LINDEN: Pfc. Stephen C. Benish, a 20-year-old soldier from Linden, was killed Sunday by enemy fire while on foot patrol in Ramadi, Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
His mother, Candy Benish, said she is only comforted by the thought her son was doing what he wanted to do. She said her son believed that, if not for fighting on Iraqi soil, the fighting would be on American soil.
"That's what I believe and he believed too," she said. "He was happy to be serving his country and being part of a fine group of men and women. He was a great kid."
Candy Benish of North Carolina said she learned about her son's death Sunday after Army soldiers came to her door where her mother, Gwen Nellis, of Clark, was home alone. Nellis was also home alone in 1973 when Marines came to the door to tell her her son, Chris Elms, 18, had died in Japan following an illness.
"It's a long history," Benish said.
In Linden, Helen Benish, Stephen Benish's paternal grandmother, said she keeps crying.
"I can't get it through my head," said Helen Benish, whose grandson was a 2002 graduate of Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark. "I'm 81, he's 20, God should have taken me instead of him."
Benish described her handsome, blond hair, 6-foot, 7-inch tall grandson as a "good kid."
"He was a wonderful person," she said. "He was a kind-hearted person."
She said her grandson joined the Army because he wanted to serve his country.
"My son enlisted for four years. He wanted to make a difference," said Candy Benish, adding her son also hoped his four years in the Army would help in the future when he planned to apply to be a paid firefighter in the Cranford Fire Department, where he had served as a fire explorer since he was 12 years old. He became a volunteer with the Cranford Fire Department when he turned 18.
Stephen Benish, a 240B machine-gun operator, was on patrol during Operation Normandy in Ramadi on Sunday when he died around 10:20 a.m. Iraqi time from an enemy gunshot wound. The single gunshot struck him in the neck above the protective plate of his body armor, officials said. He was wearing a Kevlar helmet at the time of the attack. Benish, who would have turned 21 in February, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Korea, supporting the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq. Benish, who enlisted in the Army in December 2002, was deployed to Iraq from Korea in August.
On leave before heading to Iraq, Benish visited his senior year high school English teacher Kurt Epps.
"He came back to say goodbye and tell me where he was going," said Epps. "I told him he looked like a lean, mean, fighting machine. He gave me a big hug in front of the class and then he was gone."
Epps said he learned of Benish's death while browsing the Internet Monday morning.
"I yelled out loud, 'Oh my God, this is terrible,' " said Epps, of seeing Benish's name.
The flag outside Arthur L. Johnson High School flew at half-staff yesterday.
Immediately after the start of classes, Principal Robert Taylor, who coached Benish on the middle school wrestling squad, made an announcement about Benish's death.
"The Iraq War has put its finger on the community here in Clark. My heart goes out to Steve's family," Epps said.
Candy Benish said her son, a former Boy Scout, wanted to join the service and go to Iraq because of his involvement with the Cranford Fire Department. After Sept. 11, 2001, her son had many mentors in the fire department.
"He was in his glory to be part of the camaraderie. He saw their hearts broken from all the firefighters lost," she said, referring to the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. Her father and grandfather also had ties to the New York City Fire Department.
In letters Stephen Benish wrote to the Cranford Fire Department, he was happy about going to Iraq, according to Fire Chief Leonard Dolan.
"He wrote to us regularly. We got the last letter a couple days ago," said Dolan, adding Benish expected to get leave in December.
Dolan said the letters indicated Benish had seen a lot of action.
"There was not an ounce of fear in that kid," said Dolan, who learned about Benish's death Sunday. "We were stunned. We knew he was in a tough place to be."
Benish had written to another volunteer firefighter about being injured in October and losing his hearing for a few days before returning to the line.
Dolan said Benish would have reached his goal of becoming a career firefighter. He had already completed Firefighter 1 and 2 programs, and flashover training at the Union County Fire Science Training Academy.
"He definitely had the determination. He wanted to achieve his goal," Dolan said.
Stephen Benish was raised in Linden and Clark. In addition to graduating from Arthur L. Johnson High School, he received a certificate in electrical technology from the Union County Vocational School in Scotch Plains.
Before joining the Army, he was employed by Network Electric in Clark.
His medals and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
Besides his mother and grandmothers, he is survived by his father, Stephen J. Benish of Linden; his sister, Kelly S. Benish of Waxhaw, N.C.; aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
The Walter Johnson Funeral Home in Clark is handling funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, his mother said donations may be sent to the Explorers Program, in care of the Cranford Fire Department, 7 Springfield Ave., Cranford, N.J. 07016.
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