Richard H. Rosas
Private First Class, United States Army
August 24, 1982 – May 25, 2004
Age – 21
St. Louis, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
3rd Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, NY
Killed by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq.
Rosas graduated from St. Louis High School in 2001 and enlisted in the Army 2002. He just wanted a better life.
During middle school, Rosas moved to St. Louis, north of Lansing, with his father. He loved to run track, play football and basketball at St. Louis High School and fish. He would go fishing at the dam on Pine River. He’d catch carp and bass and throw them back. It was just nice and quiet and peaceful. But the Trinity Church pastor said that most of all, he loved his family. All who knew him are devastated. Rosas was a team player who was wounded in November but never asked to come home, because he wanted to serve with his buddies. He was always smiling, always encouraging others telling them “Keep going, the day’s almost over.” Or “Tomorrow will be better than today and get us to go to church with him.”
One of his fellow Army soldiers remembered him “I’m PFC Spencer C. Ryan from 3rd Battalion (airborne), 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. There are a few of us here in 3/4 that went to AIT at Fort Bliss with Rosas. He was by far the best battle buddy we had in AIT. He was a purely respectful, well-rounded, and squared away man. I was informed of Rosas’ death from another friend of his that I keep in contact with at Fort Campbell, KY. You have all of our condolences and best wishes from 3/4 ADA.”
Another wrote “I am SSGT Jacquez with the U.S. Marines. I was with Rosas on the tragic day a coward Iraqi set off an IED, taking his life, and shattering the lives of his family. I ran to the aid of the 6 soldiers on that vehicle, saving the lives of 2 wounded. Rosas had left us on impact! There is not one day that passes by that I don’t thank God for men like you. Not one day passes by that I don’t think of that tragic day. It brings tears to my heart remembering holding you in my arms as I loaded you on the helicopter…hoping you would take at least one more breath.
If only we had gone a different route; if it had been me instead of you.”