Sergeant's Return Had Been Delayed

He Was Injured By Bomb in Iraq

Sgt. 1st Class David Heringes was supposed to return home from Iraq last month, but his tour was extended until November. He was killed Aug. 24 near Tikrit, Iraq.

Heringes, 36, of Tampa died from wounds sustained when a makeshift bomb detonated near his unit during combat operations in Bayji, northwest of Baghdad, the Department of Defense reported.

He was buried yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery in front of more than 75 mourners, the 363rd military person killed in Iraq to be buried there.

"He loved the military and loved what he did," his father, Ronald Heringes, told the St. Petersburg Times.

Lining Heringes's grave site were wreaths and other floral arrangements, three of which had banners reading "Son," "Brother" and "Daddy."

As Heringes's flag-draped coffin was carried to the grave site, trailed by family and friends, his 5-year-old son, Logan, jogged to try to keep up with his mother, Shannan, at the front of the group.

At one point during the service, Logan took a few tentative steps toward his father's coffin before being gently pulled onto his mother's lap. He wore a set of dog tags around his neck.

The mourners stood as seven riflemen fired three shots apiece in steady succession and a bugler played taps.

Afterward, folded flags were handed to Heringes's wife and to his parents, Ronald and Joyce Heringes.

Heringes was to return home last month, so his parents had planned a trip to Disney World and Orlando for him, his son and his stepdaughter, Cheyenne Ward, 9.

But when his tour was extended, his parents went without him, only to receive a phone call during the trip that their son had been injured.

Heringes moved from Ohio to Tampa in the 10th grade and graduated from Leto High School in 1989. He joined the military two years later.

"He was just a big kid who loved soldiering and died for his country," his great-uncle, Don Kolesar, told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

He also loved cars and motorcycles.

Heringes served nearly 16 years in the military. He received numerous awards for his service, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and an Army Commendation Medal with two oak-leaf clusters.

Heringes was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.