LOCAL GREEN BERET KILLED BOMB CLAIMS SIMI VALLEY NATIVE, THREE OTHERS IN IRAQ.Byline: Angie Valencia-Martinez Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - A Green Beret who always wanted to be a soldier was killed Monday when an bomb detonated near a Humvee carrying the Simi Valley native and three other soldiers near Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq. Sgt. Jonathan Tessar, 36, achieved a boyhood dream when he passed the General Education Development test so he could enlist in the military before turning 18. The special forces soldier, who was nine months away from retiring, fought in the Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War or Gulf War (1990–91) International conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Though justified by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on grounds that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, the invasion was presumed to be and served in Yugoslavia before seeing action in Iraq. ``He loved his country,'' said his older brother, Bill Tessar of Simi Valley. ``He wanted to go into the Army when he was 5 years old. ``I think the most painful for me is that for 19 years, he had to live abroad in all these different countries and sacrificed many holidays and family events for his country. What I was most looking forward to was spending time "Spending Time" is the first single released by Christian artist Stellar Kart. The lyrics describe the band members desire to spend "more time with God". "Sometimes it’s a real struggle to spend time with God. together.'' The last time the family saw the decorated soldier was in May when his father died. The soldier, based out of Fort Campbell Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee and is home to the 101st Airborne Division. The fort is named in honor of BG William Bowen Campbell, the last Whig Governor of Tennessee. , Ky., is survived by his wife Nancy and three children. ``His family was more important to him than anything, but his love and loyalty to the Army and to his soldiers was unwavering,'' Nancy Tessar said in a prepared statement. Memorial services for Tessar and the three other men will be held in Iraq and at Fort Campbell in the coming days. Bill Tessar said he is planning a service in Simi Valley before his brother is laid to rest, possibly in Virginia. He said his brother wanted to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery, 420 acres (170 hectares), N Va., across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.; est. 1864. More than 60,000 American war dead, as well as notables including Presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, Gen. John J. and the family is trying to work out arrangements. Tessar is Simi SIMI Sea Ice Mechanics Initiative SIMI Search for Intelligent Monkeys on the Internet SIMI Students Islamic Movement in India SIMI Society of Irish Motor Industry SIMI Smallholder Irrigation Markets Initiative Valley's fifth casualty of the Iraq war. The four soldiers were assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branched maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. , 101st Airborne Division. Angie Valencia-Martinez, (805) 583-7604 angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com |
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