For those who knew U.S. Army PFC Kristian Menchaca personally, it is nearly impossible to believe he has been gone for 19 years. Caldwell County Commissioners Court Judge Hoppy Haden and commissioners issued a Proclamation commemorating the anniversary of his death in Iraq on June 16, 2006. Menchaca was a Graduate from the Gary Job Corps Center, then joined the Army assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade 101st Airborne Division. During an insurgent attack on a checkpoint south of Bagdad, Spec. David Babineau was killed and PFC Thomas Tucker and Menchaca were taken prisoners. According to Army sources, Tucker and Menchaca were brutally tortured and killed. Menchaca was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. Pictured are Judge Hoppy Haden; Commissioners B.J. Westmoreland, Ed Theriot, Rusty Horne and Dyral Thomas; Gary Job Corps Corrections/Security Cadets; GJC Instructors Captain Haegele, Captain Wilson and Major Oldbury; and Gary Community Relations Coordinator Randolph Goodman.
