Andrew P. Nelson
Profile
Age: 22
From: Moorhead, Minn.
Assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Incident: Army Staff Sgt. Andrew P. Nelson died Aug. 29 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit.
Died: August 29, 2007
82nd Airborne soldier killed in Iraq during third tour
The Associated Press
MOORHEAD, Minn. — A solider from the 82nd Airborne Division died earlier this week while serving his third tour of duty in Iraq, a family spokesman said.
Army Sgt. Andrew Nelson, 22, of Moorhead, Minn., was killed Aug. 29 while on patrol outside of Tikrit. His family received the news from the military that night, said Todd Taylor, a family spokesman. Further details were not immediately available.
Nelson enlisted in the Army immediately after high school. He also served one tour of duty in Afghanistan. He graduated from Shanley High School in Fargo, N.D., in 2003 and also attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Moorhead.
Valerie Ritland, principal of St. Joseph’s and Nelson’s cousin, said she was shocked after hearing of his death.
“It was so hard to believe,” she said. “I just totally miss...