Freedom Remembered

Born: October 9, 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska
Died: August 16, 2024 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Spc. Dennis G. Jensen of Vermillion, South Dakota enlisted as a member of the 211th Engineer Company of Madison and De Smet, in which he served as a combat engineer. Dennis volunteered to deploy with the 200th as a bridge crew member in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was his first deployment. He died at age 21 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident. Spc Jensen was struck by two steel bridge decking panels that fell from a forklift when a securing strap broke. He leaves his father, Glenn Jensen, his mother, Christine (Draeger Jensen) and William Bestgen, and a sister, Melissa Jensen among many others.
Army
153rd Engineer Battalion
196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Burial is at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota - Sec H Site 131

To be updated…

Born: September 30, 2024
Died: July 15, 2024 in Farah, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Lex L. Lewis, 40, of Rapid City, S.D., died July 15 after injuries suffered July 15 when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. He completed two tours in Iraq and was a month into his first deployment to Afghanistan. He received numerous awards in his military career, including, two Army Commendation medals, five Army Achievement medal, two Meritorious Unit Citations, two Army Good Conduct medals, one Navy Good Conduct medal, National Defense service medal, Southwest Asia Service medal, Afghanistan Campaign medal, Iraq Campaign medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism expeditionary medal, Global War on Terrorism service medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development, Army Service ribbon, two Overseas Service ribbons, Navy Sea Service Deployment ribbon, Navy Sea Service Deployment ribbon, NATO medal, Air Assault badge and Driver’s badge. He leaves his wife, Molly, a stepdaughter, Ariel, his mother, Betty Lewis, his brother, Frank McCormick and a halfsister, Lacy.

Burial is at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota - Sec G Site 2877

To be updated…

Born: March 14, 2024
Died: July 2, 2024 in Bethesda, Maryland

Spc. Estell L. Turner of Jackson, Kentucky graduated from Buckhorn High School in 1983. He entered the Army in May 2004 arriving at Fort Campbell in June 2007 serving as a motor transport operator. He initially spent six years with the Army after high school and sought to re-enter at age 42 once the age limit was raised. Lee comes from a military family in which his wife is an Army reservist and his younger brother, John, is in the Army stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. After he finished his military service in 1989, he was a mechanic in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He and brother John raced and fixed cars together, and Lee also played guitar. Lee had looked forward to being deployed to Afghanistan, his first tour in the war on terror, in March. But he knew the potential dangers of his convoy missions. His awards and decorations include: Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Army Overseas Ribbon; Weapons Qualification, M4, expert; Marksmanship Qualification Badge; Marksman with Recoilless Rifle. He died at age 43 at the National Naval Medical Center of wounds suffered on June 28 in Malikheyl, Afghanistan, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He is the son of the late Clarence Estell Turner and Gloria White Turner. He leaves his wife, Staff Sgt. Leah Ann Shumaker Turner, daughter, Lyda Marie and a brother, Master Sgt. Johnny Ray Turner.
Army
1st Battalion
506th Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Nicholasville, Kentucky - Sec S Site 518

Born: February 24, 2024
Died: August 30, 2024 in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan

Chaplain Dale A Goetz of White, South Dakota completed his Master of Divinity degree at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minneapolis in 2000. Dale once served as pastor of First Baptist Church in his hometown of White, and he and his family had recently joined High Country Baptist Church in Colorado Springs where he was stationed. He joined the Army in January of 2000 and had been in Afghanistan since July of 2010. He was previously in Iraq. The outdoorsman and a sportsman would take the boys into the woods and show them the trails, and they would go fishing. He died at age 43 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He leaves his wife and three sons.
Army
1st Battalion
66th Armor Regiment
1st Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado

Burial is at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado - Sec N Site 768

To be updated…

Born: Dec.ember 13, 1971 in Havre, Montana
Died: May 19, 2024 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan

