Matthew W. Ramsey, Army, Specialist -- Rest In Peace

Matthew W. Ramsey, 20

Army, Specialist
Based: Ft. Campbell, Ky.
1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: November 29, 2010
Nangarhar province, Afghanistan
Married, 1 child
Gender: Male
Hometown: Quartz Hill
High School: Quartz Hill High (Quartz Hill)

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. — Several ... top national security advisers stood on a silent, windy tarmac Wednesday night to watch as the bodies of six soldiers killed by a rogue Afghan policeman returned to U.S. soil.

The six were killed in Afghanistan on Monday when the border policeman turned his gun on his American trainers as the group headed to shooting practice. The gunman was killed in the shootout in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border.

The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the officer had enlisted as a sleeper agent to have an opportunity to kill foreigners.

The only sound during the “dignified transfer” was of the wind blowing through the 747 jet engines as the flag-topped caskets, called transfer cases, were lowered to the ground. Teams of white-gloved pallbearers carried each casket to a waiting truck. Fathers, mothers, wives and other family members of five of the soldiers traveled to Dover for Wednesday’s return.

The dead are Sgt. Barry E. Jarvis of Tell City, Ind.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain of Mexico, Maine; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pvt. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes of Athens, Ohio

The the entire AP article about Army Specialist Matthew W. Ramsey and his group in Military Times here and find more here.

From the LA Times:

They had some tea and were getting ready for some firing...the lone ABP [Afghan Border Patrolman] fired at them, instantly killed five, then turned to where the platoon leader and the platoon sergeant were and shot the platoon sergeant.
— Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

Ramsey was among six soldiers shot and killed Nov. 29 by an Afghan border policeman at an observation point near the Pakistani border. The shooter was a lone gunman who fired at five of the six, including Ramsey, from behind as they were gathered together at an observation point in Nangarhar province, according to Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell. A full obituary will follow.

Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind
-- Rest In Peace

Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio
-- Rest In Peace

Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Ca
-- Rest In Peace

Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis
-- Rest In Peace 

Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga
-- Rest In Peace

Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine
-- Rest In Peace