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Dry Ridge Soldier Killed In Afghanistan

KYPost

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- One Kentucky National Guard Soldier was killed when his unit was attacked by enemy forces while conducting a route clearing mission in Afghanistan Friday, Oct. 31.

Sgt. Daniel Wallace, 27, of Dry Ridge, Ky., was killed.

Wallace was assigned to the Kentucky Army National Guard's Company C, 201st Engineer Battalion based in Cynthiana. The unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan in May.

At the time of the incident, Sgt. Wallace was serving as a gunner on a Mine-Resistant, Armor-Protected vehicle (also known as an MRAP). He was a member of a platoon of soldiers from the 201st Combat Engineer Battalion conducting a mission to remove improvised explosive devices (or IED's) in Afghanistan's West Paktika Province when they came under small-arms fire from a group of Taliban attackers, immediately wounding Wallace.

Wallace's fellow soldiers repulsed the attack so that they could evacuate the fallen soldier to a medical facility, however Sgt. Wallace's wounds proved to be fatal.

SGT Wallace enlisted in the Kentucky Army National Guard in May of 2006 and was a member of Company C, of the 201st in Cynthiana, but in Afghanistan he was assigned to the battalion's Company B, out of Olive Hill. This was SGT Wallace's first deployment.

Operating in Afghanistan as "Task Force Workhorse", the 201st has the mission of maintaining hundreds of miles of roadway. While performing this mission, Soldiers of the 201st routinely are required to deal with numerous obstacles and remove the roadside bombs or IED's planted by enemy forces in the area.

At the time of his death, Daniel Wallace held the rank of Specialist (E4), but was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E5) and awarded the Bronze star Medal, the Purple Heart and the Army Good Conduct Medal. He leaves behind his parents - Kenneth and Karen Wallace, a sister, two brothers - one of whom (Alex) also serves in the Kentucky Army National Guard's 940th Military Police Company -- and a 6-year-old son.

"The death of Sgt. Wallace is a tragedy for his family, the Kentucky National Guard and the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini, Adjutant General for Kentucky.

"He was a fine soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation. He was also a loving son, brother, and father and his family is in our prayers and we will continue to support them throughout their time of grief."

Wallace is the 17th Kentucky Army National Guard soldier to lose his life since the Global War on Terror began in 2001, and he is the third Kentucky Guardsman to be lost in Afghanistan.