Pfc. Dennis J. Miller of La Salle, Michigan was killed when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his M1A1 Abrams tank in Ramadi at age 21. He was the 33rd member of the military with known Michigan ties to die in Iraq.
Army
2nd Battalion
72nd Armor Regiment
2nd Infantry Division
Camp Casey, Korea∼When Kimberly Miller of Erie last spoke to her husband by telephone in Iraq on Sunday, he talked excitedly about coming home on leave next month or in January.
On Thursday, the 19-year-old woman was devastated to learn that her 21-year-old husband of one year, Army Pfc. Dennis Miller Jr., was killed in action
Kimberly Miller said she was told her husband was killed in an ambush in Ramadi, 60 miles southwest of Baghdad. "He wasn't sure what he wanted out of life. He always wanted to serve his country so he joined the Army," said Kimberly Miller said, who married the soldier on Sept, 16, 2003.
"He just felt honored he could serve our country, especially during war," his wife of 13 months, Kimberly, told The Monroe Evening News. "I don't think there was anything more honorable. He just loved life."
Dennis Miller was sent to Iraq two months ago. He graduated from basic training, and training on M1 tanks, Sept. 5, 2003. His first overseas assignment was in Korea. He came home for two weeks in June, then shipped out for Iraq.
"I guess I am more in shock than anything else," said his wife, who lives in Monroe County.
In addition to his wife, Miller is survived by his parents, Dennis and Kathy Miller, and a sister, Ann.
Miller was a 2001 graduate of Mason High School where he played on the golf team, and studied history at Monroe Community College. His mother said her son loved hunting with his father and uncles, and was an avid golfer.
"He was a great kid," Kathy Miller said. "He never was in any trouble."
Gordon Smith, Kimberly's uncle, said she and her in-laws learned were expecting to meet with Army personnel later Thursday. The military told them Miller's body would be returned to the United States in about five days. The Defense Department had not announced the death and a message left at the department was not immediately returned.
At Miller's old elementary school, an hour-long Veterans Day assembly Thursday morning took on an even more somber tone as Principal Sharon Brighton announced his death to about 450 elementary school children and guests.
"I stood up and said, 'We have a Mason graduate who was a veteran and has given everything, so we're going to observe a moment of silence for him,' And there was absolute silence. Absolute," Brighton said.
Miller was the 33rd member of the military with known Michigan ties to die in Iraq.
He graduated from basic training and completed M1 tank training in September 2003 at Fort Knox, Ky., and was stationed in Korea. He was home on leave for two weeks in June and reported to Iraq on Sept. 8.
Laura Imhoff, owner of Capt. Harry's Storehouse Pizza in LaSalle, said Miller had worked for about a year at her business.
"He was a wonderful, wonderful kid," she said. "You couldn't ask for anyone better. He'd do anything for anyone. He helped us learn how to make pizzas," she added.
"Denny was obsessed with Michael Jackson. He was a big fan of his and wasn't afraid to say so," she said, adding that he liked to moonwalk around the pizzeria.
"He would make anyone smile," she said.
Army
2nd Battalion
72nd Armor Regiment
2nd Infantry Division
Camp Casey, Korea∼When Kimberly Miller of Erie last spoke to her husband by telephone in Iraq on Sunday, he talked excitedly about coming home on leave next month or in January.
On Thursday, the 19-year-old woman was devastated to learn that her 21-year-old husband of one year, Army Pfc. Dennis Miller Jr., was killed in action
Kimberly Miller said she was told her husband was killed in an ambush in Ramadi, 60 miles southwest of Baghdad. "He wasn't sure what he wanted out of life. He always wanted to serve his country so he joined the Army," said Kimberly Miller said, who married the soldier on Sept, 16, 2003.
"He just felt honored he could serve our country, especially during war," his wife of 13 months, Kimberly, told The Monroe Evening News. "I don't think there was anything more honorable. He just loved life."
