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Run for the Fallen:
Those we'll remember, kilometers 1-11
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July 30, 2011 |
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1. Lieutenant Commander Ronald J. Vauk,
Nampa, September 11, 2001 |
 Commander
Vauk, 37, was beginning two weeks of annual
active duty for the Naval Reserve and serving as
watch commander in the Naval Command Center at
the Pentagon when a hijacked plane struck the
building. Since 1997, he had been an assistant
group supervisor in submarine technology at the
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
Laboratory in Laurel.
Born in Nampa, Idaho, Ron was a 1987 graduate of
the Naval Academy, where he earned a degree in
political science. He served on the submarines
USS Glenard P. Lipscomb and the USS Oklahoma
City, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander
and receiving several medals and commendations.
After about seven years of active duty, he
entered the reserves and began working for Delex
Corp. in Tyson's
Corner, Virginia, where he was project manager
for naval contracts.
A devoted family man, Commander Vauk also
enjoyed woodworking and golf. Beloved husband of
Jennifer M. Vauk, devoted father of 3 year old
Liam and yet to be born baby; devoted son of
Hubert and Dorothy Vauk of Nampa, ID; brother of
Charles, David, Gary, Dennis Vauk, Teri
Masterson, Celia Shikuma, Lynne Caba, and
Patricia Vauk; son-in-law of Carol and Patrick
Mooney, brother-in-law of Alissa and Chris
DeBoy. Ron is also survived by 18 nieces and
nephews.
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2. Major Gregory Stone, Boise, March 25,
2003 |
 Major
Gregory Stone died March 25, 2003, from injuries
he incurred from hand grenades thrown into
several command tents in Kuwait.
“He had that kind of caring attitude,” said Air
Force Capt. Kim Gibeling, who knew Stone since
they trained on B-1s together in 1996. Stone
lived in Boise and had worked at the Air
Expeditionary Force Battlelab at Mountain Home
Air Force Base. He left the Air Force in 2000,
but was an Air
National Guardsman.
He liked to camp, to ski, to read military
history, and to spend all the time he could with
his two sons, ages 11 and 7, said his father,
Richard
Stone of Riggins, Idaho.
When Richard Stone had a heart attack in 1999,
Greg came home to look after him.
“We were just kind of getting to know each
other. I had a lot of concern when he was sent
to the Middle East,” said his father, who had
served in the Marines. “I know it was something
he felt very strongly about and wanted to do.
But you hate to see your kids do that.”
He is loved and missed by all who knew him. |
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3. Sergeant Richard P. Carl, King Hill,
May 9, 2003 |
 Richard
P. Carl served with the 571st Air Medical
Company out of Fort Carson, Colorado and was
posthumously promoted from corporal to sergeant
in a ceremony in Iraq. He died May 9, 2003, when
his Black Hawk air medical helicopter snagged a
power wire across the Tigris River as it took
off during the rescue of a wounded Iraqi child,
and flipped over into the water.
“Corporal Carl is a tremendous example of our
military’s commitment to risk life and limb to
help the innocent Iraqi civilians wounded in the
war,” said U.S. Senator Michael Crapo. “He went
to the Middle East to fight for our freedom with
valor and courage in this time of national
crisis and died in defense of his country.”
He leaves behind his wife, a daughter and son. |
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4. Specialist Robert T. Benson, Coeur
d'Alene, November 4, 2003 |
 Specialist
Robert T. Benson, 20, died November 4, 2003, of
a gunshot wound sustained at a checkpoint in
Iraq.
He was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and
attended schools in Spokane, Washington.
All through his adolescence he loved the
outdoors and anything that put him in the woods
or on a lake. His mother said that “Bobby would
always bring his fishing pole and gear to where
ever our weekend took us. Of course, he was
always the first to catch a fish."
His step-father Dan and he would take off on
four-wheelers in hope of getting their limit of
grouse or turkeys. Bobby had taken his classes
to get his hunting license when he was of age
and passed it with flying colors. Dan took him
out and let him shoot the first grouse they saw
that day. He was so proud of himself when they
got back and couldn’t wait to show his mother
what he had shot. His mother said, “All-in-all,
Bobby got to experience the outdoors all his
life, living in Idaho and enjoying the outdoors
with his family.”
