Fallen Soldier Will
Get Show of Respect
from Hundreds in Leonardtown
By Kenneth C.
Rossignol
ST. MARY’S TODAY
LEONARDTOWN
---- In a town which still separates it’s war dead on memorials
by race, this coming Monday expect to see not the colors of
black and white as listed on the World War I memorial in the
Town Square but instead the main drag of the town will be awash
in red, white and blue.
Hundreds, if
not thousands of citizens of St. Mary’s County are expected to
leave their homes, schools and offices just prior to the 11 am
departure of a hearse bearing the coffin of Great Mills
resident, Sgt. Ryan Baumann on his last journey, this one to
Arlington Cemetery to be laid to rest amid a sea of heroes who
have served the cause of freedom and acted to secure liberty for
all Americans and people around the world.
When the vile
scum who attacked the United States of America on Sept. 11,
2001, murdering more than 3,000 innocent souls, young men like
Sgt. Baumann volunteered to serve America in the armed services,
and joined also by young women have crisscrossed the world
numerous times to war duty at sea and on land in search of the
terrorists who have attacked London, Madrid and other cities
around the world, as well as New York City, the Pentagon and
inside an airliner over Pennsylvania.
Sgt. Baumann
was only at the beginning of his life and died on August 1st
in Afghanistan.
St. Mary’s
County has lost several young men in the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan with Sgt. Baumann the most recent casualty.
Readers of ST.
MARY’S TODAY have sent numerous emails which they report have
been sent out in scores to others, asking for an outpouring of
those who want to pay their respect for this latest Fallen Hero,
Sgt. Ryan Bauman, by carrying an American flag and lining Rt.
245 in Leonardtown from the Brinsfield Funeral Home to the
intersection at Rt. 5 and then north on Rt. 5.
The family of
Sgt. Baumann will not be able to live with and love their
cherished son but they will always be able to remember the
simple respect and honor with which the people of St. Mary’s
County showed the soldier when words just would not suffice.
A fluttering
flag and a hand over the heart will be all anyone can give Sgt.
Baumann in return for what he gave for liberty and freedom.
St. Mary's County
Soldier Killed in Afghanistan
Sgt. Ryan
Patrick Baumann, 24, of Great Mills, was killed in action in
Afghanistan on Friday, August 1, 2008, visitation at at funeral
home on Sunday Aug. 10th from 2 to 5 pm; services will be at 10
am at Brinsfield Funeral Home on Monday, August 11 with burial
at Arlington Cemetery at 2 pm.
A reader has sent this report of the death of Ryan Baumann: Sgt
Baumann, was the future son-in-law of Jeff Smith the V-22
Training Continuum Integration (TCI)IPT Lead. Jeff's oldest
daughter Lauren was engaged to Sgt Baumann and was preparing for
their wedding in early 2009. Jeff's daughter lives at home and
is attending college to be a radiology tech. Sgt Baumann
graduated from Great Mills High School
and was assigned to the 101st at Ft. Campbell, KY.
Sgt Baumann was 24 years old and had
previously served a tour in Iraq. Sgt
Bauman was 4 months into his tour in Afghanistan. Several weeks ago Sgt
Baumann was in the right front passenger seat of the lead
vehicle of his convoy when it struck an IED and had the front
end blown off of his HMMWV. He survived with only a minor
concussion. At 0230 on Friday 1 Aug 08, while returning to the
forward operating base, Sgt Baumann's vehicle struck an IED.
Sgt Baumann's side of the vehicle took the brunt of the impact
and unfortunately, he did not survive this attack.
MORE
The 101st Airborne reported the following:
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky., August 1, 2008 -- A Fort Campbell Soldier
died Aug. 1 from injuries sustained when his vehicle was struck
by an improvised explosive device in Route Alaska, Afghanistan.
Sgt. Ryan P. Baumann, 24, of Great Mills, Md., was a motor
transport operator assigned to G Co., 4th Battalion, 320th Field
Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. He joined the Army
in May 2004 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2004.
Baumann’s awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service
Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal (2
awards); National Defense Service Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal;
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon;
Overseas Ribbon; Air Assault Badge; Driver and Mechanic Badge
with Driver-Wheeled Vehicles and Weapons Qualification, M4,
expert.
Baumann is survived by his mother, Cindy Lohman, of Great Mills,
Md.; and father, Robert Baumann, of Jeffersonville, Ind.
A memorial service for the fallen Soldier will be held in
Afghanistan. Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance
Ceremony the second Wednesday of each month.
