In Memoriam

[Grace]

13 August 2011

Oklahoma Army National Guard officer, 2nd Lieutenant Joe L. Cunningham from Kingston, Oklahoma, died in Laghman province on 13th August 2011 from injuries injuries sustained in what the military call a non-combat related incident.

27-year-old 2Lt. Cunningham served with the 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment and was commissioned last year. He had previously served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006. He enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard two months after the 9/11 attack.

Lt. Col. Max Moss of the Oklahoma Army National Guard said about 2Lt. Cunningham: “After earning the rank of sergeant and demonstrating outstanding character and leadership potential, he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School. He will be greatly missed by all of us in uniform that knew him and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they cope with his loss,”

2Lt. Cunningham's awards include the Iraq Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.

[Grace]

12 August 2011

US Army Master Sergeant Charles L. Price III, from Milam, Texas, was killed in action on 12th August 2011 in Kandahar province, from injuries he received when a bomb exploded by his patrol unit.

40-year-old Master Sgt. Price served with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado. He joined the Army in 1989 and had served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Kosovo and Iraq. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

Master Sgt. Price had been awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. He had also earned the Army Commendation medal five times.

He leaves his wife and seven children, the youngest of whom is 3.

[Grace]

14 August 2011

US Army Sergeant Matthew A. Harmon, from Bagley, Minnesota, was killed in Paktika province when a bomb exploded during a vehicle recovery operation he was involved with.

29-year-old Sgt. Harmon served with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, based at Grafenwoehr, Germany. He joined the Army in March 2005 and deployed to Afghanistan in July this year. He had previously served twice in Iraq.

Sgt. Harmon leaves behind his wife, Nicole, and their three children, Danika, 8, Vincent, 5, and Elsie, 3, his parents Tom and Irene, sister Melissa, brothers Dean and Mark.

US Army Specialist Joseph VanDreumel, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was killed in Paktika province when a bomb exploded during a vehicle recovery operation he was involved with.

32-year-old Spc. VanDreumel, served with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, based at Grafenwoehr, Germany. He joined the Army in 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan six weeks ago.

Spc. VanDreumel leaves behind his wife, Sarah, his 8-year old son Skyler and 10-year old daughter Angel.

[Grace]

14 August 2011

Oklahoma Army National Guard officer, 1st Lt. Damon T. Leehan, was killed in action on Sunday 14th August 2011 when his patrol vehicle struck a road mine in the Alingar district of Laghman Province.

30-year-old 1Lt. Leehan was a platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 179 Infantry Regiment, based in Edmond. He joined the National Guard in 1988 and was on his third combat tour of Afghanistan.

1Lt. Leehan leaves his wife Audrey Leehan and two children, Emma and Ethan. The Leehans were expecting to celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary on 17th September.

[Grace]

16 August 2011

Oklahoma Army National Guard Spc. Joshua M. Seals, age 21, from Porter, Oklahoma died on 16th August 2011 from a non-combat related incident in Paktia province.

Spc. Seals was a machine gunner serving with the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

This was the first deployment for Spc. Seals who joined the Guard three years ago to become a truck driver. He is the eighth Oklahoma National Guard soldier to die in Afghanistan in the past three weeks.

[Grace]

16 August 2011

US Army Spc. Dennis G. Jensen died on 16th August 2011 in Helmand province when he was struck by steel bridge panels that fell from a forklift. The incident occurred near Camp Leatherneck.

21-year-old Spc. Jensen, from Vermillion, South Dakota, was serving with the 153rd Engineer Battalion, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, based at Sioux Falls. He had volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan as a bridge crew member.

Spc. Jensen is survived by his mother, Christine Bestgen, father Glenn Jensen and sister Melissa Jensen.

[Grace]

18 August 2011

US Marine Lance Corporal Travis M. Nelson was killed in action in Helmand province on 18th August 2011. The young Marine was shot by enemy forces while on patrol. He had celebrated his 19th birthday two weeks ago.

L-Cpl. Nelson, from Pace in Florida, served with the 6th Marine Regiment based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He joined the Marines in September and was promoted to Lance Corporal in June. He had deployed to Afghanistan in March.

L-Cpl. Nelson's awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

He was engaged to his high school sweetheart, Madeline Cates. He leaves his parents, Scott and Becky Nelson and sister Anna.