One of our staff lost her son in Iraq.

Cody Putman, 22, killed in Iraq
By BOB SCOTT

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/NEWS/704140346/-1/RSS

Family and friends remember Army Spc. Cody Putman as a young man who loved life.

Putman, 22, of Reynolds died Thursday in Baghdad, Iraq. The Department of Defense has not released information, but a car bomb is believed to have killed Putman.

The Anchorage Daily News reported that two bombings Thursday in south Baghdad killed three paratroopers, including Putman. They were all out of Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

Putman was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. He was a member of the 40th Cavalry Regiment.

Cody and his wife, Molly Putman, 20, have a daughter, Madelyn, 3. He is the son of Pam Mow and Harry Putman Sr. of Nappanee, and the stepson of Larry Mow of Lafayette.

About 9 p.m. Thursday, two soldiers accompanied Molly Putman to Pam Mow's home at The Landing subdivision in southern Lafayette. They delivered the tragic news.

"He was just here," said Pam Mow as she wiped her eyes. "It was unreal when they told me.

"I remember saying, 'I can't believe this is happening.' "

Cody came home March 14 on leave. Pam and Larry Mow accompanied Cody's family to Florida for a weeklong vacation. He left for Iraq on March 31.

Putman attended Hershey Elementary School, St. James Lutheran School and East Tipp Middle School in Tippecanoe County. He graduated in 2003 from Twin Lakes High School in Monticello.

Pam Mow also has two other children -- Harry Putman Jr., 27, of Oxford and Tiffany Bricker, 25, of Sterling Heights, Mich.

Pam Mow, who works at Purdue University, said the March 17 through 25 vacation in Florida was a "joyous" trip.

"Cody parasailed, bungee jumped, and went to Sea World and Disney World," said his mother.

"Every day was a new adventure. We all had a wonderful time."

Larry Mow, a self-employed painter, said he almost didn't go to Florida because of work commitments.

"I'm so glad that I went. I was honored that Cody invited me," he said.

Larry and Pam Mow were married in 1998, but they had been friends for years.

"I knew Cody since he was an infant," Larry said. "I will miss his smile.

"We had our final dinner at Little Mexico II. It was emotional. As we said goodbye in the parking lot, I put my arm around him and said, 'You are a great guy.' "

He said Cody and Molly Putman were married last September.

"He went to Iraq three days later," Larry said.