Iraq War Claims Local Soldier
Former CHS Student Shaun Whitehead Killed Thursday By Roadside Bomb
The war in Iraq claimed its first Jackson County resident last week when Sgt. Shaun J. Whitehead of Commerce was killed by a roadside bomb.
According to the Army, Whitehead, 24, was on foot patrol in Iskandariyah Thursday when an improvised explosive device exploded. He was an infantryman assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
He is survived by his widow, Janie Moore Whitehead, son Gabriel “Gabe” Whitehead, 7, and daughter Janna Moore, 12, all of Fort Campbell, KY; his mother, Rebecca Whitehead, Maysville; a sister, Amber Whitehead; and his grandfather, Coy O’Shield, Maysville.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Evans Funeral Home. For futher information as it becomes available, visit www.mainstreetnews.com.
Assistant superintendent of schools Dr. Joy Tolbert remembers Whitehead as quiet, polite and respectful.
“He transferred from Gwinnett County to our middle school and continued here until tenth grade,” she said. “He was a very reserved young man who sort of kept to himself. He was very likeable and had a lot of friends and had good relationships with his teachers. He was not very outspoken, but when he did speak, he was very respectful with his remarks.”
One of his best friends was Michael Collins, a CHS standout in football and basketball who, after playing football at Clemson University, is a deputy sheriff in South Carolina.
“We basically had everything in common,” Collins recalled in a telephone interview. “We both enjoyed video games, a big bowl of cereal in the morning, even our handwriting was the same. We both enjoyed weapons and knives and playing ninja and stuff. I spent a lot of time at his house with his mom and sister.”
Ironically, the first encounter between the two was not pleasant. They were playing basketball in sixth grade.
“It started with us almost getting into a fight,” Collins said. “I went for a rebound and he undercut me. It’s like two enemies became best friends,” he laughed.
Like Collins, Whitehead played football, but he injured a knee on his first carry in the ninth grade. He left CHS in the tenth grade, but he and Collins remained friends.
“We spent most of the time at his house after we met,” said Collins. “I lived with him a little bit.”
They remained friends after Collins went to college and Whitehead got his GED and joined the Army. Collins visited Whitehead in Kentucky a couple of times.
Collins learned of Whitehead’s death last Thursday when a mutual friend called.
“I just knew by the sound of his voice something was wrong,” he said.
Whitehead joined the Army in 2003. He was due to return to the U.S. at the end of May.
His awards include the Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon and Combat Infantry Badge. He was qualified as “expert” with the M4.
Commerce Police Chief John Gaissert ordered the flags at the J. Nolan Spear Jr. Public Safety Complex flown at half-mast in honor of Whitehead.
