John A. Snyder
Specialist, United States Army
September 16, 1984 – March 19, 2006
Age 21
Bangor, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
1-160th Special Operations Aviation
Regiment (Airborne), Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
Died from injuries of an ATV crash the day he
Returned from his 3rd tour in Iraq
John was born September 16, 1984 in Allegan, the son of Richard and Marilyn (Clement) Snyder, and has lived all of his life in Bangor. John was active in the Boy Scouts and played football and baseball for Bangor High School, where he graduated in 2003.
Following graduation, John joined the US Army in September 2003, and was currently stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky with B Company 1-160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). He was deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM three times with his last tour ending in March.
His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. He also wore the Army Crewmember Badge.
He died after crashing his new all-terrain vehicle on the same day he returned to the Army base from his third tour of duty in Iraq. Police in Clarksville, Tenn., said Snyder crashed into a tree Saturday while riding at a friend’s house less than two hours after he bought the ATV. Snyder, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a broken neck and severe head trauma, his father said. A helmet was found in the cab of the pickup truck used to transport the four-wheeler to the friend’s house.
“He was a great kid, he was a good soldier,” his father, Richard Snyder, told the Kalamazoo Gazette for a story published Thursday. “He loved what he was doing. He thought it was very important.”
“He had no fear. That was his problem,” Richard Snyder said.
John Snyder was a 2003 graduate of Bangor High School. Rick Reo, an assistant principal at the school, said Snyder was a starting quarterback on the football team, played on the baseball team and was in the marching and jazz bands.
“He wasn’t terribly fast. He wasn’t big,” Reo said. “I think he was just a leader and he led by example.”