Matthew J. Leach
Staff Sergeant, United States Army
September 1, 1982 – June 26, 2012
Age – 29
Ferndale, MI
Operation Enduring Freedom
1st Battalion, 334th Regiment, 1st Brigade, 104th Training Division (Leader Training) United States Army Reserve, Fraser, MI
Died of an undiagnosed illness
Matthew Leach was born in Texas and moved with his family to Pennsylvania and later to Ferndale.
Sara Leach said she and her husband attended elementary, junior high and school together, but didn’t start dating until after they graduated in 2000. They married in 2005.
After high school, Matthew Leach worked as a state certified auto body repair specialist at a collision shop in Ferndale. Family members described him as energetic, creative and someone who wanted to excel. They said he was an avid hunter.
They said he joined the Army in 2003 because he wanted to serve his country after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
He served two tours, totaling 20 months in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. Army Staff Sergeant Leach loved being a soldier. So much so that when tours of duty in Iraq ended, he signed up for a third in Afghanistan and planned to make the military his career.
After the second tour ended in 2008, he joined the Army Reserve and signed up for a one-year tour in Afghanistan, where he worked with robots. He was a member of the 1/334th Regiment, 1st Brigade, 104th Training Division, out of Fraser, MI.
He was found unresponsive in his bed June 26 at his base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, the cause of death not readily apparent. His wife said he was in good health.
His wife said he had been in Afghanistan for about a month and that she got an email from him last week indicating he was happy to be there.
Two of his fellow soldiers remembered him with the following:
July 10, 2012
My thoughts and prayers go out to Sarah, Jack and the rest of SSG Leach’s family. I will cherish the memories of Matt forever. Matt was a phenomenal NCO, but most importantly he was a great friend and family man. We had many great times at the unit as well as our extra missions at Custer. You will be truly missed my friend, until we meet again…..rest peacefully brother.
SGT Jonathan Goss
July 3, 2012
I met SSG Leach in the Robotics Repair course we went through just before his deployment to Afghanistan. In the the four weeks I spent with SSG Leach, I got to know him well. He really was an outstanding guy. One of those people you wish you could have more to do with on a regular basis. I will always remember him talking about his wife and son, and the pride he took in what he has done with his life. He was a very smart person who I actually enjoyed talking with, and learned from. I will never forget the person he was as well as an outstanding Soldier. I also will never forget the picture on his military I.D. Normally, people take a serious looking picture, were you look mean and “army like.” SSG Leach’s photo was much more “fun loving” with a big goofy smile. That picture is a small example of the kind of “just take it easy” and enjoy life mindset SSG Leach had. I appreciated that in him. Thanks again for the month SSG, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about that Robot we drove into the side of the washer. The dent is still there my friend…..
John Cipolletti