Military: Corvallis Guardsman Killed in Iraq, reported The Dalles Chronicle, Wasco Co., Oregon

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Earline Wasser <vhambv@hotmail.com.    July 2004
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Corvallis Guardsman Killed in Iraq
By Brad Cain Associated Press writer
The Dalles Chronicle 
June 15, 2004

SALEM – The latest Oregon soldier to be killed in Iraq was a 24-year-old Corvallis
[Oregon] Man whose stay in the war-torn country had been extended indefinitely, 
the Oregon National Guard said Monday.

Spc. Eric McKinley was killed Sunday by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad that 
destroyed two Vehicles and wounded four other Oregon soldiers, guard spokesman 
Maj. Arnold Strong said.

McKinley’s six-year tour of duty with the National Guard was to have ended April 1.
But his Stay was extended indefinitely because of the continuing violence in Iraq.

Strong, who met with the fallen soldier’s family members Monday, said, “There 
wasn’t any Anger or vitriol” about the extended stay in Iraq.

“When you are a soldier, you are serving at the discretion of the U.S. Army. He was
well aware of that,” Strong said.

Born in Salem, McKinley attended Philomath High School.

An avid outdoorsman, McKinley worked as a baker at Alpine Bakery in Corvallis. Upon
his Return from Iraq, he hoped to open a juice bar in the college town to provide 
a drug-and alcohol-Free environment for young people, Strong said. “This was a 
stand-up guy,” Strong said.

McKinley, the 23rd person with strong Oregon ties to die in Iraq since the war
began in March 2003, is survived by his father, Tom McKinley of Salem, and his 
mother Karen Hilsendager of Philomath. They have asked not to be contacted by 
the media, Strong said.

“They are hurt and upset with the loss of their son,” Strong said. “They are 
still shell-shocked with this horrific news.

The soldiers injured by the bomb were identified as Staff Sgt. Phillip Davis, 
23, of Albany, [Oregon] Sgt. Matthew Zedwick, 23, Bend [Oregon]; Cpl. Shane 
Ward, 23, of Corvallis and Pvt. Richard Olsen, 23, of Independence [Oregon].

Sunday’s attack was the second lethal attack on Oregon troops in Iraq in as
many weeks.

McKinley belonged to the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry – the same unit as the 
three Oregon Soldiers killed by two improvised explosive devices outside of
Baghdad on June 4 [2004].

One of the soldiers – Spc. Justin Linden, 22, of Portland – was honored Monday 
in a Memorial service at New Hope Community Church in Clackamas [Oregon]. The 
service Was attended by Governor Ted Kulongoski.

Kulongoski also attended a memorial service for Sgt. Justin Eyerly, 23, of 
Salem, who was Buried Sunday. A funeral for Lt. Erik S. McCrae, 25, was 
scheduled for later this week.

The Oregon National Guard deployed 705 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 162nd
Infantry Based in Cottage Grove [Oregon] to Iraq in April [2004].