2-69 Armor Remembers Two Fallen Soldiers

Cpl. Matthew McIvor (left), and Vincent Bone, both from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, salute the memorials of Spc. Keith Nurnberg and Spc. Javier Paredes, both from Company D, during a memorial service Sept. 13, at Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah, Iraq. (Photo by Sgt. Natalie Rostek)

FOB Hammer, Saturday, 15 September 2007 07:43

Soldiers, leaders, and friends of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, attended a memorial service Thursday for two of their fallen comrades at the Forward Operating Base Rustimiyah chapel.

Spc. Keith Nurnberg, of Illinois, and Spc. Javier Paredes, of Texas, both from Company D, were killed Sept. 5 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit their vehicle during a combat patrol.

“While they are no longer standing in our formation, they will always be a part of the Panther (2-69 Armor Regt.) team and the Panther family,” said Lt. Col. Troy Perry, commander, 2-69 Armor Regt.

The chapel was packed with Soldiers during the remembrance. Those who were unable to fit in the chapel could only listen as close friends and leaders spoke at the podium next to the upright rifle, helmet, dog tags, and boots of Nurnberg and Paredes.

Cpl. Vincent Bone, who was Nurnberg’s close friend, spoke to the audience about his relationship with his fallen buddy.

“One thing we had in common was our accents,” Bone said. “When we both became excited, nobody could understand a word we were saying.”

Bone also ensured Nurnberg’s wife, who was not present at the service, that Company D will always be there for her and her family.

“Tanya, Keith lived for you,” he said. “You were his heartbeat here in Iraq.”

Nurnberg is survived by his wife, and parents, Allen and Barbara Nurnberg.

Paredes, a medic, and his brother, Pedro, were raised by his aunt, Maria Acevedo.

“Paredes was an orphan,” said Chaplain (Capt.) Tracy Kerr, 2-69 Armor’s religious leader, “but everyday in this battalion he found himself surrounded by more male influences and father figures than he could ever imagine.”

Cpl. Matthew McIvor, a medic who served with Paredes, remembered his fallen comrade as a hard worker who wanted the best for his unit.

“If you needed to move a mountain, Paredes was the man to get the shovel,” he said. “He had hoped to finish this tour never having to treat one of his own Soldiers.”

Although Paredes and Nurnberg were two very different Soldiers, Capt. Alexis Perez, Co. D commander, said they were both devoted 2-69 Armor Regt. Soldiers.

“They were two Soldiers from two different places,” he said, “but they were both bound by one rule – loyalty to their team.”

The 2-69 Armor Regt. is assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team from Fort Benning, Ga., and is currently attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.