VB soldier killed in Afghanistan

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A soldier from Virginia Beach died in Afghanistan while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Federal, local and state flags were flown at half-staff in memory of Pfc. William L. Meredith Thursday.

The Department of the Army says Meredith was killed after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Meredith died on Sept. 21, 2009 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, according to an Army news release.

A Dignified Transfer of Private First Class Meredith took place at Dover AFB Wednesday afternoon.

The Army says Pfc. Meredith was assigned to Ft Carson, Colorado as a Combat Engineer.

However, in Virginia Beach friends called the Private, Lee. He went to Ocean Lakes High School with Sandy Mahoney's children. More than a decade ago Lee and her son, Chris, became best friends. When Lee's dad retired from the Army and took a job in Central Virginia, Lee didn't want to leave his school and friends in Hampton Roads. Mahoney told WAVY.com Lee's father let him stay with her family.

"We had to share bunk beds. We fought over who got the top and who got the bottom," remembered Chris Mahoney. "My mom would give us a ride in the morning [to school]...at the end of the day we'd walk home together."

Then last year he decided to join the Army. "He said I'm going to go ahead and join the military and he did and he came here after basic training in his uniform," Mahoney said.

"He always talked about going in the Air Force or Army," Chris said. "He was proud to be in the uniform."

Mahoney explained the Army clothes were not the only change.

"He didn't have a lot of self esteem but when he walked in, with his uniform, I never saw him stand so tall and proud as in his uniform," she said through tears.

Standing tall, Lee left again as a combat engineer and headed to Afghanistan. The 26-year-old died Monday. An Army carry team brought Meredith's remains back home to the United States, to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday.

Mahoney said Lee was "just an awesome boy - an awesome man, who's life was cut short."

Meredith had spent most of this year in two war zones.  According to the Army, he was deployed to Iraq from February to April of this year, then in Afghanistan from April until his death.

In the Army only since April, 2008, Meredith had already received numerous awards, including the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, and Combat Action Badge.