January 26, 2011
Flags lowered to honor war casualty
Under a proclamation signed by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, the United States flag and the Illinois flag are at half-staff at all State of Illinois facilities in honor of a Wayne County soldier killed earlier this month during a training exercise in Iraq.
Flags are to be flown at half-staff from sunrise, Wednesday, Jan. 26, until sunset, Friday, Jan. 28, in honor of U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Patrick Bartley of Barnhill.
Reports said Bartley, 23, died Jan. 15 when a man dressed as an Iraqi soldier smuggled real small arms ammunition into the exercise and opened fire. The attack, at a military base near Mosul, killed Bartley and a second solider, and injured a third soldier.
The investigation into the shooting continues. American forces killed the assailant, according to reports.
Bartley graduated from Fairfield High School in 2007, and was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division at Fort Hood, Texas.