Mostly Cloudy, 30° F
(March 21, 2003)
Second Lieutenant Therrel "Shane" Childers USMC, 30, was the first American killed in the war with Iraq on March 21, 2003. The Commandant of the Marine Corps has posthumously promoted him to First Lieutenant Therrel Shane Childers, USMC.
He was born June 19, 1972 in West Hamlin, West Va., to Joseph and Judy (Rose) Childers. He graduated from Harrison Central High School in Gulf Port, Miss., in 1990 and joined the USMC in July 1990, completing basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He then attended Light Armored Vehicle Drivers training at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He served in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm and following his return to the United States was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
He then was assigned to Marine Security Guard Duty serving at the American Consulate located in Geneva, Switzerland and then the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. He then returned to Camp Pendleton, where he served with the First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. While stationed there, he completed a Western Pacific Cruise.
He then attended The Citadel after being selected for the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned a 2nd Lt. on June 15, 2001. Later he was transferred to Quantico, Va., to attend the Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course. He was then assigned as the Second platoon commander of Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment. He deployed to Kuwait on Feb. 4, 2003, with his assigned unit and was killed in action while leading his men during an assault on a pumping station on March 21.
His family shared that he was very inquisitive and that he loved to learn from others. They also stated he was proud to be a United States Marine.
He is survived by his parents Joe and Judy Childers of Powell; a sister, Sandra Brown and husband Richard and their children Autumn and Aiden of Ft. Hood, Texas; a brother, Samuel Childers and wife Cori and their children Aksel, Hannah and Marta of La Salle, Ill.; paternal grandparents Wilton and Alma Childers of Salt Rock, West Va.; uncles and aunts Mary and David Bias of Salt Rock, Donald and Brenda Childers of Salt Rock; Richard and Anita Childers of Huntington, West Va.; Judy and Mike Hayes of South Point, Ohio; Natalie and Greg Walker of Aid, Ohio; Kathy and Randy Templeton of Arnold, Mo.; Donald and Agnes Rose of Powell; Zenda and James Eby of Lubbock, Texas; 17 first cousins and numerous friends. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Doug and Mae Rose of Weston, Idaho.
Visitation was held on Monday at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home.
Funeral services are scheduled for today (Tuesday), 1 p.m. at Northwest College Cabre Gymnasium. Burial will follow in Crown HIll Cemetery with full military honors being provided by the United States Marine Corps.
Should friends desire, a memorial fund has been established at First National Bank and Trust, with the memorial to be used by the family to honor the memory of their son, Shane.
