Maupins Confirm D-N-A is from Body of Son, Missing Soldier Matt Maupin

http://www.fox19.com/global/story.asp?s=8091139 ^ | March 30, 2008 | fox 19

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

(UNION TOWNSHIP, OH) -- Keith Maupin confirmed this afternoon that the remains of his son, Matt Maupin, have been identified by the army in Iraq.

In a statement Keith said "We are proud of the continued efforts of the military and the army to return Matt to us. We must now work on efforts to return Matt.'

"Please keep the military and our family in your prayers."

Carolyn Maupin, Matt's mother said, "Thanks to everyone for their prayers and continued strength of the family."

"It hurts after four years of hope and this is what happens it is like a let down for me and I'm trying to get thru that right now."

"Pray. This is going to be very difficult and stay by our side in support."

Keith says that the family was informed this afternoon about 1p-m by a three star general. The body was identified by the D-N-A remains.

[Eagles6]

Just damn! Prayers for Sgt. Maupin and his loved ones.

[Bahbah]

What can one say.

Some finality for the family, knowing Matt has gone to his eternal rest.

A loss for them and for his country. Our eternal gratitude, Matt Maupin.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Name: Keith "Matt" Maupin
Branch/Rank: U.S. Army Reserves / Pfc  Spec Sgt
Unit: Army Reserves 724th Transportation Company, Bartonville, Ill
Date of Birth/Age: 20
Home City of Record: Batavia, OH
Date of Loss: April 9, 2004
Country of Loss: Iraq
Original Status: Duty Status Where-A-Bouts Unknown

April 19, 2004  - ARMY Changes Status to MISSING CAPTURED
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Other Personnel in Incident: Six other Kellogg, Brown & Root employees;  Thomas Hamill; Sgt. Elmer C. Krause

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews, FOX NEWS online, MSNBC News online, CNN News online. Updated April 2005.  

Synopsis: The U.S. military said two American soldiers and seven employees of U.S. contractor Kellogg, Brown & Root were missing after their convoy was ambushed Friday, April 9,  near Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad.

Only one, Thomas Hamill, a 43-year-old truck driver from Macon, Miss., was previously known to have been abducted. His captors have threatened to kill and mutilate him unless U.S. troops ended their assault on the city of Fallujah. The deadline passed Sunday with no word on his fate.New videotape aired on Friday on Al-Jazeera which broadcast a video which showed a young man wearing camouflage and a floppy desert hat. He was sitting on the floor. He was surrounded by five gunmen, their faces covered by scarves. The U.S. Army soldier identified himself as "Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin."

Maupin joined the Army Reserves to help pay for college. His mother, Carolyn, headed a local support group for military moms. A brother had just completed his Marine basic training.

I am married with a 10-month-old child,” said the man, who frequently looked down, as if reading words on a piece of paper. “I came to liberate Iraq, but I did not come willingly because I wanted to stay with my child.”

Sgt. Elmer C. Krause, 40, of Greensboro, N.C., and Pfc. Keith "Matt" Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio, were previously identified and noted as DUTY STATUS WHERE-A-BOUTS UNKNOWN.

Fox News reported Maupin was known in high school for his tenacity on the football field and in the classroom, friends and family said.

CNN reported Maupin, 20, graduated three years ago from Glen Este High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school issued a statement calling him a "great kid" and "an excellent student" who won the Scholar Athlete Award for maintaining a 3.5 GPA while playing football.

"We're pulling for him. He's a fighter," Dan Simmons, athletic director at Glen Este High School the Fox News article said.

"Matt was a selfless kid on the football field," Simmons said. "He did whatever the coaches told him. He wasn't a starter, but he made the other kids play harder

CNN reported that the family spokesman said "We have viewed the videotape of Matt, as all of you have, I'm sure, and our family is very happy and prays for Matt's safety," spokesman Carl Cottrell said, reading a statement from Maupin's family.

 "To show your belief in his safe return, we ask the community of Batavia as well as surrounding communities and across the nation to tie yellow ribbons in Matt's honor 'till he safely returns home, so that when he does return home, he'll see the support that we've seen over the course of these last five days."

============

On May 1, Maupin was promoted in absentia to specialist by his commander at the 724th Transportation Company, said Maj. Willie Harris, a spokesman for the 88th Regional Readiness Command, which oversees Maupin's Army Reserve unit based in Bartonville, Ill.

Prayer vigils continue in his hometown. Yellow ribbons fly across the U.S. waiting for his return.

http://www.pownetwork.org/gulfII/maupin.htm

[Kakaze]

I have no words.....

[txflake]

prayer bump

[Straight Vermonter]

Can you ping the prayer list, please?

[marktwain]

I have no words.....

---

Yes. It is very tough. The best we can do is hang in their and win the war on terror.

