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US troops killed in Iraq and Kuwait

Army Pfc. Christopher A. Bartkiewicz

Christopher A. Bartkiewicz had grown up near military bases in North Carolina and was lured to service.

"Being a part of the Army was something he'd always wanted to do," said his mother-in-law, Carol Hubbard. "He was just a hardworking kid who wanted the best for his family. He knew when he went in that chances were great he'd go to Iraq."

Bartkiewicz, 25, of Dunfermline, Ill., was killed Sept. 30 in Baghdad by small-arms fire. He was assigned to Baumholder, Germany.

"Bart was a great man and a loving father and husband. He was one of our brothers and will be missed," Pfc. Eric Williams, a medic who treated Bartkiewicz's injuries, wrote on his blog about his friend.

Bartkiewicz worked at a Morton factory and then at Coca-Cola in Bartonville before joining the Army about 1 1/2 years ago because he thought it would be a good way to support his family.

He also is survived by his wife, Emily, and two daughters, McKayla, 6, and Morgan, 2.

"He was a hero," said Hubbard. "He gave his life for his country. What more can you ask for?"

Army Sgt. Michael K. Clark

Michael K. Clark loved to ride dirt bikes and owned a custom-built motorcycle and a 1986 Mustang GT. He enjoyed snowboarding and mountain biking.

"He loved to go fast," said his mother, Cherie Clark.

Clark, 24, of Sacramento, Calif., died Oct. 7 in Mosul of wounds from small-arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Carson.

He joined the Army four years ago and was on his second deployment to Iraq. He had been accepted to the Army Ranger school.

"My son loved life with a passion," said Cherie Clark. "He had so much energy and life."

When he shattered his hip socket in a dirt bike accident after his first deployment, she had asked if he could use his injury to not go back. But he felt that he had a duty to his fellow soldiers.

"If something happened, I couldn't live with myself," he told her.

He received a medal for a February incident in which he pulled four soldiers from a Humvee that had been attacked and hit by an IED, his mother said.

Three days before his death, he marked his fifth wedding anniversary with wife Nalini. Their son, Lucas, is 4.

"They were everything to him," Cherie Clark said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Stacy A. Dryden

More than 200 people attended Stacy A. Dryden's funeral service, where her lifelong friend and fellow Marine, Pfc. Jessie Reed, spoke of her love of a woman known as "Annie."

"Without Annie, I wouldn't be the person I am today," Reed said. "She's going to stay in my heart forever."

Dryden, 22, of North Canton, Ohio, died Oct. 19 in a non-hostile incident in Anbar province. She was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

"Annie took a big bite out of life," said her great uncle, Rev. Gary Glover.

According to her family, the Marines she served with named her the "Fiery Angel" because "she came off as sweet and innocent, but she was tough as nails."

Whether it was singing in the school choir or cheerleading, she always pushed herself to new experiences. She enlisted in March 2007 and had served for two months in Iraq as a packaging specialist.

"She thought the Marines were the most challenging of all the services," said Midge King, her cousin. "She always wanted to try new things."

She is survived by her mother, Thea Dryden, and father, Ronald "Scott" Dryden.

Army Pfc. Cody J. Eggleston

Cody J. Eggleston had a knack for seeing the bright side and sharing his upbeat perspective, said friend Kaitlyn Kite.

"If I was stressing over school, he would be able to put it in a different light and I'd feel better," she said.

Eggleston, 21, of Eugene, Ore., died Oct. 24 of wounds suffered Oct. 16 in Baqubah. He was a 2007 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Wainwright.

Though Eggleston scored highly in Army aptitude tests, he volunteered for the infantry. According to Chaplain Vern Arledge, "He said, 'Dad, I want to be on the front lines. I want to be out there to protect my friends and stand up for what I believe."'

He was a film buff, enjoying movies from kid films to action adventures. "He loved old Westerns. He could say the lines of some of them, he'd watched them so many times," said half-sister Trina Jackson.

He is survived by his wife, Karie, and stepdaughter Raegen.

Days before he was mortally wounded, he e-mailed his new wife. "Baby, I miss you so much," he wrote. "It sucks, not being able to fall asleep with you on the line, not being able to talk to you for several hours every day. It just destroys me inside."

Army Cpl. Reuben M. Fernandez III

On leave and staying in Abilene, Texas, Reuben M. Fernandez III called his mother at work in San Angelo and asked if she had lunch plans.

"I said 'I don't know,' and I look up, and there he is walking in the door," said Aurora Fernandez. "He was funny like that. He drove all the way to San Angelo, and we had lunch."

Fernandez, 22, of Abilene, died Oct. 11 after his vehicle struck a bomb in Majar Al Kabir. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood.

"Marcus was all smiles and all heart. His eyes spoke to everyone. His laughter was infectious," said cousin Ruben De La Garza.

