“Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the
fighting men and women of this great Nation; One died for your soul,
the other for your freedom.”
~ Author Unknown
In Memory of
AM1 (AW) Anthony Lee Hockett, United States Navy
February 15, 1975 to April 25, 2010
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the ultimate sacrifice made by this service member in the defense of his country.
His star has turned to Gold
United States Army Casualty
Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery, 24, of Portola, CA
Members of the U.S. Army Dignified Transfer team carry the remains of Army Specialist Jeremiah McCleery of
Portola, California next to the remains of Jake Velloza of Inverness, California on May 4, 2009 in Dover, Delaware.
Soldier with Sparks ties killed in Iraq
A 2004 Portola High School graduate killed Saturday by gunfire in Iraq was remembered Tuesday as someone who loved the outdoors and also loved spending time with his father, who now lives in Sparks.
Jeremiah P. McCleery, 24, of Portola died in Mosul along with a fellow soldier from 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.
Josh Rogers, who graduated with McCleery, said he was best known as Miah.
"He was a very loyal friend," Rogers said. "If you broke down in Reno or far away, he'd come pick you up. He always had your back."
Rogers said McCleery liked camping, something he did frequently, and also enjoyed sport shooting, fishing and four-wheeling. He was a great fan of the sporting goods store Cabela's, Rogers said.
Asked when he was his happiest, Rogers said: "Probably hanging out with his dad. Doing anything with his dad, probably."
McCleery joined the Army in 2007 and was deployed to Iraq in December,
Rogers said.
McCleery had several reasons to join the military, he said. "He always wanted to when he was a kid," Rogers said. "He probably just wanted to out of patriotic duty and go serve. "I think he wanted to go do his part."
Mike Allen, who lives just outside of Portola ran a Cub Scout troop that McCleery joined. McCleery was part of a group of boys who always hung around the household with his son, Allen said. "There (were) seven or eight kids in that group, and they were pretty much joined at the hip it seemed for years and years," Allen said.
Many youths from the area join the military as a way to move on with their lives, Allen said. He recalled seeing McCleery working with his father, Joe McCleery, at a refuse collection company in Truckee. "Miah was a slinger, and his dad drove," Allen said. He also worked with his father at a sheet metal business.
He noted McCleery lost his mother to cancer several years ago.
Gov. Jim Gibbons' office announced the flag atop the Capitol in Carson City will be flown at half-staff today in honor of McCleery. Joe McCleery moved to Sparks about 18 months ago, Rogers said.
"I want to extend the condolences of a grateful state and a grateful nation to the family and friends of Specialist Jeremiah McCleery," Gibbons said in a statement. "His sacrifice for freedom will never be forgotten."
By Steve Timko • stimko@rgj.com • May 6, 2009
In Memory of Sean Andrew Stokes
Sean Stokes died July 30, 2007 do to injuries sustained in an i.e.d. blast during operations in al anbar province Iraq. He was a member of the Third Battalion, First Marine Regiments (3/1).
Marine Sean Stokes heroic actions during Battle for Fallujah, on the History Channel
Sean at his brother Kevin's high school Grad in 2006 Sean with his fiancee Nicole Besier
A book was written by Patrick O’Donnell entitled “We Were One” (Sean is one of the main characters in the book and is mentioned throughout the book). Click on the following link to learn more about the book. www.wewereone.com.
Sean will be awarded the Silver Star Medal for his combat missions in Iraq in November 2004, when Sean was a Private. This medal was awarded on his 25 th birthday i.e. Feburary 6, 2008.
Sean's hometown was Auburn California but Sean rest in the Stokes family plot in Janesville California in Lassen County.
To learn more about Sean go to: www.SASMemorial.org
Heaven Was Needing a Hero
This past Wednesday, our chapter (Spirit of Freedom OHIO Blue Star Mothers Chapter 1) presented a Gold Star Banner to a mother who lost her son in Vietnam in 1967. Mrs. Love also became a member of our chapter. Even at 85 it was important to her to connect with other military mothers. Her daughter shared a poem that her brother wrote and sent home to his family. We read it her presentation. She shared with me afterwards, that the day he died in 1967 was Mother's Day that year. I have to share his words with you. Anita OH #1
A Ticket to Vietnam
Here I sit aboard our plane,
thinking of you, but all in vain.
The plane starts off to our destination,
a last glimpse of our lovely nation.
As we move on, my mind is filled,
Will I survive or will I be killed?
Chances are even on both sides,
We'll leave it to God, He will decide.
We're in the air and my mind rolls on,
To the last minute on the phone.
I still can hear your soft voice saying,
"I'll be waiting and I'll be praying."
My heart is heavy and I feel sad,
Thinking of you and Mom and Dad.
But I am a member of the Corps,
and it's my duty to fight in the war.
So with Faith, God's blessings come,
To all Marines going to Vietnam.
PFC John Wayne Love
USMC 1966-1967 KIA 13 May 1967
neverforgetourfallen.com
Please e-mail your photos and biography about your Fallen Hero as it would be an honor to add your fallen hero to this web site: "Never Forget Our Fallen."