thedrifter
10-27-07, 06:39 AM
Honoring the Fallen Sacrifices etched in stone
Saturday, October 27, 2007
BY DEAN BAKER, Columbian staff writer
About two dozen friends and family members of fallen soldiers gathered at Vancouver Barracks Friday to watch as their late loved ones gained fresh recognition for their sacrifice.
"It's a really nice thing," said Beverly Paulsen, whose husband, Ronald, was killed when a roadside bomb struck his Humvee in Tarmiya Iraq, on Oct. 17, 2006.
Paulsen's 2-year-old granddaughter, Kalisa Marie Double, played nearby as certified memorialist Bruce Fuerstenberg sandblasted Paulsen's name and six others into the granite face of the Clark County War Memorial.
It took Fuerstenberg about an hour to add the names and bring to 10 the number of recognized Clark County service members who have died in the war on terror.
Three additional men related to Clark County ties have died in the war. But the 40 et 8 Voiture 99 Memorial Committee hasn't ruled yet on whether their names will be added, said committee members Bruce Barker and Bob Axlund.
"They should be recognized somewhere. Why not here?" asked Barker, and Axlund agreed. Those not yet carved into the nine-year-old memorial were Shane M. Stinson, Blake Samodell and Travis Arndt. All three have relations in Clark County or lived here at one time, but they were not themselves permanent residents of the area.
The names added were Paulsen, Eric Dean King, Robb Needham, David Scholl, Jeremiah Johnson, Adam Emul and Bryce Howard.
The first three names placed on the monument were three Clark County Marines: Cedric Bruns, David Ries and Kane Funke.
The 40 et 8, the honor society of the American Legion, installed the granite moment on Nov. 11, 1998. Now there are 583 names on it, including 63 from Clark County who died in Vietnam, plus all others from America's wars dating back to the Civil War.
The label "Global War on Terrorism" was placed on the monument two years ago when the names of the first three Clark County men killed were placed on the monument. The term covers operations known to the military as: Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle and War on Terror.
Family members on hand Friday also included Cait Needham, the widow of Needham, killed by sniper fire in Iraq on Sept. 20, 2006, and Amber Howard, whose husband, Bryce Daniel Howard, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Aug. 28, 2007.
Friday was Robb Needham's 53rd birthday. Cait Needham said she and about two dozen friends plan a birthday party for him at his grave in Willamette National Cemetery today. They'll share cake and laughs, she said.
"I want to celebrate life, not death," she said.
Howard's father, Dean Howard, a Vietnam War veteran and member of the Patriot Guard Riders who ride their motorcycles to honor all soldier's funerals, also stood by to see his son's name carved on the monument. Four members of the Riders joined him.
Dean Howard said his son is the second of four family members he expects to see buried in Willamette Cemetery. "My mom is up there, and my son is near her," he said. "My dad is a World War II vet and he's in his 80s and will be there, and I expect I'll be there some day. I'm struggling with Agent Orange."
Bryce and Amber Howard's son, Ryen, 3, ate a hamburger during the name carving and did a rubbing of his dad's name when the carving was done. Ryen's uncles, James Howard and Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Dave Tendler, stood nearby. Tendler and Amber Howard took pictures and promised to send them around by computer.
Everyone joked, chatted and enjoyed the sunshine. When Fuerstenberg finished his work, the crowd noted there was only limited room for more names on the monument.
Just how much more space is there? someone asked.
"I haven't counted," said Fuerstenberg, putting away his sandblaster and his ink. "I don't want to see any more."
List of service members with local ties killed in the war on terror.At least 13 service members with Southwest Washington ties have been killed in action in the war on terror. They are:
Marine Lance Cpl. Cedric Bruns, 22, son of Peter and Debbie Bruns of Vancouver, was killed May 7, 2003, when the Humvee he was driving collided with a truck in Kuwait.
Marine Staff Sgt. David Ries, 29, husband of Amanda Ries of Vancouver, was killed Nov. 8, 2004, when his Humvee hit an explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq.
Marine Lance Cpl. Kane Funke, 20, of Kalispell, Mont., a 2003 Heritage High School graduate, was killed by an incendiary device in Iraq's Anbar province on Aug. 13, 2004.
Army Pfc. Blake Samodell, 24, lived in Davenport but grew up in Brush Prairie, and was killed Sept. 15, 2005, in a parachute training accident near Fort Lewis.
