Jeremy E Christensen - Iraq War Heroes, Fallen Heroes Memorial, Afghanistan War Heroes - OurWarHeroes.org

Jeremy E Christensen

Las Vegas, Nevada

November 27, 2004

Age

Military

Rank

Unit/Location

Army

Spc

1^st Squadron, 4^th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 1^st Infantry Division

Schweinfurt, Germany

Killed in Ad Duilayah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol vehicle.

For Some Memorial Snapshots, Click Photo Below

December 7, 2004

From The Oregonian oregononline.com 01/28/05:

Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen
Obituary
Jeremy E. Christensen never did anything halfway, either in work or in play. Take Thanksgiving: His preferred activity wasn't a relaxed game of tossing the pigskin with the family. "Full-contact football," said his younger brother, George Hunt Jr. "No pads." Christensen, 27, of Albuquerque, N.M., died Nov. 27 when his tank was destroyed by a roadside bomb during a combat patrol north of Baghdad. He was based at Schweinfurt, Germany. He grew up in the Portland area and signed up with the Army National Guard at age 18 and attended Mt. Hood Community College. Once Christensen was a civilian again, he moved to Idaho to work as bail bondsmen and later moved to Albuquerque to serve as office manager with the company. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Christensen decided to re-enter the military. He said "that's too close to home. I need to go and serve my country, and keep you guys safe," said Gerri Jimenez, a co-worker and friend. "He was prepared for the war. He wasn't scared." He is survived by his mother, Linda Hakes; stepfather, Rick Adamek; and father, George Hunt.
Published online on Jan. 28, 2005

Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen of Albuquerque, New Mexico never did anything halfway, either in work or in play. He grew up in the Portland area and signed up with the Army National Guard at age 18 and attended Mt. Hood Community College. Once Christensen was a civilian again, he moved to Idaho to work as bail bondsmen and later moved to Albuquerque to serve as office manager with the company. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Jeremy decided to re-enter the military. He was a few years older than the other soldiers in the Anvil Troop and his maturity and easygoing temperament stood out. No one ever heard him once complain about anything and he was very easy to get along with. The training didn't prepare the men for the poor, torn-up areas they patrolled, often meeting children with little to eat or drink. Jeremy was always good to the children. You could see that he genuinely cared, felt sorry for them, and that he wanted to help. The only thing he cared more about was the safety of his fellow soldier. In May, troops were patrolling on foot in Duluiyah. Crossing an intersection, they came under intense fire from machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The group's only cover was a curb. They radioed for help and got an answer from Jeremy's tank. As they approached, Jeremy was in the loader's hatch manning the M240 machine gun. They pointed out the direction of the enemy, and Jeremy immediately took them under fire. He was standing in the hatch the entire time, completely exposed to enemy fire, but he did not budge. Without Jeremy, Every member of that team would have been wounded or possibly killed. He saved their lives that day, while disregarding his own safety. During the firefight, Jeremy's arm was "zinged" by a bullet, a skin wound that he later told his family was a reaction to a vaccination. He is survived by his mother, Linda Hakes; stepfather, Rick Adamek; and father, George Hunt. He was killed at age 27 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol vehicle in Duilayah, Iraq.

State of New Mexico
Office of the Governor
Bill Richardson Governor
For Immediate Release
Contact: Gilbert Gallegos
Nov. 30, 2004
(Santa Fe) 505-476-2217
Governor Bill Richardson orders flags to half-staff in honor
Of fallen New Mexico soldiers
SANTA FE -- Governor Bill Richardson today ordered flags to be flown at half-staff
through Thursday, Dec. 2, to honor and mourn Capt. Todd Christmas and Spc. Jeremy E.
Christensen.
Capt. Christmas, a native of Wagon Mound, lost his life during an Army helicopter crash
in Texas. Capt. Christmas was stationed at Fort Hood after serving for a year in Iraq,
where he earned the Bronze Star.
Spc. Christensen, an Albuquerque resident, tragically lost his life over the weekend while
serving his country in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“On behalf of all New Mexicans, I extend my deepest sympathy and prayers to the family
and friends of these brave soldiers,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “We must not forget
the sacrifices that New Mexico soldiers make on our behalf - whether they’re serving
abroad or protecting our homeland.”
EXECUTIVE ORDER 2004-063
FLAGS FLOWN AT HALF STAFF IN HONOR AND MOURNING
OF JEREMY E. CHRISTENSEN AND TODD CHRISTMAS

