Your tributes to fallen soldiers

Christopher Golby

My son Sgt Christopher Golby Born Nov 9th 1977 in Pourtsmith VA KIA January 8th 2004 while on a Medevac Mission. Chris was a great kid. Very loving. fun to be with. Never a problem child. I love his smile and beautiful big brown eyes. Chris leaves behind a son Dylon, 8 yrs old now. Dylon misses his daddy very much and still doesnt understand why. --Dawn Golby, johnstown, PA (submitted on April 29, 2007)

Adam James Harting

Spec. Adam James Harting, A/CO 3/69 Armor. Born Dec. 8, 1983, killed in action at Samarra, Iraq July 25, 2005. Adam, when leaving to return to Iraq for the third time said that he "had to return to his men..that they needed his experience". Imagine this soldier as he leaves family and security behind, and then remember that he was only twenty one years old. This was the loyalty and love that Adam showed for family and friends as well as 'his men". This same loyal and loving spirit is what I miss the most about my grandson, our young hero. He gave us pride and honor to help us through our grieving, but the days without him are still dark with sorrow. --Mary Sigrist, Winona, MO (submitted on April 29, 2007)

Raymond Lamar Henry

Army Pfc. Raymond Lamar Henry a.K.a KiiNg R.H. Born: Jan. 26, 1985 Died: April 25, 2006 KiiNG RAY . . .There are no words to express how humble and unselfish Ray was. Through out the years of him being my brothers best friend, blood couldn't of made him any closer to my family!He was the ultimate friend! Raymond had this amazing joyful smile that you could noticed from across any room! Being in his presence made you LiiVE,LOve LiiFE. There will be a hole in my HEART until the day we meet again hermano! May your body rest in peace and ur spirit go on living thru us all! Love you AlwayS =KiiD= --ISABEL ESTRADA, STANTON, CA (submitted on April 28, 2007)

Patrick William Herried

My son's name was Spc. Patrick William Herried 03/21/76 - 02/06/06 . He was in a Stryker brigade from Ft. Wainwright AK. He was my only son and the only hope I had of carrying on my name. He was everything a son should be. Bright, muscular and very intelligent. His first love after the Army was bicycling. He would bike whenever he could. He would drive only if the weather was inclement. I loved him dearly. I support our troops but I cannot support this schizophrenic president or his dysfunctional administration. --WILLIAM HERRIED, BEMIDJI, MN (submitted on April 30, 2007)

Curtis Tyrone Howard II

Curtis Tyrone Howard II was born in Birmingham, Alabama on June 18, 1973 to the parents of Curtis T. and Linda B. Howard. He was our only son and a very special young man. His oldest sister Tamara Denise was born with cerebral palsy and he often cared for her. They had a very special relationship he never complained when he stayed home with her which allowed us to go out occasionally. Our family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1983 when Curtis was 10 years of age following the birth of his younger sister Marquita. Curtis had this infectious smile, he loved sports and played varsity basketball in high school. He was also an adventurer, one summer without our knowledge we received the news that Curtis and two of his friends took a bus to California, but when he became home sick he called home after being there for two months wanting to come home but he didn't want to ride the bus because it was such a long bus ride, so we sent him a plane ticket. Curtis graduated from high school on June 13, 1991, and went on to attend Alabama State University for a year. He then followed in his father's footsteps, and enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 28, 1993. Curtis was deeply dedicated to his military service and had attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and received several commendations. He was a member of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and honorably served in Bosnia, Kuwait, South Korea and Iraq. On February 22, 2006, at the age of 32 while on his second tour of duty during a mission in the town of Balad, Iraq, Curtis made the ultimate heroic sacrifice. His unit suffered two other casualties during the mission supporting Operation Iraq Freedom. Our family has been impacted tremendously since his death he was our only son and brother. Each day he is missed. He is also survived by his three children, whose lives will never be the same again because of their father’s death. Our family has been inspired by the outpouring support we received after his death. His life and death touched so many people – those we know and those we didn’t. “I ask myself, will I have that effect on others when my time comes?” I’m sure Curtis will bring that to my attention when we meet again. Curtis served his country with honor and distinction, and his family with love and devotion. He will be deeply missed and always remembered. --Curtis Howard, Ann Arbor, MI (submitted on May 15, 2007)

Sam Williams Huff

PFC Sam Williams Huff, 07/12/86 - 04/17/05, KIA in Iraq. What I loved most about my Sam was her spirit, her determination to be a responsible adult and to be a part of history by helping those who could not help themselves. I loved her sense of humor and her smile (which looked like the front end of a brand new Edsel). Even two years after her death I am constantly amazed by how many people's lives were touched by her. As a parent, you think you know most everything about your child's life. When I sat at her memorial service and listened to stories from kids of all colors and backgrounds come forward and tell their stories of how Sam did something to help them in marching band or with a problem they were having my heart swelled with pride. These were stories I simply never heard before. In her short 10 months in the Army and 10 weeks in Iran, Sam made such an impression on her chain of command that they all knew her and loved her. Sam touched so many in her short 18 years that she has been featured in a documentary called: ARLINGTON: IN ETERNAL VIGIL, in a book called: AMERICAN DAUGHTER-THE SAM HUFF STORY by Leslie Ann Garrison, in another book called WOMEN AT WAR by James Wise and will be written about in Rolling Stone magazine on May 11, 2007. Her story continues to be told in internet videos like, OUR SACRIFICE by Mark Reis. I know Sam would absolutely love all the attention she has gotten in the last two years but for me, I would go hungry and give everything I have away just for five more minutes with her. The hardest part of her loss for me is to never get the chance to see what she would have done with her life. Who she would have married and how many Grandchildren I could have spoiled. Sam came to her Mother and I with her plan at age 16. She wanted to join the Army, take college classes eventually earning a Masters degree in psychology, then go to work for the F.B.I. in their profiling section. I told it would be a difiicult ladder to climb but that she could certainly do it. She could have done it. I have no doubt. Sam is what every parent prays for in a child. She wasn't perfect but she was damn close. I miss her everyday and sometimes wonder if I will ever be right again. --Robert Huff, Tucson, AZ (submitted on April 27, 2007)

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