Thomas E. Testorff

SP4

US Army

Thomas Edward Testorff was born on August 31, 1949. According to our records Missouri was his home or enlistment state and Jackson County included within the archival record. We have Kansas City listed as the city. He was drafted into the Army. Entered the service via Selective Service. Served during the Vietnam War. He began his tour on July 1, 1970. Testorff had the rank of Specialist Four. His military occupation or specialty was Light Weapons Infantry. Service number assignment was 498541897. Attached to 101st Airborne Division, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry, B Company. During his service in the Vietnam War, Army Specialist Four Testorff experienced a traumatic event which ultimately resulted in loss of life on March 17, 1971. Recorded circumstances attributed to: Died through hostile action, artillery rocket mortar. Incident location: South Vietnam, Quang Tri province. Thomas Edward Testorff was the son of ichard Lee Testorff and Georgie Mae Kincaid. He graduated from North Kansas City High School in Clay County, Missouri. Thomas Edward Testorff is buried or memorialized at Memorial Park Cemetery, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Thomas is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 04w, Line 57. https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=301483

Thomas J. Gramith

Capt

USAF

8 October 1981-18 July 2009 (27 years old) Air Force Capt. Thomas J. Gramith, 27, of Eagan, Minn. was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. He died July 17, 2009 in an F-15E crash near Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Capt. Mark R. McDowell. Capt. Gramith died when his F-15E Strike Eagle crashed near Ghazni Province. Also killed was Capt. Mark R. McDowell, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colo. Both men were assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. A military spokesman at the base said the crash was not caused by enemy fire. The crash happened about 3:15 a.m. while Gramith and McDowell were providing air support to ground troops. https://livinglegendteam.blogspot.com/2009/07/air-force-capt-thomas-j-gramith.html

Todd A. Rizzo

SGT

US Army

Wounded in Afghanistan. Died in an automobile accident in the US in 2014. Wife Christina Rizzo a recipient and advocate for Angels of America’s Fallen. https://vimeo.com/235637376

Tomas L. Avey

SFC

US Army

Tomas Luke Avey, 34 of Ft. Walton Beach, Florida passed on to be with the Lord on March 29, 2015 in Columbus, Georgia while on temporary duty at nearby Ft. Benning. Tomas’s passing was due to heart failure brought on by prolonged complications from wounds suffered during his multiple deployments to Afghanistan. He was lovingly surrounded by his family in those final hours. Tomas is a beloved son, brother, father, nephew, friend, soldier and Godly man. Born in Omaha, Nebraska on February 9, 1981 Tomas Luke was the son of the late Tomas Lee Avey (Chief Petty Officer, U. S. Navy , retired) and the then Pamela Dowell Avey. They lived in Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia. Following her marriage to Philip Stemple in 1989, Tomas’ many travels continued to include Maryland, Oklahoma, Virginia. Tomas graduated from Harrah High School in Harrah, Oklahoma in 1999 where he was an All-State middle linebacker on the football team. He then attended the University of Central Oklahoma. In the year 2000 Tomas enlisted in the 45th Infantry Brigade (Thunderbirds), Oklahoma Army National Guard. He later served in the 48th Infantry Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard. In January 2002 Tomas married the former Dana Grammer of Ardmore, Oklahoma. In February 2002 Tomas transferred to the Regular Army and he and Dana began their journey at Ft. Drum, New York with the 10th Mountain Division in Company B, 2d Battalion, 87th Infantry. He served there for six years to include graduation from the U.S. Army Ranger School and two deployments to Afghanistan. Their daughter Isabel Rain Avey was born on March 5, 2004. The second tour in Afghanistan was for 16 months serving as a Squad Leader, being wounded in action, and as a Sniper School trained Sniper Team Leader engaging strategic targets. Each time he went into combat the enemy paid a heavy price. He was decorated with the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for Valor. During these six years he was promoted three times rising from Private First Class to Staff Sergeant. From 2008 to 2010 Tomas was a Drill Sergeant at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Ft. Benning, Georgia. On multiple occasions he was awarded the coveted Drill Instructor of the Cycle Award. He was promoted to Sergeant First Class during this time rising to the ranks of the senior Non-Commissioned Officer Corps at the very rapid rate of only seven years of active duty. From 2010 – 2013 Tomas was assigned to the 2d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colorado. This service entailed a third deployment to Afghanistan as a Platoon Sergeant. For action in close combat against the enemy he was decorated with an Oak Leaf Cluster (second award) to his Bronze Star. From the summer of 2013 until the time of his death Tomas was assigned to the 6th Ranger Training Battalion at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. As a Ranger Instructor (“RI”) Tomas and his cohorts were responsible for developing the young leaders of the Army as they pursued the coveted Ranger Tab at the most challenging school American warriors can attend – U.S. Army Ranger School. He performed this duty, as he has all of his others, in a way that left those he came in contact with better for having served with him. Quick to smile and slow to anger, Tomas was known by family, friends and fellow soldiers alike as a selfless and light hearted man who never bowed to pressure, who always had a reassuring comment or a joke to ease someone else’s day and who could be counted on to perform above and beyond what was expected when the chips were down. Since boyhood, Tomas loved the beach and especially paddle boarding in the surf. Riding his Harley was another one his favorite things to do. Spending time with his daughter Isabel, who he loved very much, always brought a smile to his face. Tomas sought God’s guidance on a daily basis and set an example for all others to emulate in looking to the needs of others. Tomas is survived by his daughter Isabel Rain Avey, his mother Pam Stemple, his stepfather Phil Stemple, his sisters Rachel and Andrea Stemple, his former wife Dana Avey, his brother Seth Avey, his sister Samantha Avey, his uncle Bobby Dowell, his uncle Teddy Avey, his grandfather Maynard Avey, his grandfather Robert Dowell and friends and other family members too numerous to mention. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/fr-ca/obituaries/colorado-springs-co/tomas-avey-6397037

