David W. Gordon honored

Village stands in silence for Iraq war victim

ANDOVER - - Family, friends, neighbors and strangers stood in silence Sunday evening as the body of U.S. Army Sgt. David Gordon was escorted around Andover Square, an honor befitting a fallen soldier.

Wayne and Andover police, fire and emergency services crews lead the procession into town as Boy and Girl Scouts held candles and stood at attention. Immediate family members rode in limousines behind the hearse and wiped tears from their faces at the sight of the 50 solemn scouts.

Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield was killed Sept. 7 when the Humvee he was driving rolled over a landmine outside of Baghdad, Iraq. Gordon, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, and three other soldiers with him died in the explosion. His unit was in a convoy on maneuvers at the time.

Gordon's body was transported from Cleveland Hopkins Airport and was escorted by local police, fire and ambulance through the southern boroughs of Ashtabula County.

The scouts held their candlelight vigil under an American flag hoisted to the top of the Conneaut Lake Park, Pa. fire truck ladder.

"This is a sad day for our community, but it is so important for us to support each other as a community as we grieve for our hero. The town feels the pain of their neighbors," Andover Council President Myra Brown said.

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Local scouts pay respects for Gordon

ANDOVER - - Candlelight lit the faces of the smallest mourners Sunday evening at a vigil honoring U.S. Army Sgt. David Gordon.

Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield was killed Sept. 7 when the Humvee he was driving rolled over a landmine outside of Baghdad, Iraq. Gordon, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, and three other soldiers with him died in the explosion. His unit was in a convoy on maneuvers at the time.

With the Andover Military Memorial stones in behind them, the scouts of all ages lined the Andover Square crosswalk at Route 7, where they stood in silence.

Some in crisp khaki shirts, others in pajamas, the scouts held candles and saluted the hearse carrying Gordon's body as it traveled around the square.

"(Gordon) fought for freedom. My (half) brother is in the Navy and he is a hero, too. They are all heroes, but (Gordon) died for us," 11-year-old MacKenzie Semai said.

Chloe Furlong is new to her Brownie Troop, but this 5-year-old she can recite the Girl Scout Pledge and she knows that a hero is gone.

"I am here to honor him and honor my country. It is sad that (Gordon) is dead, but I can feel him in my heart," Chloe said.

Adam Sprague, 10, knows that his friend's brother isn't coming home from Iraq.

"This isn't going to be OK and I am sad for my friend. But (Gordon) died because he served his country and he is our hero," Adam said.

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Soldier with local ties killed in Iraq

Funeral services with full military honors will be conducted Friday in Titusville for a former Oil City couple's grandson who was killed Sept. 8 in Baghdad, Iraq.

Sgt. David W. Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield, Ohio, and Fort Hood, Texas, died after an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad.

He was serving with a U.S. Army field artillery unit in Iraq.

Sgt. Gordon, who grew up in Ohio, was the son of Rodney W. Gordon and Judy L. (Cook) Gordon.

His maternal grandparents were Billie J. Cook and Shirley Kitelinger Cook.

Mr. Cook was born in Pleasantville and grew up in Titusville, later moving to Oil City where he was employed as a truck driver for the L.C. Emanuele Co. At the time of his death in 1995, he lived at Spartansburg RD 2.

Mrs. Cook, also a local native, died in 1990. They are buried in Grove Hill Cemetery.

Sgt. Gordon had been assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, at Fort Hood.

He was married Aug. 9, 2005, to Kimber Zaun. Sgt. Gordon had two stepsons.

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Judy L. Gordon and Robert M. Fink Sr. of Williamsfield, Ohio; his father and stepmother, Rodney W. Gordon and Cindy Taylor of Corry; three sisters and a number of stepbrothers and stepsisters.

Friends are being received from 4 to 8 p.m. today in the Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home in Titusville.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Titusville First Presbyterian Church. Lt. Col. Kenneth Schmidt, chaplain, will officiate.

Interment will follow at Grove Hill Cemetery in Oil City.

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