Soldier receives two Purple Hearts; attends friends' memorial service

[caption id="attachment_3401" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Gen. B.B. Bell, USAREUR commander, pins two Purple Hearts onto Spc. Joseph Seyford, a patient at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Nov. 17. Seyford was awarded one Purple Heart for receiving shrapnel to his face and the second when he sustained a gunshot wound to his right shoulder 3 days later."][/caption]

Of the 700 persons who attended a ceremony remembering four fallen comrades from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, there was one whose only request was to be among those honoring his fellow fallen comrades.

Spc. Joseph Seyford, twice wounded in Iraq, was awarded two Purple Heart medals at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center by Gen. B.B. Bell, USAREUR commander, on Nov 17.  When Bell asked what he could do for him, Seyford responded he wanted to attend the memorial ceremony scheduled later that day in Vilseck.

Seyford wanted to be with the 2-2 Infantry family while his comrades were remembered; especially the family of Capt. Sean Patrick Sims, Co. A, 2-2 Infantry. Seyford was behind Sims, his company commander, and was injured in the same action that resulted in Sims' death.

Seyford, and another 2-2 Infantry Soldier, Spc. Luis Lopez, were flown, at  Bell’s direction, to the memorial service by UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.

While at the service attended by Bell, the Honorable Matt Rooney, American Counsel General in Munich and many other distinguished personnel, Seyford spoke with the relatives of his former company commander -  comforting the family of a fallen comrade. (Story gathered from multiple sources - provided by 7th ATC PAO)