Ron J. Joshua Jr.

Private First Class, United States Army

March 7, 1988 – July 27, 2007

Age – 19

 Michigan

Operation Iraqi Freedom

401^st Military Police Battalion, 89^th Military Police Brigade,

Fort Hood, Texas

Died of wounds sustained when an improvised

explosive device detonated near his vehicle

PFC Joshua was a 2006 graduate of Hendrickson High School and enlisted in the Army shortly after graduation. Ron and his two sisters grew up with parents in the military. His father, Ron Joshua, Sr. is a retired command sergeant major who has also served in the Iraq war. Ron’s mother, Ursula Joshua also served as a lieutenant colonel in the US Army. Joshua was born in Germany and saw lots of the world with his military family. He was described, by his godmother, as a quiet child growing up, playing football in high school and always minding his manners around adults.

Family members say Joshua’s favorite Bible verse was Joshua 1:9, where the Lord commands believers to be strong and courageous, never terrified nor discouraged because the Lord their God will be with them always. Joshua actually had that tattooed on his left arm.

“I guess it was just his destiny. I mean, I guess, in a way he knew, and so did God and that’s why it was on his arm, his left arm, closest to his heart,” Garcia said. “I don’t think he would regret his life. I think that what he did, he wanted to do. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the person he was going to become, and I’m very proud of him for it.”

Shortly before Pfc. Ron J. Joshua Jr. shipped off for Iraq a few months ago, he drove his pickup from Austin to Donaldsonville, La. to visit family members and assure them that he’d be OK in the war zone. During his visit just before he left, Joshua hung out with cousins, visited Lawson and Lightfoot and ate boiled crawfish, one of his favorite dishes. 

He was remembered by fellow soldiers with the following words.

I remember Joshua and Bob from OSUT at Bravo 787. I wasn’t in their platoons during this but I got to know them both. When I got the news that they had both died I was at Ft. Dix, NJ getting ready to be in Iraq myself. When you spend 6 months with someone they become closer than family, they become blood. And when you lose people that are that close to you it’s like you are missing a part of yourself. I bet every single person from basic/ait was thinking the same thing when they heard the news. Why couldn’t it have been me instead of them. Why did two great individuals have their lives taken from them before they even got a chance to live them.

SPC Jessica Boice

To the Joshua Family…..
Its been just over 2 yrs and I find myself remembering it like it was yesterday! I was deployed with Josh (as we called him) and Bobb in the 401st when it happened, and as irony would have it, im back at Camp Liberty, Iraq serving my country again. Please know that the memory of those two will never be forgotten and I wish your family the best! I hope that time has made it easier to cope with and would like you to know this… As long as I serve, I will never allow their memory to be forgotten and will always regard them as the HEROS they are!

SPC (P) Scott Anderson