A Soldier from my community was killed in the line of battle. I wasn't fortunate enough to know this brave soul, but I do know his brother, another brave Warrior for our Country. My heart goes out to their family...
"DeKALB – A 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier from DeKalb County has died of injuries he suffered in Afghanistan in a bomb attack on his vehicle.
Pfc. Matthew M. Martinek died Friday, Sept. 11, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds he suffered Sept. 4 in the Paktika province of Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Martinek's vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device, followed by grenade and small-arms fire, the Defense Department said in a written statement.
He was among six soldiers that day who were joined by their lieutenant in trying to secure their vehicle after the initial attack, according to a written statement from the U.S. Army Alaska, where Martinek was deployed. Then the group was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire.
Also killed was 2nd Lt. Darryn Andrews, of Dallas, Texas. The other Soldiers were wounded, said the statement.
A paratrooper supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, Martinek joined the Army in March 2008. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based in Fort Richardson, Ala. He was deployed to Afghanistan in March 2009, said Maj. Bill Coppernoll, public affairs officer for the U.S. Army Alaska.
The Army lists Martinek as being from DeKalb, but he attended Genoa-Kingston schools from kindergarten through his freshman year of high school, Schools Superintendent Scott Wakeley said Monday. He graduated from Bartlett High School in 2007, according to his profile on Facebook, a social networking Web site. The site identifies his hometown as Genoa.
Clayton Greenlee, 20, also of Genoa, reminisced Monday about playing little league baseball with Martinek. The two were friends in grade school and kept in touch after Martinek moved to Bartlett. Greenlee said Martinek moved back to the DeKalb area after high school and worked at a tire store in Sycamore.
"Even when he moved away, he still kept in contact with me and our other friends," Greenlee said Monday during a phone interview. "He was a great person."
He described Martinek as someone with a good heart who made time for his friends and family. His hobbies included many outdoor activities, like camping, biking and riding all-terrain vehicles.
"He always made sure that you were in a good mood and if you were sad or distressed he tried to help in any way he could," Greenlee said. "He will be missed dearly by all of his friends."
As of Sept. 11, there had been 23 soldier deaths this year in U.S. Army Alaska, Coppernoll said.
Martinek is at least the fourth servicemen of DeKalb County who has died and whose family members have been notified. Before him were 1st Lt. Brian D. Slavenas, 30, of Genoa, who was in the Illinois National Guard, Pvt. Christopher M. Alcozer, 25, of DeKalb, who was in the U.S. Army, and Illinois National Guard Spc. Ashley Sietsema."
This article was taken from: http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2009/09/14/41634766/index.xml
