In Death as in Life, Service to Freedom

At Burial, Family and Friends Mourn Army Staff Sergeant Killed in Iraq

On one side of the grave sat a wreath and a bouquet of flowers; on the other, the family of Army Staff Sgt. John D. Linde. In between was Linde's final resting place, where he was buried yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Linde, 30, died Nov. 5 in Tal Al-Dahab, Iraq. He was wounded when a makeshift explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat, according to the Department of Defense.

Two weeks later, more than 130 mourners piled out of nearly four dozen cars to honor Linde, following his flag-draped coffin to his grave site.

"He served even to the point of death so that others could be free," said Maj. Gary Studniewski, a chaplain.

During the service, Linde's friends and family stood as seven rifles cracked off three shots toward a sky blanketed with gray clouds. Folded flags were handed to his wife, Vilma C. Linde, and his father, John W. Linde. As a flag was handed to Vilma Linde, hands rose throughout the crowd, bringing tissues to faces. She accepted a tissue to wipe her face.

Although the Department of Defense listed Linde as being from New York, his wife told the New York Daily News that he was born in Secaucus, N.J. The two met at Union Hill High School in Union City, N.J., before marrying in April 1998.

"He was going to make the Army his career," she told the Daily News. "So we tried to spend as much time together as we could. I wasn't supposed to see him until August."

He died alongside three other soldiers: Staff Sgt. Carletta S. Davis, 34, of Anchorage; Sgt. Derek T. Stenroos, 24, of North Pole, Alaska; and Pfc. Adam J. Muller, 21, of Underhill, Vt.

Linde, Stenroos and Muller were assigned to the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based at Fort Drum, N.Y. Davis was assigned to the 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Fort Drum.

Linde is the 397th military member killed in Iraq to be buried at Arlington, and like many others, he was laid to rest in Section 60. He enlisted in the Army in October 1996 and was previously deployed in Iraq from August 2005 to July 2006. He also served in Bosnia from February to September 2000.

During his military career, he received awards and decorations including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal and Army Commendation Medal.

"He was an avid outdoorsman," his father told the Jersey Journal of Jersey City last week. He was a "real good husband and father, and he was obviously well liked. Literally hundreds of people have called me these last few days."

He is also survived by daughters Victoria and Erica.