Iraqi War
Soldier Obituaries
Post and Courier,
The (Charleston, SC) - August 27,
2006 ST.
STEPHEN - Inside Russellville Christian Church, family and friends
filled the pews to mourn their loss. Outside, under a hot sun, more
than 200 Patriot Guard Riders gathered to honor a fallen Marine and
to shield the mourners in case an expected hate group turned up to
make trouble. But no one came to taunt or picket. Sgt. John
Paul Phillips, who died after long, painful months in a hospital
burn unit, was laid to rest Saturday afternoon at Sunset Memorial
Cemetery in nearby St. Stephen. He was 29. Phillips
was given full military honors. Dozens of uniformed men stood in
attendance, alongside hundreds of others, to pay respects to their
comrade. Mike Crowley, the Patriot Guard Rider who came 1,100 miles
from Texas, was there too, standing by the family. At the
cemetery, mourners sought what little shade was provided along the
perimeter and children handed out fans. Dr. Gene Morehouse, the
pastor at Russellville Christian Church, briefly shared scripture
from the Book of Hebrews, celebrating Phillips' service to the
country and the freedom of the spirit death brings. "I do know
when our life is a service to others, we are winners," he said.
"John is a winner." Then the
bugler played a muted taps and two Marines stood folding the flag
that had draped the casket. That flag was presented to Stephanie
Neart Phillips, who had married Phillips just weeks earlier. Another
folded flag was given to Allen and Linda Phillips, John's parents.
Accompanied by their last living son Chris,
they approached the casket for a final goodbye. The family lost
another son in 2003. Will Phillips died after his seven-year
struggle with brain injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
John
Phillips, who was a bomb disposal technician, succumbed Aug. 16 in a
Texas military hospital to severe burn injuries received on March 7
when the vehicle he rode in struck a roadside bomb near Fallujah,
Iraq. He had suffered third-degree burns over most of his body. Mike
Crowley, who would ride each week between his home near Houston and
the military hospital in San Antonio, visited the injured man over
the course of four months, befriending him and his family.
After the
burial ceremony, James Phillips, uncle of the slain Marine, said he
was impressed by the turnout and show of support. "This is an
amazing family," James' wife Leah said. "There's just so much love
in this family." She said
her nephew was killed during his second tour of service. John had
already spent four years stationed in Japan. After coming home to
help the family care for his brother Will, he returned to the
Marines in January 2005. Once he completed his training as a bomb
disposal technician, he deployed to Iraq. He spent five months
enduring the pain of his injuries and treatments. As Crowley wrote
in a posting on the Patriot Guard Riders Web site, in the end, it
was just too much for Phillips' body to handle. And so it
was - among the roar of 200 motorcycles and waving American flags,
among saluting soldiers and grieving friends, among a family
familiar with loss and full of love - that the last chapter in the
life of Sgt. John Paul Phillips came to a close.
Gazette, The (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA) - November 6, 2005 Dustin Allan Yancey, 22, was driving
an armored Humvee when the bomb exploded about noon Friday and died
as a result of his injuries, according to his father, Tim Yancey of
Goose Creek, S.C., a Charleston suburb. Tim Yancey, who is also in the Army,
said his son, a private second class, was a member of the 3rd
Infantry Division of the Army, based out of Fort Stewart, Ga., and
had been in Iraq since January. He was a member of a special platoon
called "Top Flight," an elite group that provided security to
military convoys. He was slated to be out of Iraq around the first
of December and home in January 2006, his father said. Dustin Yancey - Allan to his friends -
was born in Cedar Rapids and attended Hiawatha and Garfield
elementary schools before moving with his family in 1991 when the
Army sent his father to Charleston. He still has several relatives in
Cedar Rapids, including grandparents Orval Walton and Peggy Yancey.
Yancey's uncle, Kevin White of Cedar
Rapids, said the family is trying to have Allan buried in Arlington
National Cemetery but hopes to have a local memorial service in
Cedar Rapids. "We've just got to do something for
him - he gave his life for his country, and he deserves something,"
White said. State, The (Columbia, SC) - November 8,
2005 Pfc. Dustin A. Yancey, 22, died in the
incident south of Baghdad, according to reports. Yancey was in an armored Humvee
escorting a convoy when the explosion happened. Also killed was
Capt. James M. Gurbisz, 25, of Eatontown, N.J., the reports added.
Yancey and Gurbisz were assigned to
the 26th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry
Division, headquartered at Fort Stewart, Ga. As of Monday, the Defense Department
reported that 2,035 troops have died in the war. Yancey is the 36th
member of the armed services with S.C. ties to have died in the Iraq
war. A native of Iowa, Yancey's family
moved to Goose Greek in 1991 when his father, who also is in the
Army, was transferred, the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette
reported.
Berkeley County, South Carolina
Genealogy Trails
Life of a Marine comes to a close Mourners amass to
honor Sgt. John Phillips, who succumbed to injuries months after
Iraq
Dustin Allan Yancey
Bomb kills C.R.
native
Pfc. Dustin A.
Yancey
GOOSE CREEK SOLDIER KILLED IN IRAQ BOMB BLAST
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