Mayor orders Jackson's flags to half-staff for soldier

It's evident U.S. Army Pfc. Jeremy Shank's family was proud of their son and brother by a sign that hangs from the front window of their Jackson home.

"I love my son Pfc. Shank," the yellow ribbon sign reads.

Jeremy Shank was the son of Jim and Debbie Shank of Jackson. On Thursday, a family friend said that Jim Shank was not ready to speak to the media.

Jackson Mayor Paul Sander has ordered American flags on all city properties to be flown at half-staff until after Shank's funeral, which has not been announced.

A yellow bow, offering support for troops serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, is tied around a tree in the front yard. And a blue Dodge truck, which a neighbor said was Jeremy Shank's, has a magnet on the back that reads, "Pray for our troops."

Shank, 18, of Jackson was killed early Wednesday morning local time. His brother, Chris Shank, confirmed on Wednesday that Jeremy Shank was in the Army's 25th Infantry Division.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Pfc. Jeremy R. Shank, 18, of Jackson, Mo., died on Wednesday in Balad, Iraq, 150 miles north of Baghdad, of injuries suffered in Hawijah, Iraq, when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire during a dismounted security patrol. Shank was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Sander lives near the Shank family, and has been friends with them for more than 10 years.

"This is a horrible, horrible tragedy. Jeremy will be sorely missed, and my sympathy goes out to the family," Sander said.

Jackson Senior High School assistant principal Vince Powell remembers Shank as a personable young man.

"He was a good guy. He had a lot of friends, and still has a lot of friends at the school," Powell said.

Shank attended Jackson Senior High School until February 2006, and played on the football team in 2005, said assistant principal and athletic director Kevin Bohnert.

The school is in the preliminary stages of planning a memorial service for Shank.

Larry Koehler, a Vietnam veteran and member of the Jackson American Legion, said he appreciates what Shank did for the country. "It's a very sad thing, and our hearts go out to the family," Koehler said. "We certainly appreciate what these young men our doing for our country."

Shank is the second Jackson war death since Sgt. Robert Davis, 23, of Jackson died in Afghanistan on Aug. 19, 2005, when a roadside bomb exploded near his armored vehicle.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

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