David C. Canegata III – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

by

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

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 081-07

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of 12 soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 20, 2007, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter they were in crashed.

Killed were:

Colonel Brian D. Allgood, 46, of Oklahoma, who was assigned to the 30th Medical Brigade, Europe Regional Medical Command, Heidelberg, Germany.

Staff Sergeant Darryl D. Booker, 37, of Midlothian, Virginia, who was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, Sandston, Virginia.

Sergeant First Class John G. Brown, 43, of Little Rock, Arkansas, who was assigned to the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), 77th Aviation Brigade, Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

Lieuetnant Colonel David C. Canegata III, 50, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, who was assigned to the Virgin Islands Army National Guard, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Command Sergeant Major Marilyn L. Gabbard, 46, of Polk City, Iowa, who was assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters, Iowa Army National Guard, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa.

Command Sergeant Major Roger W. Haller, 49, of Davidsonville, Maryland, who was assigned to the 70th Regiment, Regional Training Institute – Maryland, Maryland Army National Guard, Reisterstown, Maryland.

Colonel Paul M. Kelly, 45, of Stafford, Virginia, who was assigned to the Joint Force Headquarters of the Virginia Army National Guard in Blackstone, Virginia.

Sergeant First Class Floyd E. Lake, 43, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, who was assigned to the Virgin Islands Army National Guard, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Corporal Victor M. Langarica, 29, of Decatur, Georgia, who was assigned to the 86th Signal Battalion, Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Captain Sean E. Lyerly, 31, of Pflugerville, Texas., who was assigned to the Texas Army National Guard’s 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, 36th Infantry Division, Austin, Texas.

Captain Michael V. Taylor, 40, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, who was assigned to the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), 77th Aviation Brigade, Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

First Sergeant William T. Warren, 48, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, who was assigned to the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), 77th Aviation Brigade, Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

The incident is under investigation.

For information on Allgood, the media can contact the European Regional Medical Command public affairs office at 011-49-6221-17-3317.

For information on Booker and Kelly, the media can contact the Virginia National Guard public affairs office at (434) 298-6107.

For information on Brown, Taylor and Warren, the media can contact the Arkansas National Guard public affairs office at (501) 212-5020.

For information on Canegata and Lake, the media can contact the Virgin Islands National Guard public affairs office at (340) 712-7750.

For information on Gabbard, the media can contact the Iowa National Guard public affairs office at (515) 252-4582.

For information on Haller, the media can contact the Maryland National Guard public affairs office at (410) 576-6179.

For information on Langarica, the media can contact the Fort Huachuca public affairs office at (520) 533-2752.

For information on Lyerly, the media can contact the Texas National Guard public affairs office at (512) 782-1034.

As a boy, David C. Canegata played with G.I. Joes and even ironed their tiny uniforms. And as a youth, he was meticulous about his appearance, often fighting his three sisters for the bathroom mirror.

“He was always positive and alive,” said Adjutant General Eddy Charles. “We are all prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. David did. May he rest in peace.”

Canegata, 50, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, was killed January 20,2007, in a helicopter crash in Baghdad. He was assigned to Christiansted. Canegata was a primary adviser to the adjutant general on matters concerning intelligence, security, military support, training, aviation support and counter-drug operations.

His sister, Dianne Canegata-Powell, said that on his last birthday, he gave his family a booklet with a timeline of his life from birth that included pictures and scriptures.

“I believe he left this booklet to prepare us. He wanted us to know that in the end, what really mattered was his relationship with God,” she said.

He is survived by his wife, Shenneth; four children, Nicole, David-Mychal, Andre and Jessica; and a grandson, David-Mychal Jr.

September 6, 2007 – Friends, family, fellow guardsmen, soldiers, airmen and Virgin Islands government officials filled the tent outside of the V.I. National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in La Grande Princesse Thursday morning to pay tribute to fallen St. Croix soldier Lieutenant Colonel David C. Canegata III.

“He died a hero,” said Shenneth Canegata, widow of the fallen soldier. “But he lived a hero as well. David never wasted a minute of his life. And he was smiling all the time. You know why? Because the Lord Jesus Christ was in his heart. I am happy to have served him as his wife and I am honored by your treatment. He lived well, and when he died I am certain he had fulfilled his life’s purpose.”

The conference room inside the National Guard headquarters was named for Canegata, with a hardwood plaque bearing his name above the entrance. A plaster relief bust of Canegata is on display in the conference room.

Outside, Adjutant General Renaldo Rivera and Colonel Elton Lewis presented Mrs. Canegata with an American flag in a hardwood case, and several other small tokens of honor. The final item presented was a bronze relief bust of Canegata on a dark wood easel.

Mrs. Canegata said she was grateful for the honors being bestowed, but such things were not what she believed her husband strived for.

“My husband was a man of simple tastes,” she said. “He didn’t like a lot of fuss or elaborate birthday parties. For a good time, he liked to just go to the waterside and sit there with his family on the weekend.”

Canegata was born in Christiansted in 1956. The nicknamed “Tertius,” meaning “third” in Latin was given to him by his grandfather. But over time, he became known by friends and family alike as “Tersh.”

He attended St. Mary’s and then St. Josephs Catholic schools. In 1978, Canegata graduated from Carroll College in Wisconsin with a bachelor’s in history and a minor in business.

Along with Mrs. Canegata, he leaves behind their two children, Andre and Jessica, and two children from a previous marriage; Nicole and David-Mychal.

Before going to Iraq, Canegata served as deputy chief of staff for operations and plans with the Virgin Islands National Guard, a post he took on in 2005. He was the main advisor to the V.I. National Guard adjutant general regarding intelligence, security, operations, military support, training, aviation support, and anti-drug operations. He also served as a personal liaison between the adjutant general and other government agencies, locally and federally.
His military service began in 1985. He served in the enlisted ranks for a brief period as a Nuclear Biological Chemical Specialist where he earned the distinguished title of “Soldier of the Class” at his Advanced Individual Training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. In 1987, after completing Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga., and the Officer Basic Course at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., he was commissioned an ordnance officer.
His National Guard resume was extensive. From 1989 to 1998 he participated in training deployments called to Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad, Belize and Puerto Rico. Canegata’s contributions to these annual exercises, and his humanitarian support following the aftermath of hurricanes Hugo, Marilyn and Georges earned him several awards.

Interment ceremony set for 12 killed in crash

Twelve soldiers who were killed on January 20, 2007, when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Baghdad will be honored during a group interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. October 12, 2007.

The soldiers, who belonged to a number of active Army and Army National Guard units, are: Colonel Brian D. Allgood, 46, of Okla. Colonel Paul M. Kelly, 45, of Stafford, Virginia, Lieuetnant Colonel David C. Canegata III, 50, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Captain Michael V. Taylor, 40, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Captain Sean E. Lyerly, 31, of Pflugerville, Texas, Command Sergeant Major Marilyn L. Gabbard, 46, of Polk City, Iowa, Command Sergeant Major Roger W. Haller, 49, of Davidsonville, Maryland, First Sergeant William T. Warren, 48, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Sergeant First Class Floyd E. Lake Sr., 43, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Sergeant First Class Class John G. Brown, 43, of Little Rock, Arkansas, Staff Sergeant Darryl D. Booker, 37, of Midlothian, Virginia, and Corporal Victor M. Langarica, 29, of Decatur, Georgia.

After the ceremony, Lieutenant General Clyde Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard, will host a reception for all 12 families at the Army Guard’s Readiness Center in Arlington, Virginia.

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