PFC Brett Andre Walton Latest Oregon Iraqi Freedom Casualty

PFC Brett Walton was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Ft. Carson, Colorado. He was recently promoted to Private First Class.

(SALEM) - A 37-year old soldier killed in Iraq this week is a Portland native, father and husband. Private First Class Brett Walton died April 9th at approximately 6:00 PM while conducting combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq.

PFC Walton's HUMMWV or "Humvee" was struck by and improvised explosive device. Brett Walton was the driver of the vehicle and was killed by the explosion.

PFC Walton was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Ft. Carson, Colorado. He was recently promoted to Private First Class.

Born in Portland, Ore. on January 30, 1970, Walton was a graduate of Grant High School in Portland. He entered the U.S. Army on Sept. 13, 2006 and was deployed to Iraq on March 10, 2007.

Brett Walton told his family when he signed up that, "I want to do something to be part of the solution, to make a difference to the people of Iraq." Prior to his enlistment into the U.S. Army, Walton was a resident of Portland, Ore.

He is survived by his wife Lindsay, daughter Sydney, age 5 of Sherwood, Ore., father Phillip Walton of Portland, mother Cassandra Phillips of Tigard, sisters Cheryl and Kathleen and brother John.

A memorial service is being planned at the Solid Rock Church located at 10500 SW Nimbus, Building T in Tigard, Ore. with internment at Willamette National Cemetery.

Cards and letters should be sent to the Walton Family in care of the Public Affairs Office, Oregon National Guard at P.O. Box 14350, Salem, Ore. 97309-5047.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be sent in Memory of Private First Class Brett A. Walton to Shepherd's Door, at 13207 NE Halsey, Portland, Ore. 97230. This is a branch of the Portland Rescue Mission which works with homeless families consisting of a unmarried mother with two or three small children, many of whom have experienced violence and most lack work skills, access to child care or access to jobs necessary to support their families.

The focus of Shepherd's Door is to break the generational cycle of homelessness and to provide a way to generational healing. All of the women in the program and many of the children have experienced childhood abuse or trauma. By providing a long-term program individualized to each woman and child's needs, families are able to grow and break the cycle of generational trauma.

A Savings Account has been established in Sydney Walton's name as a means to provide for higher education. Donations can be sent to Sydney Walton Savings at the Rivermark Credit Union, 4875 SW Griffith Drive, Beaverton, Ore. 97005.

Salem-News.com Top Stories

2025: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Two Wars with No Way Out

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Albert Marnell April 21, 2007 8:47 pm (Pacific time)

Poor Eagle Point, Poor Jackson County

Sooth April 19, 2007 12:10 pm (Pacific time)

No beer, 25 single malt scotch, sparingly. My farm, aka TARA II, needs my full concentration...too many runaways need "caughtin'".

Albert Marnell April 17, 2007 2:14 am (Pacific time)

Sooth, Sayer, Sharpton, Murphy, Marx etc. You use so many "handles" but never your real name. It is hard to keep up, but you will go on my ignore list. You are not on the level that I expect of people over a certain age and gave you so much information, time and effort, but your pig-headed resistance prevents you from growing, not learning and staying stagnant. Enjoy your beer and playing with your G.I. Joe. 73's

Sooth April 15, 2007 6:24 pm (Pacific time)

Marnell: Whew!

Albert Marnell April 15, 2007 2:57 pm (Pacific time)

The most important thing that President Kennedy tried to do which is not general knowledge was to dismantle the Federal Reserve System. He knew it was just a euphemism for Rockefeller and Friends. David Rockefeller's picture and other global bankers should really be on U.S. currency. Federal Reserve allowed to be created by Woodrow Wilson in 1913 and was one of his death bed regrets. Kennedy may have been killed for his efforts but conspiracy information is too limited to know the real reason. He was not killed by Jets crashing into him or was it Lee Harvey Oswald, or was it Jack Ruby.....there really is not much difference....it was an op. Real reason unknown but is still a form of domestic terrorism to have a president assasinated. Same place, different location concept.

