Army Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley

Died June 15, 2007 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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35, of Smithfield, Pa.; assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 15 in Shkin, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire.

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Fort Bragg soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — A Fort Bragg Army master sergeant was killed by gunfire while fighting in Afghanistan, the military said.

Arthur L. Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pa., was killed June 15 in Shkin, according to the Department of Defense.

Lilley had been assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

His father, Arthur F. Lilley, said his son joined the military in 1990 and fought in Desert Storm. He was also in Iraq last year.

“He’s got about 25 combat badges,” his father said.

“He loved what he was doing. He enjoyed it. That was his life,” he said. “You always worry, but it’s what he wanted to do.”

Lilley was colorblind and couldn’t pursue his goal of being an air traffic controller for the Air Force, so the Army became an option he never regretted, his mother, Elizabeth Lilley, told The News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C.

Arthur L. Lilley was a youth minister and his wife, Christine, ran the school at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, N.C., Elizabeth Lilley said.

They were high school sweethearts and would have celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in August.

Lilley is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mackenzie, 10, and a son, Cole, 8.

A memorial service was scheduled for 3 p.m. June 17 at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.

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Soldier killed in Afghanistan came from military family

The Associated Press

Because military service is a family tradition, Army Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley’s father wasn’t surprised when Arthur began talking about joining the Army while in high school.

“He knew what he wanted to do. He wasn’t afraid. He wanted to serve his country,” said Arthur F. Lilley. “I know what it’s like. I told him, ‘If that is your choice, I will back you 100 percent.’ ” Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pa., was killed June 15 in Shkin, Afghanistan, from small-arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.

Lilley was colorblind and couldn’t pursue his goal of being an air traffic controller for the Air Force, so the Army became an option he never regretted, said his mother, Elizabeth.

“He was an excellent son,” his father added. “He played sports in high school. I guess you could say that he was an average student. He raced motocross, and he liked BMX bicycle racing. His recent hobby was reconditioning SUVs and using them for rock climbing. He belonged to a club. They traveled all over. He was in Utah recently. It was a dangerous sport, but he loved it.”

He also is survived by his wife, Christine; daughter, Mackenzie; and son, Cole.