Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Ivan R. Garcia, age 23, from Collier County Naples, Florida .
Service era: Post Afghanistan
Military history: Camp Lejeune
Date of death: Sunday, July 23, 2023
Death details: Among three Marines who were found dead in a vehicle at a gas station in Hampstead, North Carolina. They died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Source: NBC News, U.S. Marines
Evan Patrick Fitzgibbon, age 23, from Windermere, Florida, Orange county.
Parents: John Patrick and Cynthia Renee Waller Fitzgibbon
Spouse: Engaged to Anna Judith Fabry
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: West Point (2021), Foundation Academy in Winter Garden, Florida (2017)
Military history: Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning in Florida, 7th Special Forces Group at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida
Date of death: Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Death details: Died during a training exercise in Dahlonega, Georgia after being stuck by a falling tree at Yonah Mountain.
Cemetery: Woodlawn
Source: WKMG, Orlando Sentinel, Woodlawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park
George Lindley Taber, age 30, from Glen Saint Mary, Florida, Baker county.
Parents: Melynda Sheri (Rea) Coker, stepfather Robert (Trey) Coker, George L. Taber IV, stepmother LaNell (Keahey) Taber)
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Conway High, Arkansas (2010); Hendrix College (2014)
Military history: Quint entered the Army in March 2017 and completed Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Benning, GA. He completed the Special Forces (SF) Qualification Course in 2018 and continued through the SF pipeline, completing 18D Combat Medical Sergeant Training, Military Freefall Parachutist Course, Spanish Language school, SF Sniper Course, and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course. Quint was assigned to Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 7214, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Date of death: Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Death details: Died during a training exercise in Dahlonega, Georgia after being stuck by a falling tree at Yonah Mountain.
Cemetery: Jacksonville National
Source: WKMG, Orlando Sentinel, Quinn-Shalz Family Funeral Home
Nikyisha T. Boyd, age 35, from Kissimmee, Florida.
Service era: Afghanistan
Date of death: Monday, November 9, 2020
Death details: Died from injuries sustained in a crash on Fort Bragg
Source: WNCN, Fayetteville Observer
Roger Matamoros Chavarria, age 27, from Key West, Florida, Albany county.
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Key West High graduate
Military history: 123rd Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas
Date of death: Friday, August 28, 2020
Death details: Died during a training event at Fort Bliss, Texas
Source: Army Times, Keys News
Nicholas Panipinto, age 20, from Bradenton, Florida.
Parents: Anthony Panipinto and Kimberly Weaver
Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Manatee High
Date of death: Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Death details: Killed during a training exercise in South Korea when his fighting vehicle overturned. The track on the right side of the vehicle came off, causing the 15-ton transport to roll over. A lack of emergency services on base and delays in medical response were cited in his death.
Cemetery: Sarasota National
Source: mysuncoast.com, Herald Tribune (2020)
Bryan Jenkins, age 41, from Gainesville, Florida.
Spouse: Married
Children: Son, two daughters
Service era: Afghanistan
Date of death: Sunday, October 20, 2019
Death details: Soldiers were training in the darkness when their armored vehicle fell from a bridge and landed upside down in water below in Georgia
Source: azcentral.com, WJCL, Coastal Courier
LaDavid T. Johnson, age 25, from Miami Gardens, Florida.
Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg
Date of death: Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Death details: Died in southwest Niger as a result of enemy fire
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times
Stephen B. Cooley, age 40, from Cantonment, Florida.
Service era: Afghanistan
Date of death: Monday, November 23, 2015
Death details: Among four soldiers killed in a helicopter accident at Ft. Hood.
Source: Associated Press
Matthew I. Leggett, age 39, from Ruskin, Florida.
Service era: Afghanistan
Date of death: Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Death details: Died in Kabul, Afghanistan of injuries received when he was engaged by the enemy.
Source: Department of Defense, Military Times