Alexander Alumni Killed In Line Of Duty To Be Honored

DOUGLASVILLE, GA – Alexander High School soccer boosters, choral and JROTC departments will observe a memorial moment of silence Tuesday, March 27, 2018 in honor of AHS alumni who gave their lives for their country. The AHS girls’ Lady Cougars varsity team will play Douglas County High School that day at 5:30 p.m. at Cougar Stadium. The military appreciation tribute will begin at 7 p.m.

Following the memorial ceremony, the AHS soccer boys' game will begin at 7:30 p.m. Members of the military with a military ID will receive free admission to the game. The following Alexander High alumni will be honored that night:

Staff Sergeant Joshua 'Josh' Bowden, 28, of Villa Rica, assigned to 242nd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 71st Ordnance Group (EOD), Fort Carson, Colorado died Aug. 31 in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire. His awards included the Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, Purple Heart, Joint Defense Meritorious Service Medal, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

(For more news like this, sign up for Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news in Douglasville — or other neighborhoods. Access Patch on the go with our iPhone app or our brand new app for Android phone users.)

Lance Cpl. Scott Daniel “Boots” Harper , 21, of Winston, assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Harper died Oct. 13, 2011 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

Army Sgt. Thomas Strickland of Douglasville, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 108th Armor Regiment, Georgia Army National Guard, Calhoun, Georgia. Strickland died Aug. 15, 2005 in Iraq. His awards included the Bronze Star Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

The memorial moment of silence event started in 2014, when Josh Bowden, a 2003 Alexander graduate and Douglas County Soccer player of the year died in action in Afganistan.

Photos courtesy Douglas County School System