Area Soldier Killed in Iraq
Wednesday, December 21, UPDATED: 6:02 p.m.
The war in Iraq has claimed the life of another soldier from our area.
First Lieutenant Michael Cleary of Dallas was killed this week. He was with
the Army's Third Division. According to his father, Jack, 1 LT Cleary was a
platoon leader working at a bomb factory near Samara with his explosives
ordnance disposal unit when they were ambushed outside the facility.
Cleary was a 1999 graduate of Dallas High School and was the captain of the
tennis and soccer teams. He graduated with honors from Hamilton College in
New York state in 2003.
His family was notified of his death Tuesday.
The superintendent of the Dallas School District recalled Michael was an
all-American boy who could have done anything he wanted.
"He was a very attentive and polite young man and he also was very loving to
his brother and his sisters. He was a protector. He really did some
wonderful things for the community and wonderful things at our school and I
will never forget him," said Superintendent Frank Galicki.
The news of Cleary's death comes just days before he was scheduled to return
home. Galicki also said the young soldier was to get married in February.
1LT Cleary's death brings to 19 the number of soldiers from our area killed
in action in Iraq. The first happened in 2003. Most of the casualties are
from the 109th Field Artillery, which has units from the Poconos through the
Wilkes-Barre area and out to Williamsport.
Soldiers from Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Northumberland, Tioga and
Pike Counties have died while fighting in Iraq.