Army Sgt. Michael P. Bartley

Died January 15, 2011 Serving During Operation New Dawn

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23, of Barnhill, Ill.; assigned to 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 15 in Mosul of wounds sustained when an Iraqi soldier from the unit with which he was training shot him with small-arms fire. Also killed was Spc. Martin J. Lamar.

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Soldier grew up in rural Illinois town

The Associated Press

An only child growing up in rural southern Illinois, Michael Bartley seemed like a perfect fit for the Army.

“He enlisted in the Army, and I thought, how appropriate,” David Savage, Bartley’s elementary school principal and the superintendent of Fairfield Schools, told WSIL-TV. “Their motto is to be all you can be. Michael lived that.”

A basketball player, Bartley graduated from Fairfield Community High School in 2007. His coach told the TV station he remembers his former player for his optimism and strong work ethic.

The 23-year-old from Barnhill, Ill., and another soldier were killed Jan. 15 in Mosul, Iraq, when an Iraqi soldier opened fire on them during a training exercise.

Rebecca Isles, Bartley’s mother, told the Evansville Courier-Press that her son joined the Army shortly after high school and later re-enlisted. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Bartley also was a member of Orchardville Community Church and returned to his hometown to visit friends and family.

“He was in his uniform and he looked so sharp,” Savage told the TV station. “We were so proud of him. And I told him, I said, you know Michael, this is a great accomplishment. And he said, ‘You know Mr. Savage. I’m really excited about this.’“

In addition to his mother, Bartley is survived by his father and grandmothers. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.