Army 1st Lt. Charles L. Wilkins III

Died August 20, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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38, of Columbus, Ohio; assigned to the 216th Engineer Battalion, Ohio Army National Guard, Hamilton, Ohio; killed Aug. 20 when an improvised explosive device exploded near his vehicle near Samarra, Iraq.

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Ohio soldier killed in Iraq

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio soldier was killed in Iraq when a homemade bomb went off near the Hummer he was riding in, his sister said Saturday.

Lt. Charles L. Wilkins III, of Columbus, died Friday, Lorin Wilkins said. He served with the 216th Engineering Battalion of the Ohio National Guard, based in Chillicothe.

Army officials told the family Friday night that the explosion killed another soldier and wounded two others, Lorin Wilkins said.

“They said he was returning from an assignment,” she said. The family was unsure of where the explosion happened.

Charles Wilkins, 38, deployed in February and was looking forward to helping rebuild Iraq, his sister said. The family last heard from him in July.

“He said he was going to be on special assignment and said he wouldn’t be in touch with us for a little while,” she said.

Charles Wilkins enlisted in the Air Force right after graduating from Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus. He also attended St. Charles Preparatory School in Bexley for three years, and played football at both schools.

Charles Wilkins joined the National Guard after getting out of the Air Force because he wanted to be an officer, said Lorin Wilkins, of Columbus.

Even with his hectic schedule — Wilkins worked as a transportation planner, and attended law school at Capital University in addition to his military obligations — he always had time to take care of his family.

“He made sure everybody was taken care of. Even with his busy schedule, if you called him and need something, he’d be there,” Lorin Wilkins said.

“But even when he was gone, he made sure the family was taken care of and provided for. He sent money back home. If he couldn’t be here, he made sure things were taken care of and we had money to take care of things if he couldn’t take care of them himself,” she said.

Charles Wilkins had to quit law school a few times, his sister said.

“The military came first and he’d have to quit school or whatever. He’d take it with a grain of salt and start over and do his year over,” she said.

Charles Wilkins got his order to ship out a week before left, so Lorin Wilkins only talked to him on the phone before he deployed.

“He told me to take care of his house and his cat. I told him to be safe and to come back soon,” she said, her voice choking.

Ohio National Guard spokesman James Sims confirmed Wilkins’ death Sunday, and said another soldier from the 216th also was killed in the explosion. He did not identify the soldier.

Wilkins is among more than 30 Ohio soldiers and Marines killed in Iraq since the war started. He is survived by his parents, a grandmother, two sisters, a niece and a nephew.

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Ohio soldier killed in Iraq eulogized

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio National Guardsman killed in Iraq was remembered by family and friends as someone who was always positive and eager to help others.

Lt. Charles L. Wilkins III wouldn’t allow his friend, Lt. Michael Fry, to mope after receiving an order to deploy to South Korea for a year. Fry recalled their conversation at Wilkins’ funeral on Tuesday.

“Congratulations!” Fry said Wilkins yelled into the phone. “Well, we’re going out to celebrate. The kimchi’s (a spicy Korean cabbage dish) on me.”

Fry was one of three soldiers who spoke at the memorial. Each of them paused to salute the flag-draped casket while walking to the podium at the church that Wilkins attended, St. Thomas More Newman Center. They told mourners of Wilkins’ dedication to his family, his work and the military.

Wilkins, 38, died Aug. 20 when a homemade bomb went off near the Humvee he was riding in near Samarra.

Another soldier, Pfc. Ryan Martin, 22, of Mount Vernon, also died in the explosion and was buried Monday. Both men served with the 216th Engineering Battalion. Two other Guardsmen were injured in the attack.

Wilkins worked for the Federal Highway Administration and was attending law school at Capital University.

“He was always looking out for somebody else, not himself,” said Stew Sonnenberg, a co-worker. “He was always helping family and others.”

Wilkins enlisted in the Air Force right after graduating from Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus. He also attended St. Charles Preparatory School in Bexley for three years, and played football at both schools.

Family members have said Wilkins joined the National Guard after getting out of the Air Force because he wanted to be an officer.

Charles Wilkins II said his last memory of his son, who was not married and did not have children, was of him swimming with his nephew, laughing like he always did.

Wilkins said he has to believe his son’s death will help make a difference in Iraq.

“I hope that his death wasn’t in vain,” Wilkins said. “I hope they accomplish something over there so it won’t be.”

— Associated Press