…our son, our soldier, our hero…
Honor & Remember Our American Hero
Staff Sergeant Joseph P. Bellavia US Army
Hometown: Wakefield, Massachusetts

Joseph floundered a bit after graduating from Wakefield Memorial High School in 1994. After a semester of classes at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, his father took him to the local Army office so he could be sworn into the service. "He told me it was the best thing I could have done for him, when I marched him down there," his father said. A highly motivated soldier and sports fan, he was inspired by military service from a young age. He really loved his job and really loved his fellow soldiers. Joseph was physically fit and kept his soldiers physically fit. His standard was higher than everyone else's, and he motivated them to be the best that they could be. He always kept moving and liked to play sports, especially softball. He was also an ardent Miami Dolphins fan and a wonderful dancer. Everybody that ever met him loved him; he was always joking around and made everybody smile.

While in the Army, Bellavia was able to travel the world, serving a year in South Korea, two years in Germany and finally seven months in Iraq.

"He loved people and he loved life; he loved his country and he believed in what he was doing over there," said his father, Joseph F. Bellavia, a 25-year Army veteran.

Army Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Bellavia 28, Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom 28, assigned to the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based in Fort Campbell, Ky.; killed while attempting to negotiate with armed men who were congregating on a road near a mosque after curfew on Oct. 16, 2003 in Karbala, Iraq. Also killed in the attack were Lt. Col. Kim S. Orlando, the commanding officer of the 716th, and Cpl. Sean R. Grilley. Seven other U.S. soldiers were wounded.

Let the memory of Joseph P. Bellavia be with us forever.....

Hero Stars,