Plant City Fallen Heroes
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ronald A. Ginther worked hard to provide for his family. Before serving in Iraq, he worked six days a week as a mechanic and went to school, relatives said. He was moving up in his company and doing whatever he could to provide for his wife and three children. "If he wanted something he was going to get it," said Jimmy Ginther, his brother. Ginther, 37, Auburndale, Fla., was killed May 2 by hostile fire at Camp Fallujah west of Baghdad. He was a Seabee, a reservist assigned to Jacksonville, Fla. He had four brothers, who sang karaoke country music songs with him before he was deployed in April.
Marine Lance Corporal James R. Phillips 21, of Durant, Fla.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Dec. 23 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq. He was a 2001 graduate of Durant High School. Phillips couldn't wait to return to his two great loves: his family and his car. His family couldn't wait for him to get back, either, postponing celebrations for Christmas and Thanksgiving. "You're not going to miss out on anything," his mother told him. Phillips, 21, of Plant City, Fla., died Dec. 23 during the assault on Fallujah. He was based at Camp Pendleton and hoped to pursue a career in law enforcement. "He went from baby to boy to Marine," said Ronald Tew, a lifelong friend. "Everyone loved him. He will be missed." Phillips graduated high school in 2001 and his father said he loved to fish, hunt, ride four-wheelers and work on his car _ a poppy orange 1965 Ford Mustang. Rachel Cundiff, a friend of Phillips' since both were eighth-graders, said he was always upbeat and would shower her with kind words that brightened her day. "He was an awesome person to be around," she said. Phillips is survived by his parents, Mike and Lisa. Next Christmas, the Phillipses said they will put up a tree and ornaments to celebrate James' life.
Army Sergeant Kevin D. Akins, 29, assigned to the 391st Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve, Asheville, N.C.; killed March 12 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations west of Asadabad, Afghanistan. A soldier killed by a bomb in Afghanistan was a hard worker and a natural leader who also had served in Iraq, his mother said from her Florida home. Army Sgt. Kevin D. Akins, most recently of Burnsville, N.C., was killed March 12 along with three other soldiers when an explosive detonated near their vehicle west of Asadabad, Afghanistan, the Defense Department reported. Akins, 29, was born in Carrollton, Ga., but lived in Florida and graduated from Plant City High School. His mother, Elizabeth Garrison Hansen, received a letter Friday informing her of her son’s death. The letter spoke of how Akins was deployed to Iraq in 2003, where he helped move troops and supplies, and then went to Afghanistan in February 2005, his stepfather, Herb Hansen, said in a St. Petersburg Times story published Saturday. “Now this is the personal part of it,” Herb Hansen said as he read the letter on the phone to a reporter. “Sgt. Akins had a legendary work ethic. No one outworked — now this is his nickname — “Big Ake.’ He led by example. A natural leader that soldiers desire to follow.”“And follow him they did.” Akins graduated from high school and lived at home for two years. He eventually went to North Carolina and signed up for the Army Reserve. He was single and living in Burnsville, working as a grocery store manager.
Army Private Second Class Jody Missildine, 19 of Plant City, FL died in Tal Afar, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during convoy operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany. Died on April 8, 2006.
Army Sergeant Cory L. Clark 25, of Plant City, Fla.; assigned to the 585th Engineer Pipeline Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Aug. 28 in Jaji, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Clark’s mother, Wrenita Codrington, said he called a few days ago to tell her about his promotion to sergeant. As an Army engineer, he had been working on cracked roads and broken buildings, she said.After Clark’s first deployment to Iraq, he returned home to marry his high school sweetheart. The couple had three children before Clark was redeployed to Iraq, and later to Afghanistan. Clark enlisted in the Army just after graduating from Durant High School in 2001. He was tired of working in a grocery store freezer, Codrington said. “He joined the military, saying, ‘I’d rather get a little dirty than a lot cold all the time,’ ” Codrington told WTVT-TV.
