Steven Michael Langmack – Sergeant First Class, United States Army

NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense
No. 549-05
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sergeant First Class Steven M. Langmack, 33, of Seattle, Washington, died May 31, 2005, in Al Qaim, Iraq, from injuries sustained from small arms fire during combat operations. Langmack was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

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In heat of war, Steven Langmack's heart was with family
Courtesy of the Seattle Times

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When Kennedy High School grad Steven Langmack told his mother he talked to an Army recruiter and wanted to join up, she agreed it was a good idea.

That was 15 years ago. “I just thought the military would give him a good physical outlet,” said Louise Langmack of Seattle.

Langmack, 33, a Sergeant in the Army Special Forces, was killed Tuesday in Iraq, the Defense Department said yesterday.

He died instantly, Army officials told his mother. He was on a combat mission near Al Qaim in western Iraq.

Sergeant Langmack grew up in the Seward Park neighborhood and graduated from Kennedy in 1990. He started on the school baseball team and was a “good all-round player,” said his former coach, Joe Faccone.

“He was an outstanding kid,” Faccone said. “He represented the school well. I'm proud to be associated with him.”

After graduation, Sergeant Langmack decided to make the military a career and served in the Persian Gulf War.

After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he was assigned to Afghanistan. He was in Iraq about three months before he died.

Based at Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sergeant Langmack didn't talk much about the war in his e-mails home.

Rather, he focused on his wife, Rachaelle, and their two children, Sam, 16, and Carson, 7, who live near the base.

He was renovating his home and often discussed the projects he had waiting for him.

“He was always upbeat. He felt very committed to what he was doing, but he wouldn't talk about it,” his mother said. “He felt it was an important job.”

In addition to his mother, wife and sons, Sergeant Langmack is survived by his father, Paul Langmack of Seattle, and his brothers David Langmack of Federal Way and Kevin Langmack of Seattle.

Sergeant Langmack will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, D.C., because the location is closer to his wife and sons.

Yesterday, as the family made funeral plans, Louise Langmack credited the military with giving structure and opportunity to her son's life.

On Memorial Day, she sent him an e-mail, saluting his service to the nation.

 

He never e-mailed back.


LANGMACK, STEVEN MICHAEL
SFC   US ARMY
PERSIAN GULF, AFGHANISTAN

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/05/1971
  • DATE OF DEATH: 05/31/2005
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 8186

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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