Specialist Christopher D. Gelineau of Portland, Maine was killed in a convoy ambush near Mosul, Iraq on April 20th, 2004. He was a member of the 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard. He was the 100th U.S. soldier to die in the month of April 2004 in Iraq. Prior to his mobilization and deployment to Iraq the 23-year-old was a senior at the University of Southern Maine where he studied information and communications technology. Specialist Gelineau grew up in Vermont. He graduated from Mount Abraham Union High in Briston, Vermont. He was promoted posthumously to Sergeant and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Specialist Gelineau leaves behind his wife Lavinia Gelineau.
The 133rd Engineer Battalion is headquartered in Gardiner and Portland with several detachments in Belfast, Gardiner, Lewiston, Norway, Portland, Saco, Skowhegan, and Waterville. It is a heavy combat engineer unit that performs construction projects, such as building roads, airfields, and buildings, including the installation of electrical wiring and plumbing systems. The unit was activated in late 2003 and was deployed to Iraq in March 2004.
Also injured in the attack were Specialist Dwight Emery Nickles of Union, Specialist Craig Ardry of Pittsfield, and Specialist Sok San Pao of Portland.
On April 1st, 2005, almost one year after her
husband's death, Lavinia Gelineau was killed in her Westbrook, Maine home.
Tributes To Specialist Gelineau.
Vermont General Assembly Tribute to Specialist Gelineau.
Fallen Heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom - Army Spc. Christopher D. Gelineau.
MeM Everlasting Memorial. Christopher Gelineau.
MeM Everlasting Memorial. Lavinia Gelineau.
In Memory. WGME.
Honor the Fallen. MilitaryCity.com.
Faces of the Fallen. The Washington Post.
Specialist Christopher D. Gelineau. In Memoriam, Army National Guard.
News Reports and Newspaper
Articles about Specialist Gelineau.
April 21, 2004. "Mainer killed in Iraq ambush". Morning Sentinel Online.
April 21, 2004. "Soldier killed in ambush". Press Herald Online.
April 21, 2004. "Maine 133rd Battalion convoy attacked near Mosul". Sun Journal Online.
April 21, 2004. "133rd Under Attack in Iraq". Magic City Morning Star (Millinocket, Maine).
April 21, 2004. "Names of 133rd Victims Released". WLBZ TV 2, Bangor.
April 21, 2004. "One soldier dies of injuries in Mosul attack". MaineToday.com.
April 22, 2004. "DOD Identifies Army Casualty". Department of Defense.
April 2, 2004. "DoD Identifies Army Casualty". DefenseLink News Release.
April 22, 2004. "Unarmed chaplain prayed with soldiers after ambush". The Boston Globe.
April 22, 2004. "Maine National Guard unit copes with casualties". Sun Journal Online.
April 22, 2004. "Iraqi ambush deeply felt by Mainers". Bangor Daily News.
April 22, 2004. "Baldacci to families: 'We're here for you'". Sun Journal Online.
April 22, 2004. "Future held promise for slain soldier". Press Herald Online.
April 22, 2004. "Starksboro Loses Hometown Man in Iraq". The Champlain Channel.
April 22, 2004. "Starksboro Loses A Second Soldier". WCAX-TV 3 News.
April 22, 2004. "Vermont soldier dies in Iraq ambush". The Boston Globe.
April 22, 2004. "Mt. Abe graduate dies in Iraq". Burlington Free Press.
April 23, 2004. "Guardsman killed near Mosul". The Birmingham News.
April 24, 2004. "133rd embraces hero as one of its own". MaineToday.
April 25, 2004. "Tearful service honors Mainer". Press Herald Online.
April 26, 2004. "Historical Connection". The National Guard.
April 27, 2004. "Loss beyond measure". MaineToday.com.
April 27, 2004. "Gelineau's death leaves void in widow's life". Morning Sentinel Online.
April 28, 2004. "Maine soldier killed in Iraq". Boston Globe.
May 2, 2004. "Emotional service pays tribute to Gelineau". Press Herald Online News.
May 2, 2004. "Soldier killed in Iraq is laid to rest in Maine". Bronze star awarded posthumously to man killed in an ambush. boston.com News.
May 3, 2004. "USM soldier's funeral held on campus". The Free Press, University of Southern Maine.
May 3, 2004. "Mainer killed in Iraq buried". Bangor Daily News.
May 13, 2004. "Soldier to get posthumous degree". WMTW News 8.
May 13, 2004. "Guardsman killed in Iraq to be awarded college degree". Navy Times.
May 15, 2004. "USM's 124th Commencement". University of Southern Maine.
May 16, 2004. "Tearful wife accepts degree USM awards to slain soldier". Press Herald Online News.
December 9, 2004. "Man creates plaque to laud those in Iraq". Kennebec Journal Online.
December 31, 2004. "Widow is Left with Haunting Shadows on a Trusty Laptop". Boston Globe article posted on Common Dreams NewsCenter.
March 02, 2005. "Thanks Larry and Chris". MaineToday Outdoors.
April 2, 2005. "Police investigate deaths of man and woman in Westbrook". MaineToday.com.
April 2, 2005. "Police say Guard widow, father's death a murder-suicide". The Boston Globe.
April 2, 2005. "One year after death in Iraq Guardsman's wife is found dead". Kennebec Journal Online.
April 2, 2005. "Grief never ebbed as widow carried on". Portland Press Herald.
April 3, 2005. "Police: Father killed daughter, himself". Portland Press Herald.
April 5, 2005. "Experts: Killing followed pattern". Portland Press Herald.
April 6, 2005. "A murder, a casualty of war: A father mourns a love story cut short". Portland Press Herald.
April 6, 2005. "Service to be held this Saturday for slain war widow". WCSH 6 News Center.
April 7, 2005. "Woman killed by father was the tragic face of a grieving homeland". The Boston Globe.
April 8, 2005. "Widow's Slaying Symbolizes Grief of War". ABC News.
April 8, 2005. "Joining each other in death". SeaCoastOnline.
April 9, 2005. "Funeral service to be held for Lavinia Gelineau". WCSH 6 News Center.
April 10, 2005. "Now, family grieves for a young widow". The Boston Globe.
April 10, 2005. "Funeral service held for Lavinia Gelineau". WCSH 6 News Center.
April 10, 2005. "War widow eulogized as a 'treasure'". Portland Press Herald.
April 10, 2005. "Slain war widow buried next to her husband". The Boston Globe.
April 10, 2005. "Obituary - Lavinia Elena Onitiu-Gelineau". Portland Press Herald.
April 10, 2005. "Gelineau laid to rest in tearful ceremony". Morning Sentinel Online.
April 19, 2005. ". . . Service Wednesday to mark Spec. Gelineau's death". One year anniversary of death in Iraq. Portland Press Herald.
April 21, 2005. "Too young, too soon". Memorial service to mark death of SGT Gelineau. Portland Press Herald.
July 23, 2005. "Sunday ceremony a chance to thank the 133rd". Morning Sentinel Online.
November 11, 2005. "Maine Army National Guard has served in modern war". Bangor Daily News.
April 23, 2006. "From two deaths, parents find healing". Press Herald.
April 23, 2006. "Couple's friends and family move beyond their grief". Boston Globe.
November 1, 2007. "Plaques to honor 133rd's fallen soldiers". Portland Press Herald.
November 4, 2007. "Plaque honors Guardsman killed in Iraq". Portland Press Herald.
