We will always remember

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Tabitha Kuykendall

As many of us enjoy a beautiful Sunday afternoon, military families from Massachusetts to Iowa are mourning devastating news. Military messengers recently knocked on their doors to solemnly inform them that a loved one has died in one of America's post-9/11 conflicts.

Whenever I receive a casualty notice from the Department of Defense, whether sitting at home on my computer or checking e-mail on my phone, I lower my head for a moment. The announcements are not just press releases listing names. They represent sacrifices we can never repay, and families that will never be the same.

The following fallen troops, all serving with the U.S. Army, were identified by the Pentagon since April 21. As funeral processions move through their hometowns and their bravery is remembered, The Unknown Soldiers intends to write more about each of these heroes in the days and weeks ahead. In the meantime, this site and its readers send our sincere condolences to all six families.

Staff Sgt. James Patton, 23, Fort Benning, GA (Tikrit, Iraq)
Sgt. Robert Barrett, 20, Fall River, MA (Kabul, Afghanistan)
Command Sgt. Maj. John Laborde, 53, Waterloo, IA (Kandahar, Afghanistan)
Staff Sgt. Christopher Worrell, 35, Virginia Beach, VA (Baghdad, Iraq)
Sgt. Ronald Kubik, 21, Brielle, NJ (Logar province, Afghanistan)
Sgt. Jason Santora, 25, Farmingville, NY (Logar province, Afghanistan)