Army Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan

Died February 18, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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27, of Las Cruces, N.M.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire while on combat patrol.

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New Mexico soldier buried in hometown

The Associated Press

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A Las Cruces soldier killed in Iraq was buried March 2 with full military honors in his hometown.

Sgt. Matthew S. Apuan, 27, was killed by enemy fire near Baghdad on Feb. 18.

An estimated 1,000 Las Cruces residents, including military troops, veterans and police officers from throughout southern New Mexico, lined a more than three-mile stretch of road as Apuan’s casket was carried from Holy Cross Catholic Church to Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Members of the Patriot Guard Riders, made up of veteran and civilian motorcycle riders, escorted the procession, and the New Mexico National Guard saluted Apuan with a two-helicopter flyover during the service.

Apuan, a graduate of Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, was a tank gunner assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas. He had been stationed at Camp Falcon on Baghdad’s south side.

Apuan is survived by his father and stepmother, Charles and Martha Apuan; his mother, Sandra Apuan; and his sister, Amiee Apuan, all of Las Cruces.