Army Specialist Eric N. Lembke 25, of Tampa, Fla.; assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Oct. 23 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an IED. He made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He enlisted in the Army as a combat engineer January 29, 2008, to fulfill his lifelong dream. He was deployed with pride in February 2009. He always kept the big picture in mind when times got tough, and he believed with great conviction that they were making great progress with the war on terrorism. He was a highly decorated soldier, having distinguished himself by being posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, and by being previously awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Combat Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with Combat Star, Global War on Terrorist Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Combat Action Badge. Eric is and will always be regarded as a hero by his band of brothers. He was a happy and free spirit, who could always make you laugh when life was hard, and he always gave everything he had for the things he loved and believed in. He married the love of his life, Mashelle, March 14, 2003. They have two wonderful children, Alexis, his "Princess", age 6, and Thomas his "Nater the Gator," age 3. He would have given anything for his family, as they for him. He was a lifetime member of Plant City' s First Baptist Church, and a 2002 graduate of Simmons Career Center of Plant City High School. He was a beloved husband, father, son, brother and soldier. He was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy Lembke. He is survived by his wife, Mashelle Lembke; children, Alexis Marie Lembke and Thomas Nathaniel Lembke; father figure, Jim Pollard; grand-mother, Mae Robinson; in-laws, Thomas and Diana Norton; biological mother, Saundra Sajak; and siblings, Daniell Lembke, Diana Lembke, Jimmy Lembke and his wife Jeanie, Leah Heberling, Anne Stephenson and Nelson Stephenson. A visitation will take place 6-8 p.m. Friday, November 6, at Plant City' s First Baptist Church, 503 North Palmer St., Plant City, FL 33563, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 7. Interment with full military honors will take place at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Fla.
Army Specialist David A Croft, 22 died Tuesday January 5 2010 after his unit was shot at by insurgents who also detonated an improvised explosive device. Croft was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. David Croft managed to avoid drugs, gangs and trouble — things that swallowed up so many kids in the tough neighborhood where he grew up. And when he returned from his deployment to Iraq, he wanted to work in law enforcement in an anti-gang task force, where he hoped to help kids. “He wanted to make a difference over there,” said Croft’s best friend, Jacob Hollifield. “But he wanted to make a difference here, too.” Croft, 22, of Plant City, Fla., was killed by a roadside bomb Jan. 5 in Baghdad. The 2005 graduate of Durant High School was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. Hollifield recalled going riding go-carts and fishing with Croft — who once caught a bass weighing at least 5 pounds in a pond behind a Walmart. Croft’s fiancée, Susie Clark, said her high school sweetheart loved cooking and trying new restaurants. They got engaged in the day after Christmas 2008. Croft also was a gun enthusiast and was close to his family, who knew him as “Little David” — his nickname to differentiate him from his father, David Sr. The soldier was eager to come home and see his family — “that’s all he talked about was coming home,” said his mother, Vickie.
Marine Sergeant Daniel M Angus 28, of Thonotosassa, Fla.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was deployed on this third tourof duty in the Middle East in the Helmand Province, Afghan-istan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, and 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade based in Camp Lejune, N.C. Sgt. Angus was highly dedicated to the Marine Corps and had served two tours of duty in Iraq. Born in Schenectady, N.Y., he Angus had been a Thonotosassa resident since age 2. He graduated from Armwood High School in 2000, joined the Marine Corps in 2003, where he had planned to make the Marine Corps his career. Sgt. Angus loved spending time with his family, hunting, fishing and mudding. He is survived by his loving family, wife Bonnie; daughter, Kaitlyn Marie; parents, William and Kathy Angus; sister, Tracy (Timothy) Maiville and their son, Andrew; and grand-father, Kenneth Betts. Also surviving are several aunts, uncles and cousins. "Our Hero, a beloved father, husband, son and brother, who will be sadly missed and always remembered by all." Semper Fidelis.
Army Private First Class Paul O. Cuzzupe II 23, of Plant City, Fla.; assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Aug. 8, 2010 in Akhtar-Mohammad-Khan, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. In a eulogy, a sergeant with Cuzzupe’s unit described the fallen medic as someone always there to help in a time of need and a joy to be around. He enlisted in March 2009, and left for basic Training to Ft Sill, Ok in July 2009. Paul then went on to Advanced Training (Combat Medic) at Ft Sam Huston, Tx and was later assigned to G Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. Paul was a 2005 graduate of Armwood High School where he was in the National Honor Society and in the top 20% of his class. Paul attended St. Leo University from 2005-2009 majoring in History with a minor in Political Science. Paul always said that music was the love of his life and was a talented musician and guitarist that started with the Youth Group Band “Just Cause” at St. Francis of Assisi. He continued his efforts forming the music bands Fall-N-Grace, The Seed, Side-B, The Flawless Effect, and Just Three.
Marine Lance Corporal Ronald D Freeman, 25, of Plant City, Fla.; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 28 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations the day of his daughter, Katelyn Michelle's first birthday and 10 days after his son, William Douglas was born.A longtime Plant City area resident, Doug was a graduate of Plant City High School, a member of East Thonotosassa Baptist Church, a loving husband, father and a proud member of the United States Marine Corps.