TROOPS WITH MAINE TIES WHO DIED IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN IRAQ Maj. Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, who grew up in Skowhegan, Marine Corps. Died in a helicopter crash in Kuwait, March 21, 2003. Spc. Daniel Francis J. Cunningham, 33, Lewiston, Army. Died when his vehicle crashed into a ravine under artillery fire, April 4, 2003. 1st Sgt. Christopher Coffin, 51, Kennebunk, 352nd Civil Affairs Command, Army Reserve. Died after his Humvee ran into a ditch, July 1, 2003. Sgt. Jeremiah Holmes, 27, North Berwick, Army National Guard 744th Transportation Company of Hillsboro, N.H. Died when his truck was hit by a bomb, March 29, 2004. Spc. Christopher D. Gelineau, 23, Portland, 133rd Engineer Battalion, Maine Army National Guard. Died in an ambush on a military convoy in Mosul, April 20, 2004. Sgt. Lawrence Roukey, 33, Westbrook, 3rd Battalion, 304th Regiment Army Reserve. Believed killed in an explosion at a Baghdad warehouse, April 26, 2004. Spc. Beau Ramsey Beaulieu, 20, Lisbon, 27th Main Support Battalion of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. Died of injuries from a mortar attack near Taji, May 24, 2004. Capt. Christopher S. Cash, 36, native of Old Orchard Beach, assigned to North Carolina Army National Guard's 30th Heavy Separate Brigade. Died in a small-arms attack in Baquba, June 24, 2004. Sgt. Lynn Robert Poulin Sr., 47, of Freedom, metal worker with 133rd Engineer Battalion. Died in a suicide bombing at a military dining hall in Mosul, Dec. 21, 2004. Spc. Thomas John Dostie, 20, of Somerville, a mechanic with 133rd Engineer Battalion. Died in a suicide bombing at a military dining hall in Mosul, Dec. 21, 2004. Sgt. 1st Class Michael Jones, 43, of Unity, 133rd Engineer Battalion. Died in a New York hospital shortly after arriving from Iraq at Fort Drum, N.Y., March 3, 2005. 2nd Lt. Matthew Coutu, 23, 2004 University of Maine graduate. Died in a small-arms attack while assigned to a military police unit in Baghdad, June 27, 2005. Spc. Joseph Alan Lucas, 23, who grew up in Bath before moving to Georgia. Killed while with an armored squadron of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division in Balad, 40 miles north of Baghdad, Dec. 15, 2005. Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Dostie, 32, of Lewiston and Turner, assigned to a combat team of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. Killed during patrol operations in Baghdad, Dec. 30, 2005. Spc. Joshua Humble, 21, who lived in Appleton and attended Camden Hills Regional High School, Army. Died after a roadside bomb detonated near his military vehicle in Baghdad, Feb. 26, 2006. Sgt. Corey Dan, 22, of Norway, a member of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. Killed in Baghdad in the line of fire, March 13, 2006. Spc. Dustin James Harris, 21, of Patten, a member of the Army's 172nd Brigade Support Battalion in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Killed by a roadside bomb while on foot patrol in Beiji, 150 miles north of Baghdad, April 6, 2006. Sgt. Dale James Kelly Jr., 48, of Richmond, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, Maine Army National Guard. Killed by a roadside bomb, May 6, 2006. Sgt. David Michael Veverka, 25, a student at the University of Maine in Orono whose hometown was Jamestown, Pa. Assigned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, Maine Army National Guard. Killed by a roadside bomb, May 6, 2006. Army Sgt. William Samuel Jackson II, 29, who lived in Michigan but grew up in Thomaston, Army. Died after a roadside bomb exploded in Ramadi, Nov. 11, 2006. Staff Sgt. Kristofer R. Ciraso, 26, formerly of Bangor, Army. Died after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad, Dec. 7, 2006. Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, 22, of Castle Hill, Marines. Died in a firefight in Anbar Province, Dec. 8, 2006. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Ross, 26, a Maine native whose parents live in East Corinth and Levant. Died Feb 9, 2007, as a result of combat operations in Baqubah, Iraq. Marine Pfc. Angel Rosa, 21, a 2004 graduate of South Portland High School, Died in combat on March 13, 2007, in Anbar province. Army Sgt. Jason Swiger, 24, was a 2000 graduate of South Portland High School, was killed by a suicide bomber on March 25, 2007, in Diyala province in northeastern Iraq. He was on his third tour in Iraq with the 82nd Airborn Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. Sgt. Richard Parker, 26, a Maine Army National Guard soldier from Phillips and a graduate of Mt. Abram High School, was killed in action on June 13, 2007 while assigned to Battery A, 1st Battalion, 152nd Field Artillery Regiment from Waterville. AFGHANISTAN Sgt. Nicholes Golding, 24, of Addison, member of the 10th Mountain Division. Killed when his humvee struck a a land mine in eastern Afghanistan, February 13, 2004. Sgt. Craig Cherry, 39, born in Maine, member of the Virginia National Guard. Killed when an explosive detonated Aug. 7, 2004. Cherry's father, Roy Cherry, is a resident of Windham. Capt. Patrick Damon, 41, of Falmouth, Maine Army National Guard. Died of an apparent heart attack, June 15, 2006. Pfc. Andrew Richard Small, 19, of Wiscasset. Served with the First Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Third Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed while going to the aid of a fallen comrade when his unit was attacked in Nangalam, Aug. 11, 2006. 