|
We Honor and Remember:
Pfc. Joe Luis Baines
Hometown: Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Age: 19 years old. Died: December 16, 2006 in Iraq. Unit: 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment ("Garry Owen"), 1st Brigade, 1st Calvary Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Birth: May 30, 1987 A soldier from Newark was killed in Iraq when a bomb went off near his vehicle, the Pentagon reported Tuesday. Pfc. Joe Luis Baines, 19, died Saturday in Taji after an improvised explosive device exploded near the Humvee in which he was a crew member. Baines was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Calvary Division, home-based in Fort Hood, Texas. He had been in Iraq since October, according to Fort Hood public affairs. "Joe was a wonderful son and a dedicated soldier who wanted to make the world a better place," his family said in a statement released by Fort Hood. "Our entire family is proud of him and his service to our nation." "We will always remember Joe as a loving son and a hero, and he will forever be missed by his family and by his many friends," his family said. His interests included music and basketball. Born in Newark, Baines attended Summit Quest Academy in Ephrata, Pa., graduating in 2005. He enlisted in the Army in September 2005. He is survived by his mother, Yolanda Torres; a sister, Carol Baines; brothers Adam and James Baines; his stepbrother, Stephone Durant, and stepsisters Stephanie and Lisa Durant. Burial: Fairmont Cemetry, Newark, New Jersey. |
Photo taken 16 days before Joe was killed.
Army Pfc. Baines was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Baines died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee at Taji.
Joe grew up in a rough neighborhood in Newark and attended Summit Quest Academy in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, which is a high school for troubled youth. He graduated in 2005 and was accepted into Harvard University. But he decided he was going to get his family and himself out of their neighborhood, so in September 2005 he enlisted in the Army.
He had been in Iraq since October. Joe was a remarkable person who spoke five different languages. He loved macaroni and cheese, water, fried chicken, poetry, basketball and singing but his greatest love was his family.
On one of his last calls home, he told his mother he had recently carried a fallen soldier out of battle and knew he could be next. He told her, "I'm calling you now because we're about to raid the town the boy was killed in. I'm calling you just in case I don't call you back – you know what happened."
Baines had been awarded the Army Services Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon, and was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service.
Baines died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee at Taji.
Joe grew up in a rough neighborhood in Newark and attended Summit Quest Academy in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, which is a high school for troubled youth. He graduated in 2005 and was accepted into Harvard University. But he decided he was going to get his family and himself out of their neighborhood, so in September 2005 he enlisted in the Army.
He had been in Iraq since October. Joe was a remarkable person who spoke five different languages. He loved macaroni and cheese, water, fried chicken, poetry, basketball and singing but his greatest love was his family.
On one of his last calls home, he told his mother he had recently carried a fallen soldier out of battle and knew he could be next. He told her, "I'm calling you now because we're about to raid the town the boy was killed in. I'm calling you just in case I don't call you back – you know what happened."
Baines had been awarded the Army Services Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon, and was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service.
