Birth: Dec. 20, 1977
DeKalb County
Georgia, USA
Death: Apr. 28, 2007, Iraq
Staff Sgt. Hullender of Little Falls, N.J., was a medic who joined the Army in September 1998 and was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska, in May 2005. He was a 1996 graduate of Norcross High School where he played offensive line in football as a line backer and also was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He attended West Georgia College majoring in business. Staff Sgt. Hullender, a medic, joined the Army in 1998. He prepared wounded soldiers for medical transport when he was killed. He also parachuted with other soldiers into Afghanistan soon after the September 11th attack. He was awarded a Bronze Star and also earned numerous medals and recognitions including the National Defense Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal. He died in Iskandariyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat patrol operations at age 29.

Army
1st Battalion,
501st Airborne Infantry Regiment,
4th Brigade Combat Team,
25th Infantry Division,
Fort Richardson, Alaska. 
 

Sharon McBride
Fort Richardson PAO

A remembrance service May 17 at the Main Post Chapel honored five paratroopers who were formerly assigned to 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

Staff Sgt. Michael R. Hullender, Sgt. Adam P. Kennedy, Cpl. Clifford A. Spohn III, Cpl. Cody A. Putman and Spc. John G. Borbonus died while on duty in Iraq. Fellow service members, family, friends and the community were on-hand to say their final goodbyes.

“It’s good for the community to grieve,” said Capt. Sean Meadows, the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment surgeon. “All these Soldiers who are being remembered chose to come to Alaska. As Soldiers in Alaska, we are lucky to have such a pro-military community to serve in; everywhere is not like that.

“As a doctor for 850 guys, you get to know them all,” Meadows said. “It’s an honor for me to take care of them.

“Mike (Hullender) worked with the colonel’s (personal security detachment) as a medic,” Meadows said. “I asked him to swap out, but Mike wouldn’t leave the guys he worked with. He was a total warrior, but he had a soft heart.”

Hullender was killed in action April 28 in Iskandariyah, during an attempt to render aid to an injured paratrooper.

Kennedy was remembered as a devoted Soldier.

“Sgt. Kennedy was a well-known, respected paratrooper,” said Sgt. 1st Class Vincent Salmon. “You could count on him for anything. Whatever the task or request, no matter how difficult, he would do it, no questions asked.”

Kennedy, who was hand-selected to serve on the commander’s personal security detachment, died from indirect fire while on a combat patrol in Diwaniyah, Iraq, April 8.

Spohn was memorialized by 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment’s rear detachment commander.

“He was an outstanding paratrooper, father and friend,” said Capt. Edward Arntson. “He absolutely loved what he was doing and it was infectious. You couldn’t be around him and stay in a bad mood.”

Spohn died of wounds suffered in an indirect fire attack while working at an Iraqi police station in Karmah, April 9.

Putman’s attention to detail was remembered by one of his peers during the ceremony.

“He served as the (troop commander’s) driver and radio operator and his conceptual understanding of what he saw was unparalleled,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Pershell, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

Putman was killed when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated causing multiple buildings to collapse in south Baghdad April 12.

Borbonus was the last paratrooper to be honored at the memorial.

“An average man would have run from danger, but he stood his ground,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dylan Youngblood. Borbonus was in killed in the same incident as Putman.

As Youngblood spoke about Borbonus, he was overcome with emotion, because Youngblood was injured in the same incident that took Borbonus’s life.

“Because of (Borbonus’s) selfless (sacrifice) he saved members of his platoon and for that we will forever be grateful,” Youngblood said.