Christopher A. Golby
26, of Johnstown, Pa.
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Christopher Golby was a crew member onboard a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter when it crashed near Fallujah, Iraq while on a MEDEVAC mission. He was assigned to the 571st Medical Company (Air Ambulance), Fort Carson, Colorado. Died on January 8, 2004. |
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Psalm 5 1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing. |
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| melchey | Posted 1/18/2004 7:01:50 AM mournful sound of taps,see the fly by,the gun salute and the beautiful flag flying? No? Then you missed a wonderful service. Dignity. He recievied the Purple heart/Bronz cross.Wife has those for herself and children. His Mother recievied 2 others. He was upgraded to Sargent as he never ad the time for the last test.Diginatries state county township all in attendance. Flags lowered in his honor.His brother gave a eulogy I didn`t think he could do. I watched the color guard fold the flag from the casket.Tears almost welled but they took deep breaths and gulps of air. There was local coverage and national.ABC covered the national. The church was in the round which I thought was great as all could see. Other grand son Shane was a bearer. When the news of Chris`s death came to the familys his oldest son 7 had answered the door. When he saw the men there he stated " My Dad isn`t coming home is he?" I will never look at OLD GLORY waving in the breeze and not feel the pain of all who have gone thru and will go thru the this. God or what ever greater being you believe in grant peace to those remaining But most of all I will feel PRIDE for those who will lay down their lives so we can be free. |
| HUNTING4TREASURES4U | Posted 1/18/2004 7:40:50 AM Amen, melchey, Amen.  GOD, please grant us peace. H4T4U **********~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Draft_Pick | Posted 1/18/2004 2:54:15 PM Melchey
You and Yours
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| CuFF | Posted 1/18/2004 3:17:34 PM God Bless You and Yours Melchey CuFF |
| hollowcreekfarm | Posted 1/13/2004 10:01:40 PM She would like everyone to know that Chris was due to arrive in Philly today. Burial, with full military honors will be Saturday. She thinks it may be televised, as there are alot of media there now. Connie will be leaving for Philly on Thursday. She sends you all this message... "Thank everyone for me for all the prayers. They are comforting." Connie Please pray for continued strength and comfort for Connie and her family. jacky... |
| Texas-Treasure | Posted 1/13/2004 10:03:22 PM Consider it done. |
| CuFF | Posted 1/13/2004 11:06:28 PM |
| Snafu | Posted 1/13/2004 11:20:24 PM |
| lamylouy | Posted 1/14/2004 1:44:37 AM Continued prayers for comfort and support for all. |
| Suzi_Teacups | Posted 1/14/2004 1:49:29 AM |
| Ontime | Posted 1/14/2004 10:03:02 AM |
| HillbillySportscards | Posted 1/14/2004 10:20:46 AM Hill Billy |
| TheTurtle | Posted 1/14/2004 11:15:23 AM |
| Dimple | Posted 1/14/2004 12:51:45 PM |
| Jeanne's Odds & Ends | Posted 1/14/2004 2:01:50 PM |
| lighthouse | Posted 1/16/2004 1:00:00 AM |
| Lisalu | Posted 1/16/2004 1:19:03 AM Oh this just breaks my heart..  I`m praying for relief from the pain they all must be suffering right now..  Annie.. |
| CaseLotBuys | Posted 1/16/2004 1:22:51 AM |
| hollowcreekfarm | Posted 1/10/2004 12:16:02 PM Her Grandson is Christopher A. Golby... Four dead in copter are from Ft. Carson By Dick Foster and Brian D. Crecente, Rocky Mountain News January 9, 2004 COLORADO SPRINGS — On a day draped with reminders of Iraq’s heavy casualty toll on Fort Carson, the Army confirmed Friday night that the cost had gone higher. The bright sunny day and a celebration of heroism could not banish the somber anxiousness that engulfed the post as it braced for expected news that its soldiers were among nine killed Thursday when a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down near Fallujah. On Friday afternoon, Fort Carson awarded Bronze Stars to four soldiers and Purple Hearts to 14 others who survived attacks in Iraq. Earlier, it held a memorial service for one who did not. But Friday’s services and honors were overshadowed by a mood of anticipation of the inevitable news about Thursday’s attack. The confirmation came early Friday evening. Four of the nine killed were from Fort Carson’s 571st Medical Company, which operates Medevac helicopters in Iraq. The Army identified them as Spec. Michael A. Diraimondo, 22, of Simi Valley, Calif.; Spec. Christopher A. Golby, 26, of Johnstown, Pa.; Chief Warrant Officer Philip A. Johnson Jr., 31, of Alabama; and Chief Warrant Officer Ian D. Manuel, 23, of Florida. They were members of the Black Hawk crew that was transporting wounded soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and other units not from Fort Carson. Diraimondo’s father, Anthony, said his son, who had been in Iraq since April 10, was preparing to return to Fort Carson. "His unit had started doing some preliminary packing," Anthony Diraimondo said Friday night from his home in Simi Valley. "He thought he would be back home in six to eight weeks." Diraimondo joined the Army when he was 20 and he recently joined the medical company as a medic, a job he loved. "He was so happy with it and was so at peace with himself and what he was doing," his father said. "He told me stories about soldiers whose lives he saved, who clearly would not have lived without his help. "It would not surprise me if he had decided to stay in the Army. He was so proud of the work he was doing." Anthony Diraimondo said he read about the downed helicopter in the news and became increasingly concerned when he heard that it was a Black Hawk used for medical evacuations. About six hours later a soldier showed up at his door, he said, and he knew his son was gone. Anthony Diraimondo described his son as a great human being whose purpose in life was to help others. "One thing he told his mother: ‘Don’t let people tell you differently. We are making a difference over here. We are making a positive difference.’ That meant a lot. He felt it was the right thing to do." Golby’s mother, Dawn, said her son joined the Army in 1996 and loved everything about the helicopters he flew. "He could fly the helicopter, he could tear it down, put it back together again," Dawn Golby said from her home in Johnstown Friday. "He died doing exactly what he wanted." Dawn Golby said her son had been Iraq for nearly a year. He was due to return to Fort Carson in March. "He was a very fun-loving, devoted father," she said. "He was a great son." Christopher Golby moved to Fort Carson with his wife, Sonya, and two sons; Dylon, 4, and Sean, 9, about six months ago. Dawn Golby said she got a chance to see and talk to her son by computer Sunday. "He had a camera on the computer and we set up the camera here at home so I got to see him," she said. On Wednesday, Golby sent his mother a quick e-mail saying he was OK after his base was shelled. "He said he would e-mail me later," she said. The casualties dealt another blow to a post already hard-hit by the war. Thirty-four of its soldiers had died in Iraq before Thursday’s attack. As soldiers at the post quietly prepared for the news Friday, reminders of Iraq’s costs were all around. A morning memorial service honored 40-year-old Staff Sgt. Tony Bertolino of Escondido, Calif., a platoon leader and father of four who was killed in November when his convoy was ambushed in Haditha. Lt. Ryan Davis wrote of the good-natured 6-foot, 6-inch Bertolino to the sergeant’s widow, Susan. "He is a hero. His actions saved my life and the life of a gunner," Davis said. The Purple Heart ceremony Friday afternoon gave more testimony to the war’s growing roll of casualties. Among the 14 medal recipients, one stood with a cane and another sat in a wheelchair. A third rolled up his right sleeve to reveal two long, meandering scars that ran from his wrist to his elbow. "I want to thank the doctors in Germany. They saved my arm," said Staff Sgt. Aurelio Dudley, who was wounded when an Iraqi rocket shot down the Chinook helicopter carrying him home on leave last Nov. 2. Sixteen soldiers were killed in the crash and 26 were wounded. Spec. Omar Lopez, who also was aboard the Chinook, received his Purple Heart in a wheelchair. When the copter crashed, he suffered a broken neck and injuries to his hips, an arm and a foot. "I just give God thanks that I’m alive and here to receive a medal," Lopez said. Spec. Shawn Walker stood with a cane cradling his infant daughter who was born after he came home last month. A bullet had pierced his back and tore away his hip during an attack at a roadside checkpoint in Fallujah on May 27 that killed two soldiers and wounded others. "They said I’d never walk again," said Walker. "Just to say I can, I proved them wrong. You work at it and you learn how to walk again." It was Fallujah, again this week, that held the worst of fates for American soldiers. That is where a rocket attack brought down the Black Hawk. "As many of you know, yesterday the Army lost a helicopter in Iraq," Maj. Jay Jacobs told the hushed crowd of 400 who watched the award ceremony. "Let us mourn the loss of these great soldiers. But let us also recognize and rejoice in the great patriotism of these great Americans before us today." fosterd@RockyMountainNews.com or 719-633-4442 God bless them every one... jacky... |
| CuFF | Posted 1/10/2004 12:21:36 PM |
| ~ROSIE~ | Posted 1/10/2004 12:39:12 PM
~ROSIE~ |
| Lisalu | Posted 1/10/2004 2:52:46 PM It breaks my heart to read news such as this.. God Bless those men.. Annie.. |
| Ontime | Posted 1/10/2004 3:16:45 PM Thanks Jacky for passing this info on to us. It is so sad to read this... Ontime |
| dcorbett | Posted 1/10/2004 5:55:58 PM Jacky, I saved the Denver Post for her if she wants it. Please ask her. I won`t send it unless she or someone in the family wants it. It does not name him; it is the initial articles about the crash and focuses on Ft Carson families wondering and waiting. Let me know... Debbie C |
| lamylouy | Posted 1/11/2004 3:08:42 PM |
| scrap1 | Posted 1/11/2004 10:40:43 PM My prayers are with her and the family at this difficult time. |
| vulture | Posted 1/11/2004 10:44:33 PM ^0^ |
| TheTurtle | Posted 1/12/2004 11:19:06 AM |
Dear melchey, May this memorial page give you some loving comfort over time. ~ROSIE~ from www.BidVille.com.
Wishing you and your family peace,love and comfort in the days ahead. Janie lamylouy bidville
Your in my prayers. I have a son with the 571st and is currently serving his second tour over there.
Marilyn Kottke Kirks mom Dawn sorry I missed you on cbs But I did look up you and your family on the enternet What a bright son you have Christopher must be a wonderful son and father My prayers are with you Love Marilyn
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