Swansea man remembered as a 'soldier's soldier'

February 7, 2009 01:40 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

SWANSEA -- Family and friends of Army Sergeant Kyle J. Harrington gathered today at a Swansea funeral home to mourn his death last month in Iraq.

Harrington, 24, who grew up in Swansea, died in Basra on Jan. 24 in what his family has described as a forklift accident.

The Department of Defense has not released information on Harrington's death, which remains under investigation. Harrington was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and was due home in August.

"He was a soldier that everyone wanted to be around," said Brigadier General Tom Cole during the service at the funeral home, Birchcrest Home of Waring Sullivan. "Many of those who knew him called him a 'soldier's soldier.' And the soldiers in this room knows what that means. It means someone who characterized the Army's core values."

Cole presented Harrington's widow, Faith, with the military's Bronze Star medal, which honors bravery and meritorious service.

Harrington and his wife were high school sweethearts. They had two children, Joshua, 5, and Kaylee, 2.

"Kyle was nuts about her, and I could tell just by looking at him that that was it: he was in love," said his father, Dennis, as he eulogized his son.

Harrington's funeral was attended by military and government officials, including Governor Deval Patrick.