Joseph R. Ray
Profile
Age: 29
From: Asheville, N.C.
Assigned to the 391st Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve, Asheville, N.C.
Incident: Army Staff Sgt. Joseph R. Ray was killed March 12 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations west of Asadabad, Afghanistan. Also
Died: March 12, 2006
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N.C.-based best friends buried hours apart
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Two North Carolina-based soldiers described as inseparable buddies were buried Tuesday, nine days after they and two other men, one from Indiana, were killed when an explosive device struck their vehicle in Afghanistan.
“He was one of my best friends, like one of my brothers,” Staff Sgt. Matt Jacobsen said of Sgt. Kevin Akins, who was buried in Burnsville. “I knew if I ever had a problem, Big Ache was right there.”
Three hours after the funeral for the Oglethorpe, Ga. resident, hundreds said goodbye in Asheville to Akins’ best friend, Staff Sgt. Joe Ray of Candler.
Spc. Joshua Hill of Fowlerton, Ind., and Sgt. Anton Hiett of Mount Airy were also inside the Humvee and died in the blast. Hill’s funeral was scheduled for Wednesday at Madison-Grant High School in Fairmount, Ind.
He was part of the Asheville-based battalion while...
Occupation
Incident
Prayers & Messages
into the house and gate of heaven,
to enter into that gate, and dwell in that house where there shall be
no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light;
no noise nor silence, but one equal music;
no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession;
no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity;
in the habitation of Thy glory and dominion,
world without end. Amen.