When Nekl Allen was home from the Army, he always found time to interact with his daughter and two sons.
Riding dirt bikes with 10-year-old Christopher. Roughhousing in the living room with 7-year-old Michael. Helping 5-year-old Grace learn to count.
"He was the most lovable person I know," said his sister, Rana Allen.
Allen, 29, of Rochester, N.Y., died Sept. 12 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, when he and a fellow soldier were attacked with an explosive and small weapons. Both were assigned to Fort Drum.
Allen, known also as Nick or Nicky, loved the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, bow-hunting and playing paintball. He was a 1999 graduate of Churchville-Chili High School, where he was a wrestler and played fullback and linebacker for the football team.
"He showed the signs of courage by taking on big tasks, even when he was young," said his high school coach, Paul Dick.
Allen joined the Army in May 2002, prompted by the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He was deployed twice to Iraq before being sent to Afghanistan.
"He stepped up to serve his country because he knew it was the right thing to do," said his father-in-law, Mike Meehan.
Allen also is survived by his wife, Amy Meehan-Allen.
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Army 2nd Lt. Darryn D. Andrews
Darryn D. Andrews wasn't one for shaking hands.
"If he knew you, it was always a bear hug. It didn't make any difference," said his mother, Sondra.
She said he loved life, especially with his wife, Julie, and their 2-year-old son. The couple was expecting their second child when Andrews died Sept. 4 of wounds from a rocket-propelled grenade in Paktika province.
The 34-year-old from Dallas was assigned to Fort Richardson.
His mother said he was lighthearted, energetic and "could put a fun spin on any situation." He enjoyed scuba and sky diving, fishing and hunting, and he immersed himself in athletics, theater productions and church youth group while growing up in the Texas Panhandle.
He and his twin brother, Jarrett, attended Texas Tech University, and he earned a master's degree from Texas State University in 2008. But his sense of duty led him to the military six years ago, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
"We grew up with an enormous amount of pride for our nation," she said. "We passed it on to our children, never thinking we would pay the ultimate sacrifice."
Andrews also is survived by his father.
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Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Baltazar Jr.
Christopher S. Baltazar Jr. could irritate his brother in a way only brothers could.
"If he poked me with a stick, I'd curse at him and laugh at him at the same time," said his younger brother, Brendon. "There's never been anyone else on this planet who I could not be angry at."
Raised by a mother who was deployed several times, they were in the habit of saying "I love you" each time they spoke, including the last.
"In a military family, you just don't want to send anyone away without hearing that," Brendon Baltazar said.
Christopher Baltazar, 19, of San Antonio, was killed Sept. 3 by an explosive in Helmand province. He was based at Camp Lejeune.
He seemed more comfortable in his ROTC camouflage getting dirty than in a military dress uniform, so friends weren't surprised he joined the Marines after graduating from Judson High School in San Antonio in 2008.
"He was always a real funny, joyful, happy person," said Will Weber, who described Baltazar as a close friend growing up. "He was so excited about being a Marine. He believed in honor and serving his country."
Baltazar also is survived by his sister and two stepbrothers, his brother said.
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Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Berky
Bryan D. Berky had the focus to disarm bombs in faraway places like Afghanistan, but friends say he was also a dedicated punk rocker.
Berky and his high school classmates would often jam at Berky's house, said former Bradford High School classmate John Moore. Berky would play guitar — the precursor to his band, My Friend the Artery," Moore said.
At school, he did what he had to for his video class: Berky would often burst into a classroom during lessons, and simply tell the teacher he had to do it for another class.
"He was really a charismatic person who got away with quite a bit," Moore said.
Berky, 25, of Melrose, Fla., died Sept. 12 when he and other soldiers were ambushed near Bala Baluk. He was assigned to Ellsworth Air Force Base. Berky enlisted in 2003, a year after graduating from high school.
A former teacher, Christie Torode, said Berky always kept busy and focused — so it didn't surprise her that he became a detonation specialist.
"He was good at paying attention to detail, but he didn't like to sit still for too long," she said.
Berky is survived by his wife, Erin, and his infant son, Harrison.
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Army Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle
As a child, Bradley S. Bohle could often be found woodworking with his grandfather. When the pair finished their work, "Pops" would shave the ice for a couple of refreshing milkshakes.
Those grandfather-grandson days are one of Ethel Bohle's fondest memories of Bohle and her husband, Edward, who died three years ago.
Not too long ago, Brad Bohle's father came to tell Ethel Bohle that her grandson had died.
"He said, 'I guess Brad and Pop are having a milkshake,'" Ethel Bohle said.
Bohle, 29, of Glen Burnie, Md., died Sept. 16 when the Humvee he was riding in hit a roadside bomb in Helmand province. He was assigned to Fort Bragg and had been in the military since graduating from North County High School in 1998.
His aunt Shirley Bohle recalled the last time she spoke to him, remembering Bradley Bohle as an "all-American kid" who loved playing with his children.
"We were eating crabs and talking about whether we liked them spicy or not and what beer goes well with them," she said.
His sister, April Clark, said her brother was her hero.
"When I was upset he'd always hug me, and even if I wasn't he would," she said.
