Aaron D. Gautier

Friday, May 18 2007 @ 10:33 PM EDT

WTKR Your NewsChannel 3 -- Aaron D. Gautier had only been in the Army for a year when he was killed on patrol in Iraq. He leaves behind a big family, a new wife and far too many dreams that will never be realized.

"One of the last times I talked to him, he told me he was shot at, and he said,' Dad I know what it feels like to be shot at,'" Dan Gautier said.

His son, 19-year-old Aaron Gautier had only been in Iraq four weeks and hadn't seen a lot of casualties. But he knew one thing for certain. He told his dad he did not want to die in Iraq.

"He was pretty gung-ho about going into the Army." Gautier participated in the ROTC at Bethel High School in Hampton and joined the army at 18.

Aaron Gautier was stationed in Washington state. That's where he met his wife Lindsey. They'd only been married just four months when Gautier was killed in combat in Baghdad.

Dan Gautier says as a gunner in the Army, his son knew the dangers. His family says he was supposed to be on a two hour patrol when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.

His dad chokes up when he describes the kind of husband, son and person Aaron was.

"A very giving, loving person who made friends very easily and also as someone who was maturing into a beautiful young man with his whole life ahead of him," sas Gautier.

He says his son was looking forward to one day starting a family of his own.

"His family is very very proud, buy also mixed emotions. He was only 19-years-old."

Gautier says while his son was excited when he started out, he had recently begun to question why the U.S. continues to stay Iraq.

His family say they'll begin making funeral arraignments as soon as Aaron's body is returned to Hampton Roads.

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