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First Name: David

Last Name: Hurt

Birthplace: Oak Park, IL, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Middle Name: Lee



Date of Birth: 10 May 1972

Date of Death: 20 February 2009

Rank: Master Sergeant

Years Served:
David Lee Hurt

   
Engagements:
•  Afghanistan War (Operation Enduring Freedom) (2001 - present)

Biography:

David Lee Hurt
Master Sergeant, U. S. Army
Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan


David Lee Hurt was born on 10 May 1972 in Oak Park, Cook County, IL, the son of Joe and Bonnie Hurt. David and his family moved to Tucson, AZ, when he was three. From the time he was very young, David was fascinated with the Army and would put his little toy soldiers thru their paces. Years later, after he had joined the Army, his mother, Bonnie, would find these same small toy soldiers spread across a table because David was using them to plan out real-life tactics.

Military Service

After graduating from Santa Rita High School, David proved his love for the U.S. Army by enlisting in November 1992, as a combat engineer trainee. After basic and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, he was assigned to Company C, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, NC, from the rank of Private to Staff Sergeant. He then was assigned to Company C, 37th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade at Fort Bragg.

On 26 April 1997, David married Kelly Canady.

Hurt completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selection prior to being assigned to the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg in August 1999 for Special Forces training. He earned the coveted Green Beret in May 2000 and was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a Special Forces engineer sergeant. Hurt was then assigned to the JFK Special Warfare Center Non-Commissioned Officer Academy. He served as a Small Group Leader at the Basic Noncommissioned Officer and Warrior Leader Course from March 2005 to March 2008.

In March 2008, he was a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha operations sergeant assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. This was his fifth deployment in support of the global war on terror.

David kept in touch with his family as much as possible - sometimes he was only able to send, "I love you." David loved his family; wife Kelly, daughter Avery, age 11, and son Wyatt, age 5, more than anything. Whenever he was home he loved doing things with his kids and took them everywhere. 

David had a very personal connection with the soldiers he was responsible for and cared deeply for them. The last time his mother spoke to him, two days before his death, he was trying to keep his group's spirits high after a medic had been killed the week before. He wanted to keep these young kids busy so they wouldn't have time to dwell on the tragedy.

On 20 February 2009 in Khordi, Afghanistan, David's military vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, which was followed by a small-arms fire attack by enemy forces. David, badly wounded, was rushed to Kandahar for treatment of his wounds. He died at Kandahar Airfield.

Medals and Awards

Bronze Star Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters (3 Awards)
Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster (2 Awards)
Joint Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (4 Awards)
Joint Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters (5 Awards)

Badges and Tabs

Combat Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Pathfinder Badge
Air Assault Badge
Drivers Badge
Special Forces Tab
Ranger Tab
Sapper Tab

Unit Awards

Valorous Unit Award
Joint Meritorious Unit Award

Death and Burial

On 20 February 2009, Master Sergeant David Lee Hurt died of wounds received in combat earlier that day. He was buried on 28 February 2009, with full military honors, at the Green Springs Baptist Church Cemetery in Parkton, Robeson County, NC.

David is survived by his wife, Kelly (Canady) Hurt of the home; parents, Joe Hurt of Memphis, TN, and Bonnie Hurt of Hope Mills; daughter, Avery Hurt of the home; son, Wyatt Hurt of the home; sister, Debbie Hurt of Hope Mills; father- and mother-in-law, Wayne and Sue Canady of Hope Mills; grandparents, Addie and Ralph Walters of Southport; two brothers-in-law, Scott Canady and Sam Canady of Hope Mills; sister-in-law, Mary Jo Canady of Hope Mills; three nephews, Griffin, Benjamin and Ayden; and niece, Alex.



Honoree ID: 2151   Created by: MHOH

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