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“Dagger” Brigade Holds Memorial Services for Fallen Soldiers
(July 6, 2011) | 
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (07/01/2011)— Soldiers and leaders from around
the 2nd “Dagger” Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry
Division, United States Division – Center and United States
Forces – Iraq, along with representatives from the U.S.
Department of State, attended memorial services June 9 and
June 20 at Joint Security Station Loyalty, Iraq, to
celebrate the lives and mourn the passing of six fallen
Dagger Brigade soldiers. |
Five fallen soldiers battle crosses and portraits, representing from left, Spc. Emilio J. Campo Jr., Spc. Robert P. Hartwick, Spc. Michael B. Cook Jr., Spc. Christopher B. Fishbeck, and Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, stand atop a platform prior to a memorial service for the five fallen soldiers, all of whom were assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, June 9,
2011 at Joint Security Station Loyalty, Iraq. These soldiers died June 6,
2011 and a sixth, Spc. Marcos A. Cintron, died June 16,
2011 from wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire. |
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Spcs. Emilio J. Campo Jr., 20, Robert P. Hartwick, 20,
Michael B. Cook Jr., 27, Christopher B. Fishbeck, 24, and
Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, 26, died June 6 of wounds suffered
when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire.
Spc. Marcos A. Cintron, 32, died June 16 at a
medical facility in Boston of wounds suffered in those
attacks. His memorial was held June 20.
All six
soldiers were assigned to the 1st “First Lightning”
Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf.
Div., USD-C.
“As for most of you here, the thought of
each of our heroes departing our formation has been both
extremely difficult and challenging,” said Lt. Col. Andrew
Gainey, commander of 1st Bn., 7th FA Regt. “Challenging and
difficult because these were exceptional American soldiers
who represented the Army values that make this the most
respected organization in America. They were husbands, they
were fathers, brothers, sons, and friends, but most of all,
our soldiers and our heroes.”
Though Campo, a
Madelia, Minn., native, and Hartwick, a Rockbridge, Ohio,
native, served together as medics in Headquarters and
Headquarters Battery, 1st Bn., 7th FA Regt., their
personalities were quite different.
“Spc. Hartwick
was bold and outspoken and would never back down from a
challenge; he was very outgoing, adventurous and made
friends easily,” said Spc. Derek Wolske, a medic with 1st
Bn., 7th FA Regt. and a Waukesha, Wis., native. “Campo, on
the other hand, was soft-spoken, organized, athletic and
very confident in his approach to life.”
Wolske said
Hartwick and Campo, who were roommates, did have something
in common, however.
“They were both great friends
with each other and all of us,” he said. “They were honored
to serve as medics and care for all of you ... Spc. Hartwick
and Spc. Campo, it was our honor to serve with both of you.”
Cook, a Middletown, Ohio, native, served as an automated
field artillery tactical data system specialist with Battery
B, 1st Bn., 7th FA Regt. As one of the older soldiers in his
unit, he served as a kind of mentor to the younger soldiers.
“Spc. Cook was an excellent battle buddy,” said Pfc.
Marquis Davis, also with Battery B and an Enterprise, Ala.,
native. “His ability to teach, listen and work with other
Soldiers was outstanding and I was impressed and inspired to
become a better Soldier every day.”
Cook had the
tools of his trade down pat, Davis said.
“Cook was a
genius and he knew the system like clockwork, and whatever
he could do to become better he would do it.”
Fishbeck, a Victorville, Calif., native, served in HHB, 1st
Bn., 7th FA Regt., in the same Military Occupational
Specialty as Cook. Full of enthusiasm and determination,
Fishbeck was remembered for his unique drive.
“Fishbeck
wasn't the tallest guy, and we have air ducts that are
ten-and-a-half feet high,” said Spc. Shadrach Brock, also of
HHB and a Fort Payne, Ala., native. “We all managed to get a
finger on it except Fishbeck. Well, he wasn't having any of
it, so even though the rest of us were howling and laughing,
Fishbeck jumped for at least an hour—bound and determined to
touch that air duct until finally we told him that he
touched it just so he would stop.”
Fishbeck was
recently married to his high school sweetheart, Stephanie
Kidder. The couple wed while Fishbeck was on leave.
“The entire time I worked with him out here, he talked about
her,” Brock said. “Every day he had to tell me something
about the conversation they had the night before, and how
much he loved her.”
Olivieri, a Chicago native, was,
like Cook and Fishbeck, an automated field artillery
tactical data system specialist, though he served as an
intelligence analyst during this deployment. He was
well-suited for the job.
“He made certain that I was
kept informed of every matter and the care and thoroughness
with which he mastered the immense daily flow of information
made a profound mark,” said Capt. Joshua Krause,
intelligence officer with HHB, 1st Bn., 7th FA Regt. and a
South Dakota native. “Of all the intelligence sections that
I have been a part of, he is and will remain one of the top
performers that I am humbled to have served and served
with.”
Cintron, a cannon crew member with Battery B
and an Orlando, Fla., native, left a lucrative career with a
major airline to enlist in the Army, even though he had a
degree and could have entered the officer corps.
When
asked about why he would do such a thing, Cintron would
always say, “I'm doing this for my father. He asked me to do
this for the honor of our family,” said Spc. Richard
Zacarias, also of Battery B and a Las Vegas native.
Cintron was a devoted family man, who was proud of his wife
and family, through whom his legacy will endure, Zacarias
said.
“In the end, even though our brother-in-arms
and one of my best friends is no longer here, his smile, his
self-respect, love and commitment to his family and brethren
around him will never be lost,” he said. “His legacy
continues through his family and the stories and memories we
shared with him.”
Gainey urged his battalion to band
together in spite of the tragic recent events.
“Though our hearts are heavy, we will not bow to the threats
that exist outside this formation. We must gain strength
from the sacrifices made by our heroes, and galvanize as a
unit and continue to defend the very freedom our brothers
died protecting.” | |
Article and Photo by Army Spc. Daniel Stoutamire
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs
Copyright 2011
Provided
through DVIDS
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