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Kingwood High graduate killed in Iraqi fighting Nov. 29, 2005, 2:26PM By MELANIE MARKLEY Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
A 24-year-old Army soldier from Houston was killed the day before Thanksgiving during combat in Iraq, the Department of Defense said Monday.Sgt. William B. Meeuwsen was one of two soldiers who died last Wednesday when their unit came under direct fire near Baghdad. The other soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Aram J. Bass, 25, of Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Military officials say the two deaths are under investigation because they may have resulted from friendly fire.Meeuwsen had served in the Army since October 2002 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.He is survived by his wife, Lauren, of Fort Bliss, his parents, Michael and Thresa Meeuwsen, of Kingwood, and a sister, Christine Meeuwsen of Dallas.Meeuwsen, who was born in Mount Vernon, Wash., moved with his family to Kingwood in 1991. He graduated from Kingwood High School in 1999 and attended Texas A&M University for two years before joining the Army.A family friend at the Meeuwsens' Kingwood home said late Monday that the family had requested privacy at this time.A funeral Mass is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Martha Catholic Church in Kingwood, and a Dec. 6 burial will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Ore. Kingwood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.Meeuwsen is believed to be the 182nd Texas service member to have died in Iraq since the war started in March 2003.