Army Master Sgt. David L. Hurt

Died February 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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36, of Tucson, Ariz.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 20, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from wounds received in Khordi, Afghanistan, when his military vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device followed by small arms fire attack by enemy forces. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Jeremy E. Bessa.

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Santa Rita grad dies in Afghanistan

Fernanda Echávarri and David L. Teibel

Tucson Citizen

A Santa Rita High school graduate, who “loved being a soldier” and “was proud of his country,” has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Sunday that Master Sgt. David L. Hurt, 36, and a soldier from Illinois died from injuries caused by an improvised explosive device. They were in a military vehicle Friday near Khordi in Oruzgan province when they were attacked.

Small arms fire followed during the attack by enemy forces.

Hurt’s mother, Bonnie Hurt, said she talked to her son Wednesday. Two days later he was dead.

A medic in her son’s unit had been killed the week before and Hurt and other soldiers in the unit were having a difficult time dealing with his death, Bonnie Hurt said.

“He was telling me they were taking the death of the medic hard and he was trying to keep his men occupied,” she said.

Her son always signed off telling his mother he loved her, and Wednesday was no exception.

“He said, ‘I’ve got to go, I love you,” she recalled.

Hurt and the other soldier killed with him, Staff Sgt. Jeremy E. Bessa, 26, were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Bessa died at the scene while Hurt died from his wounds after being evacuated to Kandahar Airfield for treatment, according to the Army.

Hurt, a native of Oak Park, Ill., moved to Tucson with his family at age 3, said his mother, Bonnie Hurt, 65.

He enlisted in Tucson in November 1992, according to the U.S. Army.

Before that, his mother said, he had graduated from Santa Rita High School, where he played football on the school team.

“He went in (to the Army) on Veteran’s Day,” she said.

“He loved being a soldier, he was proud of his country,” Hurt said.

And, she added, he was proud to be in the Special Forces, an elite unit.

Master Sgt. Hurt loved Tucson, he “talked about it all the time, he loved it,” his mother said.

“He wanted to take his family there, but he never had the chance,” Hurt said.

After basic and advanced training he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., and later to the 20th Engineer Brigade. He earned his Green Beret in May 2000 and was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Hurt lived in Grays Creek, N.C., before he left for Afghanistan in January on his fifth deployment.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, the Valorous Unit Award and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, according to his Army biography.

He is survived by his wife, Kelly, daughter, Avery, and son, Wyatt, who live in Grays Creek, N.C.; his mother, Bonnie Hurt and sister Deborah Hurt, both of Hope Mills, N.C.; and father, Joe Hurt of Memphis, Tenn.

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Master sergeant remembered for love of Army

The Associated Press

David L. Hurt loved the Army. Even as boy he loved playing with toy soldiers. Years later, after he had joined the Army, his mother would walk into his home and see the small plastic soldiers spread across a table — this time being used to plan out real-life tactics.

“He always loved the Army. Oh God, he loved it,” said his mother, Bonnie Hurt.

Hurt, 36, of Tucson, Ariz., was killed Feb. 23 in Kandahar by a roadside bomb and enemy fire. He was assigned to Fort Bragg.

Hurt was born in Oak Park, Ill., but moved to Tucson when he was 3 years old. He joined the Army in 1992 after graduating high school and went on to join the Green Berets and won numerous awards, including the Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters.

He always signed off telling his mother he loved her. The last time they talked, “He said, ‘I’ve got to go, I love you,”’ she recalled.

He is survived by his wife, Kelly, 11-year-old daughter, Avery, and 5-year-old son, Wyatt.

“He was a very loving, caring husband,” Bonnie Hurt said. “He loved doing things with his kids. He took his kids everywhere.”