Fort Lewis mourned Monday the loss of a soldier whose imposing physical stature was dwarfed by his infectious smile and generous heart.
Hundreds attended the memorial service for Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, of San Francisco, who died on Christmas Day when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol near Howz-e Madad, a village in southeastern Afghanistan.
He is the 30th soldier assigned to the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division killed during its deployment.
Gutierrez was eulogized as a committed husband and father whose positive attitude and beaming smile complemented an iron will and never-quit attitude, even in the face of daunting hardship. He was described as an inspiration to his men either while playing fullback for the Lacey-based South Sound Shockers of the Washington Football League or leading them as a weapons squad leader in his platoon.
Resting next to the traditional battlefield memorial of combat boots, rifle, helmet and dog tags at the memorial was a miniature football helmet.
“He loved being part of a team that was capable of doing something bigger than any one individual,” wrote Lt. Col. Jeffrey French, the commander of Gutierrez’s battalion, in remarks read at the memorial. “He was a master of building teams because he didn’t leave them on the field. ”
Gutierrez was an amateur chef and hosted barbecues after every game, inviting friends, family and soldiers, some of whom he recruited to play on the football team.
In October, the football team honored Gutierrez with the Black Lion Award, given to the individual player who personifies team play. The award is given in honor of Maj. Don Holleder, a former West Point All-American who died in combat in Vietnam in 1967, and the men in his unit, known as the Black Lions.
The team was scheduled to present the award to “Gutie” during leave this month. Following the memorial, teammates and their families watched as head coach Steve Matychowiak presented the award to Gutierrez’s wife, Patty, who served as the team’s photographer.
“Gutie touched us in so many ways,” Matychowiak said.
Through an Army spokesman, the family declined further comment.
Gutierrez was born Aug. 16, 1974, in Santa Clara, Calif. He earned his general equivalency diploma in 1998 and enlisted in the Army. He married Patty two years earlier, according to a biography on the Shockers’ Web site.
He served in Kentucky, Korea and Hawaii before transferring to Fort Lewis to join the brand-new unit in November 2006. He deployed to Iraq for 13 months while stationed in Hawaii.
Gutierrez joined the Shockers in spring 2007, attending practices in the evenings. He was named Fullback of the Week by Western Football News in 2008, according to the biography.
Matychowiak said Gutierrez worked hard at practice and never complained about playing time, even recruiting individuals that could diminish the playing time he received.
In October 2008, according to the biography, the couple lost their fourth child and first daughter, Reyna, at birth due to Edwards syndrome, a chromosome disorder. The couple have three young boys, Andrew, Jeremiah and Gabriel.
“He could lose his precious little girl just as she was coming into the world and it didn’t prevent him from being there for his family and the platoon in a time of great personal pain,” French wrote.
Added Sgt. 1st Class Alan McOmie, a platoon sergeant and friend of Gutierrez, whose remarks were also read: “It’s going to be hard for all of us to be on patrol and turn around and not seeing him walking behind us. But I know he’s looking down on us, holding his little baby girl, with the biggest smile on his face.”
Christian Hill: 360-754-5427
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.