Army Sgt. Travis M. Arndt, 23, of Bozeman, Mont., whose mother, Michelle Childs, lives in Vancouver, was killed on Sept. 21, 2005, when the Humvee he was riding on overturned near Kirkuk, Iraq.
Army Spc. Eric Dean King, 29, husband of Tracie King of Vancouver, was killed on April 22, 2006, by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
Army Master Sgt. Robb Gordon Needham, 51, of Vancouver was killed in Iraq on Sept. 20, 2006, by apparent sniper fire in Baghdad. His wife, Catherine "Cait" Needham, and his two grown children, Dylan and Robi, live in Vancouver.
Staff Sgt. Ronald Lee Paulsen, 53, of Vancouver, was killed by a roadside bomb that struck his Humvee in Tarmiya, Iraq, on Oct. 17, 2006. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, and his stepson, John Double, of Vancouver
Lance Cpl. Michael David Scholl, 21, a 2002 graduate of Lincoln (Neb.) High School, died Nov. 14, 2006, when the Humvee in which he was riding hit an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, Melissa, of Vancouver, and their daughter, Addison.
Army Cpl. Jeremiah Johnson, 23, son of David and Elizabeth Johnson and husband of Gale Johnson of Vancouver, died Jan. 5 of massive brain injuries suffered while fighting in Iraq on the day after Christmas.
Marine Lance Cpl. Adam Quitugua Emul, 19, son of Angelica Quitugua of Vancouver and Wayne Emul of Saipan, was killed Jan. 29 by a improvised explosive devise while on foot patrol in Al Anbar province.
Pvt. Shane M. Stinson of Fullerton, Calif., was killed by small arms fire in Baghdad on June 23 after a bomb exploded near his Humvee and a bullet struck him in the head. He is the son of Roy Stinson, and the stepson of Karen Stinson, both of Vancouver. His mother, Evelyn Stinson, lives in Fullerton.
Army Sgt. Bryce Daniel Howard, 24, son of Dean and Annette Howard, of Yacolt; husband of Amber and father of Caleb and Ryen, was killed by a roadside bomb on Aug. 28, 2007, while deployed in Afghanistan.
Dean Baker writes about military affairs. Reach him at 360-759-8009
or e-mail
dean.baker@columbian.com
Ellie
Saturday, October 27, 2007
BY DEAN BAKER, Columbian staff writer
About two dozen friends and family members of fallen soldiers gathered at Vancouver Barracks Friday to watch as their late loved ones gained fresh recognition for their sacrifice.
"It's a really nice thing," said Beverly Paulsen, whose husband, Ronald, was killed when a roadside bomb struck his Humvee in Tarmiya Iraq, on Oct. 17, 2006.
Paulsen's 2-year-old granddaughter, Kalisa Marie Double, played nearby as certified memorialist Bruce Fuerstenberg sandblasted Paulsen's name and six others into the granite face of the Clark County War Memorial.
It took Fuerstenberg about an hour to add the names and bring to 10 the number of recognized Clark County service members who have died in the war on terror.
Three additional men related to Clark County ties have died in the war. But the 40 et 8 Voiture 99 Memorial Committee hasn't ruled yet on whether their names will be added, said committee members Bruce Barker and Bob Axlund.
"They should be recognized somewhere. Why not here?" asked Barker, and Axlund agreed. Those not yet carved into the nine-year-old memorial were Shane M. Stinson, Blake Samodell and Travis Arndt. All three have relations in Clark County or lived here at one time, but they were not themselves permanent residents of the area.
The names added were Paulsen, Eric Dean King, Robb Needham, David Scholl, Jeremiah Johnson, Adam Emul and Bryce Howard.
The first three names placed on the monument were three Clark County Marines: Cedric Bruns, David Ries and Kane Funke.
The 40 et 8, the honor society of the American Legion, installed the granite moment on Nov. 11, 1998. Now there are 583 names on it, including 63 from Clark County who died in Vietnam, plus all others from America's wars dating back to the Civil War.
The label "Global War on Terrorism" was placed on the monument two years ago when the names of the first three Clark County men killed were placed on the monument. The term covers operations known to the military as: Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle and War on Terror.
Family members on hand Friday also included Cait Needham, the widow of Needham, killed by sniper fire in Iraq on Sept. 20, 2006, and Amber Howard, whose husband, Bryce Daniel Howard, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Aug. 28, 2007.
