Army Spc. Jonathan C. O’Neill

Died June 15, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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22, of Zephyr Hills, Fla.; assigned to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Stewart, Ga.; died June 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds sustained June 2 in Paktya, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

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Funeral held for decorated soldier

The Associated Press

LEBANON, Tenn. — A decorated Army soldier who died from injuries suffered in Afghanistan was remembered Tuesday by friends and family in Tennessee.

Spc. Jonathan Charles O’Neill died June 15 at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, nearly two weeks after he was wounded in Afghanistan. The Army said the 22-year-old was injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle and he was subsequently attacked by small arms fire.

The Lebanon Democrat reported his funeral was Tuesday morning at St. Frances Cabrini Church with full military honors following. He is survived by his parents, Bob and Jackie O’Neill, brothers, Brian and Matthew O’Neill; sister, Kaitlyn O’Neill, all of Watertown.

The Zephyrhills, Fla.,-native served in the Army since January 2007 with the 549th Military Police Company of Fort Stewart, Ga. President Barack Obama presented him with a Purple Heart and Presidential Coin this month in Landstuhl, Germany, while he was being treated for his injuries.

His mother kept all of his friends updated on the progress of his medical treatment through the soldier’s Facebook page, said Brandyn Errickson, a friend of O’Neill’s.

Errickson said O’Neill joined the Army to get experience in law enforcement.

“(He) was looking to get into being a policeman or into crime scene type work. He figured the best way to do this would be to get into the Army in the Military Police unit.

O’Neill was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star posthumously.