The household of a extremely adorned Marine officer who went lacking within the early days of Ukraine’s name for overseas volunteer fighters now says the person died combating Russian forces.
Grady Kurpasi, who went lacking in June 2022, was killed in motion, in response to a GoFundMe crowdfunding publish made by a buddy of the household. The publish doesn’t present a date or estimate of when he died.
“Grady went to coach troopers however because of the depth of the struggle and the necessity for combat-experienced leaders, Grady ended up main a squad into battle,” the publish learn.
Learn Subsequent: Officers Investigating Graffiti of Swastikas and Racial Slur at Air Pressure Base
Kurpasi is survived by his spouse — Heeson Kim — and their 14-year-old daughter.
A spokeswoman for GoFundMe confirmed that the fundraiser is “verified and all funds will probably be safely delivered to Captain Kurpasi’s spouse, Heeson Kim.”
Kurpasi’s dying would make him at the least the seventh American killed within the battle with Ukraine, in response to a tally by The Related Press.
Kurpasi had an extended and storied service within the Marine Corps that spanned nearly the complete size of the International Struggle on Terror.
In response to particulars launched by the Marine Corps, Kurpasi enlisted simply two months after Sept. 11, 2001, and deployed to Iraq 3 times. Alongside the best way, he earned a Fight Motion Ribbon and a Purple Coronary heart, in addition to a number of Navy and Marine Corps Achievement and Commendation medals.
The publish, which went up Saturday, stated that Kurpasi “went from working as a pc programmer making glorious cash to being an Marine Infantry Assaultman … on the age of 29.” He did not keep within the infantry lengthy, although. The publish stated that after his first deployment, Kurpasi turned a Marine scout sniper and deployed a number of extra occasions to Iraq.
Data present Kurpasi was ultimately chosen to turn out to be an infantry officer and made the rank of captain in 2015. He retired from the Corps in November 2021.
“After retiring from the Marine Corps, Grady felt obligated to help in Ukraine as they defended their nation towards the Russian invasion,” the publish learn.
Kurpasi’s disappearance was reported inside days of the information that two different American veterans additionally went lacking within the war-torn nation. Alexander Drueke, a 39-year-old Army veteran, had served as a “chemical operations specialist” and left the service as a employees sergeant, and Andy Huynh, a 27-year-old “engineer gear operator,” had been a corporal within the Marines.
The pair had been later confirmed to have been captured by Russian-backed forces and launched in a prisoner swap after a number of months.
The final American identified to have died within the battle was Daniel W. Swift, a former member of the Navy SEALs who, in response to official information, abandoned the service in March 2019. His dying was reported in January 2023.
— Konstantin Toropin will be reached at konstantin.toropin@army.com. Comply with him on Twitter @ktoropin.
Associated: How 2 American Veterans Ended Up in Ukraine, Prisoners of Russian-Armed Militants
