Fallen but not forgotten: Staff Sgt. Jason Brown
Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 2:57 PM by Daily Nightly Contributor
Filed Under:
John Rutherford
By John Rutherford, Producer, NBC News, Washington
There's not a lot of information available on Army Staff Sgt. Jason L. Brown, a 29-year-old Green Beret killed April 17 in Iraq.
He was from Magnolia, Texas, north of Houston, and he graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in criminal justice. He enlisted in 2003 and was just two weeks from completing his second tour in Iraq when he died.
He was killed by small arms fire while entering a building in Sama Village in search of an Al Qaeda leader. He is survived by a daughter, Alyssa Gomez of Cypress, Texas, and his parents, Rosemary and James Brown of Cartwright, Okla.
His mother and father were too distraught to talk to reporters after his death, but you can practically trace his life through the tributes friends wrote in the online Guest Book:
"I remember like it was yesterday the fun we had growing up together - playing slip n slide on the side of your house ... and going to the state fair with our dads (I rode the rides with my dad, you always rode by yourself - even then you were strong and courageous)."
"It feels like it was just yesterday that Dad was coaching yall in pee-wee football. All the cheerleaders just went crazy over you!!!"
"I still have not paid for my roommate's door you kicked down so you could crash in his bed my freshman year at SFA! :)"
"You always found a way to brighten my day (Vitamin 'J')."
"You were the type of person who knew how to have fun and live life to its fullest. My heart goes out to your mom and dad and especially little peewee."
A funeral was held for Brown on April 26 at the First Baptist Church in Durant, Okla. He was buried last week in a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, the 420th casualty of the Iraq War to be buried at Arlington.
Click here to view tributes to the 186 service members killed this year in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the following 20 casualties from last week:
1. Army Sgt. Jerry DeLoach, 45, of Jonesboro, Ga.
2. Marine Sgt. Merlin German, 22, of Manhattan, N.Y.
3. Army Pfc. William Dix, 32, of South Hill, Va.
4. Army Pfc. Adam Marion, 26, of Mount Airy, N.C.
5. Army Sgt. Marcus Mathes, 26, of Zephyrhills, Fla.
6. Army Sgt. Mark Stone, 22, of Buchanan Dam, Texas.
7. Army Spc. David McCormick, 26, of Bay City, Texas.
8. Air Force Senior Airman Jonathan Yelner, 24, of Lafayette, Calif.
9. Army Sgt. 1st Class David McDowell, 30, of Ramona, Calif.
10. Army Staff Sgt. Clay Craig, 22, of Mesquite, Texas.
11. Army Staff Sgt. Bryan Bolander, 26, of Hemet, Calif.
12. Army Spc. Jeffrey Nichols, 21, of Granite Shoals, Texas.
13. Army Cpt. Andrew Pearson, 32, of Billings, Mont.
14. Army Spc. Ronald Tucker, 21, of Fountain, Colo.
15. Army Staff Sgt. Chad Caldwell, 24, of Spokane, Wash.
16. Army Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence Ezell, 30, of Portland, Texas.
17. Army Pvt. Corey Hicks, 22, of Glendale, Ariz.
18. Marine Sgt. Glen Martinez, 31, of Monte Vista, Colo.
19. Marine Lance Cpl. Casey Casanova, 22, of McComb, Miss.
20. Marine Lance Cpl. James Kimple, 21, of Amanda, Ohio.
Washington Producer John Rutherford is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He also posts stories on the military at www.fieldnotes.msnbc.com (click on "John Rutherford" under "categories") and at http://john-rutherford.newsvine.com/. The tribute gallery can be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22802019/.