"He was a good man and an excellent soldier,"
said a fellow soldier. "He will never be
forgotten."
Robert joined the Army in July 2001, shortly
after graduating from high school. He married a
high school classmate, Aimee Hiatt. "I wish
Bobby could have had children," his stepsister,
Alexandra, said. "I wish he could have seen his
brothers and sisters get married." |
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5. Private First Class Jerrick Petty,
Idaho Falls, December 10, 2003 |
 PFC
Jerrick Petty was assigned to Company B, 3rd
Battalion, 502 Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade,
101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell,
Kentucky. He was killed December 10, 2003, when
his position guarding a gas station was attacked
by enemy forces in Mosul, Iraq.
Jerrick made it his mission to look out for
others. When he was ten years old he beat up
neighborhood bullies who were picking on other
children. In high school he screened his little
sisters’ suitors to make sure they were good
people. Jerrick joined the Army to earn more
money to support his young family.
“The last thing he said to me was, ‘I love you
Dad,'” his father, Jerald Petty, said. “And the
last thing I said to him was, ‘I love you,
son.’”
Jerrick was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star
and Purple Heart for his service. |
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6. Private First Class Cleston Raney, Rupert, March 31, 2004 |
 Private
First Class Cleston Raney, 20, of Rupert, Idaho,
was one of five members of the Army's 1st
Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 1st
Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas,
killed March 31, 2004, in Habbaniyah, Iraq, when
an improvised explosive device hit their armored
personnel carrier.
Cleston was born May 12, 1983, in Twin Falls.
Raised by Gordon and Gloria Trivitt for many
years of his short life, he attended schools in
Rupert and Burley, and graduated from Burley
High School in May 2001. He joined the Army in
November of 2002, and completed basic training
at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He began his
military career as a combat engineer in Fort
Riley, Kansas, in April 2003, and was deployed
to Iraq in September 2003, where he served
proudly, bravely, and with honor until the time
of his death.
Cleston was an avid movie buff, and enjoyed
watching football (especially the 49ers) and
basketball (especially the Bulls.) He loved
listening to music, and was a video game expert
(Nintendo, Playstation, X-Box, you name it). He
enjoyed fishing and any board games, but one of
his greatest joys was beating his cousin Gina at
pool and bowling.
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7. Private First Class Christopher Reed,
Craigmont, July 10, 2004 |
 Christopher
Reed died July 10, 2004 in the Anbar Province of
Iraq after the Humvee he was riding in rolled
over. He was based at Camp Pendleton,
California. Chris loved hunting and fishing with
his brother and wanted to use his military
experience to get a job with the Idaho
Department of Fish and Game.
He had been in Iraq only three weeks when the
vehicle he was riding in overturned. Reed
graduated high school in 2003 and almost
immediately joined the Marine Corps. His
departure was delayed because on graduation
night Chris and his brother got into a wrestling
match and Chris ended up hurting some ribs.
Before his deployment, Chris spent most of his
time visiting friends and family.
"When it came to his family, he put them before
everything else," said his good friend Beth
Pratt, who remembered him as a lively presence.
"Even when there was nothing to do Chris would
turn a boring evening into an unforgettable
memory."
Reed is survived by his brother Brian and
parents, Keith and Tammy Reed. |
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8. Specialist Brandon Titus, Boise,
August 17, 2004 |
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 Specialist
Brandon Titus was assigned to the 2nd Battalion,
14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 10th
Mountain Division (Light Infantry),
Fort Drum, New York.
He was killed on
August 17, 2004, when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his checkpoint
in Baghdad.
Brandon
had served in
Iraq
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for only a
few months.
He graduated from
Borah
High School where he played varsity
football and enlisted in the Army on a delayed
entry program. As a machine gunner,
Brandon often stood in
the turret of his Humvee; he knew that made him
a target but he also knew what would happen if
he chose not to do it. “Then one of my buddies
is going to go up there. And if he gets hit that
is going to be on my conscience.”
