Iraq War Casualty
Corporal Jonathan F. Blair, 21, died November 19, 2005 near Bayji, Iraq, during combat operations. He was a member of Co. B, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101 Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY. He has been awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Expert Markmanship for M-16 Rifle and the Combat Infantry Medal. He was a senior at Elmhurst High School on 9-11, when the tragedy occurred. At that point he determined he would join the armed forces after graduation and do what he could to help make this country a safer place. He joined the Army in October, 2002, after graduation. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Survived by his mother, Vicki J. Blair; sister, Jessica Blair; father, Kent Blair; two half-brothers, Kent Jr., and Aaron Blair; one step-sister, Tammy Jo; three nieces, Gracie, Autumn and Erin; his maternal grandparents, John and Theresa Bennett; maternal great-grandmother, Opal Syndram; fraternal great-grandmother, Zelda Garrison; 25 aunts and uncles and 29 counsins. He was preceded in death by his fraternal grandparents, Richard and Beverly Blair. Service is 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at Waynedale Baptist Church, 633 Lower Huntington Road. Arrangements by Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home for Funerals.
~ Jonathan F. Blair was one of four victims Saturday. ~
A 21-year-old Fort Wayne man was among four soldiers killed Saturday in Bayji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvees during combat, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, of the 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
Blair joined the Army in October 2002 and arrived at Fort Campbell in March 2003, according to a written statement from Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Ann Tyler. He is survived by his mother, Vickie Blair of Fort Wayne, and his father, whose address is unknown.
"The family is not prepared to make a statement at this time," Vickie Blair said Tuesday night.
Also killed in the explosion were 1st Lt. Dennis Zilinski, 23, of Freehold, N.J.;
Staff Sgt. Edward Karolasz, 25, of Kearny, N.J.; and
Spc. Dominic Hinton, 24, of Jacksonville, Texas.
Memorial services for the soldiers will be held in Iraq at a time to be determined. Fort Campbell also has a memorial ceremony monthly for its soldiers; the next is scheduled for Dec. 14.
No information was available this morning on local services for Blair. His death marks the third of a northeast Indiana soldier in less than a month and the fourth this year:
♦On Nov. 12, Lance Cpl. Scott Zubowski, 20, of North Manchester, died after a roadside bomb exploded beneath his military vehicle near Fallujah, in Iraq's Al Anbar province.
♦On Oct. 25, Sgt. Christopher T. Monroe, 19, of Kendallville, died in Basra, Iraq, after his truck was involved in an accident with a civilian vehicle.
♦On March 26, Bluffton native Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester died when a mine detonated near his vehicle outside Kabul, Afghanistan.
Blair is the second Fort Wayne native killed in the war on terror.
Brian Penisten, 28, was among 16 soldiers killed Nov. 2, 2003, in a missile attack on a helicopter near Fallujah.
Published in Fort Wayne Newspapers on November 23, 2005
Print
* * Al Burns, a history teacher at Elmhurst High School, remembers arriving at school the morning after the 2001 terrorist attacks and being greeted at the door by Jonathan F. Blair. "He wanted to talk about it," Burns said. "I can see him being a dedicated soldier, because he was that way as a student." Blair, 21, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was killed Nov. 19 by a roadside bomb in Beiji. He was assigned to Fort Campbell. His former teacher Keith Edmonds said Blair would become fully engrossed in subjects that caught his interest and "was very intellectual at an early age, which is rare." Blair enlisted in October 2002, during his senior year and a few months after the terror attacks. "After that day, he wanted to be a part of stopping that," said longtime friend April Mills. "He didn''t want any more family members to suffer." Mills remembers working behind the scenes with him on theatrical productions at their alma mater and said Blair even had bit roles in a couple of the plays. "He didn''t believe in ''I can''t.''" He is survived by his parents, Vickie and Kent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLdrvPHYVg&feature=related
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Please Note - The Links Provided Below Are For His Grandmother And His Mom`s Sister ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Corporal Jonathan F. Blair, 21, died November 19, 2005 near Bayji, Iraq, during combat operations. He was a member of Co. B, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101 Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY. He has been awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Expert Markmanship for M-16 Rifle and the Combat Infantry Medal. He was a senior at Elmhurst High School on 9-11, when the tragedy occurred. At that point he determined he would join the armed forces after graduation and do what he could to help make this country a safer place. He joined the Army in October, 2002, after graduation. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Survived by his mother, Vicki J. Blair; sister, Jessica Blair; father, Kent Blair; two half-brothers, Kent Jr., and Aaron Blair; one step-sister, Tammy Jo; three nieces, Gracie, Autumn and Erin; his maternal grandparents, John and Theresa Bennett; maternal great-grandmother, Opal Syndram; fraternal great-grandmother, Zelda Garrison; 25 aunts and uncles and 29 counsins. He was preceded in death by his fraternal grandparents, Richard and Beverly Blair. Service is 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at Waynedale Baptist Church, 633 Lower Huntington Road. Arrangements by Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home for Funerals.
