Stryker Brigade News

I am so very sorry. As a Soldier myself stationed in Baghdad, and my b/f up north with you guys, it tears me to pieces when I read about the loss of another Hero. Rest assured knowing that he is in a better place. May God comfort us in these troubling times.

My son called us yesterday with the tragic news of his "best buddy". Last October we had the privilege of meeting Clint. We remember him as a young man full of life. Not only was he courteous but with an exceptional sense of humor. He will be missed by all who knew this brave and caring young soldier. Regardless of the injury he received during the suicide bombing in the mess hall on Dec. 21st he did not hesitate to help other wounded comrades.
To the family and friends--There are no words that can express the terrible loss of this hero.
Our condolences to all of the family. God bless you all and keep you strong.
Helen and Wolfgang from Germany

SPC Gertsen was a young man with a great sense of humor and a close friend of my son. I had the honor of knowing him. Your son will always be remembered as a HERO for serving his country. We are keeping your family in our prayers. You have our support.

Vanice

God bless this brave soldier and his family. And bring some peace especially to all the soldiers of the 1-24 in this so very difficult time. We are here supporting and loving you ALL.

God bless this young man's family and friends at this time and always. He was a hero.
Proud Stryker Mom,
Ellen

Through my tears, I am saying a prayer for Spc Gertson and his family. As you travel through this dark time, know that our arms are wrapped around you. Your son will not be forgotten, we will hold him with pride and honor in our hearts.

I am deeply saddened at this tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones. God bless you.

To Clint's Family,
My son called yesterday from Mosul to let us know one of his closest friends had been killed by the enemy. He was not able to tell us his name yet, but he told us what a wonderful guy Clint was and all the fun they had together in the last 2 years of their friendship. My son's heart is breaking as I know yours is. I cried with my son, for my son, for you and the loss of your dear son. No amount of words can ease your grief, but please know that others share it with you. May God surround you with His love and comfort. You are in our thoughts and our prayers.

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Clint's family and friends. He will forever be remembered as a hero...may God grant you peace and comfort throughout these hard days.

What a terrible shock for your family. We're very sorry to hear of the loss of SPC Gertson, and wish many comforts and all the peace possible for the family and loved ones of this resting soldier.

Clint is my nephew and I want to thank you all for your wonderful comments and prayers. It warms our hearts to know how he touched others. He was a very gentle and loving young man and we will all miss him.

Please continue to pray for our family and we will keep your soldiers in our prayers as well.

If you have any special pictures or memories, please don't hesitate to email me so that I can share them with his family.

God Bless You!

To The Gerston Family,
Although no words can really help to ease the loss all of you bear, just know that you all are very close in my family's thoughts and prayers. My son Jay received a call the other day from Iraq with the tragic news about his fellow team member and roommate. Last October I had the privilege of meeting Clint at Fort Lewis for the 1st Brigade's Deployment Ceremony. I remember him exactly as Jay had described him through many letters and pictures of "The Team" (Clint, Jay and SGT Pena). May the everlasting love of his fellow soldiers (brothers in arms), friends and family be a source of comfort to all of you.
From the Pense Family.

I am so sorry for your loss. Your entire family will be held up in prayers that God may grant you strength, courage, and lots of love to help you through this difficult time. God bless you all.

Debbie

God Bless You and Keep You in His Arms and Give You His Peace. We will never forget the courage and sacrifice of Spc. Gertson. The Lord tells us that no greater gift can a person give than to lay down his life for a friend. Spc. Gertson laid down his life for friend and for strangers.
He made this world safer for all peoples. He will always be remembered!

To the family and loved ones of SPC Gertson, I know there are not any words that can possibly ease your grief and pain, but please know you will be in my prayers.

My husband called today to tell me that one of his buddies has past. We wanted to send our deepest condolences and prayers to Spc Gertson's family. He will surely be missed. Your entire family is in our thoughts and prayers.

As my heart breaks for yet another family who has made the ultimate sacrifice, I can only imagine how The Gertson family and his fellow 1-24 soldiers must feel. I pray God that He will send His Angels to bring peace and comfort to all those who know Spc Gertson. May his soul rest in the Arms of God, and may this knowledge bring some comfort to his loved ones. We will keep all of you in our hearts and prayers. His life and death will never be forgotten.

Spc. Clinton R. Gertson is my son. He was proud of what he was doing and believed in what he was doing and I am proud to have him as my son. Thank you for your prayers and know that I pray for your children also. May yours come home safe and may this all be over soon.

I had the honor and privilege of meeting Clint last summer. We took my stepson and some Army buddies to a Seattle Seahawks football game.I am heartbroken over his loss.He was not only a great soldier, but a great person. All in attendance were taken with his wonderful personality,courtesy and love of country. He personified Duty,Honor,Country.
As a former Infantry officer from the Vietnam War I still see and greive the friends I lost there. Clint will always be in my thoughts and prayers.

To SPC Gertson's Family: There are no words to tell you the grief we felt when our son told us he had lost such a close friend as Clint. He reminded us he had taken Clint with him to his brother's girlfriend's volleyball game at WSU and how much fun they had. Clint was such a solid individual that he wouldn't leave his cowboy hat at home even to go "out" in Seattle, although Dustin told him he wouldn't look cool. He would just look at Dustin, grin, and say it was a part of him. Just couldn't take the country out of the boy! And that's a good thing. We know our son grieves his untimely loss terribly, he was so upset when Clint was wounded during the mess tent bombing. You never expect lightning to strike twice . . . Please know that we are proud of Clint and his service and we pray that you will find comfort in knowing that he will be missed by so many. May God bless you all.

