Army Pfc. C. LaWare, 19; Dies After Fire

In a March 17 letter to his cousin, Casey LaWare described adjusting to long work hours and the enjoyment he got from sharing candy with Iraqi children.

“He wanted to be in the Army. He wanted to serve his country,” said the cousin, Kendall Grace, 19, of the Northern California city of Redding.

Army Pfc. Casey M. LaWare, 19, had been in Iraq just three months when he was severely burned in a guard tower fire April 6 in Al Mahmudiyah, relatives said. He died from his injuries three days later at a military hospital in Germany.

The incident was not combat-related and was under investigation, according to the Department of Defense.

LaWare, an infantryman, was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Calvary Regiment from Ft. Irwin, Calif. He was promoted to specialist posthumously.

LaWare, who grew up in Redding, joined the Army in January 2004, shortly after graduating from Enterprise High School. He was part of his troop’s sniper team, and was one of a few to successfully shoot through the middle of a quarter from 100 yards away, said his uncle, Dick Grace, 48. The achievement was a big honor for LaWare, Grace said.

“The hands-on activities from the Army appealed to him,” his uncle said. “He was challenging himself.”

Beneath LaWare’s quiet demeanor was a goofy, fun-loving guy who enjoyed snowboarding at Mt. Shasta and playing basketball with friends.

He was happiest spending time with his family and participating in annual traditions -- gathering at his grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving dinner and cutting down a Christmas tree the next weekend, Kendall Grace said.

LaWare especially cherished summer camping trips to Middle McCloud Falls, where he would jump from the top of the falls and stay up all night talking with cousins and friends.

“We’d stay and talk for hours or we’d just lay there,” Kendall Grace said. “Sometimes we didn’t need to say anything; just being in each other’s company was enough.”

LaWare is survived by his parents, Michael LaWare and Kathy Grace of Redding, and his sister, Autumn LaWare, also of Redding.

A memorial service was held Saturday at North Valley Baptist Church in that city.