Army Corporal Nicholas Arvantis
October 5, 1984 ~ October 6, 2006
Operation Iraqi Freedom
1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC
22, of Salem, NH; killed in action by enemy fire encountered in Bayji, Iraq.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC
22, of Salem, NH; killed in action by enemy fire encountered in Bayji, Iraq.
Nick grew up and attended schools in Salem, NH, graduating from Salem High School in 2003. He participated in Pop Warner football, Little League and soccer, but his passion was music. He was on the high school wrestling team. Friends remember, even in defeat - when another wrestler pinned him - he kept a huge grin on his face. He was also a Sea Cadet.
Nick’s greatest passion was music. He played guitar in the jazz band and sousaphone in the high school marching band. He marched with the band in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA. Marty Claussen, who directed the marching band and jazz ensemble at Salem High, said Nick was a go-to guy. He had asked Nick, a baritone player, to switch to the cumbersome sousaphone for a march in the Tournament of Roses. Another time, he asked him to fill in for a guitar player in a percussion ensemble. Nick had only a week to learn the music that others had worked on for months, but he didn't panic or hesitate to accept, said Claussen.
Nick was a heavy metal enthusiast and loved to play Pantera songs. He formed a heavy metal band, Thrall, with his friends Brandon and Billy and they often played at the Sad Cafe in Plaistow. Friends say he had a lust for life that wasn't easy to contain. He rattled windows when he played guitar with his band. At concerts, he started mosh pits, slamming himself into the biggest guys he could find.
Nick hoped to pursue a career in music but after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he felt compelled to enlist in the military, passing up a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. "After Sept. 11, Nick told me he had to do what had to be done," said Robert Stickney, the father of one of Nick's closest friends, Keith Stickney. "He said his music could wait." He loved his country and wanted to defend it like his two grandfathers, both who served in the Navy, one in World War II.
Nick joined the United States Army before he turned 18 and had to have his mother sign forms to allow him to join. Nick knew what each tassel and ribbon on his uniform symbolized and was proud of the history of his unit, the 82nd Airborne Division. He once told his sister how awe-struck he was during an opportunity he had to meet World War II veterans from unit.
Nick was a paratrooper, a corporal and squadron leader. He had already served a combat tour in Afghanistan when he volunteered to go to Iraq in August 2006. "He wanted to be a major player in the war," said his sister, Kim, who tried to persuade him to take a recruiting job he was offered after his first tour. "All he would say to me was, 'I want to go with my guys. I want to get them through this and get them all home.' “.
Nick turned 22 while on a night mission in Iraq. As hours of his birthday dwindled away, he and his unit faced a large firefight. With only half an hour left of the day, one of his fellow soldiers mashed together three fudge cookies and presented the small mound to Nicholas. He took one bite and then passed around the makeshift cake to share with his team. That, said a fellow soldier in an e-mail to Arvanitis family, is just the kind of guy he was.
One night, just before their unit shipped out in August, a large group of soldiers went to a club. There was a live band playing and Nick jumped onto stage, grabbed a guitar and began to play. He was playing so hard he dropped his pick, but he kept rocking.
Family and friends say Nick loved being part of a team, whether it was the jazz band, the marching band or the wrestling team or his Army unit. He was not intimidated by challenges or sacrifices he had to make to be part of a group. The last time Nick was home was for the funeral of LCpl. Robert Moscillo, a Marine from Salem who was killed in action in Iraq.
Nick completed Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, GA, in December 2003 and the Basic Airborne Course in January 2004. He reported to Fort Bragg, NC, in March 2004 and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in April 2004. He deployed to Afghanistan in the fall of 2004 in support of the Afghan elections and deployed to Iraq in July 2006 as a member of 3rd Brigade Combat Team in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He was a great role model. Young guys looked up to him and leaders counted on him. Nick loved his family and his friends and will be sadly missed by everyone that knew him. His smile will forever live in the hearts of those that loved him. A music scholarship had been started in Nick’s memory and contributions may be made to: “The Nicholas Arvanitis Scholarship Fund”, c/o Sovereign Bank, 125 Main St, Salem, NH 03079.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist’s Badge, and Expert Weapons Qualification Badge.
