173rd honors fallen Chosen soldier

AFGHANISTAN

08.24.2012

Story by Sgt. Michael Sword 

173rd Airborne Brigade

COMBAT OUTPOST SULTAN KHYEL, Afghanistan — A memorial ceremony was held at Combat Outpost Sultan Khyel in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, to honor a soldier who died, Aug. 17, 2012, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany.

U.S. Army Spc. James Justice, of C Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, was medically evacuated to the hospital after he sustained injuries during an insurgent attack in Wardak province, Aug. 14, 2012.

“James Justice was everything you could ask for in a young airborne rifle team leader and then some,” said U.S. Army Capt. Mason Thornall, C Company commander. “Fit, intelligent, motivated, caring, a leader, a warrior and as a commander I just can’t ask for more than that.”

After Thornall spoke, Justice’s platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Frank Enriquez, who recently returned from a mission with Justice’s platoon, spoke about his young soldier.

“He was trying to find his own way as a leader, but the future was extremely bright,” he said. “I knew he would have been a great NCO.”

Following Enriquez, U.S. Army Spc. Edward Young, spoke about his teammate and close friend Justice.

“He was my boy, as most of the people in 1st platoon know,” he said. “We were attached at the hip.

“He’d say all the time, with his southern drawl, that ‘we were like peas and carrots’ and it cracked me up every time,”

In addition to talking about Justice the soldier, he talked about Justice the man.

“He was one of the most motivated people I’ve ever met,” he said. “He truly loved everything we did in the Army and he loved the Army.”

“Justice was a family man who was father to three daughters,” he continued. “He loved spending time with his family and when we were training, he loved spending time with his Army family. It breaks my heart to see him leave his family back in Italy.”

After the final roll call by Chosen’s first sergeant and the playing of ‘Taps,’ the soldiers in attendance paid their final respects to Justice with the words of his platoon sergeant resonating throughout the crowd.

“I strongly believe that all of us have a purpose in this world and I like to think that Justice’s purpose was to make 27 men, 27 great men,” Enriquez said. “We can’t forget, we will never forget and I will never forget specialist Justice.”

• Date Taken: 08.24.2012
• Date Posted: 08.29.2012 13:31
• Story ID: 93980
• Location: AF