Painful loss: Battalion mourns death of BCT Soldier

By SUSANNE KAPPLER, Fort Jackson LeaderSeptember 16, 2009

Painful loss: Battalion mourns death of BCT Soldier
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Painful loss: Battalion mourns death of BCT Soldier
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- The Fort Jackson community mourned the loss of one of its Soldiers during a memorial service Monday at the Solomon Center. Spc. Christopher Hogg, Company D, 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment died Sept. 10 after being hospitalized for one week at Palmetto Health Richland Memorial Hospital with pneumonia.

Hogg was remembered by his commanders, drill sergeants and comrades in Basic Combat Training as a quiet, but highly motivated Soldier who drew strength from his faith and was close to his family.

"Chris was no ordinary young man. He was an example of the best our nation has to offer," said Lt. Col. Benjamin Higginbotham, 3-13th commander. "Chris Hogg's exemplary life shows us that what measures you ... is not how many days you've had, but how you lived those days."

Hogg, 23, enlisted in the Army in July and wanted to become a cryptologic linguist. He was a graduate of Stetson University, but chose to serve his country instead of pursuing a civilian career in information technology.

"Spc. Hogg was very motivated. He put his best foot forward with every single thing he did," said Pfc. Richard Seyfang, a Soldier in Hogg's platoon.

Hogg was also remembered for keeping a positive attitude, even when things were tough in basic training.

"We were tired. We were weak," said Pvt. Daryl Tippens, also in Hogg's platoon. "He smiled and said, 'It's only a part of the training.'"

Pfc. Joel Birch said Hogg's death had a profound effect on the entire platoon.

"When we first heard the news, we were shocked and very disheartened," he said.

But the tragedy also inspired the platoon to pull together and focus on graduating, Birch said.

"We need to do this for Spc. Christopher Hogg, because that was the (kind of) Soldier he was," he said.

Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Edwards, one of Hogg's drill sergeants, remembered how Hogg displayed leadership ability early in basic training by motivating other Soldiers to overcome their fear of height on Victory Tower.

"Spc. Hogg was going to be a true Soldier who had the potential to one day lead and command troops," Edwards said. "He will forever be missed and will always be a '40 Rounds' Soldier."

Hogg, who hailed from Deltona, Fla., is survived by his mother and stepfather, Sarah and Gregory Wybo, his father Christopher Hogg and his sister and brother-in-law, Alicia and Nathan Adams. Hogg was scheduled to graduate Oct. 15.

"All he wanted was to wake up in ACUs and boots with an M16A2 rifle next to him," Tippens said.