The couple had a daughter that Chris never got to hold, though he had seen her via the internet and photographs. In addition to his wife, Bethany, he leaves his daughter, Ella, his mother, Phyllis Lyons, and his father and stepmother, Paul and Debbie Lyons. He was killed at age 24 when his unit came under attack by enemy small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades while conducting combat operations in Cykla, Iraq.
Marines
3rd Battalion
25th Marine Regiment
4th Marine Division
Marine Forces Reserve
Columbus, Ohio

Burial is at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio - Sec 19 Site 205

Born: April 2, 2024
Died: December 3, 2024 in Kirkuk, Iraq

Spc. David P. Mahlenbrock, 20, of Maple Shade, N.J.; assigned to the 65th Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; killed Dec. 3 when an improvised explosive device detonated as he was clearing a route in Kirkuk, Iraq.

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia - Sec 60 Site 8086

Born: January 29, 2024 in Placer County, California
Died: May 19, 2024 in Baghdad, Iraq

Pfc Alejandro R. Varela of Fernley, Nevada was born in Roseville and grew up in the Orangevale area of Sacramento County. Known best as, Alex, he attended San Juan High School and Casa Robles High School before moving to Fernley, Nevada to live with his father. He was known to friends and family as Alex. He was sent to Iraq in October of 2006 and had come home for two weeks in January of 2007 to celebrate his 19th birthday. He leaves his parents Rinda and Roger, a sister Jennifer, and a brother Roger, stepbrother Shane Pope, and stepsister Kirsten Bendure. He died at age 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, Spc. David W. Behrle, Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore and Pfc. Travis F. Haslip.
Army
1st Battalion
5th Cavalry Regiment
2nd Brigade Combat Team
1st Cavalry Division
Fort Hood, Texas

Burial is at Mount Vernon Memorial Park in Fair Oaks, California. There is also a memorial bench in his honor was placed on the grounds at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.