Fernandez was well known for stealing the ball while playing basketball at Clack Middle School, so his friends took to calling him "Crook."

He was deployed to Iraq in December 2005 and returned the following December.

At his funeral, pastor Brian Daniels said Fernandez was loving and respectful, "the most respectful man I have ever known."

"Marcus was such a man of strength," Daniels said. "Marcus worried more about us over here than we worried about him over there."

Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian P. Hause

Josh Johnson easily remembers the first time he bumped into Brian P. Hause.

"I met him the first day of 10th grade," Johnson said. "The first morning I went to school, he walked up to me, put his arm around me, and said, 'Hi, I'm Brian, and you're going to be my new best friend."'

He was as good as his word.

"He was like a big tough guy, but at the same time he was a marshmallow on the inside," Johnson said.

Hause, 29, of Stoystown, Pa., died Oct. 23 of noncombat related medical causes at Balad Air Base. He was a 1998 high school graduate and was assigned to Shaw Air Force Base.

His yearbook entry said he loved guitar, reading and writing poetry. More recently, he took up photography, and loved riding motorcycles and four-wheelers. He was remembered in the yearbook with the phrase, "Never take a day for granted."

Divorced, Hause was the father of two children, Lexie, 7, and Cody, 4.

"He had an uncanny ability to make the whole section smile," recalled Staff Sgt. Amos Tolson, Hause's supervisor. "No matter how dirty, tired, hungry or sweaty we were, he knew what to say."

Army Spc. Geoffrey G. Johnson

Geoffrey G. Johnson was a terrain data specialist who worked in geospatial intelligence. He helped commanders understand unknown areas into which they would lead troops.

But he wasn't always behind a desk -- he volunteered for special patrols, going out and helping to identify enemies.

"I think he thought he could do some good there," said his father, Jim. "He saw some bad things happen to innocent people."

Johnson, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, died Oct. 12 of a heart attack in Baghdad. He was a 1998 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood.

He was born in Provo, Utah, and moved to Lubbock in 1985. He graduated from South Plains College School of Vocational Nursing before joining the Army. He enjoyed playing games and reading with his children, and was an avid waterskier.

Sgt. Darren Tindall, Johnson's supervisor, said he excelled in his job and was among the brightest he has led. When he needed the best job done quickly, he knew he could count on "the Golden Boy."

He also is survived by his wife, Amy; and children, Kelsi, 8, Parker, 5, Joel, 3, and Brayden, 1.

Army Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Mason

Anthony L. Mason's brother, Wesley, and his sister, Annette Cihak, remember their brother as a "good ol' boy" who loved nothing more than to rile folks for a laugh.

"He made a career out of making my life miserable," Cihak said. "There was a lot of fun at my expense."

Mason, 37, of Springtown, Texas, was killed Sept. 18 in a helicopter crash near Tallil. He was assigned to Grand Prairie, Texas, and served two tours in Iraq.

Wesley said Luke was always interested in doing mechanical work and ended up working for his father-in-law, who had served in the Air Force. He later decided he could serve his country by applying his mechanical knowledge to helicopters.

Mason is survived by his wife, Melanie Laree, and daughters, Ashley Nicole, Jamie Rosalee and Megan Irene.

Always mechanically-minded, Luke seemed able to make anything run. Wesley recalled that when Luke worked at a bowling alley, his car got stolen at least three times. Each time, he'd find it, take it back and get it running again.

When he traded it in, the dealer asked for the keys. Mason handed him a screwdriver.

Army Pfc. Christopher A. McCraw

From Christopher A. McCraw's childhood to his adult years, those who knew him couldn't help but be touched by his jovial personality.

"Chris was just a charm; an all around happy-go-lucky kid," said Wendy Bracey, his Sunday school teacher. "He was a prankster with a sweet smile. I remember he would always sneak up behind me then tap me on my shoulder trying to scare me."

McCraw, 23, of Columbia, Miss., died Oct. 14 of injuries from small-arms fire in Nasar Wa Salam. He was assigned to Schofield Barracks.

"In his unit, he was very respected," Brig. Gen. Genaro Dellarocco said. "He never accepted defeat. Never left a comrade behind. He set the example for many others in his platoon."

The Rev. Jerron Carney characterized McCraw as a food aficionado -- his favorite dishes being shepherd's pie, banana pudding and Swiss cake rolls -- and a prankster. "If he wasn't telling a joke, he was pulling a joke."

He is survived by his 15-month-old son, Issac, and fiancee Brianna Bell.

"He was always a happy kid, a bursting-with-energy-type kid, I guess what you would call a perfect soldier," said uncle Jerry McCraw.

Army Pfc. Heath K. Pickard

Heath K. Pickard was physically smaller than many other soldiers, but had excelled in football while in high school and consistently scored high in Army physical fitness tests. Still, he wasn't afraid to joke about his small stature.

