Gary T. Rovinski

Wednesday, June 07 2006 @ 01:41 PM EDT

www.reviewatlas.com -- ROSEVILLE - The war on terrorism struck close to home when word that a Warren County man was killed while serving his country in Iraq.

Gary Rovinski, 44, of Roseville, became Warren County's first casualty in the war in Iraq. There are reports that Rovinski was killed by a roadside bomb, but the Department of Defense has yet to confirm that report. Two other men from the same unit were reportedly killed and two others were injured at the same time.

Rovinski was a Seabee in the United States Navy. He was with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion based at Fort McCoy. Rovinski served as an equipment operator.

Rovinski's unit went to the Rock Island Arsenal for training. The unit was deployed to Iraq on Jan. 31.

Few details have been released regarding Rovinski's death. No official press release has been issued from Rovinski's unit or the US Naval Reserves.

War is nothing new to the Seabees. The Seabees are the U.S. Navy's civil engineer corps. They have been involved in every war since WWII.

Rovinski's unit consisted of about 500 Seabees. Prior to his deployment Rovinski could not discuss the mission ahead, but said the Seabees did anything from building bridges and repairing roads to constructing schools and hospitals.

Those who knew Rovinski said the veteran was a hero. Rovinski was looking forward to going to Iraq in January. He was eager to serve his county, as well as bringing democracy to Iraq.

The Seabees was Rovinski's second military career.

He was in the Army during the first Gulf Ear as an eye specialist. He spent eight years in the U.S.Army and left the service at the end of the war.

Rovinski was working as a correction officer at the Henry Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg when some friends told him about the Seabees. Even though Rovinski never saw the classic John Wayne movie "The Fighting Seabees," he decided to join the naval reserves. He made a point to catch the film after becoming a "bee."

The military and service to country has always been important to Rovinski. In January he told the Review Atlas why he signed up for the Army as well as the Navy.

"I had an uncle that died in the war and when the holidays came up I'd go to the cemetery with my family and that sticks with you," Rovinski stated. "That kind of sticks with you and I wanted to give something back. I'm happy to serve. I know that freedom is not free and I'm trying to contribute some of what my family and other veterans have contributed before me. My uncle was just a kid - a teenager - when he was killed in World War II."

Rovinski's supervisor of the correctional center said Rovinski was "an extremely good man."

"He had a lot of passion with everything he did, he always stood up for what was right," said Sgt. Todd Frederickson with the Henry Hill Correctional Center. "He always had a great deal of caring for everything he did here as an officer. Gary was also a very caring family man who loved his wife and children a great deal. That is one of the things I admired most about him - he was such a good family man."

Rovinski leaves behind his wife and two children in Roseville.

Rovinski was the first seaman killed in Iraq. Rovinski may be the first casualty from Warren County, but he is not the first casualty from the region. McDonough County has lost four native sons while Knox County has lost two residents. Henderson and Mercer counties have not lost anyone in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

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