[Emile]

other dead men

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Army Sgt. Baum was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Baum died in Karmah of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire. Ryan was a 1997 graduate of Smokey Hill High School in Aurora, Colorado. Friends remember him as a stubborn person but after joining the Army, he became an absolutely amazing person, man, father and son - he found his nitch. He grew from a kid who defied authority into a man who soldiers on the front lines could count on. Ryan was an Army Ranger medic called "Doc Baum" and his comrades described him as the finest American soldier – talented, dedicated and proud. He was just a day away from a two-week leave so he could witness the birth of his first child, a daughter. But he volunteered for one last mission in Iraq because he didn't want to let his fellow soldiers down – he was that rare breed who placed duty and sacrifice above his own needs and wants. Some of his passions were football, baseball, lacrosse, camping, family gatherings and defending his country. A video he made and sent to his family for Christmas was played at his funeral service. It showed the cramped quarters he and his mates shared in Iraq, along with pictures of him working on wounded soldiers and a small Christmas tree the troops had secured. Ryan loved babies and was so excited about coming home and holding his baby on his chest and sleeping. He was buried with a picture of his daughter.