Alan L. Snyder – Staff Sergeant, United States Army

by

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 530-11
June 22, 2011

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died June 18, 2011,  in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered during a vehicle roll-over.  The soldiers were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany.

Killed were:

Sergeant First Class Alvin A. Boatwright, 33, of Lodge, South Carolina
Sergeant Edward F. Dixon III, 37, of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
Staff Sgt. Alan L. Snyder, 28, Blackstone, Massachusetts
SpecialistTyler R. Kreinz, 21, Beloit, Wisconsin

For more information contact the U.S. Army Europe public affairs officer by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone 011-49-6221-57-8694.

CORRECTION:  June 20, 2011 — Sergeant Snyder’s hometown is corrected from Worcester, Massachusetts
UPDATE:  June 22, 2011 — Sergeant Snyder was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Army Sergeant Alan L. Snyder, 28, formerly of Clyde Street, was killed in an accident in Afghanistan on Saturday, becoming the town’s first military casualty since the Korean War.

alsynder-usarmy-photo-002

Sergeant Snyder was one of four soldiers killed Saturday when the vehicle they were in rolled over in Uruzgan Province. The soldiers were members of the 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in Baumholder, Germany.

Sgt. Snyder had lived in Blackstone at 28 Clyde St., with his parents, Julie A. and Alfred L. Snyder, and brothers James and Justin Snyder. Sergeant Snyder died days after celebrating his birthday, which is June 11.

Robert Greenhalgh, director of veteran’s services, said the family moved to town in 2001, and then moved in 2004 when Sergeant Snyder joined the army. Mr. Greenhalgh said one of his brothers joined the military at the same time.

The family now lives in Winchester, Kentucky.

“We wish the family the best, and we will support the family in any way possible,” Selectman Charles Sawyer, also the commander of the Blackstone VFW Post.

Mr. Sawyer said he was notified by Senator John F. Kerry’s office of Sergeant Snyder’s death, and the town will likely dedicate a corner or intersection, as is their custom, to Sergeant Snyder in the future.

“The family has our full support,” Mr. Sawyer said.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Snyder’s death has hit hard in the small town on the Rhode Island state line. In a town such as Blackstone, many residents know which of their neighbors – or their neighbors’ children – are serving overseas. Town Clerk Mary Anne Staples, whose son is in the military, said when word was received that a Blackstone resident was killed in Afghanistan, residents were wondering which of their neighbors received the devastating news.

The flags at all town buildings are lowered to half-staff.

SNYDER, ALAN L  

  • SSG   US ARMY
  • AFGHANISTAN
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 06/11/1983
  • DATE OF DEATH: 06/18/2011
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 9721
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

alsnyder-gravesite-photo-by-eileen-horan-june-2011-001 alsnyder-gravesite-photo-by-eileen-horan-june-2011-002

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