Is a buddy of mine dead?

5 April 2003 | Live Free or Die

[Live free or die]

I need some help. I went through basic and AIT at Ft. Benning with a guy whose last name was Halvorson and I'm pretty sure his first name was Eric.

I just saw a picture of someone who sorta looked like him on MSNBC with the same name. They said he was killed.

I remember he came from oe of the Dakotas or Minnesota. I last saw him two years ago in California but I'd still like to know if it was him.

Any help would be appreciated.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35359-2003Apr5.html

List of the KIA/MIA/and wounded

[agrace]

I'm so very sorry, but the following is found at Fox news site official list -

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class Erik A. Halvorsen, 40, of Bennington, Vt. Killed in helicopter crash.

The link

[SSN558]

You can use any number of search engines. This one is for the POWS and MIAS in Iraq. They have a message board.

http://www.nationalalliance.org/gulf2/index.htm

[Larry Lucido]

I can't help you, but prayers for this brave soldier, whether or not you've ever met.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class Erik A. Halvorsen, 40, Bennington, Vt., helicopter crash.

I don't think it's him because this guy was a CWO

[CheezyD]

I got this from FOX...

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class Erik A. Halvorsen, 40, of Bennington, Vt. Killed in helicopter crash.

[Timesink]

One of the KIA's mother's name is Halvorsen.

[68skylark]

Casulaty information is available directly from the DoD website:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/releases.html

[Herodotus]

Ah the power of Google.

Here's a link to the story:
http://www.savannahnow.com/stories/040503/LOCBLACKHAWKFOLO.shtml

The Halvorson killed was CWO 4 Eric Halvorson of Bennington, VA. He was 40 years old. He was the first Vermonter killed in the war.

From the article: [snip] NOTE: there is a photograph of the soldier on the paper's webpage.

Erik Halvorsen

Halvorsen, born and raised in Bennington, was a career soldier who joined the Army after earning a degree in electronic engineering at the University of Hartford in 1986.

"My son was wonderful person," said his mother, Dorothy Halvorsen. "He was brave, he was caring, and he loved flying. I was always very proud of him."

Col. James J. Boutin of the Vermont National Guard, said, "I know he was quite a soldier. He was thought of pretty highly. He was pretty skilled."

Halvorsen served in Bosnia and in Operation Desert Storm.

Dorothy Halvorson knew that her son's latest assignment was different from previous ones.

"I had a bad feeling since the time he left," she said. "He knew he was going to a dangerous place. He kind of prepared things so if he didn't come back we would know what to do.

"He was a man of few words, but those actions " she said, her voice trailing off. "He was very somber when he left."

The final letter his mother received from her son came just before the war started. In it, he expressed hope for a peaceful resolution of the conflict with Iraq.

One of his three sisters, Brenda Halvorsen, wondered if her brother had gotten her final letters to him. She fought back tears to say she fully supports U.S. policy in Iraq.

"I fully supported it. I'm not angry, by any means. It's what he wanted to do.

"I can't accept the death yet but he died in a very honorable way. I'm very proud of him. He was trying to make our country a safer place to live."

[Beck_isright]

God Bless you sir. My prayers go out to his family and friends. Semper Fi.

V

[fatima]

Sorry to hear about your friend Live free or die.Eternal rest Erik.Thank you.

[Kaslin]

The Eric Halverson that is listed on the FNC website is from VT

Fallen Heroes From Operation Iraqi Freedom

[Live free or die]

Thanks very much. The Halverson I know wasn't a pilot and he sure never went to college like this fellow.

Thanks very much to all for your info and prayers.