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Andrew Wallace

    
Wednesday, September 28 2005 @ 08:17 AM EDT
Contributed by: tomw
Views: 2,072
Individuals USOshkosh Northwestern -- An Oshkosh soldier killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom is being remembered for his love of family and country and for his dedication as a teacher and wrestling coach.

Sgt. Andrew Wallace, 25, was killed by a roadside bomb, while he helped escort a convoy of supply trucks in Iraq, his father, Pete Wallace, said Tuesday.

Wallace said his son joined the Army National Guard in part to help pay for college costs, but he also had a deep and lasting patriotism for his country.

“He was proud to serve his country and he knew the risks that came with it,” said Wallace, who lives in the Dodge County community of Fox Lake. “Everything he did, he did with enthusiasm. He enjoyed sports with enthusiasm and he loved his country with enthusiasm.”

He said his son was in good spirits when he last talked to him via cell phone about a week ago.

“He called me at work,” Wallace said. “He preferred being out on the missions instead of being back in the base.”

Wallace served with the Wisconsin Army National Guard 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment based in Appleton.


Also killed by the roadside bomb in Shaibah, Iraq, was Spc. Michael Wendling, 20, of Mayville, who was driving the Humvee that he, Wallace and another soldier were riding in near Basra at the time of the explosion, Wendling’s father, Randy Wendling, said Tuesday. Wallace was the team leader who normally sits in the front passenger seat. The third soldier, who was injured, served as a gunner.

Major Gen. Albert H. Wilkening of the Wisconsin National Guard said he has ordered flags of all Wisconsin National Guard armories, air bases and other facilities lowered to half-staff in memory of Wallace and Wendling.

Wallace, a physical education teacher since 2003 who taught at Oshkosh North High School and Emmeline Cook Elementary School, was deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in June. His father said Wallace was a member of the National Guard for about six years.

Pete Wallace recalled the last time he saw his son, which was June 9 for a sendoff at Volk Field at Camp Douglas in western Wisconsin. He said family members gave him hugs, plenty of love and told him to stay safe before he departed.

“He wanted to come home as a veteran,” Wallace said.

Wallace’s father said funeral arrangements are pending.

Overall, 46 Wisconsin military members have died during the war in Iraq and so have more than 1,900 U.S. troops nationwide. Local soldiers who died include Pfc. Brent Vroman of Omro, who was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and Army Reserve Capt. Benjamin Jansky of Oshkosh.

Wallace’s death was a shock to those who knew him, including wrestlers at North, where he was an assistant wrestling coach.

“He was there for us all of the time and whenever we had a problem we could go to him. He was easy going and fun to be around,” said senior Nick Wolff, a member of the North wrestling team. “He taught us to respect everybody no matter what happened to us.”

Wallace was a 1998 graduate of Ripon High School where he played football, baseball and wrestled. His father said Wallace also was a WIAA football official and had been an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers.

Lucas Seelow, a senior at North and a member of the wrestling team, said Wallace put a smile on the faces of wrestlers.

“He liked the sport and enjoyed being out there with us,” Seelow said. “He was at school at 6:30 each morning to help anyone who wanted to lift weights and to give his support.”

Gary Westerman, former head wrestling coach at North, said Wallace’s enthusiasm was contagious.

“Andrew was the ultimate kid at heart. He was never in a bad mood and always smiling and had positive things to say,” said Westerman, who is a physical education teacher at a Kimberly Middle School. “He was an all-around great guy and a great friend.”

Westerman said Wallace was proud to be in the military and often talked about it. He said Wallace and his wife had just purchased a house in Oshkosh.

“He was real excited about that,” Westerman said. “He couldn’t wait to have me over.”

Phil Marshall, principal at Emmeline Cook, said Wallace kept in contact with school staff via a Web site.

“He would take pictures of all the missions he was on and would post them on the Web site so we could get a look at what was going on,” Marshall said. “He sent e-mails to staff updating what was happening in Iraq. It was really a comfort to us to have contact with him on a regular basis.”

Marshall said Wallace was an extraordinary person.

“He made an impact on everyone in school from students to staff and parents,” Marshall said. “He always had a smile on his face and a positive attitude. The lack of that energy has left a big hole here.”
 
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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Andrew Wallace
Authored by: anonymous on Friday, September 30 2005 @ 10:19 PM EDT
Andy will be missed by all who knew him. He was a fantastic teacher and co worker and I was privledged to have known him. He and his wife are two of the nicest people I have ever met. May God be with his family at this time of great loss.
Andrew Wallace
Authored by: anonymous on Saturday, October 01 2005 @ 10:31 AM EDT
It was a real privilage to have him as a coach. Win or loss coach was always there to tell you "Nice job" He will be missed this year at North.
Will miss ya Coach-Oshkosh North Wrestling Team
Andrew Wallace
Authored by: anonymous on Sunday, October 02 2005 @ 08:30 PM EDT
Andrew,
I would like to say thank you to you and the other soldier who died in your unit(2/127th Inf.) for your service and sacrifice for our Country. And to your family, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

"Les Terribles"(127th Inf. Motto)
Andrew Wallace
Authored by: anonymous on Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 03:55 AM EDT
Dear Wallace Family, please except my deepest sympathy for the lose of your son. I thought it might be of some comfort for you to know that he did not suffer. I was at the scene, his injuries were such, that he would not have been aware of what had happened to him.
He was a very brave man, and a credit to your country!!
A British Soldier.
Andrew Wallace
Authored by: anonymous on Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 05:32 PM EDT
Dear wallace family , I offer my sympthies, i am a british medic who was called to aid your son , no amount of words can amend the pain you are feeling but take a small piece of comfort that he passed on peacefully and in the company of brother soldiers who carred for him as much as you did . He served his country well as do us all who fight for our brothers in arms and our loved ones.
l/cpl KJA R.A.M.C
  • Andrew Wallace - Authored by: anonymous on Sunday, October 09 2005 @ 10:04 PM EDT
  • Andrew Wallace - Authored by: anonymous on Tuesday, October 11 2005 @ 09:52 AM EDT

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