Sooth April 15, 2007 10:47 am (Pacific time)

Sure, free speech should have it's limitations. The point I was making is that it's pretty unlikely you'll go to jail for your speech here in America (Don't yell fire in a moviehouse tho'), whereas in most other places you will, or worse. Hopefully it will soon be a crime to burn our flag here, afterall that's what the majority of American's want. As usual someone like a Kennedy is ignoring the will of the people.

Sooth April 15, 2007 9:48 am (Pacific time)

Marnell, you provide a wonderful object for study. Thank you.

Selective Free Speech April 14, 2007 8:54 pm (Pacific time)

Free Speech? We have Free Speech? What about what happened to Imus? Can you say Heil Hitler in front of a Jewish Temple without possible arrest. Don't talk about Free Speech Sooth. All countries have their limitations. There are things that you can say in Europe that you can't say here. Burn an American Flag in Sweden and see if people don't squirt lighter fluid on the fire.

Albert Marnell April 14, 2007 8:34 pm (Pacific time)

Sooth, I learned at a very early age not to follow the crowd. I can think for myself and am not hampered by outside influences. I need nothing and no one but myself which has brought me to the level of awareness that most people strive for there whole lives. By the way, when Vietnam was on only the people that had no other option went....maybe a few confused sheep. In my neighborhood it was considered shameful if you did not aspire to something at a higher level where you could break new ground in any field. I do not think that Einstein was a fan of "Group Think". I do however listen to people out of courtesy and with the hope that I might hear something intelligent, even with limited people like you. The answers do not come from other people. They come from within ones self and studious observation of the outside environment. All of the boys in my school that were jocks lost out later in life. They never could think for themselves. You see my experience as a deficit, most people that know me are envious. And I do respect and listen to insightful people, you are just not one of them. And after all of our wasted energy you still do not get the concept, I have said that I do not like any government or country. I like certain people but things like cities and countries.....give me a break. You think you have me pigeon holed and I have to laugh. You probably do not know who William Casey was but he did not live and die far from where I grew up. Because I got sucked into a political team, a political team that thinks like you, I got to meet Mr. Casey because he was connected to the mother of a friend. The mother was the epitome of evil. So at 15 I was in the home of the head of the C.I.A. and this evil woman that I let manipulate me because I was close to her daughter. We both talk about it today. Casey is long dead, Reagan had to show up in Roslyn Harbor for the funeral. I was so gun ho about what these ultra-Conservatives said because I was a naive young man and did not know what these people really stood for. I never met a truly together person who served in the military that did not trash it when he was done with service. I had relatives in the German Army in both wars and American relatives that were in the American Army. I found it very interesting comparing notes from people that I knew very well and could tell all. Let's give it a rest. Your comments about athletics ring stupid. I have been independently athletic my whole life but did not like teams because I need to tell others what to do. I can not let mental inferiors direct me. It is like having a child run your life. Also, you mentioned culture. What is culture to you....hamburgers and gas stations and car dealerships? When was the last time you went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Frick Museum or anything cultural or how about foreign film. Can you stand to read subtitles? I know the answer. I also have a feeling that your level of knowledge of human sexuality is that of 12 year old. You think that there is only one way to live. Getting married and having kids is fine. But many married couples do not have or even want kids. Are they wrong? Most of my peers are now divorced and are either living on their own or on their third failing marriage. Most of their kids are messed up regardless of economics. I can read your innuendo like a book. A book written by a very limited human being who does not get respect because he does not give it. Are you going to be 70 and still going to football games, having fantasies of lost youth and unfilled dreams? A perpetual teenager? Sad! You are a crowd follower and your whole life could never think for yourself. As far as not giving your name, you are the one that has no ball bearings and what is wrong with the vitamin C in Strawberries? With all that you profess to know, you know nothing. I do not see Europeans coming here anymore, only people from real backward third world countries. Everyone is not coming here and many are becoming expatriates because people want more than hamburgers, gas stations and cars. Goodbye Archie Bunker.