Friday was Robb Needham's 53rd birthday. Cait Needham said she and about two dozen friends plan a birthday party for him at his grave in Willamette National Cemetery today. They'll share cake and laughs, she said.
"I want to celebrate life, not death," she said.
Howard's father, Dean Howard, a Vietnam War veteran and member of the Patriot Guard Riders who ride their motorcycles to honor all soldier's funerals, also stood by to see his son's name carved on the monument. Four members of the Riders joined him.
Dean Howard said his son is the second of four family members he expects to see buried in Willamette Cemetery. "My mom is up there, and my son is near her," he said. "My dad is a World War II vet and he's in his 80s and will be there, and I expect I'll be there some day. I'm struggling with Agent Orange."
Bryce and Amber Howard's son, Ryen, 3, ate a hamburger during the name carving and did a rubbing of his dad's name when the carving was done. Ryen's uncles, James Howard and Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Dave Tendler, stood nearby. Tendler and Amber Howard took pictures and promised to send them around by computer.
Everyone joked, chatted and enjoyed the sunshine. When Fuerstenberg finished his work, the crowd noted there was only limited room for more names on the monument.
Just how much more space is there? someone asked.
"I haven't counted," said Fuerstenberg, putting away his sandblaster and his ink. "I don't want to see any more."
List of service members with local ties killed in the war on terror.At least 13 service members with Southwest Washington ties have been killed in action in the war on terror. They are:
Marine Lance Cpl. Cedric Bruns, 22, son of Peter and Debbie Bruns of Vancouver, was killed May 7, 2003, when the Humvee he was driving collided with a truck in Kuwait.
Marine Staff Sgt. David Ries, 29, husband of Amanda Ries of Vancouver, was killed Nov. 8, 2004, when his Humvee hit an explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq.
Marine Lance Cpl. Kane Funke, 20, of Kalispell, Mont., a 2003 Heritage High School graduate, was killed by an incendiary device in Iraq's Anbar province on Aug. 13, 2004.
Army Pfc. Blake Samodell, 24, lived in Davenport but grew up in Brush Prairie, and was killed Sept. 15, 2005, in a parachute training accident near Fort Lewis.
Army Sgt. Travis M. Arndt, 23, of Bozeman, Mont., whose mother, Michelle Childs, lives in Vancouver, was killed on Sept. 21, 2005, when the Humvee he was riding on overturned near Kirkuk, Iraq.
Army Spc. Eric Dean King, 29, husband of Tracie King of Vancouver, was killed on April 22, 2006, by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
Army Master Sgt. Robb Gordon Needham, 51, of Vancouver was killed in Iraq on Sept. 20, 2006, by apparent sniper fire in Baghdad. His wife, Catherine "Cait" Needham, and his two grown children, Dylan and Robi, live in Vancouver.
Staff Sgt. Ronald Lee Paulsen, 53, of Vancouver, was killed by a roadside bomb that struck his Humvee in Tarmiya, Iraq, on Oct. 17, 2006. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, and his stepson, John Double, of Vancouver
Lance Cpl. Michael David Scholl, 21, a 2002 graduate of Lincoln (Neb.) High School, died Nov. 14, 2006, when the Humvee in which he was riding hit an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, Melissa, of Vancouver, and their daughter, Addison.
Army Cpl. Jeremiah Johnson, 23, son of David and Elizabeth Johnson and husband of Gale Johnson of Vancouver, died Jan. 5 of massive brain injuries suffered while fighting in Iraq on the day after Christmas.
Marine Lance Cpl. Adam Quitugua Emul, 19, son of Angelica Quitugua of Vancouver and Wayne Emul of Saipan, was killed Jan. 29 by a improvised explosive devise while on foot patrol in Al Anbar province.
Pvt. Shane M. Stinson of Fullerton, Calif., was killed by small arms fire in Baghdad on June 23 after a bomb exploded near his Humvee and a bullet struck him in the head. He is the son of Roy Stinson, and the stepson of Karen Stinson, both of Vancouver. His mother, Evelyn Stinson, lives in Fullerton.
Army Sgt. Bryce Daniel Howard, 24, son of Dean and Annette Howard, of Yacolt; husband of Amber and father of Caleb and Ryen, was killed by a roadside bomb on Aug. 28, 2007, while deployed in Afghanistan.
Dean Baker writes about military affairs. Reach him at 360-759-8009
or e-mail
dean.baker@columbian.com
Ellie