Justin D. Wisniewski

Wednesday, May 23 2007 @ 02:34 AM EDT

The Saginaw News -- STANDISH -- Silence fell Monday afternoon on Standish-Sterling Central High School as a small community recognized Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski with a moment of tribute.

Wisniewski, 22, died Saturday in Lutfiyah, Iraq, from wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit, the Department of Defense said Monday.

"He served his country and provided us freedom," said Principal Mark Williams, who was assistant principal during the four years Wisniewski walked the school halls.

Wisniewski was with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

The son of Dan and Cheryl Wisniewski of Standish, he was a 2003 graduate of Standish-Sterling Central.

"He served his country proudly, and for that, he'll be a distinguished alumni here at Standish-Sterling Central forever," said Mayor Kevin King, a government teacher at the school.

King said he had the pleasure of knowing Wisniewski for about 10 years, as a teacher and a family friend.

"You go into teaching for many reasons," he said. "Having the ability to meet someone like Justin is one of those reasons. He was a quality character, someone we flat-out will never forget."

At 6-feet 2-inches, Wisniewski was a lineman for the football team, weighing in at 235 pounds.

His personality was just as big.

"He had a knack for making everyone else around him happy," King said. "He was always happy -- he had a million-dollar smile."

After graduation, Wisniewski enlisted in the military, along with good friend Andrew Dunn, who is in New York awaiting deployment after he marries high school sweetheart Lauren Szostak in June. The two friends enlisted along with classmates Michael Stawowy and Matt Bonnau.

"He made a decision to serve his country in a time of war," King said. "That says a lot about his character."

The military has not released details whether Saturday's death was an isolated incident or whether others died in the blast. Wisniewski was home a month ago and was due home again in August, friends said.

"He was the recipient of an Army Commendation Medal," Williams said. "The reason why he received that is because he helped create a landing zone for a Med-Evac helicopter, which resulted in the survival of his injured platoon leader."

King said he kept in touch with Wisniewski, and had the chance to catch up with him on trips home to Standish.

"I did see him just about every time he came home on leave," he said. "I saw him about five weeks ago, and he was the same old Justin."

Funeral information is pending, although Williams said it likely will take place at the school to accommodate the many expected to attend.

Some paid tribute Monday, stopping to view the fallen soldier's military picture pinned to a school bulletin board.

King said Wisniewski came from a supportive family and has one brother, Jason, and two sisters, Jessica and Jodi.

Jessica, 24, has posted an online tribute, saying she'll spend the rest of her life remembering her brother.

"We have spent the last two years without him, the last two Christmases, the last two Thanksgivings," she wrote. "Now we will spend the rest of our lives without him."

With that, she also left these words from her brother: "If I don't make it out of this place, remember that I will always be your soldier. All you have to do is look to the sky and say my name and I will be there.

"I will protect you and watch over you."

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