[Jewels1091]

crap...for some reason i was really hoping that they would find him alive....Prayers, and lots of them for the family and friends!

[Old Sarge]

PING

[vladimir998]

You were not alone in that hope. I knew chances were slim, but I always hoped against hope he would be found alive and well.

[cgk]

Ping.

[cgk]

We have been keeping a newspaper cutout of Matt on our refrigerator, on the side where I would see it every day, and sending prayers for him and for his family.

I am grateful they are able to bring their beloved son home.

[acapesket]

God Bless this courageous young Man and his blessed family.
Words fail me.
Revenge is mine sayeth the Lord.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

CLARITY =

http://www.Freerepublic.com/~aloharonnie/

http://www.Freerepublic.com/~anita1/

.

[GVnana]

So sorry to hear of it. He never left my mind. Now in God’s hands.

[cgk]

Ping. He's coming home. Thank you for reminding us all to pray for him.

[Finalapproach29er]

Did Scott Spiecher ever turn up? —1991 pow

I think of him sometimes.

[brytlea]

I’m glad they have closure, but it must be devastating for all hope to be gone. God bless ‘em.
susie

[SandRat]

Rest easy now Sgt. Matt Maupin,
you're home at last.

[RDTF]

oh no

[muggs]

So sad, but I’m glad he is finally coming home.

[Maigrey]

D*mn. Just D*mn.

Prayers up for the Maupin family. May they now have closure.

[dalight]

Words fail me. I have known Keith and Carolyn Maupin for more than 2 years now and their Yellow Ribbon Support center has been a source of hope and comfort for so many. My prayers and sorrow for their loss are hard to express.

I am proud of the Army for not giving up and finding Matt so he could come home to those who love him. It has been a bit of kicking and screaming to keep them on task, but they done good. Well done.

The Ohio Patriot Guard Riders as well as so many others, Rolling Thunder and all of the Veterans Groups and many more from all walks of life across the country who were touched by this special family will be there for them to welcome Matt back home.

Yellow Ribbon Support Center

BTT

[mass55th]

When they found the bodies of the contractors recently, I was reminded that Sgt. Maupin was still missing, and prayed that he would be found. God Bless him and his family.

[cgk]

Unless I am mistaken, the civilian driver of the convoy, Timothy Bell is still missing from the attack. He never appeared in any of the terrorist videos, however, so he was presumed dead. I pray for his return and pray his family will have some answers soon.

[Dianna]

God bless this family. As hard as this must have been to hear, it is better in the end to know what happened.

[AZamericonnie]

Rest In Peace Sgt. Matt Maupin. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

[TomGuy]

Deepest condolence to the family.

One of the original FR threads:

U.S. soldier captured in Iraq (17 April, 2004)


There are several other FR threads under the keyword: Maupin

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/maupin/

[visualops]

oh dear...prayers to the family

[visualops]

He’s still MIA I believe.

[mystery-ak]

tears.....

[jd792]

Thanks AP maybe we can be there when his remains are brought back home...keep us posted

[RedRover]

My condolences, dalight. This is just heartbreaking.

[4integrity]

Matt and his family will be in my prayers. Words cannot adequately express the gratitude, admiration and affection felt for Matt, the Maupin family and all of our military and their families who sacrifice so very much to help protect the rest of us. May GOD bless them...

[jazusamo]

Sgt Matt Maupin, one of America's finest.

God Bless him and his family.

[freema]

Thank you for the ping, dalight.

[Girlene]

Very sad news. God bless his family.

[LUV W]

REST IN PEACE
FINALLY
SGT. MATT MAUPIN
BRAVE SOLDIER
YOU ARE MY HERO

HERO'S RESTING PLACE
[CLICK]

[300winmag]

Ping about the comrade of one our Hobbit Hole "troops".

Rest in peace, Sergeant, in American ground that will be forever sacred.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Rest in peace Sgt Matt Maupin.
You will never be forgotten.

[freema]

"I told them when we'd go up to the Pentagon, whether he walks off a plane or is carried off, you're not going to leave him in Iraq like you did those guys in Vietnam," Keith Maupin said.

http://www.wcpo.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=74a28bf4-bcd7-4884-aea7-fb7c6228ea77

[Corin Stormhands]

Thanks for the ping.

Prayers for the family. God Bless Matt Maupin.

[Kathy in Alaska]

TAPS

RIP SGT Matt Maupin

Amazing Grace

[Earthdweller]

[DaveLoneRanger]

Let us hope and pray that Sgt. Maupin has gone to The Mansions of the Lord.

[SuziQ]

God Bless them, at least now they have confirmation.

[Graybeard58]

Time to remove my tag line of the past 3+ years and maybe some peace for the Maupins. God bless them.