Fallen Soldier: Richard Torres

Army 2nd Lieutenant. Richard Torres, 25, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. He served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was killed on October 6, 2003. He was leading a platoon on combat patrol when his convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device.

A New Jersey native and son of Peruvian immigrants, Torres discovered his interest in military service as a child, collecting GI Joe figures. Wanting to better himself and not burden his parents, he joined the Army out of high school and was sent to Fort Campbell in North Carolina where he rose to the rank of Sergeant. He went on to attend Austin Peay State University. He double majored in political science and history and graduated with honors in 2002; he was proud to be the first college graduate in his family. He also won several awards as part of APSU’s ROTC program, so the Army would pay for his education. After graduating from college, he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia to attend Infantry Officer Basic Course, then Fort Drum and eventually, was deployed to Iraq- a mission he was excited about.

Torres dreamed of retiring in the military, getting his master’s degree and teaching military science at West Point. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He is survived by his wife, Linda.