U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Stevon Alexander Booker

Remembering today and always, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Stevon Alexander Booker, who made the ultimate sacrifice on April 5, 2003, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

SSG Booker was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, A Company, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, Fort Stewart, Georgia, and served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. SSG Booker was killed in action by enemy fire as his platoon of Abrams Tanks moved along a highway toward Baghdad International Airport in the first armored raid into Baghdad, Iraq on 4/5/2003.
Stevon is the son of Freddie M. Jackson of Apollo, PA and the late George A. Booker of Avonmore, PA.
Stevon was born in Detroit, and then moved with his family to the mining town of Redtown, Pennsylvania, and then to Apollo, PA.
Stevon joined the Army after graduating from Apollo-Ridge High School in 1988. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6), was a tank commander and also served in combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
Booker said in an interview with the Associated Press near the Kuwait-Iraq border: “I teach my guys what I learned from the first Gulf War. One guy doesn’t win a war. You have to have confidence in your equipment. The M1A1 is the best tank on the battlefield. It can destroy anything the Iraqis throw at us.”
Stevon always told his mother, Freddie, ‘Mom, don’t worry about me. We are the best-equipped military in the world, and I’m going to be fine.’
SSG Booker was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on April 5, 2019. He was originally awarded a Silver Star for his actions that day. However, following a comprehensive review directed by former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter of all awards issued during Operation Iraqi Freedom, it was determined that Booker’s award would be upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross.
Now famously known as “Thunder Run,” SSG Booker’s unit led an offensive armored-attack into Baghdad on April 5, 2003, subsequently resulting in the collapse of the Saddam Hussein government.

During the raid, Booker’s platoon came under heavy small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Booker immediately reacted – he communicated the situation to his chain-of-command, returned fire with his mounted machinegun and reassured his crew that they would make it to their objective.

When his crew machinegun malfunctioned, Booker completely disregarded his personal safety and took up an exposed prone position on the top of his tank. While still engaged by heavy enemy fire, Booker maintained communication with his platoon, accurately destroyed an enemy vehicle and effectively protected his platoon’s flank.

Booker continued to engage the enemy and protect his platoon while exposed for nearly five miles until he was fatally wounded.
SSG Stevon Alexander Booker was the first soldier from Southwestern Pennsylvania killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Stevon Alexander Booker

Birth: 16 Sep 1968
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA

Death: 5 Apr 2003 (aged 34)
Baghdad, Iraq

Burial: West View Cemetery
Avonmore, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA

Combat and Non-Combat Operations
1990-1991 Gulf War/Defense of Saudi Arabia/Operation Desert Shield
1998-2004 Operation Joint Forge (SFOR)
2003-2003 OIF/Liberation of Iraq (2003)

U.S. Army Sergeant Eric Raymond Hull

Remembering today and always, U.S. Army Sergeant Eric Raymond Hull, who made the ultimate sacrifice on August 18, 2003, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Army Sergeant Eric R Hull died on August 18, 2003, in Baghdad, Iraq, while serving and assigned to the 99th Regional Support Command’s 307th Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserves, New Kensington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, as the result of wounds sustained from injuries he received from an IED (improvised explosive device) blast from which the vehicle he was in hit as they were returning from the airport with supplies. Hull was posthumously promoted to Sergeant.

Sergeant Eric R. Hull was the son of Deborah and Raymond Hull, born on April 28, 1980. Sergeant Hull was from Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Uniontown High School in 1998 and also graduated from Westmoreland County Community College. Hull was a Boy Scout, earning the rank of Eagle Scout before turning 18 years old and went on to achieve three additional Eagle Palms. Hull was a former chef at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington, PA, and was a food service director for the Central Greene School District when he was called to active duty to their mobilization site at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Eric Hull’s true talent was definitely in the kitchen. His family said that he liked to follow his mother, aunts, and grandmother around in the kitchen. Sometimes, he would surprise his family with fresh-baked whole wheat bread. And his mother will say, “He made the best Alfredo you’ll ever taste.”

Sergeant Hull was survived by his beloved wife, Missy DeFabbo Hull, and their children Mia Nicole and Dominic; his parents, Raymond (July 26, 2019) & Deborah Hull; and his sister, Ashley Turbi.