~ Jonathan F. Blair was one of four victims Saturday. ~
A 21-year-old Fort Wayne man was among four soldiers killed Saturday in Bayji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvees during combat, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, of the 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
Blair joined the Army in October 2002 and arrived at Fort Campbell in March 2003, according to a written statement from Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Ann Tyler. He is survived by his mother, Vickie Blair of Fort Wayne, and his father, whose address is unknown.
"The family is not prepared to make a statement at this time," Vickie Blair said Tuesday night.
Also killed in the explosion were 1st Lt. Dennis Zilinski, 23, of Freehold, N.J.;
Staff Sgt. Edward Karolasz, 25, of Kearny, N.J.; and
Spc. Dominic Hinton, 24, of Jacksonville, Texas.
Memorial services for the soldiers will be held in Iraq at a time to be determined. Fort Campbell also has a memorial ceremony monthly for its soldiers; the next is scheduled for Dec. 14.
No information was available this morning on local services for Blair. His death marks the third of a northeast Indiana soldier in less than a month and the fourth this year:
♦On Nov. 12, Lance Cpl. Scott Zubowski, 20, of North Manchester, died after a roadside bomb exploded beneath his military vehicle near Fallujah, in Iraq's Al Anbar province.
♦On Oct. 25, Sgt. Christopher T. Monroe, 19, of Kendallville, died in Basra, Iraq, after his truck was involved in an accident with a civilian vehicle.
♦On March 26, Bluffton native Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester died when a mine detonated near his vehicle outside Kabul, Afghanistan.
Blair is the second Fort Wayne native killed in the war on terror.
Brian Penisten, 28, was among 16 soldiers killed Nov. 2, 2003, in a missile attack on a helicopter near Fallujah.
Published in Fort Wayne Newspapers on November 23, 2005
* * Al Burns, a history teacher at Elmhurst High School, remembers arriving at school the morning after the 2001 terrorist attacks and being greeted at the door by Jonathan F. Blair. "He wanted to talk about it," Burns said. "I can see him being a dedicated soldier, because he was that way as a student." Blair, 21, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was killed Nov. 19 by a roadside bomb in Beiji. He was assigned to Fort Campbell. His former teacher Keith Edmonds said Blair would become fully engrossed in subjects that caught his interest and "was very intellectual at an early age, which is rare." Blair enlisted in October 2002, during his senior year and a few months after the terror attacks. "After that day, he wanted to be a part of stopping that," said longtime friend April Mills. "He didn''t want any more family members to suffer." Mills remembers working behind the scenes with him on theatrical productions at their alma mater and said Blair even had bit roles in a couple of the plays. "He didn''t believe in ''I can''t.''" He is survived by his parents, Vickie and Kent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLdrvPHYVg&feature=related
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Please Note - The Links Provided Below Are For His Grandmother And His Mom`s Sister ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Iraq War Casualty
Corporal Jonathan F. Blair, 21, died November 19, 2005 near Bayji, Iraq, during combat operations. He was a member of Co. B, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101 Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY. He has been awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Expert Markmanship for M-16 Rifle and the Combat Infantry Medal. He was a senior at Elmhurst High School on 9-11, when the tragedy occurred. At that point he determined he would join the armed forces after graduation and do what he could to help make this country a safer place. He joined the Army in October, 2002, after graduation. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Survived by his mother, Vicki J. Blair; sister, Jessica Blair; father, Kent Blair; two half-brothers, Kent Jr., and Aaron Blair; one step-sister, Tammy Jo; three nieces, Gracie, Autumn and Erin; his maternal grandparents, John and Theresa Bennett; maternal great-grandmother, Opal Syndram; fraternal great-grandmother, Zelda Garrison; 25 aunts and uncles and 29 counsins. He was preceded in death by his fraternal grandparents, Richard and Beverly Blair. Service is 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at Waynedale Baptist Church, 633 Lower Huntington Road. Arrangements by Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home for Funerals.
