Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley
21 years old from Nokomis, Illinois
2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault)
June 26, 2006
“His platoon leaders described him as the type of soldier every leader wants: A very talented, dedicated soldier, who did everything that was asked of him.” That’s what Lt. Col. Greg Butts, commander of the Army’s 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, said about Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley at his memorial service. “I’m glad I could come here. It was an opportunity to recognize one of my great soldiers.”
Cpl. Buckley lost his life on June 26, 2006 when an IED detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad. “I held him while he died,” Spc. Richard Morris, a fellow soldier who was wounded in the attack, said after the service. “He was my best friend. This nation has lost a hell of a soldier.”
Ryan Buckley, a 2003 graduate of Hillsboro High School, was attending Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield in March 2004 when he left school to join the Army. He had told his mother on 9/11 that he planned to join the military to defend his country. Jennings Carter, who recently retired from the Army, was the commander of the Litchfield Army Recruiting Station when Buckley signed up. Carter said Buckley was an unusually cheerful young man. “Every time we saw him, he was always smiling,” Carter said. “Before he went to Iraq, we saw him a few times. He was always happy. He would come by and tell us what he was doing.”
Jean Buckley, Buckley’s aunt, said he was always a responsible young man, who took his school work seriously, as well as his role in the school bands. The talented French horn player was awarded the John Philip Sousa award his senior year as the outstanding band member.
“He was always a protector,” Jean Buckley said. “It’s such a sad time. We’re so thankful for the Ryans of the world. I appreciate all the veterans and all they’ve done for this country.”
Cpl. Buckley was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq from Nov. 30 to June 23. Bronze Stars were presented to his wife of one year, Tina Buckley, his mother, Sally Nation, and father, Dennis Buckley.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
You Must Assimilate
I really like Dennis Prager, the radio talk show host, but he said something this morning that I disagree with, and I think it’s an important issue. This morning Prager was discussing the story out of Colorado about the little…
An Archbishop of Canterbury Tale
Thee Hawke of Io-wa hath spake hyss minde.
Hee told in fair amusynge rhythmic kynde,
A tayle of a twice-daft bishoppe of Cant,
Who warpeth truthe wythe hyss peculiar slaunt.
Get thee to Iowahawke, and tarry thaire,
Partake thee of the jongleur’s …
Sammenhold
…Showing my solidarity with the Denmark.Click the pic to see more Mohammed cartoons published at Jyllands-Posten via Human Events.Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Rosemary’s Thoughts, The World A…
Scholarship for Bloggers
The Daniel Kovach Scholarship Foundation is giving away $2000 in the 2nd Annual Political Blogging Scholarship. I am letting readers and students know about this opportunity in order for the Foundation to find the best applicants. The 2nd Annual Political
The Fruits of the Spirit
KINDNESS COUNTS
Solidarity
…
really a nice post dedicated to real hero thanks i am from india but when i read this post really it affected my a lot.
Mohammed Cartoons: Showing Solidarity
From Michelle Malkin’s blog: Two years ago, the Mohammed cartoon conflagration consumed the world and the blogosphere helped lead the way in fighting back. Longtime readers will remember that this site hammered the issue in support of Denmark. “Sam…
Reverse Speech of Barack Obama sex and drug allegations
Sinclair’s claims have been analysed by the controversial forensic technique known as Reverse Speech, the practice of playing speech in reverse to reveal unconscious thoughts of the speaker. He is telling the truth.
…