The Cool Blue Blog

Update: Jason Dunham nominated for Medal of Honor

I first reported on the selfless sacrifice made by Marine Cpl Jason Dunham here. And Blackfive has more here.

Now, the day before Memorial Day, we learn that he is the first soldier who fought in Iraq to be nominated for the Medal of Honor and the first since 1993 when Randy Shugart and Gary Gordon received Medals of Honor for their actions in the Blackhawk Down incident.

Until a few weeks ago, Memorial Day meant little more than a day off from school for Justin Lambert, a 22-year-old who just finished college.

The death of his best friend in Iraq has changed that.

Capt. Pierre E. Piche

Army Capt. Pierre E. Piche 29, of Starksboro, Vermont.

Piche died when two 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the 626th Forward Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Died on November 15, 2003.

CW4 Erik A. Halvorsen

Chief Warrant Officer Four Erik Halvorsen 40, of Bennington, Vermont

Killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq. He was assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. Died on April 2, 2003.

Marine Cpl. Mark A. Evnin

Marine Cpl. Mark A. Evnin 21, of Burlington, Vermont
Marine recalled as ‘thoughtful kid’

By John Briggs
Burlington Free Press

Mark Evnin, 21, a Marine corporal from South Burlington, was killed April 3 in combat in Iraq. He was a scout and sniper with the 1st Marine Division, and had shipped to Kuwait in February.

His mother, Mindy Evnin, said he died at 1 p.m. Iraq time after a firefight. She had no details of the fight other than that two other Marines were with him when he was shot in the abdomen.

She learned of his death when three Marines in dress blues came to her house Thursday evening, April 3.

“One of them came back today,’’ she said the next afternoon, ‘‘and they will help with the funeral arrangements.’’

“I want him buried in Burlington and with full military honors,’’ she said. ‘‘He was proud to be a Marine, and I’m sure he died feeling that he was doing what he should do.’’

Solomon C. Bangayan

Spc. Solomon C. Bangayan made his parents proud by joining the service shortly after moving to the United States from his native Philippines.

We honor his service and his life on Memorial Day and always.
Bangayan, 24, lived briefly in the town of Jay, Vt., with his mother, Helen, stepfather, Victor Therrien, and younger sister, Hilda. He obtained a permanent residency visa, then joined the Army.

"We were just so proud of him coming from the Philippines for just a short time and wanting to serve the United States," Therrien said. "Coming from another country, he appreciated what we have here."

Bangayan was killed Jan. 2, 2004, when his convoy was ambushed. Friends and family said Bangayan wanted to go to nursing school and was weeks away from finishing his military service.

Bangayan was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Spc. Alan Bean Jr

Sgt. Kevin Sheehan of Milton Vermont was killed on Turesday, May 25th as he worked as part of a security escort for a tactical military intelligence team. He served as a member of the 1st Battalion, 86th Field Artillery of the Vermont Army National Guard.

According to the Burlington Free Press:

Bean attended Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg before his family moved from Charlotte to Bridport, school principal Val Gardner said Tuesday night. She remembered Bean as a lanky kid who always wore a cowboy hat and had a small, tight-knit group of friends.

She did not know Bean had died.

"Oh, my God," Gardner said slowly. "It's just beyond my belief."

The principal called CVU's crisis team and told them to be prepared to deal with grief at the school today.

Bean never cared what other people thought about him, recalled CVU classmate Tucker Watson.

"He did his thing," Watson said. "If you didn't like him, that was your own problem. He was really an all-American guy."

We honor his service and his life on Memorial Day and always.

Sgt. Kevin Sheehan

Sgt. Kevin Sheehan of Milton Vermont was killed on Turesday, May 25th as he worked as part of a security escort for a tactical military intelligence team. He served as a member of the 1st Battalion, 86th Field Artillery of the Vermont Army National Guard.

According to the Burlington Free Press:

The Vermont soldiers were attached to the 16th Military Police Brigade and escorted the military intelligence team from Baghdad to Camp Kalsu, a coalition base in Iskandariya, a city about 30 miles south of Baghdad, Saffo said.

The soldiers were waiting to return with the military intelligence team to Baghdad International Airport when eight to 10 mortar shells exploded nearby, Saffo said. Mortars are shells launched in a high arc from short-barreled cannons...