thedrifter
05-19-07, 07:30 AM
Parents of son lost in Iraq knew goodbye would be last
Saturday, May 19, 2007
By Jim Six
jimsix@sjnewsco.com
A soldier whose parents live in Glassboro was killed by an improvised explosive device Monday during his second combat tour of duty in Iraq.
Sgt. Allen James Dunckley, called James by those closest to him, first fought in Iraq as a Marine when the war started in 2003.
"He was with the Expeditionary Unit that went up the middle. He was right at the pinnacle of that," said his father, Dr. Allen Dunckley, the director of the Beginning with Genesis Ministries, which is a ministry of Trinity Bible Church in Glassboro.
"When the news reporters followed on each side, he had already been there and gone," Dr. Dunckley said.
After his hitch in the Marines, Dunckley realized his military mission hadn't been completed, so he enlisted in the Army, retaining his sergeant's rank.
He celebrated his 25th birthday with his family here on March 8 and shipped out the next day.
"We are very proud," said his father.
Dunckley was killed in Salman Pak, southeast of Baghdad an area the senior Dunckley said was "known as a hotbed of terrorist activity."
Dunckley joined the U.S. Marine Corps in January 2002, "right after911," his father said.
"He was upset because of the attack. He wanted to defend the country and go after those who hurt us," Dr. Dunckley said.
"I think he was a little young when he went. He was still trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He decided he wanted to go fight for the country," he said.
Dunckley got married right after boot camp and, when he returned from Iraq, he and his wife Jennifer had their first child. Joshua is now 312 and daughter, Hannah Lynn, is 2.
When his enlistment was up, he left the Marines, "but his heart was still with the military," said his father.
So Dunckley who had dreamed of becoming a Green Beret enlisted in the Army in February 2006.
"His promotions in the Marine Corps were all meritorious," Dr. Dunckley said, so the Army let him keep his stripes.
He'd completed paratrooper training and sniper training when he received his orders to go to Iraq.
That last time the family was together here, as it turned out, some knew Dunckley would not return according to his mother, the former Mae Briscoe, who grew up in Westville and went to Woodbury High School.
"The Lord was gracious enough to let us know that James would not be coming back," she said.
"When we said good-bye to him that last day, afterwards, we all realized that we knew it was the last time we would be able to hug him," said Mrs. Dunckley.
"It was very difficult, but it helped," she said. Soldiers came bearing the news to the Dunckleys at about 6 p.m. Monday.
"When it happened, it wasn't such a shock," she said.
Dunckley "was a black belt in karate, he studied fencing, he was athletic, he loved life and lived it to the fullest," his mother said.
"He wanted to protect his country and protect the people he loved."
Ellie
Saturday, May 19, 2007
By Jim Six
jimsix@sjnewsco.com
A soldier whose parents live in Glassboro was killed by an improvised explosive device Monday during his second combat tour of duty in Iraq.
Sgt. Allen James Dunckley, called James by those closest to him, first fought in Iraq as a Marine when the war started in 2003.
"He was with the Expeditionary Unit that went up the middle. He was right at the pinnacle of that," said his father, Dr. Allen Dunckley, the director of the Beginning with Genesis Ministries, which is a ministry of Trinity Bible Church in Glassboro.
"When the news reporters followed on each side, he had already been there and gone," Dr. Dunckley said.
After his hitch in the Marines, Dunckley realized his military mission hadn't been completed, so he enlisted in the Army, retaining his sergeant's rank.
He celebrated his 25th birthday with his family here on March 8 and shipped out the next day.
"We are very proud," said his father.
Dunckley was killed in Salman Pak, southeast of Baghdad an area the senior Dunckley said was "known as a hotbed of terrorist activity."
Dunckley joined the U.S. Marine Corps in January 2002, "right after911," his father said.
"He was upset because of the attack. He wanted to defend the country and go after those who hurt us," Dr. Dunckley said.
"I think he was a little young when he went. He was still trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He decided he wanted to go fight for the country," he said.
Dunckley got married right after boot camp and, when he returned from Iraq, he and his wife Jennifer had their first child. Joshua is now 312 and daughter, Hannah Lynn, is 2.
When his enlistment was up, he left the Marines, "but his heart was still with the military," said his father.
So Dunckley who had dreamed of becoming a Green Beret enlisted in the Army in February 2006.
"His promotions in the Marine Corps were all meritorious," Dr. Dunckley said, so the Army let him keep his stripes.
He'd completed paratrooper training and sniper training when he received his orders to go to Iraq.
That last time the family was together here, as it turned out, some knew Dunckley would not return according to his mother, the former Mae Briscoe, who grew up in Westville and went to Woodbury High School.
"The Lord was gracious enough to let us know that James would not be coming back," she said.
"When we said good-bye to him that last day, afterwards, we all realized that we knew it was the last time we would be able to hug him," said Mrs. Dunckley.
"It was very difficult, but it helped," she said. Soldiers came bearing the news to the Dunckleys at about 6 p.m. Monday.
"When it happened, it wasn't such a shock," she said.
Dunckley "was a black belt in karate, he studied fencing, he was athletic, he loved life and lived it to the fullest," his mother said.
"He wanted to protect his country and protect the people he loved."
Ellie