Pamyati CPT Michael Yuri Tarlavsky

[Xavier]

Rodom iz Latvii. Pogib 12 avgusta 2004 goda v Najaf, Iraq. On vozglavlyal gruppu irakskih policeyskih kogda ego unit bil obstrelyan. On bil assigned k A Co, 1st BN, 5th SF group (ABN), Ft. Campbell, KY



Statya


A Special Forces soldier from Fort Campbell was killed Thursday in Najaf, Iraq, when his unit came under small arms fire and grenade attack Thursday as he led Iraqi Police Trainees in a fight with militants who had blown up a school, authorities said yesterday..

Capt. Michael Yury Tarlavsky, a 30-year-old Special Forces officer assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, was a native of Passaic, N.J., according to a Department of Defense release.

Tarlavsky is survived by his wife, Tricia, and their 10-month-old son, Joseph Michael, both of Clarksville and his Mother Rimma.

Tarlavsky's mother, Rimma, said the family came to the U.S. from Israel when her son was only 5, "but no one loved this country more than Michael did. He was proud of America and he was was proud of his men." Being notified of her son's death "was like having your heart ripped out. I can't describe the pain," she said.

She said her daughter-in-law, Tricia, a former Army captain herself who married Michael just two years ago, was too distraught to talk. The couple have an 11-month-old son, and had just bought their own house.

"Michael E-mailed us earlier this week," the mother said through tears. "He asked about my health and said he was so sorry he wasn't here to see his little boy's first steps."

Tarlavsky, who graduated from Clifton High School and got his bachelor's degree from Rutgers, "did triathlons and marathons for fun."

She said his last marathon was in New York last year.

The proud soldier was just three weeks into his second tour in Iraq. He also fought in Afghanistan.

A memorial service will be held next week at Fort Campbell.

"Michael was a true American," a family statement reads. "He and his parents immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1980, ingraining in Michael a profound love of freedom and of this country. He was proud to be a Special Forces officer. It was his life."

Tarlavsky served as a detachment commander with 5th Group and deployed in support of the war on terrorism to both Afghanistan and Iraq. He entered service in 1996 as an infantry officer before completing the Special Forces Qualification course in 2001, according to DoD.

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Job well done, Sir!

[vladimir555]

RIP.......