~ Jonathan F. Blair was one of four victims Saturday. ~
A 21-year-old Fort Wayne man was among four soldiers killed Saturday in Bayji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvees during combat, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, of the 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
Blair joined the Army in October 2002 and arrived at Fort Campbell in March 2003, according to a written statement from Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Ann Tyler. He is survived by his mother, Vickie Blair of Fort Wayne, and his father, whose address is unknown.
"The family is not prepared to make a statement at this time," Vickie Blair said Tuesday night.
Also killed in the explosion were 1st Lt. Dennis Zilinski, 23, of Freehold, N.J.;
Staff Sgt. Edward Karolasz, 25, of Kearny, N.J.; and
Spc. Dominic Hinton, 24, of Jacksonville, Texas.
Memorial services for the soldiers will be held in Iraq at a time to be determined. Fort Campbell also has a memorial ceremony monthly for its soldiers; the next is scheduled for Dec. 14.
No information was available this morning on local services for Blair. His death marks the third of a northeast Indiana soldier in less than a month and the fourth this year:
♦On Nov. 12, Lance Cpl. Scott Zubowski, 20, of North Manchester, died after a roadside bomb exploded beneath his military vehicle near Fallujah, in Iraq's Al Anbar province.
♦On Oct. 25, Sgt. Christopher T. Monroe, 19, of Kendallville, died in Basra, Iraq, after his truck was involved in an accident with a civilian vehicle.
♦On March 26, Bluffton native Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester died when a mine detonated near his vehicle outside Kabul, Afghanistan.
Blair is the second Fort Wayne native killed in the war on terror.
Brian Penisten, 28, was among 16 soldiers killed Nov. 2, 2003, in a missile attack on a helicopter near Fallujah.
Published in Fort Wayne Newspapers on November 23, 2005
Print
* * Al Burns, a history teacher at Elmhurst High School, remembers arriving at school the morning after the 2001 terrorist attacks and being greeted at the door by Jonathan F. Blair. "He wanted to talk about it," Burns said. "I can see him being a dedicated soldier, because he was that way as a student." Blair, 21, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was killed Nov. 19 by a roadside bomb in Beiji. He was assigned to Fort Campbell. His former teacher Keith Edmonds said Blair would become fully engrossed in subjects that caught his interest and "was very intellectual at an early age, which is rare." Blair enlisted in October 2002, during his senior year and a few months after the terror attacks. "After that day, he wanted to be a part of stopping that," said longtime friend April Mills. "He didn''t want any more family members to suffer." Mills remembers working behind the scenes with him on theatrical productions at their alma mater and said Blair even had bit roles in a couple of the plays. "He didn''t believe in ''I can''t.''" He is survived by his parents, Vickie and Kent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLdrvPHYVg&feature=related
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Please Note - The Links Provided Below Are For His Grandmother And His Mom`s Sister ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Corporal Jonathan F. Blair, 21, died November 19, 2005 near Bayji, Iraq, during combat operations. He was a member of Co. B, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101 Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY. He has been awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Expert Markmanship for M-16 Rifle and the Combat Infantry Medal. He was a senior at Elmhurst High School on 9-11, when the tragedy occurred. At that point he determined he would join the armed forces after graduation and do what he could to help make this country a safer place. He joined the Army in October, 2002, after graduation. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Survived by his mother, Vicki J. Blair; sister, Jessica Blair; father, Kent Blair; two half-brothers, Kent Jr., and Aaron Blair; one step-sister, Tammy Jo; three nieces, Gracie, Autumn and Erin; his maternal grandparents, John and Theresa Bennett; maternal great-grandmother, Opal Syndram; fraternal great-grandmother, Zelda Garrison; 25 aunts and uncles and 29 counsins. He was preceded in death by his fraternal grandparents, Richard and Beverly Blair. Service is 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at Waynedale Baptist Church, 633 Lower Huntington Road. Arrangements by Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home for Funerals.
