Dane O. Carver
Specialist, Army National Guard
May 27, 1985 – December 26, 2005
Age – 20
Freeport, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, Michigan National Guard, Saginaw, Michigan
Killed by small arms fire while engaged in combat operations in Khalidiyah, Iraq.
Dane Carver left for Iraq on June 19 and returned home for 16 days in October. His tour in Iraq was to end in six months.
He was described as an adventurous person who wanted to make a difference. He often spoke about the danger of patrolling in Ramadi, a Sunni Arab militant stronghold. He was proud of his work there and worried about his “brothers” when he was on leave.
Dane was one of those people that everybody loves. He was the levelheaded one that could always lighten things up, make people laugh and put things in perspective.
“He told me, ‘I want you to be proud of me,’ and I am,” the father said. “He died honorably, he died serving his country, he died so other people could be free.”