Spc. Rachael L. Hugo
KIA Oct. 5, 2007 in Bayji, Iraq
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Rachael L. Hugo, 24, of Madison, Wis., died Oct. 5 in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked her unit using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. She was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve, Jackson, Mich.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The medic reached into her pocket and removed an Army honors coin she received for saving a sergeant’s life in Iraq in February. She told her dad, Kermit Hugo, she had carried it with her ever since then to make sure she didn’t misplace it before she had a chance to give it to him.
“She said, ‘Dad, I got something for you,’ and she pulled that coin out of her pocket,” Kermit Hugo said Monday.
On Friday, Rachael Hugo found herself in a similar situation to the one in February, but with much different results.
Hugo, 24, of Madison, was killed when she went to help injured colleagues after they were hit by an improvised explosive device and came under small-arms fire in Bayji, north of Baghdad. She was deployed just over a year ago and was expected to return home in November.
Hugo’s family members gathered at the Army Reserve Center to speak publicly Monday about her life for the first time since she died.
“She saw death, destruction, despair – and a lot of good things, too,” said Kermit Hugo. “Despite it all, she always kept her head held high.”
He said she was a dedicated soldier who made it clear to her family that she loved what she did. Early in her deployment, she sent an e-mail that said, “This is what I choose to do, and being a medic is what I live to do.”
Her mother, Ruth, said: “She felt that was her niche in life, helping people. She wanted to serve her country.”
Wisconsin State Journal
Her father, Kermit Hugo, told the story of how his daughter saved the life of a comrade during an engagement earlier this year.
A sergeant was wounded during the engagement and Rachael Hugo volunteered to go to his aid.
“She told the guys to cover her, ” Kermit Hugo said. “From the sounds of it, there were rounds going off from the Humvee. She stayed with him. She kept treating him. She just did her job. ”
Hugo, 24, was a specialist in the Army Reserve with the 303rd Military Police Company based in Jackson, Mich., part of the 89th Military Police Brigade. She was deployed to Iraq in September 2006 and was scheduled to return to the U.S. next month.
Hugo’s mother said that her daughter shared her excitement about coming home through daily e-mails.
“She did a lot of online clothes shopping. And I kind of chewed her out for it. But she said, ‘Mom, I’m going to be so ecstatic to be home as it is.’”
Her family said that they consider her a hero.
“A hero is the way I will always see you, a legend in our community,” said her brother Scott Hugo.
“She was just a wonderful, outstanding daughter. You just couldn’t ask for anything better,” Kermit Hugo said.
Hugo was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve, in Jackson, Mich. Her family said that Hugo was studying to be a nurse and had been accepted at Viterbo College in La Crosse.
The funeral of a Madison woman killed in Iraq earlier this month will be held next week.
The U.S. Army said the remains of 24-year-old Spc. Rachael Hugo will arrive Saturday at the Wisconsin General Aviation Services building in Madison.
Military officials have said the combat medic died Oct. 5 when her U.S. Army Reserve unit was attacked by insurgents with a roadside bomb and small arms fire in Bayji, Iraq.
The wake will be held Tuesday [10/16/2007] in Madison and the funeral on Wednesday [10/17/2007] in Monona.
The former high school cheerleader served with the 303rd Military Police Company based in Jackson, Mich.
the attachments to this post:
Spc. Rachael L. Hugo
Spc. Rachael L. Hugo
Spc. Rachael L. Hugo
SPC “Combat Barbie” Hugo!!! WHAT A SOLDIER!!! SPC Hugo replaced my unit in Iraq. I had the honor of meeting her and helping her and her unit get ready for there year long mission. She was always ready to go and squared away. GOOD JOB SPC HUGO!!! MISSION COMPLETE!!! TIME TO COME HOME!!!
Every day that goes by I am blessed with a life of freedom and abundance. I get to live in a nice home, in a good neighborhood, enjoy freedoms to read what I want, say what I want, go where I want; my children get to go to a great school and enjoy so many freedoms… we can travle freely, we can vote, we can express our disdain or support of our leaders, and on and on and on….
All of these freedoms are because of one thing, the dedication, service and sacrifice of heros like Rachael Hugo and her brother and sisters in arms.
To Rachael and all the others, thank you so very much for a wonderful, bountiful and free life. It wouldn’t be had you not stood up to be counted.
Another dedicated, selfless young hero that lost her life for our country and us. It grieves me, but also inspires me to see the high caliber of many of our young people today, despite the best efforts of the MSM to paint them otherwise. Chuck, many thanks for posting this tribute to Spc. Rachael Hugo for us. I just wish more of the country could get to know about this fine soldier and woman.
I was a contractor on a reconstruction project in Doura. I did a cumulative one year contract from December 2005 to September 2007, with a seven month break in 2006. I met several soldiers while in Baghdad, all of them made me very proud to be a part of the project.
Rachael, like so many others, typlified the courage and resolve of our troops there. She is indeed an American hero. God bless her and her family.
another hero, RIP, thanks Chuck
[...] Another one, from . . . Madison, Wisconsin? Posted by Dan Collins @ 6:16 am | Trackback Share This [...]
[...] Americas North Shore Journal go’s family members gathered at the Army Reserve Center to speak publicly Monday about her life for the first time since she died. [...]
[...] Another link from Chuck Simmins over at the NorthShore Journal. This time, Chuck passes along the story of Spc Rachael L. Hugo, who was KIA in Iraq last week. Chuck’s taken the time to put together a sampling of the press she got. [...]