Army Spc. Jason E. von Zerneck

Died October 2, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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33, of Charlotte, N.C.; assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment, New York Army National Guard, Jamestown, N.Y.; died Oct. 2 of injuries sustained from a vehicle incident in Qara Bagh Karez, Afghanistan.

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Army Spc. Jason E. von Zerneck remembered

The Associated Press

Before he left for Afghanistan in January, Jason E. von Zerneck told a newspaper that leaving his family behind was “definitely the hardest thing.”

“Some of the soldiers in this unit come from the poorest neighborhoods,” he said. “These are the people who are putting their lives on the line for the city and the country, and sometimes that is forgotten.”

Von Zerneck, 33, of New York City, died Oct. 2 after his vehicle overturned in Qara Bagh Karez, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Jamestown, N.Y.

Von Zerneck, a compliance officer with Bank of America, was a “die-hard Yankees fan” and loved watching New York Rangers games.

His mother, Barbara, said she hoped that her son would be remembered by Americans as a brave soldier. “I don’t think there’s enough attention paid to the sacrifices of our soldiers,” she said. “That’s something that angers me.”

He is survived by his wife, Stephanie, 30, and three children — daughter Raina, 9, and sons Joseph, 6, and Noah, 3.

His father, Richard, said his son recently e-mailed him to thank him for helping to plan Noah’s birthday party.