The Freemans Journal - Cooperstowns Newspaper Since 1808: Community Awaits Return From Iraq Of Fallen Soldier

The Freeman's Journal - Cooperstown's Newspaper Snce 1808

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Michael Maynes, Burlington Flats, Killed By Small-Arms Fire North Of Baghdad

By JIM KEVLIN and LAURA COX

BURLINGTON FLATS

Edmeston Central School was “devastated” in recent days by the news that Army Spec. Michael Mayne, ‘06, two fellow soldiers and an interpreter were killed by small-arms fire north of Baghdad.
“We all are devastated, that’s the truth,” Principal Martha Winsor said after receiving word of the Monday, Feb. 23, fatal foray. “He was a really responsible, honest, caring, fun-loving, you name it good-thing young man.”
The first fatality of the Iraq war from Otsego County, Mike – Eagle scout and football player – leaves behind a family in Burlington Flats: father Lee, mother Cathy and sister Sherry.
“He was a hard, hard worker and his positive character always was respected and people enjoyed having him around,” said Winsor.
His father works at the school, so “the family is very near and dear to us. We love them.”
Arrangements were pending with the Houk-Johnston-Terry Funeral Home.
Few details of what happened were available, but Sgt. First Class David Fallon, Army spokesman, said Tuesday it will take about 72 hours -- three days -- to “comprise” the situation, a reference to the standard investigation of any death under fire.
Fallon said he only knew that small-arms fire had been exchanged between Mayne’s platoon and unknown assailants.
The three soldiers who escaped alive will provide sworn statements to military authorities before a statement of what transpired is released, the sergeant said.
While the Iraqi insurgency is coming under control in Baghdad and other major cities, al Queda has treated to provinces like Nineveh and Diyala, a province that stretches from northeast of Baghdad to the Iranian border.
The day Mike Mayne was killed, his commanding officer, Col. Burt Thomson of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, was quoted as saying he’s seeing progress.
“We have not destroyed Al Qaeda in Diyala,” he told the Christian Science Monitor. “We have forced Al Qaeda to reconsider [its] course of action.”
Until recently, US forces lacked adequate troop levels to hold the ground they captured, but additional forces have been deployed from urban areas in recent weeks.
Now, after U.S. forces clear an area, the Iraqi Army, police, or neighborhood watch groups known as Sons of Iraq set up checkpoints along the road to ensure that insurgents don’t return, the Monitor reported.
Mike Mayne is one of at least 4,250 U.S. soldiers who have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, the AP reports.
In high school, Mike attended the Milford BOCES, where a scholarship was established in his memory within hours of the news arriving.

Labels: 02-27-09, Front Page, Michael Mayne