U.S. Army Sergeant Eric R. Hull
Birth: 28 August 1980
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 18 August 2003 (age 23)
Baghdad, Iraq

Burial: Lafayette Memorial Park in Brier Hill, Pennsylvania, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA

Thank you, Sergeant Eric R. Hull, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Army Sergeant Jason Mitchell McClary

Remembering today and always, U.S. Army Sergeant Jason Mitchell McClary, who made the ultimate sacrifice on December 2, 2018, while serving during Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

U.S. Army Sergeant Jason Mitchell McClary died on December 2, 2018, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, while serving and assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO, as the result of wounds sustained from injuries he received on November 27, 2018, from an IED (improvised explosive device) blast, which struck a convoy of U.S. and Afghan forces in the Ghazni Province’s Andar District in Afghanistan en route to battle Taliban fighters. Sergeant McClary was an up-armored vehicle assistant gunner and was a driver of this combat movement of Special Forces soldiers traveling on Highway 1.

Sergeant Jason Mitchell McClary was the son of JoLynn P. Maiolie, born on August 13, 1994. Sergeant McClary was originally from Export, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Kiski Area High School in 2013. While attending school he trained to be a machinist. After his graduation, it was finally time to enlist, but due to several health reasons, Jason has turned away. But after months of working hard to get healthy, Jason Mitchell McClary enlisted in January 2014 as an infantryman and fulfilled his dream of joining the United States Army, excited to finally serve his country and do the job he was meant for. Over the span of four-and-a-half years, Sergeant McClary had also served in Iraq from May 2016 to January 2017.

Sergeant McClary was awarded the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, Army Commendation Medal with Service Device, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal with Combat Service, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Combat Service, Combat Infantry Badge and the Air Assault Badge..

Sergeant McClary was survived by his beloved wife, Lillie Renee Ashbaugh McClary and their two sons Jett Isaac and Jason James McClary; his parents, Raymond & Jolynn Maiolie; his brother, Jeffrey and sister-in-law, Katrina Ritter; his sister, Jennifer and brother-in-law Jason Lorent; his parents-in-law, Eric Ashbaugh and Lillie (Mike) Ayers; brothers-in-law, Eric and Ryan Ashbaugh; and sisters-in-law, Autumn and Faith Ashbaugh, and Kim Nielsen.

U.S. Army Sergeant Jason Mitchell McClary
Birth: 13 August 1994
Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 2 December 2018 (age 24)
Landstuhl, Landkreis Kaiserslautern, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Burial: National Cemetery of the Alleghenies
Cecil, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA

Thank you, Sergeant Jason Mitchell McClary, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Army Specialist Joshua J. Henry

Remembering today and always, U.S. Army Specialist Joshua J. Henry, who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 20, 2004, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Army Specialist Joshua J. Henry died on Monday, September 20, 2004, in Sharqat Iraq, while serving and assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, as the result of injuries sustained when his convoy was attacked by small-arms fire.

Specialist Joshua J. Henry was born on December 27 1982 , in Salt Lake City, Utah . The son of Larry G and Perri S Justice Henry. Army Specialist Henry was of Avonmore, PA. Army Specialist Henry was a graduate of Apollo-Ridge High School before he graduated in 2001. Friends said Joshua Henry was an exceptional center and defensive tackle. He joined the Army after graduating and served in Germany and Kosovo before going to Iraq in January.

Joshua is survived by his parents, Larry G. and Perri S. Justice Henry of Apollo; three brothers, Larry G. (Christy) Henry Jr. of Leechburg, Jerrad J.R. Henry and Julian L. Henry, both of Apollo; and four sisters, Jody L. Henry of Vandergrift, Jessica R. Henry and Melanie J. Henry, both of Leechburg, and Jasmine C. Henry of Pittsburgh. Also surviving are his paternal grandmother, Dorothy Phillippi; his maternal grandmother, Earlene Justice.

