Marine Corps Identifies 4 Service Members Who Died In Chattanooga Attack

By Bill Chappell

Published July 17, 2015 at 2:29 PM CDT

Bill Lettmkuhl kneels by a makeshift memorial near the Armed Forces Career Center on Friday in Chattanooga, Tenn. Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, of Hixson, Tenn., attacked two military facilities on Thursday, in a shooting rampage that killed four Marines.

Updated at 10:40 p.m. ET

Their experience levels ranged from multiple deployments in war zones to one year in the service with no deployments. Their homes ranged from Georgia to Wisconsin, but their lives converged in Thursday's deadly attack in Tennessee.

The Marine Corps has formally identified the victims as Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan, Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt, Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist, and Lance Cpl. Squire K. Wells.

All died in Thursday's attack after a gunman opened fire at a joint Navy and Marine Corps facility in Chattanooga, in an incident that followed an attack on a recruiting center. A Marine, a sailor and a police officer were wounded.

The dead include Lance Cpl. Skip Wells, 21, who had just started a two-week assignment in Chattanooga.

As NPR's All Things Considered reports, a family friend said today, "Up to the minute this incident happened, he was a very proud serving Marine."

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"Please keep our fallen Marines in Tennessee and their families in your thoughts and prayers," Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. said Friday. "Also pray for a speedy recovery of those wounded and affected by this tragedy. Our focus remains on supporting the families of our Marines."

Read what we know so far about the attacker.

Here's how the Marine Corps describes the service records of the four who died Thursday:

Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan

A restaurant partly owned by Sullivan's brother posted a tribute to him on Facebook, The Boston Globe reports:

"Anyone who went to Holy Cross School, Cathedral High School or grew up in the East Forest Park knew who Tommy was. He was our hero and he will never be forgotten. Please keep his family & friends in your thoughts & prayers. Thank you Tommy for protecting us."

Entered service: September 1997
Home county of record: Hampden, Mass.
Military Occupational Specialty: 0811 (Field Artillery Cannoneer)

Deployments: Aug. 18, 2014-Jan. 11, 2015 (Western Pacific), Sept. 16, 2007-April 22, 2008 (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Sept. 10, 2004-April 17, 2005 (OIF)

Duty status: Active

Awards and decorations: Good Conduct Medal (4), Purple Heart (2), Combat Action Ribbon (1), Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal (1), Korean Defense Service Medal (1), Recruiting Ribbon (1), Iraq Campaign Medal (2), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (5), Armed Forces Service Medal (1), Humanitarian Service Medal (1), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (1), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (1), National Defense Service Medal (1)

Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt

Wyatt was an Eagle Scout, the Tennessean reports. "He's the kind of man that this country needs more of," his high school scoutmaster, Tony Ward, told the paper. A family friend said Wyatt was a "great person with a contagious, fun loving and caring personality."

Entered service: May 2004
Home county of record: Burke, N.C.
Military Occupational Specialty: 0848 (Field Artillery Operations Man)

Deployments: Oct. 20, 2010-May 2, 2011 (Operation Enduring Freedom), Jan. 1-April 20, 2008 (OIF), Oct. 8-Dec. 31, 2007 (OIF)

Duty status: Active

Awards and decorations: Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal (1), Good Conduct Medal (3), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (4), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1), Iraq Campaign Medal (1), Korean Defense Service Medal (1), Humanitarian Service Medal (1), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (1), National Defense Service Medal (1), Navy Unit Commendation (2), Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (1), Letter of Appreciation (3), NATO-ISAF Service Medal (1)

Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist

The principal of Holmquist's former high school said the Marine was "a great young man," according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "A hard working young man." Holmquist's father, Tom, told the Sentinel, "It's a tough time right now." The paper adds: "He said he did not wish to make any other comment other than: 'He was fighting for his country.' "

Entered service: January 2009
Home county of record: Polk, Wis.
Military Occupational Specialty: 3521 (Automotive Maintenance Technician)

Deployments: Jan. 1, 2014-May 22, 2014 (OEF), Sept. 26, 2013-Dec. 31, 2013 (OEF)

Duty status: Active

Awards and decorations: Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal (1), Good Conduct Medal (1), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (1), National Defense Service Medal (1), Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (1), NATO-ISAF Service Medal (1), Certificate of Commendation (1), Letter of Appreciation (1)

Lance Cpl. Squire K. "Skip" Wells

Wells "felt called to serve," family friend Andy Kingery told CBS46 in Atlanta. "Skip died doing what he chose to do and was fully aware of the dangers of putting on a uniform."

Entered service: February 2014
Home county of record: Cobb, Ga.
Military Occupational Specialty: 0811 (Field Artillery Cannoneer)

Deployments: None

Duty status: Select Marine Corps Reserve (he was on active duty operational support mobilization orders)

Awards and decorations: National Defense Service Medal (1), Certificate of Appreciation (1)