Andrew P. Daul dies of injuries from I.E.D.

Andrew P. Daul immersed himself in extreme sports and bodybuilding as he was growing up in Brighton. When he didn't know what to do after he graduated from Brighton High School in 2003, the military seemed the perfect place to fill that urge to push the limits.

"He was fascinated by extreme sports such as skiing and snowboarding," said Audrey Daul, his younger sister. "He always played those Army video games. After he graduated high school, he went straight to Ft. Knox."

Daul, 21, an Army specialist, died Tuesday in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near the Abrams tank he was riding in. It was his second tour in Iraq, and he was expected to rotate back home within the next two months.

Audrey Daul said her brother drove tanks in Iraq, although he told his family the job was nothing too exciting.

"When we talked to him on the phone, he said nothing was going on and they sat around," she said.

She described her brother as a big guy with a pleasant demeanor.

Daul was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, based in Friedberg, Germany.

In addition to his sister, Daul is survived by his parents, Michael and Kathy, and another sister, Lindsey.

From the Free Press

I.E.D. went off near tank

BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) -- U.S. Army Spc. Andrew Patrick Daul wasn't looking to make the military his lifelong career, his family said.

He was to leave Iraq in February following two tours, but died after an improvised explosive device went off near his tank.

"Everyone is very, very proud of Andrew," his father told The Ann Arbor News. "Even though we always knew this is something that could happen, it's still shocking. We felt he was in a relatively safe place, if there is such a thing in Iraq."

Daul, 21, of Brighton, died Tuesday in Hit, Iraq, from the blast that went off near his Abrams tank, the Defense Department said in a statement. Brighton is about 35 miles west-northwest of Detroit.

While Daul worried about the hazards of war, he reassured his family he would be fine.

"We were obviously pretty much brought to our knees when soldiers came to our door," Daul's older brother, Michael, said of being notified about his death. "But we're surrounded by lots of family and friends."

Andrew Daul became interested in serving with the military during his senior year at Brighton High School. He had served 3 1/2 years and was looking forward to a discharge in July.

Daul was an avid and competitive bodybuilder. He was fascinated by extreme sports such as skiing and snowboarding. Along with his brother and parents, Daul is survived by two sisters and other relatives.

Daul served with the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, based in Friedberg, Germany. He would have rotated out of Iraq and returned to the base in Germany in February, his father said.

From the Tribune