Hundreds honor Nevada soldier who died in Iraq

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CARSON CITY — A Northern Nevada soldier who was killed May 12 in Iraq has been remembered as being brave, loyal and a warrior.

The memorial ceremony in Carson City’s Mills Park for Army Sgt. Anthony Schober was attended by about 200 people, including Gov. Jim Gibbons and Rep. Dean Heller.

The 23-year-old sergeant was killed last month in an ambush south of Baghdad and was buried May 24 in Santa Rosa, Calif., where he grew up. He lived in Gardnerville, attended Douglas High School in Minden for two years, then moved to Reno.

In his remarks, Heller said, “We honor a warrior who fought our nation’s enemies.” Heller added, “We pray our country will always be worthy of the sacrifice he made.”

Gibbons said, “We can never be the land of the free without being the home of the brave.”

Schober was serving his third tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed along with four other 10th Mountain Division soldiers south of Baghdad. Two other soldiers remain missing.

Though Schober’s uncle Robert Schober had agreed to be master of ceremonies for the event, the task proved too daunting for the grieving man. Whenever his voice broke and he couldn’t go on, Sen. John Ensign’s representative, Matthew Baril, took over.

Heller presented a flag that had flown over the Capitol in Washington, D.C., and a proclamation signed by himself, Sen. Harry Reid and Ensign to Schober’s father, Edward.

“I believe someday you will be together again,” Heller said.