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating, 27, formerly of Shapleigh and a Massabesic High School graduate. Served with the Army's 10th Mountain Division in northern Afghanistan. Killed when his truck rolled over in Nuristan province. Keating's parents were notified of their son's death Nov. 26, 2006. Sgt. Edmund McDonald, 25, of Casco, a member of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed March 28, 2007 while on convoy duty when the vehicle he was riding in tipped over. ELSEWHERE Master Sgt. Evander Earl Andrews, 37, of Solon, Air Force. Killed in a heavy equipment accident in Aludeid, Qatar, Oct. 10, 2001.
PHILLIPS — Sgt. Richard K. Parker came home from Iraq only to discover his heart and mind were still in the desert, fighting the Iraq war with his buddies.
Parker, who volunteered to return to the battlefield a little over a year ago, was killed in action Wednesday, saddening family and friends who remember a polite, energetic kid who longed to wear his nation's uniform.
"He went back to be with his buddies," said Parker's uncle, Duane Pinkham, after resting a pair of his nephew's army boots outside the town's Veterans Memorial. "He loved the army, he loved his unit and he wanted to be with his friends. He could relate to them."
The death of Parker, 26, was announced in a statement released Friday by Gov. John Baldacci. Parker was a member of the Maine Army National Guard's Battery A, 1st Battalion, 152nd Field Artillery Regiment out of Waterville. He was serving with the Security Force II element in Iraq.
Parker's mother, Dixie Flagg; stepfather, Jerry Flagg of Avon; father, Scott Hood; stepmother Flora Hood of Strong; and other family members were officially notified of Parker's death on Thursday.
Parker was looking forward to returning home later this year to see his girlfriend, Ashley Smith, with whom Parker had a son in January, said Dot Savage, Parker's stepgrandmother.
"He was supposed to come home on leave in August to see the baby," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "He has a son he has never seen."
Major Michael Backus of the Maine National Guard, citing Department of Defense policy that prohibits providing information to the public until 24 hours after the family has been notified, declined to comment on how Parker was killed.
"Until they release it, we're not allowed to release any information on the soldier or the incident," Backus said.
Memories of the caring young man rushed to the surface Friday. Gary Perlson recalled driving his daughter and Parker to school for kindergarten. With a home at the end of a long dirt road, Perlson's family got few unexpected visitors.
"Richard was the only person who ever came trick-or- treating to my house," Perlson recalled.
Perlson, the career coordinator at Mount Abram High School in Salem Township where Parker received his diploma, saw Parker a lot over the years.
"He was an exemplary young man, serving his country, who was cut down in his prime," Perlson said. "It's a real loss."
Savage described her stepgrandson as "happy-go-lucky," easy to get along with and close to his family.
"He loved to get together with the family over the holidays," she said.
Michael Ellis, guidance counselor at Mount Abram High School, recalled a youngster who as early as junior high was anxious to extend his family's tradition of military service.
"I had him as a middle school student," Ellis said. "He even talked then about wanting to do something in the military. It was the thing he liked to do."
Parker and his brother, Bill Pinkham, joined the National Guard and went to basic training together after completing high school, Duane Pinkham said. Several of Parker's uncles and cousins, including Duane Pinkham and his son, Phil Smith, served in the military.
"He role-modeled himself after his uncles and cousins, I'm sure," Smith said. "We have a strong military tradition. Richard was a patriotic person. There's no doubt about that."
"Sgt. Parker was well-loved and greatly respected by his unit and the Maine Army National Guard," Baldacci said in a statement. "We're very lucky as a state and as a country to have people of the quality of Sgt. Parker who are willing to serve and put themselves on the front lines."
Funeral plans have not yet been announced.
"He thought very highly of the service and intended the military to be his career," Savage said. "We are all so very proud of him."
Reader comments
Click here to view or add comments on this story
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form