On Veteran's Day, Some of Oregon's Heroes

Update noon--As if to punctuate the point, David Sarasohn's interview with the Governor, who focuses in once again on our Oregon servicepeople...hat tip Blue O.


Governor Kulongoski has gotten a lot of well-deserved respect and thanks for keeping the sacrifice of soldiers with Oregon ties in the front of his mind, by attending funerals and reminding Oregonians constantly that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are taking real lives and destroying real families. In addition, he has reserved a prominent place on the governor's web pages to briefly profile each lost hero.

On this Veteran's Day, in the wake of a historic change election that all Americans hope will lead to better policies that produce less bloodshed, we remain indebted to those who served their Commander in Chief bravely and without question. Those who are there cannot speak out; we must speak for them. Those we have lost also cannot speak for themselves--but we can try to honor them through remembrance. Here are some of them:

Oregon National Guard Sergeant Tane Baum
Age: 30
Died: September 25, 2005 southwest of Deh Chopan, Afghanistan
Hometown: Pendleton, Oregon
Unit: Army National Guard 113th Aviation Regiment of the Oregon Army National Guard


Army Private Joseph R. Blake
Age: 34
Died: August 17th in Turkalay, Afghanistan
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Unit: 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum NY

Army Reserve Specialist Joseph Jeffries
Age: 21
Died: May 29, 2004 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Hometown: Beaverton, Oregon
Unit: Army Reserve 329th Psychological Operations


Sgt. Nathaniel B. (Brad) Lindsey
Age: 38
Died: September 9, 2006 in Shajoy, Afghanistan
Hometown: Troutdale, Oregon
Unit: Army National Guard's 41st Brigade Combat Team, Portland, OR



Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey A. Lucas
Age: 36
Died: June 28, 2005 in Asadabad, Afghanistan
Hometown: Corbett, Oregon
Unit: Navy SEAL Team Ten of Virginia Beach, Virginia



Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul
Age: 43
Died: September 8, 2006 in Kabul, Afghanistan
Hometown: The Dalles, Oregon
Unit: Army Reserve's 405th Civil Affairs Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C.




Oregon National Guard Warrant Officer Adrian B. Stump
Age: 22
Died: September 25, 2005 southwest of Deh Chopan, Afghanistan
Hometown: Pendleton, Oregon
Unit: Army National Guard 113th Aviation Regiment of the Oregon Army National Guard
Kuwait

Air Force Major Gregory L. Stone
Age: 40
Died: March 25, 2003 in Kuwait
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Unit: 124th Wing, Idaho Air National Guard based in Boise, Idaho



Army Major Steven W. Thornton
Age: 46
Died: April 18, 2005 in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
Hometown: Springfield, Oregon
Unit: US Army Communications-Electronics Command of Fort Monmouth, New Jersey


Marine Lance Corporal Bryan Bertrand
Age: 23
Died: January 9, 2002 in Pakistan
Hometown: Coos Bay, Oregon
Unit: VMGR-352 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar of San Diego, California



Army Specialist Joseph Blickenstaff
Age: 23
Died: December 8, 2003 in Ad Duluiyah, Iraq
Hometown: Corvallis, Oregon
Unit: 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division of Fort Lewis, Washington




Lance Corporal Aaron Boyles
Age: 24
Died: September 24, 2004 in Anbar Province, Iraq
Hometown: Hood River, Oregon
Unit: Headquarters and Service Company, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force



United States Marine Corporal Travis Bradach-Nall
Age: 21
Died: July 2, 2003 in Karbala, Iraq
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Unit: Combat Service Support Group 11, Camp Pendleton, California



United States Army Pfc. Dean R. Bright
Age: 32
Died: Oct. 4, 2006 in Taji, Iraq
Hometown: Roseburg, Oregon
Unit: 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas



Army Specialist Jeremy E. Christensen
Age: 27
Died: November 27, 2004 in Ad Dwlayah, Iraq
Unit: 1st Squadron, 4th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division of Schweinfurt, Germany





Marine Captain Aaron Contreras
Age: 31
Died: March 30, 2003 in Southern Iraq
Hometown: Sherwood, Oregon
Unit: Light Attach Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, Marine Corps Air Station of Camp Pendleton, California


Command Sergeant Major Eric F. Cooke
Age: 43
Died: December 24, 2003 in Samarra, Iraq
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
Unit: 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division based in Ray Barracks, Friedberg, Germany


