Jacob A Gassen
Date of Death: 11/29/2010
Age: 21
Incident Location: Nangarhar province, Afghanistan
Hometown: Beaver Dam
Branch of Service: Army
Unit: 1st Squadron, 61st Calvary Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault)
Unit Base: Fort Campbell, Kentucky
PFC Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, died Monday, November 29, 2010, while serving his country in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Jacob was born on Nov. 19, 1989, in La Crosse, Wis., the son of Gregory and Barbara (Luck) Gassen. He attended elementary school at St. Jerome's Catholic School in Columbus. He then attended Beaver Dam Middle School and Beaver Dam High School, graduating in 2008. While in high school, Jake was active in the BDHS Orchestra, the golf team, and Academic Decathlon; he was also involved in youth soccer, YMCA swim team and was a life guard at the Columbus Aquatic Center and the YMCA of Dodge County. After high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh for a year. In September 2009, Jake joined the U.S. Army; his basic training was at Fort Benning, Ga., and his AIT/Medic Training was at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After training, Jake was assigned to HHT, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.
Jake is survived by his parents Gregory and Barbara Gassen of Beaver Dam; two brothers Christopher and Jesse Gassen of Beaver Dam; his maternal grandmother Phyllis Luck of Beaver Dam; an aunt and two uncles M. John (Leiko) Gassen of Neillsville, Valerie (Bill) Dahlke of Granton, and Dan (Lorrie) Luck of Randolph; his cousins Patrick and Sean Luck, Christine and Dawn Dahlke, Mayumi (Nathan) Aaberg, Angela Gassen and Jim (Christie) Gassen. He is further survived by his birth mother Lisa Genardo; her children Samantha, Sara, Emily, Steven, and Jennifer; Jacob's grandfather Joe Genardo; and more friends than there are stars in the sky. Jake was preceded in death by his infant brother, Thomas Gassen; his maternal grandfather Merlin Luck; and his paternal grandparents Mathias "Matt" and Virginia Gassen.
Jacob was born on Nov. 19, 1989, in La Crosse, Wis., the son of Gregory and Barbara (Luck) Gassen. He attended elementary school at St. Jerome's Catholic School in Columbus. He then attended Beaver Dam Middle School and Beaver Dam High School, graduating in 2008. While in high school, Jake was active in the BDHS Orchestra, the golf team, and Academic Decathlon; he was also involved in youth soccer, YMCA swim team and was a life guard at the Columbus Aquatic Center and the YMCA of Dodge County. After high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh for a year. In September 2009, Jake joined the U.S. Army; his basic training was at Fort Benning, Ga., and his AIT/Medic Training was at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After training, Jake was assigned to HHT, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.
Jake is survived by his parents Gregory and Barbara Gassen of Beaver Dam; two brothers Christopher and Jesse Gassen of Beaver Dam; his maternal grandmother Phyllis Luck of Beaver Dam; an aunt and two uncles M. John (Leiko) Gassen of Neillsville, Valerie (Bill) Dahlke of Granton, and Dan (Lorrie) Luck of Randolph; his cousins Patrick and Sean Luck, Christine and Dawn Dahlke, Mayumi (Nathan) Aaberg, Angela Gassen and Jim (Christie) Gassen. He is further survived by his birth mother Lisa Genardo; her children Samantha, Sara, Emily, Steven, and Jennifer; Jacob's grandfather Joe Genardo; and more friends than there are stars in the sky. Jake was preceded in death by his infant brother, Thomas Gassen; his maternal grandfather Merlin Luck; and his paternal grandparents Mathias "Matt" and Virginia Gassen.