Honor your hero with thoughts, memories, images and stories.
Holly loved the children in Iraq. She asked me to send candy all of the time so that she could give it to the children.
Holly was always smiling, had a great sense of humor and loved to have fun. I don't know for sure but it sure looks like she is having fun to me in this picture. A little of her sense of humor is showing through.
Holly will always be my hero. I don't know where she got her courage and bravery from but she sure had a lot of both. I remember telling her during our first phone conversation when she was in Iraq. If I were her I would be lying in the middle of the desert crying "I want My Mom". She laughed at me. I was serious. She was not afraid at all. She was so very proud to serve our Country and I am so very proud of her. Holly gave the best hugs ever. Nothing like a hug from a Soldier.
Holly was a dear friend to me. I believe she still is in spirit. I often feel her around me. Holly had a laugh that would make anyone smile. She was very carring, sweet and loving. I miss her so much! I'm so proud of her.
Paula
May God strengthen you each day and open many doors of opportunity to tell the world of your dear Holly!
You are continually in my prayers.
Paula Another year has gone by and I pray again this year that your life and family will be filled with God's supernatural healing and strength each day! May your memories be filled with her joy in her life she lived and the service she rendered! God bless You and Yours! Sam Cottle
Holly J. McGeogh was only 19 years old when she was killed in Iraq.
She came from Taylor, Michigan, and wore the uniform of the United States Army with quiet pride. Assigned to Company A, 4th Forward Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas, Specialist McGeogh deployed knowing the risks that came with convoy operations during a violent phase of the war.
On January 31, 2004, near Kirkuk, her vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device
while on mission. She was killed in action. Her life ended far from home, in a place most
Americans could not find on a map. Holly was still a teenager.
She did not command troops or seek recognition. Her role was support, logistics, movement, the kind of work that keeps units functioning but rarely draws attention. Convoy duty meant long hours on dangerous roads, scanning for threats that could appear without warning. It was relentless, exhausting, and unforgiving. She showed up anyway.
At an age when many are still figuring out who they are, Holly accepted responsibility that
carried real consequences. She stood shoulder to shoulder with others in her unit, doing her job in conditions that demanded courage every single day.
Her death was one of many early losses in a war just beginning to unfold. News moved quickly then. Names passed through headlines and disappeared. Families were left to grieve while the world continued on.
But Holly mattered.
She mattered to her family, her friends, and the soldiers who served beside her. She mattered because she raised her hand and volunteered. Because she went where she was sent. Because she did her duty without hesitation.
Specialist Holly J. McGeogh gave her life in service to her country before she ever had the
chance to fully live it. Her courage did not come from age or rank. It came from commitment.
Rest in peace, Holly. You are not forgotten.
Story based on historical records. This post is for educational purposes.