Court D. Haugen
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| Age: |
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23 |
| Hometown: |
Wenatchee, WA
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| Date of Death: |
3/11/09 |
| Incident Location: |
Luhe-Wildenau, Germany
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| Branch of Military: |
|
Army |
| Rank: |
Private 1st Class |
| Unit: |
2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment |
| Unit's Base: |
Vilseck, Germany
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|
WENATCHEE — Court Haugen had joined the Army in 2005 and was preparing for a second tour, this time in Afghanistan, when he died in March.
Robin Huffaker, his mother, remembers the excitement she felt when she heard the doorbell ring late at night on March 11. She thought it was a surprise visit to Wenatchee from her 23-year-old son, Court Donovan Haugen, who'd just finished a military tour of 15 months in Iraq, patrolling Baghdad streets looking for insurgents.
And when Robin saw a man in military garb standing at her front door, she thought maybe her son brought home a friend. Instead, she heard the man tell her Court had been killed in Germany. But no matter how Court died, the U.S. Army is short a soldier and a family has lost a loved one.
The gathering, which also included Robin's husband, Keith Huffaker, and Russ' wife, Kate Haugen, Court's grandparents and a brother, shared memories of him: his tender-hearted personality, his love for the outdoors, his compassion for others, his aloof teen years and how he'd matured into a man from his time in the military.
Court received a 15-gun salute by the Army during a military service at Wenatchee City Cemetery. Donations have poured in so the Wenatchee Valley cross that hovers above the city could be lit as a 10-day memorial, from March 19-28. And the governor directed Tuesday that flags at all Washington state agencies be lowered to half-staff through the close of business Thursday or through Friday morning.
Gregoire and assistant Dennis Clark presented the flags and a letter from the governor that read
"We are humbled by Court's willingness to put himself at risk to protect our nation's cherished freedoms. … He will always be a hero in our eyes."
13/12/2010Kelsey Haugen
Love and miss you :(
27/11/2010Keith Huffaker
Rest in peace Court.
We miss you and will always love you!