Miguel A Baez III

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BONAIRE, GA, USA U.S. Army CPL, COMPANY C, 1ST BATTALION, 325TH INFANTRY, 2 BCT, FORT BRAGG, NC AL MUQDADIYAH, IRAQ 02/05/2008

32 year-old CPL Miguel Baez of Bonaire, Ga.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 5, 2008 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when he encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations.

Army Spc. Miguel A. Baez III’s company first sergeant, Kevin Spooner, described Baez as the “best kind of soldier.”

“He was a clown, a loving father and a wonderful husband,” Spooner said. “He always volunteered and never hesitated to help out a brother. He’ll be greatly missed.”

“I had the pleasure of meeting Miguel a few years ago,” Trudi-Ann Wilson wrote on an online bulletin board. “He was a loving father, son and husband. He also expressed such an amazing personality and spirit.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with on oak leaf cluster and the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantrymen’s Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, and the Parachutists’ Badge.

Baez is survived by his wife, Elena Deer-Baez, and his children, Selena, Miguel, Aaliyah and Breanna.

Miguel’s portrait is also located on Poster 6