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[hit play for soundtrack]
The Register reports that Army Ranger Sgt. Tyler N. Holtz, 22, died Saturday from wounds suffered during heavy fire with insurgents. At Mater Dei High School, Tyler played as an offensive and defensive lineman. He’d planned on joining the military since he was a junior, and his coach Bruce Rollinson thought the world of him:
“He led by example,” Rollinson said. “No task was too tough. Anything we asked him to do, he just took off and did it… It’s a cliché, but he’s the kind of guy we’re very lucky was defending our country”
This was the 22-year-old rifleman’s fourth deployment to Afghanistan. The military site Shadow Spear tells us:
“Sgt. Tyler Holtz was a courageous and incredibly talented Ranger who died while leading his men against determined insurgents,” said Lt. Col. David Hodne, commander of 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment. “Tyler Holtz personified the Ranger Creed to the final moments of his life and his actions inspire us to do the same. We will honor his memory and mourn his loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Holtz family.”
“Sgt. Holtz had the stuff from which legends are made and possessed the character which makes up the foundations that our Army and nation are built on,” said Col. Mark W. Odom, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Already decorated for his service, Tyler was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart and Joint Service Achievement Medal. Now he joins the roster of young Orange County men lost in combat in the Bush-Obama wars since 2003:
- 9-24-2011, Afghanistan Tyler Holtz, 22, of Dana Point
- 3-4-2011, Afghanistan Jordan Stanton, 20, of Rancho Santa Margarita
- 3-3-2011, Afghanistan Jason Weaver, 22, of Anaheim
- 1-15-2011, Iraq Jose A Torre Jr., 21, of Garden Grove
- 6-28-2007, Iraq Shin W. Kim, 23, of Fullerton
- 6-23-2007, Iraq Shane Stinson, 23, of Fullerton
- 4-12-2007, Iraq Daniel Santee, 21, of Mission Viejo
- 1-28-2007, Iraq Cornell Chao, 36, of Orange
- 1-15-2007, Iraq Mark Daily, 23, of Irvine
- 9-29-2006, Iraq Michael Monsoor, 25, of Garden Grove
- 4-25-2006, Iraq Raymond L. Henry, 21, of Anaheim
- 4-12-2006, Iraq Marcus Glimpse, 22, of Huntington Beach
- 2-14-2006, Iraq Michael Probst, 26, of Irvine
- 1-27-2006, Iraq Hugo Lopez-Lopez, 20, of La Habra
- 5-26-2005, Iraq Ricardo Crocker, 39, of Mission Viejo
- 3-28-2005, Iraq Samuel S. Lee, 19, of Anaheim
- 1-29-2005, Iraq Keith Edward Taylor, 47, of Irvine
- 12-28-2005, Iraq Pablito Pena Briones Jr., 22, of Anaheim
- 11-9-2005, Iraq William C. James, 24, of Huntington Beach
- 11-7-2005, Iraq Quoc Binh Tran, 26, of Mission Viejo
- 10-13-2004, Iraq Charles Soltes Jr, 36, of Irvine
- 9-10-2004, Iraq Edgar P. Declan Jr, 24, of Cypress
- 9-6-2004, Iraq Derek Gardner, 20, of San Juan Capistrano
- 6-26-2004, Iraq Manuel Ceniceros, 23, of Santa Ana
- 6-19-2004, Iraq Sean Horn, 19, of Irvine
- 5-29-2004, Iraq Rafael Reynoso-Suarez, 28, of Santa Ana
- 5-1-2004, Iraq Trevor Wine, 22, of Orange
- 4-13-2004, Iraq Victor Rosales-Lomeli, 29, of Westminster
- 4-8-2004, Iraq William Harrell, 30, of Placentia
- 3-13-2004, Iraq Joel Brattain, 21, of Yorba Linda – Brea
- 1-31-2004, Iraq Eliu Mier-Sandoval, 27, of San Clemente
- 11-29-2003, Iraq Stephen Bertolino, 40, of Orange
- 3-23-2003, Iraq Jose Angel Garibay, 21, of Orange

Tyler's "pride and joy," his 2003 Silverado (photo Daily Kos)
Of course this list doesn’t include all the physically and mentally wounded from these wars, who are not counted as meticulously, but are roughly twentyfold.
It also doesn’t include the numerous suicides and reckless deaths of the troops who have already come home.
It doesn’t include all the contractors and civilians who have lost their lives assisting in these engagements.
