In Memoriam
Many brave Americans join the military each year to defend our nation. Unfortunately, many of these citizens have paid the ultimate sacrifice and have lost their lives through their service. At The Mission Continues we pay tribute to these fallen service members and their families by recognizing their service through In Memoriam Fellowships and by providing service opportunities in their honor.
If you would like to volunteer for a service project honoring a service member, visit our Veterans Tribute page. Or if you know of someone who deserves to be on our In Memoriam page, please nominate them.
Riley Baker
Riley Baker graduated in 2002 from Eureka High School near St.Louis, MO where he was a state champion wrestler, a football linebacker, and the senior prom king. He attended St. Louis Community College at Meramec and wrestled there before joining the Marines in February, 2004. Riley died on June 22, 2006 when his team was hit by a roadside bomb, during his second deployment to Iraq.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Casey Fulp, Adam Burke, and Nick Holman, all Riley Baker Memorial Fellows.
Michael Fuga
Sergeant First Class Michael T. Fuga, Army National Guard, was activated and deployed to Afghanistan in February, 2005. He served as an embedded team member and lived with the Afghanistan National Army, where he was involved in training, planning, and executing missions. Michael died on September 9, 2006 in Kandahar as a result of injuries he sustained in an encounter with enemy forces during combat operations.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Phil Bauer and Michael Smith, both Michael Fuga Memorial Fellows.
Jen Harris
Captain Jennifer J. Harris, USMC, was a graduate of the US Naval Academy in 2000 and served as a member of the elite helicopter squadron, the Purple Foxes, while she was deployed to Iraq. On flying missions, she used the radio moniker "The Dove." Jen died on February 7, 2007 in Iraq when the helicopter she was piloting was shot down by insurgents.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Amanda Heidenreiter and Brendan Kraft, both Jen Harris Memorial Fellows.
Nainoa Hoe
First Lieutenant Nainoa Hoe was raised in Kailua, Hawai'i. He was an avid surfer and swimmer who took great pride in his Hawaiian ancestry. He was a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and earned a bachelors degree and an MBA from the University of Hawai'i. Nainoa was shot by a sniper while leading his Army infantry platoon in combat operations in Iraq. He died on January 22, 2005.
Read about Misson Continues Fellow Mike Pereira, the first Nainoa Hoe Memorial Fellow.
Hubbard-Baro
Nathan and Jared Hubbard were brothers from Clavos, Ca who joined the service after high school. After Jared was killed in Iraq in 2004, Nathan joined to honor his brother. He was killed while deployed to Iraq in a helicopter accident in 2005. Jeremiah Baro was a close friend of Jared Hubbard. They graduated high school togeter, enlisted as Marines, and deployed together to Iraq. In 2004 they were both killed in a road-side bomb attack.
Read more about Nathan and Jared Hubbard and Jeremiah Baro
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Curtis Johnson and Neil Daniel, both Hubbard-Baro Memorial Fellows.
Charles Kitowski
Sergeant Charles Kitowski, an Army reservist, was raised in Katy, Texas. He graduated from St. Thomas High School and from The University of St. Thomas in Houston. In 2006, Charles was mobilized and deployed to Afghanistan. On, August 12, 2007, Charles was killed by an improvised explosive devise in Eastern Afghanistan.
Read more about Charles Kitowski.
Read about The Mission Continues Fellows Troy Crawford and Colin Archipley, both Charles Kitowski Memorial Fellows.
Travis Manion
First Lieutenant Travis Manion was raised outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a academically gifted and a star athlete in both high school and college. Travis graduated from the United States Naval Academy and became an officer in the Marine Corps. Travis died on April 29, 2007 after being hit by sniper fire in Iraq. He was on his second deployment.
Read more about Travis Manion.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Jake Wood, Clay Hunt , Mathew Trotter, Dionisios Nicholas, Perry Green, David Vidal, Brad Watts, Michael Paul, Steve Baskis, Eric Parry and Amanda Heidenreiter all Travis Manion Memorial Fellows.
