killed in attack
near Najaf
Army corporal
killed in attack
near Najaf
By kathy baratta
Staff Writer
Cpl. Michael Curtin
The war in Iraq came home to Howell on Monday with the news that township resident Army Cpl. Michael Curtin, 23, was one of four American soldiers killed on March 29 by the first reported suicide bombing of the war.
Curtin, who was with the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division, was killed along with three other soldiers who approached their disguised killer with the intention of coming to his aid.
According to information provided by the Army, an Iraqi officer disguised as a taxi driver had deceived the four soldiers into believing he needed their help and then detonated his cab full of explosives when Curtin and his fellow soldiers drew close enough to the vehicle at the U.S. checkpoint near Najaf, Iraq. Curtin, a 1998 graduate of Howell High School, is survived by his parents, a brother and three sisters. He is the first soldier from the Jersey Shore area to be reported killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began March 19.
In a statement released by the family through Fort Monmouth Public Affairs spokesman Henry Kearney, the Curtin family said, "Our family is deeply saddened and our hearts are heavy at this time. Our son, Michael, was a kind and courageous young man. Although he was with us but a short time, he displayed tremendous bravery, unwavering faith and a devout love for his family. We are extremely proud of his patriotism and service to his country. He was fighting for our freedom, which we should never take for granted. He was a hero in our eyes. Our hearts and prayers go out to the other servicemen who were killed and their families."
VERONICA YANKOWSKI Katie Curtin (l-r), Karen Thompson and John Curtin, relatives of Army Cpl. Michael Curtin, 23, of Howell, who was killed in Iraq on Saturday, prepare to meet members of the media on Monday.
On Monday afternoon, members of the Curtin family met with reporters outside their home in Howell. Curtin’s uncle, John Curtin, said his nephew had been attending a civilian school at the Lakehurst military base in Ocean County to study tool and die making. Curtin said Michael’s instructors were former military personnel and he believes that association may have inspired Michael to enter military service.
Curtin played football at Howell for Coach Cory Davies, who on Monday recalled him as a dedicated team player.
"He was the kind of young man every football coach wants," said Davies. "He was always at practice, understood discipline, worked hard and always had a smile on his face."
Curtin was not a starter at Howell, but he nevertheless gave as much to the team as if he had been. That impressed Davies as much as anything.
"He was a very nice young man, one of those guys who gave 100 percent," the coach said. "He knew his role and worked very hard."
According to Kearney, Curtin had joined the military in May 2001 and completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. The soldier had been based at Fort Stewart, Ga., and was deployed to Kuwait on Jan. 25.
Kearney said Curtin was a graduate of Army paratrooper training school and had received several medals. He said the Curtin family received the news of his death from a uniformed army officer from Fort Monmouth on Saturday at about 5 p.m.
Kearney said the family had last heard from their son and brother in a letter received about two weeks ago.
Curtin is survived by his mother and father, Joan and Michael Curtin; his brother, Dan; his sisters, Katie, Jennifer and Stephanie; and his niece, Kayla.
His sister, Stephanie, had recently written a poem about her brother:
"My Brother"
My brother is the one who is kind and polite. He is the one who is willing to fight.
My brother is strong and brave as could be. I know that he will always succeed.
My brother is willing to risk his life, every hour day and night.
I want everyone to know how lucky I am, to have such a great brother, and such a great friend!
Howell Mayor Timothy J. Konopka, a retired army intelligence officer, said he spoke with Curtin’s mother and told her how proud the Howell community was of her son.
"Understanding her profound loss, I told her to draw comfort in knowing her son was not only a hero to her and those who knew and loved him, but to all of his fellow countrymen," the mayor said.
Greater Media Newspapers staff writer Tim Morris contributed to this story.