Oregon National Guard Staff Sergeant Kevin D. Davis
Age: 41
Died: April 8, 2005 in Hawijah, Iraq
Hometown: Lebanon, Oregon
Unit: Oregon National Guard G Troop 82nd Calvary of Redmond, Oregon

Staff Sergeant Jason M. Evey
Age: 29
Died: July 21, 2006 in the Anbar Province of Iraq
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Command Element, II Marine Expeditionary Force of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Oregon National Guard Specialist Justin Eyerly
Age: 23
Died: June 4, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: Salem, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment of Cottage Grove, Oregon



National Guard Specialist Damien Ficek
Age: 26
Died: December 30, 2004 near Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: Graduated from Beaverton High School
Unit: Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment of Spokane, Washington.


Cpl. Chase A. Haag
Age: 22
Died: Oct. 1, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: Portland, Ore
Unit: 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas


Army First Lieutenant Nainoa Hoe
Age: 27
Died: January 27, 2005 in Mosul, Iraq
Hometown: Hawaii
Unit: 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry of Ft. Lewis, Washington




Marine Lance Corporal John M. Holmason
Age: 20
Died: December 1, 2005 in Fallujah, Iraq
Hometown: Scappoose, Oregon
Unit: United States Marine 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California.



Marine Lance Corporal James Huston Jr.
Age: 22
Died: July 2, 2004 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq
Hometown: Umatilla, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force of Camp Pendleton, California


Oregon National Guard Sergeant Benjamin Isenberg
Age: 27
Died: September 13, 2004 in Taji, Iraq
Hometown: Sheridan, Oregon
Unit: Bravo Company, 39th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 162 Infantry of Corvallis, Oregon


Oregon National Guard Sergeant David W. Johnson
Age: 37
Died: September 25, 2004 near Camp Taji Northwest of Baghdad
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment of Cottage Grove, Oregon





Lance Cpl. Derek W. Jones
Age: 21
Died: Oct. 8, 2006 in Al Anbar province, Iraq
Hometown: Salem, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

Army Specialist Robert L. Jones
Age: 22
Died: June 17, 2006
Hometown: Milwaukie, Oregon
Unit: 40th Engineer Battalion of Baumholder Germany

Marine Corporal Bryan Kelly
Age: 21
Died: July 16, 2004 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq
Hometown: Klamath Falls, Oregon
Unit: 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force of Camp Pendleton, California


Navy Seaman Aaron A. Kent
Age: 28
Died: April 23, 2005 near Fallujah, Iraq
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Army Chief Warrant Officer Erik Kesterson
Age: 29
Died: November 15, 2003 in Mosul, Iraq
Hometown: Vernonia, Oregon
Unit: 9th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky


United States Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Marc A. Lee
Age: 28
Died: August 2, 2006 in Ramadi, Iraq
Hometown: Hood River, Oregon
Unit: aviation ordnanceman and a member of a West Coast-based SEAL Team


Oregon National Guard Private First Class Ken Leisten
Age: 20
Died: July 28, 2004 in Taji, Iraq
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 162 Infantry Regiment of Corvallis, Oregon





Oregon National Guard Specialist Justin Linden
Age: 22
Died: June 4, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 162 Infantry Regiment of Cottage Grove, Oregon



Army Specialist Jeremy M. Loveless
Age: 25
Died: May 29, 2006 in Mosul, Iraq
Hometown: Estacada, Oregon
Unit:Army's 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Oregon National Guard First Lieutenant Erik McCrae
Age: 25
Died: June 4, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: La Grande, Oregon
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 162 Infantry Regiment of Cottage Grove, Oregon



United States Navy Hospitalman Joshua McIntosh
Age: 22
Died: June 26, 2003
Unit: Navy Hospitalman assigned to the Marines 3rd Regiment of 29 Palms, California

Oregon National Guard Specialist Eric McKinley
Age: 24
Died: June 18, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: Corvallis, Oregon
Unit: Company B, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment of Cottage Grove



United States Army Sergeant William Meeuwsen
Age: 24
Died: November 23, 2005 near Baghdad, Iraq
Hometown: ties to Hillsboro, Oregon
Unit: United States Army Alpha Company, 2-502nd Infantry, Airborne Division (Air Assault) of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky


United States Army Sergeant David A. Mitts
Age: 24
Died: December 4, 2004 in Mosul, Iraq
Hometown: Hammond, Oregon
Unit: 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) of Fort Lewis, Washington

Thank you.