Staff Report
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- President John F. Kennedy said, “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.”
Today, we remember and honor the American Service members, ordinary men and women, who died while in military service.
Since 1866, when the people of Waterloo, New York dipped their flags to half-mast and decorated their village to remember the Soldiers who died during the Civil War, our nation has paid tribute to those lives of all service men and women who have fallen in the line of duty.
In the 100 years since the organization became known as the Kentucky National Guard, 255 of its Citizen-Soldiers have given the last full measure of devotion to the Commonwealth and the Nation.
In the battles that raged since 9/11, from Baghdad, Iraq to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, 18 Kentuckians have paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. On this Memorial Day, we remember those brave Soldiers lost during the Global War on Terror, and all those lost in the line of duty.
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Capt. Clayton Lee Adamkavicius - 2006
Capt. Clayton Lee Adamkavicius, 43, Louisville, Jefferson County was mortally wounded Thursday, April 20, 2006, by small arms fire while investigating an anti-coalition weapons cache discovered near Dihrawud district, Uruzghan Province, Afghanistan. Adamkavicius, a native of California, joined the US Air Force in 1986 serving as an enlisted airman in both Guam and at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas. He left the Air Force after five years. In 1990 he joined the Nevada National Guard as an E4 and later applied for Officer Candidate School and was pinned as a second lieutenant in 1992. He relocated to Louisville and joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in 1999, and was assigned to Headquarters Company, 149th Brigade in Louisville. Adamkavicius was on his third operational deployment with the Kentucky National Guard. His first deployment was to Eastern Europe in 2003 where he served as Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 123 Armor, in support of Operation Joint Forge at Eagle Base, Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. In a subsequent deployment to Bosnia in 2004, he served with Headquarters Company, 149th Brigade. Adamkavicius had been training Afghan soldiers when he was killed.
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Staff Sgt. William Alvin Allers III - 2005
Staff Sgt. William Alvin Allers III, 28, of Leitchfield, Grayson County, was killed near Al Khalis, Iraq (40 miles north of Baghdad) on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005 when his armored humvee encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Allers was assigned to the Kentucky Army National Guard's 617th Military Police Company, based in Richmond with a detachment in Bowling Green. The 617th MP Company mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in October of 2004 and deployed to Southwest Asia that November. Originally from Baltimore, Md., Allers joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in September of 2003 after serving with the U.S. Army and worked in Leitchfield for an office supply business.
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Staff Sgt. Brock A. Beery - 2006
Staff Sgt. Brock A. Beery, 30, of Whitehouse, Tenn., was killed when his armored vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) near Al Habbaniyah, west of Fallujah in Iraq on March 23, 2006. At the time of the incident Beery was driving a fully-armored, light medium tactical vehicle (LMTV), the Army’s newest version of the 2 1/2 ton truck. Beery was assigned to the Kentucky Army National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor, based in Bowling Green. The unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in March of 2005 and deployed in July 2005. Originally from Warsaw, Ind., Beery joined the Indiana National Guard on 23 February 1993 as a seventeen-year-old high school junior. He completed basic training and advanced individualized training at Fort Benning, Ga. In May of 1997 he transferred to the Kentucky Army National Guard, joining 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor. Beery separated from the Guard and entered the individual ready reserve Feb 22, 2000 then later re- joined the Kentucky Army National Guard on Feb 13, 2001. During his time with the Indiana Army National Guard he performed a Sinai, Egypt deployment for one year. He also deployed with his unit in 2002 to 2003 for a rotation in Bosnia.
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Staff Sgt. Nicholas Ray Carnes - 2007
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Ray Carnes, 25, of Ludlow, Kenton County, was killed on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2007 by small arms fire during a firefight in the village of Lewanne Bazaar, Paktika Province, Afghanistan while on federal active duty. Carnes was a member of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery in Carrollton and deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in March of 2007. Carnes joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in March of 1999, at the age of 17. He graduated from Dayton High School in 2000, where he played football. His civilian occupation was Riverboat Captain for BB Riverboats in Newport. He was promoted to sergeant in May of 2003. Carnes was less than a month away from celebrating his first wedding anniversary when he perished. His awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and Combat Action Badge. In May 2009, the United States Postal Service facility located at 513 6th Avenue in Dayton, Kentucky, was named the “Staff Sergeant Nicholas Ray Carnes Post Office. Carnes is buried in Alexandria Cemetery in Alexandria, Campbell County.