Sooth April 14, 2007 6:16 pm (Pacific time)

I'm curious Marnell, do you jingle ball bearings in your hand and profess a longing for strawberries? I'm taking a guess now, but you've never been in the military, never played college or high school sports "or" never really participated in any kind of competetive team sports, these kind of experiences sometimes affords the individual to appreciate concepts like, say, synergy and group problem-solving, brainstorming, etc. . You have no children,no real ties to any type of American traditions, ergo culture. I simply do not know why you stay in a country you no doubt dislike. In Germany or say Austria, if you talked about the USS Liberty and talked about how the war criminal nation of Israel killed Americans (which is quite true! Oh,and by the way, why do you think Hollywood has not made a movie about the Liberty? Now that's a real "conspiracy" Marnell!)...then in those country's, you would be in a lot of trouble. Free speech is not a well received individual right in literally all of Europe. If you lived in Germany, and claimed similar lies about that government as you do my government, you'd be behind bars pronto. You have no real idea how lucky you are to be living here. Marnell a lot of people read about history, I have lived it. I've seen a lot of mythmaking and so much distortion of actual events, that I just have become almost as cynical as you, but I know how lucky I am to be living in this wonderful country. If there is a better place on the planet, then why isn't everyone going there?

Albert Marnell April 14, 2007 5:09 pm (Pacific time)

Sooth, I went to freerepublic.com. Now I know you are very limited. You see, I check things out, you do not. I went to look with an open mind and could easily see it was for the same type of morons in the conservative party that I handed literature out for when I was 13 years old. I am now over 50. You simply grow out of that kind of thinking....hopefully!

Albert Marnell April 14, 2007 4:50 pm (Pacific time)

Sooth, I am not young and your comment should be spoken to yourself. If you had the balls (which you call Bravery) you would give your real name as I do. You are a coward and badly educated and resistant to new information that threatens you. Did you do any reading to re-evaluate your position? Of course you did not and unfortunately you are part of the Masses and you know the rest. Ciao

Sooth April 14, 2007 4:01 pm (Pacific time)

Seriously Marnell, if you are just joking, fine-haha. If not, you need to really think about getting evaluated. Do tumors run in you family? I'm not kidding, I do not know you, but I'm really worried about you young man...

Albert Marnell April 14, 2007 3:43 pm (Pacific time)

Sooth, The history of the C.I.A. is fact that points me towards the obvious conclusion among other things. Why do I stay here? Because at this age I am stuck here and the dual German-American citizenship that I missed out on because of a decision made by my mother put me only 9 years away from privelaged status. She did not have many options and later in life before her death, I knew where her heart really was....and it was not here. Tell the average European that this is the greatest country in the world and you will get an argument. You are very provincial. Your mention of what you know about the U.S.S. liberty is heartening as long as you know that President Johnson was behind it (completely out in the open by now). As far as Japan goes there really was no need to use the Atom Bomb, they were getting ready to surrender. It was used for other reasons, one of which was to show Stalin that we had power that he did not. Truman was worried that Stalin would run over all of Europe and make it communist. Unfortunately, Stalin did get half and we got caught up in a cold war that now is being revealed as an unneeded fraud because it benefited the defense industry. You have a young man's romantic view of this thing you call bravery. Many people are brave. In your mind you associate it only with some kind of G.I. Joe romanticism. Why are you pro-colonization? It always backfires. You were mentally trained to be blind to fact. You remind me of someone that defends their best friend and lies for them even after you know that he has murdered someone. There is a time and place for loyalty and if you study the Federal Reserve, which I mention often, you will see that there is no U.S.A. We are owned by global bankers. Go to the site of F.R.E.E. It will explain it. Again, try prisonplanet.com. Alot of your real enemies are in Washington D.C., not people hiding in a cave. When the Federal Reserve was created in 1913 along with federal income tax, that was the end of what some now still romantically call the United States of America. I am anti-all government because no one has ever been able to determine what is best for me, be it Germany, the U.S., or China. I want to live in a free society which really did not even exist when I was born but I have seen the levels of deception and control by this out of control bureaucracy grow exponentially. There are many young people that think differently than you, I do not know why you try to engage people under the guise of Free Speech and then attack them for a different viewpoint. You are the exact opposite of what you pretend to stand for. The military is about money and government contracts for multinationals. It is not about throwing out the British. In the end, all war is about money and this being the most capitalistic society in the world, will do anything to create business, even attack its own citizens in a "false flag operation". That does not mean that everyone in government or the C.I.A. or the mens room attendant at the White House knows about it. That would be too easy and dangerous to the conspirators. I have been talking about a few people that have colluded, it is so obvious. Can I give you all of their names....of course not. Bottom line we are in remote parts of the world to take; not to protect ourselves. We have enough brain power and resources here to solve anything as long as the global bankers and private industry does not try to stop it because it may not add to their bottom line. Until you read about the Federal Reserve in detail, we really can not discuss most things political. I am in touch daily with financial professionals and thankfully, half of them know the truth about the Fed. If you want to learn a little more you can read my comment under Henry Clay Ruark's article dated April 13th, referencing "Income Inequality in Oregon." You can read my lengthy comment dated April 14th. It is in Hank's Op Ed: with the picture of the baby.

