PLATTEVILLE, WI, USA U.S. Army MAJ, HHC, 5TH ENGINEER BATTALION, FORT LEONARD WOOD, MO 65473 BALAD, IRAQ 12/24/2003
Chris Splinter, raised on a farm in Platteville, WI, was a man with strong personal values. His father, Virgil, taught him the importance of hard work, integrity and discipline. From his mother, Barbara, Chris learned compassion and kindness. His 11 brothers and sisters taught him the importance of family. He carried these values into his marriage to his high school sweetheart, Penny, and his role as a father to their two beautiful children, Mitchell and Rachel.
Chris was passionate about sports. He excelled on the football field of Platteville High School, where his leadership and command of teamwork began to blossom. His classmates established the Christopher J. Splinter Scholarship Fund to honor him and his commitment to education and service as well as to ensure his memory lives on for generations to come.
Chris joined the ROTC program at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 1986. As a Distinguished Military Graduate, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1990. He was commissioned as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers in 1989, and his service took him to many parts of the country and the world. He was stationed in Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Korea and Iraq. All the while, he maintained a dedication to his family and a love of hunting, fishing, card playing, the Packers and Wisconsin.
Some of Major Splinter’s many awards and commendations include the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf clusters, Airborne Wings, Air Assault Wings, and completion of the elite Sapper Leader Course (twice). He earned his Combat Patch for service with the 4th Infantry Division, and the Bronze Star for his meritorious service and bravery while in combat operations in Iraq. Chris also was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice.
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