Hero Stories for Florida

Born: April 29, 1971 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts Died: May 2, 2004 in Iraq Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott R. McHugh of Boca Raton Florida grew up in Boca Raton and graduated from Spanish River High in 1989. He loved fishing and playing pool, but never really settled on a career so he attended Palm [.

Cpl. Jonathan D. Porto, 26, of Largo, Florida, died March 14, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Cpl. Porto was assigned to 1st Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. </d

Sgt. Daniel M. Angus, 28, of Thonotosassa, Florida, died January 24, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Sgt. Angus was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. </d

Spc. David A. Croft, Jr., 22, of Plant City, Florida, died January 5, 2010 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. Spc. Croft was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. </d

Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen, 31, of Panama City, Florida, died December 7, 2009, at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit on December 3 with an improvised explosive device in Logar province, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Hansen was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Taylor, 22, of Jacksonville, Florida, died December 1, 2009, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Lance Cpl. Taylor was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. </d

Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Taylor, 22, of Jacksonville, Florida, died December 1, 2009, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Lance Cpl. Taylor was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. </d

Pfc. Derrick D. Gwaltney, 21, of Cape Coral, Florida, died November 29, 2009, south of Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Pfc. Gwaltney was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington. </d

Pfc. Derrick D. Gwaltney, 21, of Cape Coral, Florida, died November 29, 2009, south of Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Pfc. Gwaltney was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington. </d

Chief Warrant Officer Earl R. Scott III, 24, of Jacksonville, Florida, died November 8, 2009, in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries sustained when his OH-58D helicopter crashed. Chief Warrant Officer Scott was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. </d