Nick is survived by his mother Maureen Arvanitis; father Richard Arvanitis; sister Kimberly Arvanitis; and his extended family.
Nick’s greatest passion was music. He played guitar in the jazz band and sousaphone in the high school marching band. He marched with the band in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA. Marty Claussen, who directed the marching band and jazz ensemble at Salem High, said Nick was a go-to guy. He had asked Nick, a baritone player, to switch to the cumbersome sousaphone for a march in the Tournament of Roses. Another time, he asked him to fill in for a guitar player in a percussion ensemble. Nick had only a week to learn the music that others had worked on for months, but he didn't panic or hesitate to accept, said Claussen.
Nick was a heavy metal enthusiast and loved to play Pantera songs. He formed a heavy metal band, Thrall, with his friends Brandon and Billy and they often played at the Sad Cafe in Plaistow. Friends say he had a lust for life that wasn't easy to contain. He rattled windows when he played guitar with his band. At concerts, he started mosh pits, slamming himself into the biggest guys he could find.
Nick hoped to pursue a career in music but after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he felt compelled to enlist in the military, passing up a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. "After Sept. 11, Nick told me he had to do what had to be done," said Robert Stickney, the father of one of Nick's closest friends, Keith Stickney. "He said his music could wait." He loved his country and wanted to defend it like his two grandfathers, both who served in the Navy, one in World War II.
Nick joined the United States Army before he turned 18 and had to have his mother sign forms to allow him to join. Nick knew what each tassel and ribbon on his uniform symbolized and was proud of the history of his unit, the 82nd Airborne Division. He once told his sister how awe-struck he was during an opportunity he had to meet World War II veterans from unit.
Nick was a paratrooper, a corporal and squadron leader. He had already served a combat tour in Afghanistan when he volunteered to go to Iraq in August 2006. "He wanted to be a major player in the war," said his sister, Kim, who tried to persuade him to take a recruiting job he was offered after his first tour. "All he would say to me was, 'I want to go with my guys. I want to get them through this and get them all home.' “.
Nick turned 22 while on a night mission in Iraq. As hours of his birthday dwindled away, he and his unit faced a large firefight. With only half an hour left of the day, one of his fellow soldiers mashed together three fudge cookies and presented the small mound to Nicholas. He took one bite and then passed around the makeshift cake to share with his team. That, said a fellow soldier in an e-mail to Arvanitis family, is just the kind of guy he was.
One night, just before their unit shipped out in August, a large group of soldiers went to a club. There was a live band playing and Nick jumped onto stage, grabbed a guitar and began to play. He was playing so hard he dropped his pick, but he kept rocking.
Family and friends say Nick loved being part of a team, whether it was the jazz band, the marching band or the wrestling team or his Army unit. He was not intimidated by challenges or sacrifices he had to make to be part of a group. The last time Nick was home was for the funeral of LCpl. Robert Moscillo, a Marine from Salem who was killed in action in Iraq.
Nick completed Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, GA, in December 2003 and the Basic Airborne Course in January 2004. He reported to Fort Bragg, NC, in March 2004 and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in April 2004. He deployed to Afghanistan in the fall of 2004 in support of the Afghan elections and deployed to Iraq in July 2006 as a member of 3rd Brigade Combat Team in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He was a great role model. Young guys looked up to him and leaders counted on him. Nick loved his family and his friends and will be sadly missed by everyone that knew him. His smile will forever live in the hearts of those that loved him. A music scholarship had been started in Nick’s memory and contributions may be made to: “The Nicholas Arvanitis Scholarship Fund”, c/o Sovereign Bank, 125 Main St, Salem, NH 03079.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist’s Badge, and Expert Weapons Qualification Badge.
Nick is survived by his mother Maureen Arvanitis; father Richard Arvanitis; sister Kimberly Arvanitis; and his extended family.