U.S. Army Specialist Joshua J. Henry
Birth: December 27 1982
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Death: September 20, 2004 (age 21)
Sharqat, Iraq

Burial: Riverview Cemetery
Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, USA

Thank you, Army Specialist Joshua J. Henry, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Army Private First Class Aaron James Rusin

Specialist Aaron James Rusin: 19, formerly of New Florence, PA, was killed in October 2004 by sniper fire while patrolling in a Humvee.
1/12/1985 – 10/11/2004
PFC Aaron James Rusin
Birth: 12 Jan 1985
Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 11 Oct 2004 (aged 19)
Baghdad, Iraq

Burial: Armagh Cemetery
Armagh, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Lonny Dion Wells

Remembering today and always, U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Lonny Dion Wells, who made the ultimate sacrifice on November 9, 2004, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Lonny Dion Wells died on Tuesday, November 9, 2004, in Fallujah, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, while serving and assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC, as the result of wounds sustained from enemy action of Iraqi insurgents on Highway Ten in Fallujah.

Sergeant Lonny Dion Wells was the son of Yvonne Lynn and Lawrence Wells, Sr., born on January 10, 1975, in Kittanning, PA. Sergeant Wells was from Vandergrift, Westmoreland County, PA and a graduate of the Class of 1994 from Kiski Area High School. Ever since he was a little boy, Wells knew he would be a Marine. He was an athletic, friendly kid growing up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Vandergrift. Living in the Steel City didn’t hinder his passionate zeal for the Dallas Cowboys. Wells was a good student who also excelled in playing football and baseball, loved singing Kenny Rogers songs in the car, and he loved the Marines.

As an instructor for Marine Combat Training, Sergeant Wells made an incredible impact on those around him. His energy and professionalism inspired many young Marines, he was a true role model. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him and serve. Wells had been in the Marine Corps for eight years and served in Kosovo, France, Spain, and Germany. He had been in Iraq since June and was scheduled to come home in January.

Sergeant Wells was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

Sergeant Wells was survived by his wife, Jennifer Wells of Jacksonville, NC; two sons, Lonny Jr. and Daylon Wells of Apollo, PA; three daughters, Dominique White and Jade Wells of Jacksonville, NC, and Marissa Wells of Vandergrift, PA; his mother, Yvonne Lynn Weston Wells of Vandergrift, PA; his father, Lawrence Wells, Sr. of Amarillo, TX; his brother, Lawrence Wells, Jr. of Indiana, PA; his sister, Army Sergeant Angela Ackles of Fort Hood, TX; his half-brother, Adam Wells of Amarillo, TX; and his half-sister, Amandya Wells of Amarillo, TX.

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Lonny Dion Wells
Birth: 10 February 1975
Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 9 November 2004 (age 29)
Fallujah, Al Anbar Province, Iraq

Burial: Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery, Lower Burrell, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, US

Thank you, Sergeant Lonny Dion Wells, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Army Specialist William Russell Sturges, Jr.

Remembering today and always, U.S. Army Specialist William Russell Sturges, Jr., who made the ultimate sacrifice on January 24, 2004, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Army Specialist William Russell Sturges, Jr. died on Saturday, January 24, 2004, in Khalidiyah Iraq, while serving and assigned to Company B, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, Fort Hood Texas; attached to Task Force All American, when a car bomb exploded next to his Humvee.

Specialist William Russell Sturges, Jr. was born on January 16 1980, in New Kensington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA. The son of William Sturges Sr. and Linda Anderson Sturges. Army Specialist Sturges was of Spring Church, South Bend Township, PA. Army Specialist Sturges attended Elderton High School and was a 1998 graduate of Lenape Vo-Tech, Ford City, where he studied computer science and programming. He met his future wife at a vocational school in Armstrong County, about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and they married in 2000. Deida was already in the Army, while Bill transferred from the National Guard into the Army.

Specialist William Russell Sturges, Jr. was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

William is survived by his wife of three years, Deida M. Knize Sturges; two sons, Ethan C. Sherry of Dayton and Gabriel K. Sturges of South Bend; his parents, William Sturges Sr. and Linda Anderson Sturges of South Bend; a brother, Robert L. Sturges of South Bend; his maternal grandparents, Robert L. and Mary Ann Anderson of South Bend; and stepgrandparents, Anthony and Donna Giannetto of Kiski Township.

