This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Giles, Todd, Yoakum, McQuinn Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/hkB.2ACE/8460 Message Board Post: Rockdale Reporter, Thur., 10 Mar 2005 "Grandson of longtime local resident killed in Iraq" The war in Iraq has reached closer to Rockdale than ever before as the 19-year-old grandson of a longtime resident was killed in a Baghdad suburb. Army Pvt. Landon Scott Giles, grandson of Alyne Yoakum, died Feb. 26 when a homemade bomb went off while he was on patrol. Giles, a resident of Arkadelphia, AR, and Pfc. Min Choi, 21, of River GilesVale, NJ, were killed in the blast. Giles was the son of former Rockdale resident Kim (Todd) Giles of Gurdon, AR. “Landon always took up for the underdog,” his mother said in a news conference, held at an Arkansas National Guard Armory. “I believe that’s why he was in Iraq.” Funeral services for Giles were held Sunday in Gurdon, AR. = = = = = Rockdale Reporter, Thur., 10 Mar 2005 Giles GURDON, AR - Services for PVT Landon Scott Giles, 19, of Gurdon, AR, were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6, 2005, at Third Street Baptist Church with Rev. Chris Morrison, Rev. Lloyd Baumgardner and Chaplain Creek officiating. Interment was in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens. PVT Giles died Saturday, Feb. 26, in Baghdad, Iraq. He was born Feb. 1, 1986, in Arkadelphia, AR, the son of Alan Dale and Kimberly Beth Todd Giles. He was a soldier in the U.S. Army and a Baptist. Mr. Giles was preceded in death by a brother, Douglas McQuinn, and grandparents, Dennis Todd and Joe Giles. Survivors are his mother, Kim (Todd) Giles of Gurdon, AR; his father and step-mother, Alan and Cindy Giles of Conifer, CO; a brother, Geremy Giles of Conifer, CO; four sisters, JoAnn Giles of Bakersfield, CA, Jennifer “Jenny” Giles and fiancé Jason Whitworth of Arkadelphia, AR; Angela and Alan Giles, both of Conifer, CO; grandparents, Pat Giles of Arkadelphia, AR, and Alyne Yoakum of Rockdale; and a nephew, Trenton Jones of Bakersfield, CA. Honorary pallbearers were B.J. Taylor, Mark, Bobby and Matt Hanks, Michael Shepherd, Justin Rogers, Bobby Pye, Josh Spradlin, Barry Nolan, Donnie Vasquez, Robert Green and Brad Hardman. = = = = = KATV - Little Rock, AR Gurdon, AR - Family and friends are mourning the loss of an Arkansas soldier who was killed in Iraq. Private Landon Giles of Gurdon served with the army. He was based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. His family lives in Gurdon in Clark County. While everyone is looking forward to our troops coming home soon, the loss hits home in Clark County. Nineteen-year-old Private Landon Scott Giles was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was among two U.S. soldiers killed in a bomb blast over the weekend in Iraq. Military officials say a U.S. patrol was hit by homemade bombs, similar to the attacks that have been happening all over the region. Private Giles graduated from Arkadelphia High School last May. The news of his death was unbelievable to those who knew him. He is remembered as a good student and a courageous young man. Here at the Clark County Courthouse, flags are flying at half-staff in Private Giles' Honor. Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized.