Killed in Action Archives - Avenue of Flags

Daniel Brozovich

Greenville, PA

U.S. Army, War on Terror

When you read the profiles of the men and women whose names appear on the Vietnam Memorial, you are overwhelmed with how young most of them were when they died – in their teens or early twenties.

Not so with the heroes of the War on Terror. Sgt. Daniel Brozovich, for example, was 42 years old when he died while on patrol in Ashraf, Iraq, on October 18, 2006.

The army of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s was made up mostly of draftees and young people who enlisted to fight in Vietnam. When the war there ended, so did military conscription. The last men drafted reported for duty in June, 1973.

So it was an all-volunteer army that fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many were career military reservists who were called to active duty.

That again was the case for Sgt. Brozovich. When he and his twin brother, David, graduated from Bedford High School in 1982, Danny joined the Marines and David joined the Air Force. Four years later, Danny moved back to Pittsburgh to work for Alcoa. But he still believed in an obligation to serve his country, so he joined the National Guard.

He married Mary June Stevens; they had a daughter, Carrie. Then he moved to Greenville to work at Werner Company. That’s where their second child, Ryan, was born. For a short time before his last deployment, he worked as a guard in state prisons, first in Fayette County and then in Findlay Township.

During his military career, Sgt. Brozovich served a tour in Germany and two tours in Iraq. Daniel’s father, Anthony, admired the way Danny’s wife handled it all, calling her a rock who supported her husband and held the family together. His final assignment was with the 107th Field Artillery Battalion in New Castle.

“When he was military, he was all military,” said his mother, Beth.

His compatriots in the army agreed with her. At the news conference in the National Guard Armory in New Castle announcing his death, Lt. Col. Grey Berrier II said Sgt. Brozovich was a charismatic leader who was “fully committed in word and deed to empowering the Iraqi people to pursue political and economic freedom. He was a man who “always led from the front.” Similar praise characterized his funeral service in Greenville.

Sgt. Brozovich was well decorated with two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal.

David Veverka

Jamestown. PA

U.S. Army – War on Terror

David was born on September 15, 1980, in Greenville, PA. He grew up in a small town of Jamestown, PA. He was the star basketball player for Jamestown and also enjoyed outside sports. Graduating from Jamestown High School in 1999, David enlisted in the Army and began his training at Fort Benning, GA, where he completed jump school and training as a paratrooper. He was assigned to C Co 3rd US Infantry Regiment. David served three years with the Old Guard in Washington, D.C., at Arlington National Cemetery.

When his enlistment was up in 2002, David entered the University of Maine and majored in Wildlife Ecology and at the same time, joined the Maine Army National Guard Bravo Company 3/172 Infantry. While studying for his degree, David received numerous awards and citations for his contributions and academic records. He worked with all types of animals, both land and marine life. He became a fellow in an honors program to work with middle school students in science.

While in Maine, David enjoyed hiking, mountain climbing, watching moose in some of the wilderness areas in Maine. He loved to kayak rivers, lakes and off the ocean coastline. Whenever he came home for a visit, his kayak was always on the roof of his car!

In March of 2006, David deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. David felt he wanted to support his country just like his dad had in Vietnam and grandfather in World War II. David was killed in action on May 6, 2006, from injuries received from an lED south of Baghdad.

David was posthumously awarded a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology, magna cum laude. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 60, with so many other fallen heroes. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Airborne Wings and the Bronze Star with Valor.

We will continue to honor David and his fellow soldiers who continue to serve and sacrifice in the name of freedom. Our family has started a memorial scholarship fund in David’s honor. We hold a golf scramble each August to raise money for three $1,000 scholarships given to chosen seniors in Mercer and Crawford counties.

David was only 25 years old, but he lived everyday to be the best he could be. David always looked to capture the best that life had to offer… be it as a basketball player, a scientist on the ocean, or an avid hiker in the mountains of Maine, he “seized the day” in everything he did. He was well respected and loved by everyone who knew him. There is never a day that goes by that we don’t think about him and the many good memories we had. The tears still always come for no reason. We all love David for who he was in our lives and his memory will never die.

Lt. Col. Michael McLaughlin

Michael McLaughlin

Mercer, PA

U.S. Army – War on Terror

When one man is killed in combat, it isn’t just a man who dies. It is a son, a husband, a father, an uncle, a friend, a fellow soldier, and sometimes a leader who puts the safety and welfare of others in front of his own.

Lt. Col. Mike McLaughlin was all of those people. Early in the morning on January 5, 2005, in Ramadi, Iraq, he was with a crowd of 300 Iraqis who had responded to an Iraqi police recruiting drive. He was following the first priority of a military officer: Accomplish the mission.

At 7:02, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives. When shrapnel struck the back of Mike’s head, a soldier went to check him out. “I’m okay,” he said. “Go help the others.”

In that, he fulfilled a leader’s second priority: Look out for the welfare of your men.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t okay. He died from the wound.

The responses of those who knew him reveal what was lost to the world.

“Mike was a leader in word, deed, and action,” said friend and fellow soldier Lt. Col. Grey D. Berrier II. “He was a charismatic leader that always led from the front, and was the consummate professional.”

“Mike died doing his job the only way he knew how — out in front, with great enthusiasm and courage,” said Col. John L Gronski, commander for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. “He was a very close friend. My heart and my prayers go out to his family.”

Tammy McLaughlin lost her husband. Their two daughters, Ericha and Erin, lost their father.

In a speech she gave at a Veteran’s Day ceremony, his niece Paige related some of her most precious memories. “When my sister and I were really little, we went to a beach house with him. He gave us licorice for breakfast.” She remembered him as a “man that would laugh at anything, one that would make anyone his best friend just by saying hello.”

Apparently Mike said hello to a lot of people. His niece Chloe remembers his funeral. “I saw so many people that I didn’t even know. I didn’t realize how many people were his friends.”

Chloe was six when her uncle died, and ten when she wrote this insightful conclusion: “I’m proud of the veterans that have served in our beautiful free country and I am very proud of my uncle Mike. The next time you see a veteran please say thank you.”

Michael Marzano

Sharon, PA

U.S. Marine Corps – War on Terror

Michael Marzano didn’t always want to be a Marine.

“I believe he was about two years old when he decided,” said his father, Marine Sgt. Al Marzano, who served from 1969 to 1972, including a tour in Vietnam. His desire to serve grew with him as he got older. Al remembers Michael loving to dress up in his Marine uniform.

In Sharon (PA) High School, Michael developed into an ideal candidate for the Marine Corps. He competed in wrestling and became a very good boxer. Unfortunately, during a wrestling match, he tore a ligament in his knee. When he tried to enlist in the Marine Corps after graduation, he was rejected.

But Michael wasn’t one to give up easily. Corrective surgery on his knee and rehab straightened out that problem. He continued boxing, even flirting with the idea of turning pro. But his dream of being a Marine still dominated. When he tried to enlist again in 1969, he was accepted.

After training at Paris Island, Michael was assigned to Camp Lejeune. He was deployed twice to Okinawa for mountain training. While carrying a mortar tube up a hill, he lost his footing and tumbled down. He was knocked out and suffered a back injury.

“He called me up,” Al said. “He was very upset because his sergeant major told him he couldn’t be deployed because of his injury.”

Upon completing his four-year enlistment, Michael got out of the Corps and started taking college classes in in Phoenix, Arizona. But the Marine Corps was still in his blood, so he joined the a Marine reserve unit. Still, he wasn’t happy because the unit was not scheduled for deployment. On a visit back to Pennsylvania in December, 2004, he transferred to the 3rd Battalion 35th Marines in Brookpark, Ohio, which was going to Iraq.

The unit arrived there in March, 2005. On April Fool’s day, he achieved a lifelong goal by being promoted to sergeant, following in the footsteps of his father.

Toward the end of April, Michael’s unit was in Haditha, a small city about 150 miles from Baghdad. Insurgents had severely damaged the hospital. On May 7 they still occupied it. As Michael’s Mobile Assault Platoon was fighting to dislodge them, a van loaded with explosives exploded, killing Michael and three other soldiers.

For his service and his sacrifice, the VA Clinic in Hermitage, PA, was named in his honor.

Sgt. Leslie H. Sabo

Elwood City, PA

U.S. Army, Vietnam

Some men have been awarded the Medal of Honor for using their bodies to shield others from a hand grenade; others for charging an enemy bunker; or for drawing fire upon themselves away from others; or for sprinting across an open field to save a comrade. According to Sgt. Leslie Sabo’s Medal of Honor citation, he did not just one of those actions, but all of them:

“[On May 10, 1970] Specialist Four Sabo and his platoon were conducting a reconnaissance patrol when they were ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force. Without hesitation, Specialist Four Sabo charged an enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers. Immediately thereafter, he assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. In order to re-supply ammunition, he sprinted across an open field to a wounded comrade. As he began to reload, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Four Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded his comrade with his own body, thus absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade’s life. Seriously wounded by the blast, Specialist Four Sabo nonetheless retained the initiative and then single-handedly charged an enemy bunker that had inflicted severe damage on the platoon, receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire in the process. Now mortally injured, he crawled towards the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Four Sabo’s life. His indomitable courage and complete disregard for his own safety saved the lives of many of his platoon members. . . .”