Rodger and Elizabeth Holcomb

I just finished my son's services in fort Lewis. He was Sgt. Swindell of the 1-24. He considered all in the services as his brothers and sisters. May they all serve together again in paradise.(Micah4:3,Ps37:29)

Clint was my brother. And what a great guy he was. I just want all of his fellow soldiers still over there to know that we are still praying for them. And also that Clint is now watching their backs like he always did. Take care of yourselves and each other, and most of all STAY SAFE.

I went to high school with Clint (1 year ahead os me), Matt and Cori Gertson. I am deeply sadden by the news. My only brother is to enter the Navy 2 weeks after his graduation. Clint was such a great guy always with a smile on. He was voted "Most Spirited" his senior year. That is how much he made people feel his presence. I sent my prayers to all of the Gertson Family and all the soldiers who make and keep us Free.

I also went to high school with Clint. I had just heard over Christmas that he was in the army and had gotten hurt and was hoping to get to see him again and congratulate him for serving our country. It made me cry to read the things he said about the freedom of the Iraqi people and children. He really is a hero.

Cori and Family, please let me know if there is any way I can help with a tribute to Clint or his battalion.

I just wanted to share a few things that I remember about Gertson. He and my brother met a Fort Lewis this past summer. My mom often encouraged my brother to bring his friends over to our home about an hour and a half north of Fort Lewis. He started coming over in the late summer along with a few other guys. He was such a gentlemen. He used to call me mam', a name that I was hoping never to be called until I was a bit older (I am 22)but I didn't mind it because he was just so proper. He went with us to a Seahawk game in early fall and had a good time. I took a picture of him and another soldier on the field during the game. The other guys thought it was a funny picture because, even though they were down on the field to watch the game, they were standing right behind the Seahawk cheerleaders and couldn't have possibly have seen the play on the field. Anyway, my prayers are with his family. He was a good friend of my brother and I am sure that he taught my brother to be a better soldier. He will be in the hearts of my family forever.

My husband was shocked to hear that one of the best soldiers that worked for him in Deuce Four had been lost. He described him to me as someone who joined the Army a bit late in life and didn't let anything phase him. He was really proud of his service and loved what he did serving his country. Not to mention...proud to be a Texan!!! On behalf of my husband and myself we offer you our deepest sympathies for your loss. Your son gave the ultimate sacrifice and for that, there is nothing that could equal the price of your loss. Be proud as I know you are...we are too. God Bless, Bobbie and 1SG Joseph House

I had the honor of meeting and working with Clint here in Mosul. As a retired law enforcement officer I talked to Clint about becoming one. He was very pleased to be "recruited". I will always remember his big Texas smile and his great outlook on life. Prayers and words are not enough, but they are all that we have at this time. My most profound and sincere condolences to his loving family. I have photos of Clint if you would like them please email me.
jerryfsa@yahoo.com

ToThe Gertson Family, My heart hurts for your lose. Clint "Big Country" gave the Ultimate Sacrifice for his Country. We are so proud of him. I just hope and pray, that as time passes, your pain will go away.

I also had the privilege of meeting, working, and becoming friends with Clint while working in Ft. Knox, KY as a civilian. It was he that talked me into getting to know, my now husband of 1 year and 5 months. Once I moved to Ft. Lewis, WA, I always looked forward to seeing Clint's big smile snd hug when I would visit the barricks with my husband. He was such a sweetheart and would go out of his way to do anything for anyone. It will not be the same when the guys come back from Iraq and he is not there with them. My thoughts and prayers go out to Clint's family and to the rest of the soldiers still in Iraq without him. My husband and I will never forget him.
"We Love You, Gertson!"

Clint was my nephew but I have not seen him since he was a young boy. Clint and his sister Cori would come to Fort Worth for the summer and spend some time with us. I would always ask Alison about both of them through out the years.
When I heard Clint joined the Army, I was so proud. I could not have been any prouder if he were on my own son. When I heard the news about Clint it absolutly broke my heart. I saw a recent picture of him and he had the same smile as he had when he was a little boy. The ultimate hero sacrifices his life for the love of his country and the freedom of people he does not know. God has a special place in his heart for soldiers who fight for freedom of others. I will never forget you and I will always love you.

Love Uncle Byron(Barn)

I did not know Clint. I just came across the tribute page while on the internet for other reasons. My life is changed. I will honor Clint by always remembering that "Freedom is not free." Thank you Clint. -James

I had the privelage and honor of coaching Clint at Rice high school. Clint was such a big goofy guy that you just couldn't help but love him. There wasn't ever anything you would ask him to do that he wouldn't do or at least do anything in his power to make it happen. Clint was always one to "liven" up practice whether it be on purpose or totally by accident. When I heard of Clint's death I was totally stunned and heartbroken. I didn't know Clint was in the armed forces until that moment, but it is exactly something one would expect from such a fine young man. To hear of how Clint approached his responsibilities as a soldier just proves what a hero of a man he had become and how proud everyone who ever had met him and had the privelage of getting to know him can be so proud. Clint fought for people he never knew and he fought for me and my family and for that I will always love and remember him. I always used to tell Clint before a game "I expect a great play out of you tonight", well to all the people Clint protected, freed and knew, his sacrifice for all of us was the greatest play I wish he would have never made but I know it was a play he wanted to make. To Clint's family, my sincere condolences and prayers to help ease your pain, and may your thoughts and dreams always be filled with Clint's greatest memories.