Freedom Remembered

Born: December 18th, 1985 in Selma, Alabama
Died: February 28, 2024 in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew W. Knight of Thomasville, Alabama attended Thomasville High School before attending Faulkner University and the University of Alabama. He then joined the United States Coast Guard. Drew loved his job working with helicopters and serving in the US Coast Guard. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, snow boarding and scuba diving. He is survived by his parents, Ken and Becky Knight of Thomasville, AL; his brother and sister in law, Todd and Tausha Knight of Foley, AL; and his grandfather, Charles Wilson of Thomasville, AL. Drew was also survived by serveral aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives. He was a member of Thomasville Baptist Church.

Funeral information:
Visitation will be held at:
O’Bryant Chapel Funeral Home
Friday, March 16, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Funeral services will be at:
Thomasville Baptist Church
Saturday, March 17, 2024 at 11:00 AM

Evergreen Memorial Gardens

To be updated…

Born: March 18, 2024 in Anoka County, Minnesota
Died: December 12, 2024 in Fort Lewis, Washington

Chief Warrant Officer Lucas Daniel Sigfrid, 32, graduated from Champlin Park High School where he wrestled all four years of school. Though he wasn’t a stand out player, he was dedicated to the sport and to the team. While other wrestlers might quit after two years if they’re not successful he stuck with the program. He attended St. Cloud State University for pilot training before joining the Army. He was among four aviator who were on a routine night training flight in reconnaissance choppers when they crashed in the southwest training area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. His awards include, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Aviator Badge.

Burial is at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota - Sec 17 Site 1731

To be updated…

Born: March 7, 2024
Died: October 24, 2024 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Jason N. Barfield of Ashford, Alabama died at age 22 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. He leaves his parents, Ray and Kelli Barfield, his Fiancée Joyanna Champlin, five brothers, Chris, Phillip, Zack, Travis and Lucas Barfield, two sisters, Jennifer Peacock and Savannah Barfield, among others.

Burial is at Center Baptist Church Cemetery in Webb, Alabama

To be updated…

Born: September 23, 2024 in Birmingham Alabama
Died: September 17, 2024 Uruzgan, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Michael W. Hosey of Birmingham, Alabama died at age 27 in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Mike is a Clay-Chalkville High School graduate. He joined the Army in 2001 as a communications intelligence specialist. After attending basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and then the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center at the Presidio of Monterey in Monterey, Calif., He attended advanced individual training at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. His first duty assignment was with Company B, 304th Military Intelligence Battalion, 111th MI Brigade where he instructed officers in the MI Officer Basic Course and Officer Training Corps, in the proper deployment of a Signal Intelligence Company on the battlefield; he also instructed Air Force Surface Weather Officer (SWO) assigned to Army units and worked with US Border Patrol in the emplacement of Remote Battlefield Sensor System (REMBASS) for joint task forces. In 2003, he was assigned to Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where he served as a communications intelligence specialist. In 2005, Hosey was assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash., where he served as a team member in a SOTA, or SIGINT Operational Tasking Authority, 3rd BN, 1st SFG (A). His military education includes the Defense Language Institute-Korean, Warrior Leader Course, Airborne School, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE) School, and the Advanced Leader Course. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp (2 Loops), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Campaign Star), the Iraq Campaign Medal (with Campaign Star), the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with the Numeral 2, the Army Service Ribbon, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal. He was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal.

Burial is at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Trussville, ALbama - Garden of Freedom

To be updated…

Born: July 16, 2024 in El Paso County, Texas
Died: August 4, 2024 in Paktika, Afghanistan

