ROLLA, Mo. -- A soldier who graduated last year from Rolla High School was one of the four soldiers killed Monday by another U.S. soldier at a military stress clinic in Baghdad. Pfc. Jacob Barton, 20, grew up in Lenox, in western Dent County, with his grandmother, mother and older sister, Hannah.
"I was in shock; I couldn't believe it,” grandmother Rose Coleman of Lenox said about receiving the news of Barton's death.
Barton was a mechanic in the military and had been serving in Iraq since February. He was a member of the 955th Engineer Company, a reserve unit stationed at Fort Leonard Wood. He was deployed to Iraq with the 277th Engineer Company of Fort Bliss, Texas, in what the Army calls cross-leveling, a program to fill out deployed units with soldiers from similar units in other parts of the country.
The Pentagon says the soldiers died when another soldier finishing up his third tour of duty opened fire at a military stress clinic in Baghdad on Monday. Investigators say the shooter, Sgt. John Russell, 44, had been undergoing counseling. Russell is in custody and charged.
Coleman says Barton always wanted to be in the Army -- and began living out his dream on the day after he graduated from Rolla High.
"I would say, ‘Please stay low, don't be a hero,’ and he said, ‘I can't help it, Mr. Waldrip. It's my job -- that's what I'm going for,” said Rod Waldrip, a Rolla High School teacher.
Waldrip says Barton attended boot camp between his junior and senior years of high school. Then he came back, finished school, and immediately was ready to go.
"He knew pretty much one day he would be serving in Iraq,” said Assistant Principal Bonnie Brainard.
Serving is the key word there; it’s something Brainard says he did constantly.
"Last winter, we had that bad ice storm and he ran to my office. ‘Mrs. Brainard, Mrs. Brainard, I’ve got to go. My grandma needs some wood to keep her house heated and I need to go by the grocery store to get her some food so I can make sure she makes it through this storm,’” said Brainard.
Coleman says her grandson always took care of her and Hannah after his mother passed away during his senior year of high school.
"He told me when he got out, he told me, ‘I'll be able to work on your car,’ and I said, ‘Well, we always needed a mechanic in the family,’” Coleman said. "Me and Hannah were the only family he got left and he felt it was his obligation to take care of his granny; he's always worried about me."
Coleman says Hannah flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet her brother's body. The grandmother says Hannah is also in the Army, in a unit based in Colorado. She was out of the service recently and living in Springfield to give birth but re-enlisted.
Barton was a standout grandson, student and soldier.
"You always have a picture in your mind, a face with his name, always,” said Waldrip.
Barton's father, David, lives in Springfield but Chris Canton, Jacob's aunt -- David's sister -- says David hasn't had any contact with Jacob since he was 5 years old. Canton, who lives in the St. Louis area, said an official military notification team went to David Barton's house but provided little information except that his son had died. David Barton had no comment when a reporter called him.
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Story from dvidshub.net:
BAGHDAD -- The Department of Defense on May 13 announced the death of a Missouri Army Reserve Soldier serving in Iraq.
Pfc. Jacob David Barton, 20, a native of Lenox, Mo., died of injuries sustained from a shooting incident on May 11 at Camp Liberty, Iraq. The incident is under investigation.
Pfc. Barton was a member of 277th Engineer Company, 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 225th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division-Baghdad. The 277th Engineer Company, based in San Antonio, Texas, is conducting combat engineering missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Barton was a construction equipment repairer and worked in the company's maintenance platoon. Shortly after graduating from Rolla High School in 2008, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves. He attended Army Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri with Alpha Company, 169th Engineer Battalion. He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood with the 955th Engineer Company. He deployed to Baghdad, Iraq with the 277th Engineer Company.
In his spare time, Pfc. Barton enjoyed playing computer games and chatting online with his sister. He was always ready to help and willing to learn about the maintenance field, and was very humble and respectful of those around him.
"A man's character is defined by his actions, and Pfc. Jacob Barton, although a young man is a man we should look to as an example for ourselves and our children. He willingly chose to raise his right hand and serve his Country in a time of conflict. He died in the service of our Nation, as a brother-in-arms, and as a member of the Steel Spike team. We are shocked and saddened by his loss, and ask all of you to keep Jacob's grandmother and sister in your thoughts and prayers," said 46th Engineer Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Matthew Zajac.
"I want to offer my condolences to the family," said 46th Engineer Battalion Command Sgt. Major Frank Thibodeau. "Pfc. Barton joined the Army and volunteered for deployment during a time of war to support his nation. He did anything his unit ever asked him to do."
"Pfc. Barton was never disrespectful. He totally matured during the time he was with us," said Sgt. Piotr Szczepaniak, Barton's team leader. "You could never get angry with this guy. He was just a real good guy. I hope he's in a better place."
"Pfc. Barton was very generous and never thought of the cost to himself," said Spc. Daniel Castillo, Barton's roommate. "He was just a really simply guy. He never complained, he always just tried his best."
Barton's awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Overseas Service Ribbon.
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Edited news release from Department of Defense
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Defense announced Wednesday the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died on May 11 in Camp Liberty, Baghdad of wounds suffered in a non-combat related incident.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
Killed were:
--Maj. Matthew Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas. He was assigned to the 55th Medical Company, Indianapolis, Ind.;
--Sgt. Christian Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany;
--Spc. Jacob Barton, 20, of Lenox; and
--Pfc. Michael Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.
