Army 1st Lt. Christopher W. Barnett
Death: Dec 23, 2004
of Baton Rouge La.; assigned to 1st Battalion 156th Armor Regiment 256th Brigade Combat Team Louisiana Army National Guard Shreveport La.; killed Dec. 23 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Baghdad. Louisiana Guardsman killed in Iraq Associated Press BATON ROUGE La. — A Baton Rouge area man 2nd Lt. Christopher W. Barnett was killed by a roadside bomb that exploded near his vehicle in Baghdad last week the Department of Defense said. Barnett32 of Denham Springs was killed early Thursday. He was assigned to the Army National Guard’a 1st Battalion 156th Armor Regiment 256th Brigade Combat team based out of Shreveport. “He believed in what he was doing” his older brother Jim Barnett of Mobile Ala. told The (Baton Rouge) Advocate. “He died doing what he wanted to do.” Barnett had planned to join an active-duty unit again once his tour in Iraq ended his brother said. “He loved being a soldier” Jim Barnett said. “He loved his troops. He lived by duty honor bravery and sacrifice.” But Barnett added Christopher also had a great sense of humor: “He’s about the funniest person I’ve known in my life.” Barnett who attended Glen Oaks High School before his family moved to Jacksonville Fla. lived in Baton Rouge from seventh grade to 10th grade his brother said. He later came back to the state to attend LSU graduating a year ago. He is survived by his wife Amanda in Denham Springs and his parents Bob and Judy who live in the town of Baker near Baton Rouge. Barnett’s was the second of two deaths involving Louisiana military personnel in Iraq last week. Pfc. Lionel Ayro22 of Jeanerette was killed Tuesday when an explosion ripped through a mess tent at a base in Mosul. He was assigned to the 73rd Engineer Company 1st Brigade 25th Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis Wash.