Three servicemen who were killed in the line of duty will be honored at the Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Park on Monday at 6  p.m.

Honored will be Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, Sgt. 1st Class Michael Russell and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Wright.

 
Shamus O. Goare

Goare was killed June 28, 2005, in eastern Afghanistan when his MH-47D helicopter was shot down by enemy fire during combat operations.

He was born May 28, 1976 in Ohio. Goare joined the Army in 1994 as a Huey helicopter repairer. He attended basic combat training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and advanced individual training at Fort Rucker, Ala.

From December 1994 to October 1996, Goare was assigned to Company I, 158th Aviation Battalion as a utility helicopter repairer. In October 1996 he was reassigned as a UH-1 crew chief to 1st USA SPT, Sinai, Egypt. Upon completion of a one-year tour in Egypt, Goare was then assigned as a crew chief to 12th Aviation Brigade in Fort Belvoir, Va. From January to May 1999 he attended the Heavy Helicopter Repairer Course at Fort Eustis, Va, and upon completion became a Chinook helicopter repairer.

In June 1999 he was assigned to Company C, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Camp Humphreys, Korea, where he performed duties as a CH-47 mechanic until May 2000. In June 2000, Staff Sergeant Goare was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Training Company and upon completion of the basic mission qualification course (Green Platoon) was assigned as a flight engineer for Company B, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Hunter Army Airfield.

Goare’s military schools include the Primary Leadership Development Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape Level-C Course, the Utility Helicopter Repairer Course and the Medium Helicopter Repairer Course and the Special Operations Training Course.

His military awards and decorations include the Air Medal with “V” device for Valor, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Kuwaiti Defense Service Medal, the Multinational Forces and Observers Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. His badges include the Senior Army Aviator Badge.  

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with “V” device for Valor and the Combat Action Badge.

He is survived by his parents, Charles and Judith Goare, of Danville, Ohio.

Michael Russell

Russell was killed June 28, 2005, in eastern Afghanistan when his MH-47D helicopter was shot down by enemy fire during combat operations.

A resident of Rincon, he was born Sept. 28, 1973 in Virginia. Russell joined the Army in October 1991 as a Chinook helicopter repairer.  After completing basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., his first duty station was Barbers Point, Hawaii, where he remained until April 1995.  In May 1995, he departed to the 158th Aviation Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo. In August 1996, he was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) where he served as a flight engineer with the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Hunter Army Airfield.

Russell’s military schools include the Primary Leadership Development Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape Level-C Course and the Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course and the Special Operations Training Course.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal with “V” device for Valor, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Service Medal, the Iraqi Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (2), the Overseas Service Ribbon, Senior Army Crew Member Badge and the Army Superior Unit Award. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with “V” device, the Combat Action Badge, and the Master Crew Member Badge.

He is survived by his wife Annette of Rincon; two daughters, Lauren and Megan; his father, Lee; a brother, Lee Jr.; and a sister, Melissa.

Michael  Wright

Wright died June 1, 2006, in Southwest Georgia.

He was born on Oct. 13, 1964 in Indiana. Wright graduated from Central Texas College with an Associates degree in professional aeronautics and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics. He spent several years in the Air Force as security police and also as an air traffic controller. He was accepted into the Army Warrant Officer Program at Fort Rucker in 1989. 

Upon graduation from the CH-47D Qualification Course in 1991 he was assigned to Bravo Company of 2nd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas as the production control officer. His follow-on assignments included Alpha Company, 2nd of the 501st Aviation, Camp Humphreys, Korea as the maintenance officer; Alpha Company, 2/159 Aviation Battalion and Indigo Company, Fort Bragg, N.C., as the AVUM platoon leader and maintenance test pilot; Bravo Company, 4/123 Battalion at Fort Wainwright, A as the battalion maintenance evaluator and AVUM platoon leader.

In 1999, Wright was assigned to Charlie Company, 3/160 Special Operations Aviation Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield where he served as the MH-47 maintenance platoon leader, battalion production control officer and maintenance officer.

Wright’s military schools include the Air Force Air Traffic Management Course, Air Assault School, the CH-47D Aircraft Maintenance Officer Test Pilot Course, the Warrant Officer Basic and Advanced Course, Survival Escape Resistance and Evasion Course (High Risk) and the Special Operations Training Course. 

His awards and decorations include two Bronze Star Medals, an Air Medal with “V” device, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 OLC, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with 2 OLC, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Kuwaiti Defense Service Medal,  the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Air Force Training Ribbon.  His badges include the Army Master Aviator Badge, the Army Air Assault Badge, the Air Force Security Forces Badge and the Air Force Air Traffic Controller Badge. Wright was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit.

He is survived by his wife Judy and his children Michael, Jennifer, Holly and Mallory, and his father Floyd Wright.