Eddie Tamez laid to rest

GALVESTON — Galveston residents packed St. Patrick Catholic Church on Saturday to pay their respects to Army Spc. Eddie Daniel Tamez, killed nine days ago while on patrol in Iraq.

The show of support in the community came because "this was our first casualty in the war in Iraq," said Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, who attended the services.

"This is an outpouring (of sympathy) in the community," Thomas said. "But it's also an outpouring in memory of so many others who have lost their lives in Iraq."

The Rev. John Bok said during the service that Tamez's 20-year-old widow, Keyris Sanchez Tamez, had been in anguish at a rosary on Friday evening.

"Last night, his grieving wife asked me, 'Why?' " Bok said. "I can't answer why, you can't answer why, none of us can answer why."

An honor guard of 10 soldiers from the headquarters company honor platoon from Fort Sam Houston accompanied the casket bearing the remains of Tamez, 21, who died April 27 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

The Patriot Guard Riders, an honor guard of civilians, lined the funeral procession carrying more than 200 U.S. flags.

Attending the service in full dress uniform were instructors and students from the Ball High School Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. Tamez graduated from Ball after taking JROTC there for four years.

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Andre Morrison, an instructor in the Ball High Junior ROTC program, said Tamez was drill team commander and occasionally commanded the color guard.

"He was a very good cadet," Morrison recalled. "He was somebody you could always count on when you needed cadets to do something."

Tamez joined the U.S. Army in July 2004, barely a month after graduating, over the protests of his mother, Magdalena Tamez Dunn, 53, of Galveston.

He was stationed for more than two years in Germany before being sent to Iraq in February. He re-enlisted for three years shortly before he was killed on patrol in Fallujah with the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment.

Tamez was a chemical warfare specialist. Following his funeral, Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Moten presented Tamez's family with the highest award from the chemical corps, the Order of the Dragon.

Moten said the medal was awarded to all 17 chemical warfare specialists who have died in Iraq.

Post 685 of the Vietnam Veterans of America presented the widow and the parents with a pencil drawing by Texas City graphics artist Roland Castanie showing a helmet and sand goggles on a pair of combat boots.

The organization intends to give a copy of the graphic to the family of every member of the military killed in Iraq, post President Jim Rose said.

The post also contributed $200 to the Eddie Scholarship Fund for Ball High School students in the Junior ROTC program. Contributions may be sent c/o Hometown Bank of Galveston, 1801 45th St., Galveston, TX 77551.

Tamez was buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

From the Houston Chronicle

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