Mainer killed in Afghan combat

A 19-year-old Wiscasset man killed in combat in Afghanistan was remembered Saturday by family and friends for his good humor, his sense of honor and his beautiful smile.

Army Pfc. Andrew Small was killed Friday by hostile fire during a routine platoon patrol, according to a statement from Gov. John Baldacci. Small was with the 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, N.Y.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that three Americans were killed and four others were wounded, including a civilian, when militants attacked a U.S. patrol Friday in northeastern Afghanistan. It was unclear whether that was the attack in which Small was killed.

Small is the youngest of four sons of Terrence and Cynthia Small of Shea Road in Wiscasset. The couple learned of his death Friday afternoon when an Army official visited their home.

"We're doing as well as can be expected, under the circumstances," Cynthia Small said in a telephone interview Saturday night. "I will miss his big heart and his beautiful smile."

Small said her son had wanted to join the Army since he was a small boy, following in the footsteps of several other family members who served in various branches of the military. He joined the mountain infantry division because he wanted to make a difference.

"I would just as soon he peeled potatoes," his mother said. "Before he left, he said, 'If something should happen to me, I want people to be proud of me.' And we are."

She last spoke with her son on Tuesday, in one of their regular phone conversations. As usual, he told her little about his life and work in Afghanistan. Mostly they talked about what was happening back home in Maine. She updated him on the Red Sox. She told him that his brother, Joshua, a senior at the University of Southern Maine, and his fiancee had recently moved into a Westbrook condominium.

"It was regular chitchat," she said. "He was scratching the belly of a dog that was in camp that he thought was cute."

Hall graduated from Wiscasset High School in 2005, receiving an Army GI Bill award. Friends and classmates remembered Small as a good student and a supportive person.

"We were all praying for him," said Shane Hill of Wiscasset, who had met Small in grade school. "I remember, when we were kids, looking over and seeing him do a cartwheel down a hill. We were always there for each other."

Wiscasset High Principal Susan Poppish said she was heartbroken by the news of Small's death.

"He was an all-around good kid," she said. "He was always smiling. He liked to joke a lot. He was a good friend to a lot of kids. Teachers liked him. He always did the right thing."

Baldacci said he spoke with Small's family Saturday morning and offered his condolences on their loss.

U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, issued a statement Saturday saying that Small made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his nation.

"His selfless commitment to his country will never be forgotten," she said in a news release. "My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends, family and loved ones during this most difficult time."

Baldacci said flags will be lowered to half staff during Small's funeral, details of which were unavailable Saturday.

U.S. soldiers have been hunting extremists close to Osama bin Laden's terror network in an area of Afghanistan near Pakistan.

In recent weeks, U.S. forces have been pushing to their northernmost points along the mountainous Afghan-Pakistan border, including Nuristan, opening military bases in one of the wildest regions in the country.

Their mission is to crush militants loyal to the Hezb-e-Islami militant group of renegade Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the toppled Taliban regime and remnants of bin Laden's al-Qaida network.

Reader comments
Post your comment here:

To top of page