Donna M. Robinson learned in an
e-mail last week from her son, an Army medic serving in Afghanistan,
that he was about to leave on a mission.
"He couldn't tell me where he was going but said once he returned,
he'd tell me all about it. He would always do that," said Miss
Robinson, of Woodlawn. "He e-mailed me again on Thursday asking
about a PlayStation. That was the last time I heard from him."
Friday evening, she learned that her son, Staff Sgt. Damion Garland
Osvaldo Campbell, 23, had been killed earlier in the day when his
convoy was ambushed near Khayr Kot district, in Paktika province.
The Defense Department said Sergeant Campbell, with the 1st
Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, based in Vicenza, Italy, was
killed and four other soldiers were injured when an improvised
explosive device detonated near their Humvee.
Sergeant Campbell, the son of a police officer,
was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and was 7 when he moved with his
mother to Maine Avenue in Northwest Baltimore. He attended Liberty
Elementary School and Garrison Middle School and was a 2000 graduate
of Forest Park High School.
"The military was definitely something he wanted to do. From day one
- even as a child - he wanted to go into the service," said his
aunt, Allison Robinson of Woodlawn. "This kid was full of energy and
spunk. He wanted to learn, had a very inquisitive mind and loved
school."
"He came from a long line of military and police officers and when
he was 3 years old began playing with toy soldiers," his mother
said.
Sergeant Campbell had been active in Boy Scouts and spent four years
in the Army ROTC program at Forest Park, where he also played
varsity lacrosse. After graduating, he enlisted in the Army that
August.
Retired Army Col. Franklin W. Collins, who was
Sergeant Campbell's ROTC instructor at Forest Park, said the young
man thought a lot about his future and what would be best for him.
He considered going to college or into law enforcement, but settled
on the Army because of opportunities it would offer, including
foreign travel.
"He had pretty good reasons for going into the Army," Colonel
Collins said. "He thought it would be a good career for him. He
wanted to serve his country. And he did that."
"We were never excited about his enlisting because we worried about
wars," said his aunt. "But he loved the service - no matter what the
circumstances - and was dedicated to it. He was adventurous and
wasn't afraid of anything."
He completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and was sent to
Germany and later Italy. He was sent to Iraq in March 2003, but
became ill and returned to Germany for hospitalization.
After recovering, he returned to Iraq, and since February had been
in Afghanistan with his unit.
"He wanted to make the Army his career and re-enlisted earlier this
year. Recently, he was promoted to staff sergeant," his mother said.
When Sergeant Campbell was home on furloughs, he enjoyed listening
to music and spending time with his 11-year-old brother, Nicholas Z.
Buaku.
"He enjoyed having fun. We'd go to the mall and play video games at
home," said Nicholas, who attends Woodlawn Middle School. "He risked
his life for his country, and I'm so proud of him."
Sergeant Campbell last returned home a year ago to join other family
members in celebrating his mother's birthday.
"He attended church with me at Power of Faith Evangelistic Church.
He left on Sept. 9, my birthday, and returned to Italy," his mother
said.
"Damion was a person who was always upbeat, playful and happy. He'd
e-mail me and say that everything was OK and not to worry. He knew
his job and that's what he was there to do," his mother said. "He
knew he could die, but he wasn't afraid."
Plans for a military funeral were incomplete yesterday.
Other survivors include his father, Yandell Campbell, and a sister,
Yandeen Campbell, both of Kingston; and his maternal grandparents,
Oswald Campbell of Baltimore and Olga Campbell of Trelawny, Jamaica.
Sun staff writer Lynn Anderson contributed to this article.