Brandon wrote a letter to
his father, Tom Titus, to be opened only upon
his death. That letter read in part: “Before I
could take all freedoms and liberty this country
has granted, I had to earn them,” he wrote. “I
don’t see any greater honor than giving my life
for my country, my family and my friends.”
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9. Captain Alan Blake Rowe, Fairfield,
September 3, 2004 |
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 Captain
Alan Blake Rowe, USMC, was killed in combat
action in Iraq
on September 3, 2004. Born in
Woodland,
California, on October 3, 1968, he came with his family to
Idaho
when he was a year old.
He loved the mountains,
beauty, and peace found in
Idaho.
He loved the Marine Corps
and his country and had dreamed of serving his
country since he was a small boy. When he became
a Marine, he thrived and excelled in the
opportunities the Corps offered. We receive some
comfort knowing that Alan lived and died doing
and being what he wanted to be: A Marine.
Captain Rowe’s decorations
include a Purple Heart, Navy and Marine
Commendation, Navy and Marine Achievement with
star, Combat Action with star, Navy Unit
Commendation with star, and Meritorious Unit
Commendation.
Alan will be greatly
missed, but always deeply loved and remembered
as the honorable Marine as well as our husband,
father, son, brother, nephew, cousin. His death
is a tragic loss to his family, his friends, the
Marine Corps and his country. He died a hero to
us all, reminding us that freedom is not free.
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10. Captain Luke Wullenwaber, Lewiston,
November 16, 2004 |
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 CPT
Luke Wullenwaber, executive officer of Company
A, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, was killed in
action
November 16, 2004, in
Iraq, four
weeks shy of turning 25. Luke had volunteered
that day for a security mission to serve
alongside “his” men.
An explosion from a vehicle borne
improvised explosive device killed Luke.
Described by some men as
the toughest guy they ever knew, Luke was
intelligent, kind, of the highest integrity,
capable of great intensity and exceedingly
funny. He was devoted to his family and friends.
He exuded strength. His high school coach said
he epitomized what a man should be.
Luke was president of his
high school’s National Honor Society Chapter. In
12th grade Luke was the varsity’s Defensive
Lineman of the Year and All North Idaho; and his
home town’s local TV stations’ Prep Athlete of
the Week.
Luke attended Virginia
Military Institute. While there, Luke was the
first undergraduate in VMI’s history to complete
the Special Forces Underwater Combat Diver
course at Key West,
Florida; he represented
VMI at the Thai
Royal
Military Academy;
and the Army featured Luke’s photograph in a
national ad.
Luke graduated with
academic honors and was a Distinguished Military
Graduate. In Iraq,
Luke was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze
Star and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Luke’s family is
permanently rent by his absence, but because of
the promise of the resurrection of God’s people
through the Lord Jesus Christ, they are not lost
in despair.
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11. Sergeant Darren VanKomen, Lewiston,
December 21, 2004 |
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 Darren
VanKomen grew up in
Lewiston,
Idaho, and enlisted in the military in 1991,
a few years after graduating from
Culdesac
High School in
Idaho. He was stationed
in West Virginia
and Colorado
before coming to Fort
Lewis for a second time.
Twice, he left the army to
explore life as a civilian. Twice he returned,
after missing the structure and purpose of the
military.
"He liked everything about
it. He literally felt like he could make a
difference," said sister-in-law Stephanie
VanKomen, of Orofino. "He was right where he
wanted to be," said another sister-in-law,
Andrea VanKomen, of
Puyallup. "He was really
dedicated to serving his country."
VanKomen was a 33-year-old
sergeant and unit supply specialist who doted on
his large family of six brothers and two
sisters. He was the uncle who played basketball
and blind man's bluff with the kids. He was tall
and funny, liked to draw pictures of cartoon
characters and Conan the Barbarian, and he loved
the military. He was a loving and devoted man
who doted on his wife, Stephaine, and
12-year-old stepdaughter,
Chelsea.
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