JACKSON, Miss. — The Department of Defense confirmed Jan. 9 the death of former Mississippi resident Maj. Michael L. Green, who was killed Jan. 7 when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Afghanistan.

Green, 36, who was based in Germany and lived in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, was in Afghanistan training militia recruits how to detect and dispose of roadside bombs, his twin sister, Michelle Green LeBatard, told The Mississippi Press.

Green was one of two soldiers killed by the blast in Laghar Juy. Sgt. James K. Healy, 25, of Hesperia, Calif., and based at Fort Knox, Ky., also died. Another soldier was injured as well.

Local police found a roadside bomb and called in the soldiers to assist. A second bomb nearby hit their vehicle.

Green was a member of the Army Special Forces Command assigned to V Corps headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany.

LeBatard, who did not return a message left by The Associated Press, told the Press her brother would often bring fellow soldiers to the coast to introduce them to the area where he grew up.

“He loved the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” LeBatard said. “He lived all over the world, Egypt, Germany, Kansas, but the coast was his home.”

Green attended Pascagoula High School through his junior year, then moved to West Virginia where he graduated from Fairmont State.

He was a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps there and joined the Army after college.

“He wanted to make it his career,” LeBatard said.

LeBatard said Green had not seen duty in either Afghanistan or Iraq before deploying. Instead, he was assigned to training troops at Camp Shelby to prepare them to go overseas.

“He felt like he was being slighted,” she said. “He did not want to just send men out, but wanted to serve beside them. He felt there was something that needed to be done. He was trained to do what he did and he wanted to do it.”

In addition to LeBatard, Green is survived by his parents, Hacy Green Sr. and Jane Green, and brothers Hacy Green Jr. and Scott Green. He was not married and did not have children.

LeBatard said funeral arrangements are pending and Green’s body is expected to be returned to his family next week.

Green is at least the 58th member of the military with strong ties to Mississippi to die in either Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001.

Hundreds turn out in honor of fallen soldier

By Michael A. Bell
The Sun Herald via The Associated Press

GAUTIER, Miss. — Hundreds of mourners Jan. 19 overflowed First Baptist Church of Gautier and despite cold, foul weather, lined U.S. 90 in tribute to Army Maj. Michael Lee Green, who was killed Jan. 7 in Afghanistan.

The 36-year-old native of this city died when the Humvee he was in struck a roadside bomb and exploded.

Green wasn’t scheduled for missions that day, but volunteered — one of his fellow soldiers had recently become a father, another was recently married.

“It’s sort of like when you read stories about guys who jumped on hand grenades in World War II or either in Vietnam,” said Noel Mann, a Vietnam vet and Patriot Guard biker. “The average person can’t understand why a person would do that. But if they were ever in service, they would understand.”

Green, a former student at Pascagoula High, had been in Afghanistan for about a month, training soldiers to disarm landmines and bombs.

Those who delivered eulogies Jan. 19 recalled a man who embraced life, who vowed as a child to serve his country, who loved others without reservation.

“Being a soldier was what he had to do, his sense of calling,” the Rev. James Henry LeBatard said. “That was what made him complete.”

“Everyone in here is a better person in some way for having known Mike,” said friend Mark Smythe.

Friend Robert Grimmer recalled the first time he met Green, who was donning aviator sunglasses that were “a size too big” and binoculars around his neck.

“The first thing I thought was I need to be friends with that man,” said Grimmer. He said that later, Green became like an uncle to him.

The mood quickly became somber; Army officers in full regalia carried the casket toward the hearse, a line of grief-stricken family members following. Those along U.S. 90 waved flags and saluted the funeral procession as it made its way to the Biloxi National Cemetery.

“He laid down his life and I felt like he should be honored,” said John Skrmetti of Biloxi, who gathered with many others near the Biloxi Lighthouse. “He sacrificed — did the ultimate sacrifice,” said Saucier resident Harry Lywiski, whose son is fighting in Iraq. “And we need to show that we care about him.”

Green is one of 58 with close ties to Mississippi who have died in either Afghanistan or Iraq.