Fallen soldier returns to Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The body of Army Specialist Shawn D. Sykes, who died as a result of wounds suffered in an accident at Combat Outpost Crazy Horse in Iraq earlier this month, arrived home in Hampton Roads Thursday.

Sykes, a Portsmouth native, died May 7 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany.  The accident at Combat Outpost Crazy Horse occurred May 5.  Sykes' family says a propane tank in a kitchen exploded right in front of him.

Sykes, 28, was assigned to 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, out of Fort Hood, Texas.  His body arrived at Norfolk International Airport from Dover Air Force Base just before 8:00 a.m. Thursday.

"It just shook my world," said Sykes' mother, Marion Cotton. "It tore me up inside."

Cotton told WAVY.com that she still can't believe her only son is gone. "I lost my best friend. He was truly the anchor in my family," she said.   Cotton had just spent two weeks with her son when he came home for a break. Then April 8th, she had to take him back to the airport so he could return to duty in Iraq.

"I had a real uneasy feeling that day when I dropped him off at the airport. I was crying and I couldn't stop crying," said Cotton.

Just one month later, her worst fears came true. "Two men in uniform show up at your door, it's not good," she said. "It was so devastating and it's still devastating. I still can't believe it."

Now, Sykes' mother is taking one moment at a time, trying to focus on the blessings in her life, like the fact that her son did not die without knowing how his mother felt about him.

"I told him, 'I want to let you know how proud I am of you. You have made your mother proud.'"

According to his family, Sykes first enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, then later enlisted in the U.S. Army. During his military career, he received numerous medals including the Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Expert Marksmanship Badge.

A viewing is planned for Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at J.T. Fisher Funeral Services, 1080 N. George Washington Hwy., Chesapeake.

The funeral will be held Friday at Grove Baptist Church in Portsmouth. Burial will follow at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk.