Salem Observer : iraq

Plaque planned for Salem man killed in Iraq

Salem Editor — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:32:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

With memorial services for Army Staff Sgt. Edmond L. Lo set for this weekend, Bob Castricone wants to make sure that his sacrifice is never forgotten.

Castricone, treasurer for the Salem Veterans Association, is working with members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars to have a bronze plaque bearing Lo’s name and service placed at the intersection of Geremonty Drive and Main Street. Castricone hopes to have the plaque in place by Veterans Day, Nov. 11, in time to let local veterans honor him with a small ceremony.

“We’re going to dedicate Veterans Day this year in his memory,” Castricone said. “Once we get that plaque we’ll put on a little ceremony there. We’ll have a little prayer, a firing squad and play taps.”

Lo, 23, died in Iraq on June 13 after a roadside bomb he was disarming detonated. A 2004 graduate of Salem High School, Lo will join Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Moscillo and Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis of the Army’s 82 Airborne Division as the third serviceman in the community immortalized by a plaque after dying in Iraq.

His will be the 28th plaque placed in town, memorializing the community’s war dead, according to Castricone. Castricone said the location for the bronze memorial was chosen due to its proximity to the Lo family home.

“What we tried to do is put the plaque as close to their home as possible,” Castricone said. “They were (in the past) just putting the names in town where they were visible. We put Nick Arvanitis’ plaque on Old Rockingham Road where he was living. The one we’re putting up now, it’s going to be put up on Geremonty Drive ... and that’s close to (Lo’s) home.”

The actual installation of the plaque and the maintenance of the location is handled by the Salem Department of Public Works. David Wholley, DPW operations manager, said the spot selected for Lo was also intended to keep the sacrifices of the current war in the public eye.

Retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Puzzo, an aerospace science instructor at the Salem High School who knew Lo from his days in the Air Force Junior ROTC program, said the efforts to memorialize the staff sergeant were indicative of the community’s strong support for veterans and military families.

Puzzo, who is serving as a liaison between the family and the school district, said both he and the Lo family had been inundated with phone calls offering support since the news of Lo’s death was released.

“I know almost everyone in his graduation class have already been in touch with the family ... A lot of cadets have been by the school,” Puzzo said. “I’ve seen a lot support coming my way and to the family as well. There is very strong support in the community.”

Calling hours for Lo will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 26, at the Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home, 214 Main St., Salem. The funeral service is at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, at the Mary Queen of Peace Church in Salem, followed by burial in the Pine Grove Cemetery.

Lo was ‘fine young man’

Salem Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:39:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Across town, flags have been lowered to half-staff as members of the community pay their respects to the family of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Edmond L. Lo.

Lo, 23, was killed in Iraq on June 13 after a roadside bomb he was trying to defuse detonated. He is remembered by those in the community who knew him as a hard-working, intelligent and driven young man.

His older brother Raymond said Lo was a dedicated student and committed to serving his nation.

“Nothing could stop him,” Raymond said. “He never missed a day at school or a day at work. He was just something else. That’s what makes it so much harder.”

According to Raymond, his brother had some good experiences in his years as a member of the high school’s Air Force Junior ROTC program. Despite his excellent academic record, Lo chose to enter the military after graduation rather than head off to college.

“My mom tried to convince him to go to school, but this is just what he wanted to do,” Raymond said. “If he could help, he’d make himself available.”

Superintendent Michael Delahanty was Lo’s principal for five years, following him from his days at Woodbury Middle School until his graduation from Salem High School in 2004. Delahanty said he had the opportunity through those years to watch Lo grow into a “fine young man.”

“He was one of those kids who was so bright and articulate,” Delahanty said. “With so many graduates, he certainly stood out.”

According to Delahanty, district administrators and educators are planning to sit down in the coming days and discuss how to properly remember Lo, the third service member from the community killed in Iraq in the past three years.

