Spc. Casey M. LaWare, 19, of Redding, Calif.; assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, Calif.; died April 9 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of non-combat-related injuries sustained April 6 in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.∼Army Pfc. Casey M. LaWare, 19, had been in Iraq just three months when he was severely burned in a guard tower fire April 6 in Al Mahmudiyah, relatives said. He died from his injuries three days later at a military hospital in Germany. The incident was not combat-related and was under investigation, according to the Department of Defense.
LaWare, an infantryman, was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Calvary Regiment from Ft. Irwin, Calif. He was promoted to specialist posthumously.
Casey continued a long line of military service in his family. He slept with his grandfather's World War II wool blanket. He was so proud of his uniform that he wore it on trips home -- against regulations. And after Casey suffered his burns in the guard tower fire, he asked constantly about his injured mates, at least one of whom later died.
"Casey had the values of a young man from decades past," Randall said, reading a tribute from the soldier's company commander. "He was born 60 years too late." Casey had enjoyed drawing and writing poetry. Autumn, Casey's older sister, read a poem called "Lonely" that Casey had written in high school. "Death can be unfair when it snatches those not ready," one eerily prescient verse said.

Spc. Casey M. LaWare, 19, of Redding, Calif.; assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, Calif.; died April 9 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of non-combat-related injuries sustained April 6 in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.∼Army Pfc. Casey M. LaWare, 19, had been in Iraq just three months when he was severely burned in a guard tower fire April 6 in Al Mahmudiyah, relatives said. He died from his injuries three days later at a military hospital in Germany. The incident was not combat-related and was under investigation, according to the Department of Defense.
LaWare, an infantryman, was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Calvary Regiment from Ft. Irwin, Calif. He was promoted to specialist posthumously.
Casey continued a long line of military service in his family. He slept with his grandfather's World War II wool blanket. He was so proud of his uniform that he wore it on trips home -- against regulations. And after Casey suffered his burns in the guard tower fire, he asked constantly about his injured mates, at least one of whom later died.
"Casey had the values of a young man from decades past," Randall said, reading a tribute from the soldier's company commander. "He was born 60 years too late." Casey had enjoyed drawing and writing poetry. Autumn, Casey's older sister, read a poem called "Lonely" that Casey had written in high school. "Death can be unfair when it snatches those not ready," one eerily prescient verse said.