Freedom Remembered

Born: May 29, 2024 in Miami, Florida
Died: October 29, 2024 in Kabul, Afghanistan

Sgt. James M. Darrough of Austin, Texas died at age 38 in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 101st Finance Company, 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. He joined the Army in February 2005, arriving at Fort Campbell in July 2009. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with service star, Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, United Nations Medal, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Expert Field Medical Badge and Combat Action Badge.

Burial is at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, Kentucky - Sec 06 Site 0638

To be updated…

Born: March 19 1985 in Travis county, Texas
Died: October 22, 2024 in Logar, Afghanistan

Sgt. Paul A. Rivera of Round Rock, Texas died Oat age 26 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a vehicle rollover during an attack by enemy forces. He was assigned to the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Hohenfels, Germany. Paul graduated in 2003 from Stony Point High School, where he was a student assistant for the basketball team. He joined the Army after graduating and was stationed in Germany before being deployed. He was currently serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. The 527th deployed to Logar in April of 2011 for a 12 month tour. He leaves behind his parents and a younger brother, who also serves in the Army.

Burial is at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Kileen, Texas - Sec 3 Row J Site 183

To be updated…

Born: July 29, 2024 in Portsmith, Virginia
Died: October 13, 2024 in Kunar, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Houston M. Taylor, 25, of Hurst, Texas, died Oct. 13, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He deployed twice prior to joining the 25th Infantry Division on March 1, 2010. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 3, NATO Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. He was married and the father of two. He leaves his wife, Kelsey, his son, Rylan, his daughter, Avery, his father, Shawn Taylor, his mother, Renee Cremean-Bryan and her husband, Billy, his brothers, Austin and Dallas Taylor, and a stepbrother, Jacob Bryan and a stepsister, Morgan Bryan.

Ash Creek Cemetery

To be updated…

Born: July 6, 2024 in Texas
Died: October 6, 2024 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Benjamin W. Schmidt, 24, of San Antonio, Texas, died Oct. 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Ben is a graduate of Alamo Heights High School. He left on his second tour of Afghanistan in September and was scheduled to end his deployment in May 2012.

Burial is at Fort Sam Houston National in San Antonio, Texas - Sec C1 Row W2 Site D131

To be updated…

Born: October 7, 2024 in Houston, Texas
Died: September 28, 2024 in Ghazni, Afghanistan

Pfc. David A. Drake, 21, of Lumberton, Texas died Sep 28, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He enlisted in the Army in January of this year, attending both basic training and AIT at Fort Leonard Wood. After graduating in May, he moved to the 5th Engineers in June to serve as a combat engineer in the 515th Sapper Company, and deployed to Afghanistan in July. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

To be updated…

Born: November 30 1984 in Brownsville, Texas
Died: September 25, 2024 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, 2024 in Hildago County, Texas
Died: September 18, 2024 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, 2024 in Weslaco, Texas
Died: September 14, 2024 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, 2024 in Travis County, Texas
Died: September 9, 2024 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, 2024
Died: August 27, 2024 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…