On May 1, 2006, Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Moscillo, 21, died in Al Anbar province, Iraq, when a landmine exploded underneath his Humvee.

On Oct. 6 of that same year, Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis, 22, of the Army’s 82 Airborne Division was shot and killed while on patrol in Iraq. Plaques commemorating both men’s service to the nation have been placed around the community since their deaths.

Salem residents and town officials reached out to the Lo family, offering whatever help they could in the days ahead.

“Whatever assistance we can provide we offer,” said Capt. Shawn Patten of the Salem Police Department. “It hits home when a hometown boy or girl is killed. It’s a tragedy and we have the utmost respect for him ... We have to make sure we never forget.”

“All of our hearts will be heavy as we remember Sgt. Lo,” said Assistant Fire Chief Paul Parisi. “We’ll be thinking about his family and his sacrifice.”

State leaders also extended their sympathies to the Lo family. Gov. John Lynch said the family remained in his thoughts and prayers as well as those of his wife, Susan.

Sen. Judd Gregg praised Lo as a gifted student and an extraordinary young man.

“He chose to delay his plans to begin college in order to serve his country, which he did with honor, dignity and courage, saving countless lives by working to disarm roadside bombs in Iraq,” he said.

Congressman Paul Hodes said Lo’s family, friends and those in the community who knew him remained in his thoughts.

“I join all of New Hampshire in honoring the brave service Sgt. Lo gave to his country,” Hodes said in a statement.

Raymond said the outpouring of support from members of the community and telephone calls from state leaders had made the tragedy easier for both him and his family as they make arrangements for his brother’s funeral.

“Everyone has been really helpful in offering support and lending a hand out to my parents,” he said.

Bomb blast in Iraq kills Salem soldier

Salem Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:34:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

A 23-year-old Army soldier from Salem was killed in Iraq on Saturday, June 13, when an improvised explosive device (IED) that his explosive ordnance disposal team was working to neutralize blew up.

Staff Sgt. Edmond L. Lo, who was assigned to the 797th Ordnance Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion at Fort Hood in Texas was a 2004 graduate of Salem High School where he was active in the Air Force Junior ROTC program. He was killed in Sammara City.

“Everybody who knew him in JROTC is devastated, understandably so,” said Marc Palermo, a friend and classmate of Lo’s who was also active in the program.

Lo joined the Army in 2004, according to Chief Tom Puzzo of the JROTC program at the school. As a cadet, Lo had been commander of the colorguard, participated in competition drill teams, and served as the operations squadron commander.

Puzzo described him as dedicated and hardworking, a leader who was infectious, not flashy. A quiet professional.

“He knew how to get the job done and others followed his lead,” said Puzzo, who taught Lo for two years. “He was a great kid all around. He was very popular. If you met him, you liked him.”

Lo is one of six children. He was three older sisters, an older brother, and a younger brother, Norman, who was a JROTC cadet.

Lo had the opportunity to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology but instead chose to join the military When Lo came home, he would visit Puzzo and stay for dinner.

“I think he was proud to be in the Army,” said Puzzo who saw him at Christmas.

According to published reports, Lo’s family was informed of his death on Saturday, June 13, and was escorted the next day to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware where they saw the transfer of the flag-draped case containing his remains by a military honor guard.

“Sgt. Lo served his nation with dignity, courage and honor and sacrificed protecting all of us,” New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch said in a written statement. “He is a hero to us all. On behalf of the citizens of New Hampshire, our deepest sympathies go out to the entire Lo family.”

Palermo, who has known Lo since third grade, described his friend as smart and driven and “one of the nicest, gentlest kids” he has known.

Lo liked video games, “goofing around,” and going to the movies. He enjoyed watching “Family Guy” and “The Simpsons” on television.

Both students were shy but through JROTC, Lo learned how to lead, grew, and some of his shyness wore off, Palermo said. He and the instructors help Palermo get motivated and into shape.

