Local Soldier Killed In Iraq
Kennedy Attended Xaverian Brothers High
UPDATED: 6:33 pm EDT April 9, 2007
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/newsarchive/11590685/detail.htmlBOSTON --
Army Sgt. Adam Kennedy, a rock climbing enthusiast and Norwich University graduate who
began his first tour of duty in Iraq last fall, was killed by a blast from an improvised
explosive device south of Baghdad, his family said Monday.
Family members didn't immediately know any additional details of the circumstances of
Sunday's attack, his father, David Kennedy, and mother, Nancy Smyth, said by telephone
from the family home in Norfolk.
Kennedy, 25, served in a 4th Brigade infantry division based in Fort Richardson, Alaska,
and was sent to his first tour in Iraq in October.
"His lifelong ambition was to be in the military," his father said.
"He really loved the discipline, and the physical conditioning."
Kennedy's unit provided security for an Army colonel, clearing hidden explosives and
otherwise ensuring safe passage for convoys. The work frequently put Kennedy's unit in danger
- a reality that became clear to his family when he returned for a 10-day leave late last year.
"He was obviously subdued, and changed by the danger," his father said.
David Kennedy said his son telephoned him last Thursday, and told him he would be on special
duty requiring him to be out of contact for about a month.
Despite the risks, in December Kennedy made a commitment to remain with the Army for another
six years, his father said.
Kennedy, who was single, graduated from Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood in 2000.
He graduated from Norwich University, a private military college in Northfield, Vt.,
in 2004, majoring in computer science, according to a statement from the university.
At Norwich, he spent time away from his studies rock-climbing in the Green Mountains,
and participated in a cold weather rescue team, his parents said.
Although he had little background as a runner, last year he finished a marathon during
a break from military training in Alaska.
"He ran a respectable time his first time out," his father said.
Arrangements for a funeral in Norfolk were pending.
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 3287
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 5