Published: May 15, 2008 11:44 pm            

Valley remembers first Vigo soldier killed in Iraq

Sgt. Kyle Childress was killed in January 2005 in Iraq

TERRE HAUTE — The community let the Childress family know Thursday it will never forget what they gave up for the country.

American Legion 6th District Cmdr. Phil Hutson presented the family with a quilt honoring Army Sgt. Kyle Childress, who died Jan. 21, 2005 in Iraq.

Sgt. Childress, 29, headed the sniper team of the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division based in Shweinfurt, Germany. He led house assault teams more than 150 times during his 11 months in Iraq.

A man opened fire from inside as he led his platoon into a house in Ad Duluiyah, Iraq, in search of enemy fighters. He died in a combat hospital in Balad, Iraq. Childress was the first soldier from Vigo County and the 38th from Indiana to be killed in Iraq.

“Honor,” “pride,” “courage,” “army” and “duty” were some of the words on the patches of the quilt along with American flag patches made by inmates of the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle.

“The American flag reminds us that many of our soldiers never returned and they had to pay the supreme sacrifice to ensure our freedom,” Hudson said at the presentation inside American Legion Post 346. “ … The men of the Wabash Correctional Facility Plus program are honored and humbled to have been privileged of recognizing the heroic life and actions of your loved one.”

Many veterans present thanked members of the Childress family after the presentation.

“I think it’s great that Terre Haute hasn’t forgotten about Kyle,” said Gretta Childress, Sgt. Childress’ older sister, about the presentation.

“A lot of times it’s front-page news for a few days and then the next boy or the next girl, but Terre Haute’s really gone out of their way to remember Kyle,” Gretta Childress said.

With a small twist of irony, she said her brother would probably say that everyone was making a huge fuss and would be embarrassed from all the attention.

Jason Childress agreed and added his big brother would probably have had a red face and wondered what the big deal was all about.

“He deserves every bit of it,” Gretta Childress said, “because he’s really a silent hero.”

She said it’s been a slow healing process for her family, but they are getting through it. Gretta Childress urged everyone to continue to keep Sgt. Childress in their thoughts and hope no one else in Terre Haute has to go through what her family has.

As for the quilt, it’s going to go on the back of Sgt. Childress’ mother Nancy Knight’s couch so she can see it every day, Knight said.

“For someone who doesn’t even know him and to take the time to do this, it’s very touching to me,” she said. “It really touches my heart.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.

        

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