HOMETOWN HEROES: Pfc. Ricky Lee Turner

Christy Bailey, The News Courier, Athens, Ala.
·1 min read

Apr. 30—Ricky Lee Turner was born Dec. 22, 1988, and grew up in Athens. He was the son of James Turner and Regina "Susan" Grimes. Turner attended Athens High School and Decatur High School.

Turner was a member of the JROTC program in high school and joined the Army after shortly after graduating in 2007.

Turner earned the rank of Private First Class with the Army's 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division out of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Turner was deployed to Iraq in December 2008 with the 82nd Airborne where he served during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On January 16, 2009, six or seven weeks after arriving in Iraq, an improvised explosive device struck the vehicle in which Pfc. Turner was riding. He was traveling in a convey when his vehicle was hit and killed. He was 20 years old. An 82nd Airborne Division spokesperson said that no other casualties were reported in the incident.

According to his father James, Pfc. Turner wanted to join the military to stand up for his country and that he died doing what he wanted to do.

Tammy Turner said of her nephew, "He loved to play video games, and he loved to draw. He was an outstanding student in school. Anything he set his mind to, he accomplished."

Pfc. Turner was survived by his parents; wife, Nikki Turner; and a brother, SFC Jimmy Grimes. He is buried at Charity Baptist Church Cemetery in Hazel Green. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service to his country.