Palermo went on to Daniel Webster College in Nashua to study aviation management. He received letters from Lo when he went through basic training and saw him when he was on leave.

“He loved the (physical training), the work he did,” said Palermo. “You could truly see it in the way he talked. He truly loved what he did in the Army.”

Lo is the third Salem soldier to have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Moscillo, 21, was killed in May, 2006, when the Humvee he was riding in hit a land mine.

In October 2006, Army Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis, 23, was killed by gunfire. The two men were members of Salem High School’s Class of 2003.

Military moms offer support while children serve

Salem Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:50:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

They’re four Salem area women who share a common bond – mothers of men serving their country in military uniform.

And twice a month, over coffee and soda, they exchange stories and share their fears, giving each other moral support and, at times, a shoulder to cry on.

They call themselves “military moms.”

“We bounce ideas or vent or share stories,” said Lisa Desrosiers of Windham, whose son, Marine Lance Cpl. Edmund Vandecasteele, 20, is serving in Okinawa, Japan. “We’re proud moms. Every two weeks we have proud stories to tell. We’re just here for each other.”

The women began meeting regularly in November, and they find their talks to be therapeutic.

Their other friends are supportive but don’t understand what they are going through. In this group, the women talk with fellow moms who know what it’s like to not hear from a son for weeks, not see him for months, miss him during the holidays and worry about his safety.

“We’re all in the same boat,” said Pam Rochon Russell, whose son, Thomas, 20, is serving in Afghanistan.

And they’ve tapped into each other’s experiences and knowledge to get answers to their questions: What will boot camp be like for him? Will he be able to call home? How do I get a birthday cake to him? How long does it take to ship his Christmas presents? Can he get a military discount on his flight when he comes home for leave?

“I really had no one to talk to, to ask questions, to ask advice,” said Desrosiers. “And it’s just nice that there are other moms in the same situation.”

The women, whose sons are Salem High School graduates, share photos, update each other on their boys’ lives and teach each other about what they’ve learned about the military through their experiences.

“There’s so much to bounce off each other and learn,” said Russell, who hasn’t seen her son in 11 months.

The mood at their meetings is generally upbeat, but the women do share their worries for their sons’ safety. Russell’s son is doing dangerous work – he’s a combat engineer blowing up mountainsides to build roads and leading convoys in a one-man Husky to clear roads of improvised explosive devices.

“There are times you talk about the fears,” said Russell. “My son’s blowing up the side of a mountain or the snipers or the suicide bomber that killed someone in his group. That can bring the emotion out, and with these girls, that’s OK.”

“This is the place to let it out,” added Sandy Bohne.

Bohne would know. One of her sons, Joseph, was injured in June 2006, when a roadside bomb blew up near the Humvee he was riding in while on patrol in Iraq. The explosion claimed the life of a fellow soldier.

“We can relate to the same fears,” said Bohne, whose son, James, 17, is in the Marine’s delayed entry program. “Everyone can sympathize when you have a child that is deployed or injured or whatever happens but to actually have someone – It’s just a completely different feeling of not having a child with you. You don’t know until you’ve gone through it.”

For Lucille Penny, her situation is a bit different. Unlike the other mothers, whose sons are single, her son is married and has children.

While Staff Sgt. Mark Penny, 35, of the New Hampshire Army National Guard is serving in the military police over in Baghdad, his wife, Tracie, and their two children, Spenser, 7, and Harlee, 2, are living in Raymond. A third child is due in a few days.

Spenser wants Lucille to promise that his daddy will come home – something she can’t do.

“It’s been rough but you get through it day by day,” she said.

To date, the women have kept their group small but now they’re ready to expand. They welcome others to join their conversations.

“We just want to get the message out,” said Desrosiers, “that if anyone needs to talk, we’re here.”

