 Spc
Clayton Dwayne McGarrah, 20, of Harrison, Ark., died July 4 at Arghandab,
Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit
using an improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade fire.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
He joined the Army Sept. 16, 2009 and attended One Station Unit Training
at Fort Benning, Ga. Upon completing OSUT he attended Airborne School at
Fort Benning and reported to Fort Bragg, N.C. April 10 where he was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th PIR. He joined the unit in Afghanistan
in June.
McGarrah's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the
Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service
Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terror Service
Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO
Medal and the Parachutist's badge.
"Clayboy" loved hiking, hunting, supervising people, football, UFC
Tapout, gaming, eating out and attending Razorback games with his
brother James.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Jim Schermerhorn and
grandmother, Willa Mae McGarrah. He is survived by his wife, Emily, his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Orville "Bo" McGarrah, his sisters, Elizabeth
Hanson and Emilie McGarrah, a brother, James McGarrah, in-laws, John and
Kaylean O'Brien, brothers-in-law, John, Robert, Stephen and Brendon
O'Brien, grandparents, Johnnie Schermerhorn-Ren, Barbara Bell, Dr. Tom
and Kim Bell and Orville Edward and Suzanna McGarrah.
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(photo courtesy of Bobby and Carol Babin Estes)
Grave marker for Spc Clayton D. McGarrah in the Maple
Leaf Cemetery, Boone County, Arkansas |
