LINCOLN -- Army Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Gresham
dreamed as a Lincoln teenager of being a veterinarian
someday and believed he could earn money for his
education by serving in the military.
Gresham, 23, was killed Thursday in Iraq when a bomb
exploded while he was responding to an earlier blast,
The Associated Press reported Friday night. He was one
of two Central Illinois soldiers killed in the war
Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Defense did not immediately
provide other details on Gresham's death, including
where in Iraq he died, AP reported.
"There are 150,000 kids over there," Gresham's
father, Gene Gresham said. "Twelve hundred of them have
died. Who would have guessed one of them would be mine?"
The other Central Illinois man killed was Army Spc.
Jacob C. Palmatier, 29, of Springfield, who began his
tour of duty in Iraq less than a month ago. The only
child of a Springfield couple was killed by a roadside
bomb outside Baghdad.
Gene Gresham, a 50-year-old truck driver who lives in
West Plains, Mo., said his son followed in his family's
footsteps by signing up for the Army.
"We're a traditional family. We all have gone,"
Gresham said.
Daniel Gresham was assigned to the 797th Ordnance
Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance based at
Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Gresham said he knew the tour of duty that included a
year in Afghanistan could be dangerous for his son. The
last family member killed in action was an uncle who
died in World War I, he said.
Gresham described his son as "a drive-on person who
didn't back down. He did his job -- everything the Army
asked him to do."
Gresham said be believes his son made a difference in
the short time he served in Iraq.
"When the Iraqi people are signing their declaration
of independence, Dan will be there with them," he said.
Daniel Gresham attended Lincoln Community High School
when the family lived in Logan County. He went right
from the high school into the Army.
His parents later divorced and Daniel's mother and
two older sisters moved to Chicago.
Gresham said he last saw his son four years ago at
his daughter Julie's wedding.
"He was a great kid. A kind kid with a big heart. He
never had any enemies," said Gresham.
When Daniel was a teenager, he loved cars. He had his
name on his license plate, a real source of pride,
according to his father.
Gresham said the family is having a tough time
dealing with the tragedy since learning on Thursday
about the soldier's death.
"We're all devastated. I haven't stopped crying since
I heard it," said Gresham.
