In Memory of

Army Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris

  1966 - 2004 

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Doug Mowris Memorial Park       In Aurora, Missouri (2005)

"Honor the Fallen " (Article MilitaryCity.com)

The distinguished military career of Army Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris, age 37, ended in the line of duty on January 29, 2004. Staff Sergeant Mowris was one of seven soldiers killed that Thursday in an explosion during the clearing of an enemy weapons and ammunition cache in Ghazni, Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife Michele, his son Craig, age 14, and his daughter MacKenzie, age 9.

 

Born May 11, 1966 in Pennsylvania, Staff Sergeant Mowris took his first step onto Active Duty, in the United States Army, on September 7, 1984, at the age of 18. After completing his first three-year Active Duty enlistment term, he married Mary Michele Evens, of Aurora, Missouri.  In 1989 their lives were blessed with a son, Craig Andrew, and five years later in 1994, blessed with a daughter Mackenzie Elizabeth.

 

Over a period marking nearly twenty years, Staff Sergeant Mowris served his country in varying capacities, in uniform: 3 years and 4 months initial Active Duty enlistment from 1984 to 1988 during which time he attended Basic Training and Military Police training at Ft. McClellan, Alabama; another 3 years Active Duty from 1992 to 1995 (984^th Military Police Company) attending Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare Training (1993) and Primary Leadership Development Course (1994); and just shy of 6 years from 1998 to 2004 with the Army Reserve (414^th Military Police Company, 530^th Military Police Battalion, 805^th Military Police Company), attending Total Army Instructor Training Course (2000). His current term of service was to expire in May 2004.

 

During these periods of enlistments, overseas and state-side deployments and temporary duty locations included: Turkey (1986-87); Saudi Arabia, “Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm” (1991); Somalia, “Operation Provide Hope” (1993); Honduras, “Task Force Bravo” (1994-95); El Salvador, “Operation New Horizons, Joint Task Force New Hope” (1999); Kosovo, “Operation Joint Guardian” (2000-01); Cuba, “Operation Enduring Freedom” (2002); Ft. Benning, GA “Operation Noble Eagle” (2002); and Afghanistan, “Operation Enduring Freedom” (2003-04).

 

Staff Sergeant Mowris, has long been described by his fellow soldiers as, “a man always ready and able to lead the way.” Members from the 414^th Military Police Company agree that Staff Sergeant Mowris set a high standard, that of a truly professional soldier.  

 

Awards earned during his time of service, include: Bronze Star (Posthumous), Meritorious Service Medal (Posthumous), Army Commendation Medal (2^nd Award), Joint Service ACH Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2^nd Award), Army Good Conduct, Army Reserve ACH Medal (2^nd Award), National Defense Service Medal (2^nd Award), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Humanitarian Service Medal (Hurricane “Mitch” Operation), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” (2^nd Award), Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, United Nations Medal, NATO Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Kosovo Campaign Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award – Task Force Eagle, Driver & Mechanic Badge with Driver-W Bar, Army Lapel Button.

 

 

In the civilian sector, Staff Sergeant Mowris was a correctional officer at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, since January 2003. While at home he enjoyed coaching football and baseball, and had been a member of his Church League softball team.

 

Those who had the honor of knowing and serving with Staff Sergeant Mowris mourn his passing deeply, and pray for his family, his wife, and his children.  Let it be known, that on this day, our country lost an honorable man, a loving husband, a devoted father, and an exemplary American soldier.

In Memory of Others lost that day...

Army Staff Sergeant Shawn M. Clemens

1975-2004

Born April 1, 1975, Army SSG. Shawn M. Clemens, 28, had been in the military for eight years. The father of a 3-year-old boy, he arrived in Afghanistan in August and was squad leader of a sniper unit. He had previously been deployed in Kosovo.  A hunter and fisherman, he was a catcher for Allegany Central School's baseball team.

