Pfc Gideon was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. He died at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered earlier that day in Paktya, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. Nick was originally from Murrietta, California and attended Chaparral High School in Temecula, California. The military was very much a part of his family's life – his great-grandfather served in the Austrian cavalry, his grandfather Joe Welzen was a pilot who lost his left leg when his Navy jet crashed, and his step-dad Mike Tyndale is a career Marine who served in Iraq a few years ago. So it was not a surprise when Nick joined the Army in June 2008. He wanted everyone to be safe and he wanted to protect our country. Nick never thought of himself – always others. He had a heart breaker smile, a humorous smirk, a contagious laugh and amazing humor. Nick was fearless, adventurous, intelligent, big-hearted, honest, sarcastic and funny. He was proud of being in the Army and when he talked about missions and promotions his face would light up. His awards include a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. Nick loved motorcycles, skydiving, hockey, the saxophone, baseball and football. In-N-Out Burger was what he could live on, green was his favorite color and the Minnesota Vikings were his favorite football team. Nick was only 20 years old when he died but he lived more in his 20 years than most people live in their entire life.
Pfc Gideon was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. He died at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered earlier that day in Paktya, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. Nick was originally from Murrietta, California and attended Chaparral High School in Temecula, California. The military was very much a part of his family's life – his great-grandfather served in the Austrian cavalry, his grandfather Joe Welzen was a pilot who lost his left leg when his Navy jet crashed, and his step-dad Mike Tyndale is a career Marine who served in Iraq a few years ago. So it was not a surprise when Nick joined the Army in June 2008. He wanted everyone to be safe and he wanted to protect our country. Nick never thought of himself – always others. He had a heart breaker smile, a humorous smirk, a contagious laugh and amazing humor. Nick was fearless, adventurous, intelligent, big-hearted, honest, sarcastic and funny. He was proud of being in the Army and when he talked about missions and promotions his face would light up. His awards include a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. Nick loved motorcycles, skydiving, hockey, the saxophone, baseball and football. In-N-Out Burger was what he could live on, green was his favorite color and the Minnesota Vikings were his favorite football team. Nick was only 20 years old when he died but he lived more in his 20 years than most people live in their entire life.
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