Willard M Kerchief III

Evansville, Indiana

August 16, 2007

Age

Military

Rank

Unit/Location

Army

Pfc

4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team)

Fort Lewis, Washington

Died in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire during combat operations in Taramiyah, Iraq.

When Willard M. Powell-Kerchief joined the Army last year, his friends and
family were reluctant to embrace the decision. But they also said the 2005
Reitz High School graduate seemed to hit his stride while wearing fatigues.
The 21-year-old, serving with an infantry unit, was waiting for a promotion
to corporal. "Willard felt a sense of accomplishment. It was the most
prideful I've ever seen him," said close friend Jeremy Jones, a high school
classmate.

He was a active member of First Christian Church and was remembered Friday
as the definition of a "true friend," and in fact, Powell-Kerchief was fond
of using that very term.

PFC. Willard M. Kerchief was assigned to the 4th Battalion 9th Infantry
Regiment - 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) at Fort
Lewis, Washington.

From The Seattle Times seattletimes.com 08/17/07:

Fort Lewis soldier dies in Iraq; 9th this month
Another Fort Lewis soldier has died in Iraq, according to an Army news release. Pfc. Willard M. Kerchief III, 21, of Evansville, Ind., died Thursday in Balad...

By Seattle Times staff
Another Fort Lewis soldier has died in Iraq, according to an Army news release.

Pfc. Willard M. Kerchief III, 21, of Evansville, Ind., died Thursday in Balad, Iraq. He was wounded by small-arms fire, according to the Army.

Kerchief was part of the Stryker Brigade Combat Team based out of Fort Lewis. He enlisted in February 2006, and this was his first deployment to Iraq.

He was the ninth Fort Lewis soldier killed this month.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

From NBC 16 WNDU wndu.com 08/18/07

Ninetieth Indiana soldier dies
Posted: Sat 5:04 PM, Aug 18, 2007

Military officials say another Indiana soldier has died.

Twenty one year old Army Pfc. Willard M. Kerchief III died Thursday after being wounded during combat operations in Iraq.

The Evansville native suffered wounds from enemy small arms fire in Taramiyah.

His family says Kerchief graduated in 2005 from Evansville's Reitz High School after attending Bosse High School for three years and had been deployed to Iraq in April.

Kerchief is the 90th member of the military from Indiana to die since February 2003 after being sent to the Mideast for the war in Iraq.