Soldiers remember sacrifice of fallen brothers

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Piper | BAGHDAD -- (l-r) Staff Sgt. Sean Cannon, Spc. Casey Sullivan and Pfc. Christopher Johnson Jr. say a prayer in memory of their fallen comrades and friends during a memorial service Nov. 12. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper, 4th Brigade Combat Team PAO)  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

12.05.2005

Courtesy Story

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Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper
4th Brigade Combat Team PAO

BAGHDAD -- Soldiers and friends gathered to honor the memory of four fallen Soldiers who were cherished sons, caring fathers, and three who were loving husbands, from 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Forward Operating Base Falcon Nov. 12.

First Lt. Justin Smith, Staff Sgt. Brian Freeman, Spc. Robert Pope and Pfc. Mario Reyes were killed Nov. 7 while conducting security operations in southern Baghdad. Their interpreter, Emad Jamal Kamal, was also killed during the terrorist attack.

"These men, an example for us all, were aggressively searching vehicles to prevent the enemy from transporting contraband and improvised explosive devices through our area and into Baghdad," said Lt. Col. Ross Brown, 3/3 ACR commander.

Brown said he really got to know Smith in Kuwait while he was walking around the motor pool one day monitoring the maintenance of the vehicles.

"Since I had recently taken command and didn't know the lieutenants in the squadron very well, I pulled him aside and asked him about his background and family. The question about his family triggered him to immediately reach into his pocket and pull out his wallet," Brown said.

Smith showed a picture of what Brown believed to be the happiest baby in the world.

Brown said, "As I looked up at Justin, I saw the same happiness and the same smile as the baby. After that day, every time Justin thought I looked out of sorts he would pull out the picture of his smiling baby boy and we would both smile at each other, my day made."

1st Lt. Tom Weitzel, 3rd Platoon leader and a friend of Smith, said, "He talked about his family more than any other man I know. Chances are if you only knew him slightly, he had shown you pictures of his little boy, Hayden."

Capt. Scott Seidel, I Troop commander, said Smith had an energy and spirit like no other.

"His excitement for life only paled next to his endless creativity," Seidel noted. "Whatever the problem or situation, there were no boundaries. There was no thinking outside the box because there was no box."

Brown said Freeman epitomized quiet competence. "He didn't talk much; but when he did, he commanded attention and was a leader and friend who could be counted on."

"Staff Sgt. Brian Freeman was something special," said Staff Sgt. Sean Cannon, 4th platoon sergeant. "When he came to 4th Platoon in September, I knew he was going to be a great addition to the platoon. His dedication as a Soldier was unquestionable."

Freeman talked to Cannon about his goals when he first came to the platoon.

"He wanted to retire as a command sergeant major," Cannon said, "and I know from the short time we worked together he would have accomplished that goal."

Pope earned a notable distinction as the troop commander's driver. His voice was a familiar one as he answered radio calls for his boss.

"Like any crew, I got to know Spc. Pope very well," Seidel said. "He was a New Yorker tried and true. Like any great New Yorker, he saw what happened to the center of their universe in New York City and he took the call to enlist. "

Spc. Casey Sullivan, a close friend of Pope, said, "I never met a guy in my life who was loved and liked so much by his friends, but once you got to know him, it was easy to tell why. He would go to the ends of the earth for whatever the cause."

Reyes immigrated to the United States with his family from Mexico and joined the Army in 2004.

"He joined the Army â?¦ to serve his adopted country like his older brother Sgt. Ortiz Reyes who is currently serving in Taji," Brown said.

"Pfc. Mario Reyes was 19 years old and full of life," Cannon said. "He came to the platoon in February shortly before we deployed. He was small in stature, but his love for family and friends was larger than life."

Reyes" friend, Pfc. Christopher Johnson Jr., said he was a great man, son, friend and Soldier. "Pfc. Reyes and I were more than friends"we were brothers. Everywhere I went, he was right by my side," he said.

Johnson was with Reyes at the checkpoint and had talked to him a few minutes before the car-bomb attack.

"It was so fast, there was nothing anyone could do to prevent it," he said. "We had each other's back until the end."

Emad Jamal Kamal was called "Bob" by the Soldiers in the unit. He learned English working with Americans while doing laundry in western Baghdad and had been with I Troop from the beginning of the deployment.

"Bob represents the best of Iraq in that he was willing to face the risks associated with fighting the insurgency in order to bring a better future to his country," Brown said.

Seidel said, "Bob was a patriotic man who saw that Iraq could become something better. He helped our troop to better understand the culture and people who seemed so different. He broke bread with us, he lived with us and he ultimately he gave his life with us."

Brown said, "I will never forget the confidence that these men exuded when I visited them. I will cherish my memories of them and honor them for the rest of my life."

• Date Taken: 12.05.2005
• Date Posted: 12.05.2005 17:28
• Story ID: 3956
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