WSU Student Dies in Action in Iraq

PULLMAN, Wash. — Sgt. Damien Thai Ficek, who had been a student at Washington State University until withdrawing from classes during the fall semester of 2003 when his National Guard unit was activated, was killed in action in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2004.

“The entire WSU community was deeply saddened to learn that one of our students, Damien Thai Ficek, had been killed in the line of duty in Iraq.  He was an active member of our community and an excellent student.  Our deepest sympathy goes to his wife and family and he will be missed.  We will honor Damien at our veterans’ memorial, where we keep a permanent record of those in the WSU family who have died in service,” said WSU President V. Lane Rawlins.

WSU is planning a memorial ceremony to be held in Ficek’s honor at the Pullman campus later this month. Details will be announced at a later date.

Ficek, 26, first enrolled in classes at WSU for fall semester 2002. He was enrolled in the athletic training education program offered through the College of Education. He earned a place on the President’s Honor Roll for fall semester 2002 and spring semester 2003. He received the Denice K. Bahr Summers Memorial Scholarship from the College of Education for the 2003-2004 academic year.

Ficek was an infantryman assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1^st Battalion, 161^st Infantry Regiment. The U.S. Department of Defense news release said he died when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire.

Ficek, a graduate of Beaverton (Ore.) High School, is survived by his wife Kyla; parents Donna and Danny Vian, of the Portland, Ore., area and Dean and Suzanne Dibble of the Vancouver, Wash., area; two brothers, Dustin and John; in-laws Richard and Lorri Gellerson, as well as a large extended family and friends.