Army Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr.

Died August 13, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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23, of San Antonio; assigned to 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; died Aug. 13 in Qayyarah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell and Pfc. Paulomarko U. Pacificador.

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San Antonio man killed in IED attack

The Associated Press

FORT BLISS, Texas — Three Fort Bliss soldiers, including a San Antonio man, died this week in Iraq after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense said Thursday.

Killed were Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell, 39, of Pittsview, Ala., Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio and Cpl. Paulomarko U. Pacificador, 24, of Shirley, N.Y.

The men died Aug. 13 in Qayyarah, according to a release from the DoD. They were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Bliss.

Cottrell, who joined the Army in October 2004, was a health care specialist. He is survived by his wife and four children, Fort Bliss said in a release.

Lopez and Pacificador were both field artillery automated tactical data system specialists. Lopez joined the Army in February 2006 while Pacificador joined in January 2006.

The three were posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

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Soldier laid to rest in hometown of Florence

The Associated Press

FLORENCE, S.C. — Juan M. Lopez Sr. was there when his son and namesake was born. He said he shut the casket the night before his son was laid to rest.

Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr. was buried Aug. 20 with full military honors at Florence National Cemetery. He was killed Aug. 13 along with two other soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

Lopez, 23, enlisted in the Army more than a year ago and had been in Iraq since September, his family said.

Lopez’s father, who served in the Air Force, said at the funeral service that his son was a hero since he was born and would have been a well-decorated career soldier.

“I miss him a lot. This morning I went to the funeral parlor and saw him resting,” Lopez Sr. said. “He’s one of God’s soldiers now, but just the same I told him we would fish again.”

Lopez Jr. was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He attended South Florence High School and graduated from Poynor Adult/Community Education Center in 2005, relatives said.

Lopez Jr. was eulogized at Greater Gethsemane Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ by his uncle, Bishop Otis L. Terrell.

“Juan is in his second home,” Terrell said. “God is good, and he’s able to do what he says he’s going to do. Juan was a very honest and polite young man.”