Wednesday, September 28 2005 @ 08:20 AM EDT
Contributed by: tomw
Views: 1,141
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 Arizona Republic -- A Mesa National Guard member serving as a military police officer has become the 60th person with ties to Arizona to be killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since fighting broke out.
 Sgt. Howard P. Allen, 31, was killed in Baghdad on Monday after a bomb blew up near his Humvee, according to the Department of Defense. Allen was assigned to the Army National Guard's 860th Military Police Company, based in Phoenix.
"Our condolences go to Sergeant Allen's loved ones, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time," Maj. Gen. David P. Rataczak, adjutant general of the Arizona National Guard, said in a statement. "Sergeant Allen was a fine soldier, a wonderful husband, father, son and friend to many. This is a tragic loss to our Arizona National Guard family."
Allen's death came a day after another Arizona casualty: Sgt. Kenneth G. Ross, 24, was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
More details emerged about Ross on Tuesday. His father said Ross wanted to make the Army his career, to participate in history in the making and to become a leader.
"He believed in serving his country," David C. Ross said. "He was a dedicated young man."
Kenneth Ross, who was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, went to Afghanistan in March and was working as a door gunner on his last mission, his father said.
Ross was one of five soldiers killed when the helicopter crashed near Deh Chopan, about 180 miles southwest of Kabul.
Hostile fire is not suspected of bringing down the CH-47 transport helicopter, the military spokesman said.
Gary Anderson, Ross' best friend, went to Tucson from his home in Maricopa after he heard of Ross' death.
Anderson, himself an Army infantry veteran who served nine months in Afghanistan and 11 months in Iraq during his active duty stint 2001-2004, was a classmate of Ross' at Marana's Mountain View High School.
"You know, I heard this news of Ken, and I broke down and cried hysterically," said Anderson, now a firefighter for the Ak-Chin Indian Community in Maricopa. "He loved everyone, everyone who came in contact with him loved him."Ross, who ran track and played in the marching band in high school, was scheduled to return home at Christmas.
"I know his last thoughts were for everybody else and not for himself," Anderson said. "I know he wanted to make sure everybody was safe and would go home."
His family will remember his kind heart, and his mother, Mary, said her son had the world's biggest smile, a news release said.
David Ross said he had been looking forward to seeing his only son.
"I loved him very much," he said. |
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I would like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country. And to your family, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.
A grateful citizen