Community mourns fallen soldier

By Daily News Staff

The Rhinelander community is mourning the loss of a local soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice last week in Afghanistan.

Flags are flying at half mast in memory of Sgt. Ryan Adams, a hometown hero. Wisconsin will be flying the flag at half mast on Saturday as Sgt. Adams is laid to rest.

According to the Department of Defense and the Wisconsin National Guard, Adams died Oct. 2 in Logar province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle using rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was a member of the 951st Engineer Company (Sapper).

Brigadier General Donald P. Dunbar, the adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard, has confirmed that seven other Wisconsin National Guard soldier were injured in the attack that took Adams’ life and are receiving medical care.

Sgt. Adams, 26, was one of approximately 100 soldiers from the Rhinelander and Tomahawk-based 951st deployed in November to Camp Shelby for several months before reporting to Afghanistan where they are conducting route clearance operations for the Army’s 101st Airborne Division.

This was the second tour of duty for this unit, and Sgt. Adams, which also deployed to Iraq in May 2003 to April 2004 when it was known as Company C, 724th Engineer Battalion.