The soldier killed Thursday supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom leaves behind a wife and a 4-year-old son and both parents, the Department of Defense said Monday.
Spc. Charles Dustin “Dusty” Parrish, 23, of Jasper, Ala., died in a Balad, Iraq, hospital Thursday from wounds received when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank grenade in Jalula, Iraq. Parrish was assigned to the 55th Mobility Augmentation Company (MAC), 5th Engineer Battalion, which is part of the 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based on Fort Leonard Wood. The unit is scheduled to return home sometime in July.
Details on the attack are not available and an investigation is ongoing.
“Our prayers go out to his family and his friends,” said Col. Rob Risberg, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade commander, during a press conference Monday.
Parrish was hit by an RKG 3 grenade while performing his duties as a combat medic during route clearance operations near Jalula. The grenade, developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, is “only to be used from behind cover, as the average throwing range is only 15-20 meters,” according to documents provided by Fort Leonard Wood. It is unknown whether Parrish’s attacker survived the event. No other soldier was wounded or killed in the attack.
Risberg said the RKG 3 grenade“has been growing in use.”
“It has, unfortunately, a very good penetrating capability into armored vehicles,” he said, noting that the weapon did penetrate Parrish’s vehicle.
The main mission of the 55th MAC is route clearance — specifically, removing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on major roadways that are used for the delivery of supplies and other activities.
Though Risberg did not know Parrish personally, he said from what he’s been told, Parrish “was a very popular soldier,” adding that about 200 of his comrades lined up outside the hospital prepared to give blood while he was undergoing surgery.
“From all accounts Spc. Parrish was just a fine young man,” Risberg said. “He went out there and did his duty and did it very well. We are all proud of him.”
Parrish leaves behind his wife, Ashley, a 4-year-old son, Caden, his father, Dennis and mother, Tina.
“It’s very tragic. It’s tragic when we lose any soldier. Unfortunately, most of soldiers leave young families behind,” Risberg said.
Parrish’s family will be assigned a Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) who will help them navigate the process of traveling to meet the remains, preparing for the funeral and filling out related paperwork. That person will stay with the family for as long as he or she is needed.
