At Vicenza, Turning Tragedy Into Resolve - Remembering the 9 of Chosen Co 2/503 KIA 13 July 2008
From Stars and Stripes
Community Mourns Nine Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast Edition, Saturday July 19, 2008
VICENZA, Italy — They didn’t answer the final roll call. Three times, 1st Sgt. Patrick Fatuesi called out to each of nine soldiers, first by rank and last name, then adding their first names, and finally beckoning the soldiers by their full names. Each time, an eerily somber silence met his beckoning. More than 400 people gathered at the Caserma Ederle chapel on a rainy Friday to honor the nine men of 2nd Platoon, "Chosen Company," 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, who were killed Sunday in a firefight in Afghanistan. The rest of the article about the Memorial Service with related photos can be read here. Rest in Peace Brave Warriors Spc Sergio S Abad, 21 CPL Jonathan R Ayers, 24 CPL Jason M C Bogar, 25 1LT Jonathan P Brostrom, 24 SGT Israel Garcia-Velazquez, 24 CPL Jason D Hovater, 24 CPL Matthew B Phillips, 27 CPL Pruitt A Rainey, 22 CPL Gunnar W Zwilling, 20
