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Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell Shirley Lee, right, the mother of Pvt. Thomas Edward Lee III, holds the hand of her daughter, Ashley Lee, during the soldier's funeral at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Pvt. Lee, 20, died May 29 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when an explosive devise struck his vehicle.
By Laura Galbraith
lgalbraith@timesfreepress.com
Saturday afternoon was a time for mourning and remembrance as hundreds attended the burial service for Army Pvt. Thomas Edward Lee III at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.
“He was just a great kid,” said Wayne Hobbs, Pvt. Lee’s uncle, of LaFayette, Ga. “From the time he was 10-years-old, he was like the man of the house. He took care of everything.”
Pvt. Lee, 20, of Dalton, Ga., died May 29 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when an explosive device struck his vehicle. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division from Fort Hood, Texas.
According to Mr. Hobbs, Pvt. Thomas was very enthusiastic about his military career.
“That’s all he talked about. He did anything and everything he could to get there,” he said.
Pvt. Lee is the 19th person with Tennessee Valley ties to die in service since the war in Iraq began in 2003.
For complete coverage see tomorrow’s Times Free Press.
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