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Staff Sgt. Thomas Wade Clemons - 2006
Staff Sgt. Thomas Wade “Turtle” Clemons, 37, Falls of Rough, Grayson County, died Dec. 11, 2006 as he was preparing to go on patrol with his team near Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq, when he succumbed to a heart attack while on federal active duty. Clemons joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in August 2000. Clemons deployed in March 2006 to Iraq with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor. Clemons's unit was providing force protection and security missions for the U.S. Army. He was a native of Leitchfield, Ky. He is buried in the Frank Embrey Cemetery, Caneyville, Grayson County.
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Master Sgt. Clinton Wayne Cubert - 2006
Master Sgt. Clinton Wayne Cubert, 38, of Lawrenceburg, Anderson County, died on April 16, 2006 at the Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, Ky., of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his armored HMMWV during combat operations in Samarra, Iraq, on Sept. 11, 2005. Cubert was assigned to the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 2113th Transportation Company, based in Paducah, during his deployment. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge Cubert is buried in the Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Jessamine County.
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Spc. Michael Ray Hayes - 2005
Spc. Michael Ray Hayes, 29, of Morgantown, Butler County, was killed and four others were wounded on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 near Baghdad, Iraq when insurgents fired on their armored Humvee with a rocket-propelled grenade. The Kentucky Soldiers were providing security around a suspected improvised explosive device near Baghdad when the attack occurred. The wounded Soldiers were treated for minor injuries and returned to duty. Hayes' Humvee was fully equipped with armor plate and bulletproof glass, and Hayes was wearing a Kevlar vest. Hayes was assigned to the Bowling Green detachment of the 617th Military Police Company, based in Richmond, Ky. His unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in October of 2004 and deployed to Southwest Asia that November 2004.
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1st Lt. Robert Lewis Henderson - 2004
1st Lt. Robert Lewis Henderson, II, 33, of Alvaton, Warren County, died April 17, 2004 in, Diwaniyah, Iraq, when his convoy tried to avoid an overturned trailer and came under small arms attack. Henderson, though mortally wounded, continued to drive his vehicle and lead the convoy out of the ambush and repositioned his vehicle so that the other soldiers in the vehicle could return fire before he collapsed. Henderson was assigned to the Kentucky National Guard's 2123rd Transportation Company in Owensboro, Ky.
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Sgt. Jonathan Adam Hughes - 2005
Sgt. Jonathan “Adam” Hughes, 21, of Lebanon, Marion County, was killed on Saturday, March 19, 2005 in Iraq when his armored HMMWV vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) during an escort patrol for a convoy enroute to Baghdad International Airport. At the time of his death, Hughes was assigned to Bravo Battery 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery, based in Campbellsville, Ky. He joined the Guard in May 2001 when he was 17. His unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in November and deployed to Southwest Asia in January 2005.
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Sgt. 1st Class Charles Jason Jones - 2006
Sgt. 1st Class Charles Jason Jones of Lawrenceburg, Anderson County, 29, died Sept. 20, 2006 at Camp Liberty in Baghdad of non- combat related causes. Jones was assigned as a medic to the 149th Brigade Combat Team Headquarters. The unit, comprised of 50 soldiers, deployed to Iraq earlier in the year and had teams stationed throughout Iraq. Jones joined the Kentucky National Guard in 1993 at 17 years old and graduated from South Laurel High School in London, Ky. in 1994. Prior to deploying to Iraq, Jones was a full-time Kentucky National Guard soldier stationed in Frankfort, Ky. Jones was a seasoned veteran, with previous deployments in 2002 to Germany and Bosnia. He also deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004.A resident of Lawrenceburg, Jones was a decorated soldier, holding the Army Commendation Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal.