Capt. Waid C. Ramsey of Red Bay, Alabama graduated from Red Bay High School and from Athens State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. Chip enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1988 where he served for three years before joining the Regular Army in 1991 as an infantryman. He served five years on active duty before joining the Alabama National Guard in 1998. In 2000, he received his commission as a second lieutenant from the 200th Regiment (OCS), Alabama Army National Guard; his first assignment was as a Detachment Operations Commander with the 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (A). Ramsey served as the battalion human resources officer during a deployment to Uzbekistan in 2002-2003 for Operation Enduring Freedom. His military education includes the Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Air Assault Course, the Jumpmaster Course, the Support Operations Course, and the Captain’s Career Course. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Army Reserve Component. He was just shy of spending 20 years of military service. He died at age 41 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire. He leaves his children, Bradley and Megan, his father, Perry E. Ramsey and wife, Kathy, his mother, Charlotte Ramsey Tarwater, two brothers, John Daniel Ramsey and Perry Patrick Ramsey, a sister, Jinni Ruth Ramsey and stepsisters, Allison P Craft and Danielle Latham.
Army
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
20th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Birmingham, Alabama

Burial is at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama

To be updated…

Born: September 4, 2024 in North Dakota
Died: June 24, 2024 in Landstuhl, Germany

Sgt. Nicholas C. D. Hensley of Prattville, Alabama was severely injured in an attack and was transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. His family was at his bedside when he died nine days later. Nick, also known as Nikko by his friends, is a 2001 graduate of Prattville High School. He was serving his third combat deployment. Previously he had deployed from Fort Hood, Texas, to Iraq for seven months from May to November 2006 and 15 months from June 2008 to September 2009. Hensley deployed to Afghanistan with 1st Brigade in February 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was scheduled for leave in just six weeks. His awards include, the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (awarded twice), Army Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. He died at age 28 in Landstuhl, Germany from injuries sustained in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on June 15 when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Army
4th Squadron
4th Cavalry Regiment
1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team
1st Infantry Division
Fort Riley, Kansas

Burial is at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas - Sec 41 Site 754

To be updated…

Born: August 1, 2024
Died: April 27, 2024 at the Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan

Maj. Jeffrey O. Ausborn of Gadsden, Alabama was affectionately known as, ‘Oz’. He volunteered for a deployment to teach new Afghani pilots how to fly the C-27 aircraft. He leaves his wife Suzanna Ausborn, his five children, Emily, Eric, Shelby, Mitchell Maloy, and Summer Maloy, his parents, Alice Faye and Clifford Ausborn, and a brother Stanley. He died at age 41 at the Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from gunfire.
Air Force
99th Flying Training Squadron
Randolph Air Force Base, Texas

Burial is at Union #3 Cemetery in Alabama

To be updated…

Born: August 3, 2024
Died: January 19, 2024 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Spc. Joshua T. Lancaster of Millbrook, Alabama joined the United States Army in March of 2008 arriving at Fort Campbell in October of 2010. His awards and decorations include, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. He leaves his wife, Melanie Lancaster, and mother, Kimberly Irwin and two sisters Abi and Tayler. He died at age 22 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked the Kandahar airfield with indirect fire.
Army
184th Ordnance Battalion
52nd Ordnance Group
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Brookside Memorial Gardens in Millbrook, Alabama

To be updated…

Born: January 12, 2024 in Mobile, Alabama
Died: January 17, 2024 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Cpl. Joseph C. Whitehead of Axis, Alabama is a 2007 graduate of Satsuma High School where he was a fullback on the football team. He died at age 22 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He leaves his mother, Melanie Miller, fathers, Mark Goodhue and Keith Miller, a sister, Jessica Whitehead and two brothers, Destin Goodhue and Jeffrey Miller.
Marines
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Burial is at Serenity Memorial Gardens in Theodore, Alabama

To be updated…

Born: August 22, 2024 in Alexander City, Alabama
Died: December 10, 2024 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Stacy A. Green of Alexander City, Alabama is a 1995 graduate of Daleville High School where he was a standout player for the Warhawks football team. After winning the state championship game in 1992, Stacy was a major part of bringing the team back again for the 1993 season championship. He went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps for ten years. He leaves his parents, Stanley Eugene Green and Gloria Jean Miller Green, his girlfriend, Stephanie Howard, and a brother, Anthony, among others. He died at age 34 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Marines
1st Battalion
8th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

To be updated…