Sgt. Gerald J. Cassidy of Westfield, Indiana graduated from Carmel High School and attended IUPUI as well as The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. His hope was to be a Jr. High or High School History teacher after his retirement from the Guard. Sgt. Cassidy was involved in the six week summer camp program at Culver Military Academy from the age of 9 years until he was 17 years old. He was a member of the Black Horse Troop. He was on the Precision Drill Team on Horseback and played polo. When he graduated from the Culver program he was Adjutant Commander of 85 young men. He enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1992 and joined the National Guard in 2003. As a Guardsman, previously assigned to a unit of the 152nd Mechanized Infantry, he had served with fellow Hoosiers in Bosnia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004. He later volunteered for combat duty with the Minnesota unit in Iraq. For stateside service, Sgt. Cassidy had been awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal in recognition of his participation in Hurricane Katrina Operation Vigilant Relief. He was wounded during combat operations and was returned to the states in April after a year of duty. Gerald served a tour in Bosnia, was decorated for his humanitarian work after Hurricane Katrina and, when another unit was short-handed, volunteered for duty in Iraq. Gerald had always wanted to be a soldier. His love for the Indiana National Guard was only surpassed by his love for his family. His dream was to have a full time National Guard job when his medical treatment was at an end. He was told to apply to the Guard for a position because there were usually job opportunities available to solid, competent combat veterans like himself with a Sgt. E5 ranking. His family was told that his Guard record was exemplary. Known as G.J. by his family, was a very warm, friendly and loving young man. He always had a smile on his face and never met a stranger. He would have been 32 years old on November 10th. He was preceded in death by his sister, Kathleen Erin Cassidy, his maternal grandfather, Howard McCarty of West Lafayette, and paternal grandparents, Joseph and Rita Cassidy of Lafayette. He died in Fort Knox, Ky., where he had been assigned to the Wounded Warrior Transition Program. He was 32.
National Guard
Battery C
2-150th Field Artillery Battalion
National Guard
Battery C
2-150th Field Artillery Battalion
Sgt. Gerald J. Cassidy of Westfield, Indiana graduated from Carmel High School and attended IUPUI as well as The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. His hope was to be a Jr. High or High School History teacher after his retirement from the Guard. Sgt. Cassidy was involved in the six week summer camp program at Culver Military Academy from the age of 9 years until he was 17 years old. He was a member of the Black Horse Troop. He was on the Precision Drill Team on Horseback and played polo. When he graduated from the Culver program he was Adjutant Commander of 85 young men. He enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1992 and joined the National Guard in 2003. As a Guardsman, previously assigned to a unit of the 152nd Mechanized Infantry, he had served with fellow Hoosiers in Bosnia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004. He later volunteered for combat duty with the Minnesota unit in Iraq. For stateside service, Sgt. Cassidy had been awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal in recognition of his participation in Hurricane Katrina Operation Vigilant Relief. He was wounded during combat operations and was returned to the states in April after a year of duty. Gerald served a tour in Bosnia, was decorated for his humanitarian work after Hurricane Katrina and, when another unit was short-handed, volunteered for duty in Iraq. Gerald had always wanted to be a soldier. His love for the Indiana National Guard was only surpassed by his love for his family. His dream was to have a full time National Guard job when his medical treatment was at an end. He was told to apply to the Guard for a position because there were usually job opportunities available to solid, competent combat veterans like himself with a Sgt. E5 ranking. His family was told that his Guard record was exemplary. Known as G.J. by his family, was a very warm, friendly and loving young man. He always had a smile on his face and never met a stranger. He would have been 32 years old on November 10th. He was preceded in death by his sister, Kathleen Erin Cassidy, his maternal grandfather, Howard McCarty of West Lafayette, and paternal grandparents, Joseph and Rita Cassidy of Lafayette. He died in Fort Knox, Ky., where he had been assigned to the Wounded Warrior Transition Program. He was 32.
National Guard
Battery C
2-150th Field Artillery Battalion
National Guard
Battery C
2-150th Field Artillery Battalion
