Benjamin H Neal
Date of Death: 04/25/2012
Age: 21
Incident Location: Kandahar province, Afghanistan
Hometown: Orfordville
Branch of Service: Army
Unit: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team
Unit Base: Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Spc. Benjamin H. Neal, 21, of Orfordville, Wis., died on April 25, 2012, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Benjamin was born at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe, to Donald and Trisha (Ahrens) Neal on Aug. 20, 1990. He graduated from Parkview High School in 2009, where he was active in Wrestling, FFA, and 4-H. On June 16, 2009, he proudly entered the U.S. Army reporting to Fort Benning, Ga., for Basic Training and graduated from Airborne School. Cpl. Neal was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., and began his first deployment to Afghanistan in January 2010. Benjamin was united in marriage to Emily Blaxill on Sept. 2, 2010, in Fort Bragg, N.C. Benjamin enjoyed his time spent with family, music and the outdoors, especially the woods behind the home farm.
Cpl. Neal's military honors include: the Purple Heart, NATO Medal, the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
Benjamin was born at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe, to Donald and Trisha (Ahrens) Neal on Aug. 20, 1990. He graduated from Parkview High School in 2009, where he was active in Wrestling, FFA, and 4-H. On June 16, 2009, he proudly entered the U.S. Army reporting to Fort Benning, Ga., for Basic Training and graduated from Airborne School. Cpl. Neal was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., and began his first deployment to Afghanistan in January 2010. Benjamin was united in marriage to Emily Blaxill on Sept. 2, 2010, in Fort Bragg, N.C. Benjamin enjoyed his time spent with family, music and the outdoors, especially the woods behind the home farm.
Cpl. Neal's military honors include: the Purple Heart, NATO Medal, the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.