U.S. Army Specialist William Russell Sturges, Jr.
Birth: January 16 1980
New Kensington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: January 24, 2004 (age 24)
Khalidiyah, Iraq

Burial: South Bend Cemetery
Elderton, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, USA

Thank you, Army Specialist William R. Sturges, Jr., for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Army Sergeant Nicholas Allen Tomko

Remembering today and always, U.S. Army Sergeant Nicholas Allen Tomko, who made the ultimate sacrifice on November 9, 2003, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Army Sergeant Nicholas Allen Tomko died on Sunday, November 9, 2003, in Baghdad, Iraq, while serving and assigned to the 307th Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve, New Kensington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, as the result of wounds sustained when his team came under mortar and small-arms attack as they were performing a standard night patrol to check the camp’s perimeter for explosive devices; Sergeant Tomko was the door gunner in one of the 4 vehicles in the convoy.
 
Sergeant Tomko was born on February 16, 1979, in Pittsburgh, PA. The son of Jack Tomko and the late Sherry Pfab Tomko. Sergeant Tomko was of McKees Rocks, PA, formerly of Hampton Township and of Butler, PA. Sergeant Tomko was a graduate of the Class of 1997 from Hampton High School, and while working several part-time jobs at restaurants and gas stations along Route 8 to save money for a car; he discovered what he wanted to do with his life. He met a state trooper while he was working at Eat ‘n Park, and the two became very good friends. Nick was working as an armored car driver near Pittsburgh when he joined the Army Reserves in 1998 for the experience and college tuition to become a police officer. He had been stationed in Iraq since February 2003 and also had served in Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia-Herzegovina for nine months in 2001. He wanted to serve his country, and he wanted his family to live in a country that was safe; he did it with great pride.

U.S. Army Sergeant Nicholas Allen Tomko was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge.

Nick is the son of the late Jack and Sherry Pfab Tomko. He is survived by his proud Uncle William “Bill” Tomko, who is a Vietnam Veteran, and his son, Ethan Tomko. His father, Jack Tomko, was quoted when asked about his son, “He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have freedom here, With men and women like that, we’re going to be safe for a long time.”

U.S. Army Sergeant Nicholas Allen Tomko
Birth: 16 February 1979
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 9 November 2003 (age 24)
Baghdad, Iraq

Burial: Allegheny County Memorial Park
Allison Park, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, US

Thank you, Sergeant Nicholas Allen Tomko, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Army Private First Class Richard "Rick" William Hafer, Jr

U.S. Army Private First Class Richard “Rick” William Hafer, Jr., 21, formerly of New Florence, PA, died in November 2003 in a midair collision of two Black Hawk helicopters in Iraq.
8/13/1982 – 11/15/2003
U.S. Army Private First Class Richard “Rick” William Hafer, Jr.
Birth: 13 Aug 1982
Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 15 Nov 2003 (aged 21)
Mosul, Iraq

Burial: Blairsville Cemetery
Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA

U.S. Air Force - OSI Special Agent - Staff Sergeant David Alan Wieger

Remembering today and always, U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant David Alan Wieger, who made the ultimate sacrifice on November 1, 2007, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant David Alan Weiger died on Thursday, November 1, 2007, near Balad Air Base, Iraq, while serving and assigned to Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 303, Travis Air Force Base, CA., as the result of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device (IED).
 
Staff Sergeant Wieger was an Air Force Special Agent and his primary responsibility on the battlefield was to perform reconnaissance missions of tracking and monitoring IEDs. His humvee was struck by an IED roadside bomb, killing him and Air Force Master Sergeant Thomas A. Crowell, 36, of Neosho, MO, and Nathan J. Schuldheiss, 27, an Air Force Defense Department civilian investigator from Newport, RI. The three were on their way back from meeting with sources related to an intelligence investigation when their convoy hit the explosive.

Even on the Iraqi road Wieger was traveling, moments before he died, the North Huntingdon native had his squadmates howling. “We asked them what kind of spirits he was in,” said his mother, Lori Wieger. “They said, as always, David was on the radio with the two other Humvees, just making them laugh up until the last second.”