Salem man killed in Iraq focused on others

Salem Editor — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:18:00 GMT

By Matt Hersh
Staff Writer

Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis

As she sat on the hood of her car outside of Salem High School holding the uniform of her brother Nicholas, who was killed in Iraq on Friday, Oct. 6, Kimberly Arvanitis couldn’t help but smile.

“He was this forgiving kid,” she said. “He had a heart of gold.”

Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis, 22, of the Army’s 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, was killed by small arms gunfire while on a mission near Bayji, a city between Baghdad and Mosul in Northern Iraq. Further details of his death are classified to protect other soldiers, his sister said.

Arvanitis was a squadron leader and had been stationed in Iraq since August.

Kimberly, 24, who was formerly in the Air Force and had been stationed in Iraq, met with Salem High School band director Marty Claussen and social studies teacher Ben Adams on Friday, Oct. 6, to talk about Nicholas and remember him.

Arvanitis grew up in Salem, graduating from Salem High School in 2003. He was a prominent member of the school’s championship wrestling team as well as an accomplished guitarist in the jazz band.

Observer/Bruce Preston
Kimberly Arvanitis, the sister of Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis who was recently killed in Iraq, holds two military shirts that were given to her by her brother before he left for duty. She visited Salem High School on Tuesday morning to meet with teachers she and her brother both knew while attending school there.

In 2001 Claussen, asked Arvanitis to learn the sousaphone to play at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Though he had never played it before, Arvanitis picked up the sousaphone quickly and performed in front of millions of viewers across the country.

Aside from his musical accomplishments, Claussen said he remembers Arvanitis mostly because of the kind of person he was.

“He was always smiling,” Claussen said. “He got along with everyone.”

Likewise, Adams said he remembers Arvanitis in his 12thgrade social studies class being quiet and friendly.

Kimberly Arvanitis said she has a hard time listing all of the qualities she admired in her brother. He was her hero, she said.

Arvanitis joined the Army before he turned 18, having his mother sign the necessary forms. His grandfathers had both served in the Navy, one in World War II. Family members said he was eager to fight for his country.

“When 9/11 happened, he was livid,” said his grandmother, Rita Dill, who helped raise him with her husband Leonard Dill. “He came home one day and said he was going to be joining the 82nd Airborne.”

Dill said Arvanitis joined the Army for the right reasons – he wanted to protect his country and his family.

Kimberly and her brother’s former teachers described him as focused on his friends as well. He returned to Salem for the funeral of Robert L. Moscillo, a 21-year-old Marine from Salem who was killed in May.

After he heard the news of Moscillo’s death, he called home immediately to make sure he was available to help his friends cope.

“He was such a kind young man,” Dill said. “He always thought of his family and other people.”

Arvanitis, who was looked up to by other Army members according to his sister, recently received orders to become a recruiter – a job Claussen said he would have been perfect for.

However, he was determined to fight despite urgings from his sister to stay out of Iraq.

“I told him not to go, that you didn’t want to be there,” she said. “But he said he had to go and fight.”

Military officials notified Kimberly Arvanitis about her brother’s death on Friday when they came to her home.

“I was thinking, ‘Let it be an injury’,” she said. “I just dropped to the ground and lost it – I was in disbelief.”

His sister said that e-mails have been flooding in from soldiers Arvanitis had served with and from Salem friends, telling stories about him and praising him.

A memorial service was held for Arvanitis in Kuwait where about 750 people attended. Normally about 200 attend, his sister said.

Services are still being arranged, but Kimberly Arvanitis said they should occur within the next week.

Salem High School had a moment of silence during their homecoming game last week to honor Arvanitis, Claussen said. On Veterans Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars will be dedicating their ceremony to Arvanitis, his sister said.

Also, a plaque will be placed on Old Rockingham Road, where Arvanitis grew up. Arvanitis is also survived by his mother, Maureen Arvanitis, of Manchester.

“I want everyone to know who he was,” Kimberly Arvanitis said. “He is a hero and should be recognized for what he’s done.”