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Sgt. Ryan Jay Montgomery - 2005
Sgt. Ryan Jay Montgomery, 22, of Greensburg, Green County, was killed on Sunday, July 3, 2005 in Iraq when his up-armored HUMVEE encountered an improvised explosive device while returning from a convoy escort mission near Baghdad. At the time of his death, Montgomery was assigned to Bravo Battery 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery, based in Campbellsville, Ky. His unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in November and deployed to Southwest Asia in January 2005. Montgomery graduated from Green County High School and joined the military in September 2000 during his senior year of high school.
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Pfc. Sammie E. Phillips – 2007
Pfc. Sammie E. Phillips, 19, of Vine Grove, Hardin County, was killed on Monday, Sept. 10, 2007 when his vehicle overturned while conducting a traffic control mission on a highway near Rustamiyah, Iraq. Phillips was assigned to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, based in Carlisle, Ky. Phillips joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in 2006 and deployed with his unit in August 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was a 2006 graduate of North Hardin High School.
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Sgt. Darrin K. Potter - 2003
Sgt. Darrin K. Potter, 24, of Louisville, Jefferson, County, was killed in Iraq Sept. 29, 2003. Potter was a member of a military police team in a four-vehicle convoy responding to reports of a mortar attack outside of Baghdad near Abu Ghraib Prison, in Iraq. Potter was a member of the 223rd Military Police Company serving with the 800th Military Police Brigade in Iraq. It was the Kentucky Guard's first combat-related death since the Vietnam War.
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Sgt. James Alexander Sherrill - 2005
Sgt. James Alexander Sherrill, 27, of Ekron, Meade County, was killed Sunday April 3, 2005, in Bayji, Iraq, when his armored medium truck encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Sherrill was assigned to the Army National Guard's 2113th Transportation Company, Paducah, Ky. This unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in December 2004 and deployed to Southwest Asia in January 2005.
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Sgt. Eric Lee Toth - 2005
Sgt. Eric Lee Toth, 21 of Edmonton, Metcalfe County, was killed on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 in Iraq when his HUMVEE encountered a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while returning from an escort patrol for a convoy along the main supply route in Baghdad. Toth joined the National Guard in May 2001. He was assigned to Alpha Battery 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery, based in Tompkinsville, Ky. This unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in November and deployed to Southwest Asia in January 2005. Toth was a 2001 graduate of Metcalfe County High School.
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Sgt. Daniel Wallace - 2008
Sgt. Daniel Wallace, 27 of Dry Ridge, Grant County, was killed on Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 when his unit was attacked by enemy forces while conducting a route clearing mission to remove improvised explosive devices (IED’s) in West Paktika Province, Afghanistan. Wallace was a member of Company C, 201st Engineer Battalion based in Cynthiana and was serving with Company B from Olive Hill in Afghanistan. Wallace was serving as a gunner on a Mine- Resistant, Armor-Protected vehicle (MRAP) when they came under small-arms fire mortally wounding Wallace. The 201st mobilized in March 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan in May 2008. Wallace enlisted in the Kentucky National Guard in May of 2006.
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Staff Sgt. Delmar White - 2007
Staff Sgt. Delmar White, 37, of Lexington, Fayette County, was killed on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2007 by an improvised explosive device while on a convoy escort mission in Baghdad, Iraq. White was assigned to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, based in Carlisle, Ky. White was a corrections officer with Lexington Fayette Urban County Government and deployed with his unit in August 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in 1998.
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Sgt. Randolph Sigley Jr. - 2010
Sgt. Randolph A Sigley, Jr., 28, of Richmond (Madison County), was found dead in his quarters on April 18, 2010 at Bagram Airbase where he was serving with the Kentucky Army National Guard's 2123rd Transportation Company. A member of the Kentucky Army National Guard since 2006, Sigley served from 2000-2004 with the United States Marine Corps. He served a tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Marines.