Staff Sergeant David Alan Wieger was born on May 5, 1979, in Pittsburgh, PA. He lived and grew up in North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County, PA. David graduated in the Class of 1997 from Norwin High School, where he was active in the Norwin Soccer Club and was also a member of the Penns Forest Football Club. He additionally was a member of Norwin Christian Church. After graduation, he attended and earned an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, PA. When he decided on the Air Force, he opted for a six-year enlistment, attending basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Six years later he re-enlisted.

“Since high school, he wanted to get into the military,” said his brother, Michael Wieger. “He loved the job he was doing. That was the thing he was always saying.” Michael said his brother was eager to serve in Iraq despite the obvious risks associated with his deployment. “David had confidence and did not shy away from those issues, and he thought it was very important to do his duty.”

U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant David Alan Wieger was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Action Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

David is survived by his loving parents, Loreene R. (Harper) and Michael J. Wieger, Sr., of North Huntingdon, PA, and his brother Michael J. Wieger, Jr. and his wife Brenda, of Port Vue, PA.

U.S. Air Force – OSI Special Agent – Staff Sergeant David Alan Wieger
Birth: 5 May 1979
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: 1 November 2007 (age 28)
Balad, Saladin Governorate, Iraq

Burial: Penn-Lincoln Memorial Park
North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA

Thank you, Staff Sergeant David Alan Wieger, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Navy Master-At-Arms Petty Officer 3rd Class Roger Alan Napper, Jr.

Remembering today and always, Navy Master-At-Arms Petty Officer 3rd Class Roger Alan Napper, Jr., who made the ultimate sacrifice on October 7, 2006, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Master-At-Arms Petty Officer 3rd Class Roger Alan Napper, Jr. died on Saturday, October 7, 2006, while serving and assigned to Mobile Security Squadron 3, Detachment Bahrain as the result of trauma from a single motor vehicle accident in Manama, Bahrain on the Al Fatih highway.
PO3 Roger A. Napper, Jr. was born on February 13, 1976, in sunny San Diego, CA. Roger’s family relocated to the Pittsburgh area and then Greensburg, PA when he was a child, and it is there, as to be expected, he grew to be a devoted Steelers fan.
In 2002, Roger volunteered to serve his country as a member of the U.S. Navy. He contributed to his nation’s defense while stationed in San Antonio and the Naval Station Great Lakes. In 2003, as a result of his hard work and dedication to his command, Roger was honored as Sailor of the Year at NAVSTA Great Lakes.
Roger was survived by his best friend and the love of his life, Meredith DeCou Napper, whom he married March 11, 2006, in Flint, MI. He also is survived by his beautiful daughter, Chynna Napper-Agee, who is the image of Roger himself; his loving parents, Myrna (Gutierrez) and Roger A. Napper, Sr. of Greensburg, PA; and Greensburg; brother, Brandon Napper, of Greensburg, PA.
Navy Master-At-Arms Petty Officer 3rd Class Roger Alan Napper, Jr.
Birth: 13 February 1976
San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA
Death: 7 October 2006 (age 30)
Manama, Bahrain
Burial: Greenwood Cemetery
North Branch, Lapeer County, Michigan, USA
Thank you, PO3 Roger Alan Napper, Jr., for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Christopher K. Raible

Remembering today and always, Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Christopher K. “Otis” Raible, who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 14, 2012, while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Marine Corps LtCol Christopher K. Raible died on Friday, September 14, 2012, in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, while serving and assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), when insurgents breached the base using small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.

Marine Corps LtCol Christopher K. Raible was born on August 18, 1972, in McKeesport, PA, USA. LtCol Raible grew up in North Huntingdon Township, PA, was a Class of 1990 Norwin High School graduate and was the Class of 1995 Carnegie Mellon University graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering.  LtCol Raible was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma in Yuma, Arizona. Christopher is the son of Alvin C. and Kim Piotrowski Raible, of North Huntingdon, PA. Christopher began his military career as an AV8 Harrier fighter pilot and went on to become commanding officer of Marine Attack Squadron 211 Avengers (VMA-211).

