HONOR WALL is a sacred space dedicated to those that selflessly served our Country.
Welcome to our Honor Wall, a sacred space dedicated to honoring the brave men and women who have selflessly served our country. Here, we pay tribute to veterans, active-duty military members, and fallen heroes whose courage and commitment protect the freedoms we cherish. Each name inscribed on this wall tells a story of dedication, resilience, and sacrifice. Whether they served in times of peace or conflict, each individual represented here has contributed to a legacy of strength, unity, and honor. We invite you to explore these tributes, share your own dedications, and join us in remembering those who have given so much in service to others. Let their legacy live on through our gratitude, our memories, and our continued commitment to the values they defended.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul D. Karpowich
Died December 21, 2004, Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 390th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army Reserve, Webster, N.Y.; killed Dec. 21 when his base dining facility was attacked in Mosul, Iraq.
FREELAND, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man who was among the 22 killed in an explosion at a crowded mess tent in Iraq on Dec. 21 died only because it was a sneak attack, his stepmother said “If he were on a field of combat, this never would have happened,” said Claire Karpowich, stepmother of Sgt. 1st Class Paul D. Karpowich. “He was ambushed in a mess hall surrounded with his friends. He was glad to be back at Camp Marez because he was out in the field for two weeks. This was the first time he had a hot shower and good meal.”
Karpowich, 30, grew up in Freeland, in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County, but had been living in the Philadelphia suburb of Bridgeport, Pa., and worked as a salesman and consultant with Eye Design in nearby Collegeville.
The non-combat unit, which traditionally trains reservists and active-duty soldiers, hadn’t deployed overseas since World War II. About 725 soldiers were called up to assist with training Iraqi security forces. Karpowich was a drill instructor with the division’s 1st Battalion, 417th Regiment, 1st Brigade in Pennsauken, N.J. Karpowich began his military career as an active-duty soldier with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C.
