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Sniper fire kills Elizabethton soldier in Iraq

Published August 1st, 2007 | 2 Comments

NET News Service

A Tennessee National Guard soldier from Elizabethton has been killed in Iraq less than three weeks before he was scheduled to return to the United States.

Stephen Maddies, 41, died in Iraq on Tuesday. He was shot while on duty in a guard tower in Baghdad.

According to Staff Sgt. John Spears, with Troop F of the 278th Regimental Combat Team based at the National Guard Armory in Bristol, Maddies was "doing a right-seat ride" when he was shot.

"He was showing the incoming unit how to do things, and a sniper shot him in the guard tower," Spears said when contacted at his home Wednesday evening.

Spears said family members were notified Tuesday evening of the soldier's death.

This was Maddies' second tour of duty in Iraq, Spears said. He said Maddies' first tour was with the 278th, but this time he volunteered to go back to Iraq with an artillery unit from West Tennessee.

"He was just a really great guy," Spears said. "He was always a happy-go-lucky-type guy. He was real easy to make friends with."

Spears said Maddies had served in the regular Army before joining the National Guard. He said he believed Maddies met his wife while serving in the Army and moved to Elizabethton from California about 10 years ago.

Both Spears and Elizabethton City Councilman Sam Shipley said Maddies has a young daughter who lives in Elizabethton. Spears said he believes Maddies has two older children from a previous marriage. His mother and sister live in Michigan.

Funeral arrangements for Maddies have not been announced, but Shipley said he had been told that burial may be conducted at Arlington National Cemetery.

According to the Associated Press, 3,656 U.S. troops have been killed in fighting in Iraq through the end of July, with six more deaths unconfirmed. Seventy-seven of those deaths occurred in July.

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My deepest condolences to the family... This is a terrible tragedy for everyone in the community. So sorry :(

Ben Swihart | 8/2/2007 - 10:35 AM - ( Comment

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My prayers are with this family!

Megan Fullen | 8/2/2007 - 10:15 AM - ( Comment

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