He received numerous military honors including Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and is a recipient of the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, Combat Action Ribbon, and an Air Medal with Strike 15 Award.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his maternal grandmother, Belvina “Grace” Piotrowski, of McKeesport; his wife, Donella Tanner Raible; three children, Catherine, Allison and Brian, all at home; and one sister, Lona L. Bosley and her husband, Dennis.

Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Christopher K. Raible
Birth: August 18, 1972
McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: September 14, 2012 (age 40)
Camp Bastion, Helmand P,rovince, Afghanistan

Burial: Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA

Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Christopher K. “Otis” Raible, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

Navy Chief Petty Officer Nicolas D. Checque

Remembering today and always, Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL)(CPO) Nicolas D. Checque, who made the ultimate sacrifice on October 6, 2006, while serving during Afghanistan War.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL)(CPO) Nicolas D. Checque died on Saturay, December 8, 2012, in Laghman, Afghanistan, while serving and assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group at Dam Neck, Virginia, of injuries sustained in the successful rescue of an American doctor from the Taliban. CPO Checque was a member of the Navy’s Elite SEAL Team 6.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Nicolas D. Checque was born on March 5, 1984 in Monroeville, PA. CPO Checque was a Class of 2002 Norwin High School graduate and was on the Norwin wrestling team.

CPO Checque received numerous medals and awards, including the Bronze Star Medal w/Combat ‘V’; Joint Service Commendation Medal w/Combat ‘V’; Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/Combat ‘V’; Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbons ; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Navy Cross, the nation’s second-highest honor for military valor.

 

Navy Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) (CPO) Nicolas D. Checque


Birth: March 5, 1984

Monroeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Death: December 8, 2012 (age 28)
Laghman Province, Afghanistan

Burial: Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA

Thank you, Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL)(CPO) Nicolas D. Checque, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

Sergeant First Class Robert James Fike

Remembering today and always, Army Sergeant First Class Robert James Fike, who made the ultimate sacrifice on June 11, 2010, while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sergeant First Class Robert James Fike died on Friday, June 11, 2010, while serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment in Zabul, Afghanistan. Sergeant First Class Fike, along with Sergeant First Class Bryan A. Hoover, from West Elizabeth, PA, was on foot patrol providing security with the Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul when they came upon insurgents who met them with a suicide bomb attack. They both perished from wounds sustained by the improvised explosive device at FOB (Forward Operating Base) Bullard.

SFC Fike was born in Jeannette, PA on July 23, 1971. He graduated from Penn-Trafford High School with the Class of 1989 and Edinboro University in 1992 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organic Chemistry, before joining the National Guard in September 1993. As a civilian, Bob worked as a Corrections Officer at Albion State Correctional Institution since 1995. In the Guard, he was assigned to the 28th Military Police attached to Company C, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment out of Trafford, PA
Bob loved the military and the idea of serving his country. His father, James is a retired Sergeant Major in the Guard and a veteran of the Vietnam War. His grandfather served in the Navy, three uncles served in the Army and his brother, Chris also served in the Navy. Sergeant First Class Fike had been in Afghanistan since February 2010. He was there doing provincial reconstruction, seeing what the villages needed. He had previously served two deployments, one to Saudi Arabia in 2002 and another to Iraq in 2007.
SFC Fike was a highly decorated soldier whose awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (3rd award), Combat Action Badge, NATO Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Keystone Freedom Medal, Afghan Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, and Iraq Campaign Medal.

Bob was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with his daughter, MacKenzie, the love and joy of his life. Bob is survived by his daughter MacKenzie of Meadville, parents James and Christine of Trafford, and brother Christopher of Monroeville.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Robert James Fike
Birth: 23 July 1971
Jeannette, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA
Death: 11 June 2010 (Age 38)
Zabul Province, Afghanistan
Burial: The National Cemetery of the Alleghenies
Cecil Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA
Thank you, SFC Robert James Fike, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

Staff Sergeant Thor Harrison Ingraham

He was killed in action on May 8, 2005, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, when he was conducting combat operations and an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Khalidiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Greaves, Korea. Private First Class Nicolas Edward Messmer was also killed.

Marine Staff Sergeant Eric A. McIntosh

Remembering today and always, Marine Staff Sergeant Eric A. McIntosh, who made the ultimate sacrifice on October 6, 2006, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Marine Staff Sergeant Eric A. McIntosh died on Sunday, April 2, 2006, in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, while serving and assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC, when his Humvee struck a roadside bomb.

