Army Spc. Christopher J. Holland

Died December 17, 2003 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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26, of Brunswick, Ga.; assigned to Battery A, 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division, based in Smith Barracks, Germany; killed while part of a dismounted patrol when his unit was ambushed with small arms fire Dec. 17 in Baghdad.

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Christopher Holland was in college when he surprised his dad and decided to join the Army. He chose to become a medic because he was thinking about going into nursing, Jim Holland said. "He always wanted to be independent and work on his own, but I think gradually over a couple years, he changed his mind and joined the Army," he said. Spc. Holland, 26, of Brunswick, Ga., died Dec. 17 when his Baghdad patrol unit was ambushed with small-arms fire. He was based in Smith Barracks, Germany. Holland attended Valdosta State University before joining the Army. He had been stationed in Baghdad since April, his father said. "He was a true friend because he had lots of friends. They've been calling," he said. Other survivors include his mother, Mary Jo Holland, of Lunenburg, Mass.

— Associated Press