Shane Reifert
Private First Class, United States Army
October 27, 1987 – November 6, 2010
Age – 23
Cottreville, MI
Operation Enduring Freedom
1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY
Died at Combat Outpost Able Main, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire.
PFC Reifert from Cottrellville Township died Nov. 6 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, after his unit was attacked with small arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Campbell, Ky., and was on his second deployment to Afghanistan.
The 2005 graduate of Marine City’s Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School had planned to become a firefighter when he left the military, his sister said. “He was very much a first responder,” she said. “He always put others before himself.”
He joined the Army in August 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in December 2009.
His awards and decorations include: National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; NATO Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Through a blog started in memory of Shane M. Reifert, his older sister, Elizabeth, offers peeks into his life before the Army: his fear of confrontation as a youngster; the late nights of playing video games with people he’d never met in person; his dozen guitars, mostly electric; and the piles of CDs he owned. He preferred the discs to MP3s, she wrote, and he insisted on listening to each one all the way through, no skipping allowed.
He was remembered by fellow soldiers as follows.
Reifert Family,
I served with your son and even though these words cannot heal the pain you are going through I hope they will bring you a little comfort. Reifert was one of a kind, he was very knowledgeable in his duty and cannot be replaced as a soldier. He was an all around nice guy and fun to be around. He was very respectful to everyone and brought respect to the uniform he wore and the country he fought for. I just can’t believe it’s true because he was just a good guy. He will be missed by all of us how have had the honor to serve with him. Please know you raised a good man. He is an American Hero. May he rest in peace he had fought a good fight and his battle is over. I’ll see you again some day my friend.
Still serving in Afghanistan
A Friend and Brother in Arms
S. W.
It is with great respect for the fallen and great sorrow for those left behind, I leave this note. In the all too short time I knew Shane, he impressed me. He listened quickly, thought about what he heard and worked toward goals above those chosen by most. More than just we who knew young PFC Reifert will be left reduced by his passing. My prayers and the Love of Jesus for all who mourn.
Herman Cohrs
I think of Shane often, even though I did not know him my son did and he speaks of him a lot. He admires you , his parents for being so kind to the unit after Shane was killed. He says you are great people and he still fights on a daily basis the loss of Shane. It’s not easy being the ones left behind not if your the parent or the friend or the brother in arms, I know because I have watched my son struggle with Shane’s death and I have watched my oldest sons friends struggle with his death as my husband and I struggle still with my oldest sons death. The loss of Shane has reopened wounds for my son of his brother being killed in Iraq and I now realize on a more personal level what these young men go through when they lose someone they call brother. My son spoke so highly of Shane and I know he misses him every day. This is little to no comfort I know but I feel you should know Shane will never be forgotten by the ones he served with nor their families, we will forever speak his name in our homes. Shane May God comfort you for he is the only one with the power of comfort. Shane was a great soldier obeying orders to the very end and protecting not only his country but all who live in it. Rest in Peace Shane
The mother of S.W.and
Spc. Jeffrey Shaffer KIA 9-13-06
Melissa Adams