Paul M. Heltzel
Profile
Age: 39
From: Baton Rouge, La.
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team, Louisiana Army National Guard, Eunice, La.
Incident: Army Sgt. Paul M. Heltzel was killed March 15 when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a mounted patrol in Baghdad.
Died: March 15, 2005
Louisiana Guardsman killed in Iraq
Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. Kathleen Blanco asked Louisianans to pray for the American soldiers on duty in Iraq after it was announced that a Louisiana National Guardsman was killed in Iraq.
Sgt. Paul Heltzel, an Indiana native with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 256th Brigade Combat Team, was on foot patrol when a car bomb killed him and injured several other soldiers Tuesday, the guard said. Heltzel was assigned to Task Force 1/69th Infantry.
On Thursday, Lt. Col. Pete Schneider, a Guard spokesman, did not release more details about the incident.
“I again call on all citizens to continue praying for the brave Louisiana soldiers who have dedicated their lives to serving our country,” Blanco said in a statement.
Heltzel had worked as an instructor with the Louisiana National Guard Challenge Program’s Gillis W. Long Center in St. Gabriel.
Heltzel was...