Bohle is also survived by his wife, three daughters and parents.
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Army Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu
Jordan Brochu got a rough start in life. He was abused and neglected until age 3, said his adoptive mother, Suzanne Brochu.
Overcoming his early childhood horrors was hard, with many setbacks, she said.
As he got older, he poured himself into a variety of activities — fishing, video games, sports, cooking, reading J.R.R. Tolkien books, even poetry writing.
"It was very real," his former high school guidance counselor Nancy McClean said of his writings. "He was very, very good and expressing life, expressing hope."
Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, Maine, died Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia of wounds suffered after his Army unit was attacked with an explosive device. He was assigned to Fort Lewis.
Brochu wrote on his MySpace page that "my life has been hell and no one thought or cared if i would make it." But he added, "for once my head is held high."
Brochu, a 2008 graduate of Lake Region Vocational Center, was popular student and athlete. He joined the Army as a way to do some good, McClean said.
His mother and father, Daniel Brochu, believe he succeeded.
"Jordan lived a lifetime in 20 years," Suzanne Brochu said. "He started with us broken but he has finished complete. A hero."
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Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione
Benjamin P. Castiglione was unfazed even by a scorpion. He helped civilians and comrades in the Afghan and Iraqi war zones as a medic in the Navy, once treating an unconscious Marine having breathing and heart problems after being stung by the desert-dwelling creature.
"Those Marines meant the world to him," said his mother, Carrie Castiglione. "I talked to him before he went to Iraq about preparing himself for losing one if he had to. He said, 'Mom, I'm bringing all those guys home.'"
Instead, they lost him.
Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Mich., was killed Sept. 3 by an improvised explosive in Helmand province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.
He graduated from Howell High School in 2006 and joined the Navy that November. He served in Iraq for eight months last year and deployed to Afghanistan in June.
He wanted to continue medical work and planned to become a physician's assistant. He also was looking forward to going to Germany or Hawaii when his deployment ended in November, his parents said.
He died one day after talking about those plans with his family.
Castiglione is also survived by three stepbrothers.
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Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan L. Chrobot
Jordan Chrobot's wedding in his grandparents' back yard was a long time coming.
"I immediately fell in love with him. I was about 11 years old," said his wife, Amber. "One day he told me he loved me, and that was it."
She spoke with him for about a half-hour before he went out on a mission, and the whole time he was "being silly and joking" as he thanked her for packages from home, said Chrobot's mother, Kandy Poole Johns. It was the last mission he'd head out for.
Chrobot, 24, of Frederick, Md., died Sept. 26 in combat in Helmand province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune. He graduated from New Life Christian School in 2003.
Friends and family said he was proud to be a Marine and help other Marines. An unnamed neighbor said Chrobot came home from a deployment before he did and spent extra time helping the neighbor's wife do chores around the house.
Justin Coffey, a friend from New Life, recalled the last time he saw Chrobot before he deployed to Afghanistan.
"He opened the trunk and pulled out his helmet and just said, 'Look at my helmet.' He was just so proud to be a Marine," Coffey said.
He is also survived by a his stepfather; his father and stepmother; three siblings; and numerous other relatives.
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Army Spc. Daniel L. Cox
Daniel L. Cox didn't mind working hard to help others be better, whether he was with comrades at Fort Drum or playing the sport that stole his heart: football.
He started in the Pee Wee league and worked his way up to the scout teams in practice at Parsons High School in Parsons, Kan.
"They would get knocked around a lot out there by the varsity pretty good," assistant coach Mark Pound said. "Not a lot of freshmen wanted to get out there, but Daniel was always first to volunteer."
The 23-year-old died Sept. 12 of injuries from an attack in Wardak province during his second tour. He had joined the Army even before graduating in 2005 and had special workouts to get in shape for boot camp.
Pound said Cox's on-field attitude translated to his military work.
"He never worried about his own stats or glory for himself; it was always about the team," Pound said, adding that Cox "wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself."
In his downtime, Cox enjoyed four-wheeling, fishing, old trucks and cars and tinkering with things.
He is survived by his parents, Kim and Sharon, and two sisters, Jennifer and Shannon.
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Army Sgt. David A. Davis
David A. Davis always had a way of making others smile. Before joining the Army, he worked at a United supermarket near his hometown of Dalhart, Texas, and was happy to help customers with their groceries.
"When you'd go to United, he knew who you were by name, and you didn't even have to take your keys," local resident Angela Reynolds said. "He took your keys and took it out to the car for you."
His love of Texas showed even in Afghanistan. While other soldiers slept in normal pajamas, Davis always wore "Texas PJs," Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Robinson said. He said Davis had a great sense of humor but was selfless and serious when he needed to be.
Davis, 28, died Sept. 19 at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, when the facility was attacked with indirect fire.
"He always had a smile on his face, and I'm sure when he was over there, I'm sure he was still smiling," said Reynolds, who first met Davis at church.
The 2000 graduate of Dalhart High School also had served two tours in Iraq. He was assigned to Fort Carson.
Davis is survived by his wife, Devon; six children and stepchildren; his parents, Bernard Davis and Vicky Williamson; and a brother, Roy.