Nor, I think, does it include accidents and illnesses suffered overseas – for example we remember how our South County Congressional candidate Bill Hedrick’s son nearly died of heat stroke a few years ago in Iraq.
The Orange Juice salutes the bravery and selflessness of Sergeant Holtz and these other young men, and we offer our sincere condolences to their families and friends.
[Now, can someone remind me why we’re STILL in Afghanistan and Iraq? I seem to have forgotten… -ed]
“Of course this list doesn’t include all the physically and mentally wounded”……. Hmmmm
I didn’t know that you have served your country Mater Dei Nelson.
Im so tired of hearing about these kinds of losses to our country and community. God Bless this young man and his family and friends.
Just think.
Of the hundreds of thousands of americans who have not died in the wars.
I expect that each bleeding heart will tomorrow morning go and write a check for one hundred dollars payable to their nearest American Legion Post, to show your support for the deceased American military personnel.
Exact opposite should happen cook!
Militarism can be stopped only by cutting support for it.
Every war starts by saying: “I am against war but I support our boys”
Stop supporting the boys and there will be no war!
Non of the wars since WWII had anything to do with the USA.
No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
George S. Patton
Long time ago in 1964, I sign myself to fight in Vietnam if the old CSSR would go to war (obviously in support of the Vietcong). I was 18.1/2 and stupid and felt that I would be a hero in the eye of my girlfriend who didn’t gave a shit about me and was screwing someone else.
Luckily we didn’t go and I am life today so I can tell young people: Fuck your country’s wars until your country will be attacked. Listen to George S. Patton
Cook likes war, Stanley.
Do I read correctly that in 1964 Fiala the Exile signed up “to fight in Vietnam … (obviously in support of the Vietcong)”? Now I begin to understand his game.
Stan you misinterpret the meaning of my post.
A donation to the local American Legion post would help the non-profits carry on their public benefit mission.
…………………………………………………
SCHEDULE O
(Form 990) Internal Revenue Service , Department of the Treasury
(open to public inspection)
PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF DECEASED VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF
THE ARMED FORCES AND TO COMFORT THEIR SURVIVORS
TO ASSIST VETERANS WITH CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
I does no matter cook!
Support is sport and I do not see these guys heroes.
…
The all volunteer armies are usually very brutal.
…
[The rest of Stanley’s comment deleted … this is a story about Tyler Holtz, whom nobody here is going to dis – ed]
I should add cook that major problem is USA communism as perpetuated by idiots like NELSON.
I cant wait when this USA COMMUNIST BULLISH GOES BANKRUPT.
Stan, You are showing the fruits of your upbringing in an eastern block country.
In your birth country and those around it, the citizens are a product of the state, to do with whatever the rulers desires. The individual has no value.
In the USA, the people born here are raised to believe that the individual has value and are not property of the state.
So here, when a citizen gives up their civil rights to serve in the military, for the common good of our society, a debt is created and owed for those who have served and especially those who have died in this service. This is a debt of gratitude from society.
“In the USA, the people born here are raised to believe that the individual has value and are not property of the state.”…….. Hmmmmm
Times are changing Cook, It use to be that way and that is why I am here.
With end of the could war the exact posit is true.
The value of an individual is directly proportional to socialism and taxation without representation.
You have no idea how USA citizens are valueless in the world today and enslaved by their own government.
For example if I would move to CR to live there I would have to pay USA taxes same as I am here until I would gave up my USA citizenship…. No citizen of any country is brutalized that way.
Do you know that my USA government does not allow me to trade with higher leverage than 50:1 yet all other citizens around the world can trade 500:1? See CFTC and Dodd-Frank Act. regulations.
There are million rules which you will not get ever involved with in your lifestyle of little old man riding tricycle in Santa Ana but in the world’s theater you would find out that you are total slave compare to any other citizen of any other country.
This is why everything is going down the hill here.
It started by Bush after 9/11 but you have no idea how Obama democrats damaged your freedoms globally and how they embarrassed you globally.
Believe me!,,,, In 1969 when I came this country it was golden and as you said.
NO MORE!!!!
China just lunched first module of their space station and USA relies on Russia to get up and down to their station because they have no money due to gov employes unionized pensions.
USA is fighting 3 useless wars and many CIA covered operations around the world funded by drug money and everyone hates us accept for ultra poor uneducated Latinos.
You do not see Germans tripping all over themselves to immigrate to USA and most Expats are returning back to CR See http://www.expats.cz/
You must get out of your Santa Ana cocoon and look at the calendar cook.