Marine Staff Sergeant Eric A. McIntosh was born on March 9, 1976, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The son of (Late) Carlos V and Betty (Fitzpatrick) McIntosh. Staff Sergeant McIntosh was of Trafford, PA. He joined the Marine Corps in September 1996, after graduating from Penn Trafford High School, and planned to continue his military career.

Sgt. McIntosh received numerous medals and awards, including the Combat Action Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal and four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

Eric is survived by his his wife, Cynthia, of North Carolina. The couple married on Sept. 10, 2001, the day before the terrorist attacks that ultimately led to U.S. troops being deployed to Afghanistan. A brother, Richard McIntosh, and his mother, Betty McIntosh.

Marine Staff Sergeant Eric A. McIntosh
Birth: March 9, 1976
San Diego, Ca, USA

Death: April 2, 2006 (age 30)
Al Anbar Province, Iraq

Burial: Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA

Thank you, Marine Staff Sergeant Eric A. McIntosh, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Matthew Paul Ruffner

Remembering today and always, Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Matthew Paul Ruffner, who made the ultimate sacrifice on April 9, 2013, while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom.
CW3 Matt P. Ruffner was assigned to 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard, Fort Indiantown Gap, PA. He died April 9, 2013, in the Pachir Wa Agam District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed.
CW3 Ruffner was formerly from Level Green, PA. He was a 1997 graduate of London High School in London, Ohio. He graduated in 2003 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in criminology. Ruffner was a fulltime AH-64D Apache helicopter instructor pilot for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap. Ruffner was chosen as TACOPS Officer of the Year by the Quad-A (AAAA) in 2013 for his life-saving mission planning.
CW3 Ruffner was a great athlete, a talented musician, playing guitar, which he played by ear-in numerous bands. He will be most fondly remembered by his family and friends for his great humor and memorable practical jokes, his caring and sensitive nature, his strong convictions, and his great capacity to connect with others, from which he developed countless lifelong friendships.
Matt was survived by his parents Chuck and Diane Ruffner, who are so proud of their son’s accomplishments, his long-time girlfriend Jackeline Bignardi and their beloved Hector.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Matthew Paul Ruffner
18 Nov 1978
Punxsutawney, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, USA
9 Apr 2013 (age 34)
Pachir Wa Agam District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
Burnside Cemetery
Burnside, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, USA
Thank you CW3 Matt P. Ruffner for your service, dedication, and sacrifice!

Sergeant Jason Alan Shaffer

Remembering Army Sergeant Jason Alan Shaffer, who gave the ultimate sacrifice on April 5, 2007, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sergeant Shaffer was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He died April 5, 2007, in the Diyala Province, Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Shaffer was a 1998 graduate of Derry Area High School and his family moved to Virginia in 2003, the year he enlisted in the Army. His mother, Gwendolyn Shaffer, said Jason never regretted joining the Army, or the two tours of duty he was assigned to in Iraq.
“He felt that he needed, ever since 9/11, to protect our country,” she said. “He was our hero, protecting our freedom and all he believed in.”
His father, Roger Shaffer, said his son loved the outdoors and was well-suited to perform surveillance and reconnaissance.
Shaffer is survived by a widow, Kathleen, and stepson in Hood River, OR.
Sergeant Jason Alan Shaffer
2 Dec 1978
Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA
5 Apr 2007 (age 28)
Diyala Province, Baqubah, Iraq
Twin Valley Memorial Park and Mausoleum
Delmont, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA