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Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Fowlkes
Christopher Fowlkes had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, but it wasn't too much to drive six hours so he could send off his buddy to Marine boot camp.
"His heart was just huge," said friend Cameron Snuggs. "He was my brother."
Snuggs said Fowlkes always wore his uniform with pride — whether it was a Little League jersey, his Gaffney Indians high school uniform, Marine dress blues or camouflage.
"No one wore that Gaffney High School uniform like Chris did," Snuggs said.
Fowlkes, 20, of Gaffney, S.C., died Sept. 10 at a U.S. military hospital in Germany. He had been seriously wounded a week earlier in Helmand province when an improvised explosive detonated. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.
The Rev. David Kite eulogized Fowlkes at his funeral.
"He gave laughter in situations that were really difficult to find humor," Kite said.
"He gave friendship to those who needed a friend."
Jessica LeMaster, who attended high school with Fowlkes, said it was clear in high school that he wanted to be a Marine. The two shared a love for University of Tennessee sports — and LeMaster said she had borrowed a pair of basketball shorts from him some time ago.
Now, she'll keep them as a memento.
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Army Staff Sgt. Alex French IV
Alex French had a thing for the spinach-gobbling "Popeye" the sailor man as a child and followed his own dream of being a sailor.
French was honorably discharged in 2000 and continued his career in public service, becoming a sheriff's deputy. But he wanted to keep serving his country and later joined the National Guard.
"It was in him to do that," said his sister Latoya French. " When you'd see him, you'd think he belonged in uniform."
French, 31, of Milledgeville, Ga., died Sept. 30 in Kwhost when enemy forces bombed his unit. He was assigned to Lawrenceville, Ga.
Another sister, Laquitta French Basley, said she often talked to her brother online while he was deployed. He always asked to make sure things were OK back in Georgia, rarely talking about himself.
French was always close to his family, Basley said, and always protective of his sisters.
"He was a rock," she said.
Bibb County Sheriff Jerry Modena said French was an intelligent sergeant in the booking division who worked hard to rise through the ranks.
"He had a good career ahead of him," Modena said. "To have it terminated so early, it's a waste."
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Army Sgt. Robert D. Gordon II
Robert Gordon couldn't enlist until he was 18, so he until then, he played out his dream of being a soldier with his G.I. Joes.
"If I had all the money we spent on G.I. Joes, I'd be set," said his mother, Diane Gordon. "But it carried through until the age he could sign up on his own."
Gordon, 22, of River Falls, Ala., died Sept. 16 at a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, after contracting an illness Sept. 11 while serving in southern Afghanistan. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, and had enlisted after graduating from Red Level High School.
His father died at a young age, and Gordon was raised by his mother.
"We always knew he was going into the military. He put on a tough front for his friends, but deep down, he was such a sweet, sweet boy," Diane Gordon said. "His daddy was an infantryman, so that made up his mind."
Diane Gordon said she was proud of her son for doing what he always dreamed of.
"That's the kind of person he was," she said.
"He had a mischievious streak, and when he made up his mind, that was it."
Gordon is also survived by a brother and sister.
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Army Spc. Kevin J. Graham
Kevin Graham loved muscle cars. It started when he built a 1939 with his dad and brother, and culminated in his prized vehicle: A 1965 Pontiac LeMans.
"He loved to drive that thing," said Graham's brother, Sean Graham. "That was his pride and joy. He was always working on that thing, always driving and washing it."
Graham, 27, of Benton, Ky., was killed Sept. 26 when the vehicle in which he was riding hit a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Lewis.
Sean Graham said his brother always wanted to be a soldier, dressing up in Army gear, playing Army games and eagerly listening to stories of World War II and Vietnam. He enlisted in 2007.
"He had always been that way and I fully supported his decision to go into the Army," Sean Graham said. "It took a while for him to make that decision. When he did, I was so proud of him."
Jonathan Goodman, the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Benton, said Graham was proud to serve his country, noting that the congregation often prayed for him when his parents brought reports to the church.
Graham is survived by his parents and three older brothers, including Sean.
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Marine Lance Cpl. David R. Hall
David Hall had a pretty good job at a Ford assembly plant when he joined the Marines three years ago.
Hall, of Elyria, Ohio, said he wanted to do more for society. His sister, Lora Hall, was concerned, and she told him so.
"David, you could be dead in a year," she said to him.
"You have to understand, this is something I have to do," he responded.
More than a year after wrapping up seven months in Iraq, Hall, 31, went to Afghanistan this year. He died in an Aug. 31 blast in Helmand province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.
His father, Delmar Hall, said that his son wanted his life to have a purpose, and that he never regretted joining the Marines.
"He wanted something to be proud of," his father said.
Hall enjoyed traveling and meeting people from different cultures. While growing up, exchange students from Italy, Brazil, Yugoslavia and Germany spent time in his home. He traveled to Brazil after high school, staying with the family of an exchange student his family had hosted.
Hall, a 1997 graduate of Southview High School, is also survived by his mother, Lulu Hall, and three sisters.
Source: AP Features
