Sgt. David Day
Died: April 22, 2011


GAYLORD, MI — Don Day, father of Sgt. David Day, a 2003 Gaylord High School(GHS) graduate, confirmed today (Monday) his son, who had been stationed in Afghanistan since November, was killed this weekend.

Day’s father said military officials, who came to his and wife Kathy’s Gaylord home Sunday to deliver the tragic news, indicated it is believed Day, a member of the United States Marine Corps, was killed by a roadside bomb.

“We don’t have any real information that has come down to us yet, said Don Day, who will travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Tuesday to meet the plane with their son’s body and to make funeral arrangements.

Day said they will meet with their son’s wife, Nicole (Makins), a Gaylord girl who David married in 2009, on Tuesday to make funeral plans.

Day said his son, who had been selected in 2008 as Team Leader of the Year for the 3rd Recon Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, had completed Explosive Ordinance Disposal training in early 2009.

Prior to his deployment in Afghanistan last year, Day’s father said his son had served two tours of duty in Iraq since his enlistment in September 2003, soon after his high school graduation.

“He would have been coming home in late June,” Day’s father said, with a catch in his voice. “But now ... you can’t help but wonder when you have a son overseas if he’s going to make it home all right.

“He was happy with the group he was with (in Afghanistan) and had extended his original enlistment when he was in Iraq. He was happy in the military serving his country. Whether or not he would have made it his career? I think he would.”

Day said once funeral arrangements had been made, the family would likely share the information with the Herald Times and the Gaylord community.