John Pelham - U.S. Military

Spc. John A. Pelham, age 22, of Portland, Oregon, died on February 12, 2014, in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was struck by enemy small arms fire.

He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

John was a 2010 graduate of Sunset High School in Beaverton, Oregon. When he was younger, he spent six months in the "Oregon Youth Challenge” program, which is run by the Oregon National Guard, where he excelled.

He attended college for a time but decided that the military was his true calling.

He worked as an intelligence analyst in the Army. He was on his second tour of duty.

His family describe him as a true warrior and a man on a mission. He was pursuing what he knew he was meant to be doing. They describe him as a model student and a

Father, place John on the stairway to Heaven

model soldier. He is their hero and they will forever miss him.

He intended to go for more training and possibly go to college through the ROTC program when he returned to the U.S.A. in June of 2014.

John was engaged to be married.

John is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his mother and father; five siblings; and his fiancée.

Thank you for serving, John.

Pray without ceasing unto God for an end to this war in Afghanistan. It is enough. We are sick with grief for men like John.

Pray that John is in heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.