Joey Strong remembered

Lebanon - He wanted to serve his country like his father, uncle and grandfather, but now his family is planning his funeral.

Just one day after Christmas, a soldier from Boone County lost his life in the service of his country.

Terri Batts, mother of Private First Class Joseph Strong, offered memories of her son.

"He wanted to catch Osama bin Laden all my himself," she said, "That's what he wanted to do."

Pictures of Joey Strong hang in a Boone County home. They sit on a shelf right next to the army bears. Batts says, "I call this my Joey shelf."

It's a mother's tribute to a son who always felt called to serve his country.

"He always wanted to be in the military," said Batts, "His dad was Air Force. His uncle was Navy and his grandpa was Army."

Joey's sister, Vanesa Caldwell says joining the military was his primary goal. "He just loved everything about it. I mean he played with army men when he was a kid. He begged my mom when he was in high school to go and she said 'no.'"

After Strong graduated from Western Boone High School in 2003 he joined the army and went to basic training.

In September the family saw their son who was stationed in Alaska. His mom says it was the last time they saw Joey.

Within a month he was in Iraq. "He was infantry and he was a sharpshooter," says Batts.

Joey last talked with his mom within the last two weeks. Among other things, Joey wanted to know how the Colts were playing. He promised to call again the day after Christmas. That phone call never came. Instead, Tuesday night, there was a knock on the door with terrible news.

Specialist Joey Strong died from injuries suffered when his humvee rolled over in a canal. There is grief in this home, but there is also great pride.

"He loved his country," said Batts. "He would do it again in a heartbeat. I know he would. He thought that we needed to be over there to protect the United States."

The family learned it will take seven to ten days for their son's body to return to Indiana. A funeral is tentatively planned for January 8th at Western Boone High School.

From WTHR 13

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Joseph A. Strong killed in rollover accident