WHEREAS, Capt. Todd Christmas, who grew up in Wagon Mound, lost his life
on Monday in Texas while heading to prepare equipment scheduled for use in Iraq;
WHEREAS, Capt. Christmas was commissioned in the Army in 2001, was
stationed in Fort Hood and was part of the 4th Infantry Division;
WHEREAS, Army Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen, a New Mexican, tragically lost his
life this past Saturday in Ad Duilayah, Iraq, while serving his country;
WHEREAS, Army Spc. Christensen entered the Army in December 2001, was
stationed in Germany and was part of the 1st Infantry Division’s 4th Armored Cavalry Regiment;
WHEREAS, Army Capt. Todd Christmas and Army Spc. Christensen dedicated their
lives to serving their country and will be remembered for their bravery and patriotism.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bill Richardson, Governor of the State of New Mexico, by
virtue of the authority vested in the Governor, do hereby order that all flags be flown at half-
staff from Wednesday, December 1, 2004, though sundown on Thursday, December 2, 2004,
in honor and mourning of Army Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen and Capt. Todd Christmas. The
thoughts and prayers of the people of New Mexico go out to the families of Army Spc.
Jeremy E. Christensen and Capt. Todd Christmas as well as a heartfelt thank you for their
military service.
ATTEST:
DONE AT THE EXECUTIVE
OFFICE THIS 30 TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2004
REBECCA VIGIL-GIRON
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE GREAT SECRETARY OF STATE
SEAL OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO
BILL RICHARDSON GOVERNOR OF NEW MEXICO

From AP:

Jeremy E. Christensen never did anything halfway, either in work or in play. Take Thanksgiving: His preferred activity wasn't a relaxed game of tossing the pigskin with the family. "Full-contact football," said his younger brother, George Hunt Jr. "No pads." Christensen, 27, of Albuquerque, N.M., died Nov. 27 when his tank was destroyed by a roadside bomb during a combat patrol north of Baghdad. He was based at Schweinfurt, Germany. He grew up in the Portland area and signed up with the Army National Guard at age 18 and attended Mt. Hood Community College. Once Christensen was a civilian again, he moved to Idaho to work as bail bondsmen and later moved to Albuquerque to serve as office manager with the company. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Christensen decided to re-enter the military. He said "that's too close to home. I need to go and serve my country, and keep you guys safe," said Gerri Jimenez, a co-worker and friend. "He was prepared for the war. He wasn't scared."

Friend says Albuquerque soldier killed in Iraq was prepared for worst
By Leslie Hoffman
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen of Albuquerque entered the Army months after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, ready to sacrifice his life for his country, a close friend said Tuesday.

The 27-year-old soldier was killed Saturday when a homemade bomb was detonated near his patrol vehicle in Duilayah, Iraq.

“He was a brave guy, and he even told me that if something happens to him while he’s in the military at least he was dying for his country,” friend Gerri Jimenez said Tuesday, her voice cracking with emotion.

“He was prepared for the war,” she said. “He wasn’t scared.”

Army spokeswoman Martha Rudd said no one else was injured in the attack that killed Christensen. Such explosives are a common way in which soldiers in Iraq are killed, she added.

Rudd was assigned to 1st Squadron, 4th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, based out of Schweinfurt, Germany, which had been deployed to Iraq.

Christensen, who was born in Nevada, entered the Army in December 2001, according to the military.

Jimenez said Christensen’s family in Portland, Ore., was preparing a statement Tuesday and was not speaking with reporters.

Christensen moved to Albuquerque from Portland to work as the office manager for a bail bonds company, Jimenez said. Jimenez’s brother worked at the Albuquerque firm, and she and Christensen struck up a close friendship.

“He was a workaholic,” she said. “He wanted to do a good job. He always did a good job.”

Then came Sept. 11, and Christensen decided he was needed elsewhere.

“He said to me that the reason he wanted to join the military was because of 9-11 and all the people who got killed on 9-11,” she said. “He thought he needed to serve his country and keep us safe.”

Once he joined up, the two didn’t talk much, she said. However, she said Christensen did visit family in Portland in September.

“He was a great person. He cared about people,” she said. “He had lots of friends.”

Christensen was the seventh New Mexico service member killed in Iraq since the U.S. invasion last year.

