Farmers
Branch Soldier Killed In Afghanistan
FARMERS BRANCH (CBS 11 News/AP) ― Military officials say three Texas soldiers,
including one from Farmers Branch, have been killed overseas.
Killed were Charles B. Kitowski III, 31, from Farmers Branch, Pvt. Alan J.
Austin, 21, and Pfc. William L. Edwards, 23, both from Houston.
Kitowski died Sunday in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when
an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to
the 345th Psychological Operations Company, 2nd Psychological Operations Group,
U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) at Fort
Bragg, N.C.
A statement issued by the family said in part, "Charles died doing what he felt
duty bound to do. Please remember his life, his happy memories, his favorite
expressions or advice he ever offered."
Military officials say Kitowski joined the Army two years ago after obtaining
his college degree.
Born in Gulfport, Miss., Kitowski worked in the finance department at Southwest
Airlines in Dallas before deploying to Afghanistan. He earned several military
awards, including the Marksmanship Qualification Badge and the Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, command officials said.
Kitowski is survived by his parents, Chuck and Theresa Kitowski, of Katy.
Farmers Branch soldier among recent Afghanistan, Iraq casualties
FB soldier among recent casualties in Afghanistan, Iraq
11:31 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Associated Press
Three Texas soldiers – including a Farmers Branch man – have died overseas
in recent days, the Defense Department said Monday.
Pvt. Alan J. Austin, 21, and Pfc. William L. Edwards, 23, were from Houston,
and Sgt. Charles B. Kitowski III, 31, was from Farmers Branch, the military
said.
U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq
Sgt. Kitowski died Sunday in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He
was assigned to the 345th Psychological Operations Company, 2nd
Psychological Operations Group, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological
Operations Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
"Charles died doing what he felt duty-bound to do. Please remember his life,
his happy memories, his favorite expressions or advice he ever offered," his
family said in a statement.
Pvt. Austin died Sunday of injuries sustained in a noncombat accident in
Afghanistan, the department said.
He was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg.
Pfc. Edwards died Saturday in Arab Jabour, Iraq, of wounds sustained when
enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire, the Pentagon said. He
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Sgt. Kitowski also had connections to Houston, where he attended St. Thomas
High School and the University of St. Thomas. He joined the Army two years
ago after obtaining his college degree, according to the Army Civil Affairs
and Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg.
Born in Gulfport, Miss., Sgt. Kitowski worked in the finance department at
Southwest Airlines in Dallas before deploying to Afghanistan.
He earned several military awards, including the Marksmanship Qualification
Badge and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, command officials said.
Sgt. Kitowski is survived by his parents, Chuck and Theresa Kitowski of
Katy, Texas.
Army Sgt. Charles B. Kitowski III
Died August 12, 2007 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom
31, of Farmers Branch, Texas; assigned to the 345th Psychological
Operations Company, 2nd Psychological Operations Group, U.S. Army Civil
Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.;
died Aug. 12 in Kuzkalakhel, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were
Staff Sgt. Jesse G. Clowers Jr. and Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey D. Kettle.
Miss. soldier dies in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
HOUSTON — A Mississippi native was one of three soldiers killed Sunday
by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, the Defense Department said.
Charles B. Kitowski III, 31, was living in the Dallas suburb of
Farmers Branch but was born in Gulfport, Miss., the military said.
Kitowski and the two others died Sunday in Nangarhar Province,
Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near their vehicle. He was assigned to the 345th Psychological
Operations Company, 2nd Psychological Operations Group, U.S. Army Civil
Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
“Charles died doing what he felt duty bound to do. Please remember his
life, his happy memories, his favorite expressions or advice he ever
offered,” his family said in a statement.
Kitowski worked in the finance department at Southwest Airlines in
Dallas before deploying to Afghanistan. He earned several military awards,
including the Marksmanship Qualification Badge and the Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, command officials said.
Kitowski is survived by his parents, Chuck and Theresa Kitowski, of
Katy, Texas.
Kitowski also had connections to Houston, where he attended St. Thomas
High School and the University of St. Thomas. He joined the Army two years
ago after obtaining his college degree, according to the Army Civil Affairs
and Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg.
Also killed with Kitowski were Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey D. Kettle, 31,
of Madill, Okla., and Staff Sgt. Jesse G. Clowers Jr., 27, of Herndon, Va.
They were both part of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Fort
Bragg.
Joel Kettle, Kettle’s uncle, said military service runs in the family,
and that his nephew was on his fourth tour of duty overseas. Jeffrey
Kettle’s parents, Ronald and Cindy, live in Saudi Arabia, where Ronald
Kettle works for a chemical company, Joel Kettle said.
Jeffrey Kettle loved the outdoors and would hunt squirrels when he
visited his uncle.
“He was a fun-loving kid growing up,” said Joel Kettle, adding that
his nephew grew up in Texas City, Texas. “It really surprised me and made me
feel proud when he joined the Army and excelled.”
Katy Magnolia Cemetery, Katy, Waller County, Texas
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