Rest Easy Brother. Rest Easy.
Posted on 02/09/2007 8:26:11 AM PST by lovecraft
Barnwell native killed in Iraq
Kara Gormley on Barnwell native killed in Iraq
An Army soldier from Barnwell was killed in a helicopter shoot-down in Iraq.
The family of Army Warrant Officer Jason Garth DeFrenn says he was killed on Friday and family members were informed by the Defense Department over the weekend.
Defrenn's father Garth DeFrenn says the 34-year-old soldier was a member of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 227th Aviation Regiment, of Fort Hood, Texas.
"I was just selfish. I just didn't want to lose my son," says Garth Defrenn. Defrenn says from the day his son Jason told him he wanted to fly Apache helicopters, he knew in his heart this day would come.
The family says he was due to be home in a week or so. His Apache helicopter was shot down while flying in formation north of Taji, Iraq.
But Defrenn says that wasn't before his son and a co-pilot did something heroic. Jason's dad says they placed their helicopter in the line of fire, diverting another helicopter from being shot down, "You can say he was admired and loved, but the most important thing he ever did was to lay his life down for someone else."
But that is only part of the story. Army warrant officer Defrenn was just days away from returning home to Barnwell and the love of his life, his wife Jenny, who is supposed to give birth to their son at the end of the month.
But the news was too much, says Defrenn's father, "It really, really threw her body into a major shock."
Jenny's blood pressure skyrocketed. She was rushed to Palmetto Baptist. Doctors decided to induce labor. Garth says, "Jenny needed to have the child now so she could deal with the death of her husband."
Tuesday afternoon, Jenny gave birth to a healthy son.
Jason's father tells WIS, "At first, Jenny thought maybe she might want to call him Jason Garth Defrenn, Jr. But she felt like she should go along with her husband's wishes and call him what he wanted to call him. That was Christopher."
"Upstairs is a very remarkable young lady," says Garth. "She is just as much of a patriot as my son. She has given everything for this country. She loved him dearly and her heart is broken."
The soldier leaves behind three children and a spouse who was pregnant with their fourth child.
Reported by Kara Gormley with AP
Posted 8:53pm by Chantelle Janelle
Jason laid down his life to save his friends just as each of us would have laid down our lives to save his. God bless and protect his family, help them dear Lord as we ask for your help as well to get us all through this time of loss.
He was one of the best friends I have ever had and God knows he gave more to this world than the world has ever given him. We were all troubled kids, God knows how we made it this far. But no matter how bad and hard this world treated Jason, he gave his life defending his family, his friends, his country. I am proud to say I have known a hero, the only difference is, he had always been a hero to us before he became a hero to his country. I love you brother.....
There is a video on the site if you click on the link above Jason's picture.
I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend, Jason. Please pass along my condolences to his family and all of those who loved him.
~ a huey driver from another war.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070211/ap_on_re_us/iraq_tragic_homecoming;_ylt=Apm2dRBk6BXa77WYLlhV_7vMWM0F
Solace found in slain soldier's newborn
By MEG KINNARD,
Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago
COLUMBIA, S.C. - For weeks, Chief Warrant Officer Jason DeFrenn's family awaited his homecoming, a trip planned as much more than a simple respite from his second tour in Iraq: The nine-year Army veteran was returning to South Carolina to help his wife give birth. Instead, his loved ones are making plans for the 34-year-old Army pilot's funeral.
DeFrenn's Apache helicopter was shot down on Feb. 2 — two weeks before he was supposed to be back in his native state. Wracked by grief, his wife went into labor early, giving birth to a boy just days after her husband's death.
It's newborn Christopher who's now providing the family a measure of solace. "A healing child," is how Jason DeFrenn's father explains it as he alternately gazes at a photo of the son he lost, and at a card stamped with the footprints of his new grandson.
"It's a wonderful thing that's happened here in the last couple of days, in a way," said Garth DeFrenn. "But it's going to be a tough month."
Twenty-three Marines and soldiers have died in helicopter crashes in Iraq since Jan. 20. Most, like DeFrenn, are believed to have been shot down. The latest, which killed seven Marines when their transport helicopter crashed Wednesday, remains under investigation. Four American civilian contractors also were killed in a recent crash.
