Specialist Tracy L. Laramore served in the U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, Schweinfurt, Germany. He died of injuries sustained when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle went over an embankment and flipped over into a river in Baji, Iraq.

Tracy loved overseas military duty and after one two-year stint was up, he re-enlisted and even extended his time by five months so that he could continue service in Iraq.

“Everywhere he went, he had friends,” his mother, Faye West, said. “He told me to keep in touch with all of them while he was in Iraq.” At age 24, Laramore was the oldest enlistee at Fort Benning, Georgia, but outperformed younger recruits to the amazement of other soldiers.