Pfc. Ryan D. Christensen Hometown: Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey, U.S Age: 22 years old Died: November 24, 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
Birth: Mar. 16, 1983, the only child of Suzette DeTulio.
Ryan was an active kid, who loved video games and would have to always have the latest one. He also had a passion for drawing, especially Japanese animation. Ryan wanted to design his own animation video game. Computers well where do we begin, he excelled with them.
Ryan was a sponge when it came to information that he wanted to know. He pretty much taught himself. He could fix any ones computer. Family was very important to him as well as friends. Ryan strongly believe no matter who you were you should be treated equally the same as anyone else. He was very talented no matter what he did.
9/11 had a strong impact on him. His uncle lost a friend in the towers. Ryan had a picture of the twin towers that he took when he was in high school. After 9/11 he went to ground zero and took more pictures that he carried with him always. He joined the Army the following August, we did not realize what an impact until after. Whenever he was home he made a trip to New York.
Ryan did his Basic Training at Fort Benning Ga, Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon Ga. He was in Communications, assisted in management of a robust and reliable Voice and Data Network. He was at Camp Humphrey in Korea for a year and 5 months after that he was deployed to Iraq with the 3rd ID from Fort Stewart Ga. He was happy with himself and his accomplishment and the way his life was going.
Before he left for Iraq he gave his mother away at her wedding 12-31-04. On Thanksgiving Day 2005 Ryan died from a drug resistance bacterial infection that he contracted in Iraq 3 weeks prior to his death!
Awards & Decorations:
1.) Army Commendation Medal 2.) Good Conduct Medal 3.) National Defense Service Medal 4.) Iraqi Campaign Medal 5.) Global War On Terrorism Service Medal 6.) Korean Defense Service Medal 7.) Army Service Medal 8.) Bronze Medal 9.) A Tree at Warrior Walk, Fort Stewart, Ga. 10.) A Plaque at the Cove Of Remembrance, Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
New Jersey Run for the Fallen ~ 2023 Click on photos below to enlarge...
New Jersey Run for the Fallen ~ 2022 Click on photos below to enlarge...