Robert E. Lee High School Students host memorial service for Spc. Alexander Missildine

Published 10:30 am Thursday, October 26, 2017

1. Friends and family lay Spc. Alex Missildine to rest
2. Tyler welcomes home fallen soldier, Spc. Alexander Missildine
3. Hundreds attend candlelight vigil for Spc. Alex Missildine
4. Friend told Spc. Missildine, of Tyler, ‘promise me you’ll come back’ before deployment
5. Navy midshipman, high school teacher and fellow bandmate from Tyler remember Spc. Alex Missildine’s honor, courage to serve

LOUANNA CAMPBELL, lcampbell@tylerpaper.com

As the sun came up over Robert E. Lee High School on Wednesday, senior Karl Hall stood solemnly in the school’s courtyard holding a wooden flag case made by one of his classmates. 

He was joined by about 150 students and faculty in the cold morning air as they gathered to honor the service and sacrifice of Army Spc. Alexander Missildine, a 2015 Lee graduate who died earlier this month in the line of duty. 

Jared Cockrum played taps on his trumpet as a detail of U.S. Army soldiers unfurled and folded a flag before Hall, who organized the short student-led memorial service. Hall then placed the flag case on top of the Army memorial wall at the bottom of the school’s flag pole. 

“Alex was a friend of mine,” Cockrum said. “I met him when I was a freshman. He was my section leader in band. I wanted to show my thanks for his service and his family.”

Sophomore Colby Leathers and Senior Daniel English attended the early morning ceremony on the Lee campus that also was attended by Missildine’s mother, who hugged students when they approached her to offer condolences.  

“My brother just graduated from the Navy,” Leathers said. “It’s important for me to honor someone else who sacrificed so much and died in the line of duty.” 

English said he knew Alex for a short time and wanted to come out and show his respect. 

“Being able to see his impact, I knew it was important to come out and show our respect,” English said. 

Missildine was assigned to the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, out of Fort Polk, Louisiana.   

He was on his first deployment with his unit and just weeks into his deployment when his convoy was attacked Oct. 1 and an improvised explosive device detonated.  

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.