Matthew Pathenos
Matthew graduated from Parkway South High School outside of St. Louis, Missouri. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in January, 2003. He was a radio man in communications with the 3/24 4th Marine Division. Matthew attended Meramec Community College before leaving for Iraq and planned on attending when he returned from war. Matthew was killed in Iraq on February 7, 2007 while conducting operations in Fallujah.
Read more about Matthew Pathenos.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Lucas Volkomener, Daniel Guzman, and Shane Conrad, all Matthew Pathenos Memorial Fellows.
Karl Pieper
Sergeant Karl B. Pieper was born at West Point, New York on September 22, 1979, while his family was stationed at the United States Military Academy. After living in Connecticut and Ohio, he graduated from high school in June 1997 from Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida. After the terrorist attack on September 11th, Karl knew that he wanted to serve his country, and enlisted as an infantryman in the U.S. Army in November 2002. Karl died at his mother's home on May 10, 2009
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Mahmoud Miri and Jesse Scollin, both Karl Pieper Memorial Fellows.
Regina Reali
Army Reserve Sgt. Regina Christina "Gina" Reali was born in Berkeley CA and grew up in Fresno CA, graduating from Fresno High School in 1999. Sgt. Reali joined the Army Reserve on July 28, 2000 in part to follow in the steps of her older brother, Paul, who was in the Navy. Sgt. Reali died from injuries she suffered when her Humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad, Iraq on December 23, 2005.
Read about Mission Continues Fellow Jon Arnold Garcia, the first Regina Reali Memorial Fellow.
Dan Riordan
Daniel Patrick Riordan was born in Fort Worth, TX, and later moved to St. Louis, MO with his family. Dan attended Southeast Missouri State University where he pursued his calling in the US Military via the Air Force's ROTC program. Later Dan made the switch from the Air Force ROTC prgram to the US Army where he began his military career the Infantry at Fort Benning, GA. Dan and four of his brave troops were killed instantly by a massive IED explosion on June 23, 2007.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Cathy Vornberg, Robert Wake, Tiffany Garcia , and Dan Casara, all Dan Riordian Memorial Fellows.
James Suh
James Suh, a U.S.-born citizen of Korean immigrants was raised by his father in South Florida. He was a star athlete in high school in both tennis and swimming. He excelled in math at the University of Florida and later decided to join the Navy SEALs. James was killed on June 28, 2005 when the helicopter he was riding in was brought down by enemy fire. The helicopter was on a mission to rescue four SEALs trapped by Taliban and Al-Quaeda fighters in a hostile, mountainous area.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Tim Smith, Justin Clark and Pedro Guardado, all James E. Suh Memorial Fellows.
Colby Umbrell
1st Lieutenant Colby Umbrell, an Army Ranger, was killed in Iraq in 2007.
More information on Colby is coming soon.
Read about Mission Continues Fellow David Pickens, the first Colby Umbrell Memorial Fellow, sponsored by the Travis Manion Foundation.
Daniel Unger
Daniel Unger grew up in Exeter, California. He was a Karate champion and a licensed Christian minister. He deployed to Iraq with the Army National Guard. On May 25, 2004, at the age of 19, Daniel was killed in action while trying to rush a group of Iraqi civilian contractors to safety during a mortar attack.
Read about Mission Continues Fellows Vince Garcia, Mike Garner, and Lewis Ellis, both Daniel Unger Memorial Fellows.
Christopher White
Pfc Christopher White grew up on a farm in Eastview, Kentucky. He has a great love for the outdoors and a passion for hunting and fishing. He joined the Marine Corps in 2005 and soon deployed to Iraq. Christopher died on June 20, 2006 when the vehicle he was riding in was struck by an improvised explosive device.
Read more about Christopher White.
Read about Mission Contionues Fellows Phillip Sturgeon and Shawn Billiot, both Christopher White Memorial Fellows.
Our Mission:
To build an America where every returning veteran can serve again as a citizen leader, and where together we honor the fallen by living their values through service.
