Marine Cpl. Andrew D. Brownfield

Died March 18, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

24, of Summit, Ohio; assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died March 18 from wounds received during an enemy mortar attack at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

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Thousands line Akron streets to honor fallen Marine

Associated Press

AKRON, Ohio — About 2,000 people held American flags, supportive signs and their hands on their hearts as they lined the funeral route of a hometown son who died in Iraq.

Traffic was backed up for about a mile as the March 29 funeral procession for Marine Cpl. Andrew D. Brownfield made its way from Billow funeral home four miles across town to Holy Cross Cemetery, where the 24-year-old was given full military honors.

Wanda Vigar of suburban Barberton organized the roadside tribute even though she didn’t know Brownfield, who died March 18 in a mortar attack at an air base northwest of Baghdad.

“He gave his life for his country and for us,” Vigar said. She said she wanted the community to “show this young Marine and his family that this has not gone unnoticed.”

Among those who came out was a man who stood on a bridge, holding a large Marine Corp. flag straight up during Brownfield’s hour-long funeral. Several veterans wore military or veterans’ jackets and several people hoisted signs, including one that read: “Thank you for our freedom.”

Brownfield was a 1999 graduate of Akron’s North High School. He was the first resident of Summit County and the 21st Ohio military member to be killed in Iraq.

Brownfield was assigned to the Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, part of the Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif. He joined the Marines Jan. 3, 2001. His job in Iraq was to hang bombs on planes and helicopters.

Members of his family said they last saw him in December, when he came home for Christmas with his fiancee. He went to Iraq in early February.

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Ohio Marine killed in mortar attack in Iraq

AKRON, Ohio — An Ohioan who volunteered for the Marines and wanted to go to Iraq was there little more than a month when he died in a mortar attack.

Cpl. Andrew D. Brownfield, of Akron, died in the attack at Al Asad Air Base, the Department of Defense said in a statement Saturday. He is the 21st Ohio military member to be killed in Iraq.

Brownfield, 24, was assigned to the Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, part of the Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Members of his family said they last saw him in December, when he came home for Christmas with his fianc©e. He went to Iraq in early February.

“He volunteered to go to Iraq,” said Melody Roop, his mother, who lives in nearby Stow.

“He did this because he wanted to fight for what he believed in. He was a very strong Marine. He believed in this war, and he wanted to fight for his country to help prevent any more 9-11’s from happening here.”

Roop said she last spoke with him about 10 days ago by telephone. She now treasures a message he recently left on her answering machine, imitating Forrest Gump.

Kirk Brownfield, his father, said Andrew graduated from Akron North High School and worked at various jobs before joining the Marines.

“He enjoyed it real well. He liked it more than he didn’t,” he said. “He was a good kid. Everybody was proud of him.”

His fianc©e, Michell Hackworth, 21, of Highland, Calif., flew to Akron on Friday to be with Brownfield’s family. The couple planned to move to Ohio after Brownfield’s enlistment ended next January, she said.

Brownfield volunteered to go to Iraq, Hackworth said.

“He used to tell me he wanted a piece of the action,” she said.

Five mortar rounds were fired in the attack at the base about 135 miles northwest of Baghdad, said Marine Maj. Steve White, casualty officer at the Akron Marine Reserve Center. Three other Marines were wounded.

Brownfield joined the Marines Jan. 3, 2001. His job in Iraq was to hang bombs on planes and helicopters, White said.

“He walked proud,” Roop said. “He had the Marine look, even in civilian clothes.”

On March 20, White presented members of Brownfield’s family with a Purple Heart and Gold Star. Funeral arrangements were not yet complete.

North Principal Larry Weigel remembers Brownfield as “an average, go-to-school kind of kid.”

He said Brownfield was one of the first to participate in a training program that had students divide their days between school and studying a vocation.

“It’s very sad,” said Weigel, who heard about Brownfield’s death on the radio. “My heart goes out to him and his family. I hope the life he had was satisfying and good.”

— Associated Press