Soldier remembered for his quiet heroism

CLACKAMAS, Ore. — Friends and family say Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen wasn’t one for telling war stories. They said the 27-year-old didn’t want to celebrate his deeds or cause others to worry.

At Tuesday’s funeral at the New Hope Community Church, Staff Sgt. Mike Sampsell was able to describe the heroics of Christensen, who was killed Nov. 27 in Duluiyah, Iraq, when his tank was destroyed by a roadside bomb.

The men met in March 2002, not long after Christensen, previously an Oregon National Guardsman, decided to re-enlist, motivated by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

Christensen was a few years older than the other soldiers in the Anvil Troop of the 1st Squadron, 4th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and his maturity and easygoing temperament stood out, Sampsell said.

“The entire time that I knew him, I never heard him once complain about anything,” Sampsell said. “It made him very easy to get along with.”

The training didn’t prepare the men for the poor, torn-up areas they patrolled, often meeting children with little to eat or drink, Sampsell said.

“Jeremy was always good to the children,” Sampsell said. “You could see that he genuinely cared, felt sorry for them, and that he wanted to help. The only thing he cared more about was the safety of his fellow soldier.”

In May, Sampsell was patrolling on foot with three other soldiers in Duluiyah. Crossing an intersection, they came under intense fire from machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

The group’s only cover was a curb. Sampsell radioed for help and got an answer from Christensen’s tank.

“As they approached, I could see Jeremy in the loader’s hatch manning the M240 machine gun,” Sampsell said. “I pointed out the direction of the enemy, and Jeremy immediately took them under fire. He was standing in the hatch the entire time, completely exposed to enemy fire, but he did not budge.”

Without Christensen, “Every member of my team would have been wounded or possibly killed,” Sampsell said. “He saved our lives that day, while disregarding his own safety.”

During the firefight, Christensen’s arm was “zinged” by a bullet — a skin wound that he later told his family was a reaction to a vaccination.

Despite Christensen’s courage, he realized how dangerous his assignment was, said friends Jeremy and Angie Hubbard of Vancouver, Wash.

On leave last August, he made Angie Hubbard promise not to let her husband go to Iraq. Christensen also made her promise to “be there” for his mother, Linda Hakes of Newberg.

Later Tuesday, at the Willamette National Cemetery, friends and family stood silently as the honor guard fired a salute. Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who honored Christensen as “the very best Oregon had to offer,” kneeled to give his mother a state flag. Silently, she stroked it, along with his medals, a Purple Heart for being wounded in action and a Bronze Star for valor.
— Associated Press

From The State of Oregon

November 30, 2004
Soldier from Oregon killed in Ad Dwlayah, Iraq

Soldier who grew up in Oregon was killed when the M1 Abrams he was in was destroyed by a roadside bomb while on mounted combat patrol in Ad Dwlayah, north of Baghdad, Iraq on Nov. 27, 2004. Specialist Jeremy E. Christensen, was the driver of the tank and was assigned to A Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Armored Cavalry Division based in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Born Sept. 24, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the family moved to the Portland area and Christensen attended Centennial and Sam Barlow High School befpre receiving his GED while attending Mt. Hood Community College.

He began his military service with the Oregon Army National Guard as a member of the 2nd Battalion, 218th Field Artillery headquartered in Portland, Ore. After completing six years of service, he joined the inactive National Guard for the duration of his eight year contract.

As a civilian, he and his best friend, Jeremy Hubbard, moved to Idaho as were employed as bail bondsmen. Christensen was then offered and accepted a managerial position with the same company in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Immediately following the events of 9-11, Christensen enlisted in the U.S. Army, as he felt as an American he needed to do something to combat this type of terrorist activity.

He is survived by his mother, Linda Hakes and soon to be stepfather Rick Adamek of Newberg, Ore., father George Hunt; brothers, Jeremy Hubbard, George Hunt Jr., and Adam Beykovsky all of Oregon; sisters Katie Hanson of Washington; twin sisters April and Amy Beykovsky; grandmother Janice Entenmann and stepmother Kathy Beykovsky.

Attached are photos of Jeremy from his initial boot camp graduation and more recently a photo taken in Iraq, which he referred to as his GQ shot.

The family will be available to the media on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. at the McMinnville National Guard Armory, 333 Armory Way adjacent to Evergreen International Airport.