News>Memorial service honors, remembers fallen EOD tech
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Another explosive ordnance disposal badge is placed at the foot of the memorial display after the ceremony for Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an EOD technician with the 96th CES, died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Staff Sgt. Adam Meredith, of the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, fights back tears during a memorial ceremony honoring his friend and fellow Airman, Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th CES, died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
A photo of Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville and his family sits beside his medals as part of a memorial display honoring the explosive ordnance disposal technician at a ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville died June 26, as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Col. Anthony Higdon, commander of the 96th Civil Engineer Group, pins Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville’s bronze star medal onto his son, Daniel Jr at a memorial ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
A memorial display honoring Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, was the centerpiece for a ceremony held at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville died June 26, as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville’s son Daniel Jr., widow LaShana, and daughter Jadelynn listen to the sermon during the memorial ceremony for Douville at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Senior Airman Kyle Massengale, of the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, says goodbye to Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville after a memorial ceremony for him at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an EOD technician with the 96th CES, died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
A memorial display honoring Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, was the centerpiece for a ceremony held at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Daniel Jr., son of Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville, of the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, folds his hands in prayer during the invocation at a memorial ceremony honoring his father at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, died June 26, as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville’s mother, Gertude Hampton, holds her son’s meritorious service medal certificate during a memorial ceremony honoring him at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, died June 26, as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Capt. Jonathan Herman, the 96th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight commander, speaks to a crowd of more than 300 people at a memorial ceremony for Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Eglin’s honor guard post the colors at the beginning of the memorial ceremony honoring Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville died June 26, as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Daniel Jr., son of Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville, of the 96th Civil Engineer Group, looks toward a photo display of his father during his memorial ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, July 14. Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, died June 26, as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Friends, family and the local community turned out to remember and praise his contributions to his country. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
7/18/2011 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Tech. Sgt. Daniel Douville, an explosive ordnance disposal Airman, was remembered and celebrated by friends, family, coworkers and community leaders in a memorial service at the West Gate Chapel July 14.
"As a fellow Airman and commander, I consider it a true honor to have served in our great Air Force with Tech. Sgt. Daniel "P-Nut" Douville," said Col. Anthony Higdon, commander of the 96th Civil Engineer Group. "From my perspective, there is only one way to assess his measure, and that is...as a hero."
The ceremony featured personal reflections from Douville's widow and Airmen who served with him. LaShana encouraged the congregation saying this was not a time for sadness, that her husband wouldn't have it.
Douville died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device on the border of the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Valor and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. It was his third deployment.
"He had a larger than life personality that, as his wife put it this past weekend, destined him for fame," said Capt. Jonathan Herman, 96th EOD flight commander. "(Sergeant Douville) achieved that fame within the EOD community as a top notch team leader."
The captain shared a poignant story of his first mission and demo shot in EOD upgrade training. Douville was his team leader.
"I'm not sure who was more excited, me or P-Nut, but I was also a little nervous of how things were done outside the world of the school house," said the captain, his eyes welling up with tears. "It took nothing more than that infectious smile of his and his saying 'you got this captain, let's get to work,' to calm my nerves and get down to business."
Then the captain read his bronze star citation aloud. At the end of the reading, Higdon pinned the medal onto Douville's 9-year-old son, Daniel Jr's, shirt. Herman's final statement about his friend and fellow Airman reverberated throughout the room and seemed to capture the feeling and mood of the entire chapel.
"Don't be sad we lost our brother," he said. "Instead, stand a little taller, stick your chest out a little further and be proud your life was touched by a superhero. (Fallen EOD tech) Tech. Sgt. Phil Myers once said, 'EOD Techs don't die, they only go to heaven to regroup.' So when God called on a superhero EOD team leader, he picked the best one down here. God's chosen few....we remember."
The ceremony concluded with a roll call by the 96th EOD flight. Each Airman answered to his name until there was silence when Douville's name was called. After the ceremony, every EOD tech in attendance knelt and placed his badge at the foot of the memorial display.