Dennis Miller was sent to Iraq two months ago. He graduated from basic training, and training on M1 tanks, Sept. 5, 2003. His first overseas assignment was in Korea. He came home for two weeks in June, then shipped out for Iraq.
"I guess I am more in shock than anything else," said his wife, who lives in Monroe County.
In addition to his wife, Miller is survived by his parents, Dennis and Kathy Miller, and a sister, Ann.
Miller was a 2001 graduate of Mason High School where he played on the golf team, and studied history at Monroe Community College. His mother said her son loved hunting with his father and uncles, and was an avid golfer.
"He was a great kid," Kathy Miller said. "He never was in any trouble."
Gordon Smith, Kimberly's uncle, said she and her in-laws learned were expecting to meet with Army personnel later Thursday. The military told them Miller's body would be returned to the United States in about five days. The Defense Department had not announced the death and a message left at the department was not immediately returned.
At Miller's old elementary school, an hour-long Veterans Day assembly Thursday morning took on an even more somber tone as Principal Sharon Brighton announced his death to about 450 elementary school children and guests.
"I stood up and said, 'We have a Mason graduate who was a veteran and has given everything, so we're going to observe a moment of silence for him,' And there was absolute silence. Absolute," Brighton said.
Miller was the 33rd member of the military with known Michigan ties to die in Iraq.
He graduated from basic training and completed M1 tank training in September 2003 at Fort Knox, Ky., and was stationed in Korea. He was home on leave for two weeks in June and reported to Iraq on Sept. 8.
Laura Imhoff, owner of Capt. Harry's Storehouse Pizza in LaSalle, said Miller had worked for about a year at her business.
"He was a wonderful, wonderful kid," she said. "You couldn't ask for anyone better. He'd do anything for anyone. He helped us learn how to make pizzas," she added.
"Denny was obsessed with Michael Jackson. He was a big fan of his and wasn't afraid to say so," she said, adding that he liked to moonwalk around the pizzeria.
"He would make anyone smile," she said.
Pfc. Dennis J. Miller of La Salle, Michigan was killed when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his M1A1 Abrams tank in Ramadi at age 21. He was the 33rd member of the military with known Michigan ties to die in Iraq.
Army
2nd Battalion
72nd Armor Regiment
2nd Infantry Division
Camp Casey, Korea∼When Kimberly Miller of Erie last spoke to her husband by telephone in Iraq on Sunday, he talked excitedly about coming home on leave next month or in January.
On Thursday, the 19-year-old woman was devastated to learn that her 21-year-old husband of one year, Army Pfc. Dennis Miller Jr., was killed in action
Kimberly Miller said she was told her husband was killed in an ambush in Ramadi, 60 miles southwest of Baghdad. "He wasn't sure what he wanted out of life. He always wanted to serve his country so he joined the Army," said Kimberly Miller said, who married the soldier on Sept, 16, 2003.
"He just felt honored he could serve our country, especially during war," his wife of 13 months, Kimberly, told The Monroe Evening News. "I don't think there was anything more honorable. He just loved life."
Dennis Miller was sent to Iraq two months ago. He graduated from basic training, and training on M1 tanks, Sept. 5, 2003. His first overseas assignment was in Korea. He came home for two weeks in June, then shipped out for Iraq.
"I guess I am more in shock than anything else," said his wife, who lives in Monroe County.
In addition to his wife, Miller is survived by his parents, Dennis and Kathy Miller, and a sister, Ann.
Miller was a 2001 graduate of Mason High School where he played on the golf team, and studied history at Monroe Community College. His mother said her son loved hunting with his father and uncles, and was an avid golfer.
"He was a great kid," Kathy Miller said. "He never was in any trouble."
Gordon Smith, Kimberly's uncle, said she and her in-laws learned were expecting to meet with Army personnel later Thursday. The military told them Miller's body would be returned to the United States in about five days. The Defense Department had not announced the death and a message left at the department was not immediately returned.