The acknowledgement of his heroism was a long time coming. His Medal of Honor was presented to his widow, Rose Mary Sabo Brown, May 11, 2012. That brought overdue recognition not only to himself, but also to those who fought and died with him. Leslie’s older brother, George, honored the seven other men who died that day: Larry DeBoer, James DeBrew, Fred Harms, Tom Merriman, Ernie Moore, Don Smith and Leslie Wilbanks. “These men, along with my brother, gave the ultimate sacrifice that day,” George said. “And we will remember them in our hearts. For their families here today, I want you to know that the Sabo family considers them all heroes and this Medal of Honor is for them also.”

Shawn Graham

Graham, Shawn

Grove City, PA

U.S. Army – War on Terror

According to his mother, Shawn Graham was probably born to be a warrior.

When he was born in California where his father, Marine Sgt. Tom Graham, was stationed, Tom’s unit made Shawn an honorary Marine.

Shawn became a real Marine after graduating from Grove City High School in 1989. He could have chosen a number of career paths. He chose a warrior’s role: infantry. He served in the Marine Corps for ten years before leaving the Marine Corps to work in Texas, but the warrior in him couldn’t just quit. He joined the 124th Cavalry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard.

Like a true warrior, he was eager to serve in the War on Terror. His father, Tom, was in Afghanistan with the Indiana National Guard, and his brother, Nicholas, was in Iraq with the Marine Corps when Shawn’s chance came to serve in Iraq with the Texas National Guard. Tom and Nicholas returned; Shawn didn’t. He was killed on September 25, 2005.

Shawn Graham was a uniquely American brand of warrior – not the archetypical rough, violent man, but a compassionate, caring man. On the web site, fallenheroesmemorial.com, many tributes describe him a very good friend, even a best friend. Sgt. Michael Almon wrote that “Sgt. Graham was a loving family man, outstanding soldier, and faithful friend. . . .”

Shawn remains an inspiration to those who came after him. One soldier wrote this:

“I currently serve in Baghdad in the same position doing the same job Shawn served in when he was killed. In our offices we have a memorial with his picture and details of his life and his service. I pass the memorial every day and think of his sacrifice and the sacrifice of his family. He is not forgotten, and his life and example will always be a reminder to us of the terrible price he and so many others have paid.”

Shawn’s compassion – and its source – is obvious from this: he wanted to send money to his mom so she could buy clothes at the Salvation Army and send them to him so he could give them to the Iraqi people. She told him to keep his money, and sent him boxes of stuff for him to distribute among the Iraqis.

“That’s the kind of person he was,” his mom said.

Obviously because that’s the kind of person she was.

SPC Ross A. McGinnis

Knox, PA

U.S. Army – War on Terror

Ross A. McGinnis’s kindergarten teacher asked him to complete a sentence, “When I grow up, I want to be ______________.” His reply: “An army man.”

Few kids that age actually know what they want to be; Ross really, truly did. He grew up to be the ultimate army man whose self-sacrifice resulted in his receiving the highest honor the United States can bestow on its military heroes.

Ross’s career choice never wavered. On his 17th birthday, he signed up for the Delayed Enlistment Program. During the next year, he completed the requirements to qualify for entry into the army as a PFC, rather than as a buck private.

He went on duty less than a month after he graduated from Keystone High School in 2005. After training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team in Schweinfurt, Germany. The unit was deployed to Kuwait, then Iraq.

There the 19-year-old kid proved himself to be a man among men. During his first three months, he participated in over 200 combat missions in and around eastern Baghdad. He didn’t just participate; he excelled. In an intense battle on November 6, 2006, he displayed such courage that his commander recommended that he be given a waiver for the time required for promotion.

He performed his final act of bravery less than a month later, on December 4. Few things take more raw courage than to ride as a .50 caliber machine gunner on a Humvee maneuvering through narrow streets during urban combat. The gunner must position himself with his upper body fully exposed to hostile fire.

On this day, an insurgent threw a fragmentation hand grenade onto the vehicle. PFC McGinnis tried to deflect it, but it fell through the hatch into the vehicle, which was manned by four other soldiers. PFC McGinnis could have leapt out of the Hummer to safety. Instead, he dropped down into the vehicle and pinned the grenade between his body and the radio mount. He was killed instantly when the grenade exploded, but the other four soldiers survived. Only one of them was seriously wounded.
For his sacrifice, PFC Ross was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Ross is the son of Romayne and Tom McGinnis. He has two sisters, Becky and Katie.