Marine Corps Sergeant Vinson Alan Pelisari

Sergeant Vinson Alan Pelisari, USMC, 24, of Beaufort, SC, formerly of New Kensington, died Wednesday, November 18, 2020 in Beaufort, SC.  He was born in Monroeville on December 11, 1995 to Vinson A. and Michele Rana (Lucchetti) Pelisari.  Sgt. Pelisari was a graduate of Valley High School Class of 14′.  He attained a black belt in Tae Kwon Do at Kiski Martial Arts receiving the school’s “Most Improved” award two consecutive years.  In High School he was involved with the JROTC Program serving as Battalion Commander.  Being community minded he helped set the record of food tonnage collected for the Westmoreland County Food Bank and Project Seed in New Kensington.  While in High School he  enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program for the Marines and was known for rounding up his buddies (willing or not) to attend the PT events for Marines Three Rivers Recruiting in Pittsburgh, he was awarded the Poolee “Most Improved”  award in April 2014. Sgt. Pelisari left for boot camp immediately after High School graduation, earning his brotherhood in the Marines on Sept. 20th of 2014.  After boot camp he was enrolled in the Aviation Logistics Tactical Information Systems Specialist Course in Newport, RI. earning an Associate Degree in 8 months and receiving the school’s “Meritorious Mast” and the “Peer Leadership Award”.  Stationed in Yuma, AZ he managed the VMFA-211 F35 Special Access Program Security, holding Top Secret Clearance.  Sgt Pelisari was deployed on the USS Essex for 9 months with the first F35 to be deployed by the Marine Corps for military action.  While in Yuma, he attained a black belt in Marine Martial Arts and was qualified to instruct fellow Marines. His current assignment was Drill Instructor with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Mike Company, Parris Island, SC.

Sgt. Pelisari is survived by his parents: Vinson A. and Michele R.(Lucchetti) Pelisari; sister Rayna L. Pelisari; Paternal grandmother Helen (Shumsky) Pelisari; Maternal grandparents; Martina (Rusnock) (James) Parkhill and Ray Lucchetti (Marcie French);  Aunts and Uncle; Laura Pelisari, Lisa Grabigel and Nicole (Shawn) Eckenrod; Cousins; Nicklas and Roman Grabigel; Isaac and Julia Eckenrod.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather William H. Pelisari (2015) and Great grandparents Vincent (2004) and Louise (2012) Lucchetti.

Vince always stood up for what he believed in, even if it meant ruffling a few feathers along the way.  He enjoyed four wheeling in his JEEP.  Growing up he enjoyed chillin with the villins (his skateboard crew), video games and training in Tae Kwon Do.

Our beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend will always be in our heart, mind & spirt.  His dedication and determination to be the best Marine and person he could be was truly an inspiration to us all.    We are and always will be very proud of him.  Vince was our Hero.

SSgt. Tyler J. Sansonetti, USMC

SSgt. Tyler Sansonetti was born on December 27, 1992. He grew up in Harrison City and graduated from Penn Trafford High School in 2011.  When he was 17 yrs. old, he made a decision to become a Marine and enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). He left for bootcamp right after high school graduation.  Tyler was very athletic and spent most of his childhood playing baseball, basketball and other sports and loved his dogs, Thumper & Jake. Known for his terrific sense of humor and highly competitive nature, he was a win-at-all-costs and a have fun-at-all-costs person. He was highly social, made friends everywhere he went and was fiercely loyal to his family and friends.

Tyler married when he was 19 and he and his wife moved to North Carolina where he was stationed at Camp Lejeune.  He was deployed many times in the 11 years he served and obtained various leadership positions within the Corp namely Section Chief of his artillery unit and Platoon Sergeant. He lived by the Marine Corp. values of Honor, Courage and Commitment and was dedicated to the Corp. and to his brotherhood within the Corp. 

While serving he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Certificate of Commendation, Certificate of Appreciation, Meritorious Mast and Good Conduct Medal. He also obtained his Black Belt in the Marine Corp. Martial Arts Program (MCMAP).  Tyler served in many areas of the world including Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Red Sea, Norway and parts of the North Atlantic.

Tyler died on March 21, 2022 at the age of 29 while proudly serving his country.  

He left behind his beloved wife, Bethany, parents Paul & Maureen, brothers Paul & Andrew and sister Nicole, three brothers-in-law, parents-in-law, four nieces, three nephews, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Tyler is greatly missed by all who knew him.  

USMC SSgt. Tyler J. Sansonetti

Birth: December 27, 1992

Harrison City, PA., USA

Death: March 21, 2022 (age 29) 

Hubert, NC

Burial: Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Verona, PA 

We were honored to know you and appreciate your service and sacrifice, Tyler.  Semper Fi!