~ Jonathan F. Blair was one of four victims Saturday. ~
A 21-year-old Fort Wayne man was among four soldiers killed Saturday in Bayji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvees during combat, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, of the 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
Blair joined the Army in October 2002 and arrived at Fort Campbell in March 2003, according to a written statement from Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Ann Tyler. He is survived by his mother, Vickie Blair of Fort Wayne, and his father, whose address is unknown.
"The family is not prepared to make a statement at this time," Vickie Blair said Tuesday night.
Also killed in the explosion were 1st Lt. Dennis Zilinski, 23, of Freehold, N.J.;
Staff Sgt. Edward Karolasz, 25, of Kearny, N.J.; and
Spc. Dominic Hinton, 24, of Jacksonville, Texas.
Memorial services for the soldiers will be held in Iraq at a time to be determined. Fort Campbell also has a memorial ceremony monthly for its soldiers; the next is scheduled for Dec. 14.
No information was available this morning on local services for Blair. His death marks the third of a northeast Indiana soldier in less than a month and the fourth this year:
♦On Nov. 12, Lance Cpl. Scott Zubowski, 20, of North Manchester, died after a roadside bomb exploded beneath his military vehicle near Fallujah, in Iraq's Al Anbar province.
♦On Oct. 25, Sgt. Christopher T. Monroe, 19, of Kendallville, died in Basra, Iraq, after his truck was involved in an accident with a civilian vehicle.
♦On March 26, Bluffton native Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester died when a mine detonated near his vehicle outside Kabul, Afghanistan.
Blair is the second Fort Wayne native killed in the war on terror.
Brian Penisten, 28, was among 16 soldiers killed Nov. 2, 2003, in a missile attack on a helicopter near Fallujah.
Published in Fort Wayne Newspapers on November 23, 2005
* * Al Burns, a history teacher at Elmhurst High School, remembers arriving at school the morning after the 2001 terrorist attacks and being greeted at the door by Jonathan F. Blair. "He wanted to talk about it," Burns said. "I can see him being a dedicated soldier, because he was that way as a student." Blair, 21, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was killed Nov. 19 by a roadside bomb in Beiji. He was assigned to Fort Campbell. His former teacher Keith Edmonds said Blair would become fully engrossed in subjects that caught his interest and "was very intellectual at an early age, which is rare." Blair enlisted in October 2002, during his senior year and a few months after the terror attacks. "After that day, he wanted to be a part of stopping that," said longtime friend April Mills. "He didn''t want any more family members to suffer." Mills remembers working behind the scenes with him on theatrical productions at their alma mater and said Blair even had bit roles in a couple of the plays. "He didn''t believe in ''I can''t.''" He is survived by his parents, Vickie and Kent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLdrvPHYVg&feature=related
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Please Note - The Links Provided Below Are For His Grandmother And His Mom`s Sister ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Inscription
CPL US Army
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Operation Iraqi Freedom