Same as Stalin’s iron fist killed his opposition Leon Trotsky in Mexico city so did communist Obama’s iron fist killed USA citizen Anwar al-Awlaki Yemen.
Folks we have full blown Obama communism Stalinist stile in the White House.
Pack your belongings and report to bolshevik Vern Nelson who handles deportation in the Orange County to Obama’s gulags!
I love your wit Mr. Exile:0)
My take on the Iraq, middle east wars, is that you cannot and never will be able to fight an enemy you can’t see.
With all their might and years of civil war and British troops present in catholic communities in the North of Ireland, they had no idea, who was friend and who was foe and died ALOT on the streets because of it.
The only thing to do is stop travel and doing business with the middle east and the greedy Arabs will take care of their own. And of course get out of Israel’s way and let them take care of business!
“For example if I would move to CR to live there I would have to pay USA taxes same as I am here until I would gave up my USA citizenship…. No citizen of any country is brutalized that way.” >>> Not really Stan (hint, foreign income exclusion) <<<<
When I was in Vietnam, I paid NO taxes on any income. Still I was a US citizen. (1970’s)
I am going into Riverside today to see my nephew, he is back in USA for a week or so then back to Kabul to earn some more of that tax free money.
“When I was in Vietnam, I paid NO taxes on any income. Still I was a US citizen. (1970’s)”…………. Hmmmm
I told you that it was totally different country in 70’s… wake up cook.
Why should I even be required to file any income tax if I am resident of other country.
What it is to these Bolsheviks what I do there if I do not use any of USA services?….. Huh?
As I said no other citizen of any other country has to do that.
Do Mexicans living here file any income tax to Mexico?
Point is that USA considers me their property a subject of USA not as sovereign individual as provided by the constitution.
It is constitution stupid!!!!!
Hold it!…..I hear drone flying over my hose armed with hellfire missile.
I guess Obama does not like me!
Hey Stan, did I tell you that when I worked with the regular census, we had taken a HHC to every housing unit in Santa Ana and did a GPS tag on the front door. So I guess you could say “They know where you live”
So when the drones fly by and release the hellfire, DO NOT STAND NEAR THE FRONT DOOR.
Well, the google maps are more accurate.
Drones are popular now especially when equipped with facial recognition. I hope that Obama will not go after you during the Christmas time. Lot of children may not get their toys due to the shortage of Santa Clause person.
Same ea red light cameras, it will happen sooner that you may think especially with moron mongoloids as the city council.
LOL. Cook does look like Santa Claus. If Santa Claus were a half-mad Vietnam vet.
This article is about Tyler Holtz who died bravely for our country not about what you don’t like about America. The easiest way to fix your problem if you don’t like our government is to LEAVE and go somewhere else. I’ll pitch in money for your departure.
The beautiful thing about this brave young man is that he died for ALL Americans freedom, those that love this country and those that don’t. God Bless him and his family for their sacrifice!
Note – this comment is directed at Stanley not me (I think.) And I agree with it.
Except for the part that you should leave the country instead of trying to change it.
I believe that you are correct Nelson.
Keven,
No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
George S. Patton
When I will fight for my country (USA) you will notice it!
You moron mongoloid.
Kevins…..Thank you for your “Re-Focus” on the concept that this blog is to notify us, and to honor the sacrifice of an American Soldier. Sgt. Tyler Holtz. A young man of defined bravery and courage. A young man filled with love of God and Country and Family. A young man whose commitment to the security of this great nation, as well as to the tenets of liberty and justice for all. And to those of you who would use this forum to “stump” your ideas of non-warfare, government hatred and the rest of the politically vitriolic bile you are spewing, take it somewhere else!! Take it to the stairs of the U.S. Capitol, where it belongs. This is for Tyler. A young man who freely stood forward, accepted the commitment and the sacrifice that went with it all, and gave it his all. This was Tyler. One hundred percent, One hundred percent of the time!!! I knew Tyler – a proud U.S. Army Ranger who fought for the concepts of freedom around the world, and the security of his own homeland. His smile was big as all outside, and he was a fun-loving individual filled with honor and valor. He is loved, and he will be missed..
He was: the man, the myth, the legend. He was a God among men, a true AMERICAN HERO. Tyler you and not only one of my oldest friends, but a my inspiration and my HERO. Rest well buddy, I will see you on the other side.
My heart goes out to all of the Holtz Family
“[Now, can someone remind me why we’re STILL in Afghanistan and Iraq? I seem to have forgotten… -ed] ”
_________
Go fuck yourself Ed.