Army Pvt. Branden P. Haunert

Died May 18, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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21, of Cincinnati; 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died May 18 in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

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Father says Fort Campbell solider killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

CINCINNATI — The father of a 101st Airborne Division soldier says his son was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Bill Haunert of Blue Ash, Ohio, said his 21-year-old son Branden enlisted in the Army last year and his unit was deployed to Iraq about five weeks ago.

The Defense Department has not confirmed the identification. The Army often waits at least 24 hours after a family is notified to announce a service member’s death.

Branden Haunert was a 2005 graduate of Sycamore High School in suburban Cincinnati, where he played baseball. He attended the University of Cincinnati before enlisting. His father said military representatives told the family on Sunday that the Humvee Branden Haunert was in was hit by a roadside bomb and that he died at the scene.

The entire Haunert family is “devastated,” Bill Haunert told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Monday. “His brothers are taking it pretty hard.”

Bill Haunert said he and his wife, Tammy, have five other sons.

Bill Haunert said Branden wanted to serve his country.

“He knew he’d probably be going to Iraq,” his father said. “He was doing what he wanted to do.”

Branden Haunert joined the Army in the summer of 2007 and went through basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., before being assigned to the 327th Infantry, 2nd Battalion, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, an Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

His father said he was doing well in the Army.

“He was thinking about re-enlisting. He’d been recommended for Ranger School. I think there’s a very good chance Branden could have made a career out of the military.”

Chris Shrimpton, Sycamore’s varsity baseball coach, described Branden Haunert as fiery, stubborn and competitive.

“He wanted to win,” Shrimpton said. “He would do anything for you, and he just loved the game of baseball. He’d try hard, and that’s the thing I liked about him. He always gave 100 percent, no matter what he did.”

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Army Pvt. Branden P. Haunert remembered

The Associated Press

Chris Shrimpton, a varsity baseball coach, described Branden P. Haunert as fiery, stubborn and competitive.

“He wanted to win,” Shrimpton said. “He would do anything for you, and he just loved the game of baseball. He’d try hard, and that’s the thing I liked about him. He always gave 100 percent, no matter what he did.”

Haunert, 21, of Cincinnati, died May 18 in Tikrit after his vehicle struck an explosive. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Campbell.

“I’m going to try not to cry too much because Branden and I had so many good times together,” said Michael Turner, a classmate. “He was the best friend you could have.”

After high school, Branden attended the University of Cincinnati, where he studied business. He had student loans to deal with, plus he said he wasn’t that self-motivated, so he enlisted in the Army, his father said.

“It came to the point where he said, ‘This is something I want to do,’” Bill Haunert said. “He also wanted to serve his country.

He knew he’d probably be going to Iraq. He was doing what he wanted to do.”

He also is survived by his mother, Tammy.