Will D. Lindsay

SFC

US Army

Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay Died March 22, 2019 Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel 33, of Cortez, Colorado, died from wounds sustained in combat operations in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on March 22, 2019. Spc. Joseph P. Collette was also killed in the incident. Lindsay was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group. Lindsay's deployments include five tours to Iraq, one to Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Lindsay’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, a Purple Heart, the NATO Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Chilean Airborne Wings. The Pentagon has released the identities of two U.S. soldiers from Fort Carson, Colorado, killed in northern Afghanistan Friday. Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay, 33, and Spc. Joseph P. Collette, 29, died from wounds sustained during combat operations in Kunduz province, Afghanistan. Both soldiers were killed as a result of small arms fire, according to U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. Lindsay, a Green Beret from Cortez, Colorado., was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. Lindsay enlisted in the Army in July 2004. He graduated Special Forces Qualification Course in July 2006 and was assigned to 10th Group, according to Lt. Col. Loren Bymer, an Army Special Operations Command spokesman. Lindsay’s Special Forces "family is deeply saddened at the loss,” Col. Lawrence Ferguson, 10th Group commander, said in a statement provided to Army Times. “Will was one of the best in our formation, with more than a decade of service in the Regiment at all levels of noncommissioned officer leadership," Ferguson said. "We will focus now on supporting his family and honoring his legacy and sacrifice.” Lindsay’s deployments include five tours to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn; to Tajikistan in 2016 supporting a counter-narcotics terrorism mission; and Afghanistan supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Lindsay attended static-line and military free-fall parachute training. He also graduated from a range of other special operations training programs, including Special Operations Target Interdiction Course and Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant Course. Lindsay’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, a Purple Heart, the NATO Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Chilean Airborne Wings. Lindsay is survived by his wife and four daughters. https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/sgt-1st-class-will-d-lindsay/6568770

William F. Hecker III

MAJ

US Army

Major William F. Hecker, III lived and died by one of his life mottoes. "He was very impressed with Theodore Roosevelt, and Teddy Roosevelt used to say 'you have to get into the fray,' and that was sort of a motto of his," said Evelyn Fox, a McLean resident and close family friend of Hecker. Hecker, 37, was killed in action in An Najaf, Iraq on Jan. 5, 2006. According to a United States Department of Defense press release, Hecker and four other soldiers, one of whom was Capt. Christopher P. Petty, 33, of Vienna, were killed when "an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during convoy operations." The soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, TX. "It's very sad, but he was-and his mom really wants everyone to know-a soldier, and he loved what he did," said Fox. Hecker graduated from McLean High School in 1987. He was a career military officer and literary scholar who authored numerous articles. In addition, he was the editor of "Private Perry and Mister Poe: The West Point Poems, 1831." He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Richelle, and their four children, Alexandra, Victoria, Cordelia and William of Harker Heights, TX; by his parents retired Colonel and Mrs. William F. Hecker, Jr. of Vienna, and by his brother, 1st Lt. John Hecker (USMC) of Okinawa, Japan. "He was a wonderful husband, son and father," said mother, Nancy Hecker, whose tour company Custom Group Tours has led the McLean Community Center tours for many years. "He was the light of our life, he was a solider and a scholar, he loved his country and he loved his family." It was just six months ago that Evelyn Fox last saw Hecker and his family. "They were here this summer," said Fox. "I saw him and then we took his children and went to Reston Farm Park and fed all of the animals." Born in Colorado Springs, Colo., Hecker grew up the oldest child of a career military couple. Subsequently, he lived in locations such as Redstone Arsenal, Ala., Heidelberg, Germany and McLean, where he resided from 1984-1987. After graduating from McLean High School, he accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. While there, he earned a B.S. in Engineering Management and sang with the Cadet Glee Club. From 1991-1998, Hecker served in various field artillery assignments at Fort Sill, OKkla., in Germany and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2000, he earned a master's degree in English from the University of Oregon, and then returned to West Point where he served as an instructor and assistant professor of English, teaching composition, rhetoric and literature. Hecker published articles and spoke at national and international academic conferences about subjects ranging from Mark Twain to baseball, to theories of rhetoric. In June 2004, he presented a paper at the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture, arguing for the connections between patriotism, the army and baseball. His facsimile edition of Edgar Allen Poe's 1831 West Point Poems, "Private Perry and Mister Poe," was published by the Louisiana State University Press in the spring of 2005. Hecker completed the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College in 2004. He was deployed to Iraq in November as the Operations Officer of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery in the 4th Infantry Division. His military honors include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. https://groups.google.com/g/alt.obituaries/c/pZH-AYAqF54/m/7OV-U1l6i34J