 

Besides his son, Gavin, Clemens also is survived by his wife, April; a stepdaughter, Alexis; his father, William; and two younger sisters, Michelle Clemens and Kristen Keenan. Clemens was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Army Specialist Robert J. Cook

1979-2004

SPC Robert J. Cook, 24, of Sun Prairie, Wis.  Cook was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y. He joined the Army in 2000, and arrived in Afghanistan in August 2003. He was training to be a medic when he deployed, and hoped to be a nurse when he got out of the service.

 

Prior to his enlistment with the Army four years ago, Cook lived with his mother, sister and stepfather in Sun Prairie. He graduated from Sun Prairie High School in 1997. He loved to fish, play football, and golf.

Army Specialist Adam G. Kinser

1982 - 2004

SPC. Adam G. Kinser, 21, of Sacramento, California, died just a few weeks before he was scheduled to end his tour of duty and return home. His widow, Tiffany Madewell Kinser, is expecting, due to deliver in March.

 

Kinser is survived by his wife, Tiffany, his parents, Paul Jr. and Terri Kinser; siblings, Blake, 19, Luke, 17, Rebekah, 8 and Jacob, 2; paternal grandparents, Paul Sr. and Audrey Kinser; maternal grandmother, JoAnn Fisher; and maternal grandfather, John Davis. Specialist Kinser was assigned to the 304th Psychological Operations Company, U.S. Army Reserve, based in Sacramento, Calif. 

Army Sergeant First Class Curtis Mancini

1960 - 2004

SFC Curtis Mancini, 43, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. is survived by three children. He was assigned to the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, based in Broken Arrow, Okla. Mancini was born at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Dec. 12, 1960. His father, John Mancini, was a career military man who retired as a commander sergeant major.

Mancini graduated from the Broward County Police Academy as the academic honor graduate in 1987 and joined the Davie police. He was promoted to detective in 1989 and assigned to the Narcotics division. He later went to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Fort Lauderdale District office, where he served on a drug task force until he returned to Davie in 2000. He became a training officer, an adjunct instructor at Miami-Dade College, Broward Community College and St. Petersburg Community College. He had also been a guest lecturer for Nova Southeastern University's ADAPT Program, a training program for substance abuse counselors. He was working on a masters' degree at Barry University in Miami when he was called back to active duty.

Mancini and his hand-picked colleagues had trained Iraqis at a military base in Tazsar, Hungary in order to help them liberate their country. He accompanied them first to Kuwait and later to Iraq. He had recently been redeployed after spending the holidays at home.

Army Specialist Justin A. Scott

1981-2004

SPC Justin A. Scott, 22, of Bellevue, Ky. was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y. 

Scott graduated from Bellevue High School in 2000 and joined the U.S. Army in October that year. He was part of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York. He was due to come home from Afghanistan in May and to be discharged in October. He had a job lined up with the Covington Fire Department and was going to marry his fiancée, Kristen Menkhaus, on a Florida beach on July 28.

Army Sergeant Danton K. Seitsinger

1974-2004

Sgt. Danton Kyle Seitsinger, 29, of Oklahoma City, Okla. had previously served in the Marine Corps, and had been a student at Oklahoma Christian University since the fall of 2000 in-between calls to military duty. Toward the end of the fall 2003 semester, he left for duty in Afghanistan, assigned to the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, based in Broken Arrow, Okla.

Seitsinger graduated from Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Mo., in May 1993. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps on Dec. 7, 1993. During his six-and-a-half-year tour of duty, Seitsinger guarded U.S. embassies in Brasilia, Moscow and the consulate in Rio de Janeiro. Seitsinger also was an expert marksman and rifle instructor at Camp Pendleton.

Oklahoma Christian University bestowed an honorary Bachelor of Science degree on Seitsinger during a special ceremony following a memorial chapel service. His father Dan, mother Jo and sister Karla accepted the diploma in his place.

 

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Memorial Service was held on

9 February 2004 at 2:00pm / 1400hrs

Location: United Methodist Church

1211 South Carnation, Aurora, Mo 65606

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