"Heath was not a large man by any means," said chaplain David Neetz. "One soldier made fun of him for being small, and he said that he was actually the largest leprechaun in the world."

Pickard, 21, of Palestine, Texas, died Oct. 16 in Balad of wounds suffered from indirect fire in Baqouba. He was a 2006 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Wainwright.

"The way he approached any challenge was to put his mind to and do it," Neetz said. "And he could do it better than you."

He was an outdoorsman who loved fishing, hunting and paintballing. "He brought happiness. He brought sunshine. He brought laughter and a lot of love," said his mother, Paula Pickard. "He was always really strong and really brave as a kid."

He also is survived by his wife, Sara, and a 5-month-old son, Ethan.

"He was a very, very kind guy," said former classmate Nikki Dunlap. "He was always there for anybody."

Army Sgt. William "Ricky" Rudd

Sgt. Dusty Herrell recalled William P. Rudd's fear of snakes with a smile. On one occasion, they were on a fishing trip in Georgia when Herrell reeled in a water moccasin on his line.

By the time Herrell turned around, "Ricky was already up the hill," Herrell said, laughing. "I convinced him to take the pole. The snake was still on it."

Rudd, 27, of Madisonville, Ky., died Oct. 5 of wounds from small-arms fire in Mosul. He was a 1999 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Benning.

After school, he went to work on an assembly line at White Hydraulics and joined the Army in 2003. "He had spent two years thinking about it, knowing that he needed a different direction in his life and wanting to defend our country," said his father, Bill Rudd.

He had done five deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan.

"Anything he did, he did with excellence," said Sgt. Mark Williams, a fellow Ranger.

He also is survived by his mother, Pamela Coakley; and his stepmother, Barbara Rudd.

"He was the best friend anyone could have asked for," Herrell said. "And he didn't have to be talking to you to cheer you up."

Army Spc. Justin A. Saint

Justin A. Saint rose to the rank of specialist and was sent last year to Iraq, where he was serving on a general's staff near Baghdad.

"He was a creative person," said his father, David. "He never complained about anything. Whatever would happen, he'd make the best of the situation."

Saint, 22, of Albertville, Ala., died Oct. 15 in Baghdad of injuries from a noncombat incident. He was assigned to Fort Bragg.

In high school, he was a long distance runner on the track team. He liked sports cars, computers and "anything electronic" like his car stereo system, said his father.

"He was a fine, outstanding young man -- a fine son," David Saint said. "He was never a disappointment. He wasn't afraid to go over there. I thought highly of his willingness to go."

His son wrote in his last e-mail, sent Oct. 9, that he was excited about a new job that would involve traveling around the world, working in security communications.

"He told me he was up for that and that he was just sitting around chilling," he said.

He also is survived by his mother, Angie.

Army Pfc. Tavarus D. Setzler

Tavarus D. Setzler had been in the Army for less than a year and had been in Iraq for about six months. He proposed to his girlfriend after returning from boot camp in Texas.

"He was wearing a big old ring, and I said 'Oh, that's what happens now -- you go to Texas and come back with a ring?"' his fiancee, Brittnie Jones, remembered saying. "'Where's my ring?"'

Setzler gave it to her later that day, not long before heading off to Iraq.

Setzler, 23, of Jacksonville, Fla., was killed Oct. 2 when his vehicle struck an explosive in Majar al-Kabir. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Hood.

"He was an outstanding student," said Navy Lt. Dean Williams, a senior naval science instructor at his high school. "For ROTC, he was the kind of student you want. He was motivated and dedicated and very well disciplined."

His brother Shawn Baker last heard from his brother on Sept. 29, three days before his death. It was the day before Baker's birthday.

"It was an e-mail and it said he was coming home soon," Baker said. "It said, 'Happy birthday, old man. I'll see you in November."'

Marine Col. Michael R. Stahlman

A Naval Academy classmate of Michael R. Stahlman said he set tremendously high standards for himself.

"He excelled at everything -- academics, athletics -- and he made it look easy. Whatever we did, he was number one, and he didn't even break a sweat," Joe Matza said.

Stahlman, 45, of Chevy Chase, Md., died Oct. 5 of injuries from a non-hostile incident July 31 in Anbar province. He was assigned to Twentynine Palms.

"He had an outstanding reputation," said Lt. Col. Steve Stewart at the U.S. Army Legal Center at the Judge Advocate General's School.

Stahlman grew up around the world -- his father worked for the U.S. Foreign Service -- and admired the Marines who guarded U.S. embassies.

He was a 1985 graduate of the Naval Academy who majored in political science. In 1993, he got a law degree from the California Western School of Law.

"He was a very motivated, great student -- very smart and very patriotic. He was someone you knew was going to devote his life to the military," said Rick Camacho, 46, another academy classmate.

He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and two daughters: Piper, 7, and MacKenna, 11.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)