BY DARCY DOUGHERTY MAULSBY
His family described him as the calm in a storm. He had an endless curiosity about the world. He made the most of every opportunity to learn a new skill.
He was also good to his family’s cat, Autumn.
Such simple details about Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, and yet they resonate with me, a cat lover with an insatiable curiosity.
I never knew Sgt. Coady, but I heard a lot about him after the West Des Moines native was killed in a March 1 airstrike in Kuwait. As soon as I heard the name Coady, my thoughts turned to my friend Becky Coady, whom I met in our 2017-2018 Leadership Iowa class.
Becky and her family are a military family. I hoped this loss wasn’t someone they knew. But Sgt. Coady was a relative. My heart broke.
Sgt. Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023. He received the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon. He served his country with honor, courage and dedication, embodying the best of what it means to wear the uniform.
He died during in early-morning U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. He and fellow Army reservists, including Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien of Indianola, were killed when a drone struck a port in Kuwait. These men and women were supporting Operation Epic Fury, a mission focused on destroying Iran’s missile capabilities.
About a week after the deadly drone strike, family and friends gathered at Drake University to remember Sgt. Coady. “It’s a good thing that it hurts,” said Marty Martin, Drake’s president, who is also a U.S. Air Force veteran and Air Force Reserve veteran. “Whether we knew Declan as a friend, as a member of our family, as a fellow student or one of our students, we respected him and held him in esteem. And losing him hurts.”
Honoring service and sacrifice
Too often in our hectic, fast-paced world, it’s easy for losses like this to make news headlines and then quickly fade away. It’s different, though, for the families, friends and communities closest to those who died.
Those memories can last a lifetime – and beyond. I’m reminded of this each Memorial Day when my family and I place flowers on the graves of our ancestors, including those who served in the U.S. Army more than a century ago.
Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers. I’m grateful this tradition lives on.
Protecting our freedom
Sacrifice is almost a foreign concept in our world today. Yet it’s ingrained in our service members like Sgt. Coady and their families. Some pay the ultimate price.
I’m thankful we still have people who are willing to serve and protect our freedom, including soldiers like Sgt. Coady. Perhaps nothing reflects this spirit better than the Soldier’s Creed from the U.S. Army.
SOLDIER’S CREED
I am an American soldier.
I am a warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert, and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American soldier.
Darcy Dougherty Maulsby lives near her family’s Century Farm northwest of Lake City. Visit her at www.darcymaulsby.com.