Sooth April 14, 2007 2:21 pm (Pacific time)

Marnell I'm quite familiar with the USS Liberty on both a personal and professional level. Back in 1968/1969 a prof. up in Portland lost his position because outside pressures wanted him gone because he was teaching about the attack and had also brought in some survivors to speak to his students. It was starting to get legs when his position simply got budgeted away, by friends of Neil Goldschmidt (even before he was elected mayor) and pals of another future Oregon governor. Four people from Portland (went to high school(s) there) who got out of the U.S. draft served in the Israeli Navy and were part of the attack on the Liberty ( they bragged about it just one too many times at a tavern near PSU). They were exposed and moved (with all their family members) to Isreal soon after that exposure, very quickly I might add. The attack on Japan's mainland in Aug. 1945 did not go far enough. Your so called common knowledge about the 911 attack is utterly out there, you fall down a rabbit hole? As far as you being a draft candidate (sic), ahhh so what! And I did not call you a patriot, I was calling that brave soldier who passed on, one. I messed up the puncuation. Rest assured I would never label you something so terrific as a "patriot". I do not mean that in a disrespectful way, but then again you don't like that name anyway, do you? So as you berate this country and the various institutions that keep you safe, why do you stay here? You obviously are quite unhappy, plus you think the rest of us are ignorant and know nothing or even how to do basic research. I imagine there are a number of posters and lurkers on this site that are light years beyond anything you could imagine. P.S. Vietnam was a tragedy for both our country's, hopefully we learned that you don't appease the enemy, you do to them before they do you. You don't get it do you Marnell? LaLa land must be really something...P.S. If you think about it, Maxine Water's really dissed her people. I guess that goes over a lot of heads out there. Our school system has failed in developing critical thinking skills for far too many people, then they become easily inculcated by the lefty's, and before you know it, they're saying our government was behind the 911 attack, go figure...

Albert Marnell April 14, 2007 3:18 am (Pacific time)

I got to hand it to President Bush and friends. He has beat out Nixon and friends by a long shot as U.S.A.'s worst and most hated deceptive President. Actually, Nixon was not that bad at all in comparison.

Albert Marnell April 13, 2007 2:54 pm (Pacific time)