Shane grew up in an Air Force family, his stepfather, whom he considered to be his dad, was stationed around the globe. Shane graduated from high school in Italy and in 1992 he enlisted in the Army, serving with the 82nd Airborne from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Two years later he married his wife Jennifer and they welcomed a daughter in 1995. He decided to leave the military when his term was ended and the family moved to Texas where he enjoyed civilian life. In 2000, his growing family moved to De Smet, South Dakota, and he had a blast enjoying life there. Shane’s family meant the world to him, and while he believed in God, he knew that you didn’t have to attend a church to be a believer. He’d look around at the world and see all the greatness God created and believe. Shane also watched the news and saw lives being lost overseas in the military. He wanted to help save them. On January 4, 2024 at Sioux Falls, Shane enlisted in the Army again. He took basic training in Kentucky, then Advanced Individual Training for Military Occupational Specialty 68W (Health Care Specialist - combat medic) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He reported to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia, June 20, 2005, and was later reassigned to the United States Army Health Clinic at the Pentagon December 8, 2006. Shane asked several times to be deployed and was denied each time. So he took training as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist and in August 2007 he was reclassified to the Military Occupational Specialty 89D and attended training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. On August 8, 2008, he reported to Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was assigned to the 787th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD). Shane deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from April to September 2009, and deployed to Afghanistan in March 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon his arrival, he posted on his web page “Well arrived in Afcrackastan and they lied to me again! This is not the paradise they promised!” That was Shane’s sense of humor, something that helped him and his family cope with his being away. Shane had a dangerous job and wore an 80-pound suit every time he went out to search and destroy the enemy’s bombs. On May 19 after deactivating an IED, he was killed when he stepped back onto a hidden secondary improvised explosive device. He was 38 years old. Shane leaves behind his wife; three children; his mother Lois Jones; stepfather Robert Jones; a sister and two brothers. His funeral was held at Lake Thompson State Park, for it is there that Shane would go to when he wished to be closer to God.

Born: September 29, 2024 in Pierre, South Dakota
Died: December 9, 2024 in Musa Qal`Eh, Afghanistan

Cpl. Tanner O’Leary of Eagle Butte, South Dakota was a 2003 graduate of the Timber Lake High School where he was a linebacker and fullback. He was also a dedicated student, winning high honors for a science fair project on the effect of creatine on muscle mass in rats. He participated in football, basketball, track and numerous school plays. He also enjoyed playing pool, boxing, wrestling, golfing, and hunting. Tanner was well known for his sense of humor and his love of music. During high school he worked at Octa-Flex and Biegler Equipment. Following high school he attended Presentation College for a year. During this time he was blessed with his daughter, on June 23, 2003. While in Aberdeen, Tanner worked as a welder at Twin City Fan and Specialty Trailers. He worked for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe before joining the U.S. Army in January 2005. He finished basic training and Airborne school at Ft. Benning, GA. He also attended Special-Forces training and was assigned to document security. In July of 2007 he joined the infantry to support other family and friends who were serving overseas. Before going overseas he spent several weeks with his family in Timber Lake. Tanner had a special affinity for children. He enjoyed singing and spending time with his beloved daughter. He had been in Afghanistan since September. O’Leary, a member of the Cheyenne River Tribe, was honored in the ways of his two cultures. His mother, Carmen, and sister Tully received an assortment of military medals that Tanner earned, including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Tanner was also adopted into the Fool Soldiers, a Lakota warrior society. Handling the adoption ceremony was Harry Charger, the great-grandson of Chief Charger, whose heroic leadership in saving a group of non-Native American women and children in 1862 gave the Fool Soldiers their name. But they were anything but fools. They were heroes. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Parachutist Badge. He wanted to go into the medical field after his service, possibly as a physician’s assistant. He is preceded in death by his grandfathers, Lawrence O’Leary and Mark O’Leary and Great Aunts Margaret and Irene O’Leary and family friend Steve Kunf. He died at age 23 in Musa Qal’eh, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated.
Army
1st Battalion
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
82nd Airborne Division
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Burial is at the O’Leary Ranch in Timber Lake, South Dakota

