NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 1061-06 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2006
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died October 18, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed were:
- Second Lieutenant Christopher E. Loudon, 23, of Brockport, Pennsylvania
- Corporal David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kansas
- Corporal Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, of Amity, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana
Army Second Lieutenant Christopher E. Loudon, 23, a member of the 4th Infantry Division, 2nd Platoon, C Company, based in Fort hood, Texas, was killed Tuesday, October 17, 2006, by a roadside bomb that exploded as he was riding in a Humvee on patrol in Bagdad, Iraq.
He formerly was of Whetstone Road in Brockport and was the grandson of an Oil city resident.
He was born March 25, 1983, in DuBois, the son of Randy and Susan Campbell Loudon.
He was married December 23 2005, to Jacey Laidacker, who survives.
Lieutenant Loudon was the graduate of Officer Basic School, Ranger School and Airborne School. He deployed for Iraq in July.
He was active in R.O.T.C. in high school and college and excelled in academics. He enjoyed mountain biking, kayaking, backpacking, hunting, cooking and photography.
He was an Eagle Scout and belonged to Boy Scout Troop 34 in Brockport. He was Methodist by faith.
Surviving are his parents, Randy and Susan Loudon of Brockport; his wife, Jacey Loudon of Muncy Valley; a daughter, Isabel Loudon of Pittsburgh; two brothers, First Lieutenant Nicholas Loudon, currently serving in Iraq, and Jonathan Loudon a senior at Brockway High School.
He also survived by his paternal grandmother, Florence Loudon of Oil City; his maternal grandfather, Everett William Campbell of Georgetown, Texas; an aunt, Karen Taylor and husband, Robert, of Oil City; a great-uncle, Thomas Moore of Oil City; and numerous other aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Harold Loudon; and his maternal grandmother, Marilyn Campbell.
Friends my call from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Carson-Shugarts Funeral Home Inc; 1033 Fourth Ave., Brockway.
Funeral services will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in St. Tobias Church, 1100 Hewett St., Brockway, with the Rev. Frank Ziemkiewicz, O.S.B., and Rev. Lance Tucker presiding.
Friends also may call from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday in the William F. Brooks Funeral Home, 207 Broadway St., Turbotville.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Zion Evangelical Lutheran church in Turbotville with Pastor Erwin Roux officiating. Full military honors will be accorded.
Burial will follow in Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Christopher Loudon Memorial Fund, in care of Sovereign Bank, Lycoming Mall Circle, Pennsdale, 17756.
15 November 2007:
Army Second Lieutenant Christopher E. Loudon, grandson of an Oil City resident, will be laid to rest today in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Lieuteant Loudon, 23, was killed October 17, 2006, by a roadside bomb that exploded as he was riding in a Humvee on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. He had been deployed to Iraq in July 2006.
He was a member of the 4th Infantry Division, 2nd Platoon, C Company, based in Fort Hood, Texas, and was a graduate of Officer Basic School, Ranger School and Airborne School.
Funeral services with full military honors are scheduled at 1 p.m. today in Arlington. It is one of 25 interment services scheduled today in the national cemetery.
Lieutenant Loudon, the son of Randy and Susan Loudon of Brockport, had close ties to the Oil City area. His father grew up in Oil City and his grandmother, Florence Loudon, still lives here.
He also has an aunt and uncle, Karen and Robert Taylor, and a great-uncle, Thomas Moore, all of whom live in Oil City.
He is also survived by his wife, Jacey; a daughter, Isabel; and two brothers, First Lieuenant Nicholas Loudon who is serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq, and Jonathan Loudon of Brockport.
Lieutenant Loudon earned a degree from Slippery Rock University where he was commissioned an Army officer.
His awards and commendations include the Army Service Ribbon, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon and Combat Action Badge.
Earlier this year, another young Army soldier from this area who was killed in Iraq was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Ross McGinnis, 19, of Knox died December 4, 2006, of injuries received in a grenade blast in Baghdad, Iraq. Funeral services with full military honors were held in Arlington on March 23, 2007.
Saying Farewell to a Soldier and Leader
By Mark Berman
Courtesy of the Washington Post
Saturday, November 17, 2007
More than a year after his death, the friends and family of Army Second Lieutenant Christopher E. Loudon gathered in Arlington National Cemetery yesterday to honor the fallen soldier, who had a knack for leadership.
A horse-drawn caisson carried a small box containing his cremated remains to the cemetery’s Section 60, followed by more than 90 mourners bundled against biting winds. Folded flags were presented to his parents, Randall and Susan Loudon, and his widow, Jacey.
Loudon, 23, of Brockport, Pennsylvania, died in Baghdad on October 17, 2006, when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle.
Also killed in the incident were Corporal David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kansas; Corporal Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, of Amity, Pennsylvania; and Corporal Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New Orleans.
All four soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas. Loudon became the 396th service member killed in Iraq to be buried at Arlington.
Loudon excelled in the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania before graduating in 2005.
“When faced with adversity, he was just one of those guys that always maintained a positive attitude,” said Lt. Col. William Bialozor, chairman of the ROTC program at Slippery Rock. “He wasn’t focused on what I call the misery of the moment — he looked past it.”
Loudon was a natural leader who readily took on positions of responsibility, Bialozor said. He recalled that, during Loudon’s senior year, Loudon became the captain of the Ranger Challenge team, which required extensive group training to participate in a physically demanding competition between ROTC cadets from different schools.
Loudon took the task of running the team, and even though Slippery Rock is smaller than some of the competing schools, it finished in the top third.
“He was a task-oriented man but cared about his soldiers deeply, cared about his cadets,” Bialozor said. “A fantastic mentor for the rest of the students around here because he understood the mission but cared about folks. The rest of the folks looked up to him.”
Bialozor said Loudon’s dedicated and honorable nature made him one of the top soldiers Bialozor has commissioned in the program. Loudon was put in charge of training during his senior year and, despite the pressure, never buckled, Bialozor said.
“What a fine example of a young man who worked hard, worked for his goals and achieved his goals,” Bialozor said.
“And despite getting lost overseas, we understood that, truth be told, he was right where he wanted to be, doing exactly what he wanted to be doing.”
Loudon graduated from Brockway Area Junior/Senior High School in 2001. His guidance counselor, Alex Madalis, remembers Loudon more than half a decade after his graduation, describing him as involved, outgoing and likable.
“This is a very personable young man,” Madalis said. “Just a really conscientious, well-liked, well-mannered, hard-working individual.”
At school, Loudon worked on the school newspaper and played in the band for four years. He also wrestled on the varsity club, played soccer and tennis, was a member of the chorus and acted in school plays.
In his senior yearbook, Loudon said: “I plan to attend college and pursue a military career.” Within four years, he had done both.
Read our general and most popular articles
- Diaetoxil
- Nuubu
- Regener 8
- CBD Vital
- Nordic Oil
- Potencialex
- Diaetostat
- Figur Kapseln
- Viscerex
- Prostaphytol
- Nutra Prosta
- Nutra Flex
- Diaetolin
- Matcha Slim
- Hepafar Forte
- Derila Kissen
- Exodermin
- HHC
- HHC Vape
- KU2 Cosmetics Hyaluronsäure Serum
- Liba Capsules
- KetoXplode
- Green Gummies
- Liver Ignite
- Ketoxboom Fruchtgummis
- Viagra Alternative
- Gundry MD Energy Renew
- ProDentim
- Phentermine Over The Counter
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard