KINGSTON, NY, US
U.S. Army
PFC, CO B, 1ST BN, 24TH INF RGT, 1 SBCT, FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK
08/19/2011, SHAH JOY, AFGHANISTAN
Douglas Cordo, Private First Class Cordo’s father explained that his son was a natural leader and had wanted to join the military as a child. Private First Class Cordo’s mother Tracy Karson said her son discussed with her his desire to join the Army or the Marines after he briefly attended S.U.N.Y. Ulster. She supported her son’s decision to join the Army in 2010 “100 percent.” “He wanted to be right out there .”
Private First Class Cordo grew up in Kingston and graduated from Kingston High School in 2009. Douglas joined the Army in March of 2010 and graduated from Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, Ft. Benning, GA. Four of Cordo’s friends and a friend’s mother spoke at the funeral, telling stories of Private First Class Cordo’s antics as the class clown and then recalling how he transformed into a fine man and a brave soldier.
“There’s just so many stories,” said Mike Campbell, a friend. “There’s nothing you can really say about this. It’s something — all you can do is think about it.”
A crowd stood somberly in front of the uptown post office, across the street from the church. Among the on lookers was a young mother and her little daughter each holding a small American flag. She didn’t know Private First Class Cordo but felt compassion for his mother after reading about the death in newspapers.
Private First Class Cordo’s family explained that he intended to pursue a career in law enforcement after his military service.