Hero Stories for August 2010

Spc. Andrew J. Castro, 20, of Westlake Village, California, died August 28, 2010, in Babur, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Spc. Castro was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. </d

Petty Officer 3rd Class James M. Swink, 20, of Yucca Valley, California, died August 27, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Petty Officer 3rd Class Swink was a hospital corpsman assigned to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Forces. </d

Pvt. Adam J. Novak, 20, of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device August 27, 2010, in Paktiya, Afghanistan. Pvt. Novak was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. </d

AMERICAN VETERANS TRAVELING TRIBUTE PARTNERS WITH OPERATION GRATITUDE IN NATIONAL DONATION DROP-OFF PROGRAM Flint, TX - August 24, 2010 -  American Veterans Traveling Tribute ("AVTT") and Operation Gratitude announced today that AVTT will be an official drop-off site nationwide for donations to  Operation Gratitude, which annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deplo...

Master Sgt. Daniel L. Fedder, 34, of Pine City, Minnesota, died August 27, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Master Sgt. Fedder was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. </d

Pfc. Chad D. Coleman, 20, of Moreland, Georgia, died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device August 27, 2010, in Paktiya, Afghanistan. Pfc. Coleman was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. </d

Spc. Justin B. Shoecraft, 28, of Elkhart, Indiana, died August 24, 2010, at Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device at Kakarak, Afghanistan. Spc. Shoecraft was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. </d

Sgt. Ronald A. Rodriguez, 26, of Falls Church, Virginia, died August 23, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Sgt. Rodriguez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. </d

Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton, 21, of Creve Coeur, Illinois, died August 23, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Lance Cpl. Newtone was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. </d

Spc. Tristan H. Southworth, 21, of West Danville, Vermont, died August 22, 2010, at Paktika, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. Spc. Southworth was assigned to the 172nd Infantry, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Jericho, Vermont. </d