George Obourn killed by small weapons fire

Debbie Obourn never had the chance to send the box of bandannas her son had requested in Iraq for himself, fellow soldiers and Iraqi children.

Instead, she sent the bandannas with two Army sergeants who came to her Naperville home Wednesday to notify her of her son's death.

Army Spec. George Obourn Jr., 20, was killed Tuesday near Baghdad. He is Naperville's sixth service member to be killed in the Iraq war.

"We had bought a bunch of 'Support Our Troops' scarves, and I didn't get to send them out in time," Debbie said as she fought back tears Thursday.

George Obourn enlisted in the Army's "buddy program" just after graduating from East Peoria Community High School in 2004 with his best friend, Kris Walker.

George Obourn, left, and Christopher Walker, right. The two were long-time best friends who died a day apart in Iraq.

In a tragic coincidence, Walker, 20, was killed in a roadside explosion Monday. The two were stationed with the 4th Infantry Division of the 710th Cavalry out of Fort Hood, Texas.

The Obourns called the Walker family the night they learned of Kris' death.
"They are going through as rough as a time as we are," Debbie said. "All we can do is try and hold each other up."

The Obourns will travel to Peoria today to meet with the Walkers, where a tribute to the fallen soldiers will take place before East Peoria High's homecoming game.

"Just two years ago they were getting ready for the homecoming parade and dance," Principal Paul Whittington said.

A moment of silence will be observed prior to the playing of taps and the national anthem, songs the two boys had played as members of the school's band.

"It's a small way for us to say thank you and express in some small way our condolences to the families that have suffered tragic losses," Whittington said.

George Obourn Sr. said his son died in a building explosion.
"They were sweeping what was supposed to be an abandoned building and there was [weapons] fire," the elder Obourn said.

He and his wife were notified of their son's death Wednesday night.

"He was in the Army doing what he believed in," Obourn Sr. said. "Unfortunately, he had to give his life for it."

The younger Obourn's sister, Leanne, 24, said she is proud of her sibling.

"He knew when he went in, but it didn't matter," she said of the dangers in Iraq.

Debbie Obourn originally did not want her son to enlist.

"When he came to me to join, we argued," she said. "I was against it at first; I was afraid.

"As kids, we raised them to fight their own battles, but he loved the kids over there. He felt he was doing good."
The younger Obourn's duties often included looking for "death squads" that killed Iraqis, his father said.

"A lot of stuff he said he couldn't tell us, but I knew every time he went out it was dangerous," Debbie said. "I am very proud of him; I just wish he was here."

The last time the family was together was at the June wedding of his older brother David, 22.

"There's a whole flood of memories; I can't say any one is more special than the other," his father said.

Leanne and twin brothers David and Rodney said their favorite memories of their brother are of family camping trips. The summer before George Jr. left for Iraq, the four siblings camped at Wisconsin Dells.

But that's not all the family did together.

Before Debbie and George Obourn Sr. moved to Naperville nearly five years ago, the whole family practiced tae kwon do together.

And each of the Obourn children played an instrument growing up.

"We all had band, but [George Jr.] was the only one that stuck [with it] through high school," David said of his younger brother.

Walker and the younger Obourn met in grade school, but it wasn't until high school band class that the two became close, Debbie said.
In high school, the two friends got into a car accident and delayed telling their parents, Debbie said.

"He didn't want me to worry," she said.

Which is exactly what the younger Obourn told his mom in his last e-mail to her on Sunday.

Debbie would speak with her son nearly every day via instant messaging, but she had not heard from her son in a few days as his computer had a virus, she said.

The younger Obourn's tour of duty was to end in November, allowing him to come home in time for the holidays.

The younger Obourn told the family he planned to re-enlist and serve a second tour in Iraq, his father said.

"He felt he was accomplishing something with his life," Debbie said.

But his plans didn't end there.

"He wanted to go into law enforcement and go into the FBI," his father said.

Army officials said the younger Obourn's body is expected to return to the U.S. in 10 to 12 days.

The family has not settled on a place of burial for him. The elder Obourn said the family is considering a burial in Peoria, where they used to live, or at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.

From the Chicago Sun Times