GRAFENWÖHR, Germany – The Defense Department has identified a Vilseck-based soldier who was killed Monday in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Cody A. Board, of McKinney, Texas, died in Mirwais, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Board, 19, was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment.
He is the second Stryker soldier to die this week. Spc. Joseph T. Prentler, of 3rd Squadron, 2nd SCR, also died Monday, in Mama Kariz, Kandahar province. A memorial for both soldiers will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Rose Barracks Cavalry Chapel in Vilseck, according to military officials.
Board’s brother, Aaron, told television station CBS-11 that he looked up to his big brother and plans to follow in his Army footsteps.
“He could always make me smile,” Aaron Board said, according to the CBS-11 website. “He was following his dreams. Most kids dream about playing [professional baseball], and he dreamed about being in the Army.”
Cody Board grew up in the city of McKinney, just north of Dallas, and attended McKinney North High School, the website stated. Family members quoted in the CBS-11 story said he excelled in wrestling there.
“He could’ve had any job in the Army, but he wanted to be an infantry man,” Al Daley, Cody’s grandfather, told the television station. “He wanted to be where the fighting was.”
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Friday night in McKinney. The high school football team will wear Cody’s initials on their helmets during Friday night’s football game, the television station reported.