The deaths have raised questions about whether insurgents are using more sophisticated weapons or whether U.S. tactics need changing.
But in South Carolina, Jason DeFrenn's family is focusing on the new baby and the boy's three siblings, not how their father died. Garth DeFrenn coached Jenny DeFrenn through the delivery.
"I guess I tried to take Jason's place a little bit," Garth DeFrenn said. "I didn't really take Jason's place, but I was just trying to be there for her."
"This is all about Jason and Jenny and those four children," he said. "It started with him doing something very, very remarkable. It went to her regenerating life again."
Jenny DeFrenn struggled at first with choosing a name for her infant, born four days after the crash. She decided on Christopher Andrew, the name that she and her husband had picked months ago, rather than naming him after his father.
"She always did what Jason wanted," Garth DeFrenn said last week. "She always followed him and supported him."
The support took the couple, who met while Jason DeFrenn was managing a Pizza Hut, from South Carolina to Texas, where he was based at Fort Hood after joining the Army nine years ago. He served one tour in Afghanistan before twice going to Iraq.
His father said the military gave DeFrenn the excitement he had sought as a boy while hunting and fishing near their hometown of 5,000 about 60 miles south of Columbia.
"When he was young, he had a spirit of wanting to be a hero," Garth DeFrenn said. "He was one of those kids who wanted adventure."
The DeFrenns are now making plans for Jason's funeral in the small town of Barnwell. He'll be buried in his family's plot, as his father believes he would have wanted. The governor plans to grant a request to lower the state's flags.
On an overcast afternoon last week, during a trip to visit his daughter-in-law and new grandson in a Columbia hospital, Garth DeFrenn walked through a city park that is home to dozens of memorials to war veterans. He paused on a footbridge to look out over the granite monuments and bronze sculptures, and broke into tears.
"I don't think I'll ever come back to this place," he said. "No, I won't ever come back."
I didn't even realize you guys had posted on this thread, my thanks for your fine words and your sympathies. My God, this funeral is going to make me a wreck, but my feelings are nothing compared to what his family must be going through. Please continue to pray for them.
Jason's family will find some comfort in the awarding of the Bronze Star knowing that he gave his life for his brothers in arms. But the pain will still be deep and searing. Prayers for them and for you.
The least I could do for someone who went into harm's way to protect my family. Will keep the family--and you--in my prayers.
SC Ping?
I didn't know until leadpenny's post that the Governor will be lowering the flags on the statehouse, I can't help but think that Jason would have laughed over all this fuss. :-)
Jason was an intense fellow even when were young. Some people thought he was crazy and avoided him. He wasn't, he was just misunderstood. Those of us that were close to him just knew that Jason didn't trust very easily. If you were his friend there was nothing he wouldn't do for you.
He could have a look on his face that was unsettling and VERY intimidating. We avoided a lot of fights in high school because of that look on his face. People would back off because they didn't know what he would do. We were a little scared of what he would do since he was very overprotective of his friends. He could back up that intimidating look with action and everybody knew it.
When I think back on those times I am just in awe of how cool it was to have a friend like him. I'd be willing to bet that his friends in the Army would have followed him into hell because they knew what we did. If Jason was on your side, you had every right to feel protected. He was as tough as nails.
Prayers for his wife and children and his friends and family.
Thank you. B-well is such a small town I'm sure we know a lot of the same people. :-)
Wouldn't doubt it one bit5.
And I'll bet everyone of us might have been together sometime and frozen our....um..."selves" at the public swimming pool, lake, river thing, with the spillway in back.
Wow! Was that water cold!
You have wonderful memories of Jason. They will become invaluable as the months pass. You were blessed with a great friendship. It seems that you had many adventures together. It's nice to be able to fall back on those memories. They will bring a wistful smile to your face as tears buildup. It sounds like the Army was a perfect career for him. It always amazes how people find their way in life. It's so tragic when we lose our finest. It makes me happy that the Military Community and his home State recognize the man of substance that Jason was.
Yup, you have strong memories from lake Edgar Brown. Could tell you some stories about our school days when we fished along that lake, though thinking back on it I'm glad we didn't eat anything out of it, ha. I lived right next door to it practically.
And you are such a sweet person. God bless you, you make your family name (whatever it is) worthy of respect and honor.
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