Born: January 8, 2024
Died: April 17, 2024 in Iraq

Spc. Dennis B. Morgan of Valentine, Nebraska was a teenager who sometimes got into mischief and grew into a man with an ever-present smile. He loved cars and motorcycles and his 1975 Ford pickup was a great source of pride for him. Dennis was married on November 29 at the Evangelical Church in Valentine. The couple met at the Black Hills Stock SHow on February 7 2003. Their future plans were to move to Rapid City so he could attend mechanic school and she could pursue a degree in nursing. As a soldier, threw himself into his job after his South Dakota National Guard unit arrived in Iraq. He knew there was nothing he could do about it, so he just decided to put his head down and charge. He was proud of what he did. He held the rank of a specialist, but was promoted to sergeant after his death. Officials presented his family with the Purple Heart for his injury and the Bronze Star for his meritorious service. Those at the ceremony watched a video that included pictures of Dennis at his wedding, at home and in uniform. The event ended with a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.
Army
153rd Engineer Battalion
Army National Guard
Winer, South Dakota

Burial is at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota - Sec G Site 2703

Born: August 17, 2024
Died: November 15, 2024 in Mosul, Iraq

Pfc. Sheldon R. Hawk Eagle of Eagle Butte, South Dakota is a 2001 graduate of Cheyenne Eagle Butte High School. He was a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe and his family and fellow tribe members, knew him by his Lakota name, Wanbli Ohitika, Brave Eagle. He reportedly could trace his bloodline to two great Indian chiefs, Crazy Horse on his father’s side, and Sitting Bill on his mother’s side. After his parents both died when he was young, he went to live with an aunt and uncle. Sheldon was quiet and loyal, a mature young man who gave every decision careful thought. He was very meticulous and organized and didn’t jump into anything. He was also a talented artist who loved to draw and paint, and a classic car buff who could name every model he saw on the road. Sheldon also adored kids, considering a career in child psychology. In order to achieve that goal, he enlisted in the Army in 2002 to earn money for college. It turned out that the military suited him, and he was planning to make that a career instead. He was killed at age 21 when two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Mosul, Iraq.
Army
1st Battalion
320th Field Artillery
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Burial is at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota - Sec A Site 237

Born Feb. 27, 1980 Sioux Falls, SD

Died July 15, 2024 in Baghdad, Iraq

Staff Sergeant Jeremy D. Vrooman of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Educated in Mitchell and Sioux Falls, he enlisted in the United States Army following in the footsteps of his older brother Justin, a helicopter pilot in the Army. Jeremy took basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was then assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, where he served his first tour of duty in Iraq in 2003. He went on to serve as a recruiter in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, before joining the Styker’s, currently assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, based at Vilseck, Germany. After serving his first tour of duty, he couldn’t wait to go back, feeling he wanted to be a part in making a difference there. He left on June 12, 2008. Jeremy was usually the first man from his troop through the door and on July 15, while working with his squad to clear buildings in Kn’an, they entered a booby-trapped building and he was seriously injured. He died later at a Baghdad hospital. He was buried on July 25, 2008, in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, in his wife’s native state of Texas. He is survived by his wife, Latrecia, and two children; parents, Bruce and Susan Vrooman of Superior, Wisconsin, and Lori and Wayne Donahue of Sioux Falls, S.D.; his siblings and several other relatives.

Birth: June 3, 2024 - Michigan
Died: June 18, 2024 - Baghdad, Iraq

Pfc Deuel was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He received fatal gun shot wounds while on guard duty at a propane distribution center. He attended Carey Junior High and East High in Cheyenne, Wyoming before joining the Boxelder Job Corps program in South Dakota at the age of 17. In 15 months, he earned his GED and a certification in culinary arts. Michael joined the Army about a week before the September 11 attacks because he wanted to learn parachuting and eventually become a smoke jumping firefighter. He planned on four years in the Army, learning to parachute, then going back to South Dakota School of Mines and getting his forestry degree.

Burial: Cheyenne Memorial Gardens, Cheyenne, Wyoming