WHEATON, IL, USA U.S. Army CPT, BATTERY B, 2ND BATTALION, 15TH FIELD ARTILLERY, 2 BCT, FORT DRUM, NY BAGHDAD, IRAQ 02/02/2007
The Army always seemed to be Kevin Landeck’s calling. In old Halloween photos, he was dressed as a soldier. He loved joining neighborhood kids in squirt-gun fights in the yard. As a teenager, he played paintball games with his dad.
We’d split up into groups, said his father, Richard. He always wanted to be the leader and formulate a plan: ‘Let’s go capture the flag. Let’s go flank this way, and you guys go that way, and you guys go up the middle.’ And it was always fun watching him make his plans.
Landeck, 26, of Wheaton, Ill., was killed Feb. 2 in Baghdad when his vehicle struck an explosive. He was a 2004 graduate of Purdue University with a degree in sociology and was assigned to Fort Drum. He wanted to work for the FBI and knew military experience was good preparation.
In high school, Landeck was a good-natured student who kept competing in the pole vault even though he wasn’t one of the top contenders, said his coach and psychology teacher, Darryl Fitts. His quiet determination is what Fitts remembers.
That spoke volumes to me, that he never stopped working, he said.
From one of his soldiers – James Vermette
“Mr and Mrs Landeck& Family,
I am one of the soldiers who served with Captain Landeck in Iraq. I am sorry for your loss. Kevin was a great man and will never be forgotten by anyone on the MITT Platoon. He was the one that kept us alive and kept us going every day. He was a role model to all of us and his wisdom will never be forgotten. He kept everyone in high spirits about getting the job done and getting home to our families. His main concern was us the soldiers and helping us learn and become better at our jobs and making us have a good time doing it. Kevin was more of a friend to us then an officer and he was OUR BOTHER IN ARMS. WE MISS KEVIN AND PRAY FOR YOU GUYS AND YOUR LOSS. “
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