Richard J. Herrema
Sergeant First Class, United States Army
March 28, 1979 – April 25, 2006
Age – 27
Hudsonville, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC
Killed when his unit received intelligence concerning insurgent activity and mounted an attack on the enemy. Herrema was the first man off his helicopter, and enemy fire hit him almost instantly.
He was born March 28, 1979, in Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated from Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, Mich.. He then enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in January 1999.
He first entered the U. S. Army as an infantryman on Jan. 11, 1999. After completion of initial Basic Entry Training, he was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky., and then as a Squad Leader in Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in June 2003 as an 18D SF Medical Sergeant and was assigned as an instructor in G Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C. His last assignment was as a team member assigned to the U. S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
In addition to the Special Forces Qualification Course, he completed numerous military courses including the Air Assault Course; the Combat Lifesaver Course; the Ranger Course; the Basic Airborne Course; the Special Operations Medical Sergeant Course; the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course; the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course; and the Military Freefall Course.
His awards and decorations include two Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral two, and the Army Service Ribbon. During his career he had also earned, the Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and both the Special Forces and Ranger Tabs. Herrema was posthumously promoted to Sgt. 1st Class. He was also posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
When you speak with those who knew him the best Rick’s selfless service to his family, friends and the community dominate the conversations. “I can’t think of anyone who didn’t want to be his friend,” said a fellow Special Forces soldier who went through the qualification course with Rick. “He put others in front of him more than most people I know. It didn’t take long to notice and once you did you wanted to be around him.” No matter how hard training or how difficult the deployment, he always tried to make a tough situation better, making it a point to focus on the positive – habitually telling uplifting, funny stories to make friends laugh and make an often tough situation better.
The most important things in Rick’s life were his faith and his family and it showed. He fawned over his sisters, paying for a limo to take them to prom, and purchased a trip to Las Vegas for his parents. Every Sunday, regardless of what he was doing or where he was Rick took the time to call and check in with friends and family. He was the rock that his circle went to when they just weren’t sure what to do. “What would Rick do?” was as a common refrain, and many of them would give much to have him call them just one more time.
“People went out of their way to help him because they knew he’d do it for him,” Katie said. “He earned a lot of respect because he gave a lot of respect.”
Rick had plans to leave the Army when it was time to start a family. He understood the pressure of deployments and knew military children worry about their father dying. Rick’s mother, Mary, said he didn’t want to put that kind of pressure on his own children.
It is fitting that Rick’s Place will endeavor to alleviate the stress of military life and give families a place to reset and recharge. While Rick would have been the first guy to help build the foundation, he would have likely closed his eyes and rubbed his head when he heard it was named after him, but for those who still think of Rick every day, there is no more fitting tribute.
Rick didn’t chase after earthly treasures. His memory is one of a man who lived for a higher set of ideals. Talk to any of Rick’s friends, and each one can add to a long list of small acts of selflessness. “I believe that God knows when you’re going to die,” Mary said. “He died doing what he wanted to do. I know he wouldn’t want something named after him. He should be honored. Life can be better for all those families.” RHF and “Rick’s Place” recreation center will continue to embody Rick’s life of service which was not for personal gratification but because in Rick’s mind there was no other way to live. Those who knew Rick are thankful to have spent time with him and now each visitor to Rick’s Place will experience a taste of his life well lived. Going to Rick’s Place will give folks a chance to experience what it was like to have Rick in their life.