Story filed 4-10-05

By Edward Lee Pitts
Military Affairs

CAMP CALDWELL, Iraq -- Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Kennedy displayed bravery and the soul of an infantryman when he obeyed the military creed of never leaving a fallen soldier behind, 278th Regimental Combat Team soldiers said Saturday during a ceremony honoring the Tennessee guardsman killed in action this week.

"Steve showed his unwavering courage on the day he died," Capt. Mitch Murray, Deacon Company commander, told the crowd of more than 500 gathered here for Saturday's memorial. "He went back into the fight with total disregard for his personal safety to get an injured Iraqi soldier when he was shot. I believe Steve is a hero."

Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy, 35, was a resident of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and leaves a wife, Tiffany, and four children.

Posthumously promoted, Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy is the second 278th soldier to die in Iraq. He earned the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his actions Monday when insurgents ambushed a joint convoy of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers.

A soldier with the U.S. Special Forces unit involved in Monday's battle took the podium Saturday and recounted how Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy dodged grenades while assaulting enemy positions among the trenchlike irrigation ditches where the clash occurred south of Balad Ruz.

The resulting four hours of close combat left two Americans, two Iraqi soldiers and 17 insurgents dead.

"When you hear about a warrior ethos, a lot of things go through your mind," said 1st Sgt. William Barnes, Deacon Company's top enlisted officer. "But the one thing that should stick in your mind is Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy. That was him. God bless him."

The formation of 1st Squadron soldiers lined up for the memorial at Camp Caldwell's dirt parking area facing a ceremonial arrangement of equipment belonging to the fallen soldier. A pair of empty boots stood beside Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's rifle draped with his Kevlar helmet and dog tags. Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's photo, showing him holding his unit's flag, completed the portrait of the man whose gallantry the soldiers came to acknowledge.

When the day's steady winds toppled the symbolic display, officers dropped to their knees, brushed off the helmet and held the rifle steady in its upside-down position for the rest of the event.

"Steve probably knocked it down," Capt. Murray said. "He hated ceremonies and parades."

But soldiers would not let Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's valor go unrecognized Saturday. After the ceremonial last role call ended with no answer when Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's name was called, after a 21-gun salute and after the sounds of taps echoed above the desert wind, the soldiers filed past for a final salute.

Division, regimental, squadron and company commanders marched in pairs, stopping at attention in front of Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's photo before raising their right hands to their foreheads with a slow and silent motion.

The companies of 1st Squadron followed, beginning with Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's Deacon unit, which is based in Lenoir City, Tenn. Soldiers said goodbye filing past in a wordless procession that lasted more than 30 minutes.

Capt. Murray said Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's love and loyalty for his family and country were the driving force behind why he served in the military and why he took the actions he did Monday when he surrendered his life.

"He believed we were here so his children could live free of fear from cowards who hide and attack innocent Americans," Capt. Murray said. "He believed we were here to give the children of Iraq the same opportunity to live in peace."

After the ceremony, soldiers huddled around Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's gear. Many gave up the struggle and let loose tears of both sadness and anger over the death of someone they agreed could not get the military out of his blood. His years of military service made his act of sacrifice almost instinctive, they said.

Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy served to liberate Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm during an eight-year career with the Marines. A member of the 278th since 1998, Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy worked in the unit as a tank crewman, loader, driver, gunner and tank commander.

His daring actions Monday on the battlefield were not out of character, said Spc. Byrl McCoy, 30, of Kingston, Tenn.

"He pretty much took charge every day," Spc. McCoy said. "He was so squared away he made you look bad even when you thought you were squared away."

Spc. Chris Johnston recalled how Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy spent nearly an hour showing him how to fire a .50-caliber machine gun after the now 19-year-old from Loudon, Tenn., joined the regiment two years ago.

Sgt. Michael White said he regrets Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy missed the promotion ceremony two days ago when Sgt. White earn a new rank. Going from specialist to sergeant would not have happened without Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy as a role model, according to Sgt. White.

"I'm going to strive to do like he did in every situation I'm put in," said Sgt. White, 31, of Heiskell, Tenn.

Sgt. White and Spc. Johnston, both survivors of Monday's firefight, said Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy left the safety of his armored Humvee and ran down a trench past enemy fire to rescue an injured Iraqi who survived the attack. Sgt. White said he helped carry a wounded Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy on a stretcher to a waiting helicopter in the midst of the battle. When the fighting ended, Sgt. White counted 10 bullet marks on just one of the regiment's Humvees.

Tributes for Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy began earlier in the week when soldiers erected a wooden street sign bearing the names Steve Avenue and Kennedy Lane beside the company's housing units. Soldiers covered the wood with farewell messages, and mementos soon appeared around the sign including crosses, an ammunition can used by Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy and Moon Pies, Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy's favorite snack.

By Saturday night, tears and anger had turned to laughter for many in Deacon Company as the unit gathered at the camp's chapel to swap stories about the member they lost but would never forget. While eating Moon Pies and drinking sodas, soldiers took turns recalling the jokes, wit, pranks, strange habits and unusual dance moves of a man they said lived life at warp speed.

"He always had that attitude that he was 'living the dream,'" Lt. Matthew Carr said.

They began by remembering a man with a sense of humor who could have fun when he took off his uniform. But they ended the night talking about a committed sergeant who felt an obligation to make them all better soldiers.

Raising glasses of sodas in the air for a toast, the soldiers vowed to always keep in their heads and their hearts Sgt. 1st Class Kennedy, his family and his lessons on what it means to serve in the military.

"God gave us a greater angel to watch over us as we continue to march as Steve would want us to do," 1st Sgt. Barnes said. "Nothing can ever take the pain away. Only time will make it easier."

E-mail Lee Pitts at lpitts@timesfreepress.com

On the Web: Photos by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika of the 278th Regimental Combat Team are available on the Times Free Press Web site. Visit http://www.timesfreepress.com/kp.

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