DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of 10 soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died east of Abad, Afghanistan, in the Kunar province, on May 5, 2006, when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed during combat operations.

            Killed were:

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph J. Fenty, 41, of Florida
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric W. Totten, 34, of Texas.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher B. Donaldson, 28, of Illinois
Staff Sergeant Christopher T. Howick, 34, of Hamburg, New York
Sergeant Bryan A. Brewster, 24, of Fontana, California
Sergeant John C. Griffith, 33, of Las Vegas, Nevada
Sergeant Jeffery S. Wiekamp, 23, of Utopia, Texas
Specialist Justin L. O'Donohoe, 27, of San Diego, California
Specialist David N. Timmons Jr., 23, of Lewisville, North Carolina
Private First Class Brian M. Moquin Jr., 19, of Worcester, Massachusetts

All those killed were assigned to the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum New York.  Fenty, O'Donohoe, Timmons and Moquin were part of the 71st Cavalry Regiment. Totten, Donaldson, Howick, Brewster, Griffith, and Wiekamp were part of the 3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.

This incident is under investigation.

For further information related to this release, contact Army Public Affairs at (703) 692-2000.

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph J. Fenty was born a soldier. And during his 20-year military career, his quiet passion inspired others to live the way he did.

"We all wanted to be more like Joe Fenty," said Lieutenant Colonel Chris Gibson, who served with Fenty. "We all were in awe of him. Now we're coming together to show respect for the way he lived his life."

Yesterday, family and friends gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor Fenty, who was described as a loyal friend and devoted husband by those who knew him.

Fenty was among 10 soldiers killed May 5, 2006, when their Chinook helicopter crashed in the Kunar province of Afghanistan while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was 41.

Fenty was born on Long Island, New York, and graduated from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, where he met his wife, Kristen. The couple were sent to a variety of posts during his military career, including in Alaska, Panama and Georgia. He listed his home address as Florida, where his father lives, according to the Department of Defense.

Friends said Fenty was an elite athlete, citing his remarkable marathon times (under three hours) and his proclivity for ultramarathons -- races of 60 to 70 miles. He was also a cross-country skier, mountain biker and kayaker.

"If he wasn't in the Army, he could have been a professional endurance athlete," said Lieutenant Colonel Fred Johnson, a longtime running buddy.

Johnson said Fenty's post-military plans incorporated his love of the outdoors. "He wanted to work in Outward Bound and teach kids to enjoy fitness as much as he did."

Fenty's final assignment was with the 71st Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based at Fort Drum, New York. While there, his quiet professionalism earned him many admirers, friends said.

"He was dynamic in his actions and his ideas," Gibson said. "And because of that, soldiers were drawn to him and would give everything they had to him. They worked tirelessly not to let him down."

Friends also recalled his dedication to his family -- his wife and newborn daughter, Lauren, whom he spoke of proudly but never met.

Fenty spoke with his wife about a month ago, the day their first child was born, and then again hours before the assignment in which he was killed. Lieutenant Colonel Chris Cavoli recalled Fenty's demeanor after the call.

"He was glowing," Cavoli recalled. "There was just this different smile -- a warm smile."

Fenty was to lead nine soldiers on a helicopter operation that carried potential complications, friends said. But as always, he accepted the risks gracefully.

"He was a man of such sterling character," Cavoli said. "It's a shame for our country to lose him, not just as a soldier but as a citizen. He leaves behind hundreds and hundreds of people he inspired."

The other soldiers killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric W. Totten, 34, of Texas; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher B. Donaldson, 28, of Illinois; Staff Sergeant Christopher T. Howick, 34, of Hamburg, New York; Sergeant Bryan A. Brewster, 24, of Fontana, California; Sergeant John C. Griffith, 33, of Las Vegas; Sergeant Jeffery S. Wiekamp, 23, of Utopia, Texas; Specialist Justin L. O'Donohoe, 27, of San Diego; Specialist David N. Timmons Jr., 23, of Lewisville, North Carolina; and Private First Class Brian M. Moquin Jr., 19, of Worcester, Massachusetts.
 

Photo Courtesy of Roxsanne Wells-Layton, 11 June 2006