To put it bluntly Sooth: The Masses Are Asses....always have been. Watch "Terrorstorm" by Alex Jones. Peoples' inability to handle reality is not my problem or yours. There are many places to do research but we all know what you won't do, don't we? I agree with Maxine Waters by the way. More Americans die from domestic medical neglect than these poor young men that are used as cannon fodder. Of course I care about any innocent life, even the tens of thousands of people that are killed on our highways every year. Please do not call me a Patriot. It is a term for sheep in this day and age. All hostility aside Sooth, the fact is that most Americans get their information from T.V. which today is controlled by about 4 media moguls. Do some homework on C.I.A. ops since 1947. Have you done any? Today what was called conspiracy is now fact. Read about what we did in Iran in 1953 to help the U.K. get control of Irans' oil. We used the C.I.A., read about operations in Guatemala and the over two hundred thousand peasants that were killed because certain people in our administration did not want United Fruit dismantled and land redistributed. Read about the puppet Shah that had to flee Iran because the people of Iran knew we put him in using the C.I.A. Read about The Gulf of Tonkin affair or the U.S.S. Liberty. See the documentary "The Truth and Lies of 9/11" by Mike Ruppert. But no, you will continue to read what Andy of Mayberry wants to read in his fantasy land of a place you call the United States. Land of slavery, indentured servants, women still used as cheap labor, immigrants from all over Europe and now Latin America used as cheap sources of labor, young men and women lied to who get caught up in jingoism and then pay the ultimate price for their ignorance of the powers that be. Check out Prison Planet.Com and look at some of the videos that were broadcast 20 years ago on P.B.S. by Bill Moyers on C.I.A. operations. No one is questioning the character of people that get sucked into this crap. The problem is that they do not have access to information on televison. Your library even has the information. Do you really think, I would make this up and do you really trust any government? No one cares about you, me or this poor guy as long as they can make a penny off of our lives. Read in today's news about what Forest Oil Co. did. It goes on and on. You mark my words, in 20 years or less the truth about 9/11 will be as factual as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tell me that did not happen. Government sponsored terrorism, even domestic is an old game. Your also implying that I should be hurt, injured or killed for my right to tell what I know from what I consider to be old information and common sense deduction. Your beliefs certainly are the exact opposite of what you think you stand for.....like Free Speech. Look Sooth, just do some real research. These are documented sources and most people can apply past behavior of the U.S. and put two and two together. I was a draft candidate for Vietnam, I never thought that in my lifetime the Neo-Cons would be able to pull this stuff off. When I was in high-school most of us knew that Vietnam was a bunch of lies and horse shot. Now, I see a generation of successfully brainwashed younger people that believe what their government and special interest pumps out on the tube. I saw it happening over 20 years ago, this subtle breeding and manipulation of younger minds who did not live through the Vietnam era or the Iranian hostage era or very much else. Life does not imitate art, it imitates bad television.

Sooth April 13, 2007 11:56 am (Pacific time)

RIP- American Patriot Marnell it sure doesn't sound like you care one iota about our fallen Americans. CIA involved with 9/11 common knowledge? Among whom? People like Maxine Waters who said that they brought in crack to Compton and other minority area's? Why don't you ask the Statesman Journal or the Oregonian , etc., if they would allow you to write a commentary on this "common knowledge" with your photo?. In the meantime make up some flyers re: this "common knowledge" and go into any town/city and start handing them out. Spread the word brother, maybe take the time and notice the feedback you'll get if you do this. Ummm, I think we all know what you're going to do...peace, and ...good will.

Albert Marnell April 13, 2007 11:20 am (Pacific time)

Not judgeing article but can we get beyond the B.S. term of Iraqi Freedom? There are over 600,000 dead because of that. Is that freedom? Our young men are dying. What a stupid euphemism for occupation, imperialism and murder. The C.I.A. was involved with 9/11 common knowledge by now. We always invade, put in puppets, play dirty war and propaganda games. We are there for the oil. The terrorists are in our military, government, congress and military industry. The poor guy. At this point people that support this occupation based on a C.I.A. op. are either fools or war crimminals. We pull this crap all over the world. I am sorry for the family too, it does not change the facts and if you do not want to here the truth do not print my opinion and be part of the dictatorship that we live under. Freedom my ass!

S.LaMarche; April 13, 2007 2:12 am (Pacific time)

I'm sorry PFC Walton, and to your family I'm sorry.

[Return to Top]

PFC Brett Andre Walton Latest Oregon Iraqi Freedom Casualty

Quick Links

DINING

MUST SEE SALEM

AUCTIONS - APPRAISALS

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ONLINE SHOPPING

Advertise with Salem-News