At Miller's old elementary school, an hour-long Veterans Day assembly Thursday morning took on an even more somber tone as Principal Sharon Brighton announced his death to about 450 elementary school children and guests.
"I stood up and said, 'We have a Mason graduate who was a veteran and has given everything, so we're going to observe a moment of silence for him,' And there was absolute silence. Absolute," Brighton said.
Miller was the 33rd member of the military with known Michigan ties to die in Iraq.
He graduated from basic training and completed M1 tank training in September 2003 at Fort Knox, Ky., and was stationed in Korea. He was home on leave for two weeks in June and reported to Iraq on Sept. 8.
Laura Imhoff, owner of Capt. Harry's Storehouse Pizza in LaSalle, said Miller had worked for about a year at her business.
"He was a wonderful, wonderful kid," she said. "You couldn't ask for anyone better. He'd do anything for anyone. He helped us learn how to make pizzas," she added.
"Denny was obsessed with Michael Jackson. He was a big fan of his and wasn't afraid to say so," she said, adding that he liked to moonwalk around the pizzeria.
"He would make anyone smile," she said.
Army
2nd Battalion
72nd Armor Regiment
2nd Infantry Division
Camp Casey, Korea∼When Kimberly Miller of Erie last spoke to her husband by telephone in Iraq on Sunday, he talked excitedly about coming home on leave next month or in January.
On Thursday, the 19-year-old woman was devastated to learn that her 21-year-old husband of one year, Army Pfc. Dennis Miller Jr., was killed in action
Kimberly Miller said she was told her husband was killed in an ambush in Ramadi, 60 miles southwest of Baghdad. "He wasn't sure what he wanted out of life. He always wanted to serve his country so he joined the Army," said Kimberly Miller said, who married the soldier on Sept, 16, 2003.
"He just felt honored he could serve our country, especially during war," his wife of 13 months, Kimberly, told The Monroe Evening News. "I don't think there was anything more honorable. He just loved life."
Dennis Miller was sent to Iraq two months ago. He graduated from basic training, and training on M1 tanks, Sept. 5, 2003. His first overseas assignment was in Korea. He came home for two weeks in June, then shipped out for Iraq.
"I guess I am more in shock than anything else," said his wife, who lives in Monroe County.
In addition to his wife, Miller is survived by his parents, Dennis and Kathy Miller, and a sister, Ann.
Miller was a 2001 graduate of Mason High School where he played on the golf team, and studied history at Monroe Community College. His mother said her son loved hunting with his father and uncles, and was an avid golfer.
"He was a great kid," Kathy Miller said. "He never was in any trouble."
Gordon Smith, Kimberly's uncle, said she and her in-laws learned were expecting to meet with Army personnel later Thursday. The military told them Miller's body would be returned to the United States in about five days. The Defense Department had not announced the death and a message left at the department was not immediately returned.
At Miller's old elementary school, an hour-long Veterans Day assembly Thursday morning took on an even more somber tone as Principal Sharon Brighton announced his death to about 450 elementary school children and guests.
"I stood up and said, 'We have a Mason graduate who was a veteran and has given everything, so we're going to observe a moment of silence for him,' And there was absolute silence. Absolute," Brighton said.
Miller was the 33rd member of the military with known Michigan ties to die in Iraq.
He graduated from basic training and completed M1 tank training in September 2003 at Fort Knox, Ky., and was stationed in Korea. He was home on leave for two weeks in June and reported to Iraq on Sept. 8.
Laura Imhoff, owner of Capt. Harry's Storehouse Pizza in LaSalle, said Miller had worked for about a year at her business.
"He was a wonderful, wonderful kid," she said. "You couldn't ask for anyone better. He'd do anything for anyone. He helped us learn how to make pizzas," she added.
"Denny was obsessed with Michael Jackson. He was a big fan of his and wasn't afraid to say so," she said, adding that he liked to moonwalk around the pizzeria.
"He would make anyone smile," she said.
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