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Honorary RothArmy Hero of the Iraq War...
Sunday July 29, 2007
'Soldier's soldier' mourned
Fearless Owego man killed by bomb in Iraq
WAYNE HANSEN / Press & Sun-Bulletin
OWEGO -- U.S. Army Specialist Fourth Class Charles E. Bilbrey Jr., 21, of Owego, was killed Friday in Iraq after an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle in Diyala province, his parents said.
The soldier's father, Charles Sr., said his son's captain told him two other U.S. soldiers died in the attack.
"He had volunteered for a risky mission," Charles Sr. was told.
Bilbrey's captain "referred to him as a soldier's soldier. He had no fear of anything. I think that's why he volunteered for these risky missions," his father said.
Charles Jr.'s mother, Barbara, said her son will be buried in Owego with a full military service. Services are expected later this week.
On Saturday, the reality of Charles Jr.'s death was still settling in as the family tried to stay busy. Charles Jr.'s 18-year-old sister, Shannon, was out with a friend, and his 9-year-old brother, Patrick, was just leaving the family's Valley Road home in Owego for a baseball game.
Before going, he said, "I really miss him, and he's a good brother."
Another sister, Brianne, 19, recalled her brother's love of the Japanese card game YuGiOh! and how he taught Patrick to count at the age of 3 by playing the game. She also laughed about Charles' antics in school.
"Charlie was a riot," she said. When he won the position of class treasurer at Owego Free Academy, his speech was, "I'm Charles Bilbrey and I'm too cool for this microphone. Peace out," she said with a laugh.
His parents laughed as they recalled their son's recent chance meeting with Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar in an airport.
While Sammy signed an autograph, Charles Jr. said, "I liked Van Halen better when it had David Lee Roth (the band's original lead singer)." Hagar ripped up the autograph.
"He was just that type of kid," his father said.
They also said Charles Jr. would be proud for people to know that he and his friends were once asked to leave an all-you-can-eat buffet because they ate so much food. Charles Jr. was not fat, just a good eater, his parents said.
The mood changed in the house, however, when Charles Sr. played an answering machine message his son left a week ago. Charles Jr.'s tired voice greeted his parents through a broken satellite transmission.
"We'll keep that always," his father said. His mother could no longer keep from crying.
She said the reality won't hit her fully until she sees her son's body.
"I think we're somewhat in shock," Charles Sr. said.
Charles Jr. enlisted in the Army a year before he graduated from Owego Free Academy in June 2005. His goal was to become an Army Ranger, and he climbed two ranks during his short time in the military. He was deployed to Iraq in January with Cavalry 5-7 of the 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Ga.
His mother said that when he arrived in Kuwait, he called home and told her, "This place looks like Dr. Seuss built it," because of the buildings' alien architecture.
Barbara said when her son first arrived in Iraq, he asked his family to send Jolly Ranchers so he could give them to the Iraqi children.
The last the family knew, Charles Jr. had been doing door-to-door searches in Diyala province.
Link w/ pics
:confused:
'Soldier's soldier' mourned
Fearless Owego man killed by bomb in Iraq
WAYNE HANSEN / Press & Sun-Bulletin
OWEGO -- U.S. Army Specialist Fourth Class Charles E. Bilbrey Jr., 21, of Owego, was killed Friday in Iraq after an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle in Diyala province, his parents said.
The soldier's father, Charles Sr., said his son's captain told him two other U.S. soldiers died in the attack.
"He had volunteered for a risky mission," Charles Sr. was told.
Bilbrey's captain "referred to him as a soldier's soldier. He had no fear of anything. I think that's why he volunteered for these risky missions," his father said.
Charles Jr.'s mother, Barbara, said her son will be buried in Owego with a full military service. Services are expected later this week.
On Saturday, the reality of Charles Jr.'s death was still settling in as the family tried to stay busy. Charles Jr.'s 18-year-old sister, Shannon, was out with a friend, and his 9-year-old brother, Patrick, was just leaving the family's Valley Road home in Owego for a baseball game.
Before going, he said, "I really miss him, and he's a good brother."
Another sister, Brianne, 19, recalled her brother's love of the Japanese card game YuGiOh! and how he taught Patrick to count at the age of 3 by playing the game. She also laughed about Charles' antics in school.
"Charlie was a riot," she said. When he won the position of class treasurer at Owego Free Academy, his speech was, "I'm Charles Bilbrey and I'm too cool for this microphone. Peace out," she said with a laugh.
His parents laughed as they recalled their son's recent chance meeting with Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar in an airport.
While Sammy signed an autograph, Charles Jr. said, "I liked Van Halen better when it had David Lee Roth (the band's original lead singer)." Hagar ripped up the autograph.
"He was just that type of kid," his father said.
They also said Charles Jr. would be proud for people to know that he and his friends were once asked to leave an all-you-can-eat buffet because they ate so much food. Charles Jr. was not fat, just a good eater, his parents said.
The mood changed in the house, however, when Charles Sr. played an answering machine message his son left a week ago. Charles Jr.'s tired voice greeted his parents through a broken satellite transmission.
"We'll keep that always," his father said. His mother could no longer keep from crying.
She said the reality won't hit her fully until she sees her son's body.
"I think we're somewhat in shock," Charles Sr. said.
Charles Jr. enlisted in the Army a year before he graduated from Owego Free Academy in June 2005. His goal was to become an Army Ranger, and he climbed two ranks during his short time in the military. He was deployed to Iraq in January with Cavalry 5-7 of the 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Ga.
His mother said that when he arrived in Kuwait, he called home and told her, "This place looks like Dr. Seuss built it," because of the buildings' alien architecture.
Barbara said when her son first arrived in Iraq, he asked his family to send Jolly Ranchers so he could give them to the Iraqi children.
The last the family knew, Charles Jr. had been doing door-to-door searches in Diyala province.
Link w/ pics
:confused:
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