More than 700 people turned out Tuesday at Fort Lewis to pay their respects to six soldiers killed in last week’s Stryker bombing in Iraq. It was the largest such gathering at the post since December 2004, the last time local troops suffered so heavy a loss.
The six remembered Tuesday represented all of America – immigrants, sons of military families, young men from the Midwest, said Maj. Robert Bennett, speaking on behalf of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division command.
“They came from every single time zone, every region, every background,” Bennett said. “And they came together, and they died, as a family.”
Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel were killed May 6 in Baqouba when a bomb buried in the road exploded beneath their Stryker vehicle. Also killed was a Russian photojournalist, Dmitry Chebotayev; only the driver survived the blast.
All were from the weapons squad of 3rd Platoon, A Company of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.
A photo of each was set among flowers on the stage at Soldiers Field House, along with the traditional symbolic tribute to fallen soldiers: a rifle, boots, a helmet and dog tags.
A soldier read from Scripture, and a chaplain, Lt. Col. Chris Cieply, called the men “six amazing patriots, each with a distinct sense of calling.”
The families of each described them “as called to be in the Army, and they believed they were making a difference,” he said. “They dedicated their lives to a higher vision for Iraq and its people.”
Pipers from the Tacoma Fire Department played “Amazing Grace,” an honor guard fired a rifle salute, and a bugler played taps.
Relatives from each of the soldier’s families except Bradshaw’s attended, and spent several moments at the end holding one another in front of their soldier’s photo.
The Bradshaw family stayed in Texas to await the return of his remains today, Bennett said.
The soldiers will be buried in cemeteries all across the country. Lewis is to be buried today at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.
Pursel will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac from Washington, D.C. – the third soldier from the brigade during this deployment to be buried there, Bennett said.
Other speakers paid tribute to the men one by one, and the brigade showed a video montage that was put together by their comrades in Iraq.
“These men were my friends,” Cpl. Joshua Renschler said of the two he knew, Harkins and Lewis. “They gave their lives willingly, and they gave their lives honorably. They’re going to remain in my heart and remain in my life.”
Of all those who turned out Tuesday, Staff Sgt. Richard Keller probably knows more than most what that fateful moment May 6 must have been like for the six who died.
Keller said his Stryker was blown in half by a 1,000-pound bomb on March 14. The explosion killed the driver, Cpl. Brian Chevalier, and wounded everyone else on board.
Keller is recovering from leg and shoulder fractures and will need dental surgery to replace several chipped teeth. There are emotional wounds, too – the loss of his friends, and anger that to him at least, most people don’t seem to understand.
“I’m trying to heal by coming to this, too,” he said. “I feel the country should put the flag at half mast every day for these guys. … The country doesn’t realize the sacrifice of these people.”
Snapshots of the six fallen soldiers
Six soldiers from the same squad from the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment at Fort Lewis died May 6 when a bomb buried in the road exploded beneath their Stryker armored vehicle in Baqouba, Iraq.
Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, 23, of Lodi, N.J.
Born in Calabria, Italy, emigrated to the U.S. as a 3-year-old and grew up in New Jersey. “Vincenzo was a kind and courageous person who brought joy and laughter to all around him,” his family said in a statement. A veteran of his battalion’s first trip to Iraq, he was the squad leader. He and Amanda Anderson of Tacoma planned to wed when he returned from this tour. He is also survived by his parents and two brothers.
Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, 25, of Clarkesville, Ga.
A native Georgian, he was also a veteran of the battalion’s first combat tour. Other soldiers credit him with having saved their lives in Baqouba weeks before he was killed. His wife, Emily, said they shared a deep Christian faith. “Jason felt like he was born to be a soldier, and died doing what he loved for cause that he believed in,” she said. He is also survived by his parents and two brothers.
Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, 28, of Sandia Park, N.M.
Lewis was born in Ontario, Canada, and moved to the states with his family and was in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen when he was killed. His family said the Army will see that he receives citizenship posthumously. His brother, Justin, said Lewis was a thrill seeker who loved scuba, skydiving and hockey. His wife, Brandy, said, “He touched the hearts of anyone who knew him.” He is also survived by his parents.
Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, 21, of Gretna, Neb.
The native Nebraskan was a percussionist in his high school band, and in February, while home on leave, married his high school sweetheart, Kara. In a statement, she said Alexander “made it his life’s work to take care of those he loved. … His heart was made of gold.” He is also survived by his parents and his brother.
Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, of San Antonio
Bradshaw grew up in El Paso and San Antonio, and is remembered by friends on his MySpace.com page as a big fan of martial arts star Chuck Norris and for his enthusiasm for doing his job as a soldier. “He had this aura about him that drew everybody to him,” Staff Sgt. William Rose said Tuesday. He wrote that he planned to one day go to college, get married and raise a family. He is survived by his parents, three brothers and a sister.
Cpl. Michael A. Pursel, 19, of Clinton, Utah.
The former Lacey resident went to Iraq as a replacement for wounded soldiers in his unit, and had been there a little over a month when he was killed. His parents served in the Army and bought him a tiny uniform when he was 2. He was originally assigned to another Fort Lewis Stryker brigade but volunteered to join the 3rd Brigade when it needed replacements to go to Iraq. He aspired to become a Special Forces soldier.
Michael Gilbert: 253-597-8921
mike.gilbert@thenewstribune.com
blogs.thenewstribune.com/military
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