PFV Gifford Ethan Hurt

C 1/14 FA Ft. Sill, OK
US Army

PFV Hurt's Act of Heroism

My dear son was serving his Country in Mosul, Iraq when he was involved in a vehicle rollover. While a passenger in an up armored Humvee the driver lost control of the vehicle & overcompensated to try to regain control. While doing so the vehicle flipped several times killing my son while the driver survived.

My Hero

My dear son joined the Army @ the age of 18 & lost his life @ the age of 19! His dream was to serve his Country until retirement, wanting to follow in my footsteps as I retired from the US Army in 2007 after serving 22yrs.
My son loved the Army & was not even supposed to go to Iraq. He volunteered & begged his chain of command to give him 1 week to prove to them that he was ready to deploy with his Unit. And he did! My handsome son was in Iraq only 2 mos before he lost his life in that horrible accident. He was loved by everyone. Was a wonderful soldier & would have had a glorious career in the Army.
We buried my dear son on his 1yr anniversary in the Army!!

Letters

My dear GJ your life was taken away from you too soon. You were the very best son a mother could ever wish to have, the best brother, uncle, grandson & friend. When you passed away our lives were shattered forever. Your life was only just beginning. I was so proud to watch you graduate from Basic Training....so proud of you (yet scared) when you told me that you volunteered to go to Iraq...when you didn't have to. Such an upstanding young man & true true Soldier. We all love & miss you so much. Everyday for me is a daily struggle to function, to think of moving on with life without you is very very hard. It just seems so surreal that your not here.

RIP son, I will forever keep your memory alive & I will love & miss you till my last breath.

GONE TOO SOON :-(