Dennis K. Samson Jr.

Specialist, United States Army

August 1, 1981 – July 24, 2006
Age – 24
Hesperia, MI

Operation Iraqi Freedom
1^st Battalion, 506^th Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY

Killed by small arms fire while engaged in combat operations in Taqaddum, Iraq

Army Specialist Dennis K. Samson, Jr was a 2000 graduate of Hesperia High School where he was a four year member of the cross country team. He joined the United States Army in 2004 and had attended the Ferry United Methodist Church.

He was described as a kind person and a “free spirit” who excelled in cross country, his coach said. “He was a four-year varsity runner for us,” Doug Baird told the newspaper. “He worked very hard at our workouts. He was the type of kid you wanted on your team.

“He had a smile on his face. He was up to the challenge. It didn’t matter how hard the workout would be. He was Native American and had this jet black hair about shoulder length. He would come bouncing along into practice, hair blowing in the wind. That’s how I’ll remember him,” Baird said.