Fallen Soldier: Zachary R. Nordmeyer

Corporal Zachary Nordmeyer, 21, of Indianapolis was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He was killed February 23, 2009, in Balad, Iraq, while patrolling on foot near the town of Balad, about 70 miles north of Baghdad when insurgents attached his unit using small arms fire. He was posthumously promoted from Private 1st Class to the rank of Corporal.

Nordmeyer joined the Army in July 2007, two months out of high school, and was sent to Iraq in September for a 12-month tour. While in high school, he was a member of the JROTC program. Lt. Col. Dave Thompson, who runs the program, taught Zachary for three years and recalled his student’s transformation from follower to leader. “There’s quiet leadership, and he was pretty strong at that early,” Thompson said. “But by his senior year, he kind of came out of his shell. He wasn’t afraid to encourage younger students to develop as cadets and do their best.”

Cpl. Nordmeyer is survived by his father, Michael.