OUR HOMETOWN HERO
Sgt. James Daniel Faulkner
April 28, 1981 - September 8, 2004
Operation Iraqi Freedom - Baghdad, Iraq
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A brother, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin, a fiancée, a best friend, a quiet American boy
who gave his life while bravely serving his country with pride and honor as a member of
20th Engineer Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division of the United States Army.

This website is also dedicated to the memory of all, soldier and civilian, who have given
their lives in the name of freedom. May their sacrifice be not in vain.

And last but not least, this website is dedicated to all who currently serve or who have
formerly served and survived. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do
to protect our freedom and the rights of all men to be free from oppression.
EVERY YEAR, ON THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 8, FAMILY AND FRIENDS
GATHER AT KRAFT-GRACELAND MEMORIAL PARK IN NEW ALBANY
INDIANA TO RELEASE MYLAR HELIUM BALLOONS IN MEMORY OF DANIEL.

IF YOU SHOULD FIND, OR HAVE FOUND A BALLOON PLEASE SEND US AN
E MAIL AND TELL US WHERE IT WAS FOUND: GREGGILK@INSIGHTBB.COM
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHERE THE BALLOONS HAVE BEEN FOUND
"Dan The Man"
You may not have known James Daniel Faulkner but there is a good chance that you
know one of his family members. Of the six Faulkner children, Daniel or “Dan the
Man” as he came to be called was the oldest son. He was a quiet and gentle person
who always wore a smile and left you with the impression that he was content to
watch the world go by around him. But nothing could be further from the truth. Daniel
was a person of great inner strength and not one to be easily swayed by peer
pressure or popular trends. And while normally quiet, when he spoke people listened.

Daniel attended Green Acres Elementary and Clarksville Middle Schools prior to
attending and graduating from Clarksville High School in 1999. While in high school
Daniel was a member of the National Honor Society, as well as the Track and Cross
Country Teams. His coach, Darryl Kingery, was a big influence in Daniel's life and the
two of them forged a close friendship. It was Daniel’s dream to become a high
school track and field coach and carry on in the tradition of his beloved “Coach K”

Daniel believed that one had to stand for something in order to keep from falling for
anything. Daniel stood for honesty, integrity and bravery. He was kind to his fellow
man and would gladly offer the shirt off his own back if he thought there was a need.
Therefore it should come as no surprise that Daniel joined an organization whose
values are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal
Courage, The United States Army.

After a year of classes at Indiana University Southeast Daniel decided that his future
was in the United States Army. In early November of 2000 Daniel enlisted, selecting
Combat Engineering as his preferred specialty.

Daniel attended basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri after which he
attended Jump School in Ft. Benning Georgia where he became a qualified
parachutist. He then returned to Ft. Leonard Wood to complete his Advanced Infantry
and Engineering training, after which he was assigned to B Company, 20th
Engineering Battalion of the First Cavalry Division stationed at Ft. Hood Texas.

It was during this time in Texas that Daniel became engaged to his fiancée, Lisa
Moreno. They made plans to be wed in San Antonio Texas in the summer of 2005
after his return from Iraq. Daniel had previously been introduced to Lisa, the best
friend of his sister Heather, while she and Lisa were students at the University of
Evansville in Southern Indiana.

Daniel’s unit was deployed to Iraq in March of 2004 where they performed various
peacekeeping activities in and around the city of Baghdad. In mid August of 2004
Daniel came home on leave and spent the time visiting his fiancée, friends and
family. During this visit Daniel announced that he had reenlisted and that upon
completion of his tour in Iraq his next duty station would be in Hawaii. He also
planned to buy a motorcycle and resume his college education.

After returning to Baghdad the first of September Sergeant James Daniel Faulkner
was killed in action on September 8, 2004 by an improvised explosive device while
helping his fellow man and serving his country. Daniel’s awards include the Bronze
Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global
War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal and The
Army Service Ribbon.

A memorial scholarship fund has been established to perpetuate the memory and
presence of James Daniel Faulkner in the Clarksville Indiana community. The
scholarship is funded through an annual golf scramble held at the Wooded View Golf
Course each fall. Information regarding the scholarship and golf scramble can be
found on this website by clicking on the appropriate buttons on the left hand side of
the screen.

We thank you for visiting Dan's site and we hope that you will come back often and
share the site with your family, friends and neighbors. If you have any questions about
the